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| 4. Central African Republic |
| 1960, Aug. 13 |
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| The Central African Republic gained independence from France. | 1 |
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| 1962 |
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| Pres. David Dacko declared the Central African Republic to be a one-party state. | 2 |
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| 1965, Dec. 31 |
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| Army chief of staff Jean-Bedel Bokassa staged a coup, toppling the Dacko regime. Bokassa dissolved the National Assembly, nullified the constitution, and placed Dacko under house arrest. Bokassa's dictatorship began. | 3 |
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| 1972 |
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| Bokassa declared himself president for life. | 4 |
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| 1977 |
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| Bokassa was crowned emperor in a lavish ceremony. | 5 |
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| 1979, Jan |
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| Students staged violent demonstrations to protest compulsory uniforms. In the ensuing government crackdown, large groups of students were arrested, and approximately 100 of them were killed in prison. Some charged Bokassa with participating in student killings. | 6 |
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| Sept. 20 |
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| Former leader Dacko seized power while Bokassa was on a trip to Libya. His coup was supported by French troops flown in from Gabon. | 7 |
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