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Review
| The History of Central America, by Thomas L. Pearcy. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2006. 163 pages. $45.00, cloth.
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| Those wishing to teach the history of Central America face two daunting challenges. The first is trying to convey to students the importance Central America had during the 1980s. Now twenty years removed from the heyday of media coverage of the region, students may find it difficult to understand just how important the region was as a battleground during the waning years of the Cold War. The second challenge is trying to unify the histories of individual countries into some larger regional historical context. Despite the fact that Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica were once part of the failed United Provinces of Central America, each country has developed along its own historical trajectories. Then there is the problem of whether—and how—to incorporate the histories of Belize and Panama (two countries that diverge in several ways from the histories of the five other Central American republics). Thus, one must decide how to teach the history of a whole region while being sensitive to the individual histories of the countries in that region. |
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Because of his willingness to tackle these two challenges to Central American history, Thomas Pearcy's book would serve as a useful resource for students and teachers alike. The book begins with a survey of key demographic, geographic, economic, political, and historical overviews of the seven countries in Central America. For those unfamiliar with the region, the introductory chapter is a great "crash course" about the Isthmus. Similarly, the second chapter provides a useful overview of the early history of Central America and the indigenous peoples that inhabited the region prior to the arrival of the Spanish. The remaining chapters detail the broad patterns and themes of Central American history. Beginning with the failed attempt at union after independence from Spain, Pearcy traces how the nations of the region—faced with a set of daunting challenges—sought to make the transition from colony to independence while also trying to foster political stability and economic development. Other chapters tease out Central America's complicated relationship with the U.S. and the turbulent years of the Cold War that saw the rise of military dictatorships and social upheavals. The book concludes with a look toward the future. Now that the civil wars that rocked the region have ended, what does the future hold for Central America? The author maintains that the future success of the region hinges on the sustainability of responsible and stable civil governments. |
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The book would make a useful reference for teachers and students because it provides a very helpful introduction to the themes and issues that have shaped Central American history: political instability, the influence of the U.S., and the tensions associated with the existence of a Central American national identity that often comes into conflict with seven individual national identities. That, and a helpful timeline of key events and a section on notable people in Central American history, makes Pearcy's history a must for those wishing to familiarize themselves with the region and its history. However, this book would not make a good primary text in college courses. The survey's strength is its general treatment of the region's history, but a lack of depth makes it difficult to adapt to a history course. In analyzing the over-arching historical themes, the author shows how these themes were played out in each Central American country. Though he is to be commended for trying to link region-wide with country-specific analysis, the material provided is too general to be of any use beyond an introduction to the region. Those wishing a more detailed study of the region's history may have to look elsewhere. Therefore, Pearcy's history of Central America would make a great resource as a reference, not as a primary textbook. That, however, should not detract from an otherwise ambitious work. The book under review is a fine contribution to Central American history because the author has incorporated the histories of Belize and Panama to an extent that other general histories of Central America do not. |
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| Michigan State University |
Alberto E. Nickerson |
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