1492: Arrival of Christopher Columbus led to the enslavement and decimation of the native Taíno people.
1625: French colonization of the western third of the island of Hispaniola, known as Saint-Domingue.
1791: Start of the Haitian Revolution, led by Toussaint Louverture and other former slaves, against the French colonial rule.
1804: Haiti declared its independence and became the second independent nation in the Americas, after the United States.
1915-1934: United States occupation of Haiti, which led to political instability and economic exploitation.
1930: President Stenio Vincent enacted a new constitution that restricted civil liberties and gave him almost absolute power.
1957-1971: François Duvalier, known as "Papa Doc," ruled as a dictator, suppressing dissent and promoting a personality cult.
1971-1986: Jean-Claude Duvalier, known as "Baby Doc," succeeded his father as dictator but faced growing political opposition and economic crisis.
1986: Baby Doc was overthrown, and a series of interim governments and military juntas ruled Haiti.
1991: First democratic elections were held in Haiti, resulting in the election of Jean-Bertrand Aristide as president.
1994: Aristide was overthrown in a military coup, leading to a U.S.-led international intervention that restored Aristide to power.
2004: Aristide resigned amidst a rebellion and went into exile, leading to an interim government and U.N. peacekeeping mission.
2006: René Préval was elected president and oversaw a period of relative stability and economic growth.
2010: A devastating earthquake struck Haiti, killing hundreds of thousands of people and causing widespread destruction.
2015-2017: Following a period of political instability and disputed elections, Jovenel Moïse was elected president.
2017: Hurricane Matthew caused significant damage and loss of life in Haiti.
2019:idespread protests erupted against Moïse's government due to corruption, economic inequality, and political repression.
2021: President Moïse was assassinated at his private residence, leading to a deepening political crisis and increased violence in the country.