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Jamestown established
Jamestown became the first permanent English settlement in the New World -
Period: to
American History
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Benjamin Franklin born
Benjamin Franklin is born on this day; he made many contributions to establishing modern-day America -
Eli Whitney born
Eli Whitney later created the cotton gin, which brought tremendous changes to the cotton industry. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
"The shot heard around the world" begins the Battle of Lexington and Concord, which in turn begins the Revolutionary War -
Declaration of Independence is signed
The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, is signed -
Constitution signed
The Constitution was signed. By the summer of 1788, 12 out of 13 states had voted for ratification -
Louisiana Purchase
Jefferson purchases Louisiana Territory from French emperor Napoleon for $15 million -
Trail of Tears begins
The Trail of Tears was the 800 mile journey by the Cherokee Indians from Georgia to Oklahoma. -
Abraham Lincoln elected president
Abraham Lincoln won the election of 1860. Six weeks later, South Carolina- followed by Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas- seceded from the Union. -
Homestead Act passed
The Homestead Act offered 160 acres of land to anyone who met the requirements. -
Appomatox Courthouse
The Confederate forces (led by Lee) surrenders to the Union forces (led by Grant), ending the Civil War. -
Edison patents light bulb
Thomas Edison patents his light bulb invention, which significantly affects the entire world. -
The Jungle is published
Upton SInclair published his book, The Jungle, which led to the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act -
U.S. enters World War 1
President Wilson asks Congress to declare war on Germany, which in turn entered the U.S. into World War 1 -
Stock Market Crash
The stock market crashes, starting the Great Depression, which lasted from 1929 to 1941 -
FDR begins presidency
Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected in 1932, and he promised to create a New Deal. -
Pearl Harbor
The Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, killing almost 24 hundred people; this caused the U.S. to declare war on Japan. -
Japan surrenders
Japan decided to surrender on August 14, and the formal surrender was signed on the deck of the battleship Missouri. -
Sputnik launched
The Soviet Union launches the first satellite, Sputnik, beginning the space race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. -
9/11
The U.S. is attacked when hijackers crash several planes into important buildings.
