History of Central America

The History of Central America is the history of the Central America region, which consists of the Central American land bridge, the Caribbean islands and the United Mexican States.

Pre-and Early History of Central America

Central America has been inhabited by humans for about 10,000 years. It is thought that these first inhabitants had immigrated over North America from Asia.

However, there is a controversial discussion of this theory, as there are findings that point to a much earlier settlement of the region: for example, in Tlapacoya ( approximately 20000-22000 BC).

Pre-Columbian time

A high level of civilization attained by the Aztecs in the center of Mexico and the Maya in the border area between the current states of Mexico and Guatemala.

While the Mayan civilization disintegrated in the 10th century has not been conclusively clarified manner, the Aztec empire was at the arrival of the Spaniards in full bloom. It originated in the mid-14th century and was destroyed in 1520 by the Spaniards under Cortés. The capital city of Tenochtitlan was as Mexico City after the country's capital of the same name.

Colonial

Central America was part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, from the 1821 Mexican Empire under Agustín I. ( née: Agustín de Iturbide ) was born.

19th century

1823 saw the establishment of the Central American Confederation, consisting of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. 1830 were Los Altos (now the western highlands of Guatemala and the Chiapas province of Mexico) in the federation.

After a series of Presidents (1823 Cecilo José del Valle; 1825 Manuel José Arce, 1829 José F. Barrundia; 1830-1839 Francisco Morazán ), the unit was lost in the Civil War ( 1838-1840 ). Attempts at unification in the 19th century were unsuccessful.

The Caribbean countries have a very different story. Common, however, is that with the exception of Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, the islands were wrested from the Spanish influence in the 16th century by the colonial powers Britain, France and the Netherlands. The last Spanish colonies were dependent upon the Spanish-American War by the United States. On all Caribbean islands, the Indian population was virtually extinct and African slaves used in large numbers as plantation workers. In contrast to mainland Caribbean countries namely until the second half of the 20th century acquired (except Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba) relatively late, their independence. There are also still some dependent territories belonging to France, Britain, the USA and the Netherlands.

History of nation states

  • History of Belize
  • History of Costa Rica
  • History of the Bahamas
  • History of the Dominican Republic
  • History of Dominica
  • History of El Salvador
  • History of Guatemala
  • History of Haiti
  • History of Cuba
  • History of Nicaragua
  • History of Panama
  • History of St. Lucia
  • History of Trinidad and Tobago
  • History of Barbados
  • History of Honduras
Tlapacoya (Mesoamerican site) Maya civilization Los Altos, Central America
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