11000 BCE           First settlers in Maya highlands and lowlands

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3114

   to 3113 BCE      Creation of the world, by Maya Long
                             Count calendar

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2000 BCE             Rise of Olmec civilization, a source of
                             Maya culture

 

1800 BCE

    to 250 CE         Preclassic Maya

 

700                       Development of writing

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400                       Use of carved stone solar calendars

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CE

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250-600                Early Classic Maya

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600-900                Late Classic Maya

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900-1500              Post Classic Maya

 

1517                      Arrival of Spanish in Yucatan 
                              Introduction of Old World diseases, which kill off 90% of the indigenous population

                              within 100 years.

 

1521-1821             Colonial Period

 

1524                      Maya defeated by Pedro de Alvarado.  Guatemala becomes a Spanish colony

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1724                      Abolition of encomienda system of forced Maya labor by Spanish

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1821                      Guatemala achieves independence from Spain
 

1910                      Mexican Revolution
                              United Fruit Company, a U.S. corporation, becomes the most important landowner and

                              employer in Guatemala.

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1944-1953             Democratic reforms begin

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1953                      Guatemalan government expropriates 40% of the land of the United Fruit Company.

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1954                      U.S.-backed coup puts an end to land reform, ending nationalization of plantations of

                              United Fruit Company.

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1960-1996             Internal conflict in Guatemala.  Army funded, trained, and armed by the United States

                              conducts genocide against indigenous people.  More than 640 Mayan villages destroyed.

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1992                      Rigoberta Menchú Tum, a Quiché Maya woman, wins the Nobel Peace Prize.

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1996                      Signing of Peace Accords

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2004                      Departure of UN mission that monitored the peace process

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Present                  Continued corruption, bribery, drug trafficking, gang violence.
                              Upsurge of femicide: the torture, rape and murder of women, with virtual impunity.

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See Also:  Maya Civilization at Wikipedia

                  Timeline: Guatemala at BBC

                  History of Guatemala at GHRC

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