Haiti timeline
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Christopher Columbus Arrives at, and Names, Island of Hispaniola
The recorded history of Haiti began on December 5, 1492 when the European navigator Christopher Columbus happened upon a large island in the region... Read more
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Founding of Santo Domingo, First European Settlement in Western Hemisphere
Before the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492, the Taíno people populated the island they called Quisqueya (mother of all lands) and Ayiti... Read more
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Signing of the Treaty of Ryswick
The Treaty of Ryswick or Ryswyck was signed on 20 September 1697 and named after Ryswick (now known as Rijswijk) in the Dutch Republic. The treaty... Read more
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Toussaint L'ouverture Is Born
François-Dominique Toussaint L'ouverture Fr-François-Dominique Toussaint L'Ouverture.ogg pronunciation (help·info), also Toussaint Bréda,... Read more
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Haitian Revolution Begins with Uprising by Slaves of Saint-Domingue
Guillaume Raynal attacked slavery in the 1780 edition of his history of European colonization. He also predicted a general slave revolt in the... Read more
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L'ouverture Promulgates the Haitian Constitution of 1801
The great hero of the Haitian Revolution and a man considered one of the great revolutionaries and generals in his own time throughout America and... Read more
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After Initially Fighting with France Against the Rebellion, Dessalines and Pétion Switch Sides and Fight for Haiti's Freedom
For a few months the island was quiet under Napoleonic rule. But when it became apparent that the French intended to re-establish slavery (because... Read more
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Toussaint L'ouverture Dies
François-Dominique Toussaint L'ouverture Fr-François-Dominique Toussaint L'Ouverture.ogg pronunciation (help·info), also Toussaint Bréda,... Read more
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Jean Jacques Dessalines Declares Haiti's Independence with Himself as Emperor
On January 1, 1804 Dessalines then declared independence, reclaiming the indigenous Taíno name of Haiti ("Land of Mountains") for the new nation.... Read more
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Assassination of Jean Jacques Dessalines
In January 1804, Dessalines, preferring Napoleon’s style rather than the more liberal yet vulnerable type of political government of the French... Read more
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Jean-Pierre Boyer Invades Dominican Republic and Succeeds in Uniting Island of Hispaniola
After promising protection to several Dominican frontier governors and securing their allegiance, Boyer invaded the Dominican Republic with a force... Read more
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Jean-Pierre Boyer Agrees to Payment of Crippling Financial Indemnities to France in Exchange for Haiti's Recognition as an Independent Country
Boyer was anxious to remove the threat of France and opened negotiations. An agreement was reached on July 11, 1825, when (with fourteen French... Read more
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Trinitarios Declare the Independence of the Dominican Republic from Haiti
In 1838 Juan Pablo Duarte founded a secret society called La Trinitaria, which sought the complete independence of Santo Domingo without any... Read more
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Douglass is Appointed U.S. Minister Resident and Consul General, Republic of Haiti
Frederick Douglass arrived in Port-au-Prince on this day to serve as U.S. Minister to Haiti. Appointed by President William Henry Harrison,... Read more
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Douglass Delivers Speech at the World's Fair
We should not forget that the freedom you and I enjoy to-day… is largely due to the brave stand taken by the black sons, of Haiti ninety years... Read more
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United States Occupation of Haiti
In an effort to limit German influence, in 1910-11 the State Department backed a consortium of American investors, assembled by the National City... Read more
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United States Begins Occupation of Haiti
American President Woodrow Wilson sent 330 U.S. Marines to Port-au-Prince on July 28, 1915. The specific order from the Secretary of the Navy to... Read more
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Haiti Declares War on Germany
A month after the United States declared war Haitian President Sudre Dartiguenave asked the Haitian Congress for a declaration of war because of... Read more
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US Ends Occupation of Haiti, but Retains Control of Its External Finances
In 1930, Sténio Vincent, a long-time critic of the occupation, was elected President. By 1930, President Herbert Hoover had become concerned... Read more
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Hurricane Hazel
Leaving a death toll in Hati of more than 200 and an injured list of at least 500, according to unofficial reports reaching here, Hurricane Hazel... Read more
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François "Papa Doc" Duvalier is Elected President of Haiti by a Vote of 1,320,748 to Zero
Magloire resigned the presidency in December, 1956, leaving Haiti to be ruled by a succession of provisional governments. Through an election... Read more
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"Papa Doc" Duvalier Declares Himself President for Life
On June 14, 1964, a referendum was held on whether Duvalier should be made President for Life; 2.8 million people voted "yes," and only 3,234 voted... Read more
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"Papa Doc" Duvalier Dies, and is Immediately Succeeded by His Son, Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier
The first few years after Jean-Claude Duvalier's installation as Haiti's ninth president-for-life were a largely uneventful extension of his... Read more
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Jean-Claude Duvalier Leaves Haiti for France to Live in Forced Exile
In January 1986, the Reagan administration began to pressure Duvalier to renounce his rule and to leave Haiti. Representatives appointed by... Read more
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Leslie Manigat Elected President of Haiti in Military-Run Elections
Leslie François Manigat (born August 13, 1930 in Port-au-Prince) was elected president of Haiti by a tightly controlled military held election in... Read more