How did Argentina get its name?

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El Cabildo de Buenos Aires

Oh names! Such magical words, ain’t ’em? In this article I’ll share with you the story of how Argentina got its name.

Argentina got its name from the Latin word “argentum“, which means silver. As it stands out today, silver was a hype at the time and has been ever since, as not only does our country allude to silver, but we also boast the Río de la Plata as well as the the cities of La Plata and Mar del Plata.

Throughout the 16th century, the Spanish were primarily interested in exploiting the region’s natural resources, including silver and other precious metals. However, the Rio de la Plata area did not yield the large quantities of silver that the Spanish had hoped for, and it was not until the discovery of the rich silver mines in Potosi, Bolivia in 1545 that they were able to establish a major source of wealth and power in the region.

The 16th century was a time of significant change in the territories that now make up Argentina and neighboring countries. During this time, Spanish expeditions explored the area and established settlements in Paraguay, Uruguay, and present-day Argentina.

Official records

The first recorded use of the name “Argentina” to refer to the region was in a poem written by the Spanish conquistador Martin del Barco Centenera (an avenue in present-day Buenos Aires). The poem, entitled “La Argentina,” was written in 1602 and is considered one of the earliest written works about the region. In the poem, del Barco Centenera praised the beauty and abundance of the land and its people, and he used the name “Argentina” to refer to the region.

However, it wasn’t until 1860 that Argentina was officially named República Argentina.

What happened in the meantime? Well… do you have a minute?

Now that we are here…

Maybe it’s a good time to tell you the story of the two foundations of Buenos Aires and some historical milestones.

The first attempt to establish a settlement in the Rio de la Plata region took place in 1536, when Spanish conquistador Pedro de Mendoza arrived with a small group of settlers. However, the settlement was abandoned just a few years later due to attacks by indigenous tribes and a lack of resources and Mendoza and his followers fled to the city of Asunción, in what is now Paraguay.

In 1580, another group of settlers was sent by the Spanish crown to establish a new settlement in the Rio de la Plata region. Juan de Garay led this group, and he established a settlement on the banks of the Rio de la Plata. This settlement proved to be more successful and eventually became the city of Buenos Aires. Garay, however, was killed in 1583.

During the 17th century, Buenos Aires began to develop as a significant trading center, serving as a hub for the export of regional products like wheat, corn, wool and leather to Europe. By the end of the century, Buenos Aires had become one of the most important cities in the Rio de la Plata region and a key center for Spanish colonial trade in South America.

While the export of wool and leather may not seem as lucrative as the export of precious metals, it was a significant source of wealth for the region at the time. Argentina had vast grasslands, the Pampas, which were ideal for raising cattle and sheep. The production of wool and leather from these animals was a major industry in the region and a significant source of revenue for the Spanish colonial government.

It’s important to note that as Buenos Aires was flourishing as a trading center, the indigenous population continued to be displaced and oppressed by the Spanish colonizers. Additionally, the development of the city was also fueled by the exploitation of enslaved African people, who were brought to the region by Spanish and British slave traders. The profits from the wool and leather exports were often used to fund the slave trade.

The Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata was established in 1776 by the Spanish crown and encompassed a large portion of South America, including present-day Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and parts of Bolivia and Brazil. Buenos Aires became the capital of the new viceroyalty, solidifying its position as a key center of colonial power in the region.

It was not until 1816 that Argentina declared its independence from the Spanish crown, following a long period of struggle that began with the May Revolution in 1810 (The Buenos Aires Cabildo featuring at the start of the article was the epicenter of that event). The years that followed were marked by political turmoil and armed conflicts, including the civil war between the Unitarians, who favored a centralized government, and the Federals, who supported greater autonomy for the provinces.

Between 1853 and 1860, Argentina went through a period of political instability and violence known as the “Argentine Confederation”.

Eventually, the conflict was resolved in 1860 with the signing of the National Constitution, which established a federal government with a strong central authority.

Despite the resolution of the conflict, tensions between the central government and the provinces have continued to be a recurring theme in Argentine politics to these days. Issues like the distribution of wealth and resources, taxation, federalism, and decentralization being the main.

Hey, congratulations! Thanks for reading this far. You know a lot about Argentina now. How does it feel?

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