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Nov 21, 1493
Papal BullInter Caetera and the Treaty of Tordesillas
In 1493 Pope Alexander VI issued the Bull Inter Calera, meaning that Spain owned all of the land west of 300 miles of the Cape Verde Islands -
Period: Nov 21, 1493 to
Latin America Timeline
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Mar 24, 1519
The Conquest of the Aztec and Inca Empires
After the New World was discovered, Spain soon realized that it was an incredibly valuable resource that should be pacified and colonized. -
Independence from Spain and Portugal
Using the Napoleonic invasion of Spain as an excuse, most of Latin America declared independence from Spain in 1810. By 1825, Mexico, Central and South America were free, soon to be followed by Brazil. -
The Mexican-American War
Still smarting from the loss of Texas a decade before, Mexico went to war with the United States in 1846 after a series of skirmishes on the border. -
The War of the Triple Alliance
The most devastating war ever fought in South America, the War of the Triple Alliance pitted Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil against Paraguay. -
The War of the Pacific
n 1879, Chile and Bolivia went to war after spending decades bickering over a border dispute. Peru, which had a military alliance with Bolivia, was drawn into the war as well. -
The Construction of the Panama Canal
The completion of the Panama Canal by Americans in 1914 marked the end of a remarkable and ambitious feat of engineering. The results have been felt ever since, as the canal has drastically changed worldwide shipping. -
The Mexican Revolution
A revolution of impoverished peasants against an entrenched wealthy class, the Mexican Revolution shook the world and forever altered the trajectory of Mexican politics. -
The Cuban Revolution
When Fidel Castro, his brother Raúl and a ragged band of followers attacked the barracks at Moncada in 1953, they may not have known they were taking the first step to one of the most significant revolutions of all time. -
Operation Condor
In the mid-1970’s, the governments of the southern cone of South America – Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia and Uruguay – had several things in common. They were ruled by conservative regimes, either dictators or military juntas, and they had a growing problem with opposition forces and dissidents. -
Autumn Equionox, Chichen Itza, Mexico
The Maya mastery of astronomy and architecture becomes most apparent in Chichen Itza on the first day of autumn. On this day, thousands gather to watch the sun cast the long shadow of a serpent on the flank of the main pyramid. -
a Semana del Arte, Buenos Aires, Argentina
This is the last night of this annual festival, which highlights the best of Buenos Aires’ ever-expanding art scene. Gallery nights, museum tours and other activities are on offer all week. Check out the festival’s Spanish-language website for more info. -
Fiestas Patrias, Santiago, Chile
Today is the end of the four-day weekend marking the bicentennial of Chile’s independence. Major events are planned in Santiago, specifically in Parque Alberto Hurtado and the Estadio Nacional. -
South American Music Conference, Quito, Ecuador
One of Latin America’s most important house and electronica events swings through Quito this year. The highlight of SAMC 2010 is a concert Saturday night at Cemexpo, featuring DJs from around the region and headlined by Paul Oakenfold. -
Airplane WiFi Comes to Brazil
TAM, the major airline in Brazil, has announced that it will be installing WiFi in its planes. For now, the service will be available on some flights between São Paulo and a few other major cities. -
Al Trabajo en Bici, Montevideo, Uruguay
Wednesday is Car-Free Day, celebrated in many cities around the world. In Montevideo, workers and students will be encouraged to bike to work. Cyclists will gather at the Monumento al Gaucho at 6 pm.
