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Feb 20, 1524
Battle of El Pinal
Spanish conquistador Don Pedro de Alvarado invaded and conquered Guatemala. -
Jun 1, 1540
Colonized
Guatemala becomes a Spanish colony. -
Aug 1, 1542
Earthquake
A deadly earthquake shakes Guatemala and brings about flooding that devastate the area of Ciudad Vieja, the first colonial capital established by the Spanish. -
Sep 1, 1543
Antigua Established
The second colonial capital, Antigua, was founded by survivors of the earthquake of 1542. -
Antigua Destroyed
Antigua is destroyed by two earthquakes in 1773. Today, the remains of its Spanish architecture is preserved as a national monument. -
Guatemala City Established
Guatemala City, the third colonial capital and current national capital today, is founded. -
Spanish King Overthrown
Napolean overthrows the king of Spain and so the ruler shifts for all the Spanish colonies including Guatemala. -
Mexican Empire
Guatemala, after being freed of Spanish rule, joins the Mexican Empire. -
Independence
Guatemala gains independence from the Spanish. -
Central America is Formed
The United Provinces of Central America is formed by General Manuel Jose Arce. -
Guatemala Breaks Away
After joining the Mexican Empire, Guatemala leaves the Mexican Empire after two years under its rule. -
Guatemala Joins Central America
Guatemala becomes part of the United Provinces of Central America and joins COsta Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. -
Independent Again
Guatemala becomes fully independent under the dissolution of the United Provinces of Central America. -
First Dictator
Rafael Carrera becomes the first of many liberal dictators of Guatemala. -
President Elected
A President, Juan Jose Arevalo, is elected in 1945 and stays in office until 1951. -
Constitution Established
The Guatemalan government forms Guatemala's first constitution. After several ammendments, the constitution is still in use today. -
New Leader
General Miguel Ydigoras Fuente gains power of the Guatemalan government. -
Revolts in Guatemala
In response to the rule of dictator Ydigoras Fuentes, many young military officers started a protest. Those who failed fled to Cuba and started guerrilla groups that were against the government and organized them for the next 36 years. -
President Julio Montenegro Takes Office
After President Julio Cesar Mendez Montenegro took office he started several different campaigns to break up the guerrilla movement against the government. -
US Ambassador Assasinated
In response to trying to be controlled by the president and the Guatemalan government the guerrilla groups focused on Guatemala City where they launched attacks and ended up assasinating a US Ambassador in 1968. -
Rios Montt Takes Over
Rios Montt announces himself ruler of the Guatemalan government against the wishes of the guerrilla movement. In the next several years violent attacks broke out across Guatemala which resulted in about 200,000 deaths of innocent civilians. -
Rios Montt is Replaced
Rios Montt was deposed by his own Minister of Defense, Gen. Oscar Humberto Mejia Victores, who succeeded him as President of Guatemala. -
Democracy Returns
General Mejia allowed a return to democracy in Guatemala, starting with an election for a new president. In 1985, Vinicio Cerezo, a civilian politician and the presidential candidate of the Christian Democracy Party, won the first election held under the new constitution. -
Vinicio Cerezo Takes Office
Newly elected president takes office in January of 1986. At his inauguration, he announced that his top priorities would be to end the political violence and establish a true democracy.
