Colonial Guatemala; An Overview

Before the Spanish came to Guatemala, the Ancient Maya were one of the most highly developed peoples in precolonial America.  They had a sophisticated calendar, astronomical observances, and constructions skills among other things.  Historians believe that most Mayans built their cities from 300AD-900AD, but in 850 AD some Mayans began to abandon their cities because of soil exhaustion, climate change, and armed conflict with other peoples, though these reasons are only speculated and are being debated.  In fact, many of the Mayan cities were already abandoned when the Spanish got there in the 16th century.

Unlike many colonial Latin American countries, Guatemala did not see the same economic prosperity that Mexico or Peru saw, this was because they lacked things like precious metals.  However, the cultivation of cacao was one of its major economic activities, and later cochineal would also be a main cultivation crop (Cochineal was a red dye derived from the bodies of insects.) This cultivation of cacao brought over slaves from Africa as well as the enslavement of the native peoples and the repercussions of this can be seen today. Though commerce was never extensive in Guatemala at that time, a good port was never set up, internal transportation was difficult, and pirates harassed the coast and preyed on shipping.

Guatemala won its independence from Spain in 1821 and from Mexico in 1823.  After this independence the country was led by a slew of military leaders who further privileged the church and aristocrats and degraded the indigenous peoples of Guatemala.

The Catholic church set up encomienda's which were; " The encomienda was a grant of Indian labor and tribute, though not necessarily of land, over a geographical area. The encomenderos holding such a grant were allowed to tax the indigenous peoples under their care and to conscript them for labor in exchange for their promise to maintain order and educate the indigenous populace in the Spanish language and Catholicism. "  Other efforts were made to try and assimilate the indigenous people and have them accept the cultural practices of the Catholic church instead of their own.  Though the indigenous people mostly just went underground with their old practices and continued to 'assimilate' like the Catholics wanted them too.  

The information on this blog was found using these websites.
http://www.moon.com/destinations/guatemala/background/history/colonial-guatemala
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/701217/Guatemala/40947/The-colonial-period