New Mexico Timeline

Every state has a rich history that defines how it is known today. Using a timeline layout, students will research the history of New Mexico and create a timeline of events. Students must think about what makes an event truly worthy of being included in the timeline and be able to include detail in their timeline.

For an alternative to the timeline layout, have students create a timeline poster to incorporate into a presentation or gallery walk. You can add more than one template to this assignment to give students lots of options and adjust the instructions accordingly.

Examples of Important Events in New Mexico History

1598: Juan de Oñate establishes the first permanent Spanish settlement, San Juan de los Caballeros, near present-day Española.

1821: Mexico gains independence from Spain, and New Mexico becomes a Mexican territory. Also in 1821, the Santa Fe Trail opens, establishing a major trade route between Missouri and Santa Fe.

1846: During the Mexican-American War, U.S. forces under General Stephen Kearny capture New Mexico with little resistance. Two years later in 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ends the Mexican-American War, ceding New Mexico to the United States.

1912: New Mexico is admitted to the Union as the 47th state on January 6th.

1942: The Manhattan Project operates in Los Alamos, developing the atomic bomb. In 1945, the first atomic bomb test, Trinity, was conducted near Alamogordo on July 16.

1947: The Roswell UFO incident occurs, becoming a major event in UFO lore.