Stone tools discovered in Huaphanh and Luang Phrabanng provinces attest the presence of prehistoric man in its stage of hunters and gatherers over the Lao territory since at least 40,000 years ago. Agriculturist society seemed to appear during the 4th millenia BC as evidences have been found by archeologists-jar burials and other kinds of sepulchres have revealed a complex society in which Bronze objects appeared around 1500 BC and iron tools were known since 700 BC. The proto historic period is characterized by contacts with Chinese and Indian civilisations. As a result between the fourth and eighth century.
Between the fourth and eighth century communities along the Mekong River began to form into towships, so called muang. This development culminated in the formmation of the Lane Xang (Million Elephants) Kingdom.In 1340 AD, Kind Fa Ngum led an army of 10,000 men in conquests in all directions: to the south, as far as the Khmer border; to the north as far as Sipsong Phanna (Yunnan, southwestern China), to the east to the watershed of the Mekong and Red Rivers; to the northwest as far as Chiang Saen Lanna; and westward to Korat-Dong Phannaphay. King Fa Ngum established the mighty and glorious Kingdom of Lane Xang in 1353. Meanwhile, he introduced Buddhism (Hinayana) in to the kingdom, took the sacred Phra Bang Buddha image from the khmer kingdom and installed it in Swa (now Luang Prabang).
Chao Ounheuane succeeded King Fa Ngum to the throne in 1373. In his 43 years reign, King Ounheuane maintained the territorial integrity of the kingdom, which his father has united. After repelling an invasion by Burmese feudalism, King Ounheuane conducted a population census, which showed that there were 300.000Tai Lao people and 400,000 people of other ethnic groups. The census gave King Ounheuane the new name of King Samsenethai, meaning “ Three hundred thousand Tai people”.
Throughout the fifteenth century, 14 monarchs ruled the kingdom of Lane Xang. In 1520 AD Prince Phothisarath ascended the throne, following King Visounnarath. Prince Phothisarath was born in 1506 and married a princess of Chiang Mai. In 1548, he made prince Sayasetthathirath King of Chiang Mai (at that time the kingdom of Lanna was a sister kingdom to Lane Xang). When, in the same year, King Phothisarath suddenly died, Prince Sayasetthathirath returned to Swa to take the throne of the kingdom of Lane Xang. Between 1563 and 1565, King Sayasetthirath moved the capital from Luang Prabang to Vientiane. In this same year, a Burmese army led by Ba Ying Nong raided King Sayasetthathirath, but forced Chiang Mai and Vientiane, to retreat. In 1569-1570 the Burmese made another attempt and suffered another reverse, being forced again to retreat. “ These were the two victorious struggles (1563 and 1569) under the able command of King Sayasetthathirath, a hero of national salvation against the aggression of the Burmese feudalism, then a strong enemy. There were continued uprisings and struggles of the masses over the last 24 years of the sixteenth century against the yoke of vassalage of Burmese feudalism, including the overthrow of a throne under Burmese vassalage (1579).”
After the reign of King Sayasetthathirath, the Kingdome of Lane Xang fell into chaos for years before Prince Sourignavongsa assumed the throne in 1637. He reigned for 57 years, during that time the Kingdom of Lane Xang was at peace. The kingdom also began to open up for trade with the rest of the world. Education and literature developed noticeably, and the most outstanding works of poetry and literature of the Kingdom of Lane Xang were created during this period.
The eighteenth century brought the decline of the Lane Xang monarchy. The Kingdom split into three hostile dynasties and was invaded and controlled by Siamese feudalism. However, the Lao people maintained their unity, frequently rebelling against Siamese dominance. The most outstanding movement was the nation wide campaign in(1827-1828) led by King Anouvong, a national hero. Through the uprising was quelled, the movement was a significant page in Lao history in the case of national defence and has ever been remembered as such.
Between 1828 and 1829 Siamese forced 100,000 Lao people to cross the Mekong River and resettled as prisoners of war. The Siamese ransacked and burned 6,000 houses in the capital, stealing valuable from all temples in Vientiane (except Sisaketh temple). They also took the Emirald Buddha to Bangkok where it remains till today.
In 1870 King Ounkham ascended the throne of the Luang Prabang dynasty of the Kingdom of Lane Xang. In the late 19th century, as foreigners expanded their colonies, the country was plunged into darkness. In 1893, Laos (on the east bank of the Mekong River) was captured by the French army. And the west bank has remained isarn park of Thailand King Sackarin reigned from 1888 to 1903, and was succeeded by King Sisavangvong.
In the early 20th century, heedless of the subservience of the privileged classed to foreign rule, the Lao people of various ethnic groups rose in waves against French colonialism. Some resistance movements were quite large-scale. Some outstanding examples include: *The movement of the Lao people in the central region under the guidance of Father Kadouad ( Pau Kadouad) (1901-1902); *The 36-year uprising of the people in the south (1901-1937) led by Ong Keo and Ong Komadam; *The resistance movement of the Hmong ethnic group in the north led by Chao Fa Padchay ( 1918-1922); *The Tai-Lue movement in Meuang Sing ( now Luang Namtha Province) ( 1914-1918); *The Red Tai movement in Samneua (Houaphanh Province)(1916).
In 1930, the Communist Party of Indochina was established and led by President Ho Chi Minh. “ This marked the turning point in the history of the revolutions in the three Indochinese countries. From then onwards, under the leadership of the genuine Marxist Leninist party and under the banner of nationalism and democracy, the revolutionary struggle of the Lao people of all ethnic groups entered a new period of sure new qualities."
“In 1945, the Red Army of the Soviet Union defeated the German, Italian and Japanese Nazis, forcing them to surrender unconditionally, ending the Second World War. Our Party resolutely led the people’s struggle in co-ordination with the August revolution of the Vietnamese people, seized administrative power from the Japanese fascists and the French colonialists, and declared to the world the independence of Laos on 12 October, 1945.”
Not long after that, the French colonialists sent their mercenary and henchmen to raid and occupy towns, suppressing the Lao people cruelly, and restoring French control. They pretended to hand over “ independence” to Laos in 1949 and formed a puppet army. They tied the three Indochinese countries together under the “French Union of Indochina” rule over by the Governor General and the Commander of the French Union Army.
On 20 January 1949, the Lao Issara Unit was set up, which later became the Lao People’s Liberation Army.
On 13 August,1950, a national Congress of the Lao Resistance Front agreed to set up the Neo Lao Issara (Free Lao Front), laid out a 12-point political programme, and set up a resistance government with Kayson Phomvihane as Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense. The resistance movement of the Lao people developed to a new level.