|
The "southern cone" of South America has a vibrant yet checkered
history. Argentina in 1920 was a productive and wealthy
nation, yet by the 1980s was reduced to virtual third world
status. Chile has a long history of internal strife,
usually with representative politics until authoritarians seized
power in 1973. Chile was influenced by Spanish conquerors; Argentina's
Italian and German immigrants, made it the most "European" of
any South American country.
- CHILE:
- 15th
Cent.--Incas conquer Chile's fertile Central Valley;
Araucanian Indians driven south.
- 1520--Magellan
rounds South America through south-Chilean strait.
- 1535--
Spain's Diego de Almagro invades Chile, searching for
gold.
- 1540--Pedro
de Valdivia, 200 Spaniards, and 1000 Peruvian Indians
invade Chile. Valdivia founds Santiago (1541), Concepcion
(1550), others. Century of war with natives.
- 1641--Quillin
Treaty recognizes Araucanian control of southern Chile.
- 16th-18th
Cent.--Encomienda forced labor; Spanish trade through
Peru. Catholic
missions.
- 1810--Chilean
independence movement after Napolean Bonaparte seizes
Spanish throne. War with Spain (1812-18); Chile wins independence.
- 1823-1830--Factionalism
and turbulence; Liberal and Conservative parties formed. Conservative
government 1830-61; Liberal government 1861-91.
- 1882-1883--Nitrate
War; Chile seizes northern Atacama desert.
- 1891-1892
-Chilean Civil War; Parliamentary Rule (1891-1924).
- 1924-1938--Military
coups and reforms occur during Depression crisis.
- 1973
--Pinochet seizes government, rules as military dictator;
1989 referendum restores elections.
- ARGENTINA:
- 1516--
Portugal's Juan Diaz de Solis discovers vast South
American estuary. Explored by Magellan (1520), Sebastian
Cabot (1527).
- 1536--
Pedro de Mendoza establishes Buenos Aires; resettled
1580.
- 16th-18th
Cent.-- Colonial era; sparse population, factionalism
among internal states, tension with natives.
- 1806--
British attack Buenos Aires; Viceroy of Spain flee. Argentine
militias defeat British.
- 1811--
Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay become independent.
Argentine independence, 1816.
- 1829-1852--Rule
of Federalist strongman Juan Manuel de Rosas. Deposed
in military coup, followed by civil wars to 1880.
- 1880--Federalists
defeat Unitarians; Buenos Aires is federalized. Argentine
seeks immigrants, becomes increasingly European.
- 1914--By
WWI, population doubles to 8 million; multi-party politics,
labor unrest. Military coup in 1930.
- 1943--Military
coup under GOU; ascendancy of Juan Peron.
- 1955--Peron
ousted in military coup; military governments to 1983.
- 1982--Britain
defeats Argentina in Falklands War.
- 1983--Elections
abolish military government, restore democracy.
|
