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January 1, 1804: The Dominican Republic declares its independence from France and becomes the first free nation in the Caribbean.
February 27, 1844: The Dominican Republic declares its independence from Haiti and becomes a sovereign nation.
August 16, 1916: The United States invades the Dominican Republic and occupies it for eight years.
October 24, 1930: General Rafael Trujillo seizes power in a military coup and establishes a brutal dictatorship that lasts for over 30 years.
November 25, 1961: Trujillo is assassinated and the Dominican Republic undergoes a period of political instability.
April 24, 1965: The Dominican Civil War begins, lasting for several months and resulting in the deaths of thousands of people.
July 1, 1966: Joaquín Balaguer is elected president and begins a 12-year term in office.
August 16, 1978: The Dominican Republic and Haiti sign a treaty that establishes the border between the two countries.
January 1, 1994: Leonel Fernández is elected president and begins a four-year term in office.
August 16, 2012: Danilo Medina is elected president and begins a four-year term in office.
October 20, 2020: Luis Abinader is elected president and begins his four-year term in office.