War in Central America Essay Example for Free

War in Central America Essay Central America is the southernmost part of the North American continent. It lies south south of Mexico and form the land connection with South America. Central America is commonly defined as including Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. The total land area is roughly 200,000 square miles (518, 000 km2), about three-fourths that of Texas. Central America is long and narrow, tapering to a width of barely 30 miles (48km) in parts of Panama. On the east is the Caribbean Sea, on the west, the Pacific Ocean. Both coasts are deeply indented in places, and offshore islands are numerous, especially in the Caribbean. The land is mostly mountainous, with scattered active volcanoes. Except for the coastal plains, which are narrow in most places, there is little flat land (Woodward, 1999). In the early 1900’s, there was unrest in several Central American countries. The United States intervened militarily in the region several times to restore order and protect its interests. After World War II, most Central American countries had dictatorial governments. In 1951, the Organization of Central American States was formed to promote economic and cultural cooperation among the countries. One of its achievements was the creation of the Central American Market in 1960. Cooperation began to break down, however, when national antagonists started to resurface in the late 1960’s. Many of the countries experienced violence between the left- and right- wing political factions, as well as guerrilla insurgencies, inflation, and foreign debt (Woodward, 1999). Political turmoil increased in the 1980’s. Nicaragua’s government was controlled by a leftist group called the Sandinistas, which restricted political freedom in Nicaragua and was accused of supporting a strong Communist insurgency in El Salvador. The United States began giving aids to rebels called contras, who were trying to overthrow the Sandinista regime. There were also abuses of human rights and restrictions of political freedom in other countries in the region. In 1987, the governments of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica signed an agreement designed to end the region’s civil wars and foster democracy. The author of the agreement, Costa Rican president Oscar Arias, received the Nobel Peace Prize (Woodward, 1999). This paper discusses and compares two countries of Central America, Guatemala and Panama, focusing on the challenges for democratic consolidation and economic development. II. Background A. Guatemala Guatemala or republic of Guatemala is an independent country of Central America. Its borders Mexico, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador and lies between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Guatemala has an area of 42, 042 square miles. Maximum distances are roughly 280 miles north-south and 250 miles east-west. Narrow lowlands run along the pacific and Atlantic coasts. Between them lie the highlands, covering about half of the country. Dominant features are mountains, volcanoes, high plateaus, broad basins, and many valleys. Forests are one of Guatemala’s richest resources. The Atlantic lowland and the Peten are largely covered by tropical rain forests. Savannas predominate along the drier pacific coast. The highlands are covered by grasslands and forests that are deciduous at low elevations and coniferous higher up. B. Panama Panama or Panama City or Republic of Panama is a city and the capital of the republic. It is on the bay of Panama at the Pacific end of the Panama Canal, 38 miles southeast of Colon on the Atlantic. The city’s economy is largely supported by the canal and by tourists. Products include furniture, beer, handicrafts, and clothing. Panama is a hilly country crossed by several mountain ranges, the highest of which are in the west. Near the Costa Rican border is Volcan Baru, an extinct volcano rising 11, 401 feet above sea level. III. Discussion A. Guatemala †¢ Government Under the constitution of 1985, which went into effect in 1986, Guatemala is a republic governed by a president and one-chamber Congress, both elected for four years popular vote. A council of ministers is appointed by the president. The judiciary is headed by a nine-member into 23 administrative departments. Voting is mandatory for all literate citizens age is 18 or over (Grandin, 2000). †¢ History The Maya Indians inhabited Guatemala as early as 2400 B. C. They developed an advanced civilization and flourished there, but declined after 900 A. D. In the 16th century, the Mayas were subdued by Spaniards under Pedro de Alvarado. He governed the captaincy general of Guatemala, which included all Central America except Panama. For nearly three centuries the region was under Spanish rule (Lovell, 2002). In 1821, the five provinces making up captaincy general of Guatemala declared their independence, but the next year they became part of the New Mexico Empire under Agustin de Iturbide. When Iturbide was driven from power in 1823, the province gained independence as a confederation called the united provinces of Central America. During 1838-39, the confederation collapsed. Guatemala became an independent state in 1839 (Grandin, 2000). Rafael Carrera, leader of the conservative forces that helped to bring about dissolution of the confederation, made himself president of Guatemala in 1844 ands became the dominant political figure in Central America. In 1854, he was made president for life. He died in 1865. Vicente Cerna, one of Carrera’s generals, succeeded him as president but was overthrown in 1871. General Justo Rufino Barrios, a liberal, came to power in 1873, and the nation made economic progress under his rule. He was killed in 1885 in a war with El Salvador, while attempting to set up a union of Central American states. In 1898, Manuel Estrada Cabrera became president. In 20th century, Estrada Cabrera ruled as a despot for 22 years. He favored the wealthy classes and encouraged industrial development. He was overthrown in 1920. Relative order prevailed until 1930, when economic depression led to another uprising. In 1931, General Jorge Ubico came to power. Under his dictatorship, order was maintained and economic stability restored. In 1944 an alliance of students, liberals, and dissident members of the army forced Ubico out of office and seized control of the country. Many social and economic reforms were introduced by presidents Juan Jose Arevalo and Jacobo Arbenz Guzman. During their presidencies, Communist influence in the government began to grow. When Arbenz instituted land reforms and encouraged the growth of labor unions, his opponents claimed that he was under Communist control. The army, with covert aid from the United States, overthrew Arbenz in 1954 and outlawed the Communist party. Two corrupt and largely ineffective military dictatorships followed (Grandin, 2000). In 1963, Colonel Enrique Peralta Azurdia led a successful revolt. He governed by decree, but promised to hold elections after a new constitution was enacted. The constitution took effect in 1965 and a civilian government was elected. In attempted economic and social reforms, but its programs were blocked by resistance from conservative businessmen and wealthy landowners. Reform was also delayed by a civil war that raged for several years between Communist guerrillas and the army. Both sides used terrorism, including assassinations and kidnappings. In the 1970’s a series of conservative military governments held power and suppressed the insurgents. A presidential election was held in 1982. Soon after, the government was overthrown by the army, whose leaders promised a return to democracy. A new constitution was approved in 1985, and later that year Marco Vinicio Cerezo was elected president. †¢ Economy Guatemala’s economy is still in an early stage of development. Private enterprise prevails; government regulation is negligible. A small group controls most of the nation’s wealth, while the vast majority of the people, especially the Indians, live in extreme poverty. Guatemala is largely an agricultural country, one favored by a diverse climate and rich soils, especially the volcanic soils of the highlands. Peasant landholdings are usually small and crudely worked, but provide a livelihood, at the subsistence level, for most of the people. Corn and beans are the main crops. In contrast, commercial plantations specialize in export crops and are generally large, modern, and owned. Coffee is the leading export; cotton ranks second. Bananas, sugar, and meat are also significant exports. Livestock consists mainly of beef cattle, sheep, and pigs (Grandin, 2000). B. Panama †¢ Government Under the constitution of 1972, and later amendments, Panama is a republic. The president, assisted by a cabinet, exercises executive power. He is elected by popular vote to a five-year term and may not serve consecutive terms. The legislature consists of the National Legislative Council (the upper house). Members of both houses are popularly elected. Assembly members serve four-year terms; Council members serve for six years. The judiciary is headed by a supreme court of nine justices, appointed by the president for 10-year terms. Each of the nine provinces is headed by an appointed governor and is divided into municipal districts. Panama has a military force known as the National Defense Force (Hedrick, 2000). †¢ History The Caribbean coast of Panama was explored by a Spanish expedition under Rodrigo de Bastidas about 1500. The region was inhabited by several tribes of Indians, the Cuna being the largest. In 1502, Christopher Columbus sailed along the coast to the central part of the isthmus and claimed the area for Spain. The northern coast of Panama was the location of the first Spanish settlement on the mainland. In 1509, the Spanish government issued licenses to Alonso de Ojeda and Diego de Nicuesa to settle the regions explored by Bastidas and Columbus. The first colonies were established in 1510 at San Sebastian (on what is now the northern coast of Colombia) and Nombre de Dios. They did not flourish, however, because of disease, famine, and conflicts with the Indians. The first successful settlement, Santa Maria, was founded in 1510, when Vasco Nunez de Balboa convinced the settlers at San Sebastian to move to a new location on the west shore of the Gulf of Darien. The Indians at the new site were quickly subdued and Balboa became governor of the new colony. In 1513, balboa made his way across the isthmus and discovered the Pacific (Hedrick, 2000).

Essay --

Andrew Almeida Huck Finn Self Reliance This quote from Lauren Oliver speaks volumes on the mindset of Huck FinnÍ ¾ â€Å"I’d rather die my way than live yours.† Huck Finn is a young kid growing up in at a very chaotic time in America. Many ideas and bias are either forced upon him or he has no help but experiencing. Rather than putting up with this Huck decides he would be better off on his own as opposed to trying to adapt to everyone else's standards. Living by himself lead to many more challenges and opposing forces than a kid of only 13 should have to be faced with. This lead to Huck being more mature than other kids his age because he had to constantly rely on himself to solve his problems and come up with his own morales on what is right and wrong without the guidance from others.Along with how this changed Huck as a person for better or worse. Huck Finn is a very independent character. Being without a father figure and parents of any kind leads him to have to grow up by himself. In doing so creating a character who is able to react and make decisions to help himself get out of the mess he or his friends have gotten him into. Huck at such a young age is forced to look for jim to guidance on the river but Jim is no more educated than Huck is. This leads to Huck having to not only lead himself but also try and take a leadership role to get Jim to safety. A great example of where Huck is able to take his fate into his own hands by making an elaborate tale is when he is on shore dressed as a girl. He is caught in a lie but instead of risking the fate of Jim he thinks quick and saysÍ ¾Ã¢â‚¬  I told her my father and mother was dead, and the law had bound me out to a mean old farmer in the country thirty mile back from the river, and he treated... ...hing because he is able to do it all himself. Nobody at that time period in the south was willing to help him so he simply did what was right with no caution as to whether not people would judge him Í ¾"Well, I did. I said I wouldn't, and I'll stick to it. Honest INJUN, I will. People would call me a lowdown Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum—but that don't make no difference. I ain't agoing to tell, and I ain't agoing back there, anyways. So, now, le's know all about it." (8.52, 8.53). This self reliance and separation from society is what allows Huck to be more accepting of new ideas and ultimately is what makes this story takes place in the first place. Without Huck’s self reliance none of this ever would have been possible and Huck would have most likely never left the small town with his drunk deadbeat father and slave owning Miss.Watson and Miss.Douglas.

Analyzing SQ3R Process

Associate Level Material Appendix H SQ3R Worksheet Selected reading: p 193 Chapter 7 SurveyDescribe the value of surveying the reading. Surveying the reading is almost like skimming the assignment. In my opinion, it is like the appetizer of the assignment, almost the teaser to the full reading that will be done in the near future. QuestionWhat questions did you ask as you were reading? †¢What are the important points? †¢What are the new vocabulary words? †¢What is the topic and how does the reading pertain to it?ReadHow did surveying and questioning help you read better? I like surveying an assignment before I start really reading it thoroughly. Surveying allows me, in a sense, to whet my appetite for the reading assignment. Plus, surveying and asking questions gives me a chance to highlight key words and passages. ReciteHow did you decide what parts of your reading you needed to recite? For me, I personally recite the words that are highlighted and the words that are in bold type.These are word that I do not know or in some cases, words I need to learn. In my process of studying, these words are the ones I write out and then type to learn them better. ReviewHow often do you plan to review? My process for reviewing occurs pretty frequently. When I was learning medical terms, I had a cd I would listen to in my car while I drove. I also review every evening with vocabulary by using index cards. I find these methods to work the best for me personally.Wrap-up questions: How successful was the SQ3R process in helping you grasp the concepts in the section you selected? Will you use SQ3R in the future as a way to master the content in academic readings? I think the SQ3R method is an excellent way for me to learn. I think it is very similar to the way I already do my studying so I would have no trouble incorporating it into my studies. Not everyone uses these methods, but I definitely find them to be simple for me.

Garage Mate For Your EV How About A Minivan

What is the ideal garage companion for your electric vehicle? If you’re an active family where one, or both, parents regularly have to drive cars in different directions and you need something big enough for the weekly soccer practice or school runs, a seven- or eight-seat minivan should be a strong consideration. The three-row crossover SUV may have usurped the minivan as today’s popular kid-schlepper choice for frazzled parents, but really, a minivan is a better choice. Here’s why. High Seating Position: Like crossovers, minvans have a higher driver’s seating position than cars that provides a good view of the road ahead. Sliding Doors: Sliding doors are simply easier to open and close than SUV doors that open out. And, combined with a lower ride height, the minvan’s sliding door means little ones can get in and out easier than a taller SUV. Car Seats: Putting child seats in an SUV can be a real pain. Minivans allow frustration-free child seat installation, and getting kids in and out is easy. Versatility: With a minivan, you can easily change seating arrangements any way you want. Cargo Space: No grocery or Costco haul is too large to get home with a minivan. Low Insurance Costs: Minivans are one of the cheapest vehicles to insure; considerably less than an SUV. Use the savings to add a few options to the van. Not A Forever Vehicle: And remember, you don’t have to keep it forever. Kids grow up, get their own cars and eventually move out. Once car seats, strollers, sports gear and little league car-pools are no longer part of the equation, you won’t need the minivan any more. Until that time arrives, here are two minivan choices to park next to your electric vehicle: the all-new-for-2015 Kia Sedona and the refreshed-for-2015 Toyota Sienna.   2015 Kia Sedona If you haven’t taken a look at a Kia Sedona minvan in awhile, the all-new 2015 edition will probably surprise you, as it did me. This is no warmed-up version of its predecessor. It’s grown in length, has a new look, is more powerful and, with new upscale trim levels, is no longer just a pedestrian minivan. What hasn’t changed is it is still a value leader. The 2015 Kia Sedona’s styling breaks from the minivan norm with an appearance that is, on purpose, more crossover SUV-like. Kia’s aggressive â€Å"Tiger† mesh grille is upright, accentuating the muscular hood that meets a deeply swept windshield. Adding to the SUV look is a cab forward design with the wheels pushed to the corners. Where Kia missed the mark is the sliding door tracks are not camouflaged, they’re an open gap. That, unfortunately, says minivan. Kia says the new Sedona has something for everyone with the addition of three new trim levels: L, SX and the premium SX Limited, which join the LX and EX trims previously offered. Prices range from $26,795 (including $895 destination charges) for the base L to, gulp, $40,595 for the SX Limited. In addition to abundant storage and cupholders, the Sedona offers seven- or eight-passenger seating, and standard Slide-n-Stow second-row seats are easy to use and create additional cargo space by sliding into a vertical position. There’s also a second row â€Å"First Class† lounge seating.   Third-row seats, like those of most minvans, fold and tumble into the floor.   Maximum cargo capacity is 142.0 cubic-feet. Continuing the SUV theme, Kia gave the Sedona a high seating position and positioned the shifter between the front seats, just like SUVs. Front seats serve up good comfort and Sedona is the only minivan outfitted with standard YES essentials stain-repelling fabrics. The leather on our SX Limited test driver felt really good — soft, smooth, almost plush. The horizontal design of the dashboard with its tidy row of straight switches is simple and pleasing to look at. Models equipped with a navigation system get an eight-inch touchscreen with crisp graphics, and Kia’s UVO infotainment system is one of the best in the auto industry. Standard features are what most buyers look for: rearview camera, Bluetooth connectivity, a four-speaker audio system, satellite radio and a USB port. Available as expected are power-sliding rear doors and power liftgate. Also available are features not offered by rivals such as a surround-view parking camera system and adaptive cruise control. All the expected safety features are standard. Power is provided by a direct-injected 3.3-liter V-6 engine rated at 276 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque, and is directed to the front wheels via a six-speed shiftable automatic transmission. The 3.3 gave the Sedona plenty of scoot, even carrying a full load of passengers and luggage. There’s an abundance of torque for takeoffs from a full stop, and plenty of heavy-breathing passing power. The transmission shifted unobtrusively and held a gear on steep accents and steep descents to increase engine braking. In highway driving, the Sedona proved comfortable, stable and quiet. Even when cruising at 75 mph on grooved pavement, road and engine noise were virtually absent. The electric power steering had good on-center direction but didn’t offer much in the way of driver feedback. Throwing out the anchor at 60 mph halted the 4,700-pound minivan in quick fashion without shakes and shudders. Fuel economy depends on trim level. Lower trims are EPA rated at 20 mpg combined and 18-city/24-highway. Electric power steering on the SX yields 21 combined, but on our SX Limited with 19-inch wheels and virtually all options, the EPA estimate is 19-mpg combined (17 city/22 highway). We averaged 20.7-mpg after driving 247 miles. Until now, Kia has been a somewhat minor player in the minvan segment. The 2015 Sedona has all of the essentials of the breed as defined by the original formula invented by Chrysler more than 30 years ago — a full fledged, full featured, conventional-size minivan. Add the better-than-most-luxury-cars 10-years or 100,000-mile warranty, and the Sedona delivers a value-packed punch.   2015 Toyota Sienna For 2015 the Toyota Sienna receives a mild exterior refresh (updated grille and taillamps), a retuned suspension, a stronger body structure and a redecorated cabin with more soft-touch surfaces. It continues with a trump card to play against all other minivans — it’s the only one to offer all-wheel drive (AWD). The exterior is pleasingly handsome, maybe not beautiful, but spare and void of plastic junk. Tracks for the sliding doors are camouflaged, an esthetic plus. The lineup consists of L, LE, SE, XLE, and Limited trim levels. All are front-wheel drive, with AWD optional on the LE, XLE, and Limited. Sticker prices start at $29,985 for the base L, including destination charges, while at the top end of the spectrum, a fully loaded all-wheel drive Limited model can nudge $50,000. The Toyota Sienna offers a choice between seven- and eight-passenger configurations. With seven-passenger setups,  second-row captain’s chairs slide fore or aft to increase sprawl-out comfort or cargo space. Eight-passenger Siennas come with a 40/20/40-split second-row bench, and its center section slides close to the front seats for easier access to the little one seated there. Cargo volume behind the upright third seat is 39.1 cubic feet, more than any other minivan. Drop the third row and cargo volume goes to 87.1 cubic feet. Maximum cargo space is 150 cubes and can handle 4 x 8 sheets of plywood, but it’s not easy. Second row seats have to be removed and they are heavy back breakers. Up front, comfortable bucket seats provide a commanding view of the road and excellent side and rear vision. A new dash is more attractive than the funky asymmetrical trim-swoosh separating two glove boxes that it replaces and it’s more functional. Materials quality is quite good and the dash layout features big, easy-to-use climate controls and a simple touch-screen infotainment system. The gear shifter, conveniently located in the center console, falls easily to hand. An optional rear entertainment system has a 16.4-inch screen that can display two inputs — like a movie and a game — at the same time. Used as a single screen, it can be easily seen from the third row. New for 2015 are Blu-Ray capability, an HDMI input and an SDXC card reader that can play 10 different audio and video formats. Keeping an eye on youngsters in the rear seats is easy with the standard convex mirror integrated into the overhead console. Need to calm things down in back without shouting? The new optional Driver Easy Speak uses a microphone to amplify the driver’s voice through the vehicle’s audio speakers. The base model is reasonably well equipped with standard features such as a rearview camera, Bluetooth, a USB port, tri-zone automatic climate control and a touch-screen audio system with a 6.1-inch display. A host of available features includes leather upholstery, a power-folding third-row seat, power-sliding rear doors and power liftgate, a navigation system as well as safety gear like blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and adaptive cruise control. A 3.5-liter V-6 engine with 266 horsepower and 245 pounds-feet of torque powers all 2015 Sienna versions. The engine is paired with a competent-shifting six-speed automatic transmission that deftly manages that output. With our Limited test driver, pedal response was quick and quiet. There was no hesitation when accelerating from a stop, and no need to get a running start with a full load of passengers to climb some mountain hills. The Limited tracked faithfully straight down the road without jiggering the steering wheel and it was relatively agile, gripping the pavement on curves with an acceptable amount of body roll. Today’s minivans aren’t all that mini but the Sienna was nimble and maneuverable in squeezing into parking spaces. Fuel economy is on par with the minivan class with an EPA estimate of 18-mpg city/25 highway/21 combined for front-drive versions. The extra weight of all-wheel drive has a penalty of reducing the estimates to 16/23/19, but it is a winter-weather plus. After a week driving the Sienna the trip meter showed 257 miles, and we had squeezed a little more than the EPA combined rating — 22.3 mpg. If it’s time to park a minivan next to your electric vehicle, the Sienna’s two-years/25,000 miles complimentary scheduled maintenance; stellar reliability record and excellent resale value will make you think twice about buying a big crossover SUV. Give it a long, hard look.