| Juan Diaz de Solis initially discovered Argentina in | | | | backing for Perón. |
| 1516. Argentina has progressed gradually under | | | | Growing dissent to Perón's authoritarianism |
| Spanish colonial rule. Buenos Aires was established | | | | resulted in a coup by the armed forces. |
| in 1580. The country had a flourishing cattle | | | | Perón was sent to exile in 1955, three |
| industry way back in 1600. Invasion by British | | | | years following Evita's death. This was the |
| forces was effectively thwarted in 1806-1807. | | | | commencement of military dictatorships in the |
| After Napoleon occupied Spain in1808, the | | | | country and was marked by occasional periods of |
| Argentineans founded their own government in | | | | constitutional government. |
| 1810. On July 9, 1816, Argentina formally | | | | The exiled dictator won power in 1973, and his |
| pronounced its independence. | | | | third wife, Isabel Martínez de |
| Juan D. Perón, an army colonel, won the | | | | Perón, was designated vice president. In |
| presidential elections of 1946 and 1951, during the | | | | the aftermath of Perón's death in 1974, |
| post war period. Perón's political power | | | | she assumed the position of being the first |
| was boosted by his second wife, Eva Duarte de | | | | woman Chief of State. She took charge of a |
| Perón (Evita). The working class of | | | | country that was on the threshold of economic |
| Argentina adored her. She was never a part of | | | | and political disaster. Widespread terrorist strikes |
| the government, but Evita made her presence | | | | in 1975, both by left and right radical groups, |
| felt as de facto minister of health and labor. Using | | | | resulted in the death of a large number of people. |
| her clout, she founded a national charitable | | | | During her regime, the cost of living shot up |
| organization and doled out liberal wage hikes to | | | | 355%, and strikes and agitations were rampant. |
| the unions. The unions rewarded her with political | | | | This marked a critical period in Argentina's history. |