|
1502
|
Christopher
Columbus sails off the coast of Panama.
|
|
1513
|
Vasco Nuñez
de Balboa discovers
the Pacific Ocean.
|
|
1821
|
Guatemala,
El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica declare
independence from Spain.
|
|
1822
|
Guatemala,
El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica join
the Mexican Empire.
|
|
1823
|
The five Central
American republics declare independence from Mexico and
create the United Provinces of Central America.
|
|
1826
|
The three-year
war in Guatemala between Liberals and Conservatives begins.
This war is just one example of battles between Liberals
and Conservatives in Central American during the 19th
century.
|
|
1855
|
The Panama
Railway is completed.
|
|
1860
|
William Walker
is executed in Nicaragua.
|
|
1878
|
A French company
is given rights to dig the Panama Canal.
|
|
1903
|
Panama becomes
independent from Colombia; The Panama Canal Treaty of
1903 is signed.
|
|
1912
|
U.S. Marines
are sent to Nicaragua and remain there on and off until
1933.
|
|
1914
|
The Panama
Canal opens.
|
|
1927
|
Augusto Cesar
Sandino
organizes guerrillas in Nicaragua against occupying U.S.
troops.
|
|
1934
|
Augusto Cesar
Sandino is executed by Nicaraguan National Guard.
|
|
1949
|
Costa Rica
abolishes its army.
|
|
1954
|
The CIA assists
in overthrowing Guatemalan president Jacobo Arbenz.
|
|
1960
|
The Central American
Common Market (CACM) is founded by Guatemala, Honduras,
El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.
|
|
1969
|
The "Soccer
War" breaks out between El Salvador and Honduras.
|
|
1972
|
A major earthquake
occurs in Nicaragua.
|
|
1979
|
The Sandinistas
overthrow the Somoza government in Nicaragua.
|
|
1987
|
The Arias Peace
Plan is adopted.
|
|
1989
|
The United
States sends
troops to Panama to remove Manuel Noriega.
|
|
1989
|
Six Jesuits
are murdered in El Salvador.
|
|
1999
|
The Untied
States must remove all of its troops from Panama.
|
