1492
- Christopher Columbus lands and names the island Hispaniola (Little Spain).
1496
- First Western Hemisphere Spanish colony established at Santo Domingo
1697
- Treaty of Ryswick awards western part of island (Haiti) to France and eastern part (Santo Domingo) to Spain
1822
- Santo Domingo annexed by Haiti’s President Boyer
1844
- After Boyer’s overthrow, Santo Domingo becomes independent and renamed the Dominican Republic.
1861-63
- President Pedro Santana returns the Dominican Republic to Spanish rule.
1863-64
- Spain withdraws from and annuls its annexation of the Dominican Republic following a popular revolt.
1865
- The second Dominican Republic begins with a treaty giving the United States 50 years’ control over its customs department in exchange for the United States assuming the Republic’s debts.
1916-24
- Occupation by U.S. military to put down internal disorder
1924
- U.S. troops leave after constitutional government reestablished.
1930
- General Rafael Trujillo gains total control after overthrowing the president.
1937
- Trujillo orders military to massacre an estimated 13-20,000 Haitians living in Republic near the Haitian border.
1960
- Organization of American States calls for breaking diplomatic relations with the Republic.
1961
- Trujillo assassinated
1962
- Juan Bosch, founder of the leftist Dominican Revolutionary Party, elected president in the first democratic elections for nearly four decades
1963
- Bosch deposed in military coup and replaced by a three-man civilian junta
1965
- Some 30,000 US troops invade the Dominican Republic following attempt to return Bosch to power.
1966
- Joaquin Balaguer, a Trujillo protege and former leader of the Reformist Party elected president. Elected president in 1966, 1970, 1974, 1986, 1990 and 1994.
1996
- Balaguer steps down after massive public demonstrations.
2004
- Leonel Fernandez, former Dominican leader (1996-2000), reclaimed the presidency in vote that reflected frustration with the nation’s worst economic crisis in decades.
Source
- “Timeline: Dominican Republic.” BBC News online.
Content last updated: October 31, 2004