Mapuche uprising of 1881 begins

Background. The uprising was part of the last phase of the Occupation of Araucanía. Chilean authorities were alarmed by Argentine advances pushing Mapuches into Araucanía. Prior to 1881, Mapuches suffered abuses by settlers and military, including the murder of Domingo Melín in 1880. The conflict was planned by chiefs in March 1881 for a November launch.

Context. Mapuche support was not unanimous, with some factions siding with Chileans or remaining neutral. However, organizers involved factions previously at peace. The Malleco zone rose in January 1881, prompting a Chilean campaign to push the frontier to the Cautín River. A wave of attacks began in late February after the founding of Temuco.

Outbreak. The specific beginning of the 1881 uprising involved a mistaken attack on Quillem. A group of Arribanos attacked the fort on November 3, which was the wrong date. This error alerted all Chilean garrisons in Araucanía, causing settlers to take refuge in the forts.