HISTORY OF COLOMBIAN SETTLEMENT
The first occupants of what is now Colombia mostly lived inside the Andean interior until European colonization. These occupants were Native Americans who had never obtained the ability to write (Columbia – History & Background). A group of Native Americans, called the Taironas, created remarkable roads, bridges, beginning platforms for large buildings, and mountainside spaces for agriculture. The Taironas also created stone statues, fine ceramics, and gold objects. The largest group of Native Americans was the Muisca, who lived in the intermountain basins of the Cordillera Oriental (Columbia – History & Background). They relied on agriculture for their survival, therefore made their own cotton textiles, and worked their own gold.
Within 100 years after the first Spanish occupants arrived to Columbia, almost 95 percent of all Native Americans had died. While many of the Native Americans were killed during armed conflicts with European settlers, violence was not the only cause of their death. The majority of deaths were actually caused by diseases such as smallpox and measles, which were brought over by the European settlers. Before the Europeans and Spaniards came over, the occupants of Columbia had never been exposed to diseases such as smallpox and measles, therefore when the first became exposed to them their immune systems could not fight these off. Immunity to disease is a topic covered in Guns, Germs, and Steel.
Unlike his name suggests, Christopher Columbus did not “discover” Columbia. Alonso de Ojeda, a companion of Columbus, was this first European to discover the land (Colonization of Colombia). His short visit in Colombia after his initial discovery began the El Dorado myth; that there was a magical city where everything was made of gold. This myth as well as the promise of large amounts of gold furthered development of Columbia by the Spanish.
After a couple of initial, short settlements in the early years of the sixteenth century, 1525 brought a man named Rodrigo de Bastidas to create the first proper settlement in the territory: Santa Marta. This city is the oldest in Colombia, second oldest in South America, and still remains today. Its location on the northern coast allowed it to be an ideal port city. Its coastal location also allows the nearby fertile countryside be suitable for vegetation. For reasons unknown, Bastidas also set about killing all the indigenous peoples. It was from Santa Marta that the Europeans were able to go forward with their conquest (Colonization on Columbia).
Colombia's climate is determined by altitude, and seasons are periods of lesser or greater rainfall, with little or no temperature change. The country can vertically be divided into four different regions. The hot region is called, “ortierra caliente”, “caliente” translating to “hot”. It is the tropical zone and reaches from sea level to roughly 3,500 feet, where the average annual temperature is 75–81°f; at sea level, temperatures have an average maximum of 100°f and a minimum of 64°f. Between 3,500 feet and 6,500 feet is the temperate zone, “ortierra templada”, “templada” translating to “warm”. In this area, the average year-round temperature is about 64°f. Between 6,500 feet and 10,000 feet is the cold country, “ortierra fría”, “fria” translating to “cold”. In this area, temperatures average slightly above 55°f. At the highest point in Colombia, 10,000 feet, temperature fluctuates from 55°f to 1°f (Columbia).
Resources:
“Colombia - History & Background”. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2015, from http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/281/Colombia-HISTORY-BACKGROUND.htmlhttp://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/281/Colombia-HISTORY-BACKGROUND.htm
“Colonization of Colombia - Colombian History”. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2015, from http://www.donquijote.org/culture/colombia/history/colonization-of-colombia
"Colombia." Worldmark Encyclopedia of Nations. 2007. Retrieved July 14, 2015 from http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2586700150.html
Within 100 years after the first Spanish occupants arrived to Columbia, almost 95 percent of all Native Americans had died. While many of the Native Americans were killed during armed conflicts with European settlers, violence was not the only cause of their death. The majority of deaths were actually caused by diseases such as smallpox and measles, which were brought over by the European settlers. Before the Europeans and Spaniards came over, the occupants of Columbia had never been exposed to diseases such as smallpox and measles, therefore when the first became exposed to them their immune systems could not fight these off. Immunity to disease is a topic covered in Guns, Germs, and Steel.
Unlike his name suggests, Christopher Columbus did not “discover” Columbia. Alonso de Ojeda, a companion of Columbus, was this first European to discover the land (Colonization of Colombia). His short visit in Colombia after his initial discovery began the El Dorado myth; that there was a magical city where everything was made of gold. This myth as well as the promise of large amounts of gold furthered development of Columbia by the Spanish.
After a couple of initial, short settlements in the early years of the sixteenth century, 1525 brought a man named Rodrigo de Bastidas to create the first proper settlement in the territory: Santa Marta. This city is the oldest in Colombia, second oldest in South America, and still remains today. Its location on the northern coast allowed it to be an ideal port city. Its coastal location also allows the nearby fertile countryside be suitable for vegetation. For reasons unknown, Bastidas also set about killing all the indigenous peoples. It was from Santa Marta that the Europeans were able to go forward with their conquest (Colonization on Columbia).
Colombia's climate is determined by altitude, and seasons are periods of lesser or greater rainfall, with little or no temperature change. The country can vertically be divided into four different regions. The hot region is called, “ortierra caliente”, “caliente” translating to “hot”. It is the tropical zone and reaches from sea level to roughly 3,500 feet, where the average annual temperature is 75–81°f; at sea level, temperatures have an average maximum of 100°f and a minimum of 64°f. Between 3,500 feet and 6,500 feet is the temperate zone, “ortierra templada”, “templada” translating to “warm”. In this area, the average year-round temperature is about 64°f. Between 6,500 feet and 10,000 feet is the cold country, “ortierra fría”, “fria” translating to “cold”. In this area, temperatures average slightly above 55°f. At the highest point in Colombia, 10,000 feet, temperature fluctuates from 55°f to 1°f (Columbia).
Resources:
“Colombia - History & Background”. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2015, from http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/281/Colombia-HISTORY-BACKGROUND.htmlhttp://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/281/Colombia-HISTORY-BACKGROUND.htm
“Colonization of Colombia - Colombian History”. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2015, from http://www.donquijote.org/culture/colombia/history/colonization-of-colombia
"Colombia." Worldmark Encyclopedia of Nations. 2007. Retrieved July 14, 2015 from http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2586700150.html
The dots in the image to the left represents the number of settlers to colonize that area. As it can be seen,
settlers mostly stayed along the border closer to the oceans rather than go deeper into South America.
The settlers all stay within the same region north-south and do not spread east-west. Image source:
http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/downloads/maps/grump-v1/grump-v1-settlement-points/colpoints.jpg
settlers mostly stayed along the border closer to the oceans rather than go deeper into South America.
The settlers all stay within the same region north-south and do not spread east-west. Image source:
http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/downloads/maps/grump-v1/grump-v1-settlement-points/colpoints.jpg
The land use map above directly correlates to the settlement map. It can be seen that the areas with the most land use are also the areas the settlers first came to. The blue areas on the map represent desert areas where
crops are not able to grow. The settlers came to the areas where they had the most resources to grow crops and produce other goods. Image source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Colombia_land_1970.jpg
crops are not able to grow. The settlers came to the areas where they had the most resources to grow crops and produce other goods. Image source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Colombia_land_1970.jpg
Additional Resources:
http://www.britannica.com/place/Colombia/Settlement-patterns
This website has good information about the early settlements of Columbia. There are 6 categories of information for Columbia: the land, the people, the economy, government and social conditions, cultural life, and history. The information is research-based, unbiased, and an overall good resource to use.
http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/world/columbia-river-canada-united-states-settlement-human-impact.html
This website is a good resource for not only giving information about the settlers, but also the human impact upon the land. It's a good resource to recieve a quick, summarized history of the early settlements.
http://www.britannica.com/place/Colombia/Settlement-patterns
This website has good information about the early settlements of Columbia. There are 6 categories of information for Columbia: the land, the people, the economy, government and social conditions, cultural life, and history. The information is research-based, unbiased, and an overall good resource to use.
http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/world/columbia-river-canada-united-states-settlement-human-impact.html
This website is a good resource for not only giving information about the settlers, but also the human impact upon the land. It's a good resource to recieve a quick, summarized history of the early settlements.
POPULATION MAPS
The population in Colombia has greatly increased from 1950 to present-day 2015. The population went from 11 million to almost 50 million in 65 years. Since the population graph is wider at the bottom in 1950, this tells us there was a higher percentage of young children and newborns meaning there was a higher fertility/birth rate then.