Prehispanic period
Evidence of human occupation has been found in Bolivia from 12,000-10,000 BC. In the field of Viscachani. Up to 1200 BC sedentary cultures develop in the Altiplano. From this date, the cultures Chiripa and Wankarani are the two most important of the formative period.
The culture of Tiwanaku, near Lake Titicaca, marks a moment of cultural flourishing of the altiplanic zone. Around 1100 BC. This culture disappears, although the cause is not yet defined, investigations of the historian Max Uhle report that their territories were invaded by great military waves coming from the south (what at the moment is Tucumán to the north of Argentina and Coquimbo, to the north of Chile). Such invaders would be the ethnicity known as the Aymaras.
It is unknown exactly what motivated the Aymaras to look for better lands to the north and to displace the Tiwanakus, probably were climatic changes, or perhaps the invasion of other people.
Whatever the cause, the Aymaras attacked suddenly and forcefully managing to gain all the territory of the Collao for them, while the scattered Tiwanakus were forced to emigrate by the north. According to archaeological evidence discovered by Francis de Castelnau in 1845, and backed by Max Uhle, Tiwanaku was attacked while it was still populated.
After a struggle between the different groups that inhabit the region (Aymaras, Urus, Collas, Lupacas, and Pacajes), the Aymaras establish a dominion that includes parts of the Southeast of Peru and the West of Bolivia.
The domination of the Colla Kingdom of the Aymaras lasted until 1438, when the Inca Pachacutec incorporated the Bolivian plateau into Tahuantinsuyo, the Incas claimed to be descendants of the Tiwanakus (the first Inca ethnic group in Cuzco would have been a convoy of immigrants from the Tiwanaku Altiplano realm Reason why the Inca royalty spoke in puquina language and not in quechua).
During later periods, the Incas tried unsuccessfully to conquer the Bolivian east (in general, they did not penetrate much in the forest with which it limited of its vast empire), that was inhabited by ethnic groups of Amazonian and Pampida lineages that were mainly hunter-gatherers, highlighting the Chanes and Guaraníes called contemptuously “chiriguanos” by the Incas. In the Huayna Capac Incanate, fortresses are built to stop the advance of the Chiriguanos.
In the eastern regions of Moxos and Baures, between the IV century BC.and XIII century AD., developed the Hydraulic Culture of Las Lomas.
Spanish conquest and colony
The first European to enter the present territory of Bolivia was Alejo Garcia in 1520, who arrived until Mizque to the service of the Portuguese crown then is when news begin to come that bearded beings, dressed in armor prowled the Empire. The first Spanish who arrived to colonize these lands was Diego de Almagro, after leaving Cuzco in order to conquer Chile. Once Almagro died, Francisco Pizarro sent his brother Gonzalo to conquer and colonize the Collasuyo region.
Pedro de Anzúrez founded La Plata (currently Sucre) in 1538, Potosí emerged in 1545, La Paz in 1548, Santa Cruz de la Sierra in 1561 and Cochabamba in 1571.
Spanish colonization was characterized by a mining-agricultural base. The city of Potosí, the most populated of America in 1574 (120,000 inhabitants), became a large mining center for the mining of silver deposits of Cerro Rico de Potosí and in 1611 was the largest producer of silver in the world. King Charles I, had granted the title of Villa Imperial to this city, after its foundation. The eastern region of Moxos was annexed to the Spanish empire in the 16th century.
For more than 200 years the territory of the current Bolivia constituted the Royal Audiencia de Charcas, one of the most prosperous and densely populated centers of the Spanish viceroys.
Potosí began its decline in the last decades of the XVIII century as silver mining became a state of stagnation as a result of the depletion of the richest veins, old-fashioned extraction techniques and the diversion of trade to other countries.
With the arrival of the House of Bourbon to the Spanish crown in 1700, the institution of the “Encomienda” is deepened to reverse the fall of the mining economy, imposing a greater rigor on the work of the “Mita” and the indigenous tribute.
In 1776, the Royal Audiencia de Charcas, which until then was part of the Viceroyalty of Peru, was incorporated into the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata.
Independence and consolidation of the Republic
Between 1779 and 1781 there were indigenous uprisings at the head of Tomás Katari, Tupac Amaru II and Túpac Katari who opposed the excessive collection of taxes, the abuses of the Mita and the ignorance of other rights. The uprisings were controlled by the Spaniards, but preceded the independence struggles of the 19th century.
The uprisings in the cities of Chuquisaca (curretly Sucre) and La Paz in 1809 were the starting point of the Spanish-American wars of independence. From 1811, after the May revolution in the city of Buenos Aires in 1810, three Argentinean auxiliary expeditions followed, including that of Ignacio Warnes in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, in spite of this and the efforts of the “Republiquetas” (Being the most successful in this sense the Republiqueta of Ayopaya), the realists disputed tenaciously the control until the death of Pedro de Olañeta (named last viceroy). The country declared itself independent the 6 of August of 1825 by means of the General Assembly of Deputies of the Provinces of the “Alto Peru”, with the name of Republic of Bolivar that was changed by Republic of Bolivia being independent of Peru.
In 1826 the liberator Simon Bolívar granted the country the first Constitution, which was approved by the Congress of Chuquisaca. Subsequently, Antonio Jose de Sucre, Grand Marshal of Ayacucho, was chosen President of the Republic of Bolivia.
From its emancipation, Bolivia immersed itself in a chronic state of revolutions and civil wars. The first 50 years of the Republic were characterized by political instability and constant external threats that jeopardized its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. In 1825, the Empire of Brazil invaded the east of the country, occupying the province of Chiquitos. At that time, Marshal Antonio Jose de Sucre sent an ultimatum, threatening to send the liberating army to expel the invaders. The province was evacuated by the Brazilians. Subsequently, the invasion of Peruvian troops of 1828, led by Agustín Gamarra and whose main objective was to force the exit of the troops of the “GranColombia”. The conflict ended with the Treaty of Piquiza and the Peruvian withdrawal of Bolivian soil after obtaining the resignation of President Sucre and the establishment of a government without Bolivarian influence.
Plurinational State
Government and division of powers
The Government system is defined according to the established in Article 11 of the Political Constitution of 2009:
‘’Bolivia is constituted in a Social Unitary State of Plurinational Community Law, free, independent, sovereign, democratic, intercultural, decentralized and autonomous. Bolivia is founded on plurality and political, economic, juridical, cultural and linguistic pluralism, within the integrative process of the country.”
Political Constitution of the State (Article 1)
It calls itself plurinational in consideration of the thirty-six indigenous ethnicities that inhabit its territory. Aymara, Quechua, Guarani, Afro-Bolivian, among the most representative.
The Constitution establishes the division of powers in four organs of government:
Executive Power
Composed of the president (Head of State), the vice president, elected by universal suffrage and the ministers of state. The term of office is five years with a single re-election.
Legislative Power
The Plurinational Legislative Assembly is chaired by the Vice President of State. It consists of two chambers: the 36-member Chamber of Senators (four representatives from each department) and the 130-member Chamber of Deputies (half elected by direct vote and the other half elected indirectly on the candidate-led list to president). Its power is to approve and sanction laws. The Constitution provides for special councils for indigenous peoples.
Judicial Power
Formed by the Supreme Court of Justice (maximum instance of ordinary jurisdiction), Courts, Judges and the Judicial Council. Justice is imparted in two types of jurisdictions: ordinary and indigenous peasant origin. Constitutional justice is exercised by the Constitutional Court.
Electoral Body
Comprised of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (a maximum of seven members elected by the Plurinational Legislative Assembly), Departmental Courts, Electoral Courts, Election judgas and Electoral Notaries.
