Concise History & Timeline of Ecuador
1535 Spanish conquistadors overthrew the Incan Empire and Ecuador came under the rule of Spain
1700s Spain combined Ecuador with neighbouring territories into one large colony called the Viceroyalty of New Granada
The Viceroyalty of New Granada consisted of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama
Venezuelan General Francisco Gabriel de Miranda (1750-1816) participated in major political events for more than three decades
1810 - Overthrow of the king of Spain by Napoleon
1810 The territories of the Viceroyalty of New Granada set up their own independent governments
1814 Spain sent troops to South America to quell the uprising of the colonists
1819 General Simon Bolivar defeats royalist forces in the Battle of Boyaca on August 7 and the Republic of Colombia (also known as Gran Colombia) is proclaimed on December 17, consisting of Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador
1822 Spanish rule in Ecuador ended after the defeat of the Spaniards in the battle of Pichincha
1830 Ecuador became an independent country
1859 Charles Darwin published his book Origin of Species after studying a variety of plant and animal life on the Galapagos Islands, which belong to Ecuador
1861 Gabreial Garcia Moreno became president
1875 Gabreial Garcia Moreno was assassinated
1896 General Eloy Alfaro took control of the government ending the power of the Roman Catholic church over the government
1925 - 1948 Ecuador had 22 presidents or chiefs of state none of them served a complete term due to economic and social problems
1963 Military rule
1966 End to the military rule
1970 Velasco suspended the constitution and began to govern as dictator
1972 Velasco was overthrown by military leaders
1972 General Guillermo Rodriguez Lara took power
1976 Rodriguez Lara was removed from office by the military
1979 Ecuador began electing government officials again.