Week2 History

Hello everyone.

In the second week, I will talk about the Galapagos Islands’ history.

・The discovery and The pirates

In1535, Spanish bishop, Fray Tomás de Berlanga, who sailed from Panama toward South America discovered the Galapagos Islands. The Incaic Empire in South America has yielded to Pissarro's army several years ago. Fray Tomás de Berlanga was an evangelist who goes to the conquest place. While going south along the continent, the ship was caught by the ocean current which flows into the west and Galapagos was discovered accidentally. This is the first time that human beings landed at the Galapagos Islands. There are some persons who explain that the Inca's people had come before it. However, the opinion does not still proved. After collapse of the Incaic Empire, the Spain ship advanced into Panama and South America. When it entered in the 17th century, the pirate ship which attacks the Spain ship which carries out gold and silver from the Inca appeared. The pirate ships hid in the lee of an island of Galapagos,and they pillaged repeatedly. There are peoples who made the map of the Galapagos islands and named islands’ names. It is used as an English name now.

・The whaler and The settlement

From the 18th century till the middle of the 19th century, the whaler worked actively in the ocean surrounding the Galapagos Islands. Two accidents on the nature of Galapagos appear from the time. One of the accidents is increase of goats. The time the pirate ship was in Galapagos Islands, goats were put on the ship as food and a little goat were released to some islands. The increased goats become pirates’ food. After the whaler appeared, breeding of a goat became much more active. The other is overhunting of giant tortoises. The meat of the giant tortoise was very delicious and giant tortoises were easy to get. 14000 giant tortoises were captured in 30 years in early 19th century. In 1832, Ecuador declared possession of the Galapagos Islands and settle of people started. Floreana, San Cristobal, Isabela, and the Sierra Negrra Volcano were the target of exploitation and settlement. The area along the shore and the mountain side were cultivated. Isla Santa Cruz which the greatest population in Galapagos Islands has now was not the target of settlement until 1935.

・Now

The air route was established between a continent and Galapagos in 1968. Before it, there were only two liners per month. After the air route was established, Galapagos’ people’s life became better than before. This air route is what the U.S. Forces made during World War II from the first. However, because Baltra, the island in which the air port is, was an uninhabited island, to the place in which people live, it is neccesary to arrange a pickup ship by the letter or telegram. But the crossing road between Baltra and Santa Cruz in 1976 was established. Then, various means of transportation were established. Galapagos Islands had become a tourist area. Galapagos Islands became more modernistic as it became more famous.

Next week, I’m going to introduce the Galapagos Islands’ people.

Thank you for your reading. See you then.