Central America Lesson #3A History

Activating Strategy  Respond to this question (in complete sentences)on the back of your cover page. Keep your answer near the top of the page. Why is it important for colonies to establish a strong governing system when they gain independence?

Essential Question  How would you describe the political past of Central America?

Define the vocabulary. On the back of your cover page, write the definition for: Legacy

legacy  Anything handed down from an ancestor  Europe – melons, lettuce, onions  Spanish – Bananas, rice, yams

How would you describe the political past of Central America? Begin to work on the following assignment independently.  Turn to page 208.  Read page  Create a time line of important events that tell about the political past of Central America.  Use the graphic organizer provided.

Central America’s Political Past Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua become independent from Spain Mexico won its independence and united for a time with the five independent Central American countries Mexico separated from Central American countries and forms a federation: The United Provinces of Central America.

Central America’s Political Past The Federations constitution was completed which provided for state’s right and put an end to the special privileges of the wealthy land owners. Late 1830’s- Each country becomes an independent republic. ** Time of dictators, civil war, and guerilla attacks.

Central America’s Political Past ’s- Conflicts over the control of government continued in Nicaragua Sanchez, the President of Costa Rica, won the Noble Peace Prize for creating a peace plan for Central America. They sign an agreement with El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

Place this on the back of your lesson packet. Belize  The first recorded European settlement was established by shipwrecked English seamen in  Over the next 150 years, more English settlements were established.  This period also was marked by piracy, indiscriminate logging, and sporadic attacks by Indians and neighboring Spanish settlers.  Granted independence September 21, 1981.

Place this on the back of your lesson packet. Panama  Indians were the first inhabitants.  Spaniards conquered the Indians in the 1500’s and ruled until  In 1821, Panama became a province of Colombia.  In 1903, it rebelled against Colombia and became an independent nation.