Tourists spending time in Central America this month can experience the patriotism of this part of the world and learn something about the history of the region. Visitors can enjoy the parades and parties celebrating Independence Day in Nicaragua on the 15th of September.
This year, Nicaragua joins Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama in celebrating the Central America Bicentennial, 200 years of independence.
Brief History
Between 1810 and 1825, various parts of the Spanish Empire in The Americas declared their independence. Some battled it out and others benefitted from Spain’s domestic troubles and inability to fight every uprising. Spain hung on to Peru and Mexico (considered by them to be valuable) and then cut the best deals they could with the rest. Nicaragua gained independence from Spain in 1821.
The United Provinces of Central America (also known as the Federal Republic of Central America (República Federal de Centroamérica) was born and was made up of the countries we now know as Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Central America was, for a time, one united nation known as the Federal Republic of Central America.
The union was short lived. The leader of this young nation was Honduran Francisco Morazán, a General and landowner. He had dreams of a strong, united nation. However the “Republica”, which was founded in 1823 (two years after the generally celebrated Independence Day) experienced constant difficulties between liberal and conservative views and eventually (in 1840), the entire Republic fractured into the countries that today are known as Central America.
The Battle of San Jacinto – September 14th, 1856
Also celebrated at a National Level at this time of the year is The Anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto which took place in 1856.
The political problems that had caused the downfall of the new Republic (primarily the rivalry between the Liberals of Leon and the Conservatives of Granada) often led to civil war. William Walker, a Texan Mercenary, joined the Liberals in 1855 help with their struggles against the Conservatives and later Walker and his “filibusters” seized the presidency of Nicaragua.
Nicaraguan Andrés Castro is a National Hero from that battle. Castro was a Nicaraguan soldier who was (as the story goes) a Sergeant. In one particularly famous battle, the Battle at San Jacinto, he had difficulty keeping his position and could not use the arms they had because they were old and failing. Instead, Castro threw a rock at a soldier crossing the trench so forcefully that the enemy soldier was killed by the rock hitting his head. This battle initiated the defeat of the enemy forces in the country, and Castro is known as a heroic leader of this battle and thus of the independence movement.
Article first published in Del Sur News
