History of Latvia. Latvia chronology

History of Latvia

Chronology of Latvia

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Chronology of Latvia

Ancient Latvian History
9000 BC	After glaciers withdrew from the Latvian lands, the first inhabitants of today's country settled in the region.
2000 BC	The ancient Balts who were the forefathers of today's Latvians settled in the region.
900 –1200 AD	The Latgallians, Couronians, Semgallians, Selonians - the first individual tribes of Latvians started their own kingdoms.
1100s – 1200s	The first German settlers - traders, crusaders and missionaries arrived in Latvia and conquered the tribal territories. During that period Livonia and Riga were established.

Medieval Latvian History and Swedish Rule
1558 - 1583	Livonian War. As a result Latvian territory fell under control of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This territory was divided into Duchy of Courland, Duchy of Semigallia and Livonia.
1600-1629	Polish-Swedish War. Livonia and Riga was conqured by Swedes. Riga became Sweden’s largest city.
1700-1721	Great Northern War. Livonia and Riga fell under Russian rule. Latgallia as well as the Duchy of Courland were incorporated by Russia.
1850s – 1870s	National awakening of the Latvians.

First Half of the 20th Century and Latvian Turmoil
1905-1907	Latvian Revolution took place.
1918 November 18	The Independence of Latvia was proclaimed.
1920 August 11	The Soviet Union and the Republic of Latvia signed a peace treaty with which Russia acknowledged Latvia’s independence and stopped its claims to the Latvian territory.
1939 August 23	The Soviet Union and Germany signed a non-aggression pact called the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact by the names of the two politicians on each side who signed. The pact stated that Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia were to join the Soviet Union.
1939 October 5	Latvia was forced to accept Russian troops and influence because the Soviet Union threatened to wage a war if that didn't happen. Therefore Latvia signed an agreement with which it proclaimed a 'mutual assistance'.
June 16, 1940	The Soviet Union forced Latvia even further as it demanded that a pro-Russian government be placed in Latvia and that Soviet forces occupy the country. This was in violation of the pact between the countries and the principles of international law.

Second Half of the 20th Century and the Latvian Suffering
1940	Latvia was occupied by Soviet troops.
1940 July 23	U.S. declared the Soviet actions in Latvia illegal and refused to recognise them.
1941 June 14	The occupation regime killed thousands and forced even more to death by working in Siberia. There were even reports for children being killed.
1941 – 1945	Latvia was occupied by Nazi Germany.
1943 March	Germany started an obligatory recruitment of Latvian people into German army.
1941 – 1944	During German rule, over 90,000 Latvian Jews and other civilians were exterminated.
1945 May	At the end of World War II, the German occupation army surrenders and the Soviet occupation was established again in Latvia.
1945 – 1956	Latvians assumed a continuous national partisan war against Soviet occupation. The armed struggle took over the entire country of Latvia.
1949 March 25	Over 40,000 innocent people were proclaimed to be enemies of Soviet authorities and were sent to Siberia.

Post World War and Independent Latvia
June 14 and August 23	The first larger anti-occupation demonstrations took place in Riga.
1990 May 4	Latvia adopted a Declaration of Indepndence for a transition period.
1991 August 21	Latvia gained its complete reinstated Independence from Russia.
1994 August 31	The last former Soviet troops of Russian army left Latvia.
2004 April – May	Latvia becomes a member of NATO and the EU.
2006 November 28-29	A NATO Summit is held in Latvia.