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Today, the lands once occupied by the ancient Mayan civilization fall within the boundaries of Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico. The ancient Mayan culture is believed to have taken shape between 1500 BC and AD 100 in the Pacific highlands of Guatemala and El Salvador. Beginning around AD 250, Mayan civilization entered what is now called its Classic Period, when the great city-states whose ruins define La Ruta Maya began to be built. The Classic period lasted until about AD 900, after which many Mayan cities were abandoned. Some cities survived centuries longer, however. When the Europeans arrived in the 16th century, they encountered several remaining Mayan groups.
In 1502, Christopher Columbus landed near what is now Trujillo and named the land Honduras, or "depths," after the deep waters found off the coast. In 1524, Spanish forces under instructions from Hernán Cortés established a colony there. Cortés arrived a year later and ordered the establishment of Nuestra Señora de la Navidad and Trujillo.
The years that followed were marked by unrest, with the conquerors, the established government, colonists, and the local population all feuding. In 1536, Pedro de Alvarado conquered Honduras, defeating an indigenous uprising led by Lempira, chief of the Lencas. The defeat of Lempira and a quieting of Spanish infighting led to an increase of economic activity, including gold and silver mining, which brought hardship to the native Hondurans and African slavery to the area. After Honduras declared independence from Spain in 1821, it joined a short-lived federation of Central American countries. Although the federation fell apart and Honduras became an independent republic, it continued its push for Central American unity.
The early years of the 20th century were marked by conflicts with Guatemala and Nicaragua, the growth of the thriving banana industry, and a rise in U.S. influence after uprisings and coups had become more frequent. The connection between the banana industry and the interference of outside other countries led to the coining of the term "Banana Republic."
The Great Depression would eventually strike a blow to the banana companies, as well as workers throughout the country. Stability came from Tiburcio Carías Andino, who was elected in 1932. Although he earned a reputation as a strongman known to limit personal freedoms, the new president brought relief to Honduras. He ruled for the next 16 years in an era of relative peace. Following his term, reform continued to arrive in Honduras despite ongoing violence and the occasional coup.
A mix of reform and unrest continued to define modern Honduran history for years to come. In the 1980s, President Robert Suazo launched social and economic projects with backing from the U.S., which supported guerillas fighting neighboring Nicaragua. Rafael Leonardo Callejas took office in 1990 with promises of economic reform. One of his greatest achievements in office was gaining more civilian control of the military and local police forces. Today, Honduras continues to enjoy a period of peace—both internally and with its neighboring countries.