The Segmental Info System

Caribbean Timeline

A historical timeline of Caribbean events

This timeline of Caribbean history covers events from throughout the region. To read more about the events, simply click on the link and you'll be taken to a detailed history article about the event and its time period.

Though the articles are arranged chronologically, sometimes several articles can deal with elements of the same time period, so if there is a period in Caribbean history you're particularly interested in, you may find it best to read through several of these detailed articles on the subject.

Year	Event
4000 B.C.	First artifacts found of human inhabitants
2000 B.C.	Second migration into the Caribbean
1000 B.C.	Two cultures meet near Puerto Rico
250 B.C.	Taínos enter the Caribbean bringing pottery
1450 A.D.	Caribs begin expanding into the Caribbean
1492	Columbus sails for the Indies Columbus lands in Bahamas Santa Maria sinks Men left at Navidad on Hispaniola
1493	Columbus returns to Spain Queen decides to firmly colonize lands Sends Columbus back with agricultural supplies Pope divides world between Portugal and Spain
1496	Hispaniola's capital changed from Isabella to Santo Domingo Columbus returns to Spain Henry VII gives Cabot the right to explore
1498	Roldan revolts in Hispaniola Columbus leaves on third voyage
1499	Queen revokes Columbus' power in colonies Bobadilla appointed as governor Ojeda discovers Curaçao, Bonaire, maybe Aruba
1500	Bobadilla arrives, finding civil war Columbus reports much gold on Hispaniola
1502	Bobadilla, ship, and gold sink on return trip to Spain Ovando arrives, takes control - first women and children arrive Columbus attempts a 4th voyage and lands on Martinique
1503	Columbus stranded in Jamaica's St. Ann's Bay for 1 year
1504	Indian chiefs massacred by Velazquez Columbus finally returns home Queen Isabella dies
1506	Columbus dies
1508	Ovando lets Ponce de Leon go to Puerto Rico where he founds San German
1509	Ovando's leadership ends Diego Columbus becomes new governor Appoints Esquivel as governor of Jamaica, Narvaez his 2nd - create Sevilla Nueva near St. Ann's Bay Ojeda explores Colombia Nicuesa explores Central America
1511	Arawak on Puerto Rico rebelled with Carib help Ponce de Leon replaced as governor on Puerto Rico San Juan, Puerto Rico founded. Vasquez founds Havana, Cuba King authorizes slaving expeditions in Caribbean
1512	Audiencia arrives on Hispaniola to settle problems between Diego Columbus and settlers King of Spain attempts to improve conditions for Indians in colonies Gold rush in Cuba
1513	Balboa takes over remaining men from Ojeda and Nicuesa's groups, crosses Panama Pedrarias becomes governor of Panama
1514	Santiago, Cuba founded
1516	Las Casas appointed Protector of the Indians
1518	Most colonists on other islands returned to Hispaniola Sugarcane widely produced
1519	Jamaican colonists follow Garay to Mexico Cuban colonists follow Velazquez to Mexico Panama City founded Balboa beheaded by Pedrarias
1520	Nearly all Indians removed to Hispaniola from Lesser Antilles and ABC islands
1522	Buccaneer Verrazanno for France takes three Spanish ships
1525	Attempt to farm on Curaçao, some Indians returned
1529	Pedrarias steps down in Panama
1531	Las Casas requests importation of African slaves to relieve Indian problems
1532	Spain fails to colonize Trinidad
1542	Indian slavery abolished
1550	Encomienda system abolished Havana becomes permanent residence for Spanish governors
1562	British Sir John Hawkins traded slaves in Hispaniola
1569	Spain fails to colonize Trinidad
1573	Sir Francis Drake captures Peruvian silver shipment
1588	Defeat of Spanish Armada by Britain
1592	Spain colonizes Trinidad
1600	Netherlands colonizes Sint Eustatius
1605	British attempt to colonize St. Lucia but are driven out by the Caribs
1609	British attempt to colonize Grenada but are driven out by the Caribs
1621	Truce ends between Netherlands and Spain Dutch West Indies Company created
1624	British claim St. Kitts, Nevis, and some Virgin Islands Governor named for St. Kitts, Nevis, Barbados, and Montserrat Dutch claim Berbice (in Guyana, South America) Dutch West Indies Company attacks Brazil
1625	Dutch attempt to take El Moro Fort in Puerto Rico French claim St. Kitts British and Dutch claim occupancy of St. Croix
1628	Dutch fleet takes Mexican treasure fleet
1635	French create Compagnie des Isles d'Amerique Guadeloupe and Martinique settled by the French
1636	French attack Caribs on several islands
1637	Dutch West Indies Company takes Brazillian forts Rum produced on Barbados
1641	Barbados cut off from financial backing by civil war in the UK
1644	Steuyvesant on Curaçao attacks St. Martin
1645	Steuyvesant made Governor of New Amsterdam and Curaçao British drive Dutch out of St. Croix onto St. Martin and St. Eustatius Dutch lose forts in Brazil
1647	Dutch West Indies Company re-chartered
1648	Thirty Years' War ends between Dutch and Spanish French and English divide St. Martin
1649	Barbados has armed uprising by servants St. Kitts' governor Sir Thomas Warner encourages immigration Charles I of England dies
1650	Barbados' civil fighting ends; declare allegiance to exiled Prince Charles Spanish drive English out of St. Croix
1651	First Navigation Act in England French buy St. Croix and St. Kitts from the Spanish
1652	First Anglo-Dutch War begins
1653	French attack Caribs on Grenada
1654	French attack Caribs on St. Vincent Caribs in St. Lucia and Martinique attack French England attacks Hispaniola, trying to take it from Spain Dutch lose last Brazillian fort Spanish lawmakers turn a blind eye to illegal Dutch trade with colonies
1655	England takes Jamaica from Spain
1657	On Jamaica pirates invited to Port Royal
1658	Cromwell dies in England and Charles II becomes King in England
1660	British and French sign peace treaty leaving islands to the Caribs
1661	Louis XIV became King in France
1662	Spain allows Dutch trade in colonies
1663	Third Navigation Act passed. Barbados begins 4.5% export tax
1664	French West Indies Company created British Leeward Islands begin 4.5% export tax
1665	Second Anglo-Dutch War begins French Bertrand d'Ogeron leads Hispaniola and Tortuga English pirates hit St. Eustatius, Saba, and Tobago
1666	Pirates loot Spanish instead of Curaçao during Second Anglo-Dutch War Nevis' governor surrendered to French French took Antigua and Montserrat
1667	British defeat Dutch-French armada near Nevis Recapture Antigua and Montserrat Treaty of Breda restored former island ownerships, except Tobago, which becomes French
1669	French recapture Antigua and Montserrat
1670	England wins war and Spain cedes Jamaica officially in Treaty of Madrid
1671	French return St. Kitts to England Morgan's attack on Panama City Leeward Island Union created nominally Danish West Indies Company created
1672	Third Anglo-Dutch War begins British leave war France and Netherlands fight
1674	Morgan knighted, becomes lieutenant governor of Jamaica
1676	Netherlands retakes Tobago and St. Martin
1678	Treaty of Nijmegen gives French Tobago; British Tortola and Virgin Gorda; Dutch St. Maarten, St. Eustatius, and Saba
1682	Governor Lynch on Jamaica enforced anti-piracy laws
1683	French take treasure port Vera Cruz in Mexico
1684	Spanish sacked Providence Treaty of Ratisbon brought peace to France and Spain
1685	Code Noir instituted by France
1686	Pirates return to Providence
1688	France declares war on Holland (Spain and other countries join against France)
1689	James II of England deposed for William III English join Nine Years' War against France French destroy St. Eustatius and take St. Kitts
1690	Codrington leads British to retake St. Kitts and Anguilla French burn Spanish St. Iago on Hispaniola (Dominican Republic) First Maroon War on Jamaica
1691	Codrington invades Guadeloupe but fails Spanish burn Cap-Français on Hispaniola (Haiti)
1692	Earthquake devastates Jamaica
1693	Codrington invades Martinique and fails
1694	French du Casse attacks Jamaica's south coast
1695	Attack on Cartagena, Colombia
1697	Treaty of Ryswick gave French rights to Hispaniola (Haiti); ends Nine Years' War
1698	British turn down law designed to encourage food crops on West Indies islands
1701	British and French sent fleets to the Caribbean
1702	War of Spanish Succession begins
1714	War ends with Peace of Utrecht Spain begins taking direct control of Cuba
1716	French open trade to ships based out of 5 major ports
1717	France removes nearly all export taxes on its Caribbean colonies Spain takes governmental control of Cuba's tobacco production - uprising occurs
1718	Former pirate Rogers becomes Governor of The Bahamas
1721	British planters insist new islands not grow sugar
1729	Treaty of Seville; Britain agrees not to trade with Spain
1733	Parliament passes Molasses Act Danish purchase St. Croix as slave market
1734	Danish West Indies Company slave monopoly ends
1739	War of Jenkins' Ear begins
1741	Nearly all French ships allowed to trade slaves
1747	Beet sugar provides important competition to cane sugar
1748	Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle ends war
1752	Mackandal unites Maroons on Hispaniola
1756	Seven Years' War begins
1758	Mackandal killed
1760	Tacky's Rebellion on Jamaica
1762	British forces occupy Havana
1763	Treaty of Paris ends war England gains St. Vincent, Dominica, Grenada, Tobago, Florida, Canada France gains St. Lucia, keeps Guadeloupe, Martinique
1764	Britain passes Sugar Duties Act
1765	Charles III lightens trade restrictions on Cuba Puerto Rico cleans up, allowed foreign slave trade Britain passes the Stamp Act
1775	St. Kitts is the richest British colony Puerto Rico opens to artisans and planters, Catholic and Spanish
1776	American Revolutionary War begins
1779	Anglo-Spanish war begins Spanish trade with the U.S.
1783	Treaty of Versailles establishes American Independence
1784	Le Maniel forces a treaty with free blacks on French Hispaniola
1788	King Louis XVI of France announces a meeting of the Estates General and Revolution begins
1789	Foreign slave traders allowed in to Spanish islands
1792	Louis XVI overthrown by Jacobins, family murdered
1793	Britain joins the war against the French
1794	French slaves declared free
1799	Napoleon comes to power in the Caribbean
1801	Black republic of Haiti founded Constitution gives Toussaint authoritarian control
1802	Leclerc arrives in Hispaniola
1803	Britain again declares war on France
1804	Dessalines becomes governor-general of Haiti
1805	Dessalines names himself Emperor
1806	Dessalines dies in an uprising
1815	Napoleonic wars end
1820	Slave trade abolished on Cuba Christophe dies in uprising on Haiti
1822	Boyer takes over Spanish Hispaniola
1825	Spain's crown gives island governor-generals nearly unlimited powers France recognizes Haiti
1826	Rural Code on Haiti brings back slave-like conditions
1828	Dutch attempt to create a federation of their holdings
1834	Slavery abolished on British islands, apprenticeship begins
1838	All British slaves truly free, apprenticeship ends First railroad crosses Cuba
1839	Danish decree calls for free elementary education for all residents
1844	Dominican Republic gains independence from Spain
1847	Danish slave rebellion Soulouque takes control on Haiti
1848	Slavery abolished in Danish islands Dutch abolish slavery on Sint Maarten The French abolitionists gain power and Scholecher committee is appointed, slavery is abolished
1849	Laws in Puerto Rico designed to abolish squatting and regulate labor Laws in Danish Virgin Islands impose restrictions on labor Soulouque becomes Emperor Fausti I of Haiti
1850	Indian indentured servitude becomes extremely important
1857	Planters on Cuba wanted Spain to pay to free the slaves
1858	Dutch official church involved in the abolition movement
1860	The Vatican recognizes Haiti
1863	Slavery abolished on Dutch islands
1865	African and Chinese immigrants came to the Caribbean Morant Bay Rebellion in Jamaica spurs Britain to greater island control Cuba's reformists petitioned for change Danish push to sell Virgin Islands to the U.S.
1867	New Spanish government imposes harsh laws on Cuba Danish approve sale of Virgin Islands to the U.S.
1868	Revolt of Yara on Cuba called for Cuban independence, began Ten Years' War Revolt of Lares in Puerto Rico challenged Spanish control briefly
1869	British government attempts a federation of Leeward Caribbean islands
1871	British government creates a federation to unite Leeward colonies All adult males could vote on French islands
1873	Abolition of the 1849 labor laws in Puerto Rico Puerto Rican slaves freed and owners compensated by Spain
1874	Spanish civil war ends and Spain sends troops to Cuba Dictator Saget became first Haitian president to serve his term and retire
1876	Federation to join Barbados and Windwards, but riot breaks out on Barbados
1878	Pact of Zanjon with General Campos Full emancipation granted on Danish islands
1880	Spain issues abolition without compensation in Cuba, patrionato follows
1882	St. Kitts and Nevis joined Heurueax takes power in Dominican Republic
1886	Grenada, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, and Tobago are joined to one group
1889	Trinidad and Tobago joined
1895	American-owned Santo Domingo Improvement Co. comes to restore Spanish Hispaniola
1896	Captain-general Valeriano Weyler arrives and forces peasants into concentration camps on Cuba
1898	All British islands are crown colonies U.S. President McKinley steps between Cuba and Spain Treaty of Paris cedes Puerto Rico and Guam to the U.S. and frees Cuba
1900	First election on Cuba, held by the U.S. Foraker Act put in place for Puerto Rico
1901	Platt Amendment added to Cuba
1902	Tomás Estrada Palma becomes first President of Cuba
1906	Ramón Cáceres became Dominican Republic president U.S. troops sent to Cuba after uprising by José Miguel Gómez Resignation by Estrada and his Vice President
1911	Cáceres assassinated
1915	U.S. occupation of Haiti begins
1916	U.S. occupation of the Dominican Republic begins
1917	Negotiations finish for sale of Danish Virgin Islands to the U.S. Jones Act provides for Puerto Rico's government U.S. troops sent to Cuba
1924	Gerardo Machado y Morales becomes Cuba's President, later dictator
1927	Trujillo given command of the Dominican national guard Citizens of the U.S. Virgin Islands given U.S. citizenship
1928	National guard in the Dominican Republic becomes the army
1930	Trujillo takes control in the Dominican Republic after the U.S. leaves Hurricane hits the Dominican Republic
1931	Trujillo became dictator in the Dominican Republic The Department of the Interior gains control of the U.S. Virgin Islands
1933	U.S. leaves Haiti and political struggles begin U.S. forces resignation of Cuba's President Machado Sergeant Fulgencio Batista y Zalvidar takes control in Cuba
1934	Batista forces Cuba's President Grau to resign and names Carlos Mendieta president Roosevelt and U.S. recognize Batista's government Platt Amendement annulled but maintain U.S. naval base
1940	Batista elected in an honest election in Cuba with new constitution
1945	Guadeloupe (incl. St. Barthelemy and St. Martin) and Martinique given full political union with France
1947	Jones Law amended; Puerto Rico may elect its own governor Industrial Incentive Act of 1947 encourages industry in Puerto Rico
1948	Luis Muñoz Marín becomes Puerto Rico's first governor Netherlands Antilles grant full adult suffrage
1950	Public Law 600 allows Puerto Rico to create its own constitution Netherlands Antilles given internal self-government
1952	Puerto Rico becomes a commonwealth of the U.S. Batista leads a second coup and takes leadership in Cuba
1953	Fidel Castro leads a revolt against Batista in Cuba
1954	Statute of the Realm rules the Netherlands Antilles
1955	First tourist hotel built on Sint Maarten
1956	British Leeward Islands Federation crumbles
1957	François Duvalier, "Papa Doc" won the presidency in Haiti, became a dictator
1958	British create West Indies Federation British Virgin Islands do not join new federation
1959	Batista leaves Cuba with much of its treasury Fidel Castro takes leadership in Cuba, begins taking control of businesses
1960	Rioting on Martinique over lack of island authority
1961	Trujillo assassinated Bay of Pigs invasion on Cuba Castro declares his communist intent for Cuba
1962	Juan Bosch becomes president in the Dominican Republic in free elections Montserrat becomes a Crown Colony again when West Indies Federation crumbles Jamaica becomes independent. Missile Crisis with Cuba
1963	Bosch was exiled to Puerto Rico from the Dominican Republic for communist sentiment Offshore banking begins in Curaçao because of U.S. agreement
1964	Muñoz Marín does not run for the position of Puerto Rico's governor
1965	U.S. again invades the Dominican Republic
1966	Joaquin Balaguer elected in honest election in the Dominican Republic New constitution in the Dominican Republic kept all-powerful central government and president Barbados becomes independent
1968	U.S. Virgin Islands given limited self-government
1970	Balaguer re-elected in the Dominican Republic Bosch returns to the Dominican Republic from exile, founds political party
1971	"Papa Doc" Duvalier dies, "Baby Doc" Jean-Claude Duvalier becomes successor First election for governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
1972	Turks and Caicos gain local government
1974	Balaguer re-elected in the Dominican Republic Grenada becomes independent
1975	Cuba sends troops to Angola
1976	First election on the Turks and Caicos
1977	Cuba sends troops to Ethiopia Jimmy Carter works to improve relations with Cuba
1978	Balaguer loses election to Antonio Guzmán U.S. steps in to oversee change of power in Dominican Republic
1979	Hurricane devastates Dominican Republic but Guzman and appointees misappropriate funds
1980	Mariel boat lift from Cuba
1981	Antigua becomes independent
1982	Salvador Jorge Blanco wins election in the Dominican Republic Political changes in France cause upheaval in Martinique and Guadeloupe Anguilla gains own constitution, separated from St. Kitts and Nevis
1984	Riots over poverty in the Dominican Republic
1985	Turks and Caicos chief minister Normal Saunders and councilmen arrested for drug trafficking Nathaniel Francis replaced Saunders as Turks and Caicos chief minister
1986	Balaguer re-elected in the Dominican Republic. "Baby Doc" Duvalier ousted and exiled from Haiti Jorge Blanco investigated for corruption in the Dominican Republic and fled to the U.S. Aruba moves for independence from the Netherlands Antilles group Francis declared unfit by government report in Turks and Caicos and government increases governor's power
1988	U.S. support for Curaçao's offshore banking ends due to drug trafficking issues
1989	Hurricane Hugo devastates many Caribbean islands
1990	Balaquer re-elected in the Dominican Republic U.S. forces elections in Haiti, Jean-Bertrand Aristide elected Soviet collapse causes changes in Cuba
1991	Aristide ousted in Haiti Jorge Blanco returns to the Dominican Republic and sentenced to 20 years in jail
1994	Balaguer re-elected in the Dominican Republic Aristide was returned to power by U.S. invasion Jorge Blanco released from prison early in the Dominican Republic
1995	Chances Peak volcano erupts on Montserrat
1996	René Préval elected in Haiti Leonel Fernández Reyna elected in the Dominican Republic Puerto Rico ends tax exemptions for foreign investors Aruba was a top drug transit location
1997	Montserrat volcano erupts again
2000	Aristide wins election in Haiti
2004	Leonel Fernández Reyna becomes Dominincan president

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