| 1949 |
China becomes a communist country. |
| 1950 |
China invades and gains control of Tibet.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama assumes full leadership of Tibet at age 15. |
| 1950- |
China continues to control Tibet. Practice of religion was restricted. |
| March 10, 1959 |
Tibetan National Uprising Day. Tibetans protest in Lhasa for their independence. |
| March 17, 1959 |
The Dalai Lama escapes to India for safety |
| 1959-1976 |
Cultural Revolution. China attempts to modernize Tibet and destroy its religious culture. Of the hundreds of thousands of monks, only a few thousand remain. Most of Tibet's monasteries are destroyed. Practice of religion is highly restricted at this point. Many nuns, monks, and civilians become prisoners of conscience because they express their religious beliefs or protest for Tibet's independence.
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| 1976 |
Mao Zedong, chairman of China, dies. After he dies, religion regulation in Tibet was slightly relaxed.
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| 1989 |
The Dalai Lama receives the Nobel Peace Prize. His award brings the situation in Tibet to the international community's attention. |
| 1995 |
Panchen Lama (the second holiest Tibetan figure) and his family “disappear." |
| 2000 |
China transfers Chinese citizens to areas in Tibet. This has caused Tibetans to become minorities in their own land. In August 2000, Chinese officials in Tibet search houses for evidence of religious displays. For example, people who posses a picture of the Dalai Lama in Tibet are subjected to fines and in some cases, arrest. |
