Colonization and Social Structure of Honduras
Need Help Writing Your Essay?
Tell us about your assignment and we will find the best writer for your paper.
Get Help Now!Honduras is a republic in Central America that lies on a 43,277 square mile area. It neighbors Guatemala, Nicaragua, and El Salvador (Perry 1893). According to Honduras.com (2014), the country is estimated to be home to over five million people. In the early days, the modern Republic of Honduras was referred to as Spanish Honduras, a name that was adopted upon its subjugation by the Spanish troops. Honduras is among the culturally diverse regions as its population is mainly made up of people with mixed ancestry. The republic of Honduras became an independent state in 1821following the defeat of the Spanish colonial powers. However, several aspects of its social culture today are highly influenced by the Spanish practices. This paper explores the history of colonization of Honduras and its effects on its culture.
Prior to the arrival of the Spanish troops in the 16th century, Honduras was occupied by communities, such as the Mayans, Lencas, Sumo, Pech and Tol (Perry 1983). According to Perry (1983), these communities maintained a commercial harmonious relationship amongst themselves and with their neighbors. One of the interesting groups in the prehistoric study of Honduras is the Mayan settlement around the city of Copan. Archeologists have demonstrated that the Maya people had established a firm and civilized city in 150 A.D (Perry 1983). The retrieved archeological evidence reveals that the Maya City was inhabited by warlike people who had complex and civilized art and style. Despite its greatness, the Maya City is believed to have collapsed long before the arrival of the European explorers.
In 1502, Christopher Columbus and his voyage landed at the Bay Island and later at the mainland, which the later named Honduras, meaning ‘great depth’. During this period, Hondurans main activities included hunting and farming (Perry 1893). Its occupants lived in villages while some of the large cities, such as the Maya appeared deserted. After Columbus’ exploration, several other voyages landed in Honduras. In 1524, the first Spanish conquerors claimed control over the land (Perry 1893). This was followed by a rivalry scrabble of different Spanish factions with each trying to gain control over a given part of the land. These included leaders of already established Spanish power centers in Mexico, Hispaniola, and Panama. Honduras was a mineral rich ground, a fact that spearheaded the fight amongst the Spanish groups as each wanted the mineral rich areas. The scrabble finally ended in 1539 after the then governor of the kingdom of Guatemala, Pedro de Alvarado, won the battle. Honduras, therefore, became a part of the immense Spanish colony under the Guatemala kingdom. Hondurans were recruited as slaves to provide labor force in the Spanish farms and mining factories.
Honduras culture is a mixture of the Spanish and the indigenous group’s practices. The blending of Spanish rulers and the local communities has led to creation of a new group whose ancestors are a mixture of Spanish and native tribes. According to Hondurus.com (2014), over 85% of the Hondurans are mestizos, a tribe that descends from two different communities, especially Indians and Spanish. Honduras.com further explains that only 7% of the Hondurans can claim to be pure Indians while 2% are black and 8% pure Caucasian. With respect to modernization theory, it is clear that the local communities intermingled with their colonizing masters, forming today’s Honduran society. However, the local communities had their own culture, the fact that a majority merged with Spanish to form a new community. This reveals how the native people’s opinions were shaped by their colonizing power. The influence is also present in arts, music, and literal works.
Having been a Spanish colony, Honduras has greatly been influenced by the Spain culture. For example, the Hondurans language and religious practices are borrowed from Spain. The majority of Hondurans has denounced their mother language in favor of the Spanish dialect. Today, Spanish is the official language of Honduras and is spoken by a vast majority of the population (Honduras.com 2014). English is the second most popular language; however, other languages, such as Arabic, Miskito, and Garifuna are also prominent. In addition, Hondurans are predominantly Christian, mainly Roman Catholic believers. Although the Catholic faith prevails in Honduras, protestant churches, such as the Pentecostal are steadily experiencing an increased number of followers. There are also other smaller religious groups, including Judaism, traditional faith, Islam, and Seventh Adventist.
The Hondurans has adopted a unique cuisine that is a combination of the Spanish, African, and various traditional foods from the indigenous communities. This is as a result of cultural heritage, both during pre-colonial and the colonial period. The most popular dishes include meat, beans, tamales, and corn tortillas. Hondurans also integrate humid foods, such as green bananas and papaya. They also use coconut and coconut milk as a major ingredient in savored and sweetened dishes. Popular Honduran foods are served in restaurants and at homes as breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is common for dogs, cats, and chickens to roam around the dining table for people to toss them leftovers. Hondurans also serve distinctive meals during occasional ceremonies and holidays. These meals are just an improvement of the common dishes served. For example, they may put more emphasis on meat and fried plantains.
The Economic profile of Honduras has taken a center stage in the analysis of the American economy. To begin with, the country ranks as the second poorest country in Central America (The Heritage Foundation 2014). As per the 2013 economic report, Honduras is experiencing extremely unequal distribution of resources and high rates of unemployment. Traditionally, Honduras economy has significantly been based on agriculture and mining. However, it is lately diversifying to include automobiles and textile products exportation. Its primary trade partner is the United States of America, which is the destination for about half of all the Honduras exports. . The Heritage Foundation (2014) estimates that the total Honduras export to the US accounts for over 30 % of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Despite the poor economic position, the Honduras economy is reported to have been growing gradually since the attainment of independence.
Over the years, Honduras economy has relied heavily on agriculture, being the leading exporter of bananas, coffee, and sugar. They also produce non-traditional farm products, such as winter vegetables and shrimps. Bananas have remained the country’s primary export until 1950s following major damages from diseases and storms (Ruhul 1984). Banana production was further declined by the Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Honduras sits on an agricultural rich land, which is mostly covered by mountains and huge forests. However, massive forest cover has been cleared to pave way for plant cultivation. Apart from plant farming, Hondurans are also involved in livestock rearing, although the livestock industry has been declining. The cattle production, for instance, has been deteriorating since 1980s due to high production cost. In 1990s, the contribution of the livestock industry to the total export dropped from 16% to 2.9% (The Heritage Foundation 2014).
Since independence, the Republic of Honduras has enjoyed a relatively stable government, safe for the 2009 coup against President Manuel Zelaya (Hondurus.com 2014). The country practices a presidential representative with the elected president, serving as both the head of state and the head of government. The country is subdivided into eighteen departments whose leaders are appointed by the president as part of the executive branch of government. The Citizens also elect members of the unicameral National Congress who later appoint the judiciary. The constitution acknowledges a multiparty democracy. The country has essentially had two dominant political parties since 1920 (Cuesta 2007). The Honduran military has been an active force in the country’s politics, working in close support of the Liberty Party of Honduras. According to Honduras.com (2014), the people of Honduras have little confidence in their government, citing high rates of insecurity, corruption, and inequitable distribution of income.
The citizens of Honduras participate in the general election after every four years. Although the presidential official terms are limited to four years, a president may be ousted should he/she lose the congressional support. In 2009, for example, president Zelaya was impeached before the expiry of his term following his mysterious constitutional interpretations. Although the past elections have been fairly peaceful, results are often contested (Philip and Malkins 2013). In the past, Honduran elections were marred by intimidation and violence allegations. In the 2013 election, for example, independent observers reported several instances of election frauds and vote buying. According to Philips and Malkins (2013), citizens of Honduras have often expressed their concerns about the possibility of having a free and fair election. These allegations continue to tarnish the government of Honduras, which is has severally been accused of corruption.
Honduras is potentially rich country given that it sits on an agriculturally productive land and rich mineral deposits. However, it has not thrived economically due to poor leadership with high rates of corruption. Nonetheless, the country is revolving following the 2009 impeachment.
References
Cuesta, J. 2007. “Political Space, Pro-poor Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy in Honduras: A Story of Missed Opportunities.” Journal of Latin American Studies, 39(2), 329. Retrieved on May 6, 2014 from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/stable/pdfplus/10.2307/4491813.pdf
The article evaluates the effectiveness of poverty reduction strategies. In the context of this paper, the article provides insight on the extent and poverty levels in Honduras
Perry, E. W. 1893. “Honduras.” Journal of the American Geographical Society. 25(1), 224-235. Retrieved on May 6, 2014 from http://www.jstor.org/stable/197039
In this article, Perry provides a comprehensive story of the settlement of the ancient people of Honduras, the European exploration as well as the Spanish colonization
Ruhul, J. M. 1984. “Agrarian Structure and Political Stability in Honduras.” Journal of Inter-American Studies and World Affairs, 33-68. Retrieved on May 6, 2014 from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/stable/pdfplus/10.2307/165506.pdf?acceptTC=true
The article elaborates on the agricultural activities in Honduras. It gives a clear picture of Agriculture as the main economic activity of the Hondurans. It also relates the success of Agricultural sector and Honduran political stability
Hondurus.com. 2014. The History of Honduras. Retrieved on May 6, 2014 from http://www.honduras.com/history-of-honduras/
The entire website covers various aspects and activities carried out in Honduras. Its main aim is to educate people about the potential economic and tourism opportunities in Honduras. For the purpose of this paper, the website was consulted for its comprehensive coverage of the history and present status of Honduras
The Heritage foundation. 2014. “Hondurus.” 2014 Economic index. Retrieved on May 6, 2014 from http://www.heritage.org/index/country/honduras
This website provides the necessary statistical data that was required in the comparison of Honduras economic status with respect to other Central American Countries
Phillips, N and Malkin, E. 2013. “Close Vote Raises Tensions in Honduras.” New York Times. Retrieved on May 6, 2014 from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/25/world/americas/honduras-election.html?_r=0
The two journalists provide a vivid analysis of the Honduras election. They not only cover the 2013 general election but also compares and contrasts the election results of the past elections
The post Sample Research Paper on Colonization and Social Structure of Honduras appeared first on Essay Homework Writing Help.
Ask your questions to our best tutors for quality and timely answers whenever you need. Learn fast and seek help from our solution library that grooms your concepts with over 500 courses. When you place an order with us, be sure that the content will be authentic and free from plagiarism. Moreover, we do make sure that the content is research-based!
From essays to dissertations, we have writing experts for all your assignment needs!