Editing Callao (section)

==History==
[[File: Plano del El Callao en 1744 - AHG.jpg|thumb|left|Callao Harbor (1744)]]
[[File:Situationsplan von Lima.jpg|thumb|left|Historic map (1888)]]

El Callao was founded by Spanish colonists in 1537, just two years after [[Lima]] (1535). The origin of its name is unknown; both Amerindian (particularly [[Yunga language (Peru)|Yunga]], or Coastal Peruvian) and Spanish sources are credited, but it is certain that it was known by that name since 1550.  Other sources point to the similarity with the Portuguese word ''calhau'' [pebble], having a similar sound.

It soon became the main port for Spanish commerce in the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]]. At the height of the [[Viceroyalty of Peru|Viceroyalty]], virtually all goods produced in Peru, [[Bolivia]], and Argentina were carried over the [[Andes]] by [[mule]] to Callao, to be shipped to [[Panama]], carried overland, and then transported on to Spain via [[Cuba]]. The port of Callao was also a node in the [[Manila galleon]] route connecting Latin-America and Asia through Acapulco, Mexico and Manila, [[Philippines]].<ref>[https://www.academia.edu/44625493/Connecting_China_with_the_Pacific_World Connecting China with the Pacific World By Angela Schottenhammer] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210527045556/https://www.academia.edu/44625493/Connecting_China_with_the_Pacific_World |date=27 May 2021 }}(2019)(Page 144-145)</ref> As a result, Callao also became a permanent target for pirate and corsair attacks, such as the one carried out by [[Francis Drake]] in 1579 and the blockade established by [[Jacques l'Hermite]] in 1624.

After the [[Battle of Ayacucho]], 9 December 1824, that sealed the independence of Peru and South America, Spain made futile attempts to retain its former colonies, such as at the [[second siege of Callao]]. On 20 August 1836, during the [[Peru–Bolivian Confederation]], President [[Andrés de Santa Cruz]] mandated the creation of the '''Callao Littoral Province''' (''Provincia Litoral del Callao''), which had political autonomy in its internal affairs. During the government of President [[Ramón Castilla]], Callao was designated constitutional province (''Provincia Constitucional''), on 22 April 1857; before that, Callao was called Littoral province. All of the other Peruvian provinces had been given their names by law, while Callao was given it by constitutional mandate.

Callao was never part of the [[Lima Department]] nor of any other departments.

The province's first mayor was Col. Manuel Cipriano Dulanto.

In 1921, the Bureau of Public Works granted a concession to [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|M.I.T.]] engineer John Tinker Glidden for paving, administering, and inaugurating a public cart road between Callao and Lima, further coalescing a [[Lima metropolitan area]].

By 1949, Callao was known as one of the biggest centers of [[coca]]-based products and [[cocaine]] [[Drug traffic|traffic]] in the world.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070717031940/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,800079,00.html "The White Goddess"], ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'', 11 April 1949</ref>

===Notable events===
* On 28 October 1746, a [[tsunami]] caused by the [[1746 Lima–Callao earthquake]] destroyed the entire [[port of Callao]].
* On 22 January 1826, [[Second siege of Callao|besieged]] by nationalist forces backed by [[Simón Bolívar]], [[José Ramón Rodil|General José Ramón Rodil]] surrendered Callao to General [[Bartolomé Salom]].
* On 2 May 1866, during the [[Battle of Callao]], the Spanish fleet tried to reconquer independent Peru.
* ''[[Kon-Tiki]]'' left Callao, Peru, on the afternoon of 28 April 1947.
* On 19 June 1986, the [[Peruvian prison massacres]] took place.