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'{{refimprove|date=October 2016}} {{Infobox Former Country | native_name = ''{{lang|es|República Federal de Centroamérica}}'' | conventional_long_name = Federal Republic of Central America | common_name = Central America | continent = North America | region = Central America | status = Federation | event_pre = Independence from [[Spanish Empire]] | date_pre = September 15, 1821 | event_start = Independence from [[First Mexican Empire]] | year_start = 1823 | date_start = July 1 | year_end = 1839 | date_end = | event_end = | p1 = First Mexican Empire | flag_p1 = Flag of Mexico (1821-1823).svg | s1 = Costa Rica | flag_s1 = Flag of Costa Rica (1838-1840).svg | s2 = El Salvador | flag_s2 = Flag of El Salvador (1839-1865).svg | s3 = Guatemala | flag_s3 = Flag of Guatemala (1838-1843).svg | s4 = Honduras | flag_s4 = Flag of Honduras (1839-1866).svg | s5 = Nicaragua | flag_s5 = Flag of Nicaragua (1839-1858).svg | s6 = Los Altos, Central America{{!}}Los Altos | flag_s6 = Flag of Los Altos.svg | s7 = Mosquito Coast | flag_s7 = Flag_of_the_Mosquito_Coast_1834-1860.svg | image_flag = Flag of the Federal Republic of Central America.svg | image_coat = Escudo de la República Federal de Centro América.svg |national_anthem = ''[[La Granadera]]''<br><small>"The Song of the Grenadier"</small><br /><center>[[File:Himno_de_Centroamerica.ogg]]</center> | image_map = United_Provinces_of_Central_America_(orthographic_projection).svg | capital = [[Guatemala City]] <small>(1821–1834)</small><br>[[San Salvador]] <small>(1834–1838)</small> | currency = Central American Republic real | government_type = Revolutionary republic | common_language = [[Spanish language|Spanish]] | today = {{flag|Costa Rica}} <br /> {{flag|El Salvador}} <br /> {{flag|Guatemala}} <br /> {{flag|Honduras}} <br /> {{flag|Mexico}} <br /> {{flag|Nicaragua}} }} {{Central America series}} [[File:Federal Republic of Central America 1835 4 Real.jpg|thumb|260px|Federal Republic of Central America, 4 [[Central American Republic real|Real]] (1835). Struck in the San Jose, Costa Rica mint (697 were minted).<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tXSrLbIEDBMC|location=|page=224|title= Standard Catalog of World Gold Coins 1601–Present|edition=6|ref=harv|publisher=Krause|isbn=978-1-4402-0424-1|editor-last=Cuhaj|editor-first=George S.|year=2009}}</ref>]] The '''Federal Republic of Central America''' ({{lang-es|República Federal de Centroamérica}}), also called the '''United Provinces of Central America''' ({{lang-es|Provincias Unidas del Centro de América}}) in its first year of creation, was a [[sovereign state]] in [[Central America]], which consisted of the territories of the former [[Captaincy General of Guatemala]] of [[New Spain]]. It existed from September 1821 to 1841, and was a [[republican democracy]]. It is also sometimes incorrectly referred to in [[English language|English]] as the '''United States of Central America'''. The republic consisted of the present-day states of [[Guatemala]], [[El Salvador]], [[Honduras]], [[Nicaragua]], and [[Costa Rica]]. ([[Panama]] was part of Bolivar's [[Gran Colombia|República de Colombia]] in 1821, [[Belize]] later became a [[British Honduras|British colony]] in 1862.) In the 1830s, an additional sixth state was added – [[Los Altos, Central America|Los Altos]], with its capital in [[Quetzaltenango]] – occupying parts of what are now the western highlands of Guatemala and [[Chiapas]] state in southern [[Mexico]]. Maps and borders hardly existed at the time{{what?|date=April 2017}} so locations are only approximate. Shortly after Central America declared independence from the [[Spanish Empire]], some of its countries were [[Annexation|annexed]] by the [[First Mexican Empire]] in 1821 and then Central America formed the Federal Republic in 1823. From 1838 to 1840 the federation descended into [[civil war]], with conservatives fighting against liberals and separatists fighting to secede. Without a sustained struggle for independence to cement a sense of national identity, the various political factions were unable to overcome their ideological differences and the federation dissolved after a series of bloody conflicts.<ref name="central">{{cite book| first=Lynn V.| last=Foster| year=2000| title=A Brief History of Central America| publisher=Facts on File| location=New York| pages=134–136| isbn=0-8160-3962-3 }}</ref> == History == {{main article|History of Central America}} === Independence 1821–1822=== From the 16th century through 1821, Central America, apart from Panama, formed the [[Captaincy General of Guatemala]] within the [[Spanish Empire]]. In 1821 a congress of Central American ''[[Spanish Criollo peoples|Criollos]]'' in Guatemala City composed the [[Act of Independence of Central America]] to declare the region's independence from Spain, effective on 15 September of that year.<ref name="documentos">{{Cite web|title = Documentos de la Union Centroamericana|website = Organization of American States – Foreign Trade Information System|url = http://www.sice.oas.org/sica/Studies/DocUnionCentroamericana.pdf|format = pdf|accessdate = 12 October 2014}}</ref> The process was bloodless with no resistance from the Spanish authorities as the Governor General Brigadier [[Gabino Gaínza]] along with all the royal governors of the five provinces were retained in office as executive powers pending a full transition local rule. That date is still marked as [[independence Day|independence day]] by most Central American nations. Federal Republic of Central America From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Federal Republic of Central America República Federal de Centroamérica 1823–1839 Flag Coat of arms Anthem La Granadera "The Song of the Grenadier" MENU0:00 Capital Guatemala City (1821–1834) San Salvador (1834–1838) Government Revolutionary republic History • Independence from Spanish Empire September 15, 1821 • Independence from First Mexican Empire July 1, 1823 • Disestablished 1839 Currency Central American Republic real Preceded by Succeeded by First Mexican Empire Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua Los Altos Mosquito Coast Today part of Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Mexico Nicaragua Part of a series on Central America Central America Countries[show] Culture[show] Demographics[show] Economy[show] Education[show] Environment[show] History[show] Geography[show] Politics and government[show] Transportation[show] Related topics[show] v t e Federal Republic of Central America, 4 Real (1835). Struck in the San Jose, Costa Rica mint (697 were minted).[1] The Federal Republic of Central America (Spanish: República Federal de Centroamérica), also called the United Provinces of Central America (Spanish: Provincias Unidas del Centro de América) in its first year of creation, was a sovereign state in Central America, which consisted of the territories of the former Captaincy General of Guatemala of New Spain. It existed from September 1821 to 1841, and was a republican democracy. It is also sometimes incorrectly referred to in English as the United States of Central America. The republic consisted of the present-day states of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. (Panama was part of Bolivar's República de Colombia in 1821, Belize later became a British colony in 1862.) In the 1830s, an additional sixth state was added – Los Altos, with its capital in Quetzaltenango – occupying parts of what are now the western highlands of Guatemala and Chiapas state in southern Mexico. Maps and borders hardly existed at the time[clarification needed] so locations are only approximate. Shortly after Central America declared independence from the Spanish Empire, some of its countries were annexed by the First Mexican Empire in 1821 and then Central America formed the Federal Republic in 1823. From 1838 to 1840 the federation descended into civil war, with conservatives fighting against liberals and separatists fighting to secede. Without a sustained struggle for independence to cement a sense of national identity, the various political factions were unable to overcome their ideological differences and the federation dissolved after a series of bloody conflicts.[2] Contents [hide] 1 History 1.1 Independence 1821–1822 1.2 Absorption into the Empire of Mexico, 1822–1823 1.3 Reconstitution of the Federal Republic 1823–1840 1.4 Dissolution of the union 2 Politics 3 Name and emblems 3.1 Successor flags 4 Later Central American federal unions 5 See also 6 References 7 External links History[edit] Main article: History of Central America Independence 1821–1822[edit] From the 16th century through 1821, Central America, apart from Panama, formed the Captaincy General of Guatemala within the Spanish Empire. In 1821 a congress of Central American Criollos in Guatemala City composed the Act of Independence of Central America to declare the region's independence from Spain, effective on 15 September of that year.[3] The process was bloodless with no resistance from the Spanish authorities as the Governor General Brigadier Gabino Gaínza along with all the royal governors of the five provinces were retained in office as executive powers pending a full transition local rule. That date is still marked as independence day by most Central American nations. Absorption into the Empire of Mexico, 1822–1823[edit] Independence proved short-lived, as local law-and-order broke down. Driven by regional rivalries, many localities refused to accept the newly formed federal powers in Guatemala—San Salvador, Comayagua, León, and Cartago were in open revolt. The ensuing anarchy prompted the land-owning wealthy and conservative class to advocate union with Mexico. On 25 January 1822 the Junta consultiva in Guatemala City voted for annexation. A few weeks later General Vicente Filísola, the envoy of Emperor Agustín de Iturbide of the First Mexican Empire arrived in Guatemala as the new ruler.[4] The annexation was controversial, with some seeing the Mexican constitution with its abolition of slavery and establishment of free trade as an improvement over the status quo. Central American liberals in San Salvador objected to this[clarification needed] and refused to accept Filísola's authority. The army[which?] was ordered[by whom?] to quell dissent. In the case of Costa Rica, the country decided not to join the Mexican Empire as part of the resolutions upon conclusion of the Battle of Ochomogo (5 April 1823), which is considered[by whom?] as the first civil war of Costa Rica. After Iturbide abdicated (19 March 1823), Mexico became a republic (formally proclaimed on 1 November 1823) and offered to the previously annexed Central American provinces the right to determine their own destiny. Filísola turned over his power to the hastily formed National Constituent Assembly, which comprised representatives from each of the five provinces. On July 1, 1823 the Congress of Central America declared absolute independence from Spain, Mexico, and any other foreign nation, and established a republican system of government.[4] Reconstitution of the Federal Republic 1823–1840[edit] The liberal-dominated Assembly elected Manuel José Arce as president but he soon turned against his own faction and dissolved the Assembly. San Salvador rose in revolt against federal authority. Honduras and Nicaragua joined the rebellion and Arce was deposed in 1829. The victors led by the Honduran Francisco Morazán took power and Morazán was proclaimed president in 1830. To appease liberal supporters, the capital was relocated from Guatemala City to San Salvador in 1831 but Morazán's hold on power was waning as conservatives regained control in the provinces.[4] The Assembly in 1838 adjourned with the declaration that the provinces were free to rule themselves as the Federal Republic dissolved. In 1839 Morazán was exiled as rebels from Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua entered San Salvador, evicting the governing institutions that held the region together.[4] Dissolution of the union[edit] In practice, the federation faced insurmountable problems, and the union slid into civil war between 1838 and 1840.[5] Its disintegration began when Nicaragua separated from the federation on November 5, 1838, followed by Honduras and Costa Rica[6] (other sources give Nicaragua's secession date as April 30).[7] Because of the chaotic nature of this period an exact date of disestablishment does not exist, but on May 31, 1838, the congress met to declare that the provinces were free to create their own independent republics.[7] In reality, this merely legally acknowledged the process of disintegration that had already begun.[8] The union effectively ended in 1840, by which time four of its five states had declared independence. The official end came only upon El Salvador's self-proclamation of the establishment of an independent republic in February 1841. Politics[edit] See also: List of heads of state of Federal Republic of Central America The liberal democratic project was strongly opposed by conservative factions allied with the Roman Catholic clergy and the wealthy landowners. Transportation and communication routes between the states were extremely deficient. The bulk of the population lacked any sense of commitment towards the broader federation, perhaps owing to their continued loyalty to the Roman Catholic Church in Spain. The federal bureaucracy in Guatemala City proved ineffectual, and fears of Guatemalan domination of the union led to protests that resulted in the relocation of the capital to San Salvador in 1831. Wars soon broke out between various factions both in the federation and within individual states. The poverty and extreme political instability of the region prevented the proposed construction of an inter-oceanic canal (see Nicaragua Canal and Panama Canal), from which Central America could have obtained considerable economic benefits. Name and emblems[edit] Central American liberals had high hopes for the federal republic, which they believed would evolve into a modern, democratic nation, enriched by trade passing through it between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. These aspirations are reflected in the emblems of the federal republic: the flag shows a white band between two blue stripes, representing the land between two oceans. The coat of arms shows five mountains (one for each state) between two oceans, surmounted by a Phrygian cap, the emblem of the French Revolution. The coat of arms on the nation's flag from 1823–1824 referred to the federation (in Spanish) as Provincias Unidas del Centro de América ("United Provinces of the Center of America"); however, its 1824 constitution, coat of arms, and flag called it república Federal de Centroamérica / Centro América ("Federal Republic of Central America"). The flag was introduced to the area by Commodore Louis-Michel Aury inspired by the Argentine flag. The term United Provinces was also used in Argentina's first title Provincias Unidas del Río de la Plata ("United Provinces of the River Plate")(Plata actually means silver in context). Commodore Aury established the first independent republic in Old Providence Island (Isla de Providencia) in 1818, off the coast of Nicaragua. Successor flags[edit] Today, all five successor nations’ flags retain the old federal motif of two outer blue bands bounding an inner white stripe (Costa Rica modified its flag significantly in 1848 by darkening the blue and adding a double-wide inner red band, in honor of the French tricolor). The short-lived sixth state of Los Altos voted to be annexed by Mexico as the state of Chiapas. Flag of the original Federal Republic of Central America 1823-1839 Flag of the Federal Republic of Central America.svg Member Nations 1839 Flag of Guatemala (1838-1843).svg Flag of El Salvador (1839-1865).svg Flag of Honduras (1839-1866).svg Flag of Nicaragua (1839-1858).svg Flag of Costa Rica (1838-1840).svg Flag of Los Altos.svg Guatemala El Salvador Honduras Nicaragua Costa Rica Los Altos Current flags Flag of Guatemala.svg Flag of El Salvador.svg Flag of Honduras.svg Flag of Nicaragua.svg Flag of Costa Rica.svg Flag of Chiapas.svg Guatemala El Salvador Honduras Nicaragua Costa Rica Chiapas Later Central American federal unions[edit] Despite the failure of a lasting political union, the sense of shared history and the hope for eventual reunification persist in the nations formerly in the union. Various attempts were made to reunite Central America in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, but none succeeded for any length of time: The first attempt was in 1842 by former President Francisco Morazán, who became involved in a struggle for control over Costa Rica. After taking control over the capital, Morazán announced he would create a large army to re-create the Federal Republic as the Confederation of Central America and planned to include El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, but popular feeling rapidly turned against him and a sudden revolt resulted in his arrest and execution by firing squad in September 15 of that year. A second attempt was made in October 1852 when El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua created a Federation of Central America (Federación de Centro América). The union lasted less than a month. In 1856–1857 the region successfully established a military coalition to repel an invasion by U.S. freebooter William Walker. Guatemalan President General Justo Rufino Barrios attempted to reunite the nation by force of arms in the 1880s but he died in battle near the town of Chalchuapa, El Salvador. A third union of Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador as the Greater Republic of Central America or "República Mayor de Centroamérica" lasted from 1896 to 1898. The latest attempt occurred between June 1921 and January 1922 when El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica formed a (second) Federation of Central America. The treaty establishing this federation was signed at San José, Costa Rica, on January 19, 1921.[9] The treaty stipulated for the future creation of one state of all the four signatories, under one constitution. This second Federation was nearly moribund from the start, having only a Provisional Federal Council made up of delegates from each state. See also[edit] Gran Colombia – another short-lived post-Spanish federal state Peru–Bolivian Confederation – another short-lived post-Spanish federal state Golden Circle (proposed country) – a proposed Caribbean federation Union of South American Nations Central American Integration System References[edit] Jump up ^ Cuhaj, George S., ed. (2009). Standard Catalog of World Gold Coins 1601–Present (6 ed.). Krause. p. 224. ISBN 978-1-4402-0424-1. Jump up ^ Foster, Lynn V. (2000). A Brief History of Central America. New York: Facts on File. pp. 134–136. ISBN 0-8160-3962-3. Jump up ^ "Documentos de la Union Centroamericana" (pdf). Organization of American States – Foreign Trade Information System. Retrieved 12 October 2014. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Munro, Dana. The Five Republics of Central America. New York: Oxford University Press, 1918. pp 24–34. Jump up ^ "New Physical, Political, Industrial and Commercial Map of Central America and the Antilles: With a Special Map of the Possessions of the Belgian Colonization Company of Central America, the State of Guatemala". World Digital Library. 1845. Retrieved 2013-07-04. Jump up ^ Minster, Christopher. "The Federal Republic of Central America (1823–1840)". Latin American History. About.com. Retrieved 2013-11-05. ^ Jump up to: a b Sandoval, Victor Hugo. "Federal Republic of Central America". Monedas de Guatemala. Retrieved 2013-11-05. Jump up ^ Karnes, Thomas L. (1961). The Failure of Union: Central America, 1824–1960. Durham, NC: University of North Carolina Press. p. 85. Jump up ^ Text in League of Nations Treaty Series, vol. 5, pp. 10–31. External links[edit] Constitutions from several attempts at Central American unification (in Spanish) Central America- Historical Unions and Federations WorldStatesmen- Guatemala Map of the FRCA Maps showing the collapse of the Central American Republic (omniatlas.com) [hide] v t e Guatemala articles History Spanish conquest New Granada Captaincy General Federal Republic of Central America Ten Years of Spring (1944–1954) 1954 coup d'état Civil War (1960–1996) 1976 earthquake Coat of arms of Guatemala.svg Flag of Guatemala.svg Geography Biodiversity Biosphere reserves Cities Earthquakes Ecoregions Fauna Flora Islands Lakes National parks Ramsar sites Rivers Volcanism Water resources World Heritage Sites Politics Administrative divisions Congress Constitution Elections Foreign relations Law enforcement Military Political parties Presidents Economy Central bank Coffee Currency Telecommunications Tourism Transport Society Crime Demographics Education Languages LGBT rights Religion Water supply and sanitation Culture Anthem Cuisine Flag Literature Media Music National emblem Public holidays Outline Index Bibliography Category Portal Coordinates: 14°37′N 90°31′W Categories: Former countries in North AmericaFormer federationsStates and territories established in 1823States and territories disestablished in 1839Federal Republic of Central AmericaFormer countries in Central AmericaFormer republicsHistory of Central AmericaHistory of GuatemalaHistory of Costa RicaHistory of El SalvadorHistory of HondurasHistory of Nicaragua1820s in North America1830s in North America19th century in Central America19th century in Costa Rica19th century in El Salvador19th century in Guatemala19th century in Honduras19th century in Nicaragua1820s in Mexico1830s in Mexico1823 establishments in Central America1838 disestablishments in Central America Navigation menu Not logged inTalkContributionsCreate accountLog inArticleTalkReadEditView historySearch Search Wikipedia Go Main page Contents Featured content Current events Random article Donate to Wikipedia Wikipedia store Interaction Help About Wikipedia Community portal Recent changes Contact page Tools What links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Permanent link Page information Wikidata item Cite this page Print/export Create a book Download as PDF Printable version In other projects Wikimedia Commons Languages Afrikaans العربية Беларуская Brezhoneg Català Čeština Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Ελληνικά Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Français 한국어 Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית ქართული Kiswahili Latina Lietuvių Македонски Bahasa Melayu Nāhuatl Nederlands 日本語 Norsk bokmål Polski Português Русский Simple English Slovenčina Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Tagalog ไทย Українська Tiếng Việt 中文 Edit links This page was last modified on 19 April 2017, at 19:37. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. Privacy policyAbout WikipediaDisclaimersContact WikipediaDevelopersCookie statementMobile viewWikimedia Foundation Powered by MediaWiki ===Absorption into the Empire of Mexico, 1822–1823 === Independence proved short-lived, as local law-and-order broke down. Driven by regional rivalries, many localities refused to accept the newly formed federal powers in Guatemala—[[San Salvador]], [[Comayagua]], [[León, Nicaragua|León]], and [[Cartago, Costa Rica|Cartago]] were in open revolt. The ensuing anarchy prompted the land-owning wealthy and conservative class to advocate union with Mexico. On 25 January 1822 the ''Junta consultiva'' in Guatemala City voted for annexation. A few weeks later General [[Vicente Filísola]], the envoy of Emperor [[Agustín de Iturbide]] of the [[First Mexican Empire]] arrived in Guatemala as the new ruler.<ref name="Munro, Dana 1918. pp 24">Munro, Dana. ''The Five Republics of Central America''. New York: Oxford University Press, 1918. pp 24–34.</ref> The annexation was controversial, with some seeing the Mexican constitution with its abolition of slavery and establishment of [[free trade]] as an improvement over the ''[[status quo]]''. Central American [[liberalism|liberals]] in San Salvador objected to this{{clarify|date=May 2016}} and refused to accept Filísola's authority. The army{{which|date=May 2016}} was ordered{{by whom|date=May 2016}} to quell dissent. In the case of [[Costa Rica]], the country decided not to join the Mexican Empire as part of the resolutions upon conclusion of the [[Batalla de Ochomogo|Battle of Ochomogo]] (5 April 1823), which is considered{{by whom|date=May 2016}} as the first civil war of [[Costa Rica]]. After Iturbide abdicated (19 March 1823), Mexico became a [[First Mexican Republic|republic]] (formally proclaimed on 1 November 1823) and offered to the previously annexed Central American provinces the right to determine their own destiny. Filísola turned over his power to the hastily formed National Constituent Assembly, which comprised representatives from each of the five provinces. On July 1, 1823 the Congress of Central America declared absolute independence from Spain, Mexico, and any other foreign nation, and established a [[republic]]an system of government.<ref name="Munro, Dana 1918. pp 24" /> ===Reconstitution of the Federal Republic 1823–1840=== The liberal-dominated Assembly elected [[Manuel José Arce]] as president but he soon turned against his own faction and dissolved the Assembly. San Salvador rose in revolt against federal authority. Honduras and Nicaragua joined the rebellion and Arce was deposed in 1829. The victors led by the Honduran [[Francisco Morazán]] took power and Morazán was proclaimed president in 1830. To appease liberal supporters, the capital was relocated from Guatemala City to [[San Salvador]] in 1831 but Morazán's hold on power was waning as conservatives regained control in the provinces.<ref name="Munro, Dana 1918. pp 24"/> The Assembly in 1838 adjourned with the declaration that the provinces were free to rule themselves as the Federal Republic dissolved. In 1839 Morazán was exiled as rebels from Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua entered San Salvador, evicting the governing institutions that held the region together.<ref name="Munro, Dana 1918. pp 24"/> === Dissolution of the union === In practice, the federation faced insurmountable problems, and the union slid into civil war between 1838 and 1840.<ref name="WDL">{{cite web|url=http://www.wdl.org/en/item/168/|title=New Physical, Political, Industrial and Commercial Map of Central America and the Antilles: With a Special Map of the Possessions of the Belgian Colonization Company of Central America, the State of Guatemala|website=[[World Digital Library]]|year=1845|accessdate=2013-07-04}}</ref> Its disintegration began when [[Nicaragua]] separated from the federation on November 5, 1838, followed by [[Honduras]] and [[Costa Rica]]<ref>{{cite web|first=Christopher|last=Minster|title=The Federal Republic of Central America (1823–1840)|url=http://latinamericanhistory.about.com/od/historyofcentralamerica/a/09republicofCA_2.htm|work=Latin American History|publisher=About.com|accessdate=2013-11-05}}</ref> (other sources give Nicaragua's secession date as April 30).<ref name=Sandoval>{{cite web|last=Sandoval|first=Victor Hugo|title=Federal Republic of Central America|url=http://www.monedasdeguatemala.com/centroamericahisIN.html|work=Monedas de Guatemala|accessdate=2013-11-05}}</ref> Because of the chaotic nature of this period an exact date of disestablishment does not exist, but on May 31, 1838, the congress met to declare that the provinces were free to create their own independent republics.<ref name=Sandoval/> In reality, this merely legally acknowledged the process of disintegration that had already begun.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Failure of Union: Central America, 1824–1960|last=Karnes|first=Thomas L.|year=1961|publisher=University of North Carolina Press|location=Durham, NC|pages=85}}</ref> The union effectively ended in 1840, by which time four of its five states had declared [[independence]]. The official end came only upon El Salvador's self-proclamation of the establishment of an independent republic in February 1841. == Politics == {{see also|List of heads of state of Federal Republic of Central America}} The [[Liberalism|liberal]] democratic project was strongly opposed by [[Conservatism|conservative]] factions allied with the [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] [[clergy]] and the wealthy landowners. [[Transport]]ation and communication routes between the states were extremely deficient. The bulk of the population lacked any sense of commitment towards the broader federation, perhaps owing to their continued loyalty to the Roman Catholic Church in Spain. The federal bureaucracy in [[Guatemala City]] proved ineffectual, and fears of Guatemalan domination of the union led to protests that resulted in the relocation of the capital to [[San Salvador]] in 1831. Wars soon broke out between various factions both in the federation and within individual states. The poverty and extreme political instability of the region prevented the proposed construction of an inter-oceanic [[canal]] (''see'' [[Nicaragua Canal]] and [[Panama Canal]]), from which Central America could have obtained considerable economic benefits. == Name and emblems == Central American liberals had high hopes for the federal republic, which they believed would evolve into a modern, democratic nation, enriched by trade passing through it between the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] and the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] oceans. These aspirations are reflected in the emblems of the federal republic: the flag shows a white band between two blue stripes, representing the land between two oceans. The coat of arms shows five mountains (one for each state) between two oceans, surmounted by a [[Phrygian cap]], the emblem of the [[French Revolution]]. The [[coat of arms]] on the nation's flag from 1823–1824 referred to the federation (in [[Spanish language|Spanish]]) as ''Provincias Unidas del Centro de América'' ("United Provinces of the Center of America"); however, its 1824 [[constitution]], coat of arms, and flag called it ''república Federal de Centroamérica / Centro América'' ("Federal Republic of Central America"). The flag was introduced to the area by [[Commodore (rank)|Commodore]] [[Louis-Michel Aury]] inspired by the [[Flag of Argentina|Argentine flag]]. The term United Provinces was also used in Argentina's first title ''Provincias Unidas del Río de la Plata'' ("[[United Provinces of the River Plate]]")(Plata actually means silver in context). Commodore Aury established the first independent republic in [[Providencia Island|Old Providence Island]] (Isla de Providencia) in 1818, off the coast of [[Nicaragua]]. ===Successor flags=== Today, all five successor nations’ flags retain the old federal motif of two outer blue bands bounding an inner white stripe (Costa Rica modified its flag significantly in 1848 by darkening the blue and adding a double-wide inner red band, in honor of the French tricolor). The short-lived sixth state of [[Los Altos, Central America|Los Altos]] voted to be annexed by [[Mexico]] as the state of [[Chiapas]]. {| align=center style="text-align:center; width: 100%;" |+ '''Flag of the original Federal Republic of Central America 1823-1839''' |- | [[File:Flag of the Federal Republic of Central America.svg|border|100x50px]] |} {| align=center style="text-align:center;" |+ '''Member Nations 1839''' |- | [[File:Flag of Guatemala (1838-1843).svg|border|100x50px]] | [[File:Flag of El Salvador (1839-1865).svg|border|100x50px]] | [[File:Flag of Honduras (1839-1866).svg|border|100x50px]] | [[File:Flag of Nicaragua (1839-1858).svg|border|100x50px]] | [[File:Flag_of_Costa_Rica_(1838-1840).svg|border|100x50px]] | [[File:Flag of Los Altos.svg|border|100x50px]] |- | [[Flag of Guatemala|Guatemala]] | [[Flag of El Salvador|El Salvador]] | [[Flag of Honduras|Honduras]] | [[Flag of Nicaragua|Nicaragua]] | [[Flag of Costa Rica|Costa Rica]] | [[Flag of Los Altos|Los Altos]] |} {| align=center style="text-align:center;" |+ '''Current flags''' |- | [[File:Flag of Guatemala.svg|border|100x50px]] | [[File:Flag of El Salvador.svg|border|100x50px]] | [[File:Flag of Honduras.svg|border|100x50px]] | [[File:Flag of Nicaragua.svg|border|100x50px]] | [[File:Flag of Costa Rica.svg|border|100x50px]] | [[File:Flag of Chiapas.svg|border|100x50px]] |- | [[Flag of Guatemala|Guatemala]] | [[Flag of El Salvador|El Salvador]] | [[Flag of Honduras|Honduras]] | [[Flag of Nicaragua|Nicaragua]] | [[Flag of Costa Rica|Costa Rica]] | [[Chiapas]] |} == Later Central American federal unions == Despite the failure of a lasting political union, the sense of shared history and the hope for eventual reunification persist in the nations formerly in the union. Various attempts were made to reunite Central America in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, but none succeeded for any length of time: * The first attempt was in 1842 by former President [[Francisco Morazán]], who became involved in a struggle for control over Costa Rica. After taking control over the capital, Morazán announced he would create a large army to re-create the Federal Republic as the '''Confederation of Central America''' and planned to include El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, but popular feeling rapidly turned against him and a sudden revolt resulted in his arrest and execution by firing squad in September 15 of that year. * A second attempt was made in October 1852 when El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua created a '''Federation of Central America''' (Federación de Centro América). The union lasted less than a month. * In 1856–1857 the region successfully established a military coalition to repel an invasion by [[United States|U.S.]] freebooter [[William Walker (filibuster)|William Walker]]. * Guatemalan President General [[Justo Rufino Barrios]] attempted to reunite the nation by force of arms in the 1880s but he died in battle near the town of [[Chalchuapa]], El Salvador. * A third union of Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador as the [[Republic of Central America|Greater Republic of Central America]] or '''"República Mayor de Centroamérica"''' lasted from 1896 to 1898. * The latest attempt occurred between June 1921 and January 1922 when El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica formed a (second) '''Federation of Central America'''. The treaty establishing this federation was signed at [[San José, Costa Rica|San José]], Costa Rica, on January 19, 1921.<ref>Text in ''League of Nations Treaty Series'', vol. 5, pp. 10–31.</ref> The treaty stipulated for the future creation of one state of all the four signatories, under one constitution. This second Federation was nearly moribund from the start, having only a Provisional Federal Council made up of delegates from each state. == See also == *[[Gran Colombia]] – another short-lived post-Spanish federal state *[[Peru–Bolivian Confederation]] – another short-lived post-Spanish federal state *[[Golden Circle (proposed country)]] – a proposed Caribbean federation *[[Union of South American Nations]] *[[Central American Integration System]] ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/portal/constituciones/Rep_Fed_Centroamerica/rep_fed_centroamerica.shtml Constitutions from several attempts at Central American unification (in Spanish)] *[http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/cam-us.html Central America- Historical Unions and Federations] *[http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Guatemala.htm#Central%20America WorldStatesmen- Guatemala] *[http://www.zum.de/whkmla/histatlas/centramerica/centram182140.gif Map of the FRCA] *[http://omniatlas.com/maps/northamerica/18381026/ Maps showing the collapse of the Central American Republic (omniatlas.com)] {{Guatemala topics}} {{coord|14|37|N|90|31|W|type:country_source:kolossus-eswiki|display=title}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Federal Republic of Central America}} [[Category:Federal Republic of Central America| ]] [[Category:Former countries in Central America]] [[Category:Former republics]] [[Category:History of Central America]] [[Category:History of Guatemala]] [[Category:History of Costa Rica]] [[Category:History of El Salvador]] [[Category:History of Honduras]] [[Category:History of Nicaragua]] [[Category:1820s in North America]] [[Category:1830s in North America]] [[Category:19th century in Central America]] [[Category:19th century in Costa Rica]] [[Category:19th century in El Salvador]] [[Category:19th century in Guatemala]] [[Category:19th century in Honduras]] [[Category:19th century in Nicaragua]] [[Category:1820s in Mexico]] [[Category:1830s in Mexico]] [[Category:1823 establishments in Central America]] [[Category:1838 disestablishments in Central America]]'