-
Spain conquers the rest of Mexico and Spanish settlers arrive. Mexico is part of the colony of New Spain.
-
The Mexican War of Independence begins led by Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo.
-
Miguel Hidalgo is executed by the Spanish.
-
The War of Independence ends and Mexico declares its independence on September 27th.
-
Agustin de Iturbide is declared the first Emperor of Mexico.
-
Guadalupe Victoria takes office as the first President of Mexico. Mexico becomes a republic.
-
Santa Anna becomes president for the first time.
-
The Texas Revolution begins.
-
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.
-
The Mexican-American War begins.
-
The United States Army occupies Mexico City.
-
The Mexican-American War ends with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The U.S. gains territory including California, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada.
-
Mexico sells portions of New Mexico and Arizona to the United States as part of the Gasden Purchase.
-
Santa Anna is exiled from Mexico.
-
The French invade Mexico and install Maximilian of Austria as president in 1864.
-
The Mexican Constitution is adopted.
-
Revolutionary hero and military leader Poncho Villa is assassinated.
-
Mexico experiences a long period of economic growth.
-
Mexico joins the Allies in World War II declaring war on Germany and Japan.
-
The Summer Olympics are held in Mexico City.
-
A huge 8.1 level earthquake hits Mexico City. Much of the city is destroyed and over 10,000 people are killed.
-
Vicente Fox is elected president. He is the first president not from the PRI party in 71 years.
-
A new federal police force is created to tackle drugs cartels; thousands of troops are deployed in the western state of Michoacan as part of a major anti-drug trafficking drive.
-
Heavy rains flood nearly the entire southern state of Tabasco. Some 500,000 are made homeless in one of the country's worst natural disasters.
-
Army troops enter Ciudad Juarez, on the border with the US, as open warfare erupts between rival drug gangs.
-
Miguel Angel Trevino Morales, head of the brutal Zetas drugs cartel, is arrested in the highest-profile arrest since President Pena Nieto adopted a policy of targeting local bosses rather than big names.
-
The US, Canada and Mexico reach a new trade deal - the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) - to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta).