Federal Republic of Central America facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Federal Republic of Central America
República Federal de Centroamérica
|
|||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1823–1838 | |||||||||||||||||||
 Flag
 Coat of arms
|
|||||||||||||||||||
|
Anthem: La Granadera (The song of the Grenadier)
|
|||||||||||||||||||
.svg) |
|||||||||||||||||||
| Capital | Guatemala City (Until 1834) San Salvador |
||||||||||||||||||
| Common languages | Spanish | ||||||||||||||||||
| Government | Republic | ||||||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||||||
|
• Independence from First Mexican Empire
|
July 1 1823 | ||||||||||||||||||
|
• Disestablished
|
May 31 1838 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Currency | Central American Republic real | ||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Today part of |  Belize Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Mexico Nicaragua |
||||||||||||||||||
The Federal Republic of Central America was a country that existed in Central America from 1823 to 1838. It was also known as the United Provinces of Central America when it first started. This nation was formed from the lands that used to be part of the Captaincy General of Guatemala. This was a large area controlled by Spain during its colonial rule.
The republic was a democratic republic. This means its government was chosen by the people through voting. The country included what are now Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Panama was not part of this republic. It was part of Colombia at that time.
In the 1830s, a new state called Los Altos joined the republic. Its capital city was Quetzaltenango. Even though the Federal Republic was independent from Spain, it had been briefly joined to the First Mexican Empire before becoming its own country.
History of the Republic
The Federal Republic of Central America was created after the region gained independence from Spain. Many people wanted the countries to stay united. They hoped a strong, combined nation would be better for everyone.
The new country faced many challenges. There were disagreements between different states. People had different ideas about how the government should work. This made it hard for the republic to stay together.
Challenges and Decline
One big problem was the fighting between political groups. Some leaders wanted a strong central government. Others wanted more power for each individual state. These disagreements often led to conflicts.
The capital city also moved. It started in Guatemala City. Later, it moved to San Salvador. This showed how much the country was struggling to find stability.
Over time, the different states began to break away. They declared themselves independent countries. This happened mostly between 1838 and 1841. The dream of a united Central America ended.
What Happened Next
After the Federal Republic broke apart, the states became independent nations. These are the countries we know today:
Even though the republic didn't last, it was an important part of Central American history. It showed the desire for unity in the region.
Images for kids
-
Guatemala or United States of Central America; with exception of the Kingdom of Mosquitia, which was a British Protectorate until 1860.
-
Federal Republic of Central America, 4 Escudos (1835). This coin was made in San Jose, Costa Rica.
-
The five volcanoes on the coat of arms of Central America were inspired by the Cordillera de Apaneca volcanic range in El Salvador. You can see these volcanoes from the city of Sonsonate. Sonsonate was the capital of the Federal Republic of Central America in 1834.
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: República Federal de Centroamérica para niños
