1791: Beginning of Haitian revolution, led by Toussaint Louverture; at the time, the French-controlled colony of Saint-Dominique was known as the “Pearl of the Antilles.” 

1804: Jean-Jacques Dessalines proclaims Haitian independence; nation becomes the first country in the world to abolish slavery. 

1825: Under military threat from France and cut off from trade with most of the world’s powers, Haiti’s post-independence rulers agreed to pay France the modern equivalent of $560 million as compensation for the former colonial power’s lost property, i.e. the formerly enslaved population in exchange for formal recognition from France. The total loss to Haiti has been estimated to be greater than $20 billion. 

1862: US formally recognizes Haiti. 

1914: US Marines land in Haiti and seize the country’s gold reserves, transporting them back to New York to be held in the vaults of City Bank. 

1915: US Marines again land in Haiti, this time to stay. The US created the Haitian gendarmerie, a precursor to the Haitian military that operated under the control of the US Marines. There were several resistance movements (for example, the Cacos) organized by Haitians against the US occupation, which were brutally repressed.

1917: With US officials largely in control of the country, a new constitution is forced through that allows foreigners to directly own property.

1934: US occupation of Haiti formally ends. 

1947: US control over Haiti’s finances comes to an end. Beginning in the late 19th century, Haiti increasingly turned to US banks to ensure it continued to pay its independence debt to France. The US controlled Haiti’s finances to ensure repayment of those debts. 

1957: Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier is elected president, beginning a 29 year brutal father-son dictatorship that caused thousands of deaths, disappearances and and undertook little in the way of social investments. Several resistance movements were violently suppressed.

1971: Francois Duvalier dies and power is transferred to his son, 19-year old Jean Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier. 

1986: National protests force Baby Doc from power. 

1990: Haiti’s first free and fair election is held. Liberation theologian priest Jean Bertrand Aristide wins in a landslide. 

1991: Just 8 months into his first term, Aristide is overthrown in a military coup. Some backers of the coup were later revealed to be on the CIA’s payroll. Nevertheless, the US imposes an embargo on the country as part of the effort to oust the military junta. 

1994: US troops invade Haiti to restore the ousted Aristide to power. 

2000: Rene Preval, who had been Aristide’s prime minister in 1991, becomes the first president in Haiti’s history to be democratically elected and then hand power to a democratically elected successor. Aristide wins the election in a landslide with many opposition parties boycotting the vote. 

2004: Aristide is overthrown again after massive protests against his increasingly undemocratic maneuvers. US troops deploy once again to Haiti, giving way to a United Nations peacekeeping force months later. A transitional government takes power. 

2006: Rene Preval elected president for a second time with turnout greater than 50 percent. 

2010: Magnitude 7.0 earthquake strikes Haiti, resulting in upwards of hundreds of thousands of deaths and a million displaced. Countries from across the world pledge $10 billion to help “build back better.” 

2011: US, UN, and Organization of AMerican States (OAS) intervene to overturn the results of Haiti’s first post-quake election, precipitating the rise of President Michel Martelly. Only about 20 percent of voters participated in the election. 

2016: Martelly leaves power without having held elections to vote on a new president and after having established or financed armed gangs. A transitional government assumes power once again. Hurricane Matthew strikes the country’s southern peninsula, leading to widespread damage and loss of life. Elections are held just weeks later, with less than 20 percent voter participation. Jovenel Moise, Martelly’s chosen successor, wins. 

2017: The 13-year long UN peacekeeping mission known by its French acronym, MINUSTAH, withdraws from the country. At its peak, the mission contained more than 10,000 foreign soldiers. A new, smaller mission composed of police and ostensibly focused on justice takes its place.

2018: A youth rebellion against lack of services and job opportunities is followed by massive protests against corruption and impunity and Moise's constitutional reform referendum leading to a major social, economic and political crisis.

2021: Haitian president Jovenel Moise is assassinated in his home. Civil society and political parties lead efforts to find a solution to the crisis. Armed gangs supported by political and economic interests proliferate and start their takeover of massive areas in Port-au-Prince. 

2022: De facto prime minister Ariel Henry, who took power following the assassination with US support, calls for foreign military intervention to secure the country from armed gangs. 

2024: Henry is forced from power as a coalition of armed groups in the capital seize greater control over Port-au-Prince. A new transitional government takes power with the involvement of the US and CARICOM. Kenyan troops begin deployment to Port-au-Prince as part of a US-financed multinational security support mission.