clergy and Creole elite . This new policy also heightened the strong regionalism on the isthmus, as the provinces resisted the growing power of the Guatemalan establishment, which became a major center for European trade. As the century closed, a growing preference for the appointment of Spaniards to rule in Central America contributed to the Creole resentment.In 1808, France invaded Spain. This caused increased difficulties in Central America due to unwelcome new and higher taxes and demands for “patriotic donations” to support Spain against the French. Some reforms were also made, like the Cdiz Constitution of 1812 that provided colonial representation in the Spanish parliament and elections for provincial offices . This increased the importance of politics in Central America, and laid the foundations for Creole democracy. Increased Native American uprisings occurred in this time, but unlike the situation in South America, they were unsuccessful. After the defeat of Napoleon in 1814, Ferdinand VII annulled the 1812 constitution, which caused Creole to oppose Spanish rule in Central America. The reinstatement of the constitution by the Spanish in 1820 created political factions that are the basis of the Liberal and Conservative parties that dominated Central America for the following century. A council in Guatemala City accepted an independence plan made by a Mexican Creole named Agustn Iturbide on September 15, 1821, but there were differences among the provinces that had to be dealt with. Civil war erupted in Granada and San Salvador, who refused to accept the decision, and after a long siege Iturbide’s plan was scrapped. On July 1, 1823 a Liberal dominated assembly from all of the provinces gathered in Guatemala and declared its independence from Spain under the name United Provinces of Central America. In 1824 it adopted the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Central America, a document similar ...
