Hey DA! I’m Alex with the LASA back with another Independence Day celebration. Today we will be looking at how Ecuador gained its sovereignty and the impact of their culture on the world.
Ecuador was first occupied by the Inca Empire in the early 15th century. Spain then established a colony in Ecuador in 1563 through a royal decree, known as the “Real Audiencia of Quito.” Because of how far Ecuador in relation to Spain, the colony mostly governed itself. The Audiencia of Quito would later be incorporated into the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru. Ecuador actually gained its independence in 1809 under the Quito Revolution. However, it would return to being a Spanish colony in 1812. Spain and Ecuador would then go to war between 1820 and 1822 known as the Ecuadorian War of Independence. Ecuador eventually would win the war and gain its independence on May 24, 1822.
Ecuador has had a tremendous impact on the world. The Galapagos Islands, an archipelago in Ecuador, was the birthplace to Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. Darwin made all his observations on tortoises and finches, which were essential to his thesis. Also, due to Ecuador’s humid tropical climate, the country has over 4,000 species of orchids and over 60+ species of roses. It is why Ecuador is known as the country of orchids.