| Year |
Event |
| 1000 |
Aruba’s first settlers, the Arawak tribe, arrive from Venezuela. |
| 1499 |
Explorer Alonso de Ojeda discovers the island and claims it for Spain. |
| 1515 |
The entire Arawak are transported to Hispaniola to work as slaves in the copper mines. |
| 1527 |
Spain begins to formally colonise Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. Governor Juan de Ampues asks Charles V, King of Spain, to return the Arawak to Aruba. The request is granted and a mandate issued to prevent further colonisation. |
| 1636 |
The Dutch gain control towards the end of the 80 Years’ War between the Netherlands and Spain. The Dutch use the Arawak to herd cattle. |
| 1750 |
Alto Vista Chapel is built. |
| 1805 |
The British take control of Aruba. |
| 1816 |
Aruba returns to Dutch control. |
| 1824 |
Gold is discovered. Remains of the mines can be seen at Bushiribana. |
| 1850 |
Aloe is introduced to the island. By the 1920s Aruba is responsible for most of the world’s aloe supply. |
| 1916 |
Gold mining ceases as supplies dwindle. |
| 1928 |
An oil refinery is built at San Nicholas. Thousands of workers arrive from the US and other Caribbean islands. |
| 1985 |
The refinery, once the largest in the world, closes and devastates the economy. The island begins to turn to tourism. |
| 1986 |
Aruba secedes from the Netherlands Antilles and becomes an independent member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. |