Forging States, Reforming Societies: Guatemala and Zacatecas in the Era of Federations

In 1824, the former Spanish provinces in Meosamerica and North America became states that formed two Confederations: Central America and Mexico. In the late 1830s, both fell. The protagonists of this story were not nations --which have not yet consolidated-- but those states. Guatemala City was seat of the Spanish Audiencia, and remained capital of the Confederation for a few years. With a mostly indigenous population, politicians sought to modernize the Guatemalan economy through free trade, colonization and expansion of private property. Their goal was to generate wealth --and  raise more taxes to strengthen the young state. Zacatecas, with little population, became the largest silver producer in North America. The politicians of this state wanted to build a solid power, so they needed to promote fiscal and economic reforms. In Zacatecas and Guatemala, broad social sectors and some corporations (especially ecclesiastical) reacted to this actions. The outbreak of Cholera favored the defeat of the Governments of these states, the end of the reforms, and the fall of both Federations