Diyala Journal of Human Research

Argentina has significant strategic, economic, and political importance. The
Spanish explored Argentina in 1516 after rumors spread about the presence of
silver riches. This is why Argentina is named \"Argentum\" in Latin, meaning
silver. The Spanish managed to establish numerous colonies in Argentina
under the name of Río de la Plata provinces and administratively attached
them to Lima State until 1776. They were then separated from Lima State and
became a kingdom or state called Rio de la Plata. Buenos Aires province was
chosen as the center for the administration of that state. As a result of the
Napoleonic Wars and Napoleon Bonaparte\'s invasion of Spain, his army
entered on December 2, 1808. Although they withdrew after British pressure,
they re-entered at the beginning of 1810. Spanish control continued until
March 1813 when Napoleon was defeated, and Spain regained its
independence. Despite Spain\'s attempts to control Argentina, it gained its
independence after significant sacrifices on July 9, 1816. Argentina then went
through a period of civil wars, power struggles, and disagreements over the
foim of governance. On one hand, there were the centralists who believed in
centralized rule, and on the other hand, there were federalists who believed in
power-sharing and self-governance. This was reflected in the wars between the
two sides during the period of 1816-1862. Both the federalists and the
centralists alternated in power, amidst a state of disintegration experienced by
the Argentine state. Despite the enactment of a national constitution for
Argentina in 1853, the conflict did not end as Buenos Aires province seceded
from the Argentine Union. These conflicts ended in 1862 under the leadership
of Bartolomé Mitre, who became the first constitutional president of the United
Republic of Argentine.