UruguayBy: Wadha Al Nabti

Pre-ColonizationThe Charruas are the indigenous people of Uruguay. They survived off fishing and rummaging around. They lived in tents. It is believed they went to Uruguay 4000 years ago. Uruguayans signify themselves as Charruas because whenever Uruguayans had to display audacity or intrepidity at insurmountable times, in which the expression “garra charrua” comes in, garra charrua is used to refer to triumph when they are most certain to defeat. They were very fierce fighters to a point where they used their foes skull as a ceremonial drinking cup. They were good on bows, slings, and spears.

The CharruasA Charrua Warrior

Colonization Although the Porteguese were the first to settle in Uruguay in 1680 in the town of Colonia del Sacramento, the Spanish took the country forcibly in 1778, so both Portugal and Spain colonized Uruguay. In 1811 Uruguay revolted against the Spanish, only to be conquered by the Portuguese from Brazil in 1817.

After the Portuguese arrived the Spanish responded and built Montevideo, which is now the capital of modern Uruguay, it was a military stronghold. The founding of Montevideo signified a much more aggressive Spanish presence in the region. This continues when Buenos Aires becomes the capital of La Plata, which is a territory including Uruguay.

The city which the portuguese settled into

What Resources Were The Colonizer Wanting?When the Spanish began to introduce cattle in 1603 it became a source of wealth in the region. Uruguay had a lovely environment and was home to herds of wild cattle, which the Charrua hunted. This caused the european horsemen to have brief raids on the cattle. Other than that there was nothing to attract explorers not was the landscape encouraging colonists to settle and farm. The Spanish also built Montevideo as a military stronghold. The gauchos, also known as Spanish cowboys, are making a living by herding cattle in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.

A Gaucho Modern Uruguay exports

What Happened During Colonization?Uruguay became a zone of contention between the Portuguese and Spanish empires.Uruguay in the early 19th century consisted of ongoing fights between the British, Spanish, and Portuguese. In 1806 the British invaded Buenos Aires and then were freed from the enemy by forces from Montevideo. In 1807 a stronger and new attack aimed at Montevideo first, to invade Buenos Aires a second time, but they were unable to. The British gave up attacking Spanish territories when they became allies against Napoleon. 1810 when Uruguay asserted their independence from Spain a gaucho called Jose Gervasio becomes the leader of Uruguay.

Napoleon Bonaparte

What Happened During Colonization?In 1811 Uruguay revolted against the Spanish, only to be conquered by the Portuguese from Brazil in 1817. Independence was finally granted the Uruguay with the help of Argentina in 1825 and the republic was set up in 1828. On 11th April 1831 a group of people led by Barnabe Rivera the nephew of the president of Uruguay massacred the remaining Charrua people at Salsipuedes Creek, which literally means Get-out-if-you-can.

Barnabe Rivera Salsipuedes Creek

Effect on the indigenous populationSpanish, English, Portuguese, and Brazilian empires have all had clashes with the Charruas. After the genocide at Salsipuedes Creek on 1831 thousands of Charrua’s died, majority fled to Brazil, and the rest became slaves unfortunately, in which they were diversified with the white people, lost their culture, and lost their identity. Brazil and Argentina are now home to 160,000-300,000 descendants of Charruas. There were four surviving charruas who were abducted and taken to Paris, France in 1833 where they were exhibited to the public like caged animals they eventually died. After the 1830’s the Charruas were as good as extinct. As of 2011 there are 1.1% indigenous people in Uruguay. It is said that there is no full blooded Charrua remaining, although there are people who can be traced back to Charruas.

The CharruasCharruas

Modern Uruguay!Uruguay now is a wonderful democratic constitutional republic. With a population of about 3,300,000 citizens. It is in the south-eastern side of South America. The official language of Uruguay is Spanish. The GDP per capita is $16,607. Their currency is the Uruguayan Peso. The Uruguayan culture is influenced mostly by Europe since it was colonized by the Spanish. It also shares the tradition of the gaucho with Argentina and has been and important element in the art plus folklore. Not only does it share the tradition of the gaucho with Argentina, but it also shares the tango.

Modern Montevideo Uruguayan Peso Uruguayan Folklore

Modern Uruguay! One of the most popular tango’s “La Cumparsita” was written by the Uruguayan composer Gerardo Matos Rodriguez. Uruguay’s film industry is quite small, but is growing quickly many movies like Whisky, Paisito, Ana and many more have earned international honors. Uruguay is more of a football kind of country being the smallest population of any country that has won the world cup. Uruguay won the first ever football World Cup in 1930 beating Argentina 4-2 The most respected football cup is the world cup. As of 2012 they are ranked the 2nd best team in the world according to FIFA.

Whisky (Uruguayan movie) 1930 world CupTwo footballers from the current Uruguayan football club

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