Latin America Timeline

Maya Empire

250 CE

Maya Empire

-Began about 250 CE in mesoamerica, (southern Mexico, Guatemala, northern Belize, and western Honduras). The Maya civilixation is famous for their ancient temples. Such as Chichen Itza's El Castillo. Additionally, they also had the most sophisticated writing system pre-Columbuan America.

Aztec Empire

1428

Aztec Empire

-Began about the early 1400s (1428) in central Mexico. The Aztect Empire was an alliance of city-states. These are Tenochtitlan, Tetzcoco, and Tlacopan. They built temples and had sophisticated agricultural techniques. The Aztec Empire was one of the last mesoamerican cultures to survive after the Europeans arrived.

Inca Empire

1438

Inca Empire

-Began in 1438, but may have arose earlier in the 13th century. This was the largest empire pre-Colombian America that started in south America. The Inca Empire didn't have a written alphabet, but rather communicated through knotts called Quipu. Ther were most famous for their art and architecture techniques.

Christopher Columbus arriving in the Americas

1492

Christopher Columbus arriving in the Americas

-Italian explorer Christopher Columbus set sail in hopes to arrive in Asia but instead found himself in the Bahamas. The discovery of the new world led to widespread European exploration and colonization of the Americas. Additionally, his voyage led to the exposure of new foods and animals for Europeans.

Hernan Cortes expedition

1519-1521

Hernan Cortes expedition

-Cortes was to command his own expedition to Mexico with goals to search for gold in America. His own personal goal being to overthrow their current ruler. In his expedition in 1519, Cortes defeated the Aztecs and took rule. Inspiring others to follow his path in South America.

Nunez de Balboa expedition

1513

Nunez de Balboa expedition

-Nunez de Balboa helped establish the first settlement in South America. He is best known for having crossed the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific Ocean. Making him the first European to lead an expedition to reach the Pacific from the new world.

Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba and the conquest of Nicaragua

1524

Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba and the conquest of Nicaragua

-Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba was a Spanish conquistador. He’s famous for the conquering of Nicaragua, which was left alone by the Spanish for 20 years. Cordoba was later killed in 1527 by Pedrarias jealousy of his success.

Haitian Revolution

1719

Haitian Revolution

-The Haitian revolution was started from self-liberated slaves against the French colonial rule. The revolution ended Napoleon's attempts to create a French empire in the new world and also was the major factor into France selling their land to the United States. Haiti is the only country where slave freedom was taken by force and is the only successful slave revolt in modern history.

Argentina Independence

1816

Argentina Independence

-Like most South American colonies, Argentina wanted their independence from Spain. This was due to the economic exploitation that Spain had engaged in for centuries. The local militia organized together to fight one of the many Spanish American wars for independence.

Venezuela Independence

1819

Venezuela Independence

-Venezuela's independence was won through war. When independence movements in Latin America began to fight against the rule of the Spanish, Venezuela joined in as well after declaring their independence in 1813. It wasn’t until 1835 that the United States recognized Venezuela as their own and separated from Colombia.

Mexico Independence

1821

Mexico Independence

-Mexico's independence was called from Mexican conservatives that wanted to maintain their privileged position in Mexican society. Spain at the time lacked money and troops and could not easily afford this war. Making them have to accept Mexican independence.

Panama Canal

1914

Panama Canal

-Completed in 1914, the canal is proof of American economic power and technology. Originally developed by the French, the canal was created to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. This provides a new route for international trade, makes goods more affordable, and allows for better military transport.

Cuban Missile Crisis

1962

Cuban Missile Crisis

-This Caribbean crisis was the biggest missile scare between the United States and the Soviet Union. President Kennedy had discovered that the Soviet Union had transported missiles to the island. To avoid war, the two agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba and Turkey.

Venezuelan Crisis

2000s

Venezuelan Crisis

-The country’s dependency on oil led to economic failure. With the decline in oil prices since the financial crisis of 2007-2008, Venezuela suffered from mass unemployment, human rights violations, and political corruption. This crisis had affected the life of the average Venezuelan. It’s estimated that 94% of the country lives in poverty.

NAFTA

2008

NAFTA

-NAFTA went under effect under the CLinton administration. The goal was to boost trade between Canada, Mexico, and the United States by eliminating taxes and tariffs on most goods traded. This allows for Mexico to push more of their products into the U.S. and become a major manufacturer.