from colonialism to neocolonialism final edit · central america- from colonialism to...
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CENTRAL AMERICA- FROM COLONIALISM TO NEOCOLONIALISMColonial Period
1500-1810Independence Movement +
Annexation to Mexico
1810-1823
United Province of Central America
[Federation] 1823-1843
Formation of Independent Nations
1843-1870’s
Society
Politics
Economics
1.Peninsulares 2.Criollos 3.Mestizo/Ladinos 4.Natives5.African Slaves
1.Criollos 2.Mestizo/Ladinos 3.Natives4.Afro Latinos
In terms of society, the rigid caste system social structure created during the colonial period remained the same. Even though independence expelled the powers of the Peninsulares, the native ethnicities and afro latinos still struggle for social, economic and political equality. To a great extent power and authority is still determined by European heritage richness.
Power and Authority is in a select counsil (Audiencia) that answers to the Vice-royalty of New Spain who in turn answered to Spain
Criollos fight for independence from Spain [after Napoleon’s invasion] with the objec-tive of them keeping their special privileg-es. As a united region they declare their independence from Spain & decide to join Mexico.
Even though the narrative is that the Crio-llos won independence from Spain, it is important to note that the native people never stopped resisting against colonial-ism.
After Mexican President Augustine de Iturbide is removed, the various provinc-es assemble & decide to form a federation.
This federation was named ‘United Prov-ince of Central America’ [UPCA]. However, at this point the most influencial political leaders were the Caudillos + Patrons
FRAGMENTATION- 1842- Rafeal Carre-ra [Guatemalan Conservative] defeat Francisco Morazan [liberal] & ends the federation.
This period is marked with politcal instability which originated from the period of federation. Conservatives vs Liberals; rural vs urban; caudillos vs dictators.
MERCANTILISM- all raw materials shipped to Spain. Major export- cacao + indigoTegucigalpa- small silver mine
Trade: During colonial times Spain controlled the import and export of its oversees kindgoms; however; the Audiencia of Guatemala still found ways of contrabanding English goods with the British settling on the coast [becomes Belize]. After indepedence however, it then became legal and trading activities increased making Belize a major trade hub [entrepot] into the 1840’s.
Economic Decline- at 1st the conservatives decide to annex to Mexico to offset the decline but that annexation eventually ended.
Infrastructure Decline- independence didn’t come with immediate development for the region. Most of the region still remained with no major roads or railroads linking major centers and rural areas; no telecommunication lines and no major factories for industry.
Indigo remained a major export for the region but with the rise of synthetic dyes the region fell into further economic challanges.
Costa Rica- 1832 the early exception
coffee
Economic Development1850’s -
Because of the unstable political climate, unstable economy and geography of the region; new interest from other foreign nations developed. They saw an environment ripe for large profits. This is evident by William Walk-er’s filibuster in Nicaragua in 1855.
Costa Rica’s coffee experiment was noted by the other nations. Guatemala, El Salvador, and to some extent Nicaragua started cultivating coffee by the 1850s. In 1860 coffee represented 1 percent of total exports in both Guatemala and El Salvador, but by the 1870s it had grown to 50 percent. The commercialization of banana production at the end of the 19th century resulted in an exaggeration of the worst aspects of coffee production. Once again, governments created incentives for investment and conditions for a profitable agricultural export. But this time the incentives were given not to Central American landowners or merchants, or even to some individual foreigners, but rather to foreign companies.
Economic development came at the cost of the rural peasants lands being taken away and them bonded to work for the huge land owners.