The "southern cone" of South America has a vibrant yet checkered history. Argentina in 1920 was a productive and wealthy nation, yet by the 1980s was reduced to virtual third world status. Chile has a long history of internal strife, usually with representative politics until authoritarians seized power in 1973. Chile was influenced by Spanish conquerors; Argentina's Italian and German immigrants, made it the most "European" of any South American country.

CHILE:

• 15th Cent.--Incas conquer Chile's fertile Central Valley; Araucanian Indians driven south.
• 1520--Magellan rounds South America through south-Chilean strait.
• 1535-- Spain's Diego de Almagro invades Chile, searching for gold.
• 1540--Pedro de Valdivia, 200 Spaniards, and 1000 Peruvian Indians invade Chile. Valdivia founds Santiago (1541), Concepcion (1550), others. Century of war with natives.
• 1641--Quillin Treaty recognizes Araucanian control of southern Chile.
• 16th-18th Cent.--Encomienda forced labor; Spanish trade through Peru. Catholic missions.
• 1810--Chilean independence movement after Napolean Bonaparte seizes Spanish throne. War with Spain (1812-18); Chile wins independence.
• 1823-1830--Factionalism and turbulence; Liberal and Conservative parties formed. Conservative government 1830-61; Liberal government 1861-91.
• 1882-1883--Nitrate War; Chile seizes northern Atacama desert.
• 1891-1892 -Chilean Civil War; Parliamentary Rule (1891-1924).
• 1924-1938--Military coups and reforms occur during Depression crisis.
• 1973 --Pinochet seizes government, rules as military dictator; 1989 referendum restores elections.
  
  ARGENTINA:
  
  
• 1516-- Portugal's Juan Diaz de Solis discovers vast South American estuary. Explored by Magellan (1520), Sebastian Cabot (1527).
• 1536-- Pedro de Mendoza establishes Buenos Aires; resettled 1580.
• 16th-18th Cent.-- Colonial era; sparse population, factionalism among internal states, tension with natives.
• 1806-- British attack Buenos Aires; Viceroy of Spain flee. Argentine militias defeat British.
• 1811-- Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay become independent. Argentine independence, 1816.
• 1829-1852--Rule of Federalist strongman Juan Manuel de Rosas. Deposed in military coup, followed by civil wars to 1880.
• 1880--Federalists defeat Unitarians; Buenos Aires is federalized. Argentine seeks immigrants, becomes increasingly European.
• 1914--By WWI, population doubles to 8 million; multi-party politics, labor unrest. Military coup in 1930.
• 1943--Military coup under GOU; ascendancy of Juan Peron.
• 1955--Peron ousted in military coup; military governments to 1983.
• 1982--Britain defeats Argentina in Falklands War.
• 1983--Elections abolish military government, restore democracy.