World History Timeline

Timeline

55 events

12th century BCE

  1. c. 12th century BCE – c. 4th century BCE★★★★★

    Rise of the Olmec civilization

    The Olmecs develop the earliest known complex civilization of Mesoamerica along Mexico's Gulf Coast, known for their colossal stone heads.

    Culture· Mexico

5th century BCE

  1. c. 5th century BCE – c. 5th century★★★★★

    Nazca Lines created

    In the desert of southern Peru, the Nazca and earlier cultures create enormous geoglyphs on the ground, best seen in full from above.

    CultureArt· Peru

1st century BCE

  1. c. 1st century BCE – c. 6th century★★★★★

    Teotihuacan flourishes

    Teotihuacan in the Valley of Mexico grows into one of the largest cities in the world of its time, with the Pyramid of the Sun and the Avenue of the Dead.

    Culture· Mexico

3rd century

  1. c. 3rd century – c. 9th century★★★★★

    Classic period of Maya civilization

    Maya city-states such as Tikal, Palenque and Calakmul reach their height in architecture, writing, astronomy and calendrics.

    CultureScience· Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras

8th century

  1. c. 8th century – c. 10th century★★★★★

    Classic Maya collapse

    Many Maya cities of the southern lowlands are gradually abandoned, possibly due to drought, warfare and political crisis.

    Politics· Guatemala, Mexico

9th century

  1. c. 9th century★★★★★

    Chichén Itzá becomes a major Maya center

    Chichén Itzá on the Yucatán Peninsula rises to become one of the most powerful Maya cities, with its famous El Castillo pyramid.

    Culture· Mexico

14th century

  1. c. 1325★★★★★

    Founding of Tenochtitlan

    According to tradition, the Mexica (Aztecs) found Tenochtitlan on an island in Lake Texcoco, the site of present-day Mexico City.

    Politics· Mexico

15th century

  1. 1428★★★★★

    Formation of the Aztec Triple Alliance

    Tenochtitlan, Texcoco and Tlacopan form an alliance that becomes the basis of the Aztec Empire dominating central Mexico.

    PoliticsTreaty· Mexico
  3. c. 1450s★★★★★

    Construction of Machu Picchu

    The Incas build Machu Picchu high in the Andes, most likely as an estate for the emperor Pachacuti.

    Culture· Peru
  4. October 12, 1492★★★★★

    Columbus reaches the Americas

    Christopher Columbus's Spanish-sponsored expedition makes landfall on an island in the Bahamas.

    Exploration· Bahamas, Spain
  5. June 7, 1494★★★★★

    Treaty of Tordesillas

    Spain and Portugal agree to divide newly found lands outside Europe along a meridian in the Atlantic.

    TreatyExploration· Spain, Portugal
  6. c. 15th century – c. 1860s★★★★★

    The transatlantic slave trade

    From the 16th to the 19th century, an estimated 12.5 million enslaved Africans were shipped across the Atlantic to the Americas, with profound consequences for both continents.

    Economy· Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Senegal, Angola, Brazil, United States, Portugal, United Kingdom
  7. April 22, 1500★★★★★

    Cabral reaches Brazil

    A Portuguese fleet under Pedro Álvares Cabral reaches the coast of Brazil, beginning Portugal's claim to and colonization of the land.

    Exploration· Brazil, Portugal

16th century

  1. April 1519★★★★★

    Hernán Cortés lands in Mexico

    Spanish conquistadors under Hernán Cortés land on Mexico's Gulf Coast and found Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz, beginning the conquest of the Aztec Empire.

    WarExploration· Mexico, Spain
  2. August 13, 1521★★★★★

    Fall of Tenochtitlan

    Spanish forces under Hernán Cortés and their Indigenous allies capture the Aztec capital.

    War· Mexico
  3. November 16, 1532★★★★★

    Pizarro captures Atahualpa at Cajamarca

    A small Spanish force led by Francisco Pizarro ambushes and captures the Inca emperor Atahualpa, beginning the fall of the Inca Empire.

    War· Peru, Spain
  4. January 18, 1535★★★★★

    Pizarro founds Lima

    Francisco Pizarro founds Lima, which becomes the capital of the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru.

    Politics· Peru
  5. 1545★★★★★

    Silver discovered at Potosí

    The vast silver deposits of Cerro Rico at Potosí begin to be mined, supplying huge quantities of silver to Spain and the world economy.

    Economy· Bolivia, Spain

18th century

  1. July 24, 1783★★★★★

    Birth of Simón Bolívar

    Simón Bolívar, leader of independence movements across much of South America, is born in Caracas.

    Birth· Venezuela
  2. August 22, 1791 – January 1, 1804★★★★★

    Haitian Revolution begins

    Enslaved people in the French colony of Saint-Domingue rise up, beginning the only successful slave revolution in history.

    RevolutionWar· Haiti, France

19th century

  1. April 7, 1803★★★★★

    Death of Toussaint Louverture

    Toussaint Louverture, leader of the Haitian Revolution, dies while imprisoned at Fort de Joux in France.

    Death· Haiti, France
  2. January 1, 1804★★★★★

    Haiti declares independence

    Jean-Jacques Dessalines proclaims Haiti's independence, making it the second independent nation in the Americas and the first republic founded by formerly enslaved people.

    RevolutionPolitics· Haiti, France
  4. July 9, 1816★★★★★

    Argentine Declaration of Independence

    The Congress of Tucumán declares the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata independent from Spain.

    RevolutionPolitics· Argentina, Spain
  5. August 7, 1819★★★★★

    Battle of Boyacá

    Simón Bolívar's forces defeat the Spanish at Boyacá, securing the liberation of New Granada (present-day Colombia).

    WarRevolution· Colombia, Spain
  6. September 27, 1821★★★★★

    Mexico achieves independence from Spain

    The Army of the Three Guarantees enters Mexico City, ending over a decade of war and three centuries of Spanish rule.

    RevolutionPolitics· Mexico, Spain
  7. September 7, 1822★★★★★

    Independence of Brazil

    Prince Regent Pedro declares Brazil's independence from Portugal by the Ipiranga brook and later becomes Emperor Pedro I.

    PoliticsRevolution· Brazil, Portugal
  8. December 2, 1823★★★★★

    Monroe Doctrine

    President James Monroe declares that the United States will oppose any further European colonization or intervention in the Americas.

    Politics· United States
  9. December 9, 1824★★★★★

    Battle of Ayacucho

    Independence forces under Antonio José de Sucre defeat the Spanish army in Peru, effectively ending Spanish rule in South America.

    WarRevolution· Peru, Spain
  10. December 17, 1830★★★★★

    Death of Simón Bolívar

    Simón Bolívar, the "Liberator" of much of South America, dies in Santa Marta, Colombia.

    Death· Colombia, Venezuela
  11. 1846 – 1848★★★★★

    Mexican–American War

    War between the United States and Mexico following the US annexation of Texas; Mexico is defeated and loses about half of its territory.

    War· United States, Mexico
  12. February 2, 1848★★★★★

    Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

    The treaty ends the Mexican–American War, with Mexico ceding California and much of today's Southwest to the United States.

    Treaty· United States, Mexico
  13. May 5, 1862★★★★★

    Battle of Puebla

    Mexican forces defeat a French expeditionary army at Puebla, a victory later commemorated as Cinco de Mayo.

    War· Mexico, France
  14. 1864 – 1870★★★★★

    Paraguayan War

    Paraguay fights the Triple Alliance of Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay in a war that devastates Paraguay and kills a large share of its population.

    War· Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay
  15. 1879 – 1884★★★★★

    War of the Pacific

    Chile defeats Peru and Bolivia in a war over the mineral-rich Atacama Desert; Bolivia loses its access to the sea.

    War· Chile, Peru, Bolivia
  16. May 13, 1888★★★★★

    Brazil abolishes slavery (Golden Law)

    Princess Isabel signs the Golden Law (Lei Áurea), abolishing slavery in Brazil, the last country in the Americas to do so.

    Politics· Brazil
  17. November 15, 1889★★★★★

    Proclamation of the Republic of Brazil

    A military coup deposes Emperor Pedro II, ending the Empire of Brazil and establishing a republic.

    PoliticsRevolution· Brazil
  18. April 1898 – December 10, 1898★★★★★

    Spanish–American War

    The United States defeats Spain, gaining Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines, while Cuba is freed from Spanish rule.

    War· United States, Spain, Cuba, Philippines, Puerto Rico

20th century

  1. November 20, 1910 – 1920★★★★★

    Mexican Revolution

    Francisco Madero calls for revolt against Porfirio Díaz, launching a decade-long revolution involving figures such as Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata.

    RevolutionWar· Mexico
  2. August 15, 1914★★★★★

    Panama Canal opens

    The US-built Panama Canal officially opens, linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

    TechnologyEconomy· Panama, United States
  3. July 13, 1930 – July 30, 1930★★★★★

    First FIFA World Cup

    The first World Cup is held in Uruguay; the hosts win the title, beating Argentina 4–2 in the final.

    Culture· Uruguay
  4. January 1, 1959★★★★★

    Triumph of the Cuban Revolution

    Dictator Fulgencio Batista flees Cuba and revolutionary forces led by Fidel Castro take power.

    Revolution· Cuba
  6. April 17, 1961 – April 20, 1961★★★★★

    Bay of Pigs Invasion

    CIA-backed Cuban exiles land at the Bay of Pigs in an attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro but are defeated within days.

    War· Cuba, United States
  7. October 16, 1962 – October 28, 1962★★★★★

    Cuban Missile Crisis

    A 13-day standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union over nuclear missiles in Cuba brings the world closest to nuclear war.

    Politics· Cuba, United States, Russia
  8. October 9, 1967★★★★★

    Death of Che Guevara

    Revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara is captured and executed by the Bolivian army in La Higuera.

    Death· Bolivia, Argentina, Cuba
  9. September 11, 1973★★★★★

    1973 Chilean coup d'état

    The Chilean military under General Augusto Pinochet overthrows President Salvador Allende, beginning a 17-year military dictatorship.

    PoliticsRevolution· Chile
  10. March 24, 1976★★★★★

    1976 Argentine coup d'état

    The Argentine military overthrows President Isabel Perón and installs a junta associated with the "Dirty War".

    Politics· Argentina
  11. July 19, 1979★★★★★

    Sandinista revolution triumphs in Nicaragua

    The Sandinista National Liberation Front enters Managua after dictator Anastasio Somoza Debayle flees, ending the Somoza family's rule.

    Revolution· Nicaragua
Timeline · World History Timeline