Peru Timeline

Part of my intent in keeping this blog is to educate. Despite being a Latin American Studies major with 4 semesters of college happily behind me, I knew only 2 things about Peru when I first arrived in Lima on March 4, 2013.

1. Machu Picchu, a city built by the Incas, is located in Peru.
2. For a long time, Peru's major export was guano (bird dung used as fertilizer).

Thankfully, I know a bit more now. But I want to know more, and I think you should too. History is a big part of any culture. If you and I want to understand my JV life inside Peruvian culture, you and I are going to have to understand a bit of Peruvian history. 

Peru is not a place that forgets its history. This is a massive mural located on Avenida El Sol in Central Cusco. It depicts the history of Cusco from the beginning of time until the end. Click here to see it in larger size (Image credit).

To start us off, I'm posting this timeline. I don't expect anyone to read it straight through. I know I wouldn't. Personally, I would skim it and only read the things that seemed most interesting to me. Whether you read any of it or not, it will be here for us to refer to in future discussions of Peruvian history. 

The following timeline is taken from discover-peru.org. 

B.C

7500 – First identifiable villages built in Peru. Nomads became sedentary as they discover agriculture.

ca 1200  –  Chavin, the first culture developed in Peru. The people of Chavin built one of Peru’s earlier temples in Chavin de Huantar.

ca 200  – The Nazca culture thrived in the Nazca Valley.  Nazca are best known for its lines and drawings of animals, know as the Nazca Lines, which cover a large area of the desert outside the towns of Nazca and Palpa.

ca 100  – The Moche culture flourished in the north of Peru in the present department of La Libertad. The Moche produced a great amount of pottery.

A.D.

ca 50 – The powerful Moche ruler, Lord of Sipan was buried in a tomb that was to become one of Peru’s most famous archeological sites.

ca 500 – The Tiwanaku culture rules the highlands in the Lake Titicaca region. The Lambayeque culturerules in the north coast, they were great goldsmiths, the Tumi or ceremonial knife is the symbol of Peru and one of their creations.

ca 1000 – The Chimu became the largest empire that ruled the coast of Peru. They built the city of Chan Chan. They were absorbed by the Incas.

ca 1200 – The Incas absorbed small tribes in the Cuzco area under the leadership of Manco Capac,the first Sapa Inca.

1400

1438 – Pachacutec, the ninth Inca, began the territorial expansion. Cusco became the center of the Inca Empire.

1460 -  Pachacutec built Machu Picchu in the Urubamba Valley.

1463 – Topa Inca, son of Pachacutec, continues the expansion of the empire to the east, reaching the Bolivian altiplano.

1470 – Huayna Capac, son of Topa Inca, and his sons Huascar and Atahualpa expanded empire to Quito in the north and to Chile and part of Argentina in the south.

1500

1527 – Huayna Capac died of smallpox. Civil war begins between Huascar and Atahualpa which caused thefall of the Inca Empire.

1532 – Huascar was assassinated by Atahualpa’s forces. Arrival of Spanish forces led by Francisco Pizarro, began the conquest of Peru.

1533 – Atahualpa was charged of treason and executed by the Spaniards.

1534 – Spanish invaded Cusco.

1536 – Manco Inca and his army rebelled and took refuge in Vilcabamba where they created an Inca government. Manco Inca was assassinated and replaced by successive Spanish elected Sapa Incas.

1541 – Civil war between Spanish conquistadors leads to the killing of Francisco Pizarro.

1543 – Lima becomes the capital of the first colonial government, the Viceroyalty of Peru, which initially included Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile and part of Argentina.

1551 – San Marcos, the first university of the Americas was founded in Lima.

1572 - Tupac Amaru I, the last Inca royal, was captured and executed by orders of Viceroy Toledo.

1600

Colonization,  assimilation and Cristianization of the Indian population.

1700

1780 – Tupac Amaru II claimed to be the last Inca royal heir, led a rebellion which ended in his execution.

1800

1810 – War of independence that lasted until 1824.

1821 – General Jose de San Martin declared Peruvian Independence.

1824 – Peru won the battle of Ayacucho sealing its independence from Spain.

1836 –  Peru and Bolivia formed a confederation which lasted less than three years.

1845 – Ramon Castilla was the first president elected by direct elections. Previous presidents were elected by indirect elections, coup d’état or by congress.

1856 – President Ramon Castilla abolished slavery.

1879 -  Peru entered the War of the Pacific with Chile and Bolivia and lasted until 1884.

1900

1911 – American explorer Hiram Bingham rediscovered Machu Picchu.

1924 – Victor Raul Haya de la Torre founded APRA.

1928- Jose Mariategui founded the Peruvian Communist Party.

1948 – A coup put General Manuel Odria and the military into power.

1963 – First government of Fernando Belaunde Terry.

1968 – Coup d’état by Juan Velasco Alvarado. Large scale nationalizations of key industries.

1975 - Coup d’état by Morales Bermudez.

1980 – Second government of Fernando Belaunde Terry.

1980 – Sendero Luminoso, a guerrilla group, began an armed struggle against the Peruvian government.

1983 – El Niño caused extensive flooding in the north of the country and drought in the interior. Large damage to the economy.

1985 - First government of Alan Garcia, an APRA candidate.

1990 – First government of Alberto Fujimori. Restored market based economy and decreased inflation from 400% to almost 0%.

1992 – Abimael Gusman, Shining Path guerrilla leader, was captured and sentenced to life in prison.

1995 – Second government of Alberto Fujimori.

2000

2000 – Fujimori resigned following political scandals and flees the country.

2001 – Alejandro Toledo became the Amerindian president of Peru.

2005 – Fujimori was arrested in Chile and extradited to Peru facing charges of treason.

2005 – Free trade agreement with US.

2006 – Second government of Alan Garcia.

2011 – Ollanta Humala elected president in a run-off against Keiko Fujimori, daughter of Alberto Fujjimori.