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Theodore Roosevelt Becomes President
After United States President William Mckinley was assassinated on September 14, 1901, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt became the 26th president of the United States. Serving as a previous New York governor, Roosevelt was a notable Republican Party leader and used his leadership for the good of the country over the next nine years. -
Construction Commences on Panama Canal
After decades of careful planning and careful consideration, construction on the $400 million project began. Under the leadership of Ferdinand de Lesseps who led the construction of the Suez Canal, this project was completed in 1914, just over eleven years after the construction began. -
The First Powered Flight
In 1903 in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright had the first powered, controlled flight ever, lasting a total of twelve seconds. This was a milestone in American aviation history, as well as a worldwide accomplishment that would change the future of transportation. -
1906 San Francisco Earthquake
A shift in the San Adreas fault caused one of the worst natural disasters the city of San Francisco had ever seen. Buildings collapsed and went up in smoke, gas and water lines burst causing fires that could not be quenched, and streets cracked under the pressure of the earthquake. -
Titanic Sinks
After setting sail on April 10, the RMS Titanic sank just five days later on April 15, 1912 after hitting a large iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean and sank. Among the 2,223 passengers that were aboard the ship, only around 700 survived. -
World War I Begins
World War I begins in 1914 as a result of the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, an Austrian Archduke, along with his wife Sophie who was pregnant at the time. While there was more conflict going on at the time between Central and Allied Powers, this was the final event that triggered the start of the war. -
United States Enters WWI
United States President at the time, Woodrow Wilson, issued a declaration of war against Germany in 1917, three years after the war began. One of the main reasons for this was to secure and maintain the economic power the United States held. Wilson promoted peace and indifference toward either side in the war, until it reached a point when he could not hold out any longer for the sake of his country and the duty he had to his people. -
19th Amendment is Ratified
On August 18, 1920 the 19th amendment was ratified by Congress allowing all women in the United States who were American citizens to vote for the first time in history. After many efforts for almost a century, this feat was finally achieved.