Timeline of Costa Rica

Chronology

13 events spanning the history of Costa Rica. BCE/CE dating.

1. 1502

   Christopher Columbus landed on the Caribbean shore of Costa Rica.

   Christopher Columbus landed on the Caribbean shore of Costa Rica on his fourth and last voyage to the New World.

2. 1540

   Costa Rica becomes part of the vice-royalty of New Spain.

   Costa Rica becomes part of the vice-royalty of New Spain. Throughout the colonial period, Costa Rica remained one of the provinces ruled by the Spanish viceroyalty in Guatemala

3. 1808

   Coffee plants are first brought to Costa Rica from Cuba.

   Coffee plants are first brought to Costa Rica from Cuba, and coffee quickly becomes the principal crop.

4. 1821

   Central America declares itself independent from Spain.

   Central America declares itself independent from Spain.

5. 1823

   Costa Rica joins the United Provinces of Central America.

   Costa Rica joins the United Provinces of Central America with El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

6. 1838

   Costa Rica becomes fully independent.

   Costa Rica becomes fully independent.

7. 1849

   Costa Rica ousts American William Walker, who wanted to extend slavery .

   Costa Rica ousts American William Walker, who wanted to extend slavery to Central American countries in an expression of Manifest destiny. He invaded and named himself president of Nicaragua. Costa Rica, with the help of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, defeated Walker and his supporters with 9,000 soldiers.

8. 1859

   President Juan Rafael Mora is ousted from power.

   President Juan Rafael Mora is ousted from power by the cafeteleros (coffee elite). After a failed attempt at a counter-coup, he was executed. Mora was instrumental in saving Costa Rica from William Walker.

9. 1874

   American businessman brings the United Fruit Company and banana cultivation to Cost Rica.

   American businessman Minor Cooper Keith brings the United Fruit Company and banana cultivation to Cost Rica. Keith originally arrived to oversee construction of the Atlantic Railroad, which would connect the coffee producing central plateau with the Caribbean coast.

10. 1948

    Six-week civil war over a disputed presidential election result.

    Cost Rica erupts into a 40 day civil war when Rafael Angel Calderon Guradia refuses to step down for election winner Otilio Ulate. Don Pepe Figueres Ferrer leads the revolution against Calderon and topples the government.