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Precolumbian period: Ecuador was inhabited by groups of uncertain origin. Later these groups developed into cultures like Chorrera, Jama Coaque, Bahia, Tolita, Machalilla, Valdivia. Eventually these cultures located in the northern Inter-Andean region, merged and the alliance became the Kingdom of Quito.

Inca Empire: By the early 1500's the Inca Huayna capac divided the Empire between his two sons: Atahualpa from Quito and Atahualpa's half brother Huascar from Cuzco following their father's death. Athualpa's defeated Huscar and became master of Quito as well as Cuzco. The struggle however weakened the Incan forces and facilitated the Spanish Conquest. The conquerors were able to surprise a capture Atahualpa, the Son of the Sun God, put him to death.

Organization of the Incas (1.000 AD) The Central highlands of the Andes was the seat of the Inca empire. It stretched from the south of Colombia to the north of Chile, over an area of more than four thousand square kilometers, across a land known as Tahuantinsuyo. The Incas were thus made up of a vast population of dozens of different ethnic groups with their own languages, customs and economies based on cultivation of the land. In Ecuador, these people spread out along the Andes, occupying some coastal regions and exercising a significant influence on Quito.

Colonial Period:

Quito was not conquered until Benacazar took possession of the kingdom of Quito. On December 6, 1534 Benaicazar took possession of the kingdom of Quito. Gonzalo Pizarro, Francisco's brother, Gobenor, sent an expedition under the command of Francisco de Orellena who eventually discovered the Amazon River.

Pre-Columbian Period 10000 - 3600 B.C.-Human societies develop living on hunting, fishing, and gathering 3600 - 1800 B. C.-Societies continue to develop, subsiding on hunting, fishing, and rudimentary agricultural production. 1800 - 1500 B. C.-More extensive agricultural production begins to develop. 1500 - 500 B. C.-As agricultural pratices are refined and become more heavily relied upon, the economy shifts towards an agrarian model. 500 B.C. - 500 A.D.-Agriculture becomes increasingly important and urban development increases.

500 - 1500 A.D.-Agricultural continues to spread and become increasingly important. Society becomes more complex.

Inca Period 1450-Tupac Yupanqui begins the conquest of the Andean.

1485-Huayna-Cápac is proclamed Inca.

1525-Tahuantinsuyo is divided between Atahualpa and Huáscar.

The Conquest 1534-Sebastián de Benalcázar begins the Conquest of Quito.

1563-Felipe II issues a Cédula Real creating the Real Audiencia and Cancillería of San Francisco of Quito.

Independence 1809 – 1812-Independence was declared but not obtained 1820 – 1822-The patriotic forces are finally victorious.

1822-Ecuador becomes part of Gran Colombia with the name Distrito del Sur.

1830-The independent state called Ecuador is formed. Republican life begins in the country.

Natural resources/imports & exports

•Some widely known natural resources of Ecuador are fish, oil, gold,

timber, and a variety of minerals.

•The main exports of this country are fish, timber, oil, & bananas. •The main imports are wheat, consumer goods, machinery & transport

equipment. Physical characteristics

•There are three regions in Ecuador. •The total land area of Ecuador is 276,840 square km. •The capital is Quito. •Ecuador has many native wildlife and animals. •Location •The absolute location of Ecuador is 2 degrees south and 77 degrees

west.

•It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west, and between Colombia

and Peru.

History of Ecuador - Wars & conflicts

•In 1941 Peru and Ecuador battled over a piece of land in Southern

Amazon. Their peace treaty was signed in 1942.

•A border dispute was led to war in 1941 also. In that year Peru

seized Ecuador's claimed land in the Amazon Basin.

•In 1970, Clemente Yerovi Indabura, suspended Ecuador's constitution

and began as a dictator. Military leaders over-threw him in 1972. In 1979 new elections were established. - Leaders of the past

•The rulers of Ecuador date back to where the Inca Empire ruled the

land until an internal power struggle.

•Military ruled again in 1963 and they alternated back and forth with

the civilian governments until 1979 when they removed government from the state and began governing themselves.

•In 1948 Galo Plaza Lasso became the first freely- elected President.

- What's going on in Ecuador today?

•Today in Ecuador there are about 75% Natives. These natives are

divided into two groups, the Indians and the Mestizos.

•There are also 10% Spaniards, 10% Blacks, and about 741,000 people

in Ecuador. The Good People of Ecuador - Population

•80 percent of Ecuadorians are Indian, 10 percent are Spanish, and 10

are african american.

•About 10,000,000 people live in this small country. •There are about 104 people per square feet. •The birth rate is 26 die of every 1,000 babies born.

- Religion

•The major religion is Roman Catholic. •Churches aren't supported by the government. •The Protestant missionaries have built schools, medical clinics, toilets,

and other beneficial structures.

The Incas were once a civilization that lived in the mountains of the Andes in Ecuador and in some parts of what is today Quito. Little is known about the valdivia culture except a few artifacts left behind but much of

Ruins of Ingapirca

,

A Quechua Poet's Lament

Lying huaccas, Cruel and devilish enemies, Cause of my misfortune, Of my deception, Of my failure!

I have adored These enemies of Cuzco's king With all my power, With great sacrifices, With human sacrifices, To you, you greedy robbers And cruel enemies of my soldiers, Cursed shall you be for what you have done.

No longer will any of my descendants, Not even the tiniest girl child, Nor my royal granchildren, Call upon you.

Serving still Tonapa the Tarapaca Of Viracocha the Creator, Albeit indignant, I eternally curse you.

The Inca Rulers • Manco Capac 2. Sinchi Roca 3. Lloque Yupanqui 4. Maita Capac 5. Capac Yupanqui 6. Inca Roca 7. Yahuar Huacac 8. Inca Viracocha 9.-Pachacuti-Inca-Yupanqui 10. Topa Inca Yupanqui 11. Huayna Capac 12. Huascar 13. Atahuallpa

The only thing predictable about Ecuador's weather is its unpredictability. In fact, it's not uncommon to experience all four seasons in a single day. Generally speaking, Ecuador has two seasons, wet and dry, but in a country as geographically diverse as Ecuador, local weather patterns vary greatly. The mainland coastal areas and the Galápagos Islands are influenced by ocean currents and are hot and rainy between and around Christmas, but even the mountains' wet season isn't wet and the dry season isn’t dry. The central valley is generally spring year round, with mild temperatures around 24°C (66°F). The Oriente (Amazon) experiences a great amount of rain and heat. The average daytime temperature is 30-32º C (85-90º F), while nights can cool down to 20º C (68º F). The least rainy period tends to be January to May. June to August are the wettest, and September through December are completely unpredictable! Expect rain and heat year round!

Guatita

Ingredients:

2 lbs mondongo or librillo (parts of cows) 4 spoons peanut butter (or roasted peanuts grounded) 1 lb potatoes 3 spoons achiote (annato seeds + oil) 1 small pealed tomato without seeds (osterized) 1 medium Red onion (finely chopped) 1 small green pepper (Finely chopped) 3 Garlics (osterized) 1/2 tsp. oregano Salt Pepper comino Culantro (a herb similar to parsley) Ajinomoto (Monosodic glutamate)

Preparation:

Clean the cow stomach with water and Flour, leave it soaking for a while in water with lemon and clean it again 3 times. After the last cleaning with lemon flush it with water.

Boil it in water with salt and throw away that 1st water. Boil it again with 5 cups water, achiote, ajinomoto, salt culantro and comino, when it's cooked separate the stomach from the soup and filter the soup. Cut the Guata (stomach) in 4 squared cm (2 x 2 cm) or 1 squared inch (1"x1") pieces.

In a pot make the refrito with the onion, tomato, garlic, green pepper, achiote, oil, salt, comino, pepper oregano and ajinomoto. Once the refrito is ready put the pieces of guatita in it and let them fry a little.

Osterize the peanut butter with 3 cups of soup and add it to the guatita let it boil a while. When the guatita is almost ready add the potatoes cuted in small squares. Let boil until the potatoes are cooked and the peanut thickens, if it thickens to much add a little more soup. This is a main dish, not a soup, so the sauce must be thick.

Serving Suggestion:

Serve in a Dish with white rice and some chopped culantro on top of it. Acompany with Aji (Hot Sauce). Opcional add an avocado

Notes:

This is a typical dish when you are drunk at 3-4 am. It feals good in your stomach so you won't puke and can sleep in peace, it also helps diminish the hangover the next day. It is also good for eating in the mid morning or at lunch. Ussually to heavy for dinner.

Bolon de Verde (Ecuadorian breakfast)

Ingredients:

3 big green plantains 4 tbsp. lard Fried Pig Skin (or cheese) Salt.

Preparation:

Cut the plantains in big chunks. In a frying pan heat the lard until it's boiling. Add the plantain chunks and let them fry until they're cooked in the inside. Put the plantains over a piece of wood and smash them with a stone. Make small balls the size of a fist, putting inside the fried pig skin or the cheese.

Serving Suggestion:

Serve hot in a small side dish, eat with your hand. Great for breakfast o for light dinner. Serve with black coffee.

Caldo de Manguera

Ingredients:

1 Set of Pig Guts :liver, fetus, kidneys, (small) (optional, I don't like it and recommend you change it for Pig meat) 1 Set of Pig Intestines (small) 2 Cups of Pig Blood 3 Cups of uncooked rice 1/2 Small Cabbage, cooked and cut in thin slices 1/2 Small Cabbage, Uncooked and cut in thin slices 1 Big Red Onion` 5 green plantains 1 Big Green Pepper Cumin 6 garlic 1 tsp. Oregano black Pepper Salt 1 tsp. Cilantro 5 tsp. annatto.

1 tsp. hierbabuena 1 tsp Ajinomoto (monosodic glutamate)

Recipe:

Wash the pigs guts with a lot of salt and water, scrap it with the Verde skin and leave it soaking on water with lemon and hierbabuena for 20 minutes, Repeat this several times until the odor is gone. Cook the rice so it is soggy, but not well cooked. Let it cool and mix it with the cooked cabbage and the blood. Apart make a Refrito , heat the achiote (with oil) and fry the onion, green pepper and garlic (chopped), the oregano, cilantro and hierbabuena. Spice with salt, pepper and cumin. Once cooked mix it with the rice. Stuff The Intestines with this stuffing . Blend 2 plantains and mix them with some refrito and lard and stuff some intestines with this.

The Soup.- in 4 - 5 liters of water cook the guts ,the plantains cut in slices and the 1/2 uncooked cabbage, If there's some stuffing left after stuffing the intestines put it also. Spice with salt, pepper, Ajinomoto, cumin and 3 garlic. Cook for an hour or until the guts are cooked . Put the stuffed intestines. With care so they don't brake and let them cook for an hour more or until they don't bleed anymore.

Serving Suggestion:

Leave the soup in the pot and take out the sausages in a pan and let them cool. Serve the soup (HOT) in a soup dish . Cut the sausages in 5-10 cm slices in a flat dish and cut the guts also put some scallion and parsley on top. Serve with lemon and hot sauce.

Notes:

This is a great Breakfast (never eat it in the late afternoon, it's too heavy). Great for hangovers. Recommended for pregnant or nursing women. Great source of cholesterol.

Arroz Con Menestra Ingredients:

cooked rice, Meat Patacones, 1 lb Beans or lentils 1/4 lb pork skin (if you don't find it you can use bacon) 2 medium Red onions chopped 2 medium green peppers chopped 1 medium green peppers whole 2 garlic beans Culantro, Achiote Salt, Pepper, comino, adobo Ajinomoto (monosodic glutamate) Preperation-Soak the beans/lentils in water for 4 hours overnight. After that rinse them. Cook the rice. In a pot make a refrito with the onions, peppers garlic achiote salt, pepper, comino, ajinomoto and adobo.

In a pot make a refrito with the onions, peppers garlic achiote salt, pepper, comino, ajinomoto and adobo. In a pot make a refrito with the onions, peppers garlic achiote salt, pepper, comino, ajinomoto and adobo. Fry the pig skin in the refrito. Add the beans/lentils, whole green pepper, culantro and 5-6 cups of water. Let it boil and boil and boil. Check the water regurlarly, add more if needed. When it's almost done, check the salt/seasoning and add more as neaded, if needed add a bit more of achiote (color depends on which bean you are using, the photo is using lentils, so it's very dark). Cook until the consistency is similiar to the photo on the top, and take out the whole pepper and culantro or what's left of it.

Cut the Meat so it's very thin, you do this by cutting a regular filet transversally by halve, but not separating the 2 parts (as if you where onfolding a folded napkin), repeat the procedure until you can't continue cutting. Smash the meat with a stone or wooden hammer. season with comino, salt and adobo and apply achiote until the meat gets orange. Boil the meat over charcoal, or fry it.

Edgar Allan García was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, the 17 of December of 1959. As of 1977, year of his graduation, he was a encyclopedia salesman, professional dancer, street boxer and trotamundos. until in 1982, He attended Catholic University of Quito to study variations of languages (English, French, Italian, German and quichua). During that time he also decided to write professionally. His first book, “On ijares of Rocinante”, appeared in 1991 and, since then, he has published 16 books