Jose de Acosta was a Spanish missionary and writer. He was born in 1539 at Medina del Campo and died in 1600. He became a Jesuit in 1551, and 20 years later he became a missionary in Peru, serving as provincial of his order from 1576 to 1581. His catechism in the language of the Aymara and Quechua Indians was the first book printed (in 1583) in Peru. He became rector of the Jesuit college at Salamanca, Spain, in 1598. He is remembered chiefly for his monumental book about the natural history and aboriginal customs of Spanish America, Natural and Moral History of the Indians (written in 1590 and translated in 1604), which was translated into most of the major European languages within 15 years of publication. Research Jose de Acosta
The Quechua are the largest group of South American Indians. The Quechua live in the Andean region. Their ancestors included the Inca, who established the Quechua language in the region. Quechua is the second official language of Peru and is widely spoken as a lingua franca in Ecuador, Bolivia, Columbia, Argentina, and Chile; it belongs to the Andean-Equatorial family. Research Quechua
Bolivia is a republic in South America. It has a total area of 1,098,580 km2. The climate varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semi-arid. The terrain is comprised of high plateaus, hills, and lowland plains.
Bolivia has long been famed for its mineral wealth, especially silver and gold, the total value of these metals produced between 1545 and 1875 being estimated at nearly 400,000,000 pounds sterling. The annual produce in the 19th century was still several millions sterling in value. Natural resources include tin, natural gas, crude oil, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron ore, lead, gold and timber. The religion is 95% Roman Catholic with an active Protestant minority, especially Evangelical Methodist. The language is Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara all of which are official.
Bolivia was part of the Inca civilisation until it was conquered by Spain in 1538. Bolivia under the Spaniards long formed part of the viceroyalty of Peru, latterly it was joined to that of La Plata or Buenos Ayres. Its independent history commences with the year 1825, when the republic was founded. As a result of the war with Chile in 1879, Bolivia lost her coastal territory of about 29,000 square miles.
The constitution was drawn up by Simon Bolivar, in whose honour the state was named Bolivia; and was adopted by Congress in 1826. It has since undergone important modifications. The aboriginal inhabitants of Boliviar are the Aymaras and the Quichuas; the larger portion of the population are Mestizos or descendants of the original settlers by native women.
Ecuador is a republic in South America situated under the equator, whence it takes its name, between Peru and Colombia.. It has a total area of 283,560 km2. The country is divided into a number of provinces, and falls, as regards the surface, into three sections : the comparatively narrow and low-lying coast regions, the mountain region, and the extensive plains on the east.
The mountain region is formed by a double range of snow-clad mountains - several of them active volcanoes - which inclose a longitudinal valley or table-land, with a breadth of 20 to 40 miles, and varying in elevation from 8500 to 13,900 feet. The most elevated of these mountains are, in the western range, Chimborazo, Pichincha, and Cotacachi, Chimborazo being 20,703 feet high. In the eastern range are Cayambe, Antisana, and Cotopaxi (19,500). The most considerable rivers, the Tigre, Napo, Pastaza, etc, belong to the basin of the Amazon; and some of them, notably the Napo, are navigable for long distances. On the western slope of the Andes the chief rivers are the Esmeraldas and the Guayaquil.
Ecuador is comparatively poor in Mammalia; although various kinds of deer as well as tapirs and peccaries are found in the forests. Parrots and humming-birds are also numerous, but perhaps the most remarkable of the birds in Ecuador is the condor, which dwells on the slopes of the Andes. Reptiles, including snakes, are numerous. The forests yield cinchonabark, caoutchouc, sarsaparilla, vegetableivory, etc.
The climate on the plains, both in the east and the west, is moist, hot, and unhealthy. In the higher regions the climate is rough and cold, but in great part the elevated valleys, as that of Quito, enjoy a delightful climate.
Natural resources are petroleum, fish, timber. The religion is 95% Roman Catholic. The official language is Spanish with Indian languages, especially Quechua, also spoken.
Ecuador at the time of the conquest of Peru by the Spaniards formed part of the great empire of the Incas. As the presidency of Quito it was long included in the vice-royalty of Peru. From 1710 it became part of the presidency of New Granda (or Santa Fe de Bogota). In the revolutionary war against Spain Ecuador, along with the neighbouring territories, secured its independence in 1822, and was ultimately erected into a separate republic in 1831. Research Ecuador
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