Nicolás Avellaneda | |
---|---|
8th President of Argentina | |
In office October 12, 1874 – October 11, 1880 |
|
Vice President | Mariano Acosta |
Preceded by | Domingo F. Sarmiento |
Succeeded by | Julio A. Roca |
Personal details | |
Born | October 3, 1837 San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán |
Died | December 26, 1885 At sea |
(aged 48)
Nationality | Argentina |
Political party | National Autonomist Party |
Spouse(s) | Carmen Nórbrega Miguens |
Profession | Lawyer |
Nicolás Remigio Aurelio Avellaneda Silva (October 3, 1837 – 24 November 1885) was an Argentine politician and journalist, and president of Argentina from 1874 to 1880. Avellaneda's main projects while in office were banking and education reform, leading to Argentina's economic growth. The most important events of his government were the Conquest of the Desert and the transformation of the City of Buenos Aires into a federal district.
Born in San Miguel de Tucumán, his mother moved with him to Bolivia after the death of his father, Marco Avellaneda, during a revolt against Juan Manuel de Rosas. He studied law at Córdoba, without graduating. Back at Tucumán he founded El Eco del Norte, and moved to Buenos Aires in 1857, becoming director of the El Nacional and editor of El Comercio de la Plata. He finished his studies at Buenos Aires, meeting Domingo Faustino Sarmiento. Sarmiento helped him to become teacher of economy at the University of Buenos Aires. He wrote "Estudio sobre las leyes de tierras públicas" (Spanish: Study of the laws about public lands), proposing to give the lands to producers that make production from them. This system, similar to the one employed at the United States, suggested to reduce bureaucracy and pointed that this would allow stable populations and population growth.
He was a member of the house of representatives in 1859 and Minister of Government of Adolfo Alsina in the Buenos Aires province in 1866. During Domingo Faustino Sarmiento's presidency, he was Minister of Justice and Education. He implemented the educational reform that was defining of his government.