History of Guatemala .pdf

HISTORY OF: GUATEMALA 8th Grade Geography Guatemala is a country of volcanoes, mountains, and beaches on the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. It has 30 volcanoes, three of which are still active. The Pacaya volcano near Guatemala City...

HISTORY OF: GUATEMALA 8th Grade Geography Guatemala is a country of volcanoes, mountains, and beaches on the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. It has 30 volcanoes, three of which are still active. The Pacaya volcano near Guatemala City is the most active. Lake Atitlán, the deepest lake in Central America, was formed when a volcano erupted 84,000 years ago, creating a caldera. The lake is 900 feet (300 meters) deep and covers 48 square miles (125 square kilometers). Geography Guatemala, iis a mountainous country with one-third of the population living in cool highland villages. The coastal lowlands are warm and humid. It borders Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, and Belize. As the westernmost country in Central America, Guatemala’s capital, Guatemala City, is one of the largest cities in the region, with about 1 million people. The country's rich native Indian culture makes it unique from its neighbors. Government Guatemala’s constitution, adopted in 1985 and amended in 1994, defines it as a democratic republic with three branches of government: legislative, executive, and judicial. The Congress makes laws, and its members are elected for four-year terms. The president, who is elected by popular vote, leads the executive branch and serves a four-year term, without re-election. Guatemala is divided into departments, each run by a governor, and municipalities, which are led by mayors. The Supreme Court oversees the judiciary, with support from lower courts and a Constitutional Court.  History Archaeologists believe the first The Maya built the Tikal temple settlers arrived in Guatemala over 1,300 years ago. Tikal was 14,000 years ago, with evidence of once home to 100,000 people but human settlements from 9000 B.C. was abandoned by A.D. 900. By 1000 B.C., people began farming and forming villages, In the 16th century, the Spanish leading to the rise of the Maya conquered the Maya, forcing them civilization, which dominated from to work on plantations. Many A.D. 250 to 900. Indigenous people died from European diseases. Guatemala gained independence from Spain in 1821. Colonial Period Under Spanish rule, the capital The main economic activities was established in Antigua included growing cacao and Guatemala, which became a indigo using Indigenous and grand city, but rural areas were African slave labor. Later, only lightly influenced. After cochineal (a red dye) also earthquakes destroyed the capital became important. in 1773, it was moved to Guatemala City governed the Guatemala City, which became area now known as El Salvador, the administrative and religious Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa center for the region. Rica, and Chiapas, Mexico during colonial times. Post Colonial Period- Guatemala’s Independence Guatemala gained independence Motivated by the Independence of the United States from great from Spain in 1821. Guatemala was Britain in 1776 and the French Revolution, Central America became part of the Mexican Empire, until independent from the Spanish Government. This feeling of courage 1823. Guatemala then joined and love for their country led many to join in a movement that Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, changed the course of Guatemalan history and all who have been and Nicaragua in a union called the born and raised in this beautiful land. United Provinces of Central America. In 1839 Guatemala became an independent republic. Guatemala was the political centre of the United Provinces of Central America. Independence to the 1950s The United Provinces of Central In 1944, a military group allowed America collapsed when Rafael political change, leading to the Carrera took control and made election of Juan José Arévalo. He Guatemala an independent introduced labor rights and social republic. From 1871 to 1944, security. Jacobo Arbenz became various governments improved president in 1951 and pushed for agriculture, roads, and foreign land reforms, which impacted the investment but also restricted U.S.-owned United Fruit Company. freedoms and persecuted In 1954, the CIA helped overthrow opponents. Arbenz due to fears of communism. Civil Wars In the 1980s, the situation For many years, Guatemala was worsened, with indigenous people A series of dictators and military ruled by military leaders, and losing their land and fleeing. A leaders ruled Guatemala for many there was constant violence new constitution in 1985 promised years. Large landowners became between the government and change, but the violence didn’t wealthier while peasants became guerrilla groups. stop. Activist Rigoberta Menchú poorer. Beginning in the 1960s In 1966, a civilian president was helped push for peace, winning rebel groups attacked the elected, but violence continued. the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992. government. More than 100,000 In 1970, military rule returned, Finally, in 1996, a peace people died during the civil war, and opponents of the agreement ended the war, which which ended in 1996. The government were often killed. had killed over 200,000 people, military’s control of politics also Elections were rigged, and mostly indigenous. ended in the 1990s. violence increased after an earthquake in 1976. The 21st Century In 2004, President Óscar Berger Despite progress, poverty, crime, In 2019, Guatemala agreed to handed over the former presidential and drug violence worsened. In a controversial immigration palace to the Maya community and 2011, Otto Pérez Molina was deal with the U.S., requiring appointed Rigoberta Menchú to elected, pledging to fight crime with migrants to seek asylum in help with the 1996 peace accords. military force. His government also Guatemala first before moving In 2006, Guatemala joined a free prosecuted war criminals. In 2015, on to the U.S., which faced trade agreement with the U.S. Pérez Molina resigned due to a heavy criticism for deepening Álvaro Colom became president in corruption scandal involving tax instability in the country. 2007, promising to improve evasion. education and healthcare in rural In the 2015 election Jimmy Political corruption and areas. Morales, a television comedian and drug-related crime and violence nonpolitician, won the presidency affected the country well into with his campaign slogan “Not the 21st century. corrupt, not a thief.”