History of Costa Rica
The Pre-Columbian Era, which occurred between 1200 BC and 1501 AD, included the American Continent, settled by the migrating people from the Bering Straits around 15 to 35’000 years ago. A few of these gathering and hunting tribes settled in what is known today as Costa Rica.
Around 1000 BC, these societies developed into agricultural subsistence, and polytheistic natives started to grow crops that included tomatoes, corn, and beans. Being located between South and North America, Costa Rica was a constant area of cultural interchange thatwas influenced mainly by the Aztecs and the Mayans.
During the first centuries after Christ, small hierarchies developed, and the villages became united under a chieftainship with a chief on the top of these hierarchies. With the increase in the agricultural differences, settlements became more prominent, and political hierarchies with strong religious nobility and military were established.
At the same time, Spaniards arrived in this area, erasing just about all the traces of the ancient civilizations. Even though the Costa Rican tribes were already adapted to constant war, the Spanish proved to be a threat of an unknown dimension and challenging to combat.
Even though Costa Rica was first discovered in 1502 by Christopher Columbus, the subjugation came later but with a vengeance. The area of Central America was then conquered from southern Panama and northern Mexico mainly between the years of 1519 and 1523. By the 16th century, Costa Rica was then inhabited by approximately 400,000 indigenous people. However, by 1569, the Spaniards established themselves in the country, and by 1611 only 10,000 indigenous people remained. This decrease in numbers was mainly due to typhus, influenza, measles, and smallpox.
In 1548, Audiencia de Santiago de Guatemala was established that had jurisdiction over territories from the southern part of Costa Rica up to the Chiapas, Mexico. This resulted in a culturally unifying impact for Central America as the “Kingdom of Guatemala” was autonomous regarding the Viceroyalty of New Spain (Mexico).
Cartago, the first capital, was established in 1564, but the indigenous uprising was constant, and the full Spanish control only occurred towards the end part of the 16th century. Unlike the other areas in Latin America, the country known as Costa Rica stayed a marginal and poor colony due to the lack of natural resources.
In the early part of the 19th century, known as the awakening patriotism for Latin America, former colonies were miserable with the Spanish economic policy. This was due to that it was aimed solely at benefiting the European mother country. When Spain’s colonial reign over Mexico was overthrown later in 1821, Costa Rica finally gained independence.
However, it was only much later, from 1950 to 1978, that this economy started to thrive, and important agricultural and industrial diversification took place. During this time, the population in Costa Rica grew from around 800,000 to 2 million, and the colonial and small town of San José transformed into a thriving and chaotic metropolis.
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Jaco Laguna Resort & Beach Club
Calle Madrigal, Puntarenas Province
Jaco, Costa Rica
+506-2201-9248
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