Columbus first sees the South American mainland.

Pedro Alvares Cabral lands in what is present-day Brazil and claims it for Portugal.

Francisco Pizarro seeks the blessings of the King of Spain to invade the Incan empire (approximate population of 9 million). The empire, which stretched along the western coast of South America and contained parts of present-day Chile, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina, was reputed to be heavily endowed with gold. The king agreed to Pizarro's request, and by 1532 Pizarro had taken control of a large part of the Incan empire, captured or killed almost all of its leaders, and had extracted gold and silver worth over 100 million dollars (in present-day terms).

The Portuguese begin colonizing the eastern part of South America. Today Brazilians still speak Portuguese, not Spanish. Brazil is one of the three non-Spanish-speaking nations of South America, along with Guyana (English) and Suriname (Dutch). Brazil is presently the largest nation in South America in terms of land and population.

Pizarro founds the Peruvian capital of Lima, formerly called "City of the Kings."

The Viceroyalty of Peru is created to establish colonial rule over South America. This territory is later divided into "audencias," or colonies. These colonies were engaged primarily in the production of resources for their mother country Spain, through mining, farming, and the raising of livestock.

The Spanish capture the last Incan stronghold at the mountainous Vilcambaba, effectively ending the Incan dynasty. Today more than 8 million descendants of the Incas still living on the territory of the old empire maintain many Incan traditions, including speaking Quechuan languages.

The merchant and naval powers of Spain become greatly reduced due to lengthy wars and constant attacks by pirates. Because of these conditions, Spain heavily taxed its colonies. Taxation reached oppressive levels in the late 1700s and bred great discontent among the colonists.

The Liberation Period in South America's history begins after Napoleon invades Spain and Portugal. Creoles (people of European or mixed descent who were born in the New World) in several South American territories use Napoleon's invasion as an excuse to resist colonial rule.

Creoles overthrow the Spanish viceroy in Buenos Aires in present-day Argentina, and establish their own government.

Refusing to join its territory with Argentina, Paraguay declares its own independence from Spain.

José de San Martín, a former Spanish army officer and leader in the South American Independence movement, spearheads a movement to free Chile from Spanish control. In 1818, one year after San Martín's great victory at the Battle of Chacabuco, Bernardo O'Higgins, another revolutionary leader, declares Chile an independent nation. O'Higgins later becomes the leader of Chile's new government.

Simón de Bolívar, called "the Liberator" because of his leading role in liberating South America, wins independence for New Granada, present-day Colombia. During the war of independence, Great Colombia is organized. It contains present-day Colombia, Panama, and later, Venezuela and Ecuador, with Bolívar serving as president.

Venezuela finally wins independence. Although Venezuela declared independence in 1811, it is recaptured by Spain in the following years. Independence is not secured until Bolívar defeats the Spanish loyalists in June of 1821.

"Upper Peru" declares independence and renames itself Bolivia in homage to its liberator, Simón de Bolívar.

Peru becomes fully independent. Although Peruvian independence is declared in 1821 after San Martín captures Lima, Spanish troops hold a majority of Peruvian territory until Bolívar's victory at the Battle of Ayacucho in 1824. Remaining Spanish troops finally leave in 1826.

Uruguay is granted independence in a peace treaty between Argentina and Brazil, who were warring over the Uruguayan territory.

Due to political conflict, Great Colombia splits into three distinct territories: New Granada (present-day Colombia), Venezuela, and Ecuador.

South American immigrants to the U.S. begin to settle in New York City's Jackson Heights section. Today, Jackson Heights is the largest South American community in the United States.

Chilean poet Gabriela Mistral becomes the first South American writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. Other winners of the prize include Pablo Neruda of Chile in 1971, and Gabriel García Márquez of Colombia in 1982r.