July 28: Independence Day in Peru
Prayer Idea
Pray for the people and government of Peru.
Map by Peter Hermes Furian / Shutterstock.com.
History Note
The heart of the Inca Empire was located in what is now Peru. The Quechua name of their capital city of Qosqo (modern Cusco) means “navel,” which they considered the center of the universe.
The Spanish, led by Francisco Pizarro, began the process of conquering the Inca in Peru in the 1530s. The Spanish founded the city of Lima on the Pacific Coast, and it became a major religious, cultural, and economic center.
Túpac Amaru II, a descendant of the last Inca emperor, led a revolt of the Indigenous population against Spain in 1780. Túpac and his family were captured and executed the next year.
During the early 1800s, when revolutionary movements began in other parts of the Spanish Empire, much of the aristocracy of Peru remained loyal to Spain. José de San Martín, who had worked for the independence of Argentina and Chile, wanted to eliminate Spanish control from the continent.
San Martín and his forces came to Lima, where they declared the independence of Peru on July 28, 1821. Simón Bolívar became involved in the struggle, and fighting with the Spanish continued until 1824.
Peru is a presidential republic with a population of 32 million. Over half of the population have both Spanish and Indigenous heritage. Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara are the official languages. Peru celebrates Fiestas Patrias (National Holidays) on July 28 and 29.
July 28 begins with a Te Deum mass in Lima. Then the president of Peru gives an address to the nation at the legislature. July 29 is a day to honor the armed forces and national police with a military parade.
This photo shows the Government Palace (residence of the president) in Lima, Peru, on July 28, 2019. Photo by Jersson Tello / Shutterstock.com.
Learn More
Celebrate Peru's national holidays with this song.
Find more resources at Homeschool History.
