The Mayans came to Guatemala in about AD 300 and left in about AD 850-900 for unexplained reasons. There are still a few Mayan ruins left in Guatemala. Spanish conquerors began to come in the 16th century to Guatemala.
Guatemala gained independence from Spain in 1821 (see POLITICS/GOVERNMENT) and from Mexico in 1823. After that Guatemala became the political center for Central America. In the past, citizens declared Guatemala as independent from the British Empire but the uprisings failed. These uprisings failed because Britain refused to sign a treaty.
From 1871 to 1944, a political explosion took place. Several presidents took over Guatemala. They all tried to help in various ways though some were not as successful. They also took away some personal rights.