-
400
Arawak people inhabited Dominica!
Dominica's first inhabitants, the Ortoroids, arrived from South America around 3100 B.C., and lasted on the island until around 400 B.C. Next came the Arawaks, who settled in about 400 A.D. -
Jan 1, 1400
Caribs move in!
By 1400, the Kalinago or "Caribs," moved aggressively up the Caribbean from South America, eliminating the Arawak from the region, including Dominica, except for one last settlement in the northeast. -
Nov 1, 1493
Columbus lands on Dominica!
Ignoring the Kalinago name of "Waitukubuli," Columbus renamed the island Dominica as he first made landfall on a Sunday. -
Caribs lose control of the island!
The Caribs successfully resisted efforts of Spanish colonization, but the British and French followed from the 1600s on, battling each other, and the Caribs, to claim the Island. Through the many battles and ravaged by disease, the Caribs gradually lost control of the island, fleeing back to South America. -
France claims Dominica!
Shortly thereafter, French missionaries became the first European inhabitants of the island. -
The French & British agree to abandon Dominica!
Dominica was neutral for the next century, but the attraction of its resources remained; rival expeditions of French and British foresters were harvesting timber until the start of the 18th century. -
Dominica becomes a British possession!
As part of the Treaty of Paris that ended the Seven Years' War. The British established a legislative assembly, representing only the white population -
French mount a successful invasion!
During the American Revolutionary War, the French invade with active cooperation from the Dominican population. -
Island returns to British control!
The 1783 Treaty of Paris, which again ended a war, returns the island to the British. -
French fail at invasion!
-
Again French fail at another invasion of Dominica!
-
Brown Privilege Bill!
Reflecting a liberalization of official British racial attitudes, the Brown Privilege Bill conferred political and social rights on free nonwhites. Three Blacks were elected to the legislative assembly the following year. -
Dominica becomes part of the Leeward Island Federation!
The power of the Black population progressively eroded. -
Crown Colony government is re-established!
All political rights for the vast majority of the population were effectively curtailed. Development aid, offered as compensation for disenfranchisement, proved to have a negligible effect. -
Representative Government Association!
Following World War I, an upsurge of political consciousness throughout the Caribbean led to the formation of the Representative Government Association. Marshaling public frustration with the lack of a voice in the governing of Dominica, this group won one-third of the popularly elected seats of the legislative assembly in 1924 and one-half in 1936. -
Dominica as part of the Windwards!
Dominica was transferred from the Leeward Island Administration and was governed as part of the Windwards until 1958, when it joined the short-lived West Indies Federation. -
Dominica gains independence!
After the federation dissolved, Dominica became an associated state of the United Kingdom in 1967 and formally took responsibility for its internal affairs. On November 3, 1978, the Commonwealth of Dominica was granted independence by the United Kingdom. -
Problems for Dominica!
Independence did little to solve problems stemming from centuries of economic underdevelopment, and in mid-1979, political discontent led to the formation of an interim government. It was replaced after the 1980 elections by a government led by the Dominica Freedom Party under Prime Minister Eugenia Charles, the Caribbean's first female prime minister. Chronic economic problems were compounded by the severe impact of hurricanes in 1979 and in 1980. -
Dominica's economy!
By the end of the 1980s, the economy recovered, but weakened again in the 1990s due to a decrease in banana prices. -
Economical Disasters!
In the 2000s, the economy was hit by a spate of disasters, including the removal of the European preferential trade for bananas, the impact of Hurricane Dean, and the global financial meltdown. Dominica has managed quite well during the current global recession as a smaller percentage of its economy is based on tourism and foreign investment.
