Well, let me tell you about Central America, considering this is my field of study. The region as a whole never had the same experience of self governance like North America whereas, they created localized authority separate from the crown. Much of Central America's political authority and strength amid Spanish colonial rule, along with independence, came from Guatemala. Now, establishing a united Central American state from the far flung capital of either Guatemala City or San Salvador created many challenges. For one, communication took forever, especially when sending a message from Guatemala City to San Jose; approximately one month. However, the underlining problem derived from political differences, between the relatively conservative faction in Guatemala and liberals in El Salvador.

These underlining tensions emerged when independence from Mexico in 1823 meant the creation of a new Constitution. Immediately, Liberal members moved towards anti-clerical reforms and free trade economics as a means of readjusting the state. While these reforms had plenty of support from El Salvadorian elites, Guatemalan elites differed greatly. Only a year into independence and a civil war was adverted through political negotiations. What emerged from those negotiations involved something strikingly similar to the United States. Five autonomous states, with individual constitutions, authorities, etc. However, these reforms and ensuing peace remained short lived. Political factions eventually fell into two camps, Conservatives and Radical Liberals (being led by Francisco Morazan). In the fight between both groups, Radical Liberals managed to wrestle control for a brief moment, establishing ambitious reforms with little to no real connection towards reality. This was especially true with judicial reforms whereas, a jury system with civic enrollment amid a largely isolated and illiterate population created backlash. In addition, the biggest offense came when the Liberal Guatemalan Governor, Mariano Galvez, decided to encourage privatization of indigenous communal lands while also advocating for British citizens to Colonize the coastal region of Guatemala. This led to an outcry by Conservatives, seeing this as a case of placing foreign interests ahead of national ones.

Eventually, amid a Cholera epidemic in 1837, peasants, through the support of the Church and Conservatives, launched a revolt against the government. In the chaos, a farmer by the name of Jose Rafael Carrera emerged to lead Conservative forces against Morazan and other Liberals. Eventually, Carrera rallied behind the idea of breaking the region into separate states, especially when considering the lack of control the Federal Government had in the first place. Soon, Honduras, Nicaragua, and already isolated Costa Rica decided that independence was preferable to the continuing chaos of an already weak federal authority. By 1840, the Republic as a whole fell apart.

Source: Leslie Bethell, Central America Since Independence (Cambridge Press, 1991), 7-36