Colonial Foundations: Argentina's Early Economic and Political Structure
A brief look at the administration and economic prospects of Argentina under colonial rule.
Discovery and First Colony
Colonial Administration
It is disputed whether the Rio de La Plata estuary was first discovered in 1502 or 1516; however, by the time of the Magellan expedition, it was known to European explorers. In 1526, Sebastian Cabot sailed to the region again, where he established the first Spanish colony. With the establishment of the fort Sancti Spiritus, he also sent back reports of silver being present in the region.
Originally part of the Viceroyalty of Peru, the area that would one day become the Argentine nation saw its earliest development when three cities in the region, one of which was Buenos Aires, assumed a leadership role. This leadership would prove to be the foundations of an Argentine identity.
Vice Royalty of Rio de La Plata
In 1776, the Spanish split the Viceroyalty of Peru into two regions, one of which was called the Rio de La Plata. It was this colonial administration that would one day become Argentina. Economically surviving on the trade of foodstuffs to the silver-mining areas of modern-day Bolivia, the Enlightenment found its way to this colony first at the University of Córdoba, located in the city of Córdoba, which also thrived on this trade.
Works Cited
https://www.britannica.com/place/Argentina/Sports-and-recreation