Central America #1 Name Cassia Edwards

Pg 127 - 131

1. List the countries considered Central America

- Costa Rica
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Belize

We are concentrating on El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua

2. Why did so many Central Americans immigrate to the United States in the 1980’s and
90’s?
- To escape brutal military dictatorships, civil wars, earthquakes, drought and
poverty.

3. Why was the United States hesitant in reacting to the plight of Central Americans?
- They were involved in the problems of Central America

4. What were the 2 opposing forces in many Central American countries and what was the
United States fear?
- Military dictatorships and Communist revolutions
- Fear of communism, that it would reach the United States

5. Why were these immigrants denied asylum?

- They wanted to come to the U.S to escape poverty

Jim Corbett & Sanctuary Movement

 6. Describe the sanctuary movement.
- Churches of different faiths coming together to shelter the Central Americans
from legal action of the U.S government

7. Who is Jim Corbett and what did he do?

- A retired rancher in Arizona, he helped hundreds of desperate Central American
refugees secretly make their way across the Mexican border and into Arizona

Connections: Today we are faced with millions of people coming across our border. What do
you think about this situation? Do you agree that an unlimited number of people should be able
to cross our border? Or should people be forced to come legally into the United States?
- I think at least try to come legal depending on the severity of the situation

8. What was the Immigration Act of 1986?

- Declared that any and all immigrants who had been in the United States illegally
for the past four or more years could receive visas and live in the United States
legally.

El Salvador
9. Who were the Maya? What were some of the accomplishments of the Maya?
- Mesoamerican Indians
- They had written language, religion, mathematics, astronomy, a calendar, and
magnificent temples and pyramids.
10. What was El Salvador called in 1522 when Spanish conquistadors first came to El
Salvador?
- Cuscatlan

11. How long did the Spanish rule El Salvador?

- 300 years

12. What happened in 1821?

- El Salvador, along with other Central American colonies that were under Spanish
rule at the time, declared their independence from Spain.

13. What was the United Provinces of Central America? How long did it last?
- The banding together of El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and
Nicaragua
- 15 years

14. Why were there so many poor peasants under Spanish rule?
- They established an unfair system in which most of the land was given to a small
number of wealthy Spanish families,

15. What became the main crop of El Salvador?

- Coffee

16. Describe what led to ‘La Matanza’ and what La Matanza refers to.
- Even after El Salvador declared independence from Spain, the unfair distribution
of wealth and land still remained. This led to many uprisings and revolts against
El Salvador’s government. In 1932 a rebellion broke out and to put an end to the
revolt, the government massacred more than 15,00 people.
- The Slaughter
17. What happened to Oscar Romero and what was the result?
- Was assassinated
- Led to a civil war between the military government and a pro-communist droup of
guerillas who wanted to topple the government