21 Aug 1526            Discovered and claimed for Spain by Alonso de Salazar
    01 Oct 1529            Sighted by Spanish Capt. Antonio Saavedra, named 
                           Islas de Los Reyes.
    30 Jun 1788            Rediscovered by British Capt. John Marshall, named
	                   the Marshall Islands.
           1816            First visit by Russian Capt. Otto von Kotzebue.
           1859            Germans establish permanent trading stations.
           1874            Spain reasserts its claim to the islands, but
 	                   does begin settlement.                   
    22 Oct 1885            Marshall Islands are sold to Germany by Spain;
                           administrated by Jaluit Company.
    13 Sep 1886            German protectorate formally declared.
                           (Kaiserliches Kommissariat Jaluit; from 1893
                           Landeshauptmannschaft Jaluit).
    01 Apr 1906            part of German New Guinea (under Papua New Guinea)
                           (District of Jaluit [from 1911 Jaluit Station,
                           subordinated to district officer in Caroline Is.])
    03 Oct 1914            Japanese occupation
    17 Dec 1920            League of Nations mandate (from 01 Apr 1922, South
                           Seas Agency; under Palau).
       Jul 1921            Japanese transfer civil administration from Chuuk
                           to Koror.
           1935            Japan declares that the mandated islands are an
                           "integral part of the Japanese Empire".
    23 Feb 1944            U.S. occupation (under Micronesia; from 17 Feb 1944
                           on Eniwetok, Kwajalein on 04 Feb 1944, Majuro on
                           01 Mar 1944).
    18 Jul 1947            Japanese mandate formally revoked; part of the UN
                           Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
                           (under Micronesia, Federated States of)
    01 May 1979            Autonomy (Republic of the Marshall Islands)
    21 Oct 1986            Compact of Free Association with the U.S. effective
    10 Jul 1987            Trust territory dissolved
    22 Dec 1990            Final independence (Security Council ratifies
                           termination of trusteeship)

• Presidents
• Amata Kabua......................................17 Nov 1979 - 20 Dec 1996
• Kunio Lemari (acting)............................20 Dec 1996 - 14 Jan 1997
• Imata Kabua......................................14 Jan 1997 - 10 Jan 2000
• Kessai Hesa Note.................................10 Jan 2000 - 07 Jan 2008
• Litokwa Tomeing..................................07 Jan 2008 - 21 Oct 2009
• Tomeing was removed from office by the Marshall Islands' first successful vote of no confidence on 21 October 2009. Tomeing had survived two previous votes of no confidence. He died on 12 October 2020.
• Ruben R. Zackhras (acting).......................21 Oct 2009 - 02 Nov 2009
• He was acting President of the Marshall Islands from 21 October 2009 to 26 October 2009. He previously served as Finance Minister from 1989 to 1997.
• Jurelang Zedkaia.................................02 Nov 2009 - 10 Jan 2012
• Christopher Jorebon Loeak........................10 Jan 2012 - 11 Jan 2016
• On 26 September 2013, Christoper Loeak made a speech to the General Debate of the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly and said: "Global efforts on climate change are falling short - and low-lying island nations such as mine are already paying the earliest costs of what is fast becoming a global crisis. In every sense, the world must build for future risks, and too often, we are still setting course for current conditions. It is the seas that are rising - not the islands that are sinking. I will not concede my own land or my nation; but nor will I rest until my fellow world leaders have signed onto to act, not just out of economic convenience, but out of a common responsibility of all to strive for upward momentum."
• Casten Ned Nemra.................................11 Jan 2016 - 28 Jan 2016
• He was elected by the Nitijeļā (Parliament) as President in January 2016, following the 2015 general election, narrowly defeating Senator Alvin Jacklick, a seven-term member of Parliament, by a 17–16 vote. He was ousted by a vote of no confidence after just two weeks in office.
• Hilda Cathy Heine (female).......................28 Jan 2016 - 13 Jan 2020
• On January 27, 2016, Heine was elected President of the Marshall Islands. As sole candidate she received 24 votes with six abstaining and three absent from the 33 members of the Nitijeļā. Heine was sworn into office on 28 January 2016. On 12 November 2018, Heine survives a no-confidence vote (16-16). On 18 November 2019, in the parliamentary elections, 33 nonpartisans are elected. Supporters of President Hilda Heine appear to be in the minority.
• David Kabua......................................13 Jan 2020 - date
• On 06 January 2020, David Kabua was elected president of the Marshall Islands by the national legislature by a vote of 20-12 with one abstention. He succeeds Hilda Heine, who was seeking a second term, but lost in the first session vote. Kabua said that combating climate change, negotiating with the US regarding the extension of a funding arrangement that expires in 2023, and addressing the issue of Runit Dome (the debris stems from nuclear tests conducted in the Enewetak Atoll by the United States between 1946 and 1958) as the top priorities of his presidency.

Marshall Islands uses US Dollar. Many commemorative coins as non-circulating collector coinage were issues from 1986, 1988 to 1998 mostly by Medallic Art Co. (M), Roger Williams Mint Rhode Islands (R) and Sunshine Mining Co. Mint Idaho (S). Despite having the face value equal to US Dollars, they are often sold for less price due to lack of demand and minted in abundance. National motto, Jepilpilin ke Ejukaan (Marshallese: "Accomplishment Through Joint Effort") is visible on all Marshall Islands coins.