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1560
Spain Seizing most of Central America
By the 1560s, Spain had seized control of most of Central America -
One Government
The territories of Central America united to form one government -
Central America Separating
By 1840, they had separated into five independent countries: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica -
Panama's Indepence
Panama gained its independence from Colombia. It was helped by the United States, which wanted to build a canal there -
Time Of Conflict
The late 1900s was a time of conflict. New wealth came to the upper classes, but most people remained poor. Various groups demanded reforms. Several countries were ravaged by civil wars. -
Bringing Peace
Only Costa Rica and Belize remained peaceful. One of Costa Rica’s presidents, Óscar Arias Sánchez, helped bring peace to the region.