José Rafael Carrera Turcios (24 October 1814 – 14 April 1865) was the ruler of Guatemala from about 1839 until his death. He was the President of Guatemala, representing the Conservatives, on two occasions: 2005 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → Deaths in October 28: Richard Smalley 26: Emil Kyulev 24: José Azcona del Hoyo 24: Rosa Parks 23: Stella Obasanjo 22: Liam Lawlor 22: Shirley Horn 20: Endon Mahmood 17: Ba Jin 10: Milton Obote 7: Charles... October 24 is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 68 days remaining. ... 1814 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (105th in leap years). ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ... 1839 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The President of Guatemala has been the usual title of the leader of Guatemala since 1851, when that title was assumed by José Rafael Carrera, who had been acting as head of government as general and Caudillo since 1840. ...

• 4 December 1844 to 16 August 1848
• 6 November 1851 - 14 April 1865 (from the adoption of the 1851 constitution until his death)

In the 1830s Rafael Carrera was an illiterate but shrewd and charismatic swineherd turned highwayman, pledged a vendetta against Central American president Francisco Morazán and the Federal government after undisciplined Federal soldiers killed some of his relatives. Local conservative factions at first tried to use Carrera for their own ends, but by 1838 Carrera became de facto ruler of much of Guatemala. Morazán repeatedly chased Carrera's forces out of cities and towns, but Carrera's followers would retake places as soon as Morazán's army left. December 4 is the 338th day (339th on leap years) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1844 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... August 16 is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1848 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 6 is the 310th day of the year (311th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 55 days remaining. ... 1851 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (105th in leap years). ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ... Events and Trends Electromagnetic induction discovered by Michael Faraday Dutch-speaking farmers known as Voortrekkers emigrate northwards from the Cape Colony Croquet invented in Ireland Railroad construction begins in earnest in the United States Egba refugees fleeing the Yoruba civil wars found the city of Abeokuta in south-west Nigeria... Map of Central America Central America is an area of the American continent in the Western Hemisphere. ... Francisco Morazán Quesada Francisco Morazán Quesada (October 16, 1792 - September 15, 1842) was President of Central America, who enacted idealistic liberal reforms, then unsuccessfully fought to maintain the unity of that nation as it fell apart into separate states in civil war. ... | Jöns Jakob Berzelius, discoverer of protein 1838 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

The Carrera revolt inspired other Conservatives to revolt, and soon Central America was at civil war. Carrera was instrumental in leading the revolt against the Federal government and breaking apart the Central American Union. Carrera dominated Guatemala through 1865, backed by conservatives, large land owners, and the church.

On 21 October 1854 he adopted the style "President for Life". October 21 is the 294th day of the year (295th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 71 days remaining. ... 1854 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

(from 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, article "Guatemala") The Central American provinces revolted in 1821, were annexed to the Mexican empire of Agustín de Iturbide from 1822 to 1823, and united to form a federal republic from 1823 to 1839. In. Guatemala the Clerical, Conservative or antiFederal party was supreme; after a protracted struggle it overthrew the Liberals or Federalists, and declared the country an independent republic, with Rafael Carrera (1814-1865) as president. In. 1845 an attempt to restore the federal union failed; in 1851 Carrera defeated the Federalist forces of Honduras and Salvador at La Arada near Chiquimula, and was recognized as the pacificator of the republic. In 1851 a new constitution was promulgated, and Carrera was appointed president till 1856, a dignity which was in 1854 bestowed upon him for life. His rivalry with Gerardo Barrios (d. 1865), president of Salvador, resulted in open war in 1863. At Coatepeque the Guatemalans suffered a severe defeat, which was followed by a truce. Honduras now joined with Salvador, and Nicaragua and Costa Rica with Guatemala. The contest was finally settled in favor of Carrera, who besieged and occupied San Salvador and made himself dominant also in Honduras and Nicaragua. During the rest of his rule, which lasted till his death in April 1865, he continued to act in concert with the Clerical party, and endeavoured to maintain friendly relations with the European governments. Carreras successor was General Cerna, who had been recommended by him for election. Supporters contend that the Eleventh Edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica (1910-1911) represents the sum of human knowledge at the beginning of the 20th century; indeed, it was advertised as such. ... Agustín Cosme Damián de Iturbide y Arámburu (September 27, 1783 – July 19, 1824) was Emperor of Mexico from 1822 to 1823. ...

See also

• History of Guatemala
• History of Central America

// pre-asian democracy The Maya civilization flourished throughout much of Guatemala and the surrounding region for close to 2000 years before the Spanish arrived in the early 16th century. ... // Before European Contact The first people that arrived in Central America were the people of Jared that arrived around 2500 BC. The people of Jared were led away from Jerusalem before the Assyrians spread the tribes of Israel out. ...

External links

• Biography on Catholic Encyclopedia
• Biography in Spanish