1. Chapter 8, Section 2 Central America
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Map shows Central American flags in country boundaries.
Central America

2. The Big Idea:
Central America’s native traditions and colonial history have created a mixed culture, unstable governments, and uncertain economies.
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Photos show the tropical landscape of Costa Rica, a Catholic Church in Nicaragua, and protests in Guatemala.

3. History
The Maya built a large civilization and their descendants and customs can still be found in this region.
In the 1500s Spain controlled most of Central America except Belize, a British colony.
The Spanish established large plantations. Forced Central American Indians and enslaved Africans to work on plantations and gold mines.
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Maya civilization as far south as Guatemala and Belize. Ancient ruins and traditional Indian languages are still spoken in these regions.

4. History (continued)
Colonies of Central America declared independence from Spain in Belize separated from Britain in Independence brought little change.
In the early to mid-1900s the U.S.-based United Fruit Company controlled much of Central America’s banana production.
Many resented role of foreign owned companies. Demand for reforms led to armed struggles.

5. Culture People and Languages
Most people of Central America are mestizos. Various Indian peoples live in the Guatemalan Highlands and people of African ancestry also make up a large minority.
Some still speak native Indian languages. Spanish is the the official language of most Central American countries. (English is official language in Belize.)
Most people are Roman Catholic.

6. Central America Today
In 2005 Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua signed the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) with the U.S. to help increase trade.
The countries of El Salvador, and Nicaragua have seen conflict resulting in civil war. Conflict in Guatemala has resulted in many deaths. These economies are still affected.

7. Central America Today (continued)
Ecotourism is a major industry in Belize.
Most people of Panama live near the Panama Canal. Built in 1914, the canal was controlled by the U.S. until 1999.