1807    A British military force, under Brigadier-General Sir Samuel Auchmuty captures the city of Montevideo, then part of the Spanish Empire now the capital of Uruguay.

1811    Battle of Las Piedras: The first great military triumph of the revolution of the Río de la Plata in Uruguay led by Jose Artigas.

1825    Uruguay declares its independence from Brazil.

1828    Uruguay is formally proclaimed independent at preliminary peace talks brokered by Great Britain between Brazil and Argentina during the Argentina-Brazil War.

1865    The Empire of Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay sign the Treaty of the Triple Alliance

1919    Uruguay becomes a signatory to the Buenos Aires copyright treaty.

1967    Uruguay becomes a member of the Berne Convention copyright treaty.

1973    The President of Uruguay dissolves Parliament and heads a coup d'état.

1977    The military-controlled Government of Uruguay announces that it will return the nation to civilian rule through general elections in 1981 for a President and Congress.

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

1997    An Austral Airlines DC-9-32 crashes and explodes near Nuevo Berlin, Uruguay, killing 74.