1400 BCE - The Olmec civilization begins to develop
1000 BCE
1000 - The Mayan Civilization starts to form
99 BCE
100 - The Mayans build the first pyramids
1000
1000 - The southern cities of the Mayan culture begin to collapse
1200
1200 - The Aztecs arrive in the Valley of Mexico
1325
1325 - The Aztecs found the city of Tenochtitlan
1440
1440 - Moctezuma I becomes leader of the Aztecs and expands the Aztec Empire
1517
1517 - Spanish explorer Hernandez de Cordoba explores the shores of southern Mexico
1519
1519 - Hernan Cortez arrives in Tenochtitlan. Moctezuma II is killed
1521
1521 - Cortez defeats the Aztecs and claims the land for Spain. Mexico City will be built on the same spot as Tenochtitlan
1600s - Spain conquers the rest of Mexico and Spanish settlers arrive. Mexico is part of the colony of New Spain
1810 - The Mexican War of Independence begins led by Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo
1811 - Miguel Hidalgo is executed by the Spanish
1821 - The War of Independence ends and Mexico declares its independence on September 27th
1822 - Agustin de Iturbide is declared the first Emperor of Mexico
1824 - Guadalupe Victoria takes office as the first President of Mexico. Mexico becomes a republic
1833 - Santa Anna becomes president for the first time
1835 - The Texas Revolution begins
1836 - The Mexican army led by Santa Anna is defeated by the Texans led by Sam Houston at the Battle of San Jacinto. Texas declares its independence from Mexico as the Republic of Texas
1846 - The Mexican-American War begins
1847 - The United States Army occupies Mexico City
1848 - The Mexican-American War ends with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The U.S. gains territory including California, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada
1853 - Mexico sells portions of New Mexico and Arizona to the United States as part of the Gasden Purchase
1857 - Santa Anna is exiled from Mexico
1861 - The French invade Mexico and install Maximilian of Austria as president in 1864
1867 - Benito Jaurez expels the French and becomes president
1910 - The Mexican Revolution begins led by Emiliano Zapata
1911 - President Porfirio Diaz, who ruled as dictator for 35 years, is overthrown and replaced with revolutionary Francisco Madero
1917 - The Mexican Constitution is adopted
1923 - Revolutionary hero and military leader Poncho Villa is assassinated
1929 - The National Mexican Party is formed. It will later be named the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). The PRI will rule the Mexican government until the year 2000
1930 - Mexico experiences a long period of economic growth
1942 - Mexico joins the Allies in World War II declaring war on Germany and Japan
1968 - The Summer Olympics are held in Mexico City
1985 - A huge 8.1 level earthquake hits Mexico City. Much of the city is destroyed and over 10,000 people are killed
1993 - The North American Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Canada and the United States is ratified
2000 - Vicente Fox is elected president. He is the first president not from the PRI party in 71 years