In 1522, Spanish admiral Andrés Niño conducted an expedition to Central America. He found Jiquilisco Bay at the mouth of the Lempa River. This was the first recorded European visit to what is today Salvadoran territory.
Several years later, Spanish conquistadors headed by Pedro de Alvarado and his brother Gonzalo landed in what is now the Republic of El Salvador. They were dismayed to discover that the location lacked gold, but they did notice the quality of the soil. The indigenous people resisted the Spanish, and it wasn't until 1525 that the territory came under Spanish rule.
Pedro de Alvarado named El Salvador after Jesus Christ, the Saviour.
El Salvador joined the Kingdom of Guatemala in 1609, which encompassed the current states of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, and the Mexican state of Chiapas.
Spain had been weakened by its engagement in the Peninsular War in Europe, and local juntas had formed when local Spaniards rose against the reign of King Joseph, Napoleon's brother, who had been placed as ruler of Spain by the French.
El Salvador experienced a strong desire for self-government. El Salvador referred to the 1811 Independence Movement as the Primer grito de independencia.
On September 15, 1821, the Province of Guatemala declared Central America's independence.
Following independence, and despite objections from El Salvador, the areas were part of the Mexican Empire until 1823, when they submitted to form the Federal Republic of Central America.
