Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday El Salvador (and Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua)!

Like any proud American, I celebrate American Independence with great fervor. When asked by foreigners what exactly July 4^th is or how exactly our independence came about I can rattle off the highlights, main characters, and key points as if they were details from my favorite movie. Taxation without representation, King George III, the Boston Tea Party, George Washington and the Founding Fathers, the Battles at Lexington & Concord, the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, and all the other gems of American History.

Yes, Lightsabers were used.

I know these things because a) I love the United States and b) our public schools (for the most part) do one hell of a job making sure you eat, drink, and sleep this info. Initially, it’s rote learning stored simply for the regurgitation on your upcoming 6th grade social studies test, but with time and maturity it becomes who you are as an American. Further, and as corny as the cliché might be, “you can never know where you are going until you know where you have been.”

With this in mind I was shocked while chit-chatting with my students the other day when, in an effort to spark some conversation in English class, I was met with dumbfounded looks upon asking, “Who can tell me about El Salvadoran independence?”

A few mumbled words later and we confirmed the date: September 15, 1821. “Good, that’s a start…” I thought. However, when pressed for further details the most we established was that independence was proclaimed from Spain.

“Great!” I exclaimed, “But how? Why? Who played important roles? Tell me the story.”

*Crickets*

Determined to get the kids talking and to keep class moving along, I spoon-fed them questions that kept the storyline moving and gave their minds a mental workout. My favorite part of course being the fire in one student’s response when I put the issues of the early 19^th Century independence movement into today’s terms in an attempt to make history relatable. “Let’s say the country today is overtaken by the maras, or the gangs, of El Salvador. They control everything and all the common people are left to live how they dictate. What would you do?”

“I KILL THEM ALL!”

 These guys have chainsaws for testicles.

Perhaps my small class, mostly between the ages of 16-20, is made of students just at the perfect, apathetic age where no amount of prodding or excitement can get them to share their knowledge. I know they’re more concerned with deciding what to “like” on their Facebook accounts than who Manuel José Arce was, but I get the sense this goes beyond any apathetic disregard for being in class on a Saturday morning. I can see this isn’t about them being too shy or to lazy to give an answer. The proverbial light bulbs above the heads’ of even my brightest students go dim. They simply do not know the finer details of their independence. 

When the month of September rolls around, the country is in a fit of patriotism. Cars and buildings all around town don flags, blue & white balloons decorate doorways everywhere, and Independence Day sales draw in customers to every store. With such hoopla surrounding the holiday, I’ve given a lot of thought on how independence could be so prevalent in the populace’s mind yet its history so unknown by so many.

¡Viva El Pulgarcito (El Savlador)!

Perhaps I am searching for much more to the story than exists. With the American Revolution in mind, perhaps my expectations are skewed. Maybe there isn’t much more to really say about the independence from the Spanish Crown. Maybe with all the waves the American and French revolutions made around the world beforehand, the independence of Central America was an overlooked sideshow playing second fiddle on the second stage. Maybe the Central American countries were able to ride on the coattails of those movements with relative ease. With everyone else in the New World gaining independence and the Spanish Crown having already lost the bulk of its territory in South America, as well as finding itself bogged down by everyone's favorite Emperor (Napoleon), maybe it was just time for Spain to give up.

A world power cedes nearly all of its territory in the New World, leaving you – to this day – with a language, culture, DNA, and influencing who you are; and we’ll just chalk it up to them giving up? I don’t think so. Of course, the finer details are beyond me, but my point is this: shouldn't those living here now at least understand the gist of what happened? Maybe not everyone can cite the exact years, place, and people of these events, but at least build a general understanding.

It is paramount that a country and its people understand where they come from. It is a cornerstone of life and how we are molded to live it. It dictates how societies and the world have existed since the evolution of man, and will continue to dictate our societies until the sun explodes and takes us all down with it in a solar apocalypse. The lack of one’s history is not only troubling, but crippling to all of society.

I’m all for a barbeque, parades, and unfettered patriotism today, but starting next week I say we all hit the books.