1498		Columbus sighted the Guyanese coast, during his third voyage to the Americas, the Dutch were the first Europeans to settle what is now Guyana.
1616		The Dutch established the first European settlement in the area of Guyana.
1648		Dutch sovereignty was officially recognized with the signing of the Treaty of Munster
February 1763		slave uprising.
1781		A war broke out between the Netherlands and Britain, which resulted in the British occupation of Berbice, Essequibo, and Demerara.
1783		Geogetown was established.
1784		Dutch regained power.
1814		At the London Convention both colonies were formally ceded to Britain.
1831		Berbice and the United Colony of Demerara and Essequibo were unified as British Guiana.
1899		A border disput between Guyana and Venezuela was settled.
1917		British Guiana Labour Union (BGLU) was established.
1928		British Colonial Office announced a new constitution that would make British Guiana a crown colony under tight control of a governor appointed by the Colonial Office.
January 1950		Jagan founded the People's Progressive Party (PPP).
30 May 1953		Jagan became primeminister.
9 October 1953		London suspended the colony's constitution and, under pretext of quelling disturbances, sent in troops.
26 May 1966		Guyana became independend.
23 February 1970		Guyana declared itself a "cooperative republic" and cut all ties to the British monarchy.
November 1978		Jonestown massacre.
1980		A new constitution was promulgated.
10 August 1985		Desmond Hoyte became the new executive president.
October 1992		Cheddi Baret Jagan became the president a third time.
1999		Bharrat Jagdeo assumed the presidency.
1999		Mireya Elisa Moscoso Rodriguez became Panama’s first female president and the Panama Canal Zone returned to Panama.