Introduction to History of Nicaragua
Columbus reached Nicaragua in 1502 on his last voyage. In 1522 Gil González Dávila, a Spanish explorer, led an expedition into Nicaragua. He met Nicarao, an Indian chief living near Lake Nicaragua, and persuaded him and his people to accept Christianity. In 1524 Francisco Hernández de Córdoba founded the settlements of Granada and León. Little gold was found, and consequently growth was slow. Nicaragua became part of the captaincy general of Guatemala. There was a local governor in León.
During the 17th century French, English, and Dutch buccaneers made many raids in Nicaragua. The English settled in Bluefields and elsewhere, built plantations, and brought in African slaves to work them. England established a protectorate over the Mosquito Coast—which included part of Honduras as well as eastern Nicaragua—in 1687. The protectorate, administered as part of Jamaica, lasted for 200 years.
Independence
In 1811 there was an unsuccessful revolt against Spain. In 1821, however, Spanish rule was ended almost without bloodshed. The captaincy general of Guatemala, including all of Central America, became part of the Mexican Empire. When this empire collapsed in 1823, Nicaragua and four other provinces declared their independence as the United Provinces of Central America. This confederation fell apart during the period 1838–39. Nicaragua became independent in 1838.
Civil Wars
There was a long period of civil strife between Liberals and Conservatives. León was the center of the Liberals, Granada of the Conservatives. At one time the Liberals requested the help of William Walker, a filibuster (adventurer) from Tennessee. He made himself president of Nicaragua in 1856, but was driven out in 1857 when all the Central American republics combined against him. Walker returned in 1860, only to be captured and shot in Honduras.
Managua was made the capital in the 1850's as a compromise between the two rivals, Granada and León. In 1860 the British government gave up its claim to a protectorate over the Mosquito Coast.
Dictatorship
About 1860 the Conservatives came into power. Under their rule the country had a long period of mild dictatorship. There was some economic progress. Railways were built, the telegraph and telephone were brought in, and electricity was introduced. Coffee production was expanded and the banana industry was started. The Nicaraguan writer Rubén Darío (1867–1916), one of the greatest of Latin American poets began his literary career during this period.
United States Intervention
Revolution brought the Liberals to power in 1893. They imposed a ruthless dictatorship on Nicaragua and stirred up revolutions in other Central American nations. They were driven from power in 1909 and Conservative government was reinstated. An economic crisis forced the country to seek aid. Loans were obtained from bankers in the United States in exchange for control over Nicaragua's finances.
In 1912 U.S. Marines were called in to put down a Liberal revolt. Remaining almost continuously for 21 years, the Marines supervised elections, fought Liberal insurgents, and trained and armed a national police force called the National Guard.
The Somoza Dynasty
Anastasio Somoza, general of the National Guard, deposed the president and made himself president in 1936. He ruled as a dictator until assassinated in 1956. Luis, his older son, succeeded to the presidency. During his term, the constitution was rewritten to prohibit any president from serving more than one term. In 1967 Anastasio Somoza, Luis' younger brother, was elected president. He revised the constitution and served as president for more than a decade. In the mid-1970's corruption in government, a faltering economy, and Somoza's authoritarian rule sparked a revolt. Support for the revolution, which was led by a Marxist group called the Sandinistas, was widespread. (The Sandinistas took their name from Augusto César Sandino, a guerrilla leader who fought against United States occupation in the 1920's and 1930's.) After bloody fighting, Somoza was overthrown in 1979.
The Sandinista Regime and After
A provisional government, representing many parties but dominated by the Sandinistas, was formed, and it promised democratic rule, Soon, however, opponents of the Sandinistas accused them of trying to impose a Communist dictatorship. In 1981, guerrillas called Contras began attacking Sandinista forces. The Contras received military and financial aid from the United States government, which accused the Sandinistas of trying to subvert other nations in the region, especially El Salvador.
In 1984 elections were held. Amid opponents' charges of election fraud, Daniel Ortega, leader of the Sandinistas, became president and the Sandinistas won a majority in the legislature. In 1987 a new constitution was ratified that gave the president broad powers. In the 1990 elections, Ortega lost the presidency to Violetta Barrios de Chamorro, leader of an anti-Sandinista coalition, but the Sandinistas retained many seats in the legislature. The Contras disbanded following negotiations with Chamorro. In 1995 the Constitution was amended to decrease the power of the president and increase that of the legislature. In 1998 Hurricane Mitch devastated the country, killing more than 2,000 people.
Enrique Bolanos Geyer of the Liberal Constitutionalist Party won the 2001 presidential election, defeating Daniel Ortega. However, Ortega was reelected president of Nicaragua in 2006.