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General Lee Surrenders
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. -
President Lincoln Assassinated
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on Good Friday, April 14, 1865, at Ford's Theatre. -
Thirteenth Amendment
The Thirteenth Amendment, abolishing slavery, takes effect. -
Haymarket Riot
The Haymarket affair was the aftermath of a bombing that took place at a labor demonstration on Tuesday May 4, 1886, at Haymarket Square in Chicago. -
U.S Buys Alaska From Russia
The Treaty with Russia was negotiated and signed by Secretary of State William Seward and Russian Minister to the United States Edouard de Stoeckl. -
Transcontinental Railroad Completed
On this day a golden spike was driven at Promontory, Utah, signaling the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States. -
The Great Chicago Fire Of 1871
The Great Chicago Fire began on the night of October 8, in or around a barn located on the property of Patrick and Catherine O'Leary at 137 DeKoven Street on the city's southwest side. -
Yellowstone Becomes First National Park
Yellowstone National Park was established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872. -
The Great Boston Fire Of 1872
The Great Boston fire of 1872 was Boston's largest urban fire, and still ranks as one of the most costly fire-related property losses in American history. -
Levi Blue Jeans Invented
Invented by Jacob W. Davis in partnership with Levi Strauss & Co. in 1871 and patented by Jacob W. Davis and Levi Strauss on May 20, 1873. -
Invention Of Telephone
Alexander Graham Bell, American inventor, scientist, and teacher of the deaf whose foremost accomplishments were the invention of the telephone -
Heinz Ketchup Begins
Heinz produced its first bottle of the salty red sauce in 1876. However, Mullen said the company’s first product was horseradish, in 1867. -
Custer Killed At Battle Of Little Big Horn
The Battle of the Little Bighorn, known to the Lakota and other Plains Indians as the Battle of the. Custer was killed, as were two of his brothers, a nephew, and a brother-in-law. -
Tom Sawyer By Mark Twain Published
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain is an 1876 novel about a young boy growing up along the Mississippi River. -
Thomas Edison Starts Electric Company
In 1878, Edison began working on a system of electrical illumination, something he hoped could compete with gas and oil based lighting. -
Pearl Street Station
Pearl Street Station was the first central power plant in the United States. It began with one direct current generator, and it started generating electricity on September 4, 1882. -
Coca Cola Invented
In 1886, Coca-Cola was invented by a pharmacist named John Pemberton, otherwise known as "Doc." He fought in the Civil War, and at the end of the war he decided he wanted to invent something that would bring him commercial success. -
Geronimo Surrendered
Geronimo and his followers had little or no time to rest or stay in one place. Completely worn out, the little band of Apaches returned to the U.S. with Lawton and officially surrendered to General Miles on September 4, 1886 at Skeleton Canyon, Arizona. -
Sears Company Opens
In 1886 Sears began the R.W. Sears Watch Company in Minneapolis. -
Statue Of Liberty Dedicated
On this day in 1886, President Grover Cleveland dedicates the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. The statue's full name was Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World. -
Kodak Camera Invented
George Eastman, American entrepreneur and inventor whose introduction of the first Kodak camera helped to promote amateur photography on a large scale. -
Johnstown Flood
The Johnstown Flood occurred on May 31, 1889, after the catastrophic failure of the South Fork Dam on the Little Conemaugh River 14 miles upstream of the town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. -
Battle Of Wounded Knee
The Battle of Wounded Knee, South Dakota, occurs in the last major battle between United States troops and Indians. -
Carnegie Hall Opens
Carnegie Hall, then known as Music Hall, opens its doors in New York with its first public performance under the guest conductor, Tchaikovsky.
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New York Stock Exchange Collapse
The New York Stock Exchange collapses, starting the financial panic of 1893. It would lead to a four year period of depression. -
Pullman Palace Car Company Strike
A wildcat strike of three thousand Pullman Palace Car Company factory workers occurs in Illinois. -
Oil Discovered On Indian Territory
Oil is discovered in Indian territory for the first time on land leased from the Osage tribe, leading to rapid population growth near Bartlesville, Oklahoma. -
Open Door Policy Declared
The Open Door Policy with China is declared by Secretary of State John Hay and the U.S. government in an attempt to open international markets and retain the integrity of China as a nation.
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Largest World Fair Opens
One of the largest world's fairs in history opens to the public in Paris, France with the United States among 42 nations and 25 colonies to exhibit. This world's fair also included the second modern Olympic Games held within its 553 acre site and would draw over thirty-nine million paid visitors through its close on November 12 -
Electric Theatre- First Movie Theatre
The first movie theatre in the United States opens in Los Angeles, California. It was known as the Electric Theatre. -
President Roosevelt Second Term
President Theodore Roosevelt is inaugurated for his second term. -
The Pure Food And Drug Act Passed
The Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act is passed. -
First Time Square Ball Drop
The tradition of dropping a ball in New York's Times Square to signal the beginning of the New Year is inaugurated. -
Boy Scouts of America Founded
The Boy Scouts of America is founded. -
First Telephone Conversation
Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas A. Watson conduct the first telephone conversation between New York and San Francisco. -
Lusitania Sinks
The British ship Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat submarine, causing 128 American passengers to be lost. Germany, although it warned of the pending crises to passengers, issued an apology to the United States and promised payments. -
Airmail Service Begins
Airmail service is begun by the United States Post Office Department with regular service between New York, Philadelphia, and Washington. -
Influenza Epidemic
The influenza epidemic Spanish flu spans the globe, killing over twenty million worldwide and five hundred and forty-eight thousand people in the United States. -
The League Of Nations Established
The League of Nations is established with the ratification of the Treaty of Versailles, ending the hostilities of the first World War. Nine days later the United States Senate votes against joining the League. -
Reader's Digest Founded
Reader's Digest is founded and the first issue published by Dewitt and Lila Wallace. -
The Great Mississippi Flood
The Great Mississippi Flood occurs, affecting over 700,000. -
Mickey Mouse Invented
The first appearance of Mickey and Minnie Mouse on film occurs with the release of the animated short film, Plane Crazy. -
Pluto Discovered
American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovers the planet Pluto at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. Tombaugh was also known as one of the few serious astronomers to have claimed to sight UFO's. -
Nevada Legalizes Gambling
The state of Nevada legalizes gambling. -
Babe Ruth Retires
The greatest hitter in the history of baseball, Babe Ruth, retires from Major League Baseball. He is among the charter class of players inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, in Cooperstown, New York, in 1939.
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The Appalachian Trail Completed
August 14, 1937 - The Appalachian Trail, extending two thousand miles from Mount Katahdin, Maine to Springer Mountain, Georgia is completed. -
Manhattan Project Begins
Albert Einstein alerts Franklin D. Roosevelt to an A-bomb opportunity, which led to the creation of the Manhattan Project. Einstein had arrived as a fugitive from Nazi Germany six years earlier on October 17, 1933. -
Battle Of The Midway
The Battle of the Midway is fought at Midway Islands in the Pacific with the Japanese fleet encountering its first major defeat of the war against the United States military. As the Battle of Midway comes to an end on June 7, Japan invades the Aleutian Islands, the first invasion of American soil in 128 years. -
US Defeat In European Theatre
February 14, 1943 - The United States encounters its first major defeat in the European theater of World War II at the Battle for Kasserine Pass in Tunisia. -
The G.I Bill Of Rights Signed
June 22, 1944 - The G.I. Bill of Rights is signed into law, providing benefits to veterans. -
Soviet Union Builds Berlin Wall
April 1, 1948 - The Soviet Union begins its land blockade of the Allied sectors of Berlin, Germany. A counter blockade by the west was put into effect, as well as a British and U.S. airlift of supplies and food, until both blockades were lifted on September 30, 1949. -
The Brinks Robbery
The Brinks robbery in Boston occurs when eleven masked bandits steal $2.8 million from an armored car outside their express office. -
First Color Televisions
The first color televisions go on sale. -
First Transatlantic Telephone Cable
The first transatlantic telephone cable begins operation. -
Explorer I Launched
Explorer I, the first U.S. space satellite, is launched by the Army at Cape Canaveral. It would discover the Van Allen radiation belt. -
Fidel Castro Takes Charge
The United States recognizes the new Cuban government under rebel leader Fidel Castro. Castro becomes the Premier of Cuba on February 16. -
First Weather Satellite Launched
Tiros I, the first weather satellite, is launched by the United States. Twelve days later, the navigation satellite, Transat 1-b is launched. -
The Bay Of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba is repulsed by Cuban forces in an attempt by Cuban exiles under the direction of the United States government to overthrow the regime of Fidel Castro. -
Last Alcatraz Prisoner Realesed
The last twenty-seven prisoners of Alcatraz, the island prison in San Francisco Bay, are ordered removed by Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, and the federal penitentiary is closed. -
Martin Luther King At Civil Rights Rally
Martin Luther King speaks at a civil rights rally on the courthouse steps of the Alabama State Capitol, ending the Selma to Montgomery, Alabama march for voting rights. -
The Watts Race Riot
The Watts race riots in Los Angeles begin a five day siege, culminating in the death of thirty-four people and property destruction in excess of $200 million. -
First Black Supreme Court Justice
Thurgood Marshall is sworn into office as the first black Supreme Court Justice. -
Earth Day Celebration
The first Earth Day celebration is held with millions of Americans participating in anti-pollution demonstrations. These demonstrations included school children walking to school instead of riding the bus. -
Cigarette Television Ad Ban
A ban on the television advertisement of cigarettes goes into affect in the United States. -
Walt Disney World Opens
Walt Disney World opens in Orlando, Florida, expanding the Disney empire to the east coast of the United States. -
The Arab Oil Embargo
The Arab Oil Embargo: Oil imports from Arab oil-producing nations are banned to the United States after the start of the Arab-Israeli war, creating the 1973 energy crisis. They would not resume until March 18, 1974. -
Star Wars Movie Opens
The movie Star Wars opens and becomes the highest grossing film at the time. -
Reagans Tax Cut
Tax cut legislation proposed by President Ronald Reagan, the largest in history, is passed by both houses of the U.S. Congress. It would reduce taxes by $750 billion over the next five years. -
Black Monday Stock Market Crash
The stock market crash known as Black Monday occurs on the New York Stock Exchange, recording a record 22.6% drop in one day. Stock markets around the world would mirror the crash with drops of their own. -
Exxon Valdez Accident
The Exxon Valdez crashes into Bligh Reef in Alaska's Prince William Sound, causing the largest oil spill in American history, eleven million gallons, which extended forty-five miles. -
Berlin Wall Comes Down
The Berlin Wall, after thirty-eight years of restricting traffic between the East and West German sides of the city, begins to crumble when German citizens are allowed to travel freely between East and West Germany for the first time. One day later, the influx of crowds around and onto the wall begin to dismantle it, thus ending its existence. -
Iraq Invades Kuwait
Iraq invades its neighbor, Kuwait, setting into motion the beginning of U.S. involvement in the Gulf War. Four days later, the United Nations begins a global trade embargo against Iraq. On November 29, the United Nations passes a resolution, #678, stating that Iraq must withdraw its forces from Kuwait by January 15, 1991 or face military intervention. -
Clinton Signs The Assault Weapons Ban
President Bill Clinton signs the Assault Weapons Ban, which bars the use of these weapons for ten years. -
Monica Lewinsky Scandal
The Monica Lewinsky scandal begins when U.S. President Bill Clinton denies his relationship with the White House intern in a televised interview. This denial, and other denials to a grand jury investigation, would lead to the impeachment of the president. -
Dow Jones Closes Above 10,000
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 10,000 for the first time. -
Hillary Clinton Wins Public Office
Hillary Rodham Clinton wins a seat for the United States Senate from New York. It is the first time a former First Lady wins public office. -
China- U.S Incident
China-U.S. incident. An American spy plane collides with a fighter plane of China and makes an emergency landing in Hainan, China. The U.S. crew is detained for ten days. -
Saddam Hussein Captured
Saddam Hussein, former leader of Iraq, is captured in a small bunker in Tikrit by the U.S. 4th Infantry Division. -
Rosa Parks Dies
Civil Rights activist, Rosa Parks, dies. -
Nancy Pelosi Sworn Into Office
The first female speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Representative Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, California, is sworn into office. -
Phelps Wins 8th Gold Medal
Michael Phelps, the United States swimmer from Baltimore, wins his 8th Gold Medal of the Beijing Summer Olympic Games, surpassing the record of seven won by Mark Spitz.
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Barack Obama First African- American President
Barack Obama, Democratic Senator from Illinois, the land of Abraham Lincoln, wins a landslide margin in the Electoral College, 365 to 173 in the election for the 44th President of the USA over John McCain, making him the first African-American president in the history of the United States of America. -
H1N1 Virus
The H1N1 virus, named the Swine Flu, is deemed a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. This is the first such designation since the Hong Kong flu in 1967-1968. -
Osama Bin Laden Killed
Osama Bin Laden, mastermind of the 9/11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and other locations and leader of the terrorist group, Al-Queda, is killed after ten years of pursuit by United States and coalition forces during a raid by U.S. Navy Seals on his hideout location in Pakistan. -
Occupy Wall Street Protest
The first of many Occupy Wall Street protests begin in New York City, protesting the big money interests on Wall Street and their relationship to the recession and world economy. -
Obama Wins Second Term
President Barack Obama wins a significant victory, 332 electoral votes to 206, for his second term in office against Republican challenger and businessman Mitt Romney. Congress remained status quo with divided government as the House of Representatives remained in Republican hands and the Senate in Democratic hands. -
3-D Printer Cell Cultures
Using a 3-D printer and cell cultures, American scientists at Cornell University grow a living ear. -
Rise Of ISIS
Rise of ISIS in a large amount of territory in western Syria and northern Iraq cause western nations to confront another round of Islamic fundamentalism. United States and some allies begin campaign to degrade their effectiveness with a bombing campaign on September 22. -
Ebola Outbreak
First case of Ebola is certified in the United States, an outcome of travel from the country of Liberia and West Africa where the virus has spread to 22,000 people and killed 9,000. -
Trump Runs For Nomination
Billionaire businessman Donald Trump joins a crowded field of Republican candidates seeking the nomination for President in 2016 and almost immediately rises to the top of the polls on a populist message, surprising pundits and critics. Expected frontrunner on the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton, takes quick lead in the polls. -
Trump Wins Presidency
Donald Trump, the flamboyount billionaire businessman from New York with no political or military experience, wins a surprising election over Democratic challenger and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. -
Russian Hacking Scandal
Thirty-five Russian diplomats expelled from Washington by President Obama after national security report that Russia had been behind a hacking scandal to influence the national presidential election.
