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Browse down the page or just click one of these sections....

1. General

2. Colonial period

3. Independence & 19th century

Instability & War

Revolts

Wars with neighbours

Economics

4. 20th century to military rule

Economics

The Chaco War

1935-64

Bolivian Revolts, Coups

5. Military Rule and Banzer

Military Rule

Bolivian Revolts, Coups

Final campaign of Che Guevara, '67

6. Modern Bolivia

Economy and labour

Civil Rights

Drugs

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casahistoria is recommended by:

BBC radio,
UK Channel 4 TV, UK Birmingham GRID for Learning, UK UK joint university database Argentina's national paper
SBC Education

Blue Ribbon HOT site, USA
SovLit, Harvard Univ, USA

Useful English language sites on the history of Bolivia are limited. These links indicate some of the more valuable. I would be grateful for suggestions of others to include, in Spanish, as well as English.

lesfearns@casahistoria.net

casahistoria: Latin America visit the casahistoria general Latin American page for many more background sites.

BBC country profile: Bolivia. Good background to Bolivia. Includes Timeline: Bolivia A chronology of key events

History of Bolivia from Historyworld. A clear overall narrative. Useful starter
Bolivia: outline history by Thayer Watkins, San Jose State University Economics dept. Contains images and interesting economic data.

Potosi Silver Mining Dr. Kris Lang presents photos

Bolivia - LANIC University of Texas. Compiles links to other general & government sites about Bolivia.

Culture and Society in the Andes: An Online Reader excellent site linking to pdfs (of highly academic and lengthy Theses mainly) in English on Andean society and culture (A separate list of articles is available in Spanish).

The Origins of the State in South America by Charles Stanish (2001) Academic study looks at the pre Spanish period in the Andes area and the emergence of state societies

For current developments to the national history themes:

Yahoo Bolivia news excellent resource for current news items (in English) on Bolivia

Lanic Newsroom: Texas Univ site for links to the recent news themes on Latin America in general

Survival report on the indigenous peoples of Bolivia. See also:

Ayoreo

casahistoria home visit caféhistoria for updates and current topic news

2. The Colonial Period

Bolivia A Country Study Introductory series of (sometimes very concise) articles. US Library of Congress. Good place to start for an overview in English. Links to key sections:

Pre Columbian Civilisations

Conquest & Colonial Rule, 1532-1809

Conquest and Settlement

The Economy of Upper Peru

State, Church, and Society

Bolivia's Colonial Era Straightforward overview from "Bolivia for kids"

A Brief History of the Jesuit Colonial Missions of Eastern Bolivia by Geoffrey A. P. Groesbeck Despite its title very full and detailed account with illustrations and data tables. Useful.

Bolivia's Jesuit missions. History Today article by Richard Chamberlin. Can be read with a free trial.

Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos Survey of the Chiquitos Missions in Bolivia. R H Jackson introduces this powerpoint with: "Beginning in 1691, Jesuit missionaries established missions in the Chiquitos and Moxos regions of eastern Bolivia, among sedentatry agriculturalists. San Francisco Javier founded in 1691 was the first. Eventually there were 10 missions in Chiquitos." Illustrated with contemporary pictures, modern images and data. By R H Jackson. Also available to download as Chiquitos Missions (a very large 114,862 k download) Powerpoint presentation

Ethnic Survival and Extinction on the Mission Frontiers of Spanish America: Cases from the Río de la Plata Region, the Chiquitos Region of Bolivia, the Coahuila-Texas Frontier, and California Lengthy discussion of the different areas (29 sides) by RH Jackson

Missions in a Musical Key. The Jesuit Reductions of Chiquitos, Bolivia Colourful, clearly presented

Searching For Baroque In Bolivia Video and photos on a search for the baroque music brought into Bolivia by the Jesuits.

Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos UNESCO info on the Bolivian Jesuit Missions. Maps, pictures, basic info.

Bolivia finds hope in Jesuit treasures 2006 BBC item by David Atkinson describes the key Bolivian remains, now being made into a tourist trail

Dead Bones Dancing: The Taki Onqoy, Archaism, and Crisis In Sixteenth Century Peru by Sändra Lee Allen Henson. Hefty (101 pages) thesis looking at aspects of the native reaction to the conquest.

See also casahistoria Catholic missions in Latin America

casahistoria home                             visit caféhistoria for updates and current topic news

3. Independence & 19th century

Independence

Bolivia--A Country Study Introductory series of (sometimes very concise) articles. US Library of Congress. Good place to start for an overview in English. Links to key sections:

Independence 1809-39

Struggle for Independence

Construction of Bolivia: Bolívar, Sucre, and Santa Cruz

Antonio José de Sucre, The Grand Marshal of Ayacucho Outline history of Bolívar's general, who liberated Ecuador, Perú and consolidated the independence of the South American continent then becoming President of Bolivia. From the Historical Text Archive

Bolivia's Post-Colonial Era (1800-1900 A.D.) Straightforward overview from "Bolivia for kids"

Presidents of Bolivia. Very detailed list from Wikipedia. Potted bio's for each!

History of the Bolivian flag Who would have thought a flag could have so much history. From the Flags of the world site.

Instability & War

Political instability & economic Decline, 1839-79 & War of the Pacific From US Library of Congress Bolivia--A Country Study

    Bolivian Revolts

Republican Campaign: Bolivia 1824

     Wars with neighbours

from Armed Conflict Events Data site:

Bolivian-Peruvian War 1827-29

Bolivian Intervention in Peru 1835

War of Bolivian-Peruvian Confederation 1836-39

Peruvian-Bolivian War 1841

     The Pacific War of 1879-1884

Conflict in the Atacama by Jacqueline Carpenter 2006 ICE Case Study examines the context of the war and its international contexts
The Pacific War (1879-1884) The Pacific War from a Chilean perspective. However, the site is actually dedicated to all the Chilean, Peruvian and Bolivian veterans of this war. The site’s main sections include are history, maps, uniforms, heroes, books, music and links. Includes a Chilean heroes section. A Flash start, but click on Salir to get to the main site.

The Pacific War of 1879-1884 also referred to as the Chile-Peruvian War and as the Ten Cents War. From the KMLA school site. A general overview.

War of the Pacific 1879-84
& Bolivia Chile Peru War 1879-1884 Outlines from Armed Conflict Events Data site

The Peruvian Army during the first years of the republic, and The Peruvian Navy, the XIX Century Maritime Campaigns. Both by Juan del Campo. Mostly concerning the Pacific War.

Conflictos con otros países & Guerra del Pacífico (1879-1883). (Many) articles from Icarito. Simpler Spanish for schools makes for clearer Google translations....

After the Pacific War

From the War of the Pacific to the Chaco War, 1879- 1935 US Library of Congress articles from Bolivia--A Country Study. See also:

Reconstruction and the Rule of the Conservatives

Economics

Mining in the Americas By Helmut Waszkis. Google Book Preview. Even with some pages missing this is still a very valuable account of the history of Bolivia's mining industry.

The Liberal Party and the Rise of Tin US Library of Congress article

casahistoria home                             visit caféhistoria for updates and current topic news

4. 20th century politics to the start of Military Rule

Bolivia's Recent History (1900-2008) Straightforward overview from "Bolivia for kids"

Bolivia: Where Might Reigns Supreme Basic outline. Mainly 20th century. Green background makes reading very hard

Bolivia--A Country Study Introductory series of (sometimes very concise) articles. US Library of Congress. Good place to start for an overview in English. Links to key sections:

The Republican Party and the Great Depression

The Chaco War

Economics

Coca and Agriculture in Cochabamba, Bolivia: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives. Does history repeat itself? Two coca booms in one hundred years. Statistical essay by RH Jackson looking at production crises at the start & end of the century.

Bolivia: The Price of Tin Detailed essay on the the origins of tin mining in general and the Patiño Mines up to the 1950s by Norman Gall. See also the following article on the crisis of post 1952 nationalisation. Both articles are from 1974, but worthwhile. Good use of images.

The Chaco War (* from Armed Conflict Events Data site)

The Chaco Dispute 1927-29 *

Chaco War 1932-1935 *

The Gran Chaco War: Fighting for Mirages in the Foothills of the Andes Well illustrated with pictures of the weapons as well as strategy maps.

Air Combat During the Chaco War (by Antonio Sapienza) and Air Power in the Chaco War (by James S. Corum). Two excellent, detailed articles from the Latin American Aviation Historical Society

Paraguayan Bombers in the Gran Chaco War exactly as it says...

Bolivian Bombers in the Gran Chaco War and again

Chaco War: ICE Case Study Outline (illustrated with maps and photos of the key events)

Latin America, 1930. Click for full image to see the Chaco areas.


1935-64

Bolivia--A Country Study Links to key sections:

Prelude to revolution, 1935-52

Radical Military Government

The Rise of New Political Groups

The "Sexenio," 1946-52

The Bolivian Revolution, 1952-64

Radical Reforms

The Unfinished Revolution

Bolivian Revolts, Coups ( * from Armed Conflict Events Data site)

Bolivian Popular Revolt 1946 *

Bolivian MNR Coup 1949 *

Bolivian Military Coup 1951 *

Bolivian MNR Revolution 1952 *

VP Coup: Bolivia 1964 *

Bolivia and the US

United States and the Bolivian Sea Coast Lengthy online book (print is not the easiest to read) but it is a source of detail of the events and relations with the US over the Bolivian "coastline" with updates to the present and references to documents throughout.

Bolivia and the United States: A Limited Partnership. Long, clear review of the Kenneth D. Lehman book by David Sheinin.

casahistoria home                             visit caféhistoria for updates and current topic news

5. Military Rule and Banzer

Military Regime in Bolivia brief, illustrated left wing account - but remember to turn off the music... Can be very slow to load. Patience.... §

Revolutionary Nationalism: Ovando and Torres from Country Studies

New president sworn in, US cuts military aid From Weekly News Update on the Americas, 10 August, 1997. Re President Banzer's background and associations.

Bolivia--A Country Study Links to key sections:

Military Rule, 1964-82

The Presidency of Barrientos

Revolutionary Nationalism: Ovando and Torres

The Banzer Regime Transition to Democracy

Banzer

Hugo Banzer Former president and dictator of Bolivia who headed a brutal military regime. Biography by Phil Gunson in the London Guardian

Hugo Banzer, Former Bolivia President, 75 Obituary from Deathwatch

Profile of Hugo Banzer Suárez ... One of the better web based biographies.

Bolivian Revolts, Coups ( * from Armed Conflict Events Data site)

VP Coup: Bolivia 1964 *

Bolivian Workers' Uprising 1965 *

Catavi-Siglo Massacre: Bolivia 1967 *

ELN Insurgency: Bolivia 1967 *

Bolivian Rightist Revolt 1971 *

Final campaign of Che Guevara, 1967

Chronology of Che in Bolivia be patient - it takes ages to load, but is very thorough.

The Death of Che Guevara 9 October 1967 From the US NSA and includes: Declassified Documents The Death of Che Guevara: A Chronology

End of a Myth. Gustavo Villoldo, the Man Who Buried Che From Miami Herald, Sept 1997

The Burial Ground of Che Guevara Por Carlos A. Lozano Guillin, in People's Weekly World, 6 January, 1996. Article about the search for the remains of Che Guevara

Bones of Cuban activist 'Che' Guevara to get hero's burial, 11 Oct 1997 account from CNN

The Exhumation of Carlos Coello, "El Tuma"

Che Guevara legacy lives on in Bolivia Motorcycle Diaries creates a Che trail.... BBC

casahistoria home                             visit caféhistoria for updates and current topic news

6. Modern Bolivia

Economy and labour

Bolivian General Strike! From Bolivian Union Solidarity Committee. 23 April, 1995. Martial law response to general strike called because of neoliberalism.

Alternative Nourishment Models Demanded to Combat Widespread Malnutrition By Fiorella Calderon. GAMA Newsletter, 4 October, 1995. Re mounting poverty due to government neoliberal policies.

Workers battle privatization Workers World, 11 April, 1996. Wave of strikes that began March 11, 1996, against privatization plans.

Summary of Christmas Massacre 30 December, 1996. Confrontation between miners and police due to Vista Gold Corporation mines claiming Indian land.

Cochabamba Water Revolt, 1998-2003, from PBS. Excellent site with links to current activists and parties.

Bravado in Bolivia: the nation Che failed to lead ... 2003 Simon Hooper article from New Statesman on growing politicisation in Bolivia

Rebelión en el Altiplano Feature article (2005) from the Buenos Aires Clarin: Cómo el pueblo aimara ha puesto en jaque a gobiernos y funcionarios. Los casos de Ilave y Ayo Ayo.

Sustained Macroeconomic Reforms, Tepid Growth: A Governance Puzzle in Bolivia? 2002 World bank report, steeped in economics

Civil Rights

Bolivia Amnesty international report on Bolivia (2007). Link to all Amnesty documents on Bolivia.

Drugs

The Economics of Cocaine Capitalism by Rensselaer Lee who writes on narcotics, organized crime and political power in Eurasia and Latin America. He wrote "The White Labyrinth: Cocaine and Political Power" and co-authored "The Andean Cocaine Industry,"

Coca cultivation in the Andean Region United Nations Report 2005

The Quaker Economist - A Visit to the War on Drugs personal perspective (2005) on the reality in Bolivia

For current developments to the national history themes:

Yahoo Bolivia news excellent resource for current news items (in English) on Bolivia

Lanic Newsroom: Texas Univ site for links to the recent news themes on Latin America in general

casahistoria home visit caféhistoria for updates and current topic news

and finally: fed up looking at this screen? Try a book instead!

Use casahistoria's list of recommended reads to curl up with ...

These have all been read and are recommended by casahistoria

For a longer(!) list including several novels & fuller crits/descriptions go to



casahistoria home                             visit caféhistoria for updates and current topic news

v08.09


BBC radio, UK	Channel 4 TV, UK	Birmingham GRID for Learning, UK	UK joint university database	Argentina's national paper	SBC Education Blue Ribbon HOT site, USA	SovLit, Harvard Univ, USA

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and finally: fed up looking at this screen? Try a book instead! Use casahistoria's list of recommended reads to curl up with ...