CAUSES OF THE WAR

PEACEFUL P-_PERU P
One cause of the Pacific War is that the boundaries between the countries were not
defined once they became independent
from Spain.

Countries first established their borders

according to usage, before establishing
them by treaties.

The treaty of 1874 established:

1. That the limit between Chile and
Bolivia was the 24th parallel.
2. But both countries were allowed to use
and exploit the resources of the
territories between the 23rd and 25th
parallels.
 CAUSES OF THE WAR
PEACEFUL SUE PACIFIC
Peru and Bolivia had economic problems because they did not have «GUAN4
enough
resources to pay the expenses of their countries.

The main income of Peru and Bolivia was the sales of Guano and Salitre from the
my! .i
Tarapacá region, which is why they wanted there to be no other countries, such as Lin
Chile, that could make use of the sales of these resources. ™g GARUE
IEGETAIIE
Peru feared the power of the Chilean Navy in the Pacific, so it did not want Chile ñS
to S 8e &-e
have money to maintain, improve or arm it. rr» Uam miULES Fü TuI ranze A
LARGE AND REMUNERATIVE CROP,

SOUDE D CHIL
That is why in 1873 Peru and Bolivia signed a secret treaty where they agreed that if
NITRATE
one of those countries was attacked, the other would help it.

SOCIETE COIMERCIALEOES 11 tis. »VEHUE WMI HItt'MIS (1" ]

umus OU CHILI
CAUSES OF THE WAR
PEACEFUL
1876: Hilarión Daza, President of Bolivia, raised taxes on the Chilean nitrate mines,
ignoring the 1874 agreement between Chile and Bolivia.

Chilean companies refused to pay the tax increase, which is why they were seized
and put up for auction.

When they were going to be auctioned (February 14, 1879), the Chilean government
decided to militarily occupy the city of Antofagasta, whose population was mostly
Chilean.

Hilarión Daza,
President of Bolivia
CAUSES OF THE WAR
PEACEFUL
As Chilean companies oppose this tax, non-compliance with the 1874
treaty is declared.
Chile indicates that its territories are up to the 23rd parallel, while
Bolivia indicates that its territories are up to the 25th parallel.

On March 1, 1879, Bolivia declared war on Chile.

Chile declares war against Peru and Bolivia on April 5, 1879