2, 000 years ago the the Ciboney Indians lived in the island. Their presence lasts until about 1515, when they were exterminated by the Spanish conquistadors.
1492 (October 28) Christopher Columbus lands on coast of Bariay, in the northeast of the island. He names the island Juana, in honour to the first child of the Catholic king and queen , Ferdinand and Isabella. Tobacco was already being cultivated by the natives.
1509 Sebastian de Ocampo charts the territory, demonstrating that it is an island.
1510 Diego Velazquez begins the conquest and colonialization that concludes in 1514. The Spanish bring sugar cane to cultivate.
1512 in Baracoa Chief Hatuey rebels.He is burned in a stake after he denied to become Catholic. This is the first sign of struggle for liberty in Cuba. Founding of the first villa "Nuestra Asuncion de Baracoa".
1514 founding of villas of "San Salvador de Bayamo", "La Santisima Trinidad", "Sacti Spiritus", "San Cristobal de la Habana", "Santa Maria de Puerto Principe", "Santiago de Cuba"Each village had a governing organ known as Cabildo.
1526 145 slaves from Africa are brought to Cuba. This barbarous human comerce continues until the 19th century.
1537 Cuban villages attacked by corsairs and pirates. 1555 Jacques do Sores sacks and destroys Havana.
1558 The process of fortifying Havana begins.
1561 Economis boom in Havana aftern being declared official trade-centre.
1608 First work of Cuban literature; Poem Espejo de Paciencia by Silvestre de Balboa from the Canary Is.
1728 The first University of Cuba is founded in Havana.
1762 The English take Havana on August 12. Their rule was 11 months long. This favoured the economic and trading status of the city.
1763 Treaty of Versailles, England returns Havana to the Spanish receiving Florida in exchange.
1781 USA becomes Cuba's biggest purchaser of sugar and a few other goods.
1789 Free trade of slaves is established
1790 The Papel Periodico is founded in Havana; the first newspaper published in Cuba.
1791 Cuba takes control over its coffee and sugar markets, which previously belonged to Haitian growers, whose plantations were destroyed by war. Sugar becomes Cubas number one export crop. Slavery increases.
1793 The Royal Economic Society of Friends of the Country is founded with the goal of better economic activities.
1810 The first independence conspiracy takes place under the direction of Roman de la Luz and Juaquin Infante, who drafted the first projects of the Cuban Constitucion.
1824 From now and on Felix Velera publishes in Philadelphia and New York "El Habanero", the first Cuban Revolutionary newspaper.
1826 Alexander von Humboldt, publishes political Essay on the island of Cuba; the first work on the geography of the island.
1837 The first railway is built, before one is built in Spain, to transport sugar.
1838 THE TACON THEATRE is inaugurated in Havana. It is considered one of the most luxurious and important in the world at the time.
1850 Giuseppe Garibaldi arrives in Havana, remains in there for several months.
1853 (Jan. 28) Jose Marti is born in Havana.
He becomes the founder of the Cuban Revolutionary Party and organizer of the War of independence; peot,excellent writer, critic, journalist, diplomat.
1868 (October 10) Carlos Manueal de Cespedes, "The Father of the Nation" frees his slaves and sets off the first war against Spanish Dominion. The war lasts 10 years.
(October 20) What is to become a national holiday; the national anthem is sung for the first time in the city of Bayamo. National Culture Day.
(November 4) Spanish troops are charged by machete-armed patriots led by Maximo Gomez.
1869 The Assembly of Guaimaro gathers in April and approves the first Constitution.
1878(Feb. 10) The Zanjon Pact is signed: a group of military and civic leaders surrender to the commander of the spanish troops.
(March 15) Major General Antonio Maceo refuses to accept the Zanjon peace treaty, which he considers a "disgraceful surrender" that stains the dignity of the Cuban people. This act is known as The Protest of Baragua.
1883 Investment of US capital begins in the island. By now the control of the Cuban economy can be said to be in the hands of the USA.
1892 (April 10) Jose Marti founds the CRP (Cuban Revolutionary Party), which unites all the forces in the country to lead the winning struggle against Spanish Dominion.
1895(Feb 24) The War of Independence begins, to whose organization were dedicated to Jose Marti, Maximo Gomez and Antonio Maceo.
(May 19) Jose Marti, falls in uneven combat
against the spanish troops. His mortal remains are in the cementary of Santa Ifligenia in Santiago de Cuba.
1896 (December 7) The lieutenant general of the Liberation Army Antonio Maceo, "The Bronze Titan", dies in combat at San Pedro, near Punta Brava in the province of Havana.
1898 (Feb 15) Spain has now virtually lost the war. In the harbour of Havana, the US battleship, the Maine, explodes, giving the pretext to the Americans to militarily intervene in the conflict, with the objective of preventing the liberation of Cuba. In December, Spain and the US WITHOUT the presence of the Cubans, stipulate a peace accord, signing the Treaty of Paris.The US' military occupation of the island begins, lasting for about three years.
1901 The new Constitution is approved, in which the US imposes an amendment, The Enmienda Platt, by virtue of which the US denies the sovereignity and self-determination of the Cuban populous. In the same year the National Library is founded.
1899, Jan. 1. Spain loses Cuba to the USA
Leonard Woods is appointed Governor of Cuba
1902, May 20. Cuba becomes a Republic.
USA hands over the Cuba to the first president Don Tomas Estrada Palma.
The Cuban flag is raisen in the Fortress of the Three Kings of Morro
1926, Jul. The Capitol Building of Havana is built.
1940, Jul. 1 The Constitution is written.
1944 Major coup d'etat by Gen. Batista.
1959, Jan. 1. Batista flees Cuba.
Castro takes Havana
Castro appointed Prime Minister of Cuba.
President-elected Mr. Urrutia is threatened by Castro.
1960 Castro Nationalizes US companies in Cuba
1976 New Socialist Constitution is written.
1989 USSR-Cuban relations are broken. Russian president Gorbachev visits Havana.
1991 "Special Period" due to economic blockade from the USA.
1999 Pope John Paull II visits Havana
