HONDURAS INDEPENDENCE DAY

September 15, 1821

This holiday has been celebrated for 186 years; it started when five countries of Central America declared their independence from Spain.

HISTORY

“DISCOVERY OF AMERICA”

Before 1492, The American continent was inhabited by native Indians. In October 12, 1492, an expeditionary group guided by Christopher Columbus which represented The Kings of Castilla and Aragon, Spain arrived to America. Actually they were trying to arrive to India. This has been considered as “The Discovery of America”.

PRE-COLUMBIAN ERA

The pre-Columbian Honduran civilizations were closely related to Mesoamerican area. There are many discoveries that relate about those civilizations. The most known civilization was the Mayas located close by Guatemala’s border who had very interesting culture. We still conserve some of the rests of the pre-Columbian civilizations, however many of their languages have disappear for ever.

The arrived of Christopher Columbus to the Bay of Trujillo on August 4, 1502 marked the end of the pre-Columbian era. He always thought that he had arrived to Asia.

SPANISH PERIOD

With “the discovery of America” started the Spanish Period which refers to the time that Honduras was dominated by the Spaniard government during 319 years. Then conquest started in 1524 when four expeditions coming from Spain guided by Gil Gonzalez, Cristóbal de Olid, Pedro de Alvarado and Hernando de Soto, all of them commanded by Hernan Cortes.
That was a very unstable period because there were many gold mines and they were fighting trying to get their own richness. On the other hand many native Indians battled in order to defend their territory. Every effort they made was in vain because the Spaniard were stronger.

The next two decades it was a very violent period between Spaniards and Indians. Many Indians died because of sickness, maltreatment and slaving.

In 1560 Honduras became a province of the Captaincy General of Guatemala which was formed by five provinces of Central America, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. All of them were governed by Spain.

INDEPENDENCE FROM SPAIN

In September 15, 1821 the five provinces of the Captaincy General of Guatemala proclaimed their independency of Spain. All of them continued united forming one country called United Provinces of Central America, except Honduras which was annexed to Mexico but in 1823, became a part of the Central America Provinces. In 1837 the federation was dissolved and every province was declared as an independent state.

THE HOLIDAY

After the independence was declared, every year September 15 is a special day for all of these Central American countries. It is celebrated with parades, special music, dances, and fireworks. Every year all the schools and The Army in the whole country leave to the streets remembering that special date.
People who doesn’t have anything to do with The Army and Schols go to the streets to see the special parades, or stay at home because it is a day off in the whole country. It is celebrated the same date every year.

SOME PICTURES