COLONIAL TIMES IN ECUADOR: PERIODS AND CHARACTERISTICS - HISTORY - 2025

The colonial era in Ecuador refers to the period that began after the Spanish conquest and that came to an end with Ecuadorian independence. The presence of the Spanish in the American continent began in 1492 with the arrival of Christopher Columbus, but the first expedition to Ecuador took 34 more years.

Francisco Pizarro and Diego Almagro traveled to the country for the first time in 1524 with the aim of exploring the South American coasts, motivated by rumors of great wealth in the southern lands.

Francisco Pizarro, conqueror of the Inca Empire. Source: Amable-Paul Coutan, via Wikimedia Commons.

The process of conquest of the Spanish in the current territory of Ecuador took several years to complete due to the resistance of the indigenous people of the Inca Empire. Once the submission of the aborigines was achieved, a period of domination that lasted almost three centuries began and was characterized by continuous changes.

Background

The colonial era is not the one that began the history of Ecuador as a nation. Previously, there was a prehistoric period, in which cultures such as Valdivia were born and in which different periods such as the pre-ceramic, the formative, the regional development and the integration were developed. Then one of the most important periods in Ecuadorian history began with the conquest by the Incas.

The presence of the Incas in Ecuador lasted about eighty years in the southern part, where the conquest movements began, while in the north their presence lasted for about forty years. The Inca Empire maintained the social and religious characteristics of the previous populations, was characterized by its order and influenced the language.

With the death of the leader Huayna Cápac, in the year 1528, his two sons began the wars for succession, although without fortune for both. Huáscar dominated in the south, while Atahualpa did the same in the north and got more support, which allowed him to beat his brother.

The complete government of Atahualpa did not come to pass, because the Spanish conquest had already begun. Like his brother, Atahualpa was captured and murdered and Sebastián de Benalcázar occupied the north, founding Santiago de Quito in 1534.

Periods

The current Ecuador lived three periods after the conquest of the Spanish, stages that were determined by the economic and social characteristics that were developing.

The first stage began once the conquest was over, and it has to do with the installation of Spanish colonial society. The second period was marked by an economic power dominated by textile activities. While in the third and last period, the crises were the protagonists.

First period: implantation of the colonial order (1534-1593)

Throughout the first stage of the colonial period in Ecuador, cities, dioceses and audiences were founded. In addition, the subjugation of the aborigines was consummated in the territory. Quito, Portoviejo, Guayaquil, Pasto, Loja, Cuenca, and more cities were founded in this period, while the diocese was created in 1545.

The Legislation of the Indies regulated life at a social, political and economic level in the colony, separating society into two Republics: that of the whites and that of the Indians.

At the end of the 16th century, conflicts began. The revolution of the alcabalas took place, between the years 1592 and 1593, against the payment of a new tax on commercial activity. The Spanish Crown maintained power and order, but first repressed and assassinated the leaders who supported and led the rebellion.

Second stage: rise of the colonial order (1593-1721)

This period was determined by the colonial pact, in which the distribution of economic functions between Spain and its colonies was defined.

The miscegenation deepened, the creation of cities, temples and convents was maintained, the encomienda lost value and the mita emerged as a method of organization at an economic level. The textile activity acquired great value and the producers had a large part of the power of the local economy.

It was a stage in which nature had a leading role. In Quito, droughts and pests had a negative effect. On the other hand, Latacunga suffered from the earthquakes of 1692 and 1698, which also caused significant damage in Ambato and Riobamba. These events began to affect economic activities.

Third and last period: redefinition of the colonial order (1721-1808)

In the last period the Bourbon reforms were created, limiting the commercial activities of the colonies, specifically the textile activity of the Royal Audience of Quito. The crises continued, the presence of metals began to decrease and the textile industry began to lose importance.

On the other hand, agriculture began to be relevant, and with it the large estate. Until in 1808 the independence movements began, with the landowners as the main protagonists.

characteristics

The colonial era in Ecuador was characterized by continuous changes. That is why colonial history is divided into three different stages.

Since the conquest began, the inhabitants of present-day Ecuador, specifically the indigenous people, were exploited with the aim of making the Spanish crown acquire more wealth. This was a sign that mercantilism dominated the political and economic system during the Spanish occupation.

At the social level, in Ecuadorian territory, as well as in the rest of America, there was a class system that established the importance of each individual in colonial society. The Spanish, for example, monopolized power and enjoyed the most important positions in politics and in the religious sphere.

Then there were the Creoles, who were the children of Spaniards born in the American continent. Creole groups also had some benefits within Ecuadorian colonial society, since they acted as encomenderos and landowners.

Mestizos, mulattos, zambos, Indians, and blacks occupied the lowest echelons among the colonial social classes. The first three groups had to perform as laborers or craftsmen.

The natives were under the orders of the encomenderos, and carried out work in the mitas and on the haciendas. Finally, blacks were the most exploited social class, specifically as slaves on plantations or in mines.

References

1. Ayala Mora, E. Summary of the history of Ecuador (4th ed.). National Publishing Corporation.
2. Ayala Mora, E. (2000). New history of Ecuador. Volume 15. National Publishing Corporation.
3. Ecuador - The colonial period. Recovered from britannica.com
4. González Suárez, F. (1969). General history of the Republic of Ecuador. Quito: House of the Ecuadorian Culture.
5. Lauderbaugh, G. (2012). The history of Ecuador. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO.