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South America

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The 33 Orientales

In 1825, Uruguayan troops won their independence from Brazil. The military contingent became known as the “33 Orientales,” reflecting the number of participants and referencing the name of the region (Oriente).

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Portón de Campo

This stone structure, also known as the Puerta de la Ciudadela, belonged to the historic defensive walls of Colonia del Sacramento. Although the city is located in modern-day Uruguay, at the time of construction (1745), it was occupied by the Portuguese under Governor Vasconcellos.

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Eighteenth-Century Uruguayan Home

On display here are several objects from the Museo Casa de Nacarello, a small museum in Colonia, Uruguay that aims to recreate daily life in an eighteenth-century home.

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Castillo de Piria

This castle-like home once belonged to Francisco Piria, a Uruguayan entrepreneur and the founder of the town of Piriápolis. He lived from 1847 to 1933. Piria was the child of Italian immigrants, who comprised a major portion of the population in the Rio de la Plata region during this period.

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Ruins of the Convento de San Francisco

These structures are all that remain from a convent built near the coast of modern-day Uruguay in the 1690s. It is located in Colonia del Sacramento, a city that switched back and forth from Spanish rule to Portuguese rule several times during the seventeenth through the nineteenth centuries.

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Wooden Triptych

This small wooden piece was constructed as a triptych, with two side panels that can fold over the main panel. It displays religious imagery, with the Virgin Mary at the center. The time period is unclear.

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Tomb of General Juan Lavalle

Argentina declared independence from Spain in 1816 and eventually achieved it after several years of fighting royalist forces. Juan Lavalle was born in Buenos Aires in 1797, and remained in Argentina for most of his life.

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The Obelisk of Buenos Aires

Built 1936 to commemorate the anniversary of the founding of the city, the Obelisk stands in downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina. It stands 67.5 meters tall, made of concrete and stone. The nation of Argentina celebrates its independence day on July 9th.

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Remains of the Puerta de la Ciudadela

The city of Montevideo, Uruguay, once belonged to the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata, under the control of the Spanish Crown. It was officially founded in 1724. Around this time, the government constructed a wall around the city.

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Portrait of Manuel Mansilla

This painting depicts Manuel Mansilla, the Alguacil Mayor (sheriff) of the city of Buenos Aires. He held this position from 1795-1821, during a key transitional moment. When he began his tenure, the city belonged to the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata, under Spanish rule.