Pelucones facts for kids

The Pelucones were a group of Chilean politicians and wealthy families in the early 1800s. Their name, which means "bigwigs" in Spanish, was given to them by their rivals, the Pipiolos. The Pipiolos were Liberals, and they used the name "Pelucones" as a bit of a teasing or insulting term. It suggested that the Pelucones were old-fashioned, like people who wore fancy wigs in the 1700s.

Mariano Egaña was a notable Pelucón. He believed in a constitutional monarchy, where a king or queen shares power with a government chosen by the people.

Who Were the Pelucones?

The Pelucones were mostly conservatives. This means they liked to keep things traditional and didn't want big changes in society or government. They were often from the aristocracy, which means they belonged to the wealthy and powerful families in Chile.

What Happened After the Civil War?

After a big fight in Chile in 1829, known as the Chilean Civil War of 1829, the Pipiolos lost. This meant the Pelucones gained more power. They then made sure a new set of rules, called the Chilean Constitution of 1833, was followed.

How Did They Change the Government?

The Chilean Constitution of 1833, supported by the Pelucones, created a very strong government.

• It was a unitary state: This means power was held by one central government, not spread out among many smaller local governments.
• It was authoritarian: This means the government had a lot of control and power over the people.
• It was presidentialist: This means the president had a lot of power and influence.

This strong system was kept in power by the wealthy and powerful families of Chile.