- Niquirano, Chorotegano and Chontal cultures (Pre-Columbian era)
- Gil Gonzalez Davila and Spain arrive (1522)
- New Spain (1521-1821)
- British Mosquito Coast protectorate (1655-1850)
- First Mexican Empire (1821-1823)
- Federal Republic of Central America (1823-1841)
- Nicaragua gains independence (1838)
- Filibuster War (1856-1857)
- Mosquito Coast is annexed by Nicaragua (1894)
- United States occupies Nicaragua (1912-1933)
- Nicaraguan Civil War (1926-1927)
- Somoza dictatorship (1936-1979)
- Nicaraguan earthquake (1972)
- Sandinista insurrection (1972-1979)
- Hurricane Mitch (1998)
- Nicaraguan protests (2018 - now)
(This post includes any nation or civilization that occupied at least a portion of Nicaragua at some point. Unless specified otherwise, the dates correspond to when a nation or civilization existed, but do not necessarily correspond to occupation of Nicaragua.)