Bolivia History Timeline

1500s - 1800s

(1538) Spain seized Bolivia
(1545) Silver discovered in Cerro Rico mountains
(1548) La Paz founded by Alonso de Mendoza
(1561) Santa Cruz founded
(1809-1925) Bolivian War of Independence
(1825) Bolivia declared independence from Spain and Peru
(1836-1839) Peru-Bolivian Confederation; war with Chile and Argentina
(1839) Battle of Yungay, Chile defeated Peruvian-Bolivian army
(1842) Peace agreement with Peru
(1879-1883) War of the Pacific, lost nitrate-rich Atacama to Chile
(1899) La Paz became seat of government and administrative capital, Sucre the official capital

1900s

(1903) War of the Pacific officially ended
(1907) Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were killed by soldiers after robbing a mine
(1928) Paraguay disputed territory of Chaco Boreal; oil discovered in foothills of Andes
(1932-1935) Chaco War with Paraguay; discovered there was no oil
(1942) Victor Paz Estensorro founded National Revolutionary Movement
(1952-1956) Victor Paz Estensorro served first of four terms as president; guerrilla leader Che Guevara organized National Liberation Army
(1967) Che Guevara attempted to incite a revolution; executed
(1971-1978) Colonel Hugo Banzer Suarez ruled as a military leader
(1982-1985) Hernan Siles Zuazo became president again, restored democracy after 18 years of military rule
(1990) Land reforms in favor of indigenous people
(1996) Dinosaur footprints discovered near Sucre; land reform agreement with landowners and Indian chiefs
(1999) Bush fires destroyed hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland

2000s

(2004) Protests erupted over gas export deal with Argentina; government won people's referendum on gas exports
(2006) Evo Morales elected president; nationalized gas, other energy industries, redistributed land
(2007) State of emergency declared after months of heavy rain and floods

Bolivia's Information