Federal Republic of Central America

The Federal Republic of Central America, first called the United Provinces of Central America, was a sovereign federal state of five members, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, with a Federal District from 1835, lasting from 1823 to about 1841. It was bordered by Mexico in the north, Gran Colombia in the south, and the claimed Mosquitia and British Honduras in the east. After the old Captaincy General of Guatemala won independence from Spain in September 1821, it was annexed by the First Mexican Empire in January 1822 and then broke away to form the federation in 1823. The constitution of November 1824 was modelled on that of the United States, and the liberal Manuel José Arce won the first presidential election in April 1825, before quarrelling with his own side and leaning to the conservatives. The republic was chronically unstable, torn by civil wars, revolts and risings of liberals and conservatives: conservatives behind Arce fought liberals from 1827 to 1829, until Francisco Morazán led the liberals to victory and was elected president in 1830, and a second civil war from 1838 to 1840 ended with each state declaring independence. Historians blame the federal system itself and a weak export economy that left the government without money.