zed, though not formally annexed, in the 18th
century; and over the Mosquito Coast the British government exercised a
nominal protectorate after 1665. Otherwise the rest of Central America
remained a Spanish dependency bearing the general name of "Guatemala,"
until 1821. It ranked as a captaincy-general under the rule of a
military governor, and was organized in five departments, corresponding
in area with the modern republics of Guatemala, Honduras, Salvador,
Nicaragua and Costa Rica. For three centuries it was administered by
Spanish officials, who almost invariably devoted their whole energy to
enriching themselves and the home authorities. The old Indian
civilization was swept away; the native races were enslaved, maltreated
and, for a time, demoralized. But their history offers no parallel to
that of the West Indian Caribs, who failed to survive, and were replaced
by hordes of African slaves. In Central America the Indians not only
survived, thus leaving no room for any large negro population, but
quickly acquired the language, religion and habits of their masters,
with whom they intermarried. By the close of the 18th century, the
majority had attained something like uniformity of life and thought.
Racial distinctions had been obscured by intermarriage; even the term
_Ladino_, or "Latin," came to mean an educated man, whether of Spanish
or Indian blood. Nowhere, except in Mexico, has a mixed or coloured race
more completely absorbed the civilization of its white rulers; but so
gradual and silent was the process that it passed almost unnoticed. Its
result, the successful revolt of the Spanish colonies--colonies mainly
peopled by Indians or half-castes--was no more a conflict of rival races
or civilizations than the rebellion of the British colonies in North
America.

"New Granada" attained its independence in 1819; and in 1821 "Guatemala"
declared itself free. That the subsequent history of the Central
American republics has been largely a record of civil war,
maladministration and financial dishonesty, is perhaps due in part to
racial inferiority. In part, however, it may be explained by the absence
of any tradition of good government; perhaps also by the brevity and
artificiality of the evolution which converted a debased
slave-population into the citizens of modern democratic states. The five
divisions of "Guatemala" were temporarily incorporated in the Mexican
empire during 1822, but regained their autonomy (as