1. Central America Lesson #3A History

2. 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?

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

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

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

6. How would you describe the political past of Central America? Begin to work on the following assignment independently.  Turn to page 208.  Read page 208-209.  Create a time line of important events that tell about the political past of Central America.  Use the graphic organizer provided.

7. Central America’s Political Past 1821- Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua become independent from Spain. 1821- Mexico won its independence and united for a time with the five independent Central American countries. 1823- Mexico separated from Central American countries and forms a federation: The United Provinces of Central America.

8. Central America’s Political Past 1824- 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.

9. Central America’s Political Past 1800-1900’s- Conflicts over the control of government continued in Nicaragua. 1987- 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.

10. Place this on the back of your lesson packet. Belize  The first recorded European settlement was established by shipwrecked English seamen in 1638.  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.

11. 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 1821.  In 1821, Panama became a province of Colombia.  In 1903, it rebelled against Colombia and became an independent nation.