Valencia History, Venezuela

One of the most important and largest cities in Venzuela is Valencia. It is located in Carabobo state and occupies the capital city position. It is an economic centre which houses Venzuela’s top industries and manufacturing companies. As compared to other large cities in the world, it has less people, but in the last census of 2003, it had 1.5 million. The growth rate was increasing and it was hoped to change in the next census.

The city’s natives, who were mainly hunters and gatherers, have inhabited the place from the fourth millennium BC. Perhaps they learnt some basic and elementary techniques of agriculture. An important settlement took place especially between 200 and 1000 AD which was close to Valencia. When the migration started around the year 1000, probably from Orinoco area to Pao River, it gave birth to Vacenecioide culture. These new people are the founders of the new culture.

 Most of the people of this area belong to the Arawak group. The peoples from these groups occupied the profession of hunting, gathering, fishing but some of them knew how to grow maize and cotton. The houses were built in artificial mounds on the valleys which were often flooded by waters coming from Valencia Lake. The archeologist found that they used mud pots and there are potteries found from that time.

The city was founded on 25 March 1555 by Captain Alonso Diaz Moreno. The natives are proud to say to the visitors that their city was built 8 years before Caracas. History says that it was the first Spanish settlement in Venzuela. The Indians were under the control of the Spanish. The Spanish wanted to displace them from the most fertile land and started to merge with them.

It was the well known conquistador Lope de Aguirre who plagued the city in 1561. The city was raided by the French pirates and they burnt the city hall and destroyed many important documents. There was a battle called the battle of Carabobo, which was fought to gain independence from the Spanish rule. The battle was fought on 24 June 1821 and in 1830 Valencia became the capital of Venzuela. It was separated from Great Colombia in that time. In 1858, it held the seat of national government.

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