History of Ecuador (1860–1895) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Republic of Ecuador
República del Ecuador
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| 1859–1895 | |||||||||
 Coat of arms
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Motto: "Dios, patria y libertad"
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Anthem: Salve, Oh Patria
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Ecuador in 1860
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| Capital | Quito | ||||||||
| Government | Conservative presidential republic under a military dictatorship | ||||||||
| President | |||||||||
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• 1859–1865
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Gabriel García Moreno | ||||||||
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• 1865–1867
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Jerónimo Carrión | ||||||||
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• 1868–1869
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Javier Espinosa | ||||||||
| Vice President | |||||||||
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• See list
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See list (from Mariano Cueva to Vicente Lucio Salazar) | ||||||||
| Legislature | National Congress | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
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• Established
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4 September 1859 | ||||||||
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• Battle of Guayaquil
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22 September 1860 | ||||||||
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• Constitutional referendum
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1 July 1869 | ||||||||
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• Disestablished
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5 June 1895 | ||||||||
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| Today part of | Ecuador | ||||||||
This article tells the story of Ecuador from 1860 to 1895. This was a time of big changes and important leaders. One key person was Gabriel García Moreno, who is seen as the founder of Ecuadorian conservatism. He was a very strong leader.
Some historians called García Moreno a tyrant, while others said he was a great builder of the nation. He helped unite Ecuador in 1859. Then, he ruled the country very strictly for about 15 years. He was a complex person who studied in Quito and Europe.
In 1875, García Moreno was attacked and died. The reasons for this attack are not fully known. A writer named Juan Montalvo, who was a strong critic of García Moreno, famously said, "My pen killed him!"
During this time, Ecuador's economy grew a lot. Between 1852 and 1890, the value of exports increased from about $1 million to nearly $10 million. Cacao (which is used to make chocolate) was the most important export. Its production grew from 6.5 million kilograms to 18 million kilograms. People who grew and sold cacao lived mostly near Guayaquil. They became strong supporters of the Liberal political group. After García Moreno's death, it took the Liberals 20 years to become powerful enough to take control of the government in Quito.
Contents
Ecuador After García Moreno
After García Moreno's death, five different presidents led Ecuador. This was a period of change between Conservative and Liberal rule. The first president was Antonio Borrero. He tried to bring back the rule of law. But after only ten months, he was overthrown.
Ignacio de Veintemilla became the next leader. He was a military dictator. He was very popular with his soldiers. He also gained support from ordinary people by creating jobs in public projects. He also organized large public parties and dances. Veintemilla was in power until 1883. During his time, Ecuador had good economic times. This was partly because other countries like Peru, Bolivia, and Chile were busy fighting in the War of the Pacific.
The Progressive Party Era
After Veintemilla, José Plácido Caamaño became president. He was a Conservative. He served until 1888. Caamaño remained an important figure during the presidencies that followed. These presidents were from the Progressive Party. They were Antonio Flores Jijón and Luis Cordero Crespo.
Antonio Flores Jijón was the son of a former president, Juan José Flores. He wanted the Progressive Party to be a middle ground between Liberals and Conservatives. The Progressives supported the Roman Catholic Church. They also believed in ruling by law and ending dictatorships.
Even though Caamaño, Flores, and Cordero were in charge, the tension between Conservatives and Liberals grew. However, their time in office was mostly stable and prosperous. This good economy was more due to the high demand for cacao exports than to their government policies.
The Liberal Revolution of 1895
In 1895, President Cordero faced a big problem. He was accused of a scandal involving the Ecuadorian flag. The story was that Cordero allowed a Chilean warship, the Esmeralda, to briefly fly the Ecuadorian flag. Chile was selling this ship to Japan. Flying Ecuador's flag helped Chile stay neutral in a conflict between Japan and China. There were rumors that money was involved in this deal.
This scandal weakened Cordero's government a lot. Several military rebellions also broke out. Because of this, President Cordero resigned in April 1895.
In June, the Liberals took power in Guayaquil. Their most popular leader was General José Eloy Alfaro Delgado. Three months later, Alfaro, who was known as "the old battler," returned to Ecuador. He had been living in exile in Central America for ten years. He marched into Quito in triumph. This marked the end of the Progressive Party's time in power. It also began a new period of rule by the Radical Liberal Party, often called the Liberal Party.
See also
- Ecuadorian–Peruvian War (1857–1860)
