Congress of Panama facts for kids
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The Congress of Panama was an important meeting held in 1826. It was organized by Simón Bolívar, a famous leader who helped many South American countries become independent from Spain. The main goal of this meeting was to bring together the new countries in Latin America. They wanted to create a plan for how they would work together, especially against their old ruler, Spain.
This meeting took place in Panama City from June 22 to July 15, 1826. Bolívar hoped to create a strong group of American republics. This group would have a shared military, a promise to defend each other, and a special parliament to make decisions for everyone.
Contents
Who Attended the Congress?
Representatives from several new countries came to the Congress of Panama.
Countries That Sent Delegates
- Gran Colombia: This was a large country that included what we now know as Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela.
- Peru
- United Provinces of Central America: This group included Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.
- Mexico
Countries That Did Not Attend
Some countries chose not to send representatives:
- Chile and the United Provinces of South America (which is now Argentina) did not attend. They were worried about Simón Bolívar's strong influence.
- The Empire of Brazil did not send delegates. They thought they might not be welcomed by their Spanish-speaking neighbors. Brazil was also fighting a war with Argentina at the time.
- Paraguay was not invited. This country preferred to stay isolated and had refused Bolívar's delegates before.
What Happened at the Congress?
The Congress of Panama created a document called the "Treaty of Union, League, and Perpetual Confederation." This treaty was meant to unite the new countries.
Why the Treaty Didn't Work
Sadly, only Gran Colombia officially approved the treaty. Simón Bolívar's big dream for a united Latin America did not come true. Soon after, Gran Colombia faced a civil war, and the Central American countries also broke apart. New feelings of nationalism, where each country wanted to be independent and focus on itself, grew stronger.
The United States and the Congress
The United States was also invited to the Congress, but only after Bolívar was pressured to invite them.
- President John Quincy Adams and his Secretary of State, Henry Clay, wanted the US to attend.
- However, politicians from the southern United States delayed the mission. Many Hispanic American countries had outlawed slavery, and these politicians did not approve money or delegates for the Congress.
- Even when delegates were finally sent, one of them, Richard Clough Anderson Jr., died on his way to Panama. The other delegate, John Sergeant, arrived after the Congress had already finished its meetings.
Great Britain's Role
Great Britain sent observers to the Congress. Even though they were not official participants, they managed to make many good trade deals with the Latin American countries during the meeting.
See also
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