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April – Transvaal military leader Harklaas Malan captures Kgamanyane, kgosi of the Kgafela Kgatla, and publicly whips him.[1]: xxvi
November – The Kgatla people join the Kwena people under the rule of Sechele I.[1]: xxvi
1871
May – Mochudi is founded when the Kgatla people migrate to the Kingdom of Kwena.[2]: 35 [1]: xxvi
1872
29 August – Macheng is banished from Shoshong in an effort organised by Khama III.[1]: xxvi
1873
January – Sekgoma I returns as kgosi of the Ngwato people.[1]: xxvi
January – A schism occurs between brothers Khama III, a Christian, and Kgamane, who joined and renounced Christianity. Khama III flees to Serowe.[1]: xxvi
1875
Khama III overthrows Sekgoma I and becomes kgosi of the Ngwato people.[1]: xxvi
11 August – The Kgafela people win the first battle of the Kwena–Kgafela War against the Kwena people in Mochudi.[1]: xxvi
November – The Kwena people win a battle against the Kgatla people in Thamaga.[1]: xxvi
1876
July – The Kwena people win a battle against the Kgatla people in Molepolole.[1]: xxvi
August – In response to the Dorsland Trek, Khama III requests British protection of the region.[1]: xxvi
1877 – The Dorsland Trek migrates through present-day Botswana.[1]: xxvi
1881
November – Ikaneng leads the Lete people in repelling an invasion.[1]: xxvi
1883 – The Kwena–Kgafela War ends. The Rolong, Ngwaketse, Kwena, and Kgatla peoples form a defense pact.[1]: xxvi
October – The British South Africa Company, British police, and the Ngwato people attack and conquer the Northern Ndebele people.[1]: xxvii
1894
January – Sekgoma Letsholathebe leads an attack on the Caprivi Strip to steal slaves and cattle.[1]: xxvii
October – The United Kingdom reorganises territorial allotment in the Bechuanaland Protectorate to favour Khama III.[1]: xxvii
1895 – The United Kingdom splits the Bechuanaland Protectorate, merging the southern British Bechuanaland with Cape Colony, which would become present-day South Africa.[2]: 17 Tswana chiefs and British missionaries form a coalition to speak against further absorption of Tswana tribes into Cape colony.[4]: 23
1896 – The 1890s African rinderpest epizootic reaches the Bechuanaland Protectorate, killing 90% of the protectorate's cattle and causing a years-long famine.[1]: xxviii
12 June – The protectorate's resident commissioner overthrows and imprisons regent Tawana kgosi Sekgoma Letsholathebe.[1]: xxviii
1909
Several Tswana tribes are made part of the newly formed Union of South Africa.[4]: 23 The United Kingdom confirms that the Bechuanaland Protectorate will not be merged into the union.[2]: 18
Rudolf Pöch produces the first film recording of present-day Botswana.[1]: xxix
1941 – Kgafela Kgatla regent Isang Pilane dies.[1]: xxxi
1942 – Kgafela Kgatla regent Mmusi joins the African Auxiliary Pioneer Corps, and the Zion Christian Church establishes a ruling council over Kgafela Kgatla.[1]: xxxi
September – The Ngwato people attack the village led by John Nswazwi, forcing him to flee the protectorate.[1]: xxxi
1948 – Seretse Khama, heir to the Mangwato tribe, controversially marries Ruth Williams, a white British woman.[2]: 18 The United Kingdom banishes Khama from the Bechuanaland Protectorate.[4]: 26
1949
25 June – The Mangwato tribe endorses the marriage of Seretse Khama and Ruth Williams during a kgotla. Regent Tshekedi Khama, who did not wish to endorse the marriage, leaves the tribe.[1]: xxxi [4]: 26
6 December – The Bechuanaland Protectorate takes direct control over the Ngwato tribe rather than allowing Sertse Khama to rule.[1]: xxxi
Seretse Khama is permitted to return to Botswana after renouncing his claim to the Ngwato tribe.[2]: 19 Seretse Khama and Tshekedi Khama both renounce their claims in favour of creating the Ngwato Tribal Council that limits the kgosi. Similar councils were adopted by other tribes soon afterward.[4]: 26
30 September – The Bechuanaland Protectorate is granted independence as Botswana. Seretse Khama is chosen as the first president of Botswana by the National Assembly.[2]: 20
The Tribal Land Act is passed, moving power over land allocation from the kgosis to land boards.[1]: xxxiii
1969
Bathoen II leaves the Botswana Democratic Party and resigns his status as kgosi of the Ngwaketse to join the Botswana National Front.[1]: xxxiii
23 June – The Debswana mining company is established.[1]: xxxiii
18 October – The first national election of Botswana is held. The Botswana Democratic Party is challenged by the Botswana National Front but maintains its majority.[1]: xxxiii [4]: 32–33
1985 – HIV is first identified in Botswana, beginning the nation's HIV epidemic.[1]: xxxvi
14 June – South African soldiers invade Botswana and attack the headquarters of a South African anti-apartheid group in Gabarone.[2]: 20 12 people are killed, and the action is condemned in a resolution by the United Nations.[3]
1986
17 April – Botswana's first women's rights group, Emang Basadi, is established.[1]: xxxvi
1990 – Namibia is established as an independent country to the west of Botswana, giving the country another route to the ocean beside South Africa.[4]: 69
April – Omang national identity cards are introduced.[1]: xxxviii
October – A referendum is held to create the Independent Electoral Commission, to lower the voting age to 18, to set term limits on the presidency, and to allow automatic succession of the vice president in the event of a presidential vacancy. All three motions pass.[1]: xxxviii
1998
31 March – President Quett Masire retires. He is succeeded as president by Festus Mogae.[1]: xxxviii
17 May – Yarona FM becomes the first private radio station in Botswana.[1]: xxxviii
September – A state of emergency is declared for six days following issues with voter registration.[3]
16 October – The 1999 Botswana general election is held. The Botswana Democratic Party maintains its majority.[1]: xxxviii The Botswana Congress Party had acquired seats from members that left the Botswana National Front, but it loses most of these seats.[4]: 34
October – The Botswana Democratic Party begins holding primary elections for the first time.[1]: xl
2004
August – A strike among diamond miners ends with approximately one thousand workers losing their jobs when a court determines that the strike was illegal.[3]
November – De Beers relocates its headquarters from London to Gaborone.[3]
2014
January – A ban on hunting is implemented.[1]: xliv
July – Opposition leader Gomolemo Motswaledi is killed in a car crash, prompting theories that the government was involved.[3]
24 October – The 2014 Botswana general election is held. The Botswana Democratic Party maintains its majority but fails to get a majority of the popular vote for the first time in its history.[1]: xliv [1]: 3
