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Independence
War of Independence ends with the creation of the short-living Mexican Empire, which includes Central America to the southern border of modern-day Costa Rica, as well as what is now the southwestern US. From 1810-1821. -
Mexico becomes a Federal Republic
Mexico becomes a federal republic after the ouster and exile of Emperor Augustin de Iturbide. Central American provinces secede, becoming the countries of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. -
Maximilian Habsburg
Archduke Maximilian Habsburg of Austria is installed as Mexican emperor with support from Napoleon III of France and conservative landowners, but is toppled and executed by Republican rebels. -
Mexican-American War ends
1846-8 - Mexican-American War ends with Mexico being forced to sell its northern provinces (including modern-day California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah) to the US. -
Porfiriato
Porfirio Diaz's 35-year-long dictatorship - known as the "Porfiriato" - brings a long period of stability, modernisation and economic growth, but at the price of political repression and stagnation. It started in 1876 and ended in 1911. -
Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution ends the Porfirio Diaz dictatorship and leads to establishment of a constitutional republic. From 1910- 1920. -
Porfirio Diaz Successor
Diaz' successor, the liberal Francisco Madero, introduces land reform and labour legislation before being assassinated. Victoriano Huerta seizes power. Political unrest continues with Zapata leading a peasant revolt in the south. -
US Forces Cross Border
US forces cross the border in pursuit of the guerrilla leader Francisco "Pancho" Villa. -
Venustiano Carranza is murdered
President Venustiano Carranza is murdered. Civil war follows. -
The PRI is created
The National Revolutionary Party is formed. In 1946 it is re-named the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI. -
Lazaro Cardenas and the Nationalisation
President Lazaro Cardenas begins programme of oil nationalisation, land reform and industrial expansion. -
Tlatelolco massacre
Student demonstration in Tlatelolco, Mexico City, during the Olympic Games is fired upon by Mexican security forces. Hundreds of protesters are killed or wounded. The extent of the violence shocks the country. -
Earthquake
Earthquake in Mexico City kills thousands and makes many more homeless -
Rebellion in Chiapas
A guerrilla rebellion in Chiapas by the Zapatista National Liberation Army is brutally suppressed by government troops. The rebels oppose Nafta and want greater recognition for Indian rights. The government recognises the Zapatista National Liberation Front (EZLN). -
Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon win elections.
August - Presidential elections won by PRI candidate Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon, after the previous candidate, Luis Donaldo Colosio, was murdered. The stock market plunges in December, the peso loses a third of its value. -
Vicente Fox wons Presidency
Vicente Fox of the opposition Alliance for Change wins presidential elections, the first opposition candidate ever to do so. Parliamentary elections see the Alliance for Change emerge as the strongest party, beating the PRI by just over 1%. -
Felipe Calderon wins presidency
Conservative candidate Felipe Calderon is declared the winner of presidential elections with a razor-thin majority over his leftist rival, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who challenges the result with mass street protests. The Federal Electoral Tribunal confirms Mr Calderon's win in September. -
George Bush sings legislation to build fencing on border
US President George W Bush signs legislation to build 1,125km (700 miles) of fencing along the US-Mexico border. Mexico condemns plans for the barrier, which is intended to curb illegal immigration. -
Enrique Peña Nieto wins Presidency
The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) candidate Enrique Pena Nieto wins presidential election.
