1700-1850

1700-18501Of the course of the eighteenth century, Costa Rica was transformed by the expansion of peasant agriculture.

The expansion of the agricultural frontier led to the founding of new towns : Heredia 1706 San Jos 1736 and Alajuela 1782.

Socioeconomic Characteristics Rural World Differences among peasants and farmers. The ones that owned their own lands, or that had more livestock than others were in a better social position.These differences in prosperity also determined the capacity of producers to acquire new technologies.(plows, trapiches)The basic unit of this agricultural world was the chcara (combination of subsistence and commercial agriculture, raising of cattle, pigs and crafts)

Urban WorldThe rural domains contrasted with the town centers, the served as bases of specialized craft production, sites of the homes of the most powerful and prosperous families.

They occupied civil, ecclesiastical and military positions.

They monopolized the circulation of money

The acquired the right of to collect the tithe

The rented parcels of land to poor people

Their wealth came mainly from commerce.(They exported usually to Nicaragua and Panama)

Political Characteristics Bourbon Monarchy In the eighteenth century a new dynasty was installed on the Spanish throne. Rational administration, raise taxation revenues Costa Rica was affected with these changes, and also with a state monopoly over the production and sale of tobacco and alcohol.

Throughout the colonial period Costa Rica remained one of the provinces ruled by the Spanish viceroyalty in Guatemala (together with the provinces of El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua).The provincial Governors were always Spaniards appointed by the monarchy.

Independence Process Discontentment with the crown in other parts of Latin America led to wars of independence.

This ended in the signing of the Guatemalan Independence Act on September 15, 1821.

November of 1821 the first provisional government of Costa Rica was formed.

This body drafted the "Concord Pact" on December 1, a document which is considered the original Costa Rican Constitution.

The Pact established the sovereign right of Costa Rica to decide its political future and guaranteed to its citizens civil liberty, the right to property, and other natural rights.However, this new-found independence was not met everywhere with total acceptance.

Throughout Central America there were groups of imperialists who still felt their loyalty to Spain and clashed with the separatists over the issue of becoming part of the Mexican Empire or remaining completely independent.

Costa Rica was no exception. The majority of the town of both Cartago and Heredia proclaimed themselves imperialists, in contrast with the predominant republican sentiments professed in San Jos and Alajuela.

Although Costa Rica did not have to fight to gain its independence, ironically it battled over the future of this status and in April of 1823 in the area of Ochomogo (halfway between Cartago and San Jos), a battle was waged between groups from the two factions. Those favoring independence were victorious.

The other significant outcome of this civil war was that the capital of the country was then transferred to San Jos from its previous site in Cartago.