4000 – 3000 BC. – first native inhabitants (Guanahatabey Indians) appear on Cuba , they are followed by Sibonejów tribes

1100 AD. – Arawak nation (or Tain) inhabits east and middle part of the island. Before colonization Cuba is settled by over 100 thousand Indians

1492, 28 October – Christopher Columbus discovers Cuba believing the land he reaches is Japan. He names the island Juana

1492-1762 – period of Spanish settlement. In 1509 Velázquez starts expeditions and the settlement of the island begins. In 1521 Cuba joins Vicekingdom of New Spain

1512 – resistance of local people against the Spanish breaks and its leader Taino Hatuey is burnt (within 50 years colonization leads to massive destruction of local population)

1523 – Cuba is settled by African slaves who arrive on the island to work on sugar cane, tobacco and coffee plantations; 14 years later the first slave revolt breaks out (slavery is abolished on the island not until 1886)

1607 – Havana becomes the capital of Cuba

1762 – Invasion of Great Britain, the beginning of British occupation – one year later as a result of Treaty of Paris Havana is passed to the Spanish in exchange for Florida

90’s of the eighteen century – sugar becomes main product of Cuban economy

1795 – as a result of the revolt the French living on Haiti leave the island to settle down in the province of Oriente

The beginning of the twentieth century – birth of independence movement on Cuba (Cuba and Puerto Rico are last Spanish colonies on the continent)

1868 - 1898 – two wars of independence. In 1898 Spain signs peace treaty in Paris passing the control over the island to the USA. United States joins independence fights to get influence in the region. The USA has a great impact on Cuban politics until 1956.

1901 – Platt Amandment as a result of which USA receives the base in Guantanamo Bay together with right to intervention in the internal politics of Cuba

1902 – proclamation of independent republic of Cuba under official protection of the U.S.. Tomás Estrada Palama becomes the president

1925 – as a result of social tensions caused by crisis at the sugar market power is taken over by the general Gerard Machado y Morales who establishes dictatorship, violence and corruption on Cuba

1933 – military coup d'état which leads overthrowing Morales – so called “sergeants’ revolt” commanded by Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar

1940- 1944 - Fulgencio Batista becomes the president of Cuba

1952 - Batista provokes coup d'état, overthrows President Socarras, cancels already planned parliamentary elections (in which Castro wants to participate)

1953, 26 July - Fidel Castro caries out unsuccessful attack on barracks of Moncad in the province of Oriente. Half of attackers die whereas Castro and his brother Raul are captured. Fidel is sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment but in 1955 he is granted amnesty

1955 – while staying in Mexico Castro reorganizes revolutionary movement (so called 26 July Movement) and gathers volunteers to guerrilla troops

1956, 2 December - Fidel Castro together with a group of rebels reaches Cuba on “Granma” yacht. Rebels are defeated; twelve of those who survived (among of whom there is Fidel, Raul and Che Guevara) retreat into Sierra Maestra mountains which become the base for guerrilla fights

1958 – Che Guevara organises second front in Sierra del Escambray

1959 – Castro takes the lead of 9 thousands of guerrilla army; he enters Havanana and makes Batista to give away power, himself he becomes the prime minister. He nationalizes industry, banks; confiscates property of American companies and citizens; caries out agrarian reform along with educational and health campains. Then Cuba enters into alliance with the Soviet Union

1961, 17-19 April – defeat of invasion of Cuban refugees organized by CIA in Bay of Pigs. In result USA break off diplomatic relations with Cuba and Castro proclaims socialist form of revolution

1962 October – “Cuban crisis” evoked by placing on Cuba missiles bases by the Soviet Union posing a direct threat to the US. territory. Tension between nations puts the world on the verge of nuclear war. The conflict is averted after command of Nikita Khrushchev to return ships and to dismantle rocket launchers in return for guarantee of American nonagression towards Cuba. USA imposes commercial embargo and sea blockade on Cuba

1967 – Che Guevara is killed in Bolivia

1972- Cuban Communist Party confirms a new socialist constitution; Castro becomes the president of Cuba. The island is being supported economically and military by the Soviet Union and joins Council of Mutual Economic Assistance.

1976-1981 – Cuban troops support pro-Russian forces in fights in Angola and Ethiopia

1980 – great emigration of opponents of dictatorship inspired by Fidel Castro who lets them leave the island. The group of 120 thousand people set out from Mariel port (so called marielitos) to Miami

1991 – the collapse of the Soviet Union causes economic crisis on Cuba which loses its major trade partner and Russian support (shortage of food, fuel, downfall of trade)

1993 – the United States reinforce embargo on Cuba. To rescue collapsing economy of Cuba Castro changes constitution, legalizes American dollar and allows to run private business and practice religion. Yet, state control of food is introduced and shortage of oil is visible

1998 – John Paul the Second makes a pilgrimage on Cuba

1999 – conflict built on Eliana Gonzaleza issue. The 6-year-old boy is found in waters of Florida coast. (The US. grant political asylum to refugees who reach the mainland). Fight between boy’s family living in Miami and his father residing on Cuba starts and lasts for 7 months. In the end Elian is deported

2002 – accusing Cuba of carrying out works connected with biological weapon the administration of President Bush classifies Cuba into the group of countries that belong to so called „axsis of evil”

2003, 18 March – Black Spring on Cuba - wave of massive arrests of independent journalists and opposition members. 78 dissidents are sentenced without evidence to 30 years of imprisonment, the fact of which becomes the most drastic attack on the opposition movement. Persecutions of the regime enemies continue despite its international criticism

31 July 2006 – Awaiting operation on alimentary canal Fidel Castro hands over power to his brother Raul. Since July the Cuban leader has scarcely shown himself to the public; the information regarding his health condition is seldom released. (Most probably Castro suffers from cancer).