* 1492: Christopher Columbus arrives in Haiti, marking the beginning of European influence.
* 1625: French settlers arrive on the western part of the island, eventually taking control of the area and establishing the colony of Saint-Domingue.
* 1697: The Treaty of Ryswick officially cedes the western portion of the island to France, solidifying their control.
* 17th-18th Centuries: French becomes the official language of administration, commerce, and education in the colony. French language and culture are actively promoted, with French becoming the dominant language among the colonial elite and eventually spreading to some sectors of the population.
* 1791-1804: The Haitian Revolution, which was sparked by the French Revolution, leads to the abolition of slavery and the establishment of an independent Haiti. While the revolution aimed to throw off French colonial rule, French remained the language of the new nation.
* Post-Independence: French continued to be the official language of Haiti, though Creole, a language born from the fusion of French with African languages, also gained prominence.
It's important to note:
* The spread of French in Haiti wasn't a monolithic process, and its adoption varied across social classes and geographic regions.
* While French is the official language, Haitian Creole is spoken by the vast majority of the population and is considered the "lingua franca" of daily life.
So, while French was introduced in the 17th century, its widespread adoption and dominance occurred over several generations, particularly after the establishment of the French colony and the later Haitian Revolution.