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- 1492 - Christopher Columbus lands near today's city of Cap-Haïtien and claims the island for Spain, naming it Hispaniola
- 1503 - The first Africans are brought to Hispaniola for labor
- 1528 - Don Sebastián Ramirez de Fuente becomes the first Catholic bishop of the island
- 1625 - The French settle Tortuga Island and northwestern Hispaniola, naming their colony Saint-Domingue
- mid-1600s - French settlements and plantations are established in coastal areas on the western third of the island.
- 1670 - Louis XIV of France authorizes African slave trade in Saint-Domingue
- 1697 - Under the terms of the Treaty of Ryswick, Spain cedes the western third of Hispaniola to France.
- 1700s - The French colony of Saint Domingue is the most lucrative colony in the world, at this time, more lucrative than the 13 Colonies. Its slave-produced tropical crops -- sugar, rum, cotton, tobacco, and indigo -- generated great wealth. Near the end of the 18th century, 500,000 to 700,000 people, mainly of western African origin, were enslaved by the French.
- 1791 - The Haitian Revolution begins when a group of slaves gather at Bois-Caïman in the northern part of the colony. Jamaican-born Dutty Boukman holds a voodoo ceremony that launches the struggle.
- 1803 - Haitian forces under Jean-Jacques Dessalines defeat the French at the Battle of Vertières, the last major battle of the Revolution
- 1804 - Dessalines declares Haiti an independent nation. Over half the people in Haiti died before the resistance had run its course.
- 1804 - Dessalines becomes the first Emperor of Haiti
- 1806 - Dessalines is assassinated at Pont-Rouge
- 1838 - France fully and unconditionally recognizes Haiti's independence. It had given Haiti "conditional" recognition in 1825 after Haiti promised to pay 150 million gold francs as "compensation" for its "losses."
- 1844 - The Haitian occupation of Santo Domingo ends
- 1862 - The United States recognizes Haiti
- 1915 - United States Marines invade Haiti and occupy it
- 1919 - Charlemagne Péralte, leader of the resistance against U.S. occupation, is assassinated
- 1934 - Last American forces withdraw from Haiti, ending the nineteen-year U.S. occupation
- 1937 - Between 17,000 to 35,000 Haitians living in the Dominican Republic are massacred by the Dominican armed forces on the orders of President Rafael Trujillo. U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull later declared "President Trujillo is one of the greatest men in Central America and in most of South America."
- 1957 - François "Papa Doc" Duvalier becomes President of Haiti
- 1958-1964 - Duvalier attacks his opponents violently, driving many of them into exile
- 1964 - Papa Doc declares himself "President-for-Life"
- 1971 - François Duvalier dies and is succeeded by his son, Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier.
- 1970s-1980s - Thousands of Haitians flee poverty and repression in Haiti by boat, often arriving in south Florida.
- 1986 - Widespread protests against repression force Baby Doc to flee Haiti on February 7th. The U.S. Air Force flies him to exile in France. A military junta, headed by Generals Henri Namphy and Williams Regala, takes power.
- 1987 - In July, big landowners (grandons) massacre hundreds of peasants demanding land in Jean-Rabel. In November, presidential elections are canceled after Army soldiers and former Tonton Macoutes massacre dozens of would-be voters.
- 1988 - In January Christian Democrat Leslie Manigat is elected in military-run elections boycotted by the Haitian people and most candidates. In June he is overthrown in military coup by Gen. Namphy. In September Namphy is overthrown by Gen. Prosper Avril.
- 1990 - President/General Prosper Avril declares a state of siege in January. Rising protests convince Avril to resign in March. A Provisional Government led by Supreme Court Justice Ertha Pascal-Trouillot is formed. Democratic elections take place on December 16, 1990. Father Jean-Bertrand Aristide, well known throughout the country for his support of the poor, is elected President with 67.5% of the counted popular vote. The "U.S. favorite" Marc Bazin finishes a distant second with 14.2% .
- 1991 - In January, a coup by former Tonton Macoutes head Roger Lafontant is foiled after tens of thousands pour into the streets of the capital, surrounding the National Palace. Aristide is sworn in as president February 7. On September 30, a military coup deposes Aristide, who goes into exile first in Venezuela, then in the United States.
- 1991-1994 - Thousands of Haitians flee violence and repression in Haiti by boat. Although most are repatriated to Haiti by the U.S. government, many enter the United States as refugees.
- 1994 - The de facto military government resigns at the request of the United States in September, which then sends in troops to occupy Haiti. This occupation is sanctioned by the United Nations. The U.S. returns Aristide as president October 15.
- 1995 - The U.S. nominally hands over military authority to the United Nations but maintains effective control of the occupation. Aristide dissolves the Haitian army. In December, former prime minister René Préval is elected president.
- 1996 - Aristide leaves office on February 7th and is succeeded by René Préval.
- 2000 - Legislative, municipal and local elections are held in May. The OAS disputes how the sovereign electoral council calculates the run-offs for eight Senate seats. In November, Aristide is reelected for a second five-year term with 92% of the vote in elections boycotted by the opposition. The last UN peacekeeping forces withdraw from Haiti.
- 2001 - Aristide succeeds Préval for a second five-year term.
- 2001-2003 - With Washington's support, Aristide's bourgeois opponents use the OAS challenge to the 2000 elections to increase economic and political instability. Former Haitian soldiers carry out guerrilla attacks, primarily along the Dominican border and in the capital.
- 2004 - Haiti's 200th anniversary of independence.
- 2004 - Feb 4. A revolt breaks out in the city of Gonaïves, with a local militia hostile to Aristide capturing the city and driving out the police force.
- 2004 - Feb 22. Rebels capture Haiti's second-largest city, Cap-Haitien, after just a few hours of fighting, claiming their biggest prize in a two-week uprising that has driven government forces from most of the country's north.
- 2004 - Feb 29. Aristide resigns from office and flees the country. Boniface Alexandre is inaugurated as interim president.
- 2004 - March to May. UN Resolution 1529 authorizes a three month multinational interim peacekeeping force. It consists of troops from France, Canada, Chile and the U.S.
- 2004 - September. Hurricane Jeanne kills over 700.
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