Colombian History

Colombian History

Before the arrival of the Spanish, Colombia was sparsely inhabited by indigenous peoples. High in the Andes, the Muisca were master goldsmiths who may have sparked the myth of El Dorado with their tradition of anointing a new chief by rolling him in gold dust. The legend of El Dorado was an irresistible attraction for a host of European adventurers in search of gilded cities.

The Spanish settled in the region as early as 1510, but it wasn't until conquistador Rodrigo de Bastidas founded the port town of Santa Marta in 1525 that a permanent settlement was established in what is now known as Colombia. He banned the exploitation of the indigenous peoples, but those who followed him had other plans. Explorers like Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada plundered and pillaged their way inland. After quickly dispatching the local Muisca tribes, he established a Spanish settlement in what is now Bogotá.

Despite their near decimation at the hands of brutal Europeans, Colombia's native peoples have left a lasting mark on the country. The extraordinary carved stones in the southwestern settlement of San Agustín speak of empires once rich in gold, emeralds, and the technological skills necessary to erect statues honoring long-forgotten gods. In the Andes and on the coastal plains you'll find modern descendants of these lost tribes living a life unchanged since Cristóbal Colón (better known as Christopher Columbus) presumptuously claimed Colombia in the name of King Ferdinand of Spain.

Colombians express with some pride that they live in the oldest democracy in Latin America. Colombia has enjoyed a constitutionally elected government for nearly all of its history. This has not, however, brought stability to the country, and guerrilla activity has echoed in the countryside since the 1940s. The rise of drug trafficking in the last 25 years has exacerbated the ongoing civil conflict that now involves the government, left-wing guerrillas, and right-wing paramilitary groups. Although the large-scale car bombings and other acts of terrorism that plagued Bogotá and Medellín a decade ago seem like a thing of the past, occasional political assassinations are grim reminders of the violence that is all too common in many parts of the country. Plans to create jobs and expand Colombian tourism are in the works, and while neither can remedy the country's safety issues, they may help to alleviate some conditions that contribute to crime. In 2002 President Alvaro Uribe met with guerrilla leaders to discuss a plan for peace. Although it hasn't brought about immediate progress, this attempt seems to indicate an active desire for reconciliation.