Block 1 Spanish I Steven McNew Guayaquil, Ecuador

The Inca conquered the native tribes of Ecuador in the fifteenth century A.D., absorbing the tribes into their empire. In the 1530s, famed conquistador Francisco Pizarro led Spain in conquering the Inca empire and colonizing Ecuador.

Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan leader who successfully obtained independence for Ecuador and other surrounding areas, freeing them from Spanish rule. He met with Argentinean rebel leader José de San Martín and other leaders in Guayaquil, Ecuador on this date. Here, he convinced them to establish the Republic of Greater Columbia.

Ecuador left the Republic of Greater Ecuador on September 23, 1830, adopting its own constitution and becoming independent.

General Juan José Flores, the first president of the country of Ecuador, was overthrown, beginning an era of unrest and dischord in the country.

Moreno reunited Ecuador. Ecuador had been in turmoil; it had almost fallen apart by 1858, and Peruvian troops had begun attempting an invasion. By reuniting his people, Moreno was able to defeat the Peruvians.

In the last part of the 19th century, Ecuador begins to have a flourishing economy, largely due to the country's heavy exports of cocoa.

Ecuador's government had long been a very shifty system, constantly changing, and almost as constantly filled with corruption. In 1948, a period of stable, democratic government began. This lasted until around 1963, where militant rule was reintroduced in the country.

Ecuador's economy had shifted with the times, and the cash crop had as well. Their cash crop was first cocoa, but then that fell out of favor. Their second was bananas, which also had become less important. Now, they tried something else: oil. It worked; they prospered for around 10 years.

A border dispute that dated back to colonial times led to Ecuador ande Peru fighting.

Their fighting over the border dispute ended with the Peace Agreements.