Un desorden de marineros: Change, Conflict, and Context in Nineteenth-Century Valparaiso
The phrase un desorden de marineros (a disorder of sailors) describes both a single event that took place in Valparaiso, and a general state of turmoil that characterized the cosmopolitan port. This thesis explores the social context of the Chilean port city during its rapid commercial growth during the nineteenth century. Beginning shortly after Chile's independence from Spain, Valparaiso was a port-of-call for many foreign sailors, merchants, naval captains, and immigrant laborers, including a large British population. By first exploring the local history of the port, my thesis frames the global incidents that took place there and attempts to reveal their local significance. After investigating the local setting, I examine the Battle of Valparaiso of 1814, the Spanish Bombardment of 1866, and the USS Baltimore incident of 1891, three historically-recognized incidents for which Valparaiso was a setting for the conflicts of other nations.