| 21 Jul 1940 |
Estonia is declared a socialist republic of Councils in accordance with a declaration passed by the Chamber of Deputies (Riigivolikogu) on 21 Jul 1940 (Official Gazette, No. 74, 21 Jul 1940, pp. 1059-1061) |
| 21 Jul 1940 - 8 May 1990 |
Eesti Nõukogude Sotsialistlik Vabariik = Èstonskaja Sovetskaja Socialističeskaja Respublika (Эстонская Советская Социалистическая Республика) | Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic |
| 22 Jul 1940 |
Estonia applied for accession to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in accordance with a declaration passed by the Chamber of Deputies (Riigivolikogu) on 22 Jul 1940 (Official Gazette, No. 76, 22 Jul 1940, pp. 1083-1084) |
| 6 Aug 1940 |
Estonia is admitted to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in accordance with a law passed by the Supreme Council of the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics 6 Aug 1940 (USSR Supreme Soviet, 1st Soviet, 7th session, 1940, 149-152, 188) |
| 28 Aug 1941 |
armed forces of Germany occupy Tallinn and, subsequently, the territory of Estonia |
| 5 Dec 1941 |
incorporated into Reichskommissariat Ostland as Generalbezirk Estland |
| 22 Sep 1944 |
armed forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics occupy Tallinn (de facto restoration of Eesti Nõukogude Sotsialistlik Vabariik) |
| 16 Nov 1988 |
Estonia is proclaimed a sovereign state in accordance with a declaration passed by the Supreme Council (Ülemnõukogu) on 16 Nov 1988 (Estonian SSR Supreme Council Records, No. 48, 25 Nov 1988, pp. 1142-1143) |
| 18 Jan 1989 |
Estonian is declared state language in accordance with a law passed by the Supreme Council (Ülemnõukogu) on 18 Jan 1989 (Estonian SSR Supreme Council Records, No. 4, 27 Jan 1989, pp. 81-86) |
| 30 Mar 1990 |
restoration of the Republic of Estonia is declared in accordance with a resolution of the Supreme Council (Ülemnõukogu) passed on 30 Mar 1990 (Estonian SSR Supreme Council Records, No. 12, 16 Apr 1990, p. 269) |
