| |
| 3. El Salvador |
| |
| El Salvador was the most densely populated area of the Central American Confederation. Indigo and cochineal were the main exports but were in decline by the mid-19th century. In 1845, laws to promote coffee growing by Indian communities sought to strengthen international trade. | 1 |
| |
| 1851–65 |
| |
| During this period El Salvador was under the influence of Guatemala's conservative dictator, Carrera. Liberal Trinidad Cabañas (1851–55) was defeated by Santos Guardiola (1855–62). In 1863, Carrera imposed conservative Francisco Dueñas (1863–65). | 2 |
| |
| 1871–1914 |
| |
| LIBERAL ERA. Liberals revolted against Dueñas. Successive liberal caudillos ruled as presidents: Santiago González (1871–76), Rafael Zaldívar (1876–85), Francisco Menéndez (1885–90), Carlos Ezeta (1890–94), Rafael Gutiérrez (1894–98), Tomás Regalado (1898–1903), Pedro José Escalón (1903–7), Fernando Figueroa (1907–11), Manuel Enrique Araújo (1911–13), and Alfonso Quiñonez Molina (1913–14). | 3 |
| In 1878, the population was 554,000 inhabitants. Liberals decreed the expropriation of Indian communal landholdings (1880). Coffee became the leading export in the hands of large landowners. Peasants revolted against expropriations (in 1872, 1875, 1880, 1885, and 1898). In 1912 a national guard was created. An urban middle class connected to a modernized army emerged. (See El Salvador) | 4 |
| |
| |
