1. Nicaragua

2. Colonized in 1524 by Francisco Hernández de Córdoba
Gained its independence on September 15, 1821
Political control seized by William Walker, an American doctor, lawyer, journalist, and mercenery in 1856
Walker attempted to found an English-speaking, slaveholding colony
Defeated by a coalition of Central American armies in 1957, executed in Honduras in 1860

3. William Walker Cornelius Vanderbilt

4. Since the Panama Canal had not been built yet, a major trade route was to sail on the San Juan River from the Atlantic, then through Lake Nicaragua, then travel by stagecoach to the Pacific
Cornelius Vanderbilt´s Accessory Trade Company controlled the trade route
In the 1850s, there was a political feud between Nicaragua´s Democratic and Loyalist Parties
The Democratic Party hired Walker and his army of 60 men to fight the Loyalists
Without Vanderbilt´s consent, subordinates of the Accessory Trade Company provided financial aid to Walker

5. Augusto Sandino
Leader of rebellion agains U.S. intervention from 1927 to 1933
Assasinated in 1934 by the forces of Anastasio Somoza García, who then seized power for himself

6. U.S. Military Occupation (1912-1933)
Part of Banana Wars, in which the U.S. forcefully intervened in Latin American countries from in order to secure economic interests
Paraguay, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Mexico
Bananas, tobacco, sugar cane
Panama Canal

7. Anastasio Somoza García
Corruption
Anastasio Somoza García
Dictator from
The U.S. supported his regime because it was seen as a non-Communist stronghold in Latin America

8. Seized power in coup d´etat in 1936
Led 20 year dictatorship
His sons continued to rule as dictators until the Sandinista rebellion in 1979
Controlled:
-51 cattle ranches
-46 coffee plantations
-Railroad
Fortune equaled $400,000,000
Granted concessions to foreign companies who exploited gold, rubber, and timber
Restricted imports and ran illegal contraband operations
Received bribes from illegal gambling, prostitution, and rum distilleries

9. Identify 4 different governments that Nicaragua had in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Overall, how do you think the geopolitical events discussed in this presentation affected the average people of Nicaragua?