|
1535 |
Spanish conquest of Colombia
begins and the first permanent settlement in South
America was founded at Santa Marta
|
|
1536 |
1536-1538: Spanish
conquistador Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada (1509-1579)
leads an expedition into the Andes and obtains
massive amounts of emeralds and gold
|
|
1538 |
Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada
founds Bogota as the capital of the 'New Kingdom of
Granada' |
|
1550 |
Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada was
appointed Marshal of New Granada and councillor of
Bogotá for life (he died in 1579) |
|
1550 |
African slaves shipped to work
on Colombian plantations |
|
1564 |
The Spanish government
appoints a president to govern the Colombian colony |
|
1700s |
Spain combines Colombia with
neighbouring territories into one large colony
called the Viceroyalty of New Granada which
consisted of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and
Panama
Venezuelan General Francisco Gabriel de Miranda
(1750-1816) participated in major political events
for more than thirty years
|
|
1810 |
The territories of the
Viceroyalty of New Granada establish their own
independent governments |
|
1810 |
The King of Spain is
overthrown by Napoleon |
|
1814 |
Spain sends troops to South
America to quell the uprising of the colonists |
|
1819 |
August 7: General Simon
Bolivar defeats royalist forces in the Battle of
Boyaca
|
|
1819 |
December 17: The Republic of
Colombia (also known as Gran Colombia) is proclaimed
consisting of Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador
|
|
1819 |
Colombia gains its
independence from Spain and Simon Bolivar becomes
the first Colombian president
|
|
1830 |
Ecuador and Venezuela became
totally independent from Gran Colombia |
|
1853 |
Colombia adopts a constitution
which abolishes slavery |
|
1899 |
1899-1902: Civil War - The War
of the Thousand Days |
|
1903 |
Panama seceded from Colombia
with US backing and allows US control over the land
now known as the Panama Canal zone
|
|
1922 |
The USA paid Colombia $25
million for the loss of Panama |
|
1939 |
1939-1945 Colombia helped the
USA to keep the Panama Canal open during World War
II |
|
1989 |
USA began to supply the
Colombian government with military equipment to help
rid Colombia of drug dealers |
