HISTORY. The northern coasts of Colombia were visited by Ojeda and Vespucci in 1499. Three years later Columbus explored a section of the country, and attempted to found the first Spanish eolony on the American mainl:uul. Itc tween 1511 and 1517, Balboa and Pedrarias ex plored and settled both coasts of the Isthmus. As early as 1515 Pizarro and Gaspar de Morales bad explored the Pacific coast as far south as 'Biro,' a term from which the present territory of Peru gets its name, although lying consider ebly beyond Pizarro's 'Biro.' Between 1536 and 1540, limenes de Quesada conquered the Chibchas, or lluyscas, the principal nation, and the country became thoroughly settled as a de pendency of Spain. It was known as the Prov ince of New Granada till 1718, when it was made a vieeroyalty. In common with the other Spanish possessions, it rose in revolt in 1810, and in 1S19 became independent, joining with Venezuela (1S19) and Ecuador (1822) to form the Republic of Colombia. This union was dis solved in 1829-30, and New Granada was founded as a separate republic in 1831. After several changes in the Constitution (in 1S13, 1851, and 1S53), a new Constitution was adopted in 1858, by which the separate 'Provinces' were changed into 'States,' associated under a federal govern ment, lauown as 'ConfederaciOn Granadina,' and similar to that of the United States of North America. The States were made self-governing in all internal affairs. In 1860 another revolution broke out, and for more than two years the coun try was devastated by civil war. Finally, in 1363, the nine States again agreed upon a Consti tution, organizing themselves under the name of United States of Colombia. Another revolu tion, begun in 1884. was terminated in 1886 by the promulgation of a new Constitution, which transformed the loose federal union into a strong ly centralized State. A rebellion iu 1895 was promptly suppressed. In 1892 the insurrection ary elements reappeared, but were suppressed before they had gathered headway. A year later
there was a more formidable outbreak, with severe fighting at Panama. The insurrection was due in great measure to a general feeling of discontent aroused by the corrupt conduct of the Conservative Party, which was then in power. In August, 1900, the Vice-President, Marroquin, made himself master of the Govern ment, and carried on an energetic campaign against the Liberals. During 1901 it was sup posed, with good reason, that the rebels were re ceiving aid from Venezuela and Ecuador, where the Liberal elements were in power, and were aiming at the overthrow of the Conservative Party and the ultimate restoration of (lie old Republic of Colombia, embracing the present commonwealths of Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. Severe fighting occurred around Pana ma in 1901 and 1902.
Consult: Perez, Geografia general fisica y poll flea do los Estados Unidos de Colombia (Bogotil, 1886) ; Velaseo, .yucca gcografia de Colombia fib. 1892); Child, The Spanish-Jnnerieun Re publics (New York, 1891); Nunez and Jalhay, La rep ublique do Colombie: Geographic, his toire, organisation, etc. (Brussels, 1893) ; Regel, 7iolumbien 1899) ; Seruggs, The Colom bian. and i'enezaclaa Republics (New York, 1900) ; Restrepo, Gold and S'ilrer Mines of Co lombia (ib. 1886) ; The agricultural Condition of Colombia (London, 1839) ; Ruthlis berger, El Dorado: Reiser- and Kulturbilder ails dean sUdamerikannssshcn Columbien 1597).
The standard work on the history of Colombia is Pereira, Les Etats-Unis di' ('olonibta (Paris, 1533). I'here are numerous uarnatives of events of tile war against Spain, written by English oItieers serving with the l;evolutiouists, of which the best are, perhaps: 11a11, I're.sent Stalc of Colombia (Loudon. 18•L5), and the anonymous Llecol/eelions of a 'rreiii in I ncaucla and Co lour bin ( London, 1825) .