San Sebastián de Urabá facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
San Sebastián de Urabá
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 San Sebastián de Urabá
Location in Colombia
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| Country | Colombia |
San Sebastián de Urabá was the very first settlement built by Spanish explorers in the area of the Darién Gap in Colombia. This place was important because it was one of the first attempts by Europeans to create a permanent home in this part of the Americas.
Contents
San Sebastián de Urabá: A First Spanish Settlement
San Sebastián de Urabá was a fortified settlement. This means it was built with defenses to protect it. It was founded on January 20, 1510. The founder was a Spanish explorer named Alonso de Ojeda. The settlement was located on the eastern coast of the Gulf of Urabá. Today, this area is near a town called Necoclí in the department of Antioquia, Colombia.
Who Founded This Settlement?
Towards the end of 1509, Alonso de Ojeda arrived in the Darién Gap region. He was the governor of a large area called New Andalusia. This area included the Darién Gap. Ojeda led an expedition of 300 men who sailed from Hispaniola. Hispaniola is an island in the Caribbean, where the Dominican Republic and Haiti are today. With these men, he established San Sebastián de Urabá.
Life in the Settlement
Life in San Sebastián was very difficult for the Spanish settlers. The native people living in the area were not friendly. They did not want to trade food with the newcomers. Instead, they often attacked the Spanish settlement. This made it very hard for the settlers to survive.
Just eight months after Ojeda founded San Sebastián, the situation became impossible. The fort was no longer safe or livable. Many men had died due to attacks, hunger, or disease. Out of the 300 men who first arrived with Ojeda, only 42 survivors remained in the settlement. Because of these challenges, San Sebastián de Urabá did not last long as a Spanish settlement.
See also
In Spanish: San Sebastián de Urabá para niños
