Argentina Centennial

{{Infobox event | title = Argentina Centennial | image = Panorama Argentino.jpg | image_size = 250 | image_alt = | caption = Cover of ''Panorama Argentino'' magazine saluting the Centennial | native_name = Centenario de Argentina | native_name_lang = | english_name = | time = | timezone = | duration =  | date = {{start date|1910|5|25}} | venue = | location = [[Argentina]] | coordinates =  | also_known_as = | type = 100th. Anniversary | theme = [[May Revolution]] | cause = | motive = | target = | first_reporter = | budget = | patron =  | organisers = [[Government of Argentina]] | filmed_by = | participants = | outcome = | casualties1 = | casualties2 = | casualties3 = | reported deaths = | reported injuries = | reported missing = | reported property damage = | burial = | displaced = | inquiries = | inquest = | coroner = | arrests = | suspects = | accused = | convicted = | charges = | trial = | verdict = | convictions = | sentence = | publication_bans = | litigation = | awards = | url = | blank_label =  | blank1_label =  | blank2_label =  | website =  | notes = }} The '''Argentina Centennial''' was celebrated on May 25, 1910. It was the 100th [[anniversary]] of the [[May Revolution]], when [[viceroy]] [[Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros]] was ousted from office and replaced with the [[Primera Junta]], the first national government.

== Context == [[File:Buenos aires 1910 (3).jpg|thumb|left|Postcard displaying [[Plaza de Mayo]] illuminated at night]] The Centennial took place when Argentina was one of the richest countries in the world<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Introduction to Argentine exceptionalism|url=https://latinaer.springeropen.com/articles/10.1007/s40503-017-0055-4|journal=Latin American Economic Review|date=Dec 2018|issn=2198-3526|volume=27|issue=1|doi=10.1007/s40503-017-0055-4|language=en|first=Edward L.|last=Glaeser|first2=Rafael|last2=Di Tella|first3=Lucas|last3=Llach|hdl=10419/195247|hdl-access=free}}</ref>:

{{Blockquote|text=Argentina began the 20th century as one of the wealthiest places on the planet. In 1913, it was richer than France or Germany, almost twice as prosperous as Spain, and its per capita GDP was almost as high as that of Canada.|author=Edward L. Glaeser, Rafael Di Tella, Lucas Llach|title=Introduction to Argentine exceptionalism}}

Argentina was known as "el granero del mundo" ("world's barn") due to its prosperous agriculture. The colloquial expression "¡Il est riche comme un Argentin!" ("Rich like an Argentine") referred to the extraordinary wealth of the Argentine landowning aristocracy in those years.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1733418-la-vaca-atada|title = La vaca atada|newspaper = La Nación|date = 7 October 2014|last1 = Hanglin|first1 = Rolando}}</ref> In 1910 Argentina accounted for half of the Latin America's gross product.<ref>[http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1870904-la-celebracion-del-bicentenario La celebración del Bicentenario] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160825141536/http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1870904-la-celebracion-del-bicentenario |date=2016-08-25 }}, ''La Nación'', 14 Feb 2016</ref>

Argentina's population grew quickly because of the immigration from Europe. Of 6 million inhabitants, 1 million were Italian and 800,000 were Spanish. A growing interest in improving democracy led to the sanction of the [[Sáenz Peña Law]], two years later. The first [[Argentine copyright law]] was also enacted by this time, superseding a [[patent law]] that was being used so far for such topics.

The centennial had also an important impact on the [[historiography of Argentina]]. Because of the growing numbers of immigrants coming from very different places, it was felt that it was need to clearly define an "Argentine identity". Topics that had once canonic views, such as the [[Argentine War of Independence|wars of independence]], started to be seen from multiple perspectives.<ref>''Doscientos años pensando la Revolución de Mayo'' by Jorge Gelman & Raúl Fradkin – Editorial Sudamericana, Buenos Aires, 2010 – {{ISBN|9789500731799}}</ref>

== Celebrations == [[File:Centenario argentino Infanta Isabel y Figueroa Alcorta.jpg|thumb|[[Isabella, Princess of Asturias (1851–1931)|Infanta Isabella]] and President of Argentina [[José Figueroa Alcorta]] during the celebrations]] [[File:Argentina_equipo_v_britishlions_1910.jpg|thumb|The [[Argentina national rugby union team]] before playing its first international v. the [[British and Irish Lions|British Lions]] at Sociedad Sportiva Argentina, 12 June 1910]] On February 8, 1909, the [[Congress of Argentina|National Congress]] promulgated Law 6,286 that regulated the commemoration of the May Revolution. President of Argentina [[José Figueroa Alcorta]] decreed the state of siege under the celebrations were held.<ref name="argentina.ar">[https://web.archive.org/web/20100305142128/http://www.argentina.ar/_es/cultura/C1956-comienza-el-ano-del-bicentenario.php Comienza el Año del Bicentenario], Argentina.ar (Archive, 5 Mar 2010)</ref> This was because some activists (led by anarchist movements) tried to boicot the celebrations.<ref>[http://www.ambito.com/515798-en-el-primer-centenario-se-pensaba-que-la-argentina-seria-potencia-mundial "En el primer Centenario se pensaba que la Argentina sería potencia mundial"] Interview to Horacio Salas, author of ''El Centenario, la Argentina en su hora más gloriosa'' – Ambito.com, 5 Apr 2010</ref>

[[File:Fernet-Branca centenario argentino 1810-1910.png|thumb|left|150px|Advertisement for [[Fernet Branca]] celebrating the Centennial]] The celebrations began on May 21, 1910. The most notable visitor was [[Isabella, Princess of Asturias (1851–1931)|Infanta Isabella]], who spent her days in the country host at the Family Bary's Palace sited in [[Avenida Alvear]]. On the [[Avenida de Mayo]], the "Edificio La Inmobiliaria" was inaugurated on May 25. It was designed by Italian architect Luis Broggi.

Other guests were president of Chile, [[Pedro Montt]] and vice-president of Peru, [[Eugenio Larrabure y Unanue|Eugenio Larraburu y Unanue]]. Professor [[Ferdinando Martini]] represented Italy while General [[Colmar von der Goltz]] came from Germany. [[Leonard Wood]], governor of Cuba after the [[Spanish–American War]] represented the United States, arriving with four [[cruiser]]s. A member of the [[Japanese imperial family tree]], Eki Mocki, was also part of the celebrations.

Other countries represented at the Centannial were [[Uruguay]], [[Paraguay]], [[France]], [[Russia]] and [[The Netherlands]], while [[Great Britain]] did not send any representative due to the death of King [[Edward VII]].

In the [[Teatro Colón]] (inaugurated two years before the Centennial) the opera ''[[Rigoletto]]'' was sung by Italian baritone [[Titta Ruffo]], on May 24. Personalities from the cultural world also visited Argentina for the Centennial, with Spanish [[Ramón del Valle Inclán]], [[Jacinto Benavente]], [[Vicente Blasco Ibáñez]]; French [[Georges Clemenceau]], [[Jean Jaurès]], [[Anatole France]] and Jules Huret; Nicaraguan [[Rubén Darío]] among them

Other personalities that attended the Centennial celebrations were sociologist [[Enrico Ferri (criminologist)|Enrico Ferri]], writer [[Pietro Gori]] and Gina Lombroso, daughter of criminologist and physician [[Cesare Lombroso]]. The world of arts was represented by dancer [[Isadora Duncan]] and French actress [[Marguerite Moreno]].

In sports, the raising popularity of [[football in Argentina]] paved the way to organise the first South American competition, the [[Copa Centenario Revolución de Mayo]], with Argentina, Uruguay and Chile taking part of the tournament.<ref>[http://www.diariouno.com.ar/deportes/la-copa-centenario-argentina-1910-20100527-n180767.html La Copa Centenario para Argentina en 1910], Diario Uno, 27 May 2010</ref> This championship is considered predecessor of [[Copa América]], first held in 1916.<ref>[http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1905168-cinco-hechos-insolitos-de-la-historia-de-la-copa-america Del delantero desertor al goleador "de una noche", las 5 curiosidades de la Copa América], ''La Nación'', 3 Jun 2016</ref>

Moreover, the [[British and Irish Lions]] toured on Argentina as part of the Centennial celebrations. Managed by RV Stanley, the British combined arrived to Arrived to Argentina to play [[1910 British Lions tour to Argentina|a total of six games]] in the country, from May 26 to June 17.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100604094242/http://www.britishlions.org.uk/1910-south-africa-argentina-161.html 1910 South Africa & Argentina] on British Lions website</ref> The hosts referred to the team as the "Combined British".<ref name=busico>[http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1268948-de-festejo-tambien-pero-por-el-centenario "De festejo también, pero por el Centenario" by Jorge Búsico], ''La Nación'', 27 May 2010</ref>

The [[Argentina national rugby union team|Argentina national team]] made its international debut against the Lions under the name "The River Plate Rugby Football Union" on 12 June. The match was played at Sociedad Sportiva Argentina of [[Palermo, Buenos Aires|Palermo]].<ref>[http://www.periodismo-rugby.com.ar/2017/05/16/lions-5/ "Lions": Los viajes olvidados] by Ricardo Sabanes, 16 May 2017</ref>

== Memorials == [[File:Museo del Bicentenario - %22Alegor%C3%ADa del Centenario%22.jpg|thumb|150px|Commemorative copper medal by sculptor [[Ernesto de la Cárcova]]]] Apart from the construction of elegant pavilions and the inauguration of big buildings that renewed the city of Buenos Aires, several monuments were given by the different collectivity of immigrants living in Argentina.<ref>[https://www.clarin.com/ediciones-anteriores/grandes-monumentos-portenos-regalos-buenos-aires-recibio-celebrar-centenario_0_BJs8vCaFl.html Grandes monumentos porteños: son regalos que Buenos Aires recibió para celebrar el Centenario], ''Clarín'', 7 Feb 2010</ref>

Some of the memorials were: * [[Monument to the Carta Magna and Four Regions of Argentina]] (commonly referred as "Monument of the Spanish") donated by the Spanish community. It was designed by [[Agustí Querol Subirats]] and placed in the intersection of [[Avenida del Libertador (Buenos Aires)|Del Libertador]] and Sarmiento Avenues of [[Palermo, Buenos Aires|Palermo]]. * Monument to Christopher Columbus, by the Italian community. Originally placed in front of [[Casa Rosada]], in 2015 the monument was dismantled and moved near [[Aeroparque Jorge Newbery]] to be replaced by a statue of [[Juana Azurduy]].<ref>[http://www.ambito.com/878735-en-3-meses-monumento-a-colon-estara-reconstruido-en-costanera En 3 meses, monumento a Colón estará reconstruido en Costanera] by Andrea Glikman, ''Ambito Financiero'', 10 Apr 2017</ref> {{#tag:ref|There are projects to assemble the statue and place it in Costanera Sur.|group=note|name=colon}} * [[Torre Monumental]] by the British community. Located in [[Retiro, Buenos Aires]], in front to the [[Retiro railway station]] * France to Argentina, by [[Émile Peynot]], gift from French community. Located in France Park, Buenos Aires. * Weather Tower, by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Set in the [[Buenos Aires Botanical Garden|Botanical Garden Carlos Thays]]. * Monument to George Washington, by the United States, placed in [[Parque Tres de Febrero]]

;Notes {{reflist|group=note}}

{{Gallery |title=Memorials donated by immigrant communities in Argentina |width=150 |height=120 |align=center |File:WLM 2013 - Monumento de los Españoles 2.jpg|Monument to the Carta Magna and the Four Regions (Spain) |File:Monumento a Colón, Buenos Aires.jpg|Monument to Christopher Columbus (Italy) |File:Francia a la Argentina.jpg|Francia to Argentina (France) |File:Torre-Monumental-Buenos-Aires.jpg|Torre Monumental (Great Britain)|File:Indicador Meteorológico.jpg|Weather Tower (Austro-Hungarian Empire) ||Statue of George Washington (United States) }}

== See also == * [[May Revolution]] * [[Argentina Bicentennial]] * [[Exposición Internacional del Centenario]] * [[Copa Centenario Revolución de Mayo]]

== References == {{Commons category|Centennial of Argentina}} {{Reflist}}

[[Category:1910 festivals]] [[Category:1910 in Argentina]] [[Category:May 1910 in South America]] [[Category:Centennial anniversaries]] [[Category:Cultural festivals in Argentina]] [[Category:Festivals established in 1910]] [[Category:History of Argentina (1880–1916)]] [[Category:May Revolution]] [[Category:Public holidays in Argentina]] [[Category:Regional centennial anniversaries]]