President Timeline

George Washington

Jan 1, 1791

Whiskey Rebellion:The Whiskey Rebellion was a tax protest in the United States beginning in 1791 during the presidency of George Washington. The so-called "whiskey tax" was the first tax imposed on a domestic product by the newly formed federal government. (Military)

Thomas Jefferson

Mar 15, 1803

Louisiana Purchase: The Louisiana Purchase (1803) was a land deal between the United States and France, in which the U.S. acquired approximately 827,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River for $15 million. (Diplomatic)

James Madison

Mar 15, 1812

War of 1812: The War of 1812 was a military conflict that lasted from June 1812 to February 1815, fought between the United States of America and the United Kingdom, its North American colonies, and its Native American allies. (Military)

James Monroe

Mar 15, 1823

Monroe Doctrine: The Monroe Doctrine is the best known U.S. policy toward the Western Hemisphere. Buried in a routine annual message delivered to Congress by President James Monroe in December 1823, the doctrine warns European nations that the United States would not tolerate further colonization or puppet monarchs. (Diplomatic)

Andrew Jackson

Mar 15, 1830

Indian Removal Act: The Indian Removal Act was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson on May 28, 1830, authorizing the president to grant unsettled lands west of the Mississippi in exchange for Indian lands within existing state borders. A few tribes went peacefully, but many resisted the relocation policy. (Executive)

James Polk

Mar 15, 1846

Mexican American War: The Mexican–American War, also known as the Mexican War, the U.S.–Mexican War or the Invasion of Mexico, was an armed conflict between the United States of America and the United Mexican States from 1846 to 1848. (Military)

Abraham Lincoln

Mar 15, 1861

Civil War: The American Civil War was an internal conflict fought in the United States from 1861 to 1865. The Union faced secessionists in eleven Southern states grouped together as the Confederate States of America.(Military)

Woodrow Wilson

Mar 16, 1917

WW1: World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War, or the War to End All Wars, was a global war originating in Europe that lasted from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918 (Military)

Woodrow Wilson

Mar 16, 1919

Treaty of Versailles: The Treaty of Versailles was the most important of the peace treaties that brought World War I to an end. The Treaty ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. (Diplomatic)

Franklin Roosevelt

Mar 16, 1933

New Deal Legislation: The New Deal was a series of programs, including, most notably, Social Security, that were enacted in the United States between 1933 and 1938, and a few that came later. (Legislative)

Franklin Roosevelt

Mar 16, 1941

WWII: World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945, although related conflicts began earlier. (Military)

Franklin Roosevelt

Mar 21, 1942

Executive Order 9066: Executive Order 9066 was a United States presidential executive order signed and issued during World War II by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942. This order authorized the Secretary of War to prescribe certain areas as military zones, clearing the way for the internment of Japanese Americans, German Americans, and Italian Americans to concentration camps in the United States. (Executive)

Harry Truman

Mar 16, 1945

Hiroshima & Nagasaki: The United States dropped nuclear weapons on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, 1945, respectively, during the final stage of World War II. (Diplomatic)

Harry Truman

Mar 16, 1948

Executive Order 9981: Executive Order 9981 was an executive order issued on July 26, 1948, by President Harry S. Truman. It abolished racial discrimination in the United States Armed Forces and eventually led to the end of segregation in the services. (Executive)

Harry Truman

Mar 16, 1950

Korean War: The Korean War began when North Korea invaded South Korea. The United Nations, with the United States as the principal force, came to the aid of South Korea. China came to the aid of North Korea, and the Soviet Union gave some assistance. (Military)

Dwight Eisenhower

Mar 16, 1956

Federal Highway Act: The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, popularly known as the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act (Public Law 84-627), was enacted on June 29, 1956, when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the bill into law. (Executive)

Dwight Eisenhower

Mar 16, 1957

Little Rock Nine: The Little Rock Nine was a group of nine African American students enrolled in Little Rock Central High School in 1957. Their enrollment was followed by the Little Rock Crisis, in which the students were initially prevented from entering the racially segregated school by Orval Faubus, the Governor of Arkansas. (Judicial)

John Kennedy

Mar 16, 1962

Cuban Missile Crisis: The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the Caribbean Crisis, or the Missile Scare, was a 13-day confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union concerning American ballistic missile bases in Turkey. (Diplomatic)

John Kenndey

Mar 16, 1963

Limited Test Ban Treaty: The Test Ban Treaty of 1963 prohibits nuclear weapons tests "or any other nuclear explosion" in the atmosphere, in outer space, and under water. (Diplomatic)

Lyndon Johnson

Mar 16, 1964

Great Society Programs: The Great Society was a set of domestic programs in the United States launched by Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964–65. The main goal was the elimination of poverty and racial injustice. (Executive)

Lyndon Johnson

Mar 16, 1964

Civil Rights Act: enacted July 2, 1964) is a landmark civil rights and US labor law in the United States that outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. (Legislative/Judiciary)

Richard Nixon

Mar 16, 1972

Visits China:On February 21, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon arrived in China for an official trip. He was the first U.S. president to visit the People's Republic of China since it was established in 1949. This was an important event because the U.S. was seeking to improve relations with a Communist country during the Cold War. (Diplomacy)

Richard Nixon

Mar 16, 1972

The Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty: (SALT) were two rounds of bilateral conferences and corresponding international treaties involving the United States and the Soviet Union—the Cold War superpowers—on the issue of armament control. The two rounds of talks and agreements were SALT I and SALT II. (Diplomatic)

Gerald Ford

Mar 16, 1974

Pardons Richard Nixon: A presidential Pardon of Richard Nixon was issued on September 8, 1974, by President of the United States Gerald Ford, which granted former president Richard Nixon a full and unconditional pardon for any crimes he might have committed against the United States while president. (Executive)

Jimmy Carter

Mar 16, 1978

Camp David Accords: The Camp David Accords were signed by Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin on 17 September 1978, following twelve days of secret negotiations at Camp David. The two framework agreements were signed at the White House, and were witnessed by United States President Jimmy Carter. (Diplomatic)