The first Lithuanian principalities come into existence in the ninth century. In 1250 the Lithuanian tribes a re-united into the Principality of Lithuania, later named Grand Principality of Lithuania, including the area of present-day Lithuania and Belarus. The state is mainly populated by Belarusians and includes also Baltic tribes. The state language is Belarusian and the Belarusian culture dominates the country. From 1316 to 1341 grand duke Gediminas expands the empire as far as Kiev against the Tatars and Russians. His dynasty rules Lithuania until 1572. In the 1300s through the early 1400s, the Lithuanian state expands eastward.

Lithuania unites with Poland in a personal union in 1386. The two countries are united 1569 as the United Commonwealth of the Two Nations. Lithuania is from now on part of Poland. The Commonwealth includes areas from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. Three divisions between Prussia, Austria and Russia in the period between 1772 and 1792 leads to de disapppearance of the Commonwealth. Present-day Lithuania becomes in this way part of Russia: the Russian Czar adopts the additional style of Grand Prince of Lithuania.

During World War I, Germany occupies Lithuania in 1915 and the occupation administration allows a Lithuanian conference to convene in Vilnius in 1917. The conference adopts a resolution demanding the restoration of an independent Lithuania and elected the Lithuanian Council, a standing body chaired by Antanas Smetona. In 1918 the council declares the independence of the Republic of Lithuania. The first prime minister is Augustinas Voldemaras of the conservative Lietuvių Tautos Pažangos Partija (Lithuanian National Progress Party, LTPP), succeeded in 1918 by Mykolas Sleževičius of the liberal democrat Lietuvos Valstiečių Liaudininkų Sąjunga (Lithuanian Peasant Populist Union, LVLS). Communist forces establish in 1919 in areas under their control the Lithuanian-Belorussian Socialist Soviet Republic. In 1919 Pranas Dovydaitis of the LKDP, Sleževičius (again) and the non-partisan Ernestas Galvanauskas are prime minister. This soviet state collapses in 1920 in the Polish-Russian war, in which Poland also conquers the Lithuanian capital Vilnius and surroundings in 1920 and forms the state of Central Lithuania, annexed to Poland in 1922. In 1920 Kazys Grinius of the LVLS becomes prime minister, succeeded in 1922 by Galvanauskas. In 1923 Lithuanian annexes the free state of Memel or Klaipeda. Between 1924 and 1926 the Lietuvos Krikščionių Demokratų Partija (Lithuanian Christian-Democratic Party, LKSP) leads the government with Antanas Tumenas, Vytautas Petrulis and Leonas Bistras as prime ministers. In 1926 Mykolas Slezevicius becomes prime minister again. After a military coup in 1926 Antanas Smetona, leader of the Lietuvių Tautininkų Sąjunga (Lithuanian Nationalist League, LTS), becomes president and gradually introduces an authoritarian regime. In 1939 Germany forces Lithuania to surrender Memel.

In 1940 the USSR annexes Lithuania. This leads to resistance and a Lithuanian revolt against the USSR quickly follows the outbreak of the war against Germany in 1941. Lithuania becomes part of the German occupational administrative unit of Ostland. The USSR forces the Germans out of Lithuania in 1944 and reestablishes control. Until mid-1988, all political, economic, and cultural life is controlled by the Lietuvos Komunistų Partija (Lithuanian Communist Party, LKP). That year the Lithuanian reform movement "Sajudis" is. Inspired by Sajudis, the Lithuanian Supreme Soviet passes constitutional amendments on the supremacy of Lithuanian laws over Soviet legislation, annulls the 1940 decisions on proclaiming Lithuania a part of the USSR, legalizes a multi-party system and adopted a number of other important decisions. A large number of LCP members support the ideas of Sajudis and Algirdas Brazauskas is elected First Secretary of the Central Committee of the LCP in 1988. In 1989 the Brazauskas-led LKP splits from the CPSU and becomes an independent party, renaming itself in 1990 the Lietuvos Demokratinė Darbo Partija (Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania, LDDP). In 1990 Sajudis-backed candidates win the elections to the Lithuanian Supreme Soviet.

Sajudis chairman Vytautas Landsbergis proclaims in 1990 the restoration of Lithuanian independence. The USSR demands revocation of the act and begin employing political and economic sanctions against Lithuania as well as demonstrating military force. After the 1991 coup against Gorbachev Lithuania achieves independence as the Republic of Lithuania. Since 1991 Lithuanian voters shift from right to left and back again, swinging between the conservatives and post-communists. In 1993 Adolfas Sleževičius of the LDDP becomes prime minister. He is succeeded by his co-partisan Mindaugas Laurinas Stankevičius in 1996. Later that year the Tėvynės Sąjunga (Lietuvos konservatoriai) (Homeland Union-Conservatives of Lithuania, TS-LK) under Gediminas Vagnorius takes over. His party governs until 2000. Since 1999 Andrius Kubilius is prime minister. This pattern is broken in the 2000 elections when the Lietuvos Liberalų Sąjunga (Lithuanian Liberal Union, LLS) and Naujoji Sąjunga (New Union, NS) win the most votes and are able to form a centrist ruling coalition with minor partners. Former President Adamkus plays a key role in bringing the new centrist parties together. But the government of Roland Paksas collapses after 7 months. The NS joins a government under Algirdas Brazauskas of the Lietuvos Socialdemokratų Partija (Lithuanian Social-Democratic Party, LSDP, succesor of the LLDP). Lithuania joins the European Union in 2004.