Nicaragua was discovered and colonized during the sixteenth century by the Spanish. The first two cities to be founded were Leon and Granada. Leon became a center for intellectuals and liberal ideology, while Granada remained more conservative.
The nation achieved independence in 1821; however, a short time later, the territory became annexed to Mexico along with other Central American states. In 1823, they broke away and formed the United Provinces of Central America.
Finally, in 1838, the country became fully independent. With the Spanish leaving, other civilizations began to show interest in the country. Both the English and the Americans wanted to establish communication between the Atlantic and the Pacific.
Under the pretext of mediating the conflict between the liberals and conservatives, an American, William Walker, seized control of the government in 1856. However, without the support of either side, the two groups united against him, and threw him out the following year.
Unfortunately, the American interference, both politically and economically, brought about internal conflicts. The fuse which sparked major internal strife was a pact signed by Chamorro that gave the right to the United States to construct a canal. A guerrilla movement arose led by General Augusto César Sandino; this movement only managed to be controlled when Sandino was murdered in 1934.
Over the years, the problems in the country were not resolved culminating in a political dictatorship under General Anastásio Somoza who established great power for himself and his family. Following his assassination, in 1956, his family still continued his style of leadership. Toward the end of the 1960s, his brother, Anastásio Somoza Debayle, became president. The Somozas generally maintained friendly relations with the United States. Somoza remained president until the beginning of the 1980s except for a two year break from 1972 - 1974. The Sandista National Liberation Front unleashed a military offensive against the president forcing the president to take refuge in the United States for a time. In 1984, a Sandista was elected to power; this led the country to the imposition of an American economic restraint which also influenced other nations to do the same.
Nicaragua received help from its neighboring countries, El Salvador, Guatemala e Honduras which, in 1988, signed a peace plan. The guerrillas, the conflicts, and the economic pressures continued to leave their mark; even today, the country continues to struggle to get out of its economic and political crises.
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