Brazilian Guiana 1856

One of the intriguing historical and geographical features in world history is the name that has spread across South America, Oceania, and Africa - Guinea, Guyana, or Guiana. Although these names may sound similar, it would be naive to assume a common etymology. The origin of Guinea on the African coast can be traced back to a 15th-century Malian town called Djenné, the Portuguese description of today's Senegal as Guiné, or a Tuareg word used to describe black people as "aginaw." However, the etymology of Guiana or Guyana differs from this.

The expansive region known as the Guianas in South America, stretching over nine hundred miles, derives its name from an indigenous word meaning 'land of many rivers.' This is aptly fitting, as the northern region of the continent is indeed a basin of numerous rivers. The 'Guiana Shield' spans from the northern portions of Brazilian provinces such as Amazonas, Roraima, Pará, and Amapá (collectively known as Portuguese or Brazilian Guiana in colonial times), the Venezuelan provinces of Bolivar, Amazonas, and Delta Amacuro (known as Spanish Guiana), the Co-operative Republic of Guyana (formerly British Guiana), the Republic of Suriname (formerly Dutch Guiana), and the current French overseas department of French Guiana or Guyane. This entire region is a complex labyrinth of natural flora, fauna, and dense forests, flooded with countless rivers and their tributaries and distributaries. Some of the major rivers flowing in this zone include Maroni (or Marowijne), Courantyne (Corentyne), Essequibo, Demerara, Berbice, Oyapock, Approuague, and Mana, among others.

While much has been discussed about the British, Dutch, and French Guianas, the remaining two - Spanish and Portuguese Guiana - are less commonly talked about. This is because, unlike the other three, Spanish Guiana was never an independent colony or even a territory. In the colonial era, Venezuela was divided into the following provinces:

1. Provincia de Maracaybo
2. Provincia de Barinas
3. Provincia de Caracas
4. Provincia de Cumana
5. Provincia de Guayana

From the first Spanish steps taken along the coast of Venezuela in 1498, through its independence in 1811 and its separation from Gran Colombia in 1830, the country remained a Spanish dependency. As a result, all parts of Venezuela were automatically considered 'Spanish,' including Provincia de Guayana, which became known as Spanish Guiana or Guayana.

The story of Brazilian or Portuguese Guiana follows a similar pattern, being part of the Portuguese Empire's 'Colony of Brazil.' Interestingly, there was a short-lived, unrecognized independent state called the 'Republic of Independent Guyana' or Counani in the Amapá region of Brazil. This state existed between 1886 and 1891 and emerged from a territorial dispute between France and Brazil. In 1897, following an armed skirmish between the two countries, the President of Switzerland intervened and settled the dispute by having both parties sign a treaty that resolved the matter of Amapá with Brazil.

The numerous Amerindian tribes in this region were mentioned differently on old maps. According to a supplement to the National Geographic in the March 1982 edition, the following are the native tribes of the Portuguese Guiana region:

1. Pianocoto
2. Apalai
3. Kaxúyana
4. Waiwai
5. Hixkaryana
6. Oyampi (Wayapí)
7. Palicur
8. Emerillon
9. Wayana (Roucouyenne)
10. Akumyo
11. Tirio

Another source, a map sketched by Charles W. Morse in 1856, lists different names for the tribes, as shown below:

1. Woyawais
2. Barakotos
3. Apamas
4. Aracajus
5. Amicouar
6. Cousaris

Here's a recreated map based on the one mentioned above.

The Mosquito Coast (Mosquitia) 1856

The earliest civilisation in Nicaragua occurred not before the 16th century with the settlement of the Miskito or Wayas. But the usual misinterpretation and deliberate misunderstanding of Europeans labelled it as 'Mosquito Coast' although it has no connection with the insect. After the Miskito tribe, the Sumu tribe or the Mayangnas are the largest in today's Nicaragua region, while there are pockets of the Rama tribe in the interiors of Nicaragua. In 1502, Christopher Columbus 'discovered' the coastline inhabited by the Miskito tribe. While the western coast was being expanded with smaller kingdoms such as Chorotega, Mistega, Tezoatega, Managua, Masaya, Nagrand, Diria, Nequecheri, Nochari, Nicoya and Cuahcapolca, that would later combine to form Nicaragua, the eastern quarters had larger tribal territories such as Guaxenicos, Olocoton, Matagalpas, Ulwas, Payas apart from the regions as mentioned above of the Miskitos, Ramas and Sumu. With the decline and downfall of the Mayan Civilisation in Mexico and around, the Spanish territories amalgamated native kingdoms into the larger Viceroyalty of New Spain. Still, individual departments emerged that would take shape into current republics. Other sub-tribes subordinated under the Sumos or Mayangnas were Panamahkas, Yuskus, Boas, Kukra, Prinzus, Bawikas, Silam, Ku and Tawahkas. 

While the Viceroyalty of New Spain was shaping up from California to Costa Rica, it was subsequently divided into various 'departments' that changed their political boundaries throughout centuries. While most of them were large territories such as Alta California, New Mexico, New Philippines, the Kingdom of Mexico etc., the one that encapsulated entire Central America was the Kingdom of Guatemala, which extended from Guatemala to Costa Rica. A 19th-century map shows the various provinces of the Guatemala Kingdom such as: 

1. Chiapa
2. Quesaltenango
3. Totonicapa
4. Solola
5. Suchiteteque
6. Chimalten
7. Verapaz
8. Peten
9. Escuinta
10. Catepeque
11. Chiquimula
12. Sonsonate
13. Provincia de Salvador
14. Provincia de Comayagua
15. Costa de Honduras
16. Provincia de Tegusigalpa
17. Provincia de Leon
18. Provincia de Segovia
19. Costa Ryca

Among these provinces, Leon and Segovia consisted of central and western Nicaragua and had numerous cities and towns established; the eastern quarter was relatively sparsely populated and wasn't marked under any specific province. Instead, the two dominant tribes - Miskito and Sambu, are drawn on the coast of Nicaragua. But the Mosquito Coast was made a British colony early in 1720 that lasted until the next century. In 1740, it became a formal British protectorate under the supervision of British Honduras (which, interestingly, is today's Belize) till 1786. For the next 57 years, there were several Spanish attempts to regain control, but finally, in 1844, the British regained Mosquito Coast as a protectorate. After four years, the Miskitos captured San Juan del Norte, a Spanish settlement on the eastern coast, and passed it on to the British, rechristening Greytown. This was a dramatic moment that tied the seal of Mosquito Coast or Mosquitia's future, as in future, it would be annexed to Honduras, a newly independent country that had swung between the fate of Spain and Mexico in the 1820s. Finally, in 1860, the English occupation of the Mosquito Coast ended, and now its future would proceed towards getting annexed into new republics. 

In 1894, another harbour town on the Mosquito Coast, Blewfields (Bluefields), was occupied by Nicaraguan forces in the same year, thus incorporating the region in Nicaragua once and for all. Therefore, this ended the independent phase of Mosquito Coast. Today, this region is divided into two provinces of Nicaragua; the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region in the north and South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region in the south. 

Below is a recreated map of the Mosquito Coast or Mosquitia, dating 1856, initially sketched by James Wyld. 

Buenos Ayres 1823

The United Provinces of the Río de la Plata (1810-1831) consisted of the following provinces: 

1. Governate of Moxo (Bolivia)
2. La Paz (Bolivia)
3. Cochabamba (Bolivia)
4. Charcas (Bolivia)
5. Governate of Chiquitos (Bolivia)
6. Potosi (Bolivia/Chile)
7. Salta (Argentina)
8. Paraguay (Paraguay/Bolivia/Argentina/Brazil)
9. Cordova (Argentina)
10. Buenos Ayres (Argentina/Uruguay/Brazil)

Buenos Ayres and Cordova are the largest in area, touching Patagonia to its south, while its other neighbours are Brazil, Peru and Chile in the east, northeast, west and southwest. This post focuses on the province of Buenos Ayres, that's today spelt as Buenos Aires and is also the capital of Argentina. 

The Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru extended to the coast of Buenos Aires in 1587 after they had expanded on the western coast of South America. Stretching from Peru, Ecuador, northern Chile, and western Uruguay and crossing the northern region of Argentina, it touched the coast of Rio de la Plata, a strait dividing Uruguay from Argentina. Some of the earliest habitations around this coast from a 1611 dated map are S. Espirito (Sancti Espirito; the first European settlement in Argentina), Ningatas, S. Anna, Asumption, Mepenes, S. Francisco, Cananoa etc. The Rio de La Plata strait branched out numerous tributaries marked beautifully on 17th-century maps. Rivers such as Xanaes, Caramagna, de Carcarana, de Carandias emerged into Argentina, while rivers such as Negro, S. Saluador, de S. Barbara etc., into Uruguay. One of these rivers emerging into Argentina is marked as Rio de Beunas Arres and no settlement around this river can be seen on the map. On other 17th-century maps, one would see Uruguay marked as Morpion while Chica and Patagones for Patagonia. Even in the 1630s, the prominent settlement was Sancti Espirito while Buenos Aires was yet to develop. 

Coming to the late 17th century, one can spot a district division by the name Rio de la Plata that forms on the coast of the riverine from Buenos Ayres to Assomption (Asunción, Paraguay) in the north. This would be part of the larger province Vrvaig (Uruguay), which is part of La Plata. Everything beyond Buenos Aires was Terre de Magellan. A 1700 map by Edward Wells divides South America into seven divisions: Firmland (the northern countries of Colombia, Venezuela and the Guianas), the Country of the Amazones (northwest Brazil and parts of Colombia and Venezuela), a much bigger Peru (covering everything west to the Amazones till the top of Chile), Chili (Chile with portions of Argentina added), Magelanick Land (Patagonia) while the remaining portion left as Paraguay, much larger than what it is today. This region would cover today's Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia, remaining Argentina and Brazil. The two settlements marked around Rio de la Plata are Buenos Ayres and San Salvador (denoting the river that flows in Uruguay). 

The early 1700s would mark Buenos Ayres as part of Rio de la Plata, with neighbouring Urvaig (Uruguay) as part of Bresil (Brazil) to its east while Chili (Chile) and Terre Magellanique to its west and south. Another 1736 dated map shows a clear division of Uruguay between La Plata and Brazil, while a continuous road connecting Buenos Aires to Potosi, in today's Bolivia. The road would connect towns such as Salta, St. Iago de Istero (Santiago del Estiro, Argentina), Santa Espirito and connect the Rio de la Plata river at Buenos Aires. A 1799 dated map shows Provincia o Grano Buenos Ayres (Province of Buenos Aires) covering entire Uruguay and Argentina portions around Rio de la Plata. In the early 19th century, the phrase Rio de la Plata and Buenos Ayres were used interchangeably on several maps. 

The 19th century saw the shaping of Buenos Aires as well as Argentina. In 1813, Paraguay separated, while in 1816, Argentina declared independence but excluded Patagonia, as United Provinces of Rio de la Plata stretching from Bolivia to Argentina and covering Paraguay, Uruguay and parts of Chile and Brazil. In 1828, Uruguay declared independence, and in the coming decades, one would see a full-fledged Argentina in its current shape. Patagonia would be annexed under the military campaign 'Conquest of the Desert' between the 1870s and 1884. 

Certain short-lived political entities are interesting to mention. The Republic of Entre Ríos, just above the Buenos Aires province, was an intermediate proclamation of an independent state against the Spanish (1852-1861) monarch existing between 1820-1821. A slightly longer duration was lived by the State of Buenos Aires because of the throwing of the Argentine Confederation government in the Buenos Aires province. 

Below is a recreated 1823 version of the United Provinces map originally sketched by Fielding Jr. Lucas. 

The Peru-Bolivian Confederation 1836-1839

One unique feature about South America is that since its colonial history came into being, the political entities formed didn't change their names significantly through ages. Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela and the Guianas, all find mention on old maps in some way or the other. The Viceroyalty of Peru, which existed between 1542 to 1824, covered almost the entire continent. The sub-entities under the Viceroyalty of New Granada was divided into Santa Fe and Quito, the latter of which is now the capital of Ecuador. But the most interesting aspects are those of the intermediary temporal transitions between all these countries right from the time the continent achieved independence from Spain and Portugal in the 19th century. These were imperially independent but swapped borders with neighbouring nations now and then. 

But before the birth of individual South American nations, the internal names of these territories were quite interesting. On early 19th century maps, one would find names such as Paraguay not restricted to its current borders, but a stretch of land passing through today's Paraguay and southern Brazil. Similarly, in the territory that is today Bolivia, the indigenous tribe of Mojeños or Moxos would be labelled to mark northern the part. The southern parts were internal departments under the Viceroyalty of Peru such as Santa Cruz, La Paz, La Plata, Potosi and Atacama, which is in today's Chile. Coastal Peru consisted of territories such as Macas, Truxillo, Vico, Jauxa, Cuzco, Arica etc. while the interior part was the settlement of the Maynas people. Going a bit more in the past, the 1818th-centuryaps were quite more distinctive and clear. The internal departments of the Peru Viceroyalty wawereivided among various Audiencias. The one around today's Bolivia was the Audiencia of Los Charcas while mainland Peru was the Audiencia of Lima. Colonial 17th century maps sketched by European cartographers denoted the name Peruvia to the entire ststretchrom Ecuador to Peru and parts of Bolivia. A certain Ouram and Charcas would denote the remaining parts of Bolivia. The greater parts of middle South America was denoted as America Meridionalis. 

An 1860 dated map of South America shows the following as divisions of Bolivia:

1. Government of Moxos
2. Cochabamba
3. Charcas
4. Potosi
5. Parts of Atacama

Among the above-listed names, at present only Cochabamba and Potosi ssimilaritiesarity with their names. 

The border changes of Peru and Bolivia are particularly interesting. Both the nations have changed their political boundaries several times and for a good number of years, Bolivia also had a seacoast, a topic that is still of concern. A short-lived state known as the Peru-Bolivian Confederation (Confederación Perú-Boliviana) existed between 1836 to 1839 that dispersed into undivided Peru and Bolivia, faca ed serious threat from Chilean forces in 1879 with respect to tax disputes. In the next four years, Bolivia lost majority of its lands to the neighbouring countries of Brazil, Chile and Paraguay. The Bolivians still have the unfulfilled dream of gaining access to the ocean and although Chile did promise in 1904, the Bolivians have to pay Chilean taxes while navigating to the Pacific Ocean. 

The countries of South America were in constant conflict after the departure of the Spanish imperials. As a result, there was a constant threat to military dominance from various factions, particularly Argentina and Chile, that opposed the creation of any other military power. The political turmoil of Peru and Bolivia lead to a temporarily settlement of a united confederation that was heavily opposed by other nations, and the Peru-Bolivian Confederation was formed in 1836 that lasted only for the next three years. After dissolving of the confederation, the Peruvian territory was further divided into North Peru and South Peru, soon to be united under a single Peruvian Republic. Till 1929, there were further territorial exchanges between Peru and neighbours that gave its current map. 

Below here is a recreated map of a Dano-French cartographer Conrad Malte Brun's creation, dating 1837.

GIRMITIYAS OF BRITISH GUIANA

If we talk about Indian slaves under the British, the only picture a commoner would paint would be those of the workers serving the British sahibs and memsahibs in India. But 1830s was the period when mass migration of Indians took place to various other British colonies overseas that under the pretext of 'contract workers', was actually slavery. Girmitiya, as they are commonly known as, were migrant contract workers that were transported from eastern India (hence also known as Purbiya or Baksaria) to smaller colonies such as British Guiana, Mauritius, Fiji, Trinidad and even Natal, South Africa. The racial slang 'coolie' was popularised during this time and this practice of indentured labourers continued till the late 1910s. The most popular stories are from Mauritius, Fiji and Natal, but this post shall talk about the less-known stories of British Guiana, today known as Guyana. 

Backdrop of the Guianas

The first Europeans to discover the coast of the Guyana were Alonso de Ojeda and Amerigo Vaspucci, in 1499. But the first explorer would be an English called Sir Walter Raleigh in 1595. Interestingly, before the actual colonisation by the English, the Guyana coast was settled by the Dutch, which marked three major territories here - Berbice, Essequibo and Demerara. These three names are as important to the Guyanese history as its to Indians who would appear almost 3 centuries later. Between 1657 to 1830, the coast of Guyana was shuffled between the Dutch, French and British which ultimately was settled down with the English till 1966, when Guyana achieved independence. Another important fact that the entire region was divided into 4 'Guianas' - the Spanish, Dutch, French and Portuguese before the British carved out from the Spanish and Dutch. If one looks at early 1800s maps of this region, its hardly recognisable as Spanish Guiana would cover a disoriented circular region in today's Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil and Guyana. The Dutch Guiana would occupy the coast of Guyana and Suriname, the French would extend to Brazil and the Portuguese would expand within the Brazilian borders. French Guiana still exist but the boundaries between it and Brazil was still unclear till 1880s. Today when we compare this map with the maps of Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana, its hard to believe the formation of these boundaries that changed dramatically over ages.  

Arrival of the Indians

Coming back to Guyana and how Indians arrived, this story starts in 1838 under the 'Gladstone Experiment'. After a successful indentured immigration in Mauritius, British Guiana would now become a brooding spot for the Girmitiyas which were essentially slaves to help cultivate sugar plantations. Although historical texts use the word 'migrants', but this technically was a form of slavery in which Indians were bound to work under the plantation owner till the time their contract isn't over. On 5th May 1838, the Whitby after a sea-voyage of 112 days, arrived at British Guiana from Calcutta with 249 immigrants on board. The ship disembarked near Berbice river and were spread out at Highbury, Waterloo and Belle Vue Estate plantations. The same year Chinese labourers were also recruited from Malacca, Singapore and Penang (the Straits Settlements which were at this point of time part of British India). 

Between 1838 to 1917, roughly 238,979 Indians landed in Guyana from Calcutta and Madras. By 1917, Indians constituted 42% of Guyanese population and roughly 20% of Caribbean population (there were indentured labourers in Jamaica and Trinidad as well). The migrants usually belonged to today's eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar region and were mostly landless labourers who were exploited by the Bania communities, the upper-caste landlords and were heavily under debt by them. The Sepoy Mutiny (or the first war of Indian independence) of 1857 had lead to rise in unemployment, a major factor that was exploited by the British. Among all the areas of eastern UP and Bihar, Basti became the single largest exporter of Indian labourers by 1890s. 

The Devonshire Castle Uprising 1872

On 29th September 1872, 5 Indians were mercilessly killed in what is known as the Devonshire Castle uprising. The Indian labourers who were killed had protested against the inhumane and harsh living conditions at the plantations where they were forced to produce large amount of sugar quantities with improper facilities. They weren't given proper wages, had to work for ridiculous long hours and were flogged for incompetence. More to their misfortunes, the immigration agents and stipendiary magistrates tended to take side of the planters rather that listening to the cries of the workers. Even the living conditions were despicable, overcrowded and unventilated, lacked potable water and medical facilities. The result was outbreak of diseases tended to assume epidemic proportions. This all resulted in a series of revolts that started in 1869 at various plantations - Hague, Uitvlugt, Mon Repos, Non-Pareil, Zeelugt and Vergenoegen before the violent one took place at Devonshire Castle. 

The Devonshire Castle Uprising was an important chapter in Guyanese history as for the first time Indians protested violently against the English oppressor in a land far away from India. This one incident flipped the attitude of Indians towards the planters - more rebellious, prepared to assert his rights and demand justice. The Indians who were killed were identified as Kaulica, Baldero, Ackloo, Maxidally and Beccaroo. 

The end of slavery

1917 marked the end of indentureship in British Guiana. Although it would take several decades for Guyana to be independent, but just before the end of first world war, indentureship ended in British Guiana. It was the Viceroy of India, Lord Hardinge, who after a report of 1913, urged to remove indentured labourer hirings and stop such deployment once for all. He famously stated: 

"It is not the duty of the Government of India to provide coolies for the colonies"

This was also the time when MK Gandhi had arrived to India from his Satyagraha campaign in Natal, South Africa and had questioned the plight of Indians overseas. British officials such as CF Andrews, Sir Benjamin Robertson and others pressurised the British government to look into the conditions of Indians overseas and soon matters were started to discuss ending indentureship in not just British Guiana but other colonies such as Fiji, Trinidad and Jamaica. Although this abolition lead to the downfall of sugar produces at the plantations, but both Colonial Office and India Office remained indifferent to the calls and ultimately indentureship quietly faded away post 1920s.   

The maps here are the Guianas of 1810 and 1844. The one of 1844 also lists down names of some of the plantations and parishes of which they were aligned to. Divided into three main regions - country of Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice, this was the coast of Guyana in 1844. 

BRAZIL 1719

Brazil needs no introduction. The 5th largest country in the world area-wise and the largest in South America, Brazil has a rich and unique history dating as old as early 16th century. It was the only (and largest) Portuguese colony in the entire Americas and was one of the earliest lands to be colonized by any European power. During the late 15th century when the Spanish and Portuguese set sail to the lands unknown to them, they arrived at Latin America (the Spanish) in late 1490s and at the Brazilian coast (the Portuguese) in early 1500s. On 23rd April 1500, the eastern coast of today's Brazil was claimed by the Portuguese under the name of Ilha de Santa Cruz which was later renamed as Terra de Vera Cruz. The first name was an error as it translates to the 'Island of the True Cross', which [Brazil] was incorrectly assumed by the navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral as an island. Post 30 years in 1530, the Portuguese declared their colony under the name of Brasil (the Portuguese name for Brazil). 

An interesting French chapter occurred between 1555 to 1560 when the French settled at Fort Coligny (near today's Rio de Janeiro) and called the area surrounding as France Antarctique. A short-lived French colony in Brazil (and the only French colony south of equator in South America) which was destroyed by the Portuguese later. Similar temporary colonization attempt was made by the Dutch between 1630 to 1654 (Kolonie Brazilie) also known as Nieuw Holland (different from the Australian one). Towns such as Mauritsstad (Recife), Frederikstadt (João Pessoa), Nieuw Amsterdam (Natal), Saint Louis (São Luis), Fort Schoonenborch (Fortaleza) etc. were some of the Dutch settlements.

Another interesting anecdote of Brazilian history is the Treaty of Tordesillas that was signed between Spain and Portugal (at Tordesillas, Spain) in June 1494 that divided eastern portion of Brazil into various 'captaincies' (administrative divisions) of whose maps would be straight lines running vertically and horizontally all along the eastern coast. The original 'straight lined' captaincies existed till 1549 after which the boundaries started to change. Some of the original names survived, others got either annexed or ceded into another. The map here shows such Captaincies in 1719, 5 years after the formation of the Viceroyalty of Brazil. The captaincies are as follows: 

1. Para
2. Maragnan (today's Maranhão)
   
3. Siara (today's Ceará)
   
4. Rio Grande
5. Paraiba
   
6. Tamaraca (today's Ilha de Itamaracá)
   
7. Fernambouc (today's Pernambuco)
   
8. Seregippe (today's Sergipe)
   
9. La Baye de Tous les Saints (today's Bay of All Saints, Bahia)
   
10. Rio dos Ilheos (today's Ilhéus, in Bahia)
    
11. Porto Seguro
12. St. Espirit (today's Espírito Santo)
    
13. Rio Janeiro (today's Rio de Janeiro)
    
14. St. Vincent (today's São Vicente, in São Paulo)

Similar to North America and Africa, the genocide of native tribes also took place in Brazil (and South America) ever since the Europeans set foot on the continent. The Pataxo Hã Hã Hãe and Tupinambá were the earliest indigenous tribes to come in contact with the Portuguese in Brazil. Today, tribes such as Yanomami, Tikuna and Guarani are one of the largest in the country. The Amazon rain-forest still has  some of the un-contacted humans in areas bordering Peru. The map here shows some of the tribes of that time mentioned by the 17th century French geographer Nicolas de Fer. These are as follows: 

1. Amixocores
2. Carajes
3. Peries
4. Tupinimbes
5. Auguarrari
6. Wayanas
7. Tupinas
8. Maribuces
9. Tucanucos
10. Tiguares

Brazil started to expand in the 18th century and it was 1815 when the Kingdom of Brazil was made part of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and Algarve. A decade later the Brazilian war of independence was fought which led to the establishment of Empire of Brazil in 1822. Late 1880s was the time when the Brazilian constitution was being drafted and the Republic of the United States of Brazil was established on 15th November 1889. With the annexation of Acre in 1904, today's map of Brazil was finally achieved. The Federative  Republic of Brazil status was acquired on 15th March 1967. The map here shows the 'Capitancies' of Portuguese Brazil in 1719 when the country was yet to expand westwards.

 

Argentina - 1834

Although the Spanish colonization of Argentina started in 1536 (as Río de La Plata under Viceroyalty of Peru), the complete formation of today's Argentina occurred not before late 1880s. There was a time when Spain had colonized the entire South America, leaving Brazil for the Portuguese and the Guyanas were divided into British, Dutch and French (the French one still exists as an overseas French department in South America). The two gigantic Spanish colonies were Viceroyalties of New Granada and Peru that literally covered all of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and parts of Chile and Argentina. Patagonia, the southern part of South America was basically home to various indigenous tribes such as the Mapuches.

It was 1776 when Viceroyalty of Río de La Plata separated from Peru, which would cover up today's northern Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia (also known as Upper Peru) and Paraguay. In 1811 after the Argentine war of independence, the United Provinces of Río de La Plata was carved out, marking the earliest Argentine state. It consisted of today's Argentina (except Patagonia), southern Bolivia, Uruguay, Paraguay and parts of Brazil and Chile. In 1831, after separation of Chile, Paraguay (although some parts were still to be exchanged), Uruguay and Bolivia, the first Argentine Confederation was formed. For some 10 years between 1852 to 1862, territory of Buenos Aires would also separate (it was also a brief British colony for a few months in 1806) but would rejoin in 1860 to form Argentine Nation. In 1881, border would be made between Chile and Patagonia, thus adding the latter to Argentina.

Like some nations, Argentina also has a disputed territory - the Falkland Islands. Disputed between Argentina and United Kingdom, the former lays claim to it while the latter considers is as a British overseas territory. The imperial nations Britain, France and Netherlands all lay claim to have discovered the islands first with various names - Davis' Land or Hawkins Maydenlande (British), Sybold de Waerde Eylanden (Dutch) and Les Îles Malouines (French). The name 'Falkland' appeared first in 1702. After the French giving away the islands to the Spanish, it was juggled between the Spanish and the British, the latter still claiming it. Jumping to the 20th century, for a brief time the islands were under Argentine possession in 1982. In 2013, 99.8% of people chose to remain with the United Kingdom.

Although the name Argentina appeared first in 1536, it's official usage was done in the Argentine Constitution in 1826. It's well known that it's etymology is derived from the Latin word for 'silver', hence the symbol for the element in the Periodic Table as Ag (Argentum).

Below here is the map of Argentina in 1834 when it was still divided among Río de La Plata (or simply La Plata) and Patagonia (not as a country, but a geographical area of Indian tribes).