In the Time of the Butterflies Timeline

Trujillo becomes president

May 6, 1930

Trujillo becomes the president of the Dominican Republic through a rigged election.

Massacre

Jan 1, 1937

Trujillo declares a massacre on all of the Hatians living in the Dominican Republic.

Lina Lovaton Pittaluga

Jan 1, 1937

Trujillo marries Lina Lovaton Pittaluga and has two children; Yolanda and Rafael.

Inmaculada Concepcion

Jan 1, 1938

Minerva convinces Papa to let her go to Inmaculada Concepcion.

Trujillo's secret

Jan 1, 1938

Minerva befriends Sinita and learns about Trujillo's secret.

World War II Begins

Sep 1, 1939

World War II begins.

World War II

Jan 1, 1941

The Dominican Republic declares war on Germany, Italy, and Japan.

Repay USA

Jan 1, 1942

Trujillo makes a deal with USA to repay all their foreign debt.

World War II Ends

Sep 2, 1945

World War II ends and the United Nations is founded with the Dominican Republic as one of its founding members.

Japan Surrenders

Sep 2, 1945

Japan Surrenders.

Communion

Dec 9, 1945

Maria Teresa goes to her first communion.

Patria

Jan 1, 1946

At age 14, Patria enters Inmaculada Concepcion.

Marriage

Feb 24, 1946

Patria gets married to Pedrito Gonzalez.

Graduation

Jun 29, 1946

Minerva graduates school.

Meet

Jan 1, 1948

Dede and Minerva meet Virgilio Morales (Lio).

Newspaper

Jan 1, 1948

While reading the newspaper, Mama, Dede, Mate, and Papa find out that Lio is part of a Communist Party.

Papa's secret

Jan 1, 1949

Minerva finds out about Papa's other family.

Slap

Oct 12, 1949

Minerva slaps Trujillo at the Discovery Day Dance.

Korean War

Jul 25, 1950

The Korean War begins when North Korea Communist forces invade South Korea.

Coffin

Dec 14, 1953

Papa Mirabal dies.

Minerva

Jan 17, 1954

Minerva goes back to school in the capital.

Trujillo is Chief

Jan 1, 1955

Trujillo orders that everyone has to have a golden plaque in their house that reads,"In this house, Trujillo is chief".

State Security Secretariat

Jan 1, 1957

secret police and Dominican intelligence are combined to make the State Security Secretariat for control and surveillance of the population.

Retreat

Jan 1, 1959

Patria goes on a church retreat in the mountains.

Santo Tomas de Aquino

Sep 1, 1959

Nelson goes to Santo Tomas de Aquino.

Dede Leaves

Jan 1, 1960

Dede decides to join her sisters and leave Jaimito.

Arrested

Jan 1, 1960

Don Leandro (Mate's husband) is arrested.

Arrested

Jan 1, 1960

Mate is arrested.

Patria's troubles

Jan 1, 1960

Patria's house is burnt down and Nelson (her son) and Pedrito (her husband) are arrested.

Patria, Minerva, and Maria Teresa Murdered

Nov 25, 1960

The government agents ordered by Trujillo murdered Patria, Minerva, and Maria Teresa Mirabal.

Assassinated

May 30, 1961

Trujillo is assassinated.

West Germany and France sign treaty

Jan 22, 1963

West Germany and France sign a treaty of cooperation that ends the four centuries of conflict.

Chinese troops invade Vietnam

Feb 17, 1979

Chinese troops invade Vietnam.

Dede

Jan 1, 1994

Dede talks to the interviewing woman about her family history.

television crew

Nov 25, 1994

Every year, the television crew would ask Dede about her family history on this date, November 25.