Federal Republic of Central America República Federal de Centro América | |||||||||||||||||||
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1823–1839/1841 | |||||||||||||||||||
Motto: "Dios, Unión, Libertad" "God, Union, Liberty" | |||||||||||||||||||
Anthem: "La Granadera" "The Grenadier" | |||||||||||||||||||
Capital | Guatemala City (until 1834) Sonsonate (1834) San Salvador (from 1834) | ||||||||||||||||||
Common languages | Spanish and various indigenous languages | ||||||||||||||||||
Religion | Catholicism | ||||||||||||||||||
Demonym(s) | Central American | ||||||||||||||||||
Government | Federal presidential republic | ||||||||||||||||||
President | |||||||||||||||||||
• 1825–1828 | Manuel José Arce (first) | ||||||||||||||||||
• 1829, 1830–1834, 1835–1839 | Francisco Morazán (last) | ||||||||||||||||||
Legislature | Federal Congress[a] | ||||||||||||||||||
Senate | |||||||||||||||||||
Chamber of Deputies | |||||||||||||||||||
Historical era | Spanish American wars of independence | ||||||||||||||||||
• Independence from the Spanish Empire | 15 September 1821 | ||||||||||||||||||
• Independence from the First Mexican Empire | 1 July 1823 | ||||||||||||||||||
• Constitution adopted | 22 November 1824 | ||||||||||||||||||
• Dissolution | 17 April 1839 | ||||||||||||||||||
• El Salvador declares its independence | 30 January 1841 | ||||||||||||||||||
Area | |||||||||||||||||||
• Total | 200,000 sq mi (520,000 km2) | ||||||||||||||||||
Population | |||||||||||||||||||
• 1824 | 1,287,491 | ||||||||||||||||||
• 1836 | 1,900,000 | ||||||||||||||||||
Currency | Central American real | ||||||||||||||||||
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Central America |
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The Federal Republic of Central America (Spanish: República Federal de Centro América), initially known as the United Provinces of Central America (Provincias Unidas del Centro de América), was a sovereign state in Central America that existed between 1823 and 1839/1841. The Federal Republic of Central America was composed of five states: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, as well as a Federal District from 1835 to 1839. Guatemala City was the federal republic's capital city until 1834, when the seat of the federal government was relocated to San Salvador. The Federal Republic of Central America was bordered to the north by Mexico, to the south by Gran Colombia, and on its eastern coastline by the Mosquito Coast and British Honduras (both of which the federal republic claimed as its sovereign territory).
Shortly after Central America, then known as the Captaincy General of Guatemala, declared its independence from the Spanish Empire in September 1821, it was annexed by the First Mexican Empire in January 1822 before regaining its independence and forming a federal republic in 1823. The Federal Republic of Central America adopted its constitution, which was based on the federal government of the United States, in November 1824. It held its first presidential election in April 1825, during which liberal politician Manuel José Arce was elected as the country's first president. Arce subsequently aligned himself with the country's conservatives due to the liberals opposing the concessions he granted to conservatives to secure his election as president. The Federal Republic of Central America was very politically unstable as it suffered several civil wars, rebellions, and insurrections primarily fought between liberals and conservatives. From 1827 to 1829, the country fell into a civil war between conservatives who supported Arce and liberals who opposed him. Liberal politician Francisco Morazán ultimately led the liberals to victory and was elected president in 1830. The federal republic descended into a second civil war from 1838 to 1840, by the end of which the states of Central America declared their independence and the federal republic ceased to exist.
Historians have attributed the country's political instability to its federal system of government and its economic struggles. Agricultural exports were unable to raise sufficient funds, and the federal government was also unable to repay its foreign loans despite favorable terms. Central America's economic troubles were caused in part by the federal government inability to collect taxes and a lack of sufficient interstate infrastructure.
Central American politicians, writers, and intellectuals have called for the reunification of Central America since the dissolution of the Federal Republic of Central America. There have been several attempts by the federal republic's successor states during the 19th and 20th centuries to reunify Central America through both diplomatic and military means. None of these attempts succeeded in uniting all five former members under a united Central American state for more than one year. All five former members of the Federal Republic of Central America are members of the Central American Integration System (SICA), an economic and political organization that promotes regional development.
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