What Is Juan Santamaria Day: A state holiday in Costa Rica is held on April 11 to honor Juan Santamaria, one of the country’s greatest heroes. To honor Juan Santamaria’s important role in Costa Rican history, parades, community events, and fireworks are held all over the country. Santamaria’s bravery and determination were key to defending Costa Rica’s independence and beating William Walker and the attacking Filibusters.
People all over the country celebrate this day as a sign of pride, and businesses and government buildings close to make room for the festivities. This memorial is held every year to make people feel sad about what Santamaria did to protect Costa Rica’s freedom.
What is Juan Santamaría Day?
Except for Juan Santamaria, Costa Rica doesn’t have many military stars, even though it has been without an army since 1948. Santamaria, a poor Alajuela child who played the drums, was very important in stopping the famous American William Walker from moving through Central America in the middle of the 1800s.
On Juan Santamaria Day in April every year, the people of Costa Rica celebrate their win over Walker and his mercenary army at the Battle of Rivas in 1856. After he overthrew Nicaragua’s government, Walker tried to build a kingdom based on the slave trade in Central America. In response, Costa Rica sent troops to Nicaragua to deal with the danger that was getting worse.
In spite of all the odds, young Juan Santamaria bravely set fire to a hostel where Walker’s men were staying, killing many of them. Santamaria died because of this brave act, but Costa Rica’s freedom was kept. In Alajuela, this amazing accomplishment is celebrated every year with a parade and other events that bring attention to a key time in Costa Rican history.
When is Juan Santamaria Day?
Every year on April 11, Costa Rica celebrates this national holiday that honors the Battle of Rivas. It is a very important day. National hero Juan Santamaria, who is also known as the “Little Drummer Boy,” made the historical event memorable through his brave actions.
On this day, people from all over Costa Rica remember how brave Santamaria was and how important he was in the fight that changed the course of the country’s history. Juan Santamaria was brave and didn’t care about himself. The event honors his memory as a symbol of strength and national pride.
How is Juan Santamaria Day Celebrated
Every April 11, Costa Rica has a big national holiday. Most businesses and schools are closed, and everyone has the day off. But the celebrations usually start a week before the fair, with lively events in and around the city of Alajuela.
A lot of different events, like dances, music, and parades, happen all over the country during the week-long celebration. At these events, the president usually gives a speech honoring Juan Santamaria, recognizing his heroic service, and bragging about his many achievements. During this long holiday season, Costa Ricans may come together to honor their past and Juan Santamaria’s legacy. This shows pride and unity in the country as a whole.
History of Juan Santamaria Day
The American army, led by William Walker, fought the Costa Rican army, led by General José Joaquí Mora Porras, General Jose Maria Caas, and President Juan Rafael Mora Porras. The battle took place in Rivas, Nicaragua. It caused worry when Walker tightened his control over Nicaragua, which led Costa Rica to declare war.
Walker’s fleeing force met up with over 700 Costa Rican troops in Rivas on April 11, 1856. They had already fought each other twice before. After more than nine hours of hard fighting with no clear winner, Juan Santamaria, a young drummer from Alajuela, offered to go on a dangerous trip. Santamaria, the son of a single mother, agreed to destroy “El Mesón de Guerra,” the building where Walker’s men lived. He had to move back when the enemy threw a torch onto the thatched roof, but a shooter killed him before he could do so.
People called Santamara a National Hero for the kind of thing he did, which was very important to Costa Rica’s win at Rivas. His impact can still be felt in Costa Rican culture, as shown by the paintings, sculptures, books, and even the main international airport, Aeropuerto Internacional Juan Santamaria (SJO), which is named after him. Juan Santamara’s selfless gift shows how brave and strong Costa Rica is.
Costa Rica celebrates Juan Santamaría Day
In Costa Rica, April 11 is Juan Santamaria Day, a time to remember the national hero and the win in the Battle of Rivas. William Walker is the main character of the story. He is an American and was born in Nashville in 1824. He wanted to do a lot. When he got to Mexico in 1853, he said for a short time that he was the president of Baja California, but the Mexican government quickly kicked him out.
Walker wasn’t scared, so in 1855, he went to Nicaragua with his “filibusters,” or private army. Walker was first asked to help during a civil war, but once he took charge, the US accepted him as president of Nicaragua. His crazy plan, which was called “Five or None,” was to take over Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Guatemala.
On March 1, 1856, Costa Rica went to war with the filibusters because it didn’t want to become a US colony. In mid-March, Walker’s forces invaded Guanacaste and met little opposition. They didn’t have a guard at Hacienda Santa Rosa because they were too sure of themselves and thought the Costa Ricans would be stronger than they were. This event in history sets off the war that followed and shows how important Juan Santamara’s work was in protecting Costa Rica’s independence.
Why do we celebrate Juan Santamaria Day?
Parades, civic programs and fireworks will occur throughout the country to honor the nation’s hero, Juan Santamaria, who helped Costa Rica defeat William Walker and the invading Filibusters, confirming the country’s sovereignty.
You are covering an event in Costa Rica honoring Juan Santamaria, who is a national hero. William Walker and the attacking Filibusters were defeated with help from Juan Santamaria. This helped protect Costa Rica’s independence. On this national holiday, people do many things, such as watching fireworks, getting together with their communities, and going on parades.
Today is a day to remember, so most businesses and government offices are closed. People can enjoy the events without having to worry about work or government duties because of this closure. The ceremonies honor Juan Santamaria and show how happy and united the people of the land are.
Celebrations like these are important for remembering the events in a country’s history that made it what it is today and for thanking the people who helped it stay independent. They also give people in the area a chance to celebrate who they are and what they’ve done together.
What is April 11 Juan Santamaria day?
On Tuesday, April 11, we celebrate 167 years since the hero Juan Santamaría burned the “Mesón de Guerra,” an act that enabled Costa Rican forces to defeat the North American filibusters at the Battle of Rivas; and, given its relevance to the country, established the date as a mandatory payment holiday.
April 10 is a big day in Costa Rica because it’s a day to remember Juan Santamara’s brave work, which was very important in the country’s past. In line with Law No. 9875, the event has been moved to the next available Monday in 2020–2024. This is to encourage people to travel within the country and visit other countries.
When paying employees on this holiday, based on the employer’s payment schedule, there are a few things to keep in mind:
Plan to pay every week:
People are only paid for the days they work.
Even if they don’t work on April 10, workers must still get paid the same amount.
Paying every month or every two weeks:
Employees who don’t show up for work on April 10 will get a one-time payment that was already taken out of their regular pay.
No matter when the workers are paid, if the company asks them to work on April 10, they have to pay them more. When this happens, the boss has to pay the workers twice in one day for the work they do.
Both managers and workers need to be aware of these rules in order to make sure that everyone gets paid fairly and that labor laws are followed during the Christmas season.
What was Juan Santamaria known for?
Juan Santamaria is one of the most popular figures in Latin America. In Costa Rica, he is recognized as a national hero for his role in maintaining the country’s independence. Juan Santamaria of Costa Rica was immortalized during the war between Costa Rica and the Southern Confederacy of America during the 1850s.
People in Costa Rica know Juan Santamaria for his work in the war between Costa Rica and the Southern Confederacy of America in the 1850s.
William Walker was in charge of the Southern Confederacy, which was a real danger. Walker was a controversial figure who wanted to take over and control parts of Central America for the Confederacy. Juan Santamaria was very important to the defense of Costa Rica against Walker. He has been a national hero in Costa Rica for a long time because of how his brave actions are remembered.
Juan Santamaria was born on August 29, 1831, in Alajuela, Costa Rica’s second-largest city after San Jose. Not much is known about his youth. At that time, most people in Costa Rica were farmers, and the country was mostly used for farming. Juan Santamaria is important to history because he played a key role in the fight against William Walker. Without that role, most people would not have known about him.
In the middle of the 1800s, Nicaragua was a key part of the trade that brought goods across the Americas. The 1854 Nicaraguan Civil War made the country even more important from a military point of view. William Walker, who was in charge of 300 hired guns, tried to make money off of the political chaos by putting the Nicaraguan Democratic Party against the Legitimist Party.
Walker became well-known in the Democratic Party because of the important battle of Rivas in June 1855, which he led. As Nicaragua’s head of state, Walker took office after cheating the election and eventually beating the legitimacyists. People still talk about Walker as the most famous American filibuster, which is a word for people who send private troops into Latin America to make money.
How is Juan Santamaria Day celebrated?
The day of his death is a national holiday and the days leading up to it are celebrated throughout the land with marching bands, parades, concerts, and dances. The festivities are widespread but take place especially in the city of Alajuela.
There are events all over the country every year on the date of Juan Santamaria’s death to mark this national holiday. In the days before this important day in history, there were many lively events, such as marches, parades, concerts, and dances. The whole country is celebrating, but the city of Alajuela stands out because the celebrations are going on so much there. Honoring Juan Santamaria and his work and struggles to protect Costa Rican sovereignty is what these events are all about.
What war did Juan Santamaria fight in?
Filibuster War
Young Juan became a legend for his involvement and death at the Second Battle of Rivas, during the so-called Guerra contra los filibusteros (Filibuster War) in 1856 and 1857.
In Alajuela, Juan worked as a driver, sacristan, coffee picker, carpenter’s helper, and drummer for the military band when he was younger. Even though Juan had a varied childhood, he joined the Costa Rican National Army when he was still a child.
Historians know that Juan was dark-skinned and often think that he was mestizo, but they don’t know much about his early life. At that time, Juan’s town was mostly used for farming, so it makes sense that he and his family were peasants who made a living by farming.
Juan Santamaria became famous after he played a key role in and died for his country in the Second Battle of Rivas, which was a turning point in the Filibuster War of 1856–1857. Being a part of this struggle made him more important in history and made him famous for always supporting Costa Rica’s cause, even when things were hard.
The brave sacrifice he made is remembered at the Alajuela International Airport, which is named after him and is a well-known landmark for tourists coming just 3 kilometers from the city.
The whole country celebrates in style with parades, concerts, dances, and marching bands in the days before April 11, which is a national holiday. The city of Alajuela, on the other hand, is usually where most of the celebrations happen. Costa Ricans, or Ticos, celebrate with gusto, eating traditional foods and going to parties. During this time, tourists can fully understand how important Juan Santamarí Day is and see how happy and proud the people of Costa Rica are about this important event in their past.