Long before Christopher Columbus came to America, the Maya civilization had already flourished in Guatemala. The Mayas left indelible traces of their extraordinary astronomical knowledge (which they used as the basis for their surprisingly accurate calendar.) They also developed medicine, agriculture, mathematics, architecture and their advanced political organization and mystical polytheist religion.
The Mayan civilization flourished until it began to decline in the 12th century. It finally collapsed completely under the Spanish conquerors in the 16th century. Modern Guatemala is filled with the ruins and remnants of its glorious Mayan past; temples, huge stone carvings, tombs and sacrificial sites, and private and public museums that attest to the grandeur of this national heritage.
With the arrival of the Spanish conquerors in the 16th century, Guatemala became the administrative capital for most of Central America. She was granted independence along with Mexico from Spain in 1821 but soon seceded from Mexico and, along with other Central American countries, established the United Provinces of Central America. In 1839, this federation collapsed and Guatemala became independent.