Central American independence

Central American independence was the 1821 end of Spanish rule over the provinces that became Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.

Captaincy General of Guatemala: The Spanish colonial jurisdiction that governed much of Central America from Guatemala City. Its provinces formed the political unit whose leaders declared independence in 1821.
Act of Independence of Central America: The 1821 document declaring independence from Spain for the provinces of the Captaincy General of Guatemala. It recorded the immediate legal decision and called for a representative assembly.
José Cecilio del Valle: A Honduran-born Central American lawyer, journalist, and statesman who advocated constitutional government. He drafted the 1821 declaration and favored consulting the provinces before final decisions.
Mexican annexation of Central America: The brief period in 1822–1823 when most Central American provinces belonged to the Mexican Empire. It tested whether the provinces would accept rule from a new imperial center.
Peninsular War: The conflict in Iberia from 1807 to 1814 that destabilized Spain’s monarchy and empire. The crisis weakened Spanish authority and helped spur political change in the Americas.
Gabino Gaínza: A Spanish military officer who served as the last colonial ruler and first political leader of independent Central America. He presided over the 1821 deliberations and implemented their decision.
Pedro Molina Mazariegos: A Guatemalan physician, journalist, and liberal politician who promoted Central American independence and republicanism. His advocacy represented a more immediate, republican vision of separation from Spain.
Dissolution of the Federal Republic of Central America: The breakdown of the Central American federation into separate states between 1838 and 1841. It marked the failure of the first major attempt to unite the formerly colonial provinces.
Constitution of Cádiz: The 1812 Spanish constitution that established a constitutional monarchy and representative institutions during the Peninsular War. Its restoration and repeal sharpened disputes over representation in the Captaincy General.
Annexation of Central America to the Mexican Empire: The 1822 incorporation of most Central American provinces into the empire of Agustín de Iturbide. It followed the declaration and showed that independence did not settle the region’s political future.

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