Mexico

By Ryan.Mahaffey
  • Jan 1, 1519

    Conquest of the Aztec Triple Alliance (1519–1521)

    Conquest of the Aztec Triple Alliance (1519–1521)
    Cortés and his men arrive in Tenochtitlán; they are welcomed as honored guests by Moctezuma and his people due to the Spaniard’s resemblance to Quetzalcoatl, a legendary light-skinned god-king whose return was prophesied in Aztec legend. Taking Moctezuma hostage, Cortés is able to gain control of Tenochtitlán.

  • HIDALGO, SANTA ANNA AND WAR

    HIDALGO, SANTA ANNA AND WAR
    Napoleon Bonaparte occupies Spain, deposes the monarchy, and installs his brother, Joseph, as head of state. The ensuing Peninsular War between Spain and France will lead almost directly to the Mexican war for independence, as the colonial government in New Spain falls into disarray and its opponents begin to gain momentum.

  • Independence

    Independence
    Father Manuel Hidalgo, a priest in the small village of Dolores, issues his famous call for Mexican independence. El grito de Dolores set off a flurry of revolutionary action by thousands of natives and mestizos, who banded together to capture Guanajuato and other major cities west of Mexico City. His name lives on in the Mexican state of Hidalgo, however, and September 16, 1810, is still celebrated as Mexico’s Independence Day.

  • Independence for Texas

    Independence for Texas
    Texas declares its independence from Mexico. Mexicans and Texans battle at the Alamo and San Jacinto.

  • Mexican-American War

    Mexican-American War
    The U.S. wins the Mexican-American War and gains Mexican territory. The land includes what are now Nevada and Utah, plus parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming and Colorado.

  • Mexican Revolution Begins

    Mexican Revolution Begins
    The Mexican Revolution begins when citizens rise up against oppressive rulers. Madero issues the Plan of San Luis Potosí, promising democracy, federalism, agrarian reform and worker’s rights and declaring war on the Díaz regime.

  • Olympic drama

    Olympic drama
    Student demonstration in Tlatelolco, Mexico City, during the Olympic Games is fired upon by Mexican security forces. Hundreds of protesters are killed or wounded. The extent of the violence shocks the country

  • Guerrilla Rebellion

    Guerrilla Rebellion
    1994 - A guerrilla rebellion in Chiapas by the Zapatista National Liberation Army is brutally suppressed by government troops. The rebels oppose Nafta and want greater recognition for Indian rights. The government recognises the Zapatista National Liberation Front (EZLN).

  • Elections

    Elections
    Vicente Fox of the opposition Alliance for Change wins presidential elections, the first opposition candidate ever to do so. Parliamentary elections see the Alliance for Change emerge as the strongest party, beating the PRI by just over 1%.

  • Past Uncovered

    Past Uncovered
    Millions of secret security files are released, shedding light on the torture and killing by security forces of hundreds of political activists in the 1960s and 1970s. President Fox says his government is not afraid to pursue prosecutions.