historical building.
After independence, under the presidency of Gaspar Rodr�guez de Francia (1766�1840), who ran the country with little outside influence from 1814 to 1840, roads were built and the streets were named.
However, it was while Carlos Antonio L�pez (1790-1862) was president, from 1844 to 1862, that Asunci�n (and Paraguay) progressed. The new president built more than 400 schools, opened metallurgic factories, and built the first railroad service in South America.
However, his son Francisco Solano L�pez (1826-1870) became president and led the country through the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-1870). That war, which caused more deaths than any other South American war, was fought between Paraguay and the allied countries of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. Asunci�n was captured in 1868, and occupied by Brazilian troops until 1876.
The war had a devastating, long-term effect on Paraguay. In addition to losing 55,000 square miles (142,450 square kilometers) of productive territory in the southeast and northeast, the government had to sell many of its assets to pay reparations. Nearly half the population was lost; those who survived were mostly women and children.
After occupation, Paraguay went through a period of authoritarian rule, war with Bolivia from 1932 to 1935, a military takeover in 1936, and civil war in 1946. Alfredo Stroessner (1912-2006) took over in 1954, and ruled as a virtual dictator until 1989, during which time Paraguay became progressively isolated from the world community.
On February 3, 1989, Stroessner was overthrown in a military coup headed by General Andres Rodriguez, who won the presidency in elections held that May. Rodriguez instituted political, legal, and economic reforms and initiated a rapprochement with the international community. A new constitution in June 1992 established a democratic system of government and dramatically improved protection of fundamental rights
