Promotional Information

A concise history of Panama, spanning the period of its colonization by the Spanish to the present day.

Table of Contents

Series Foreword Frank W. ThackerayandJohn E. Findling Acknowledgments Timeline of Historical Events 1 Panama Is a Canal and More 2 Colonial Panama to Independence 3 Completing the Canal to World War II 4 Panama during the Cold War 5 Dictatorship, Nationalism, and the Canal Treaties, 1968–1981 6 The Noriega Years, 1981–1990 7 Democracy and the Canal Gained Notable People in the History of Panama Bibliographic Essay Index

About the Author

Robert C. Harding is Director of International Studies and Assistant Professor of Political Science at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama. His research interests include Latin American Politics, security studies, and space policy.

Reviews

[D]esigned for students in middle school through college and public libraries, will give the reader a better understanding of the world….[o]ffers a well-organized format and clear, concise writing.
*Multicultural Review*

Christopher Columbus left his brother in Panama to found a European settlement, an enterprise which was destroyed by local Indians. It was incorporated into Peru, sacked by the English, incorporated into Colombia, divided by a railroad, divided again by a canal, invaded by the US several times, decimated by dictators and finally, after significant reforms, emerged as one of the most democratic and free nations in Latin America. Despite its fascinating history, however, most people only remember Panama for its canal. In this history for the general readership, Harding makes sure to give the canal its due respect (it was built in fits and starts to be completed in 1913) but also describes the role Panama played in treating malaria, defining US foreign policy, and maintaining a rich and distinct culture despite all the sacking, invading, and dictating.
*Reference & Research Book News*