Ancient History - Pre-Colonialism (up to 1499 A.D.
- Around the death of Christ, Aymara enter Western Bolivia.
- Capital at Tiwanaku (far western edge)
- Reign spread through Western Bolivia, Southern Peru, Northern Chile.
- Modern estimates range the population at ~300K to ~1.5 M circa 600-800 A.D.
- Incredible farming (flooded-raised field)
- Tiwanaku becomes predatory but is not violent. Chose to absorb cultures rather that destroy them.
- Trade boom, the use of llamas, and surplus.
- Great drought circa 1000 A.D. destroys Aymara
- Incan Empire expands from 1438 to 1527
- Rule Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui (1438 - 1471) marks great cultural expansion of Incas.
- His son, Topa Inca Yupanqui, captures lake Titicaca and last of Aymara people. Captures all of Western Bolivia.
Spanish Conquest
- Francisco Pizarro, Diego de Almagro, and Hernando de Luque make land in present day Panama (1524)
- Death of Inca Emperor Huayna Capac (1527) & battle for power between his two sons Huascar and Atahualpa.
- Atahualpa wins power but does not assert united rule over areas under control.
- Pizarro enters Bolivia (1532)
- Atahualpa does not change ceremonial approach to warfare - attack by the light of a full moon.
- Battle of Cajamarca (November 16th, 1532)
- Inca capital at Cuzco falls (1533)
- Rebellion against Spanish - 300 years
- Manco Incan Rebellion & NeoInca state (1537)
- Tupac Amaru beheading at Cuzco (1537) does not end Indian rebellions.
- Pizarro captures Cuzco when fighting Manco Incan Rebellion.
- Civil war between Pizarro in the north and Almagro in the south. (1537)
- kills Almagro (1538)
- Pizarro killed 3 years later by Almagro supporters.
- Brother of Pizarro, Gonzalo assumes rule of northern Peru.
- Rebellion against the Spanish crown.
- Spanish reassert power by execution of Gonzalo. (1548)
- Effect of European disease.
A Bloody Spanish Rule
- Viceroy of Lima in Upper Peru, Bolivian Silver Mines, and Cerro Rico.
- Bureaucracy created to create flow of wealth
- Four corridors in Upper Peru (early 1600s)
- Religious Assimilation begins. (early 1600s)
- Power and autonomy given to local officials, taxes, and the importation of goods(late 1700s)
- 100 revolts in 18th century
- Great revolt of Túpac Amaru II. Kills 1200 Spanish soldiers and corregidor de indios. 60,000 Indians rally to cause.
- This causes many major revolts, which Spain does not suppress until 1783. Spain continues to execute thousands of Indians.
- Major use of alcohol and coca leaf in Indian population.
Independence on the Horizon
- Enlightenment thinking and the Napoleonic wars (invasion of Iberian Peninsula) destabilizes rule over Upper Peru.
- Proclamation for Independence (1809)
- Growing Criollos support for colonial reform.
- Overthrow of Bourban Dynasty and Joseph Bonaparte assumption of power.
- Oidores (Ferdinand VII) vs. Criollos (Carlotta)
- General Pedro Antonio de Olañeta killed by his own men, ending Spanish rule (April 1st, 1825) - Named Bolivia after Simon Bolivar
19th & 20th centuries
- Marshal Andrés de Santa Cruz - Peru–Bolivian Confederation
- Wars with Chileans and Peruvian rebels. Peace treaty disregarded and the defeat of Santa Cruz
- 60 years of uncertainty and war.
- Tin beats silver for highest commodity, laissez fiare economy for 30 years
- Defeat of Paraguay in Chaco War (1936) - loss of life discredited ruling class.
- Political Awareness among indigenous people living under primitive conditions.
- Bolivian National Revolution, third times a charm.
- Reformated agriculture and education, nationalized tin-mining and incorporated indigenous populations.
The Fall of the BNR & The Rise of Democracy
- Fights over national reform, coup overthrow of President Paz Estenssoro
- Constant warring causes military to hold national elections. Congress elected in 1980
- Chief executive chosen - Hernán Siles Zuazo