New Mexico Timeline - The Historical Period

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1536 - Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, Estevan the Moor, Andres Dorantes and Alonso Castillo de Maldonado wander through parts of Southern New Mexico before reaching Culican, Mexico.

1540 - 1542 - Francisco Vasquez de Coronado explores present day Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. A number of women are with the expedition, wives of soldiers. The first introduction of the horse and other domestic animals into the present day United States.

1581 - Augustin Rodriguez and some soldiers led by Francisco Sanchez Chamuscado leads an expedition into New Mexico.

1582 - 1583 - Bernardino Beltran and Antonio de Espejo comes to New Mexico with a small group with Antonio de Espejo naming himself as commander. 

1590 - 1591 - Gaspar Castano de Sosa leads 170 men women and children to New Mexico. The "entrada" was illegal, leaders were arrested and the colony abandoned.

1598 - don Juan de Onate, along with numerous soldier/colonists, takes possession of the area called New Mexico for the monarchs of Spain.

1680 - The Pueblo Indians revolt and expel the Spanish colonists from New Mexico. The surviving Spanish colonists retreat and establish El Paso.

1692 - don Diego de Vargas returns to New Mexico.

1693 - Colonists resettle New Mexico.

1695 - New colonists arrive in New Mexico from Zacatecas.

1720 - The Villasur expedition is launched to search for French intruders and are ambushed neat current day Columbus, Nebraska by Oto Indians and French allies.

1821 - New Mexico ceases to be a province of Spain and becomes a part of the new nation of Mexico. The Santa Fe trail officially opens.

1846 - August, Stephen Watts Kearney annexes New Mexico to the United States. Military rule is established.

1847 - The first American governor, Charles Bent is killed in Taos during an unsuccessful rebellion by New Mexicans against the United States.

1850 - Military rule ends and New Mexico becomes a territory. The area of "New Mexico" at that time included parts of Southern Colorado, Utah, Southern Nevada and Arizona.

1868 - Arizona is separated from New Mexico.

1912 - New Mexico becomes the 47th State.