Haiti timeline

• 1492 – The islands are “discovered” by explorer Christopher Columbus and claimed for Spain as a colony
• 1697 – What is now Haiti is occupied by France and named Saint-Domingue. The French begin bringing in 20,000 slaves a year to grow sugar cane for export
• 1804 – Haiti win its independence following a slave revolt. It becomes the first black republic in the world. A new constitution is adopted, giving people more rights and freedoms
• 1825 – The new country is forced into paying reparations to France for loss of property during the revolt, keeping it locked in a cycle of debt
• 1867-1915 – Intermittent civil war and coups
• 1915-1934 – US occupies Haiti, saying the country is in massive debt to American banks
• 1957 – Francois Duvalier – a doctor known as “Papa Doc” – takes power
• 1964 – Papa Doc declares himself dictator for life
• 1971 – On his death his son, “Baby Doc”, takes over. He rules using his “Tonton Macoutes” secret police
• 1985 – Regime murders 40,000 amid protests and strikes
• 1986 – Uprising overthrows Baby Doc, who goes into exile
• 1990 – Priest Jean-Bertrand Aristide elected on pro-poor platform
• 1991 – Military coup removes Aristide
• 1994 – US troops restore Aristide after he agrees to implement a neoliberal programme
• 1996 – The troops leave
• 2004 – US-backed coup against Aristide. US marines sent in, followed by UN troops, who take over the occupation of Haiti and remain there to this day
• 2006 – Aristide ally Rene Preval elected president
• 2008 – Food riots force out prime minister Jacques Edouard Alexis
• 2010 – The earthquake hits. US troops return to Haiti