21 October 1520		Chile's first known European discoverer, Ferdinand Magellan, stopped there during his voyage.
12 February 1541		Santiago was founded.
1541		Pedro de Valdivia (1541-53) became the first governor of the captaincy general of Chile, which was the colonial name until 1609.
1553 - 1558		uprising of the native Araucania indians.
1578		Sir Francis Drake raided on Valparaíso.
13 May 1647		Santiago was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake.
1700		The Habsburg dynasty's rule over Spain ended.
18 September 1810		Chile declared its independence.
1814		Spanish troops from Peru took contrrol of Chile again.
12 February 1817		José de San Martín, whose army freed Chile with a daring assault over the Andes, defeating the Spaniards at the Battle of Chacabuco.
12 February 1818		Chile became an independent state and Bernardo O'Higgins its first president.
1879 - 1883		War of the Pacific ended with the Treaty of Ancón.
1882		The final defeat of the Mapuche opened up the southern third of the national territory.
1932		The 1925 constitution took full effect and was the second major charter in Chilean history, lasting until 1973,
1970		Salvador Allende Gossens became president.
11 September 1973		General Augusto Pinochet Ugarte ousted President Allende in an military coup d'état and became president.
1990		Patricio Aylwin Azocár became president.
1998		General Augusto Pinochet Ugarte was arrested in London but returned to Chile in 2000
2006		Michelle Bachelet became first woman president,