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History of Chile

A narrow strip of land between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. 3 eras, 1541 to today.

Captaincy General of Chile, 1541–1818 Draft, not yet reviewed

The General Captaincy of Chile was a territory of the Spanish Empire from 1541 to 1818 that was, initially, part of the Viceroyalty of Peru. It comprised most of modern-day Chile and southern parts of Argentina in the Patagonia region. Its capital was Santiago de Chile. In 1811 it declared itself independent, with the Spanish reconquering the territory in 1814, but in 1818 it gained independence as the Republic of Chile.

Seat of power: Santiago

Rulers

Patria Vieja, 1810–1814 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Patria Vieja is a time period in the history of Chile between the First Junta of the Government (September 18, 1810) and the Disaster of Rancagua (October 1, 1814). This period was characterized by the transformation from a movement of temporary autonomy to one of total independence. During this time a Government Junta of Chile as well as a National Congress were organized to administer the country during the imprisonment of the king. This put an end to the Chilean Patria Vieja and it was the decisive step of the Spanish military Reconquest of Chile.

Seat of power: Santiago

Rulers

Republic of Chile, 1818 to today Draft, not yet reviewed

Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the Southern Cone of southwestern South America. On 12 February 1818, Chile was proclaimed an independent republic. During the 1960s and 1970s, the country was marked by severe left-right political polarization and turmoil, which culminated in the 11 September 1973 coup d'état, with support from the United States, that overthrew Salvador Allende's democratically elected left-wing government. This was followed by a 16-and-a-half-year right-wing military dictatorship led by Augusto Pinochet, during which the 1980 Constitution was enacted, along with numerous political and economic reforms, and which was marked by widespread human rights violations, including more than 3,000 deaths and disappearances.

Seat of power: Santiago

Rulers

Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.