Colombia Timeline
1500s Spanish explorers were attracted to Colombia because of its natural wealth, especially gold. The Spanish explorers found many Indian groups living in the region. The Chibcha was an advanced tribe that lived in the Andes.
1525 The first permanent settlement in South America was founded at Santa Marta.
1536-1538 Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada led an expedition into the Andes and conquered the Chibcha.
1538 Jimenez de Quesada founded the settlement Santa Fe de Bogota, now Bogota. He called the surrounding area the New Kingdom of Granada.
1564 The Spanish government appointed a president to govern the colony.
Early 1700s Spain combined the region of Colombia with neighboring territories into one large colony called the Viceroyalty of New Granada. The Viceroyalty consisted of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama.
1780-1781 Many people protested against the new taxes imposed by Spain.
1810 Most part of the Viceroyalty set up their own independent governments.
1814 Spain sent troops to South America to put down the uprising of the colonists.
1819 Simon Bolivar led the South American troops in a victory against Spain in the Battle of Boyaca.
1819 Colombia gained its independence from Spain. Simon Bolivar established Gran Colombia and he became the first president of it.
1830 Ecuador and Venezuela left Gran Colombia to became completely independent.
1853 Colombia adopted a constitution which abolished slavery.
1886 Colombia adopted another constitution. This new consitution helped to strengthen the central government
1899-1902 The War of the Thousand Days took place. It was a fierce civil war which raged throughout he nation.
1903 Colombia lost Panama.
1922 The United States paid Colombia $25 million for the loss of Panama.
1939-1945 Colombia helped the United States to keep the Panama Canal open during World War II.
1940s The rural poor began moving into the urban areas in search of a better life.
1948 Jorge Eliecer Gaitan, the leader of the Liberal Party, was assassinated. Riots followed the assassination. Fighting and warfare continued until the mid-1960s.
1950s Manufacturing became increasingly important.
1957 The Liberal and Conservative parties agreed to a coalition. It was called the National Front.
1960s Leftist guerilla groups have been fighting against the government since this time period.
1985 The volcano, Nevado del Ruiz, erupted twice killing 25,000 people.
Mid 1980s The Colombian government began a determined effort to stop the large drug traffic in the country.
1989 The United States began supplying the Colombian government with military equipment to help get rid of the drug dealers.
Late 1980s The Colombian government reached an agreement with some of the leftist guerrilla groups.
1991 A new constitution was adopted.
Mid 1990s United States and Colombian law enforcement officials arrested or killed several cartel leaders.
1998 Andres Pastrana Arango was elected president. He began peace talks with the remaining guerilla groups.
2002 Pastrana cut off the peace talks and sent in military forces to try and remove the guerilla forces.
2002 Alvaro Uribe Velez was elected president.
Works Cited
Smole, William J. "Colombia." Worldbookonline.com