One hallmark of Aspergers is fascination bordering on obsession with various obscure subjects. For the past week, I have been researching Rapa Nui, otherwise known as Easter Island...you know, the place with the big Moai head statues, of which there are 887 documented.
I searched the Internet for a concise, all-inclusive timeline but only found pieces here and here so I compiled, what I believe to be, one of the most conclusive Rapa Nui Timelines.
200 AD Polynesia begins to be settled
300-1100 (there is considerable debate about this approximate date) Rapa Nui is settled
1000-1600 creation of Moai statues
1500 intense island warfare, the Birdman faction rises
1550 some researchers estimate the island population peaked at 7000-10,000
1722 April 6th Dutch Admiral Jacob Roggeveen (1659-1729) arrived with three ships: Arend, Thienhoven and Afrikaansche Galey. He "named" the island Easter Island because they arrived at Rapa Nui on Easter Sunday
1770 November 15 Spanish navigator, Felipe Gonzales de Ahedo, with two Spanish ships, San Lorenzo and Santa Rosalia, visits and claims the island for Spain, renaming it "Isla deSan Carlos", ceremoniously signs a treaty of annexation, erects three wooden crosses on Poike volcano. Stays for 5 days, thoroughly surveys the coast. First probable contact with European infectious disease
1774 March 12 staying for four day, Captain of Resolution, British navigator James Cook(1728-1779) visits. Several Moai are observed toppled
1786 French navigator Jean-Francois de Galaup, Comte de LaPerouse (1741-1788) arrives with scientists and naturalists.
1805 American vessel, The Nancy visits and abducts 22 islanders
1825 British ship, Blossom visits. No Moai observed still standing
1837 first Chilean ship, the Colo Colo visits
1862 December first Peruvian slave raiders abduct half the population, 1,500 men and women, to work on the Peruvian Guano Trade
1864 January first missionary arrives from Valapariso
1866-1867 end of the Birdman cult
1867-1868 Commercial exploitation begins. French Captain Jean-Baptister Dutrou-Bornier arrives, claims lordship, bought most of the land
1867 first Christian missionary, Eugene Eyraud dies from tuberculosis along with half the population
1868 the British HMS Topaz removes two Moai statues, Hoa Hakanani'a and a smaller one and they are presented to Queen Victoria and the British museum
1877 Peruvian slave traders abduct all but 110 islanders, 36 of which have offspring. All Rapanui have descended from these 36
1878 first Catholic church constructed
1888 American warship, Mohican visits
Chile annexed the island
1914 Easter Islanders revolt
Katherine Routledge visits for an expedition, publishes first compressive book of the island, "The Mystery of Easter Island" in 1919
1916 Chilean Bishop Rafael Edwards visits, protests against the poor treatment of native islanders by the sheep farm company
1952 Chilean navy takes over administration of the island
1953 Williamson-Balfour Company sheep farm finally leaves
1955 Norwegian Thor Heyerdahl undertakes excavations
1964 Emergence of Independent Movement; revolt of Islanders
1966 Chile declares Easter Island a province
1967 airfield constructed at Mataveri; Rapa Nui connected with Santiago
1986 landing strip extended to allow Easter Island to be used as an emergency landing strip for the NASA space shuttle
So, this is one of the things that I enjoy doing
