FROM SEPTENTRIONAL AMERICA TO CENTRAL AMERICA: THE FIRST STEPS IN INTEGRATION INTO THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM

Abstract

This article explains the context in which the former Audience of Guatemala adopted the name of Central America. The name America originated in Europe to designate the territories discovered by Christopher Columbus. Over time, cartography established a division between North America and South America. The Constitution of Cadiz (1812) and the Plan of Iguala (1821) established a
constitutional monarchy in Septentrional America, comprised of the Viceroyalty of New Spain and the General Captaincy of Guatemala, the Philippines, and Cuba (including the Antilles islands). Following independence, in 1821 and 1823, the former provinces of the Audience of Guatemala adopted the name Central America, highlighting their geographical position on the isthmus
connecting the two major American territories and marking their political separation from Spain and Mexico. In this new context, the rulers, driven by ideals of progress, sought external recognition, the consolidation of a distinct political identity, and the attraction of foreign investment. Their interest extended beyond agricultural production to include promoting international trade via an interoceanic route. From a methodological perspective that integrates tradition and modernity, this proposal draws on historiography, the debates of the Constituent Assembly, official documents, international treaties, and the writings of some political figures of the period.