All of the important events within Colombia's history has made the county what it is today. From the first inhabitants of the indigenous people, to the present-day heavy drug cartels, all these events make Colombia unique. The Spanish settlers were able to take advantage of Colombia's strong natural resources to colonize Colombia. The Spanish settlers heavily influenced Colombia and made a strong impact on its history. Once the first exploreers came in 1499, Colombia was able to expand rapidly. Within 30 years, the first settlement was made, the first expedition began, the first capital was created and the first president was made. in 1810, Colombia declared full independence from the Spanish government. Once Colombia began to become an independent country, the United States began to create ties with them. In 1922, the U.S. paid Colombia $25 million for the loss of the Panama Canal. In addition, in 1989 the U.S. supplied the Colombian government with military equipment to help get rid of the Colombian drug dealers and cartels.