1537    Asunción, Paraguay, is founded.

1811    Paraguay gains independence from Spain.

1811    Paraguay declares independence from Spain.

1869    Battle of Acosta Ñu: A Paraguayan battalion made up of children is massacred by the Brazilian Army during the War of the Triple Alliance.

1932    Crowds in the capitals of Bolivia and Paraguay demand their governments declare war on the other after fighting on their border.

1932    Chaco War: Last day of the Battle of Boquerón between Paraguay and Bolivia.

1935    Chaco War ends: a truce is called between Bolivia and Paraguay who had been fighting since 1932.

1954    Alfredo Stroessner begins his dictatorship in Paraguay.

1980    Former Nicaraguan President Anastasio Somoza Debayle is killed in Asunción, Paraguay.

1989    A military coup overthrows Alfredo Stroessner, dictator of Paraguay since 1954.

1991    Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay sign the Treaty of Asunción, establishing Mercosur, the South Common Market.

1999    Gunmen assassinate Paraguay's Vice President Luis María Argaña.

2004    A supermarket fire kills 396 people and injures 500 in Asunción, Paraguay.