Transcript Part 1 - History

COSTA RICA
SPP Costa Rica Development Program, Spring 2000
PART 1 - HISTORY
Kristin Grauer
Lance Turner
Chad Weinberg
SPP Costa Rica Development Program, Spring 2000
Part 1 - History
Quick Facts
• Area: 51,600 sq. km.
• Population: 3,674,490
(July 1999 est.)
• Pop. Growth Rate: 1.89%
(1999 est.)
• GDP per Capita: $6,700
(1998 est.)
• Industries: food
processing, textiles and
clothing, construction
materials, fertilizer, plastic
products
SPP Costa Rica Development Program, Spring 2000
Part 1 - History
Early History
• Pre-Columbian
– Region of trade and cultural interchange
between the predominant empires of North and
South America
– Indigenous Peoples:
• Chibcha: From Columbia region
• Chorotegas: Related to Aztecs and Mayans
• Relatively small civilizations compared to others
– Lack of minerals and other valuable resources
contributed to its underdevelopment
SPP Costa Rica Development Program, Spring 2000
Part 1 - History
Early History
(cont’d)
• Developed complex social systems
– Monetary system
– Ritual calendar
– Linguistics and writing skills
• Extensive use of gold in ornamentation
SPP Costa Rica Development Program, Spring 2000
Part 1 - History
European Discovery
• 1502: First Spaniards arrive
– Columbus, during his fourth voyage, names the
region “Costa Rica” because of the great
amount of gold worn by the Indians
• Early 1500’s: Several expeditions end in
failure from disease and battles with Indians
– 1506: Diego de Nicuesa
– 1522: Gil González Dávila
SPP Costa Rica Development Program, Spring 2000
Part 1 - History
European Discovery
(cont’d)
• 1562: Colonization
– Jungle harsh, many setbacks from diseases
– Juan Vásquez de Coronado founds Cartago
– Different than in other Spanish colonies
Colonization
– Small number of Indians to exploit
– Treasure turned out to be scarce
– Mestizo culture did not form as strongly as in
other colonies
SPP Costa Rica Development Program, Spring 2000
Part 1 - History
Colonial Period
• Costa Rica effectively forgotten for many
years
• 1717: Second colony (Heredia) founded
• 1737: San Jose founded
• 50,000 inhabitants by 1800
• Wheat and tobacco among first products to
be exported to Spain and other countries
• Cacao plantations emerge as well as cattle
ranching
SPP Costa Rica Development Program, Spring 2000
Part 1 - History
Independence
• The Mexican Empire
• The United Provinces of Central America
• Costa Rican: An Independent Nation
SPP Costa Rica Development Program, Spring 2000
Part 1 - History
Fransisco Morazán Regime
• Former President of the UPCA
• Seized Power of Costa Rica in 1842
• Politically Despised
• Executed in San José
SPP Costa Rica Development Program, Spring 2000
Part 1 - History
Economic Expansion of 1840s
• New Trade Routes
• Pacific Ocean
• British Investment
• New Infrastructure
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Part 1 - History
Conflict Over Guanacaste
• Seceded from Nicaragua in 1825
• Joined Costa Rica
• Not-so Isolationist
• Treaty of 1896
SPP Costa Rica Development Program, Spring 2000
Part 1 - History
General Tomás Guardia
• Dictator
• Economic Expansion
• Minor C. Keith & the United Fruit Company
• Secularization
SPP Costa Rica Development Program, Spring 2000
Part 1 - History
Democracy & Dictators
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José Joaquín Rodríguez
Aldredo González Flores
General Federico Tinoco Granados
Otilio Ulate
José Figueres
Daniel Oduber
Rodrigo Carazo Odio
SPP Costa Rica Development Program, Spring 2000
Part 1 - History
Foreign Policy
• Disputes with Nicaragua
• Disputes with Panama
• WWII
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Part 1 - History
“Revolution” of 1948
• Elections & Candidates
• Annulment & Thereafter
• 1949 Constitution
• National Liberation Party
SPP Costa Rica Development Program, Spring 2000
Part 1 - History
1960s and 1970s
• Prosperity and Stability
• Indigenous Bill (1977)
• Regional Conflicts
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1980s: Storm in the Isthmus
• Economic Crisis & Staggering Debt
• Serious Political Conflicts
-US & Nicaragua
-Bombing
• The Arias Peace Plan
-Sanchez & the Nobel Prize for Peace
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1990s
• Rafael Calderón Fournier
• Earthquake
• Refugees
• Labour Relations
• Elections of 1994
• Mid to Late 1990s
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Part 1 - History
The Future of Costa Rica
• Economy
• External Debt
• Taxation, Inflation
• Welfare State
• Tourism
• Population Growth
SPP Costa Rica Development Program, Spring 2000
Part 1 - History
For More Information:
• Costa Rica History:
http://photo.net/cr/moon/history.html
• CIA World Factbook: www.cia.gov
• State Department: www.state.gov
• Costa Rican Times (in Spanish):
http://crtimes.com/newspapers.htm
SPP Costa Rica Development Program, Spring 2000