The History of El Salvador
Long before the Spanish conquered the land, El Salvador was inhabited by the Maya, Pipil and Lenca civilizations. The Mayans were hunters and gathers who were considered to be very advanced in mathematics, astronomy and medicine. It was beleived that they were more advanced in these skills than those of Europe. What is left of the Mayan peoples in El Salvador are located in the Northern part of the country. The Lenca are famous for their distinguishable and unique pottery, handcrafted by the Lenca women. They currently reside in the Eastern parts of Usulután, San Miguel, Morazán, and La Unión north and east of the Lempa River. The Pipil, a civilization related to that of Aztec origin, were the first to encounter the spainards in 1519. In 1524, Pedro de Alvarado conquered the area, which was at that time called Cuscatlan, on behalf of Spain. Cuscatlan means Land of Jewels. The indigenous population was nearly demolished under the harsh colonial rule of Spain. There were planations created for cotton, balsam and indigo and the indigenous were used for labour on these platations. The indigenous people's native culture was mostly eradicated and many died under the spanish reign.
El Salvador gained freedom from Spain on September 15, 1824 and in 1856 El Salvador seperated from the federation of Central American states. This separation was under the leadership of El Salvador’s first president Jose Manuel Arce. Although the true birth of the nation was in 1871 when El Salvador decided to no longer be a province of Guatemala. European and Palestinian peoples immigrated during this time and now make up today’s urban class in El Salvador. The Salvadoran government passed laws giving ownership of land to the wealthy and powerful of the country for 70 years leaving the poor very little. While this was occuring, El Salvador`s indigo industry was turned into a coffee industry.
The people of the country became incapable of continuing to tolerate their extreme poverty and loss of land. Any undertaking made by the workers to unionize was faced with intense aggresion by the government. In 1932 they rebelled under the leadership of Farabundo Marti. Mass killings, along with the murder of Mari, were the government`s response to the rebel. Unhappiness and anger continued, for electing progressive governments proved hopeless. Civil war broke out in 1979 between the socialist army (known as the Farabundo Marti Nation Liberation Front or FMLN) and government military forces who were receiving funding from the United States Government. The Salvadoran government created `death squads` to take out thousands of peasants and many religious, political and union leaders. In these years of brutality, 75,000 people died. In 1990 after several calls from the FMLN for peace, the government agreed to negotiate under the mediation of the United Nations. A ceasefire agreement was signed on January 16th 1992. El Salvador now has candid elections and their human rights record has greatly improved. As well, the FMLN have achieved the majority of municipal elections throughout El Salvador and FMLN candidate Mauricio Funes was elected president in 2009.
El Salvador gained freedom from Spain on September 15, 1824 and in 1856 El Salvador seperated from the federation of Central American states. This separation was under the leadership of El Salvador’s first president Jose Manuel Arce. Although the true birth of the nation was in 1871 when El Salvador decided to no longer be a province of Guatemala. European and Palestinian peoples immigrated during this time and now make up today’s urban class in El Salvador. The Salvadoran government passed laws giving ownership of land to the wealthy and powerful of the country for 70 years leaving the poor very little. While this was occuring, El Salvador`s indigo industry was turned into a coffee industry.
The people of the country became incapable of continuing to tolerate their extreme poverty and loss of land. Any undertaking made by the workers to unionize was faced with intense aggresion by the government. In 1932 they rebelled under the leadership of Farabundo Marti. Mass killings, along with the murder of Mari, were the government`s response to the rebel. Unhappiness and anger continued, for electing progressive governments proved hopeless. Civil war broke out in 1979 between the socialist army (known as the Farabundo Marti Nation Liberation Front or FMLN) and government military forces who were receiving funding from the United States Government. The Salvadoran government created `death squads` to take out thousands of peasants and many religious, political and union leaders. In these years of brutality, 75,000 people died. In 1990 after several calls from the FMLN for peace, the government agreed to negotiate under the mediation of the United Nations. A ceasefire agreement was signed on January 16th 1992. El Salvador now has candid elections and their human rights record has greatly improved. As well, the FMLN have achieved the majority of municipal elections throughout El Salvador and FMLN candidate Mauricio Funes was elected president in 2009.
David J. Guzman National Museum of Anthropology
Some artifacts derived from Mayan civilizations
Military Museum, El Zabote Barracks, San Salvador
http://www.memoriaypaz.net/repression1.php?testi_id1=1003
A link to information on the El Mozote Massacre in 1981 during the civil war
A link to information on the El Mozote Massacre in 1981 during the civil war
http://www.touristspots.org/david-j-gusman-national-museum-in-san-salvador-el-salvador/
http://www.elsalvador.travel/en/museo-militar-cuartel-el-zapote-3/
Links to the David J. Guzman Museum and The Military Musuem in El Salvador
http://www.elsalvador.travel/en/museo-militar-cuartel-el-zapote-3/
Links to the David J. Guzman Museum and The Military Musuem in El Salvador
