Patagonia: The History of the Southernmost Region in South America

The name, "Patagonia" comes from an observation made by Ferdinand Magellan, who visited the region during his historic expedition around the world. Marveled by the height of the indigenous people, he referred to the region as a “land of giants.” Those giants were the Tehuelches, named by Magellan’s expedition as Patagones, and the chronicles of that trip, written by Antonio Pigafetta, popularized the term “Patagones,” a term that refers to their big feet (in Spanish, “patones” means "of big feet"). This description would later derive in the name Patagonia.

From its discovery until the 20th century, the borders of Patagonia as well as those elements that define it as such have gone through several changes and names. The main thing for understanding its limits during the Spanish conquest is that Patagonia referred to the land south of the European area of influence. Back then, Patagonia was under control of indigenous inhabitants and, as such, outside European control or only partly influenced. It is no wonder, then, that the earliest limit was the Río de la Plata itself, where in 1536 (and again in 1580) the city of Buenos Aires was founded. Later on, the conquest of the territory, along with the work of cartographers from around the world, gave shape to the region.

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