American History

War of 1812

Jun 18, 1812

The war was fought between the U.S. and the United Kingdom. It lasted between June 18,1812 to March 23,1815.

Surrender at Pettersburg

Apr 9, 1865

Lee surrenders to Grant

Lincoln is assassinated

Apr 14, 1865

John Wilkes Booth shoots Lincoln at Ford's theatre

Funeral train for Lincoln

Apr 21, 1865

The funeral train leaves Washington D.C. and travels through 180 cities to Springfield, Illinois.

Booth is killed

Apr 26, 1865

Booth is tracked down and killed during capture

Lincoln's funeral train arrives

May 4, 1865

The train arrives in Springfield, Illinois where Lincoln is entombed.

KKK forms

Dec 24, 1865

The KKK is made up of ex-confederate soldiers in Tennessee who wanted the south to stay as it was before the war.

Fort Laramie Treaty

Apr 9, 1868

Souix tribes meet with the U.S. to discuss reservations.

Battle of Little Big Horn

Jun 25, 1876

Custer and his 200 men ride into 3,000 warriors and are killed in 20 minutes.

Presidential election ties

Nov 7, 1876

When the election ties they do not want a southerner to win so they make Hayes the president.

Time Zones

Nov 18, 1883

Five time zones are established by the U.S. and Canadian railroad companies to end confusion.

Cleveland wins election

Nov 4, 1884

Grover Cleveland is victorious in the 1884 election against James G. Blaine.

Statue of Liberty

Jun 17, 1885

The Statue of Liberty arrives in the New York harbor for the first time.

Grant dies

Jul 23, 1885

President and Civil War hero, Ulysses S. Grant, dies in Mt. McGregor, New York.

Haymarket riot and bombing

May 4, 1886

In Chicago there was a riot and bombing after a general strike in the U.S. that pushed for an eight hour day. Later, the American Federation of Labor would be formed.

Marriage in the White House

Jun 2, 1886

Grover Cleveland marries Francis Folsom in the White House's Blue Room.

Dawes Act

Feb 8, 1887

It was an attempt to "Americanize" the Native Americans. The Native American children were sent to schools to help them learn English.

Washington Monument

Oct 9, 1888

The Washington Monument is now open to the public.

Harrison beats Cleveland in the election

Nov 6, 1888

Harrison beats Cleveland in the election of 1888. Harrison lost the popular vote but won the electoral college 233-168.

Oklahoma Land

Apr 22, 1889

Harrison opens Oklahoma land to white settlement. More than 50,000 people wait at the starting line to race for the land.

Frederick Douglass dies

Feb 20, 1895

Frederick was an ex-slave who advocated for civil rights during the Civil War. He died in Washington, D.C.

McKinley wins election

Nov 3, 1896

McKinley claims victory against Bryan. McKinley had 271 votes and Bryan had 176.

Oil is discovered in Oklahoma

Apr 15, 1897

Oil was discovered in Native American territory. Rapid population growth near Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

Subway

Sep 1, 1897

The first underground transportation opens in the U.S. in Boston, Massachusetts.

San Juan, Puerto Rico is bombed by U.S. navy

May 12, 1898

San Juan, Puerto Rico is bombed under the command of Rear Admiral William T. Sampson.

Peace Treaty signed in Paris

Dec 10, 1898

The Peace Treaty is signed in Paris ending the Spanish-American War.

Open Door Policy

Feb 6, 1899

The open door policy with China is passed by Secretary of State John Hay in an attempt to open international markets.

Voting Machines

Feb 14, 1899

Congress approves the use of voting machines in federal election.

NAACP

Feb 12, 1901

Founding of NAACP.

Flatiron Building

Jun 14, 1902

Flatiron Building is now open and it is the first skyscraper.

IWW

Jun 27, 1905

Industrial Workers of the World is founded.

African American fraternity

Mar 14, 1906

First African-American university fraternity is founded.

Acts are passed concerning food

Jun 30, 1906

The Pure Food and Drug Act is passed along with the Meat Inspection Act.

National Association founded

Mar 14, 1909

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People founded.

Boy Scouts of America

Mar 19, 1909

The Boy Scouts is brought to America.

Mann-Elkins Act

Mar 14, 1910

Passed to regulate the telecommunications industry, and designated telephone, telegraph and wireless companies as common carriers.

The Great Fire

Aug 21, 1910

The Great Fire, also known as Idaho Big Burn burned 3 million acres of land and killed more than 80 people.

Jack Johnson beats Tommy Burns

Dec 26, 1910

Jack Johnson, a black man, won the Heavyweight Boxing Championship and many people wanted a white champion again.

First Auto Electric Start

Feb 17, 1911

The First Auto Electric Self Start was put into a Cadillac By GM. Before this people had to use cranks to start up the vehicle.

Minimum Wage

Mar 14, 1912

New York establishes minimum wage.

Titanic

Mar 19, 1912

The Titanic sinks when it was only 5 days into the voyage.

Department of Labor

Mar 4, 1913

Department of Labor is established.

Conveyor belt

Mar 14, 1913

Henry Ford introduces conveyor belt in factory.

Motion Pictures

Mar 14, 1913

Edison develops first talking motion picture.

Federal Reserve Act

Mar 14, 1914

It is an Act of Congress that created and established the Federal Reserve System, the central banking system of the United States, and which created the authority to issue Federal Reserve Notes

Start Of World War I

Mar 19, 1914

World War l starts over an assassination

Panama Canal

Mar 19, 1914

The Panama Canal finally opens after 34 years of building it.

America enters World War l

Mar 19, 1917

After Mexico gets the Zimmerman Note the U.S. picks sides and helps in the war.

Earthquake hits Long Beach, California

Mar 19, 1917

A deadly earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 hi6 kills around 140 people.

Influenza Epidemic

Mar 19, 1917

Around half a million Americans are killed. All around the world an estimated 30 million people die from it.

America and Germany

Apr 6, 1917

America declares war on Germany in 1917.

Women voting

Aug 18, 1920

Women are now finally given the right to vote.

American Professional Football League

Sep 17, 1920

The American Professional Football League was formed containing 11 teams.

Immigration

May 19, 1921

A national quota is put in place determining how many immigrants could come in.

Miss America

Sep 7, 1921

The first Miss America pageant is held in Atlantic City, New Jersey and it is won by Margaret Gorman.

Reader's Digest

Feb 5, 1922

It is founded and the first issue is published by Dewitt Wallace and Lila Wallace.

Time Magazine

Mar 2, 1923

Time Magazine is published.

Sound

Apr 15, 1923

The first sound on film motion picture.

President dies

Aug 2, 1923

President Warren G. Harding dies in office after becoming ill after a trip to Alaska.

Hoover and the FBI

May 10, 1924

Hoover is appointed to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Lindbergh

Mar 31, 1927

Lindbergh crosses Atlantic without stopping

China

Mar 31, 1927

China begins in a civil war.

Stock Market

Oct 29, 1929

The stock market crashes in the United States.

Great Depression

Mar 31, 1930

Because of the war, Europe along with the United States are in a depression

New Deal

Jan 31, 1933

Roosevelt begins the "New Deal" that he promised during the election.

Dust Bowl

Mar 31, 1934

The Dust Bowl begins in the middle of the United States.

The Fuhrer

Mar 31, 1934

Adolf Hitler becomes The Fueher of Germany

Plutonium

Mar 31, 1934

Fermi creates plutonium

Social Security Act

Mar 31, 1935

Social Security Act provides retirement insurance

Spanish Civil War

Mar 31, 1936

The Spanish begin in a civil war.

Plastic

Mar 31, 1937

Dow Chemical develops plastics

World War 2

Sep 1, 1939

World War 2 begins with Germany invading Poland

Pearl Harbor

Dec 7, 1941

Japan attacks Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

U.S. declares War

Dec 8, 1941

United States declares war on Japan after Pearl Harbor.

Pledge of Allegiance

Jun 22, 1942

The Pledge of Allegiance becomes official.

The Pledge Rule

Mar 31, 1943

United States Supreme Court ruled that school children could not be forced to recite the Pledge as part of their daily routine.

Hiroshima

Aug 6, 1945

Hiroshima is targeted by the U.S. because it is full of civilians and the U.S. drops an atomic bomb

Nagasaki

Aug 9, 1945

Nagasaki is also bombed like Hiroshima

Philippines

Mar 31, 1946

Philippines are given their independence

Truman Doctrine

1947

The U.S. will send aid to Greece and Turkey. $400 million will be sent in aid.

British India

Mar 31, 1947

British India is split up creating Pakistan and India.

Taft-Hartley Labor Act

May 13, 1947

This act was put in place to restrict power and activities of Labor Unions. This act was also known as the slave-labor bill.

Hollywood Ten

Oct 21, 1947

The Hollywood Ten testify before HUAC and they plead the 5th to questions asked.

Berlin Airlift

1948

The U.S. wanted to help Berlin and so they flew over supplies and food to them going passed the USSR blockade. This went for over a year

Berlin is divided

1949

The USSR finally gives in and divides Berlin into two parts giving half to the U.S.

NATO

1949

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is formed

Red Scare

Jun 8, 1949

The Red Scare has hit its peak point with many American celebrities being called out for being members of the Communist party

Hollywood Ten are Blacklisted

Jun 13, 1949

8 of the Ten serve one year in prison while the other 2 serve 6 months each. All are blacklisted.

West Germany

Sep 21, 1949

The Federal Republic of Germany is founded.

East Germany

Oct 7, 1949

The German Democratic Republic is founded.

Korea

1950

The Korean War begins.

Peanuts

1950

The comic strip "Peanuts" is published.

Failed Assassin Attempt

1950

There was a failed assassin attempt on president Harry S. Truman by two Puerto Rican people.

The Catcher in the Rye

1951

The Catcher in the Rye is published. It will later become a Classic.

Rosenbergs Executed

Jun 19, 1953

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are executed for their crimes.

Tournament of Roses Parade

1954

The Tournament of Roses becomes the first event on tv that was in color.

TV's in the U.S.

1955

Around 57% of Americans will own at least one TV set in their homes.

Sputnik

1957

The Soviets launch Sputnik successfully.

John F. Kennedy

1960

John F. Kennedy is elected as president in the 1960 election.

JFK Assassinated

1963

John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas.

Elementary and Secondary Education Act

1965

This act would put money towards the creation of libraries in schools.

Social Security Act

1965

The Social Security Act was to help the elderly who are 65 and older have health insurance

Malcolm X Assassinated

Feb 21, 1965

Malcolm X is assassinated in Manhattan, New York in front of 400 people

France withdraws from NATO

Jun 21, 1966

France withdraws its troops from NATO.

N.O.W. is formed

Jun 30, 1966

The National Organization for Women is formed.

Detroit Riot

1967

One of the worst riots to ever happen in U.S. history occurred between July 23 through July 28, 1967.

1968 Election

1968

Richard Nixon is elected president.

Martin Luther King Jr. Assassinated

Apr 4, 1968

King is assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee by James Earl Ray

Robert F. Kennedy assassinated

Jun 5, 1968

Kennedy is assassinated in Los Angeles, California by Sirhan Sirhan.

First Man on the Moon

Jul 20, 1969

Neil Armstrong lands on the moon, being the first man.

Cambodia

1970

Richard Nixon orders an invasion of Cambodia.

Apollo 15

1971

Apollo 15 lands on the moon.

The Pentagon Papers

1971

The Pentagon Papers are published detailing the assessment of the Vietnam war.

North Vietnam

1972

U.S. planes bomb North Vietnam.

Visit to China

1972

Nixon makes a visit to Communist China to talk with Mao Zedong.

Watergate

1972

5 men are caught breaking into the Watergate Complex

Paris Peace Accords

1973

U.S. signs peace accords and pulls troops out of Vietnam.

Nixon Resigns

1974

Richard resigns from office- first president to do so.

Beverly Johnson

1974

Johnson becomes first black model on the cover of Vogue.

Saigon

1975

North Vietnam takes over Saigon

Microsoft

1975

Bill Gates and Paul Allen found Microsoft Corporation.

Jimmy Carter

1976

Jimmy Carter is elected 39th president

Apple Computer

1976

The Apple computer is founded by Steve Jobs and Stephen Wozniak.

Bicentennial

1976

America celebrates 200 years as a nation

Death Penalty

1976

The Supreme Court rules the death penalty as a acceptable form of punishment.

Test-tube Baby

1978

The first test-tube baby is born.

Three Mile Island

1979

At Three Mile Island the nuclear reactor had problems and leaks radiation.

U.S. Embassy

1979

Iranians take over the U.S. Embassy and hold hostages.

1980 Election

1980

Ronald Reagan is elected president.

Titanic

1980

The wreck of the Titanic is found.

Hostages

1981

Hostages are freed in Tehran in 1981.

AIDS

1981

First case of AIDS is identified.

Equal Rights Amendment

1982

The Equal Rights Amendment fails.

Grenada

1983

United States invades Grenada.

Sally Ride

1983

First astronaut in Space that is an American woman.

Earthquake

1987

Severe earthquake in Los Angeles.

Population

1987

The worlds population hits 5 billion.

George Bush

1988

George Bush is elected president.

Free Trade Agreement

1988

Canada and U.S. reach a free trade agreement.

Cold War

1990

The Cold War is officially ended.