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The Jepson Girls' World Trip Blog

Sept 8, Month 4

Costa Rica's History And Interesting Facts By Amber

Christopher Columbus found Costa Rica on his third and last trip to the Americas. The natives in Costa Rica were nice to him and traded some gold craftsmanship to Christopher Columbus. When some settlers came back, the native people fought them and even burned their own crops so the settlers wouldn't have food.

The Pre-Colombian people were really skilled at metal work. They had slaves to do some of their work. They made all their gold work by the lost wax technique. When somebody died, they had a tradition to smash the gold articles the person owned before they buried the gold with them.

In more modern times, they had a dictator, Federico Tinoco Granados, that established public schools and a president, Jose Figueres Ferrer, when the people wanted him to leave office he wouldn't leave and started a civil war. Nowadays Costa Rica has a democracy, with a woman president named Laura Chinchilla Miranda. Presidents are only allowed to serve four years in there whole lifetime. Costa Rica doesn't have a military and is known as a very peaceful country.

Costa Rica was named because the natives had gold in there noses and ears. The translation of Costa Rica is "Rich Coast". On the beaches there is white and black sand. Costa Rica has other natural beauty like volcanos. Seven of the forty-two active volcanoes in the ring of fire are in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica also has many interesting animals like the howler monkey and sloths. I have really liked being in Costa Rica. Costa Rica, with it's natural beauty, will always be in my heart and mind.