• Quintana Roo is named after Andrés Eligio Quintana Roo, who was born in Mérida, Mexico in 1787 to. José Matías. Quintana and doña María Ana Roo de Quintana.

• José Matías Quintana, was a pro-independence newspaper editor and publisher, and was arrested by the Spanish Viceroy.

• Andres studied law at the Real y Pontificia Universidad de Nueva España and married Leona Vicario, who actively supported the rebel cause.

• Andres presided over the National Constitutional Assembly and later served as Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs under Emperor Agustín de Iturbide from 1822 to 1823.

• He was a member of the Tripartite in 1829 and a Supreme Court Magistrate from 1833 until his death in 1851.

• In 1841, he successfully negotiated autonomy for Yucatan within Mexico.

• Leona Vicario died in 1842 and was honored as the "Worthy and Sweet Mother of the Fatherland."

• Quintana Roo wrote poetry praising liberty and was a prolific writer during his lifetime.

• On November 24, 1902, president Porfirio Díaz created the Federal Territory of Quintana Roo.

• Mexican President Carranza reincorporated Quintana Roo back into Yucatan in 1913, but quickly reversed his decision shortly afterwards.

• The Territory of Quintana Roo was dissolved again and re-incorporated into Yucatan in 1931.

• President Lázaro Cárdenas reinstated territory status to Quintana Roo on January 11, 1935.

• On October 8, 1974, Quintana Roo became a free and sovereign State in the Mexican Union.