Catamarca Province Plata was created in 1776, Catamarca obtained the title of "Subintendencia" under the Salta intendency. In 1821, the province claimed its autonomy, and Nicolás Avellaneda y Tula (grandfather of Nicolás Avellaneda) was elected as the first governor of the province. The name is believed to come either from Quechua "cata" 'slope' and "marca" 'fortress', or from Aymara "catán" 'small' and "marca" 'town'. Catamarca remained isolated from the rest of Argentina by its mountains until 1888, when the rapidly expanding railways first appeared in the province. Attracting immigrants with its spacious, fertile valleys and dry, agreeable weather, Catamarca was soon favored
Formosa Expedition merchant trade, rear-Admiral Bell was killed along with all but three of the men after their vessel was overturned. Formosa Expedition The Formosa Expedition, or the Taiwan Expedition of 1867 was a punitive expedition launched by the United States against Formosa. The expedition was undertaken in retaliation for the Rover incident, in which the "Rover", an American bark, had been wrecked and its crew massacred by aboriginal Paiwan warriors in March 1867. A United States Navy and Marine company landed in southern Formosa and attempted to advance into the native village. The natives deployed a significant amount of guerrilla warfare,