Early Bronze Age cultures settle in Poland

Iron is introduced into the region

Germanic tribes such as the Celts arrive

The region begins to come under the influence of the Roman Empire

Slavic peoples start to migrate into the area

The Slavic tribes are united by the Polanie peoples

Duke Mieszko I becomes leader and founds the Polish state. He establishes the Piast Dynasty

The Polish people under Mieszko I adopt Christianity as their state religion

The Kingdom of Poland is established. Boleslaw I becomes the first King of Poland

Poland and Lithuania unite and form the Polish-Lithuanian union. This is the end of the Piast dynasty and the start of the Jagiellonian dynasty

The Polish defeat the Teutonic Knights at the Battle of Grunwald. The Golden Age of Poland begins

The first Polish parliament is established

The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth is formed by the Union of Lublin

Religious toleration is guaranteed by the Warsaw Confederation. The Jagiellonian dynasty comes to an end

The capital of Poland is moved from Krakow to Warsaw

A series of wars (Sweden, Russia, Tatars, Turks) brings the Poland's Golden Age to an end

King Sobieski defeats the Turks at Vienna

A weakened Poland is divided between Prussia, Austria, and Russia in what is called the First Partition

Poland establishes a new constitution with liberal reforms

Russia and Prussia invade and once again divide Poland into the Second Partition

Napoleon invades and conquers the region. He establishes the Duchy of Warsaw

Poland comes under the control of Russia

The Polish revolt against Russia, but they are defeated

World War I begins. The Polish join Austria and Germany in the fight against Russia

The Russian Revolution takes place

World War I ends with Poland becoming an independent nation. Jozef Pilsudski becomes the leader of the Second Polish Republic

Pilsudski makes himself dictator of Poland in a military coup

World War II begins when Germany invades Poland from the west. The Soviet Union then invades from the east. Poland is divided between Germany and the Soviet Union

German concentration camps are built throughout Poland including Auschwitz and Treblinka. Millions of Jews are killed in Poland as part of the Holocaust

Jews living in the Warsaw Ghetto fight against the Nazis in an uprising

The Polish resistance takes control of Warsaw. However, the Germans burn the city to the ground in response

World War II comes to an end. Russians invade, pushing the German army out of Poland

Poland becomes a communist state under the rule of the Soviet Union

Protests and riots against Soviet rule occur in Poznan. Some reforms are granted

People in Gdansk protest the price of bread. 55 protesters are killed in what is known as 'Bloody Tuesday.'

Karol Wojtyla is elected pope of the Catholic church. He becomes Pope John Paul II

The Solidarity trade union is established by Lech Walesa. Ten million workers join

The Soviet Union imposes martial law to put an end to Solidarity. Lech Walesa is imprisoned

Lech Walesa wins the Nobel Peace Prize

Elections are held and a new government is formed

Lech Walesa is elected President of Poland

The Soviet Union begins removing troops from Poland

Poland becomes a member of the European Union