CENTRAL AMERICA 
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subjugated the Aztecs in Mexico, dispatched 
his officers in all directions to explore the coun 
tries to the south. Pedro Alvaredo, after a 
series of battles, finally established Spanish 
rule over San Salvador in 1525, and Guate 
mala in 1527 when he founded the City of 
Guatemala. Spanish Honduras was acquired 
in 1526 by means of conquest. 
British Honduras was originally a part of 
Guatemala, the Spanish troops stationed there 
having conquered it, and it was ceded by Spain 
to England in 1760. 
Panama was a part of Colombia and was 
discovered by Columbus in 1502 who minutely 
explored its shore in search of an expected 
passage to the Pacific. In 1903 it revolted 
against Colombia and became an independent 
republic. 
In 1821 the five Central American Spanish 
Colonies, after many unsuccessful attempts at 
independence formed a Federation, known as 
the Central American Federation. This inde 
pendence, however, was short-lived, for Aug 
ustin Iturbide, who had proclaimed himself