Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires ("Good Airs" in Spanish, originally meaning "Fair Winds") is the capital of Argentina and its largest city and port, as well as one of the largest cities in South America. Buenos Aires is located on the southern shore of the River Plate, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent, opposite Montevideo, Uruguay. Buenos Aires is located at {{coor dm|34|40|S|58|24|W|}} (-34.667, -58.40).

History

Spanish seaman Juan Díaz de Solís discovered the Río de la Plata (River Plate) in 1516 but his expedition was cut short by an attack in which he was killed (and supposedly cannibalized) by the native Charrúa or Guaraní tribe (disputed).

Related Topics:
Juan Díaz de Solís - River Plate - 1516 - Cannibal - Charrúa - Guaraní

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The city was first founded as Santa María del Buen Ayre on February 2, 1536 by a Spanish gold-seeking expedition under Pedro de Mendoza. The name was chosen by Mendoza's chaplain, who was a devout follower of the Virgine de Bonaria (Our Lady of the Fair Winds) of Cagliari, Sardinia. The location of Mendoza's city was on today's San Telmo district (south of the city center).

Related Topics:
February 2 - 1536 - Pedro de Mendoza - Cagliari - Sardinia - San Telmo

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More attacks by the indigenous peoples forced the settlers away and in 1541 the site was abandoned. A second (and permanent) settlement was established in 1580 by Juan de Garay, who sailed down the Paraná River from Asunción (now capital of Paraguay).

Related Topics:
1541 - 1580 - Juan de Garay - Paraná River - Asunción - Paraguay

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From its earliest days the success of Buenos Aires depended on trade. The Spanish administration of the 17th and 18th centuries insisted that all trade to Europe initially pass through Lima, Peru so that taxes could be collected. This scheme frustrated the traders of Buenos Aires and a thriving contraband industry developed. Unsurprisingly, this also instilled a deep resentment in porteños towards Spanish authorities.

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Sensing this instability, Charles III of Spain progressively eased the trade restrictions and finally declared Buenos Aires an open port in the late 1700s. Those placating actions did not have the desired effect, and the porteños, some of them versed in the ideology of the French revolution, became even more desirous of independence from Spain.

Related Topics:
Charles III of Spain - 1700s - French revolution

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During the British invasions in Río de la Plata British forces invaded Buenos Aires twice in 1806-1807 but were rebuffed by the local colonial militia. Ultimately, on May 25, 1810, while Spain endured the Peninsular War and after a week of mostly pacific deliberations, the creole citizens of Buenos Aires successfully ousted the Spanish Viceroy and established a provincial government; the date is now celebrated as a national holiday (May Revolution Day). Formal independence from Spain was declared only in 1816.

Related Topics:
British invasions in Río de la Plata - 1806 - 1807 - May 25 - 1810 - Peninsular War - Creole - May Revolution - 1816

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Buenos Aires historically was Argentina's main stage for liberal and free-trade ideas, with many of the provinces advocating for a more conservative-Catholic approach. Many tensions within Argentine history, starting with the centralist-federalist conflicts of the 19th century, can be traced back to this contrast.

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In the 19th century the city suffered naval blockades on two occasions: first by the French, from 1838 to 1840, and then a joint Anglo-French blockade from 1845 to 1848. Both blockades failed to surrender the city, and in the end the naval powers involved desisted from their demands.

Related Topics:
19th century - Blockade - French - 1838 - 1840 - 1845 - 1848

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Railroad construction during the second half of the 19th century increased the economic power of Buenos Aires as raw materials flowed into its factories, and governments from that time turned the original Spanish town into a metropolitan and multicultural city that ranked itself with the major European capitals. For example, the Teatro Colón was one of the world's top opera venues. The city's main avenues were built in those years, and the dawn of the 20th century saw the construction of South America's tallest buildings and first subway.

Related Topics:
Teatro Colón - Subway

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By the 1920s Buenos Aires was a favored destination for immigrants from Europe, as well as from the poorer provinces and neighboring countries, and large shantytowns (villas miseria) started growing around the city's industrial areas, leading to extensive social problems.

Related Topics:
1920s - Shantytown - Villas miseria

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During the 20th century, military juntas and governments seized power several times, to impose a combination of political repression and neoliberal economics. Buenos Aires was also the cradle of Peronism: the now-mythical demonstration of October 17 1945 took place in Plaza de Mayo. Industrial workers of the Buenos Aires suburbia have been Peronism's main support base ever since, and Plaza de Mayo became the site for social demonstrations and many of the country's political events.

Related Topics:
20th century - Junta - Neoliberal - Peronism - October 17 - 1945 - Plaza de Mayo

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In 1955, the military uprising that would depose President Perón (the Revolución Libertadora) sent planes that bombed the Plaza de Mayo area. It was the only time the city was attacked from the air.

Related Topics:
1955 - Perón - Revolución Libertadora

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In the 1970s, the city suffered from the fighting between revolutionary movements (the left-wing Montoneros, E.R.P. and F.A.R.) and the right-wing paramilitary group Triple A. The military coup of 1976 only escalated this conflict; the "Dirty War" produced between 10,000 and 30,000 desaparecidos. The silent marches of their mothers (Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo) are the most well-known image of Argentine suffering during those times.

Related Topics:
1970s - Montoneros - E.R.P. - F.A.R. - Triple A - Coup - 1976 - Dirty War - Desaparecidos - Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo

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The city was visited by Pope John Paul II on two occasions, which remain the only visits of a Pope in Argentine history. The first visit took place in 1982 due to the outbreak of the Falklands (Malvinas) War. The second visit, in 1987, gathered crowds never seen before in the city.

Related Topics:
Pope John Paul II - Pope - 1982 - Falklands (Malvinas) War - 1987

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On March 17, 1992 a bomb exploded in the Israeli Embassy killing 29 and injuring 242. Another explosion, on July 18, 1994 destroyed a building housing several Jewish organizations killing 96 and injuring many more (See AMIA bombing).

Related Topics:
March 17 - 1992 - Israeli Embassy - July 18 - 1994 - Jewish - AMIA bombing

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