Full Description
From colonial rule to revolution and beyond, this concise history of Nicaragua unpacks the political struggles, economic transformations, and social movements that have shaped the modern nation, offering essential insights into a country defined by resilience and change.
Tracing Nicaragua's past from indigenous civilizations to Spanish conquest, dictatorship, and revolution, the book examines key forces that have shaped its destiny. Discover the rise and fall of the Somoza dynasty, the impact of the agro-export economy, the legacy of the Sandinista revolution, and the country's complex path to a democratic interlude from 1990 to 2007.
This revised edition brings Nicaragua's story into the present, analyzing recent years of political and social change—including President Daniel Ortega's shift toward authoritarianism, the contested elections of 2011, 2016, and 2021, the 2018 protests, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and evolving U.S.-Nicaragua relations. Featuring updated timelines, key figures, and essential terms, this book is an indispensable guide to understanding Nicaragua's past, present, and future.
Contents
Series Foreword
Acknowledgements
Timeline of Historical Events
Acronyms Used in This Book
1. Nicaragua and Its People
2. Pre-colonial, Colonial, and Early Independence (4000 BCE-1856 CE)
3. The Coffee Boom, Zelaya, and United States Intervention (1856-1925)
4. Sandino and the Rise of the Somoza Dynasty (1925-1959)
5. The Sandinistas and the Fall of the Somoza Dynasty (1959-1979)
6. The Revolutionary Years (1979-1990)
7. The Democratic Interlude (1990-2006)
8. The Return to Authoritarianism (2006-Present)
Notable People in the History of Nicaragua
Nicaraguan History: A Bibliographic Essay
Index
About the Author
