Haiti, History and Timeline

Haiti History and Timeline

Dec. 1492 Columbus discovers Haiti (the island of Hispaniola)

ca. 1600 Native Carib population (Taino-Arawak Indians) virtually wiped out. African slaves begin to arrive in increasing numbers.

1600s Rise of British, French, and Dutch activity in Caribbean.

1697 The Spaniards cede the western third of Hispaniola to the French crown at the Treaty of Ryswick. Haiti is now called "Saint Domingue."

1697-1791 Saint Domingue becomes the richest colony in the world. Its capital, Cap Français, is known as the Paris of the New World.
As many as 700,000 African slaves by end of century (compared with about 30,000 whites and 30,000 "affranchis"/"gens de couleur").

August 1791 The first major black rebellion takes place, initiated by Boukman, a voodoo houngan. This begins the markings of civil war between the black dominated north and the mulatto (mulâtre) dominated south.

1796 Toussaint L'Ouverture ("the opening"), an educated herb doctor and military man, emerges as the leader of the former slaves in the north. He restored order, ended the massacres, and restored some of Saint Domingue's former prosperity.

1798 Toussaint makes diplomatic contact with the recently established United States.

1801 Napoleon Bonaparte despatches an army of 34,000 to try to subdue the slave armies and retake the colony for France; this mission was unsuccessful. The leader of the army Leclerc ultimately had Toussaint L'Ouverture seized and deported to France. He died within a year.

May 1802 Convention in Paris reintroduces slavery, which brings on more rebellions and massacres.

January 1804 Jean-Jacques Dessalines proclaimed the independent black Republic of Haiti in the northern half of the island (the first independent country of former slaves in the world). Dessalines was unpopular with the mulattos and was assassinated in 1806. His death led to civil war again between the south (under General Pétion) and the north (under Henri Christophe).

The name of the new country, "Haiti," is the name that had been given to the land by the former Taino-Arawak peoples, meaning "mountainous country."

1807-1810 "Guerre du Môle" between Pétion and and Christophe.

1820 Henri Christophe commits suicide by shooting himself with a silver bullet; he had been a tyrannical ruler, crowning himself "king", and building a palace and citadel (at Cap Haïtien in the north) at great cost to Haitian lives. At his death Haiti was taken over by General Boyer, and civil war ceased.

1821 Boyer invades Santo Domingo following its declaration of independence from Spain. Hispaniola under Haitian control until 1844.

1838 France recognizes Haitian independence in exchange for 150 million francs.

1843 to 1915 Haiti sees 22 heads of state, most of whom leave office by violent means. Rivalry continues among the whites, the mulatto elite, and the blacks.

1915 President Guillaume Sam is dismembered and the Americans invade the country. They remain for 19 years. Despite improvements made to the infrastructure by the Americans, the Haitians opposed their presence.

1934 The Americans leave Haiti, which is now prospering once again.

1937 Thousands of Haitians living on border of the Dominican Republic are massacred by General Trujillo's soldiers.

1957 François Duvalier, a doctor and union leader, was elected president. Duvalier, also known as 'Papa Doc', terrorized the country, rooting out any and all opponents to his administration. He was a practicing vodunist, his loa being Baron Samedi, the guardian of cemeteries and a harbinger of death. He ensured his power through his private militia, the tontons macoutes (which means in kreyol, "uncle boogeyman").

1964 Duvalier changes the constitution so that he can be elected president for life.

1971 François Duvalier dies and is succeeded by his son Jean-Claude, age 19 (also known as 'Baby Doc'). By this time Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere (and remains so to this day).

1972 Haitian "boat people" begin to flee to US. Hundreds of human rights workers, journalists, and lawyers are arrested and exiled.

1980 Hundreds of human rights workers, journalists, and lawyers are arrested and exiled.

1984 Over 200 peasants massacred at Jean-Rabeau during land-access demonstration.

1985 Anti-government demonstrations continue, galvanized by shooting of 4 schoolchildren.

Feb.1986 The Duvalier regime collapses under Operation Deschoukay and Baby Doc flees to France.

1987 Constitution approved, but general elections aborted; dozens shot by soldiers and the Tontons Macoutes in Port-au-Prince, many more in the countryside.

1990 General Prosper Avril, now president, declares state of siege.

Dec. 1990 Jean-Bertrand Aristide (a parish priest) is elected in a landslide victory.

1991 Military coup deposes Aristide's government; Organization of American States imposes an embargo lasting three years.

1993 Exiled President Aristide continues to work for restoration of the legitimate government and for sanctions against the coup regime.
Within Haiti, human rights violations continue, and several key Aristide supporters are executed.

1994 A multinational force lands in Haiti; coup leaders agree to step down and leave the country. In October, Aristide returns to Haiti to serve out his term of office, facilitated by the US military and UN troops.

Dec. 1995 Former Prime Minister René Préval elected President in a landslide victory.

1996 The new government announces plans for agricultural production, administrative reform, and economic modernization.

1997-8 UN troops begin withdrawal. Violence continues.
Rivalries within Aristide’s ruling coalition, the Lavalas Political Organization, increase. Prime Minister Rosny Smarth resigns, but remains in office. Elections marked by fraud.
Economic and political recovery and international aid programs affected.

Sources:

The Caribbean and the Bahamas, James Henderson, Cadogan Books, London, 1997.

Written in Blood: The Story of the Haitian People 1492-1971, Robert Debs Heinl, Jr., and Nancy Gordon Heinl, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1978.

Haitian Embassy Website. http://www.haiti.org/embassy/keydate.htm

Part of this timeline was compiled by Anne E. Shroeder, Language Works.
Timeline modified and appended and page constructed by Cary Henson (henson@uwosh.edu)

Dec. 1492	Columbus discovers Haiti (the island of Hispaniola)
ca. 1600	Native Carib population (Taino-Arawak Indians) virtually wiped out. African slaves begin to arrive in increasing numbers.
1600s	Rise of British, French, and Dutch activity in Caribbean.
1697	The Spaniards cede the western third of Hispaniola to the French crown at the Treaty of Ryswick. Haiti is now called "Saint Domingue."
1697-1791	Saint Domingue becomes the richest colony in the world. Its capital, Cap Français, is known as the Paris of the New World. As many as 700,000 African slaves by end of century (compared with about 30,000 whites and 30,000 "affranchis"/"gens de couleur").
August 1791	The first major black rebellion takes place, initiated by Boukman, a voodoo houngan. This begins the markings of civil war between the black dominated north and the mulatto (mulâtre) dominated south.
1796	Toussaint L'Ouverture ("the opening"), an educated herb doctor and military man, emerges as the leader of the former slaves in the north. He restored order, ended the massacres, and restored some of Saint Domingue's former prosperity.
1798	Toussaint makes diplomatic contact with the recently established United States.
1801	Napoleon Bonaparte despatches an army of 34,000 to try to subdue the slave armies and retake the colony for France; this mission was unsuccessful. The leader of the army Leclerc ultimately had Toussaint L'Ouverture seized and deported to France. He died within a year.
May 1802	Convention in Paris reintroduces slavery, which brings on more rebellions and massacres.
January 1804	Jean-Jacques Dessalines proclaimed the independent black Republic of Haiti in the northern half of the island (the first independent country of former slaves in the world). Dessalines was unpopular with the mulattos and was assassinated in 1806. His death led to civil war again between the south (under General Pétion) and the north (under Henri Christophe). The name of the new country, "Haiti," is the name that had been given to the land by the former Taino-Arawak peoples, meaning "mountainous country."
1807-1810	"Guerre du Môle" between Pétion and and Christophe.
1820	Henri Christophe commits suicide by shooting himself with a silver bullet; he had been a tyrannical ruler, crowning himself "king", and building a palace and citadel (at Cap Haïtien in the north) at great cost to Haitian lives. At his death Haiti was taken over by General Boyer, and civil war ceased.
1821	Boyer invades Santo Domingo following its declaration of independence from Spain. Hispaniola under Haitian control until 1844.
1838	France recognizes Haitian independence in exchange for 150 million francs.
1843 to 1915	Haiti sees 22 heads of state, most of whom leave office by violent means. Rivalry continues among the whites, the mulatto elite, and the blacks.
1915	President Guillaume Sam is dismembered and the Americans invade the country. They remain for 19 years. Despite improvements made to the infrastructure by the Americans, the Haitians opposed their presence.
1934	The Americans leave Haiti, which is now prospering once again.
1937	Thousands of Haitians living on border of the Dominican Republic are massacred by General Trujillo's soldiers.
1957	François Duvalier, a doctor and union leader, was elected president. Duvalier, also known as 'Papa Doc', terrorized the country, rooting out any and all opponents to his administration. He was a practicing vodunist, his loa being Baron Samedi, the guardian of cemeteries and a harbinger of death. He ensured his power through his private militia, the tontons macoutes (which means in kreyol, "uncle boogeyman").
1964	Duvalier changes the constitution so that he can be elected president for life.
1971	François Duvalier dies and is succeeded by his son Jean-Claude, age 19 (also known as 'Baby Doc'). By this time Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere (and remains so to this day).
1972	Haitian "boat people" begin to flee to US. Hundreds of human rights workers, journalists, and lawyers are arrested and exiled.
1980	Hundreds of human rights workers, journalists, and lawyers are arrested and exiled.
1984	Over 200 peasants massacred at Jean-Rabeau during land-access demonstration.
1985	Anti-government demonstrations continue, galvanized by shooting of 4 schoolchildren.
Feb.1986	The Duvalier regime collapses under Operation Deschoukay and Baby Doc flees to France.
1987	Constitution approved, but general elections aborted; dozens shot by soldiers and the Tontons Macoutes in Port-au-Prince, many more in the countryside.
1990	General Prosper Avril, now president, declares state of siege.
Dec. 1990	Jean-Bertrand Aristide (a parish priest) is elected in a landslide victory.
1991	Military coup deposes Aristide's government; Organization of American States imposes an embargo lasting three years.
1993	Exiled President Aristide continues to work for restoration of the legitimate government and for sanctions against the coup regime. Within Haiti, human rights violations continue, and several key Aristide supporters are executed.

1994	A multinational force lands in Haiti; coup leaders agree to step down and leave the country. In October, Aristide returns to Haiti to serve out his term of office, facilitated by the US military and UN troops.
Dec. 1995	Former Prime Minister René Préval elected President in a landslide victory.
1996	The new government announces plans for agricultural production, administrative reform, and economic modernization.
1997-8	UN troops begin withdrawal. Violence continues. Rivalries within Aristide’s ruling coalition, the Lavalas Political Organization, increase. Prime Minister Rosny Smarth resigns, but remains in office. Elections marked by fraud. Economic and political recovery and international aid programs affected.