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Library of Congress
The United States Library of Congress is founded. -
John Adams First President to Live in White House
U.S. President John Adams is the first President to live in the White House, then known as the Executive Mansion and sixteen days later, the United States Congress holds its first session in Washington, D.C. -
Jefferson Wins Presidency
Thomas Jefferson is elected as the 3rd president of the United States in a vote of the House of Representatives after tying Aaron Burr, his Vice President, in the electoral college with 73 electors due to a flaw in the original vote for two system, which would be corrected in the 12th Amendment to the Constitution. -
New York Post Published
The first edition of the New York Post is published. -
Lydia Child is Born
Lydia Child is born and would become a foremost author expounding the idea of an American abolitionist. -
Ohio Becomes 17th State
Ohio is admitted to the Union as the 17th U.S. state. -
Jefferson purchases Louisiana Territory
President Thomas Jefferson doubles the size of the United States of America with his purchase of the Louisiana Territory from Napoleon's France, thus paving way for the western expansion that would mark the entire history of the 19th century from Missouri to the Pacific Coast. -
New Jersey Abolishes Slavery
New Jersey becomes the last northern state to abolish slavery. -
Lewis and Clark Expedition
Ordered by Thomas Jefferson to map the Northwest United States, Lewis and Clark begin their expedition from St. Louis and Camp Dubois. The journey begins with navigation of the Missouri River. -
Jefferson Wins Reelection
Thomas Jefferson wins reelection over Charles Pinckney with 162 to 14 Electoral College votes. -
Lewis and Clark Expedition Ends
The Lewis and Clark Expedition to map the northwest United States ends. Essential to the journey was Sacagawea, their female Indian guide. -
Robert E. Lee is Born
Robert E. Lee is born. Would become a military officer, both with the U.S. Regular Army prior to the outbreak of Civil War, and afterwards, the American Confederate General. -
Burr Arrested for Treason
Vice President Aaron Burr is arrested for treason in Alabama, charged with a scheme to annex parts of Louisiana and Mexico into an independent republic. Three months later, a grand jury indicts the former Vice President under the same charges. -
Prohibition on Slave Importation
Congress passes an act that prohibits the importation of slaves into any port within the confines of the United States from any foreign land. It was to take effect on the 1st of January 1808, although between 1808 and 1860, more than 250,000 slaves were illegally imported. -
Aaron Burr Acquitted of Treason
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James Madison Elected 4th President
James Madison is elected as the 4th President of the United States, defeating Charles C. Pinckney. -
Andrew Johnson Born
Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States, is born in Raleigh, North Carolina -
Federal Government Established as Greater Power Than Individual States
The Supreme Court of the United States rules that the power of the Federal Government is greater than the power of any individual state. -
Abraham Lincoln is Born
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, is born -
Battle of Tippecanoe
At the battle of Tippecanoe, Indian warriors under the command of Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa, known as the Prophet, are defeated by William Henry Harrison, the governor of Indiana. -
Madison Defeats De Witt Clinton
President James Madison defeats De Witt Clinton in the U.S. presidential election, securing a second term as the United States engages in the War of 1812 by an Electoral College margin of 128 votes to 89. -
The War of 1812
August naval battles in the War of 1812 begin. This would be followed up on August 19 when the U.S.S. Constitution secured another victory for the Navy of the United States when it destroyed the British frigate Guerriere, earning the nickname "Old Ironsides" when British shot bounded off the Constitution's side. -
Battle of Stoney Creek
Despite having a force three times the size of its British foe, Americans lose the Battle of Stoney Creek to a British army of 700 men under John Vincent. -
British Forces Burn the White House
The White House is burned by British forces upon the occupation of Washington, D.C. during the War of 1812. This act, in retaliation for the destruction by U.S. troops of Canadian public buildings, causes President Madison to evacuate. The British advance would be halted by Maryland militia three weeks later on September 12. -
End of the Battle of 1812
A peace treaty is signed between the British and American government at Ghent, bringing to an end the War of 1812. -
First American Railroad Charter
The first American railroad charter is granted by the state of New Jersey to John Stephens. -
Second Bank of America
Second Bank of the United States is chartered, five years after the expiration of the 1st Bank of the United States. -
Monroe Becomes Next President
James Monroe defeats Rufus King in the United States presidential election, garnering 183 Electoral College votes to 34 for the Federalist King. Inaugurated as the President of the United States, succeeding James Madison on March 4th, 1817. His vice president, Daniel D. Tompkins, who would serve alongside Monroe for his entire eight years, was also inaugurated. -
Mississippi Becomes 20th State
The United States of America admits its 20th state, Mississippi. -
Andrew Jackson invade Florida
Andrew Jackson and his American army invade Florida in the Seminole War, causing repercussions with Spain as negotiations to purchase the territory had just begun. -
The Panic of 1819
The first financial crises in the United States, the Panic of 1819, occurs, leading to foreclosures, bank failures, and unemployment. Several causes have been identified, including the heavy amount of borrowing by the government to finance the War of 1812, as well as the tightening of credit by the Second Bank of the U.S. in response to risky lending practices by wildcat banks in the west. -
Adams-Onis Treaty
The territory of Florida is ceded to the United States by Spain in the Adams-Onis Treaty. -
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise bill, sponsored by Henry Clay, passes in the United States Congress. This legislation allows slavery in the Missouri territory, but not in any other location west of the Mississippi River that was north of 36 degrees 30 minutes latitude, the current southern line of the state of Missouri. The state of Missouri would be admitted to the Union, under this compromise, on August 10, 1821. -
Monroe Reelected
The election of James Monroe to a second term in office comes with a landslide victory in the Electoral College with Monroe defeating John Quincy Adams by a tally of 231 to 1. -
Settlement of First Freed Slaves
The first group of freed American slaves settle a black colony known as the Republic of Liberia when they arrive on African soil at Providence Island. The capital, Monrovia, is named after President James Monroe. -
Prohibition of Sales of Alcohol to Native Americans
A law prohibiting the sale of alcohol to Natives is passed, causing a disruption in the fur trade pattern that relied on the Natives to trap and hunt for the furs, in exchange for alcohol and other goods. -
Ulysses S. Grant Born
Civil War general and 18th President of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant, is born. -
Treaty With Russia Signed
A frontier treaty between the United States and Russia is signed, negotiated by the Secretary of State under James Monroe, John Quincy Adams. Russia agreed to set its southern border at 54 degrees, 40 minutes and allow U.S. ships within the one hundred mile limit of its Pacific territories. -
John Quincy Adams Elected President by House of Representatives
When the Electoral College vote yielded no majority, John Quincy Adams would be elected president by the House of Representatives on February 9, 1825, outpolling fellow Democrat Republicans, now a loose coalition of competing factions, including Andrew Jackson, who had actually received a higher number of Electoral College votes, 99, than Adams, 84. It was not a majority due to votes for Henry Clay, 37, and William Crawford, 41. -
First Steam Locomotive
The first experimental steam locomotive is built and operated by John Stevens, of Hoboken, New Jersey, to prove the viability of railroads. It would be given its first public test in May 1826. -
Quincy Inaugurated
John Quincy Adams is inaugurated as President, with John C. Calhoun as his Vice President after the House of Representatives settle the lack of an Electoral College majority. -
Texan Attempt to Secede from Mexico
Group of Texas settlers make first attempt to secede from Mexico in the Fredonian Republic. Republic of Fredonia lasts one month, causes Mexican government to curb immigration from U.S. to region and increased dissatisfaction that leads to eventual Texas Revolution. -
Two Founding Members of US Die
Two founding members of the United States pass away on Independence Day; Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President, and John Adams, 2nd President. -
Andrew Jackson Elected President
After a tumultuous four years of national politics, the election for president sees a popular and electoral college vote victory of 178-83 for Andrew Jackson over President John Quincy Adams. -
Typewriter Invented
William Austin Burt, of the United States, invents and patents the typewriter, at the time called the typographer. -
Mormon Church Organized
Joseph Smith organizes the Mormon Church, known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, in Fayette, New York. He had published the Book of Mormon on March 26, 1830. -
Indian Removal Act
The United States Congress approved the Indian Removal Act, which facilitated the relocation of Indian tribes from east of the Mississippi River. Although this act did not order their removal, it paved the way for increased pressure on Indian tribes to accept land-exchange treaties with the U.S. government and helped lead the way to the Trail of Tears. -
Emily Dickinson is Born
December 10, 1830 - American poet, Emily Dickinson, is born. -
Nat Turner Rebellion
A local slave rebellion in Southampton County, Virginia, led by Nat Turner, a black slave, kills fifty-seven white citizens. Turner would be captured on October 30 of the same year, tried, and hanged on November 11 for his part in the uprising. -
First Oregon Trail Wagons
The first wagons crossed the Continental Divide on the Oregon Trail at Wyoming's South Pass when Captain Benjamin Bonneville and Joseph R. Walker navigated one hundred and ten men with twenty-one wagons into the Green River Valley. -
Trail of Tears Begins
The six year campaign known as the Trail of Tears begins when Washington Irving, Henry Leavitt Ellsworth, and Captain Jesse Bean, at the Arkansas River, begin one of the first steps in the U.S. campaign to remove Indians from their homes on the east coast. -
Second Term for Jackson
The second term inauguration occurs for President Jackson, with Martin Van Buren as Vice President after the resignation on December 28, 1832 of John Calhoun as Vice President. Jackson had won a convincing victory in the November election. His defeat of Henry Clay and the National Republicans saw an Electoral College vote of 219 to 49. He also won the popular vote victory. -
SFA Imprisoned by Mexican Government
Stephen F. Austin, the Father of Texas, is imprisoned by Mexican government officials in Mexico City for insurrection. He was not tried and finally returned to Texas in August 1835. -
First Presidential Assassination Attempt
In the United States Capitol, Andrew Jackson encounters an unsuccessful assassination attempt from an unemployed house painter, Richard Lawrence. Jackson, after two point-blank shots misfired, confronted his attacker with a cane. This was the first attempt on the life of a President of the United States. -
Texas Revolution Begins
The Revolution of Texas begins with the Battle of Gonzales when Mexican soldiers try to disarm the people of Gonzales, but are resisted by local militia. By November, Texas proclaimed the right to secede from Mexico with Sam Houston taking command of the Texas army. His Texas army would capture San Antonio on December 9. -
First Revolver Invented
The patent for the first revolver is awarded to inventor Samuel Colt. -
Battle of San Jacinto
The battle of San Jacinto is waged with Sam Houston leading the Texas army to victory over Mexican forces. Santa Ana and his troops are taken prisoner the next day along the San Jacinto River. -
Period: to
Battle of the Alamo
The battle for the Alamo is waged in San Antonio, Texas when 3,000 Mexican troops under Santa Ana attack the mission and its 189 defenders. Texas troops lose the battle after a thirteen day siege. On March 2, 1836, Texas independence was declared at a convention of delegates from fifty-seven Texas communities at Washington-on-the-Brazos, making them an independent nation free from Mexican rule. -
Van Buren Inaugurated
Martin Van Buren, as President, and Richard M. Johnson, Vice President, are inaugurated into office. -
Panic of 1837
The global economic crises known as the Panic of 1837 begins with the failure of New York City banks and unemployment which would reach record levels. -
First State Law Allowing Women to Own Property
In Jackson, Mississippi, the first state law allowing women to own property is passed. -
William Henry Harrison Elected President
President Martin Van Buren is defeated for reelection by William Henry Harrison. Harrison, a Whig, receives 234 Electoral College votes to 60 and also wins the popular vote contest. -
Harrison Dies
President William Henry Harrison, sworn into office only one month before on March 4, dies of pneumonia. His tenure of one month is the shortest in history and his death in office the first for a president of the United States. He is succeeded by Vice President John Tyler. -
Second Seminole War Begins To End
Second Seminole War, ongoing since 1835, starts to wind down when Lieutenant William Tecumseh Sherman escorts Seminole chieftain Coacoochee to meeting, leading to surrender of many of his band. By 1842, the few remaining Seminoles would be allowed to remain on an informal reservation in south Florida. -
Tyler re-establishes the Second Bank of US
President Tyler vetoes the bill re-establishing the Second Bank of the United States, causing an angry riot among Whig party members on White House grounds. It was the most violent demonstration on those grounds in U.S. history. -
Second Oregon Trail Pioneers Leave
The second organized wagon train on the Oregon Trail leaves with more than one hundred pioneers from Elm Grove, Missouri. Although not welcomed due to company policy that discouraged emigration, they were offered food and farming equipment at Fort Vancouver by the Hudson Bay Company upon arrival. -
Hawaii Officially Recognized as Independent Nation
The Kingdom of Hawaii is officially recognized by European nations as an independent nation. This date signifies Hawaiian Independence Day. -
Telegraph Invented
Samuel B. Morse, inventor of the telegraph, sends the first message over the first telegraph line from Washington to Baltimore. His words were, "What God hath wrought." -
Polk Elected President
Democrat James K. Polk defeats Henry Clay for president with 170 Electoral College votes to 105 for Clay. -
Manifest Destiny
U.S. President Polk invokes the concept of Manifest Destiny, announcing to Congress that the Monroe Doctrine should be strictly enforced and that the settlement of the West should be aggressively pursued. -
Texas Votes for Annexation to US
The Congress of Texas votes for annexation to the United States of America with the majority of voters in Texas approving a constitution on October 13. These actions followed the signing of a bill by President Tyler on March 1, authorizing the United States to annex the Republic of Texas and led to the United States adding the Republic of Texas into the Union as the 28th state on December 29. -
California Declares Independence from Mexico
The Republic of California declares independence from Mexico. Four days later, the bear flag of the Republic of California is raised at Sonoma. -
Lincoln Attacks Polk's Leadership
Abraham Lincoln, as Congressman from Springfield, Illinois, attacked President Polk's handling of the Mexican War in a speech in the House of Representatives. -
Taylor Elected President
Zachary Taylor, hero of the Mexican War, defeats Lewis Cass in the presidential election of 1848. Whig Taylor garners 163 Electoral College votes to 127 for the Democratic candidate. This was the first U.S. election held on the same date in every state. -
California Gold Rush
Gold was discovered in California by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in the town of Colona. Seven months later, on August 19, the New York Herald breaks the news of the gold rush to East Coast readers, prompting eighty thousand prospectors to flood California and the Barbary Coast of San Francisco in 1849. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican War with Mexico relinquishing its rights to Texas above the Rio Grande River and ceding New Mexico and California to the United States. The United States also gained claims to Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and part of Colorado. In exchange, the United States assumed $3 million in American claims and paid Mexico $15 million. The treaty is ratified one month later on March 10 by the U.S. Senate. Mexico would ratify the treaty on May 19. -
Debate on Slavery
Debate on the future of slavery in the territories escalates when Henry Clay introduces the Compromise of 1850 to the U.S. Congress. On March 7, Senator Daniel Webster endorses the bill as a measure to avert a possible civil war. -
Millard Fillmore Sworn Into Office as 13th President
Millard Fillmore is sworn into office as the 13th President of the United States after the death of Zachary Taylor the day before. His policies on the topic of slavery did not appease expansionists or slave-holders. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850, pushed by Senator Henry Clay, admits California as the 31st state, without slavery, and adds Utah and New Mexico as territories with no decision on the topic. The Fugitive Slave Law is strengthened under the Compromise, which also ended the slave trade in the District of Columbia. -
P.T Barnum Introduces his Swedish Nightingale
P.T. Barnum, entrepreneur extra ordinaire, introduces the Swedish Nightingale, Jenny Lind, to an American audience of six thousand at a charge of $3 per person (and more). Her debut at Castle Garden, a converted fort on Manhattan Island, is a rousing success. -
Studebaker Wagon Company
The Studebaker Brothers Wagon Company is established and would become the largest producer in the world of wagons. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin Published
Harriet Beecher Stowe's masterpiece of American slavery, Uncle Tom's Cabin, is published. Stowe wrote this work of anti-slavery in response to the Fugitive Slave Act. It sold 300,000 copies in its first years of publication. -
Pierce Elected President
Franklin Pierce, a Democrat, wins a convincing victory for President, defeating Whig Winfield Scott by a tally of 254 to 42 electoral votes. He also garners the majority in the popular vote. His four years as President, which began March 4, 1853, would cause dismay among Democrats, who would fail to nominate him for office again in 1856. -
Republican Party Founded
n Ripon, Wisconsin, the Republican Party is founded, in opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Act. It would hold its first convention later that year on July 6 in Jackson, Michigan. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska act becomes law, allowing the issue of slavery to be decided by a vote of settlers. This established the territories of Kansas and Nebraska and would breed much of the rancor that culminated in the actions of the next years of "Bleeding Kansas." -
Motorized Sewing Machine Invented
The Shuttle Sewing Machine and its machine motor are patented by Isaac M. Singer, improving the development of the sewing machine. -
Fremont Loses Election to Buchanan
John C. Fremont, the first candidate for president under the banner of the Republican Party, loses his bid for the presidency to James C. Buchanan, despite support for Fremont from Abraham Lincoln. Buchanan, the only bachelor to become president as well as the sole Pennsylvanian garnered 174 Electoral College votes to 114 for Fremont. Millard Fillmore, running on the American Know-Nothing and Whig tickets was also defeated. -
Booker T. Washington Born
Booker T. Washington was born in slavery on a tobacco farm in Franklin County, Virginia, and would later emerge as one of the foremost black leaders and educators of the 20th century. -
"Bleeding Kansas" Campaign
With strife between pro-slavery and anti-slavery partisans escalating to dramatic chaos, the 2nd Infantry and 3rd Artillery regiments under the command of Captain Nathanial Lyon attempt to restore order during the "Bleeding Kansas" campaign. -
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Debates Between Douglas and Lincoln
A series of seven debates between politicians Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln occur in Illinois. -
Oregon Becomes 33rd State
Oregon is admitted to the Union as the 33rd state. -
First Oil Well for Commercial Use
The first productive oil well for commercial use is drilled by Edwin L. Drake in Titusville, Pennsylvania. -
Pony Express
The Pony Express begins. Overland mail between Sacramento, California and St. Joseph's, Missouri is carried over the Oregon Trail for eighteen months by this series of riders on horseback, then rendered obsolete when the transcontinental telegraph is completed. Service ended on October 24, 1861. -
Lincoln Elected President
Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln, running on an anti-slavery platform, defeats three opponents in the campaign for the presidency; Democrats Stephen A. Douglas and John C. Breckinridge, and John Bell, Constitutional Union Party, leading to ardent cries of potential rebellion in southern slave states. Although Lincoln won the Electoral College by a large majority, the popular vote showed just how split the nation was. Lincoln garnered 1.9 million votes to the 2.8 million amongst his opponents -
South Carolina Secedes
South Carolina responds to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President by being the first southern state to secede from the Union. -
Confederate States Begin
In Montgomery, Alabama, the convention to form the Confederated States of America opens. Four days later, with Jefferson Davis as president, seven southern states officially set up the C.S.A. -
The American Civil War Begins
Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina harbor is bombarded for 34 hours by Confederate forces after the U.S. Army commander failed to evacuate, thus starting the four years of conflict and the U.S. Civil War. The Confederate States of America, formed two months earlier had sought to force federal troops from occupation of its territory. Fort Sumter was captured April 14 when Major Robert Anderson turned the fort over to the Confederacy. -
Battle of Bull Run
The first Battle of Bull Run at Manassas, Virginia occurs with the repulsion of Union forces by the Confederacy. Led by generals such as Stonewall Jackson, the overwhelming defeat by the Confederate forces of the Union, seen by onlookers who viewed the battle as nothing more than an exercise that would be easily won, showed vibrant indication that the Civil War would not be over quickly or without much cost. -
Homestead Act
The Homestead Act is approved, granting family farms of 160 acres (65 hectares) to settlers, many of which were carved from Indian territories. Two months later, on July 7, the Land Grant Act was approved, which called for public land sale to fund agricultural education. This act eventually led to the establishment of the state university systems. -
Invasion of Northern Territory by Confederates
Emboldened by the victory at 2nd Manassas at the end of August, Confederate troops began the 1st invasion of Northern territory. Begun with a skirmish the night before north of Sharpsburg, Maryland, the day of September 17 along Antietam Creek burns bright as the bloodiest day of the Civil War. Along the Bloody Lane of the Sunken Road, around the Dunker Church, on the bluffs above Burnside Bridge, and in the ripped stalks of the cornfield, Union and Confederate troops fell in astounding numbers. -
Emancipation Proclamation
President Abraham Lincoln, fresh on the heals of the Antietam victory, issues the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, stating that all slaves in places of rebellion against the Federal Government would be free as of January 1, 1863. -
Gettysburg
After three days of battle surrounding the tiny town of Gettysburg , including over 150,000 troops, Union defenders of Cemetery Ridge turn back General Pickett and Pettigrew during Pickett's Charge. With over 51,000 dead, wounded, or missing, the Battle of Gettysburg, on the farm fields of central Pennsylvania, proved to be the "high water mark of the Confederacy" and the last major push of Confederate forces into Union territory -
Vicksburg
The city of Vicksburg surrenders to General Grant after a two month siege. This major accomplishment in the western theatre, plus the actions of Meade at Gettysburg one day earlier with the repulse of Pickett's Charge, prove to be the two most important victories of the Civil War. Even though it would take nearly two more years for the Confederate States of America to be defeated -
Gettysburg Address
"Four score and seven years ago," began what many perceive as the best speech in American history, delivered by President Abraham Lincoln in the town cemetery overlooking the fields of Gettysburg. The Gettysburg Address, only 272 words long and taking about two minutes to speak, captured the essence of the Civil War as both sacrifice and inspiration. -
Battles of Wilderness and Spotsylvania
At the Battles of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania, General Grant, now the first three star lieutenant general since George Washington and in charge of the U.S. Army, marched against the forces of General Lee in a remarkable series of clashes within the dense forests of Virginia. Union casualties alone numbered nearly 3,000 dead, 21,000 wounded, and 4,000 missing. -
Fort Harrison Captured
Union forces, including black Union soldiers, capture the Confederate Fort Harrison, south of Richmond. This caused a Confederate realignment of their southern defenses. -
Lincoln Secures Second Term
President Lincoln defeats former Union General George B. McClellan to remain president of the United States, a repudiation of the tactics of delay favored by his former commander, and a signal of support for the President as he continued to prosecute the rebellion by the southern Confederate states. Lincoln receives 2.2 million votes and 212 in the electoral college compared to 1.8 million votes and 21 in the electoral college for McClellan. -
Last Offensive Act of the American Civil War
In the final desperate offensive act of the Civil War, two and one-half months after Lee's official surrender at Appomattox, the Confederate ship Shenandoah seized eleven American whaling ships in the Bering Strait, Alaska. -
13th Amendment
The Thirteenth Amendment, abolishing slavery, takes effect. -
E. Lee Surrenders to Grant
General Robert E. Lee, as commander in chief of Confederate forces, surrenders his 27,000 man army to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, effectively ending the four years of Civil War conflict. Additional troops under southern command would continue to surrender until May 26. The McLean House is the location for the surrender at Appomattox Courthouse. -
Lincoln Assassinated
Abraham Lincoln is assassinated in Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C.. five days after the signing at Appomattox of the Confederate surrender. The shot, fired by actor John Wilkes Booth, during the play "Our American Cousin," ends the life of the president who presided over the War of Rebellion and the end of slavery. Lincoln would die one day later. -
KKK Begins Intimidating African Americans
The Klu Klux Klan forms secretly to discourage blacks from voting, issuing in a brutal and shameful era of terror and crime amid southern states as civil rights for freed slaves emerged from the Civil War Era and made hesitant progress throughout the majority of the 20th Century. -
Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act of 1866 is passed by Congress, the first federal law protecting the rights of African Americans. It is vetoed by President Johnson, but the veto overridden by Congress. -
Sale of Alaska to US
Secretary of State William H. Seward consummates the sale of Alaska to the United States from Russia for $7.2 million dollars, approximately two cents per acre, by signing the Treaty of Cession of Russian America to the United States. -
Impeachment Trial of Andrew Johnson
The impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson begins in the Senate. Johnson was charged with violating the Tenure of Office Act by trying to remove the Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton. The President is acquitted by one vote. -
Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison applies for his first patent for the electric vote recorder. -
Ulysses S. Grant Elected President
Republican Ulysses S. Grant, with Shuyler Colfax as his running mate, proves victorious in his quest to become the 18th President of the United States after defeating Horatio Seymour, 214 to 80 in the Electoral College. Grant would be sworn in on March 4, 1869. -
Transcontinental Railroad
At Promontory, Utah, the final golden spike of the transcontinental railroad is driven into the ground, marking the junction of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads. This act, as much as any other, would signal the marked increase in the settlement of the west. -
Standard Oil Company
Standard Oil Company is incorporated by John D. Rockefeller. -
First African America Sworn into Office- Congress
The first African-American to be sworn into office in the United States Congress, Hiram Rhodes Revels, a Republican from Mississippi takes his place in the United States Senate. -
Confederacy Finally Dissolved
The last former state of the Confederacy, Georgia, is readmitted into the Union, and the Confederated States of America is officially dissolved. -
15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment to the Constitution is declared ratified by the Secretary of State. It gave the right to vote to black Americans. Race would officially no longer be a ban to voting rights. -
Worlds First National Park
The world's first national park is established when President Grant signs legislation enabling the establishment of Yellowstone National Park in the states of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. -
Civil Rights Restored to Southern Citizens
Civil rights are restored to citizens of the South, except for five hundred Confederate leaders, with the passage of the Amnesty Act of 1872 and its signing by President Ulysses S. Grant. -
Susan B. Anthony Casts Vote
Susan B. Anthony, women's suffragette, illegally casts a ballot at Rochester, New York in the presidential election to publicize the cause of a woman's right to vote. The reelection of Republican President Ulysses S. Grant is granted by a landslide Electoral College victory, with 286 cast for Grant. His opponent, Horace Greeley, had died prior to the Electoral College vote, on November 29. His votes were split among four individuals. -
Economic Depression
An economic depression begins when the New York stock market crashed, setting off a financial panic that caused bank failures. The impact of the depression would continue for five years. -
Civil Rights Act Passed by Congress
The Civil Rights Act, giving equal rights to blacks in jury duty and accommodation, is passed by the United States Congress. -
Reservation System
Original date issued by the United States government ordering all Native Americans onto a system of reservations throughout the western lands of the United States. Although the date would be extended by President Grant, this issue would lead to the Great Sioux War of 1876. -
Little Big Horn
The Battle of Little Big Horn occurs when Lt. Colonel George Custer and his 7th U.S. Cavalry engage the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians on the bluffs above the Little Big Horn River. All 264 members of the 7th Cavalry and Custer perish in the battle, the most complete rout in American military history.