| c. 12,000 - 10,000 B.C. |
Sandia people leave earliest evidence of human existence in what is
now New
Mexico |
| c. 10,000 - 9,000 B.C. |
Clovis hunters roam area in search of mammoth, bison and other
game |
| c. 9,000 - 8,000 B.C. |
Folsom people flourish throughout Southwest at the end of the last
Ice Age |
| c. 10,000 - 500 B.C. |
Cochise people are first inhabitants to cultivate corn, squash and
beans, the earliest
evidence of agriculture in the Southwest. |
| A.D. 300 - 1,400 |
Mogollon culture introduces highly artistic pottery and early
architecture in the form
of pit houses. |
| A.D. 1 - 700 |
Anasazi Basketmakers elevate weaving to a high art, creating
baskets, clothing,
sandals, and utensils. |
| A.D. 700 - 1,300 |
Anasazi Pueblo culture culminates in the highly developed Chaco
Civilization. |
| A.D. 1,200 - 1,500's |
Pueblo Indians establish villages along the Rio Grande and its
tributaries. |
| 1536 |
Cabeza de Vaca, Esteban the Moor and two others reach Culiacan,
Mexico, after
possibly crossing what is now southern New Mexico, and begin rumors of the Seven Cities of
Cibola. |
| 1539 |
Fray Marcos de Niza and Esteban lead expedition to find Cibola and
reach the Zuni
village of Hawikuh where Esteban is killed. |
| 1540-42 |
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado explores area from Gulf of
California to present
day Kansas, discovers the Grand Canyon. |
| 1598 |
Juan de Onate establishes the first Spanish captial of San Juan de los
Caballeros at
the Tewa village of Ohke north of present-day Espanola. |
| 1600 |
San Gabriel, second capital of New Mexico, is founded at the
confluence of the Rio
Grande and the Chama Rivers. |
| 1608 |
Onate removed as governor and sent to Mexico City to be tried for
mistreatment of
the Indians and abuse of power. Decision made by Spanish Crown to continue settlement of
New Mexico as a royal province. |
| 1609-10 |
Governor Pedro de Peralta establishes a new capital at Santa Fe.
Construction
begins on the Palace of the Governors. Gaspar de Villagra publishes epic history on the
founding of New Mexico, the first book printed about any area in the United States. |
| 1626 |
Spanish Inquisition established in New Mexico. |
| 1641 |
Governor Luis de Rosas assassinated by colonists during conflict
between the
church and state. |
| 1680 |
Pueblo Indian Revolt; Spanish survivors flee to El Paso del
Norte. |
| Late 1600's |
Navajos, Apaches, and Comanches begin raids against Pueblo
Indians. |
| 1692-93 |
Don Diego de Vargas recolonizes Santa Fe. Spanish civilization
returns to New
Mexico. |
| 1695 |
Santa Cruz de la Canada founded. |
| 1706 |
Villa de Albuquerque founded. |
| 1739 |
French trappers reach Santa Fe and begin limited trade with the
Spanish. |
| 1776 |
Franciscan friars Dominguez and Escante explore route from New
Mexico to
California. |
| 1793 |
First school text printed in New Mexico by Padre Antonio Jose
Martinez of Taos |
| 1807 |
Zebulon Pike leads first Anglo American expedition into New
Mexico. Publishes
account of way of life in New Mexico upon return to U.S. |
| 1821 |
Mexico declares independence from Spain. Santa Fe Trail opened to
international
trade. |
| 1837 |
Chimayo Revolt against Mexican taxation leads to the assassination
of Governor
Albino Perez and top officials. |
| 1841 |
Texas soldiers invade New Mexico and claim all land east of the Rio
Grande.
Efforts thwarted by Governor Manuel Armijo. |
| 1846 |
Mexican-American War begins. Stephen Watts Kearney annexes
New Mexico to
the United States. |
| 1847 |
Taos Rebellion against the U.S. military. Governor Charles Bent killed. |
| 1848 |
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ends Mexican-American War. |
| 1850 |
New Mexico (which included present day Arizona, southern
Colorado, southern
Utah, and southern Nevada) is designated a territory, but denied statehood. |
| 1851 |
Bishop Jean Baptiste Lamy arrives in New Mexcio and establishes
schools, hospitals
and orphanages throughout the territory. |
| 1854 |
The Gadsden Purchase from Mexico adds 45,000 square miles to the
territory. |
| 1861 |
Confederates invade New Mexico from Texas. The Confederate
Territory of
Arizona is declared with the capital at La Mesilla. |
| 1862 |
Battles of Velvarde and Glorieta Pass fought, ends Confederate
occupation of New
Mexico. |
| 1863-67 |
Known as the "Long Walk", Navajos and Apaches are relocated to
Bosque
Redondo; finally allowed to return to their homelands after thousands die of disease and
starvation. |
| 1863 |
New Mexico is subdivided in half; Territory of Arizona is
created. |
| 1878 |
Lincoln County War erupts in
southeast New Mexico. |
| 1879 |
The railroad arrives in New Mexico opening full scale trade and
migration from the
east and mid-west. |
| 1881 |
Billy the Kid shot by Sheriff Pat Garrett at Maxwell's Ranch. |
| 1886 |
Geronimo surrenders; Indian hostilities cease in the Southwest. |
| 1910 |
New Mexico Constitution drafted in preparation for statehood. |
| 1912 |
New Mexico admitted to the Union as the 47th state. |
| 1916 |
Pancho Villa raids Columbus, New Mexico. |
| 1920 |
Adoption of the 19th Amendment gives women the right to
vote. |
| 1922 |
Secretary of State Soledad Chacon elected first women to hold
statewide
office. |
| 1923-24 |
Oil is discovered on the Navajo Reservation. |
| 1930-43 |
Great Depression. Federal New Deal funds provide employment for
many and
causes numerous public buildings to be constructed. |
| 1942-45 |
New Mexico soldiers serving in the 200th Coast Artillery during
World War II are
captured by the Japanese and forced to endure the Bataan Death March. Secret atomic
laboratories established at Los Alamos. |
| 1945 |
World's first atomic bomb detonated at Trinity Site in southern New
Mexico after
its development at Los Alamos. |
| 1948 |
Native Americans win the right to vote in state elections. |
| 1950 |
Uranium discovered near Grants. |
| 1966 |
New state capital building, the "Roundhouse" is dedicated. |
| 1969 |
Proposed new state constitution is rejected by voters. |
| 1982 |
Space shuttle Columbia lands at White Sands Space Harbor on Holloman Air Force
Base near Alamogordo. |
| 1992 |
New Mexico observes Columbus Quin-centenary, welcomes
Cristobal Colon XX. |
| 1998 |
New Mexico celebrates its Cuartocentario. |
| 2000 |
Valles Caldera National Preserve established. |
