Fort Abipones facts for kids
Fort Abipones (which in Spanish is called Fuerte de Abipones) was an old military base. It was located in a place called the Quebrachos Department, close to the southern border of Santiago del Estero Province. This area is now part of Argentina, but back then it was part of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata. Today, the fort is mostly in ruins, but it's still a cool place for tourists to visit and learn about history.
The fort got its name from the Abipón people, who were an indigenous group living in that region.
Why Was Fort Abipones Built?
The main reason Fort Abipones was built was to protect the people living on the edge of the Río Seco Department. It helped support other forts nearby, like San Juan, Candelaria (which was built by Francisco Bedoya), Saladillo, and Puesto de Sánchez.
At that time, settlers in the area faced dangers from the Chaco Indians. The fort was a safe place and a base for soldiers to defend the frontier.
A Leader at the Fort
During the early years when Argentina was becoming an independent country, a man named Juan Felipe Ibarra was in charge of the soldiers at Fort Abipones. He also owned land nearby.
Ibarra led his soldiers on an important trip to a place called Upper Peru. Later, in March 1820, he and his men helped the revolution in Santiago del Estero. This was when Santiago del Estero decided to become independent from the Republic of Tucumán, which was led by Bernabé Aráoz.
See also
In Spanish: Fuerte de Abipones para niños
