Why did Spain colonize Colombia?
The thirst for gold and land lured Spanish explorers to visit Chibchan-speaking areas; resulting in the Spanish conquest of the Chibchan Nations – the conquest by the Spanish monarchy of the Chibcha language-speaking nations, mainly the Muisca and Tairona who inhabited present-day Colombia, beginning the Spanish …
When did Spain colonize Colombia?
The Spanish explored the region in 1500 and began colonization of Colombia soon after with Santa Marta founded in 1525, followed by Cartagena in 1533, the New City of Granada (soon renamed Santa Fe) in 1535, and Cali in 1536.
Who are Colombians descended from?
Most Colombians of European descent are primarily descended from Spanish settlers, while other Europeans arrived during the 19th and 20th centuries.
What are some historical facts about Colombia?
Colombia is the only country in South America that has coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The area covered by modern day Colombia was originally inhabited by the indigenous tribes Muisca, Quimbaya, and Tairona. In 1499 the Spanish arrived and colonized the area, calling it New Granada.
How did Spain conquer Colombia?
The territory was first sighted by Spanish explorer Alonso de Ojeda in 1499, though he never landed. In 1502, on another coast of present-day Colombia, near the Gulf of Urabá, Spanish explorers led by Vasco Núñez de Balboa explored and conquered the area near the Atrato River.
What race are most Colombians?
Most of the population (over 86 percent) is either mestizo (having both Amerindian and white ancestry) or white. People of African (10.4 percent) and indigenous or Amerindian (over 3.4 percent) origin make up the rest of the Colombian population.
Are Colombians Aztecs?
The History of Colombia While the Aztecs and the Incas built empires that extended control over vast regions of pre-Columbian America, Colombia was settled by a number of smaller groups of peoples such as the Tayronas and the Muiscas.