La población de los territorios nacionales patagónicos quince años después de las «campañas al desierto»

Abstract

Towards the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, Argentina embarked on a state policy of expansion and conquest of the Chaco and Patagonian territories, which until then had been controlled by the indigenous populations living there. This series of campaigns was immortalized in the annals of history with the euphemism “conquest of the desert”. Although the noun “desert” is questionable, “conquest” is not. Colonization after the aforementioned conquest raises questions that remain unanswered, and that is why we set out to study in general terms how they were distributed, what characteristics they presented, and how they influenced the migratory currents that, in their heterogeneity and complexity, nurtured these new territories and contributed to develop and diversify not only the economy, but also social and cultural relations. In order to reconstruct these populations, we have used the census records of the second national census through the well-known portal of the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-day Saints (www.familysearch.com). With their data we elaborated a base with which we measured and evaluated the population density of the national territories of Tierra del Fuego, Santa Cruz, Chubut, Río Negro, Neuquén and La Pampa. Our approach includes the distinction between the autochthonous population of these areas and the diverse migratory currents that converged in each department and district. In addition, we focused on characterizing crucial aspects such as age and gender distribution. As a result, we hope to have formed a first picture of the populations of these territories, being able not only to ponder the role of migration, but also to characterize it, measure its impact, and contribute to the history of the Patagonian territories.