Great Depression-GuatemalaBy: Morgan Romero

Map

In bold is where Guatemala is located in proximity to the United States.

Depression-Before ● Guatemala used to be known for their creation and distribution

of the banana (the United Fruit)

● Britain, the United States, and Germany were the main

contributors to their business (Germany being number one)

● Major investments also included the devotion to finance

o Ex: Banco Aleman

Guatemala’s Depression● Guatemala’s depression arrived in February, 1930

● They had little resources to sell internationally other than

agriculture goods

● Only 15-20% of Guatemala’s land was used for cultivation

● General Jorge Ubico aimed to increase sales in order to gain

foreign exchange, along with increasing the production of goods

● Received aid from the United States, which allowed for public

infrastructure---roads, school facilities

General Jorge Ubico ● Ubico traveled throughout Guatemala’s schools, taking action on

any complaints that the facilities had.

● Guatemala was predominantly Indian (54%)

o Ubico strived to help the wellbeing of Indians, as they were

the main source of labor in agriculture

o Encouraged Indians to revert to commercial farming instead

of subsistence farming

Indians in Guatemala (‘30s) ● Indians used to be constantly in debt and would end up

bounding to the estate

● Ubico prohibited debt peonage to gain incentive for Indians to

want to continue to work

● 1934- Signed a “vagrancy law”: had to work on a land at least

1.6 acres, needed to maintain income for their families

independently

o Smaller the plot they worked on, the more additional work

you had to do for at least 100 days per year

Bibliography

● http://www.fsmitha.com/h2/ch17-2.htm

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Ubi

co

● http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/

countrys/namerica/camerica/gt.htm