History of Lithuania. Lithuania chronology

History of Lithuania

Chronology of Lithuania

Lithuania

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Chronology of Lithuania

Beginning of Lithuania
2000 BC	The Lithuanian ancestors settled along the Baltic coast.
1009 AD	This is the year when Lithuania was first mentioned in foreign chronicles and its warriors are described as extremely fearless and fierce.
1236	Mingaugas united Lithuania and was crowned king. The unification helped the country to protect itself from the German crusaders.
1323	The city of Vilnius was officially founded by the Grand Duke Gediminas.
1385	Polish-Lithuanian Union known as Kreva Union was sign. Lithuanian Duke Jogaila became Polish King.
1392-1430	Lithuania-Poland's boundaries stretched to the Black Sea.
1410	Lithuanians and their allies defeated the Teutonic Knights and thus end their military influence in the region forever.
1400s	Jews begin to settle in Lithuania. In some time Vilnius became a centre of Jewish culture and learning.

Hardships for Lithuania
1569	Lithuania entered a Commonwealth with Poland because it is endangered by Russia.
1657	Half of Vilnius citizens died due to the plague.
1795	Lithuania ended up with Russia after the Commonwealth was cut by the partitions.
1864	The Emperor of Russia bans Lithuanian as an officially used language. The Lithuanians resisted.

20th Century in Lithuania
1918	Lithuania proclaimed its independence.
1920	Polish troops invaded and took over Vilnius. Kaunas became the new capital.
1939 March	Klaipeda was incorporated by Nazi Germany.
1939 August	Hitler and Stalin divided Europe and the Baltic republics remained in the Soviet sphere of influence. Moscow gave Vilnius back to Lithuania but mass deportations to Siberia began.
1941	Nazi Germany occupied Lithuania and most of its 240,000 Jews were killed.
1944	Soviet Russia occupied Lithuania once again. Over 500,000 Lithuanians suffered from deportation, exile or are simply shot.

Post World Wars Lithuania
1989	In Lithuania there are open protests against the Soviet occupation for the first time after the War.
1989	Lithuanian Communists daringly vote to break with the Soviet Party.
1990	Lithuania declares its new independence and becomes the first Soviet republic to do so.
1991	13 civilians are killed by the Soviets in Vilnius, but after that failed coup Lithuania gained its independence.
1993	Algirdas Brazauskas becomes president. The litas become the new national currency.
1997	A cooperation agreement is signed between Russia and Lithuania.
1998	Valdas Adamkus, a U.S. citizen, becomes a president of Lithuania after a 50-year exile.

Present Day Lithuania
2004 March 29	Lithuania becomes a member of NATO.
2004 May 1	Lithuania becomes a member of the European Union.
2004	Adamkus is re-elected president.