Period
Description
SIXTEENTH CENTURY
October 21, 1520
Ferdinand Magellan first European to sight (but not
identify) Chilean shores.
1535-37
Diego de Almagro leads first Spanish expedition to
explore Chile.
1540
Pedro de Valdivia conquers Chile.
February 12, 1541
Valdivia founds Santiago.
1553-58
Indigenous Araucanian uprising.
1557
Mapuche rebel chief Lautaro defeated.
1560s
Alonso de Ercilla y Zúñiga composes epic poem "La
Araucana."
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY
1603
First army-like force, or militia, established in Chile.
1609
Pope Paul V authorizes war against Araucanians.
1643
Although warfare against Araucanians continues, Indians
help Spaniards repel invasion of southern Chile by Brouwer
expedition.
1647
Earthquake destroys Santiago.
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY
1730
Earthquake causes great destruction in Santiago and most
of central Chile.
1759-96
Bourbon reforms give Chile greater independence from
Viceroyalty of Peru.
1791
Governor Ambrosio O'Higgins y Ballenary outlaws
encomiendas and forced labor.
NINETEENTH CENTURY
September 18, 1810 Criollo leaders of Santiago declare
independence from Spain.
1814-17
(La Reconquista)
October 2, 1814
The Reconquest Spanish troops from Peru reconquer Chile at
Battle of Rancagua.
February 12, 1817
Troops led by Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme, father of
Chile, and General José de San Martín defeat Spanish in
Battle of Chacabuco.
1817
O'Higgins (1817-23) becomes supreme director of Chile.
April 5, 1818
Chile wins formal independence after San Martín defeats
last large Spanish force in Battle of Maipú.
August 1818
First provisional constitution approved in plebiscite.
1818-30
Period of civil wars.
April 17, 1830
Liberals defeated by Conservatives at Battle of Lircay.
1830-61
Period of Conservative rule.
1830-37
"Portalian State" initiated by businessman Diego Portales
Palazuelos, who dominates politics.
1833
New Portalian constitution implemented.
1836-39
Chile wages war against Peru-Bolivia Confederation.
January 1839
Chile wins war by defeating Peruvian fleet at Casma on
January 12 and Bolivian Army at Yungay on January 20.
1861-91
Period of Liberal rule.
1879-83
Chile wages war against Bolivia and Peru in War of the
Pacific.
1883
Chile seals victory with Treaty of Ancón.
1891
Civil war pits supporters of President José Manuel
Balmaceda Fernández against Congress, which wins.
TWENTIETH CENTURY
1891-1925
Period of Parliamentary Republic.
1925
Chile's second major constitution approved.
1945
Gabriela Mistral wins Nobel Prize for Literature.
September 4, 1970
Popular Unity's Salvador Allende Gossens wins presidential
election.
1971
Pablo Neruda wins Nobel Prize for Literature.
September 11, 1973
Military led by General Augusto Pinochet Ugarte overthrows
Allende government.
September 1973-90
Period of military rule under General Pinochet.
1980
New military-designed constitution is approved in a
plebiscite.
1988
Plebiscite held on Pinochet rule.
1990
Transition to democracy begins with presidency of Patricio
Aylwin Azócar.
March 11, 1994
Aylwin is succeeded by Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle.
Data as of March 1994