Editing Apure (section)

== History ==
The conquest of Apure began in the mid 17th century when the land was populated by many indigenous peoples, including the [[Arawak]] and the [[Island Caribs|Caribs]]. Actual settlement did not start until the early 18th century with large cattle foundations started by landowners looking to expand their already crowded cattle ranches in San Carlos de Austria and other cities. Some of these included Jose Ignacio Pumar (Marquee of Pumar), [[La Blanquera|Joseph Blanco Y Salazar]] along with [[Franciscans|Franciscan]] missionaries from Andalucia and others missionaries and landowners that would "pacify" and remove the natives by the sword or converting them to Christianity.{{cn|date=November 2022}}

In the colonial era, Apure was at one time part of the [[Mérida Province (Spanish Empire)|Province of Mérida del Espíritu Santo de la Grita]], which merged with Maracaibo in 1676 to form [[Maracaibo Province (Venezuela)|Maracaibo Province]]. Its territory was part of the territory split from Maracaibo Province in 1786 to form [[Barinas Province]]. [[Apure Province]] was split from Barinas in 1823, and in 1864 it was given state status.{{cn|date=November 2022}}

Apure has been an autonomous  state since 1864, when the Venezuelan territory organized itself as los Estados Unidos de Venezuela, or [[United States of Venezuela]].  In 1881 it formed part of the state of Bolívar along with Guayana, but recovered the category of autonomous state in 1899.{{cn|date=November 2022}}