The history of Ecuador is varied and interesting due to the tremendous
changes that the region has undergone during the last 500 years. Historically,
Ecuador was divided into different Amerindian communities that succumbed
to the Incan invasion from the south. The Incans triumphed and dominated
the Ecuadorian territory for approximately 50 years. The Spanish Conquistadors,
under the command of Francisco Pizarro, enslaved the victorious Incan
Atahualpa and ended his reign and established a Spanish viceroy
On May 24, 1822 after 200 years or more of Spanish occupation, Ecuador
proclaimed its independence. In 1942, Ecuador fought with Peru and
lost a large extension of its territory, especially the entrance to
the Amazon river. In the 1990's, there was a second war with Peru.
In 1999, the country fell into the worst economic crisis of its history
and this is why the country changed to the US dollar in the year 2000.
Now with a growing economy thanks to a period of oil prosperity and
economic adjustments, Ecuador is trying to open itself to the world
hopefully via the principles of eco-tourism and the protection of
its traditional agricultural industry and not through the selling
out of its citizens to unfair Free-trade agreements.
Pre-Incan and Incan period
The first signs of native communities in the Ecuadorian
territory date back to 16,000 to 18,000 years ago. Several
native communities inhabited Ecuador during the Pre-Incan
era, including the cultures of Valdivia, Chorrera, Machalilla,
Cotocollao, Carchi and Otavalo. Some of these communities
united to form more complex communities like the Huancavilca,
Cañarí, Puruhá, Caranqui, Otavalo,
Pastos, Napo, and etcetera.
These better organized communities united in the North-Andean
Confederation and fought against the Incan invasion from
Peru. The Incan Tupac Yupanqui initiated the conquest
of the north and his son Huayna Capac continued it. Huayna
Capac managed to defeat the resistance and enlarged the
Incan empire as far as Quito. Huayna Capac died in the
newly conquered city of Quito and his two sons, Atahualpa
born in Quito and Huascar born in Cuzco, divided the empire
in two, the north, now Ecuador, was governed by Atahualpa
and the south, Peru, by Huascar. In 1531, after fighting
several times with Huascar for the rule of the empire,
Atahualpa wins and proclaims himself chief of the Incan
empire. While resting in Cajamarca, he was ambushed by
the Spaniards led by Francisco Pizarro and executed a
few days later.
