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War of Independence
Colonists form First Continental Congress as Britain closes down Boston harbour and deploys troops in Massachusetts. -
War of Independence
American Revolution: George Washington leads Continental Army to fight against British rule. -
War of Independence
Rebel states form loose confederation after defeating the British at the Battle of Yorktown. -
War of Independence
Founding Fathers draw up new constitution for United States of America. Constitution comes into effect in 1788. -
War of Independence
War of 1812 between the US and Britain, partly over the effects of British restrictions on US trade during the Napoleonic Wars. -
War of Independence
US acquires vast tracts of Mexican territory in wake of Mexican War including California and New Mexico. -
Civil War
Opponents of slavery, or abolitionists, set up Republican Party. -
Civil War
Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation, declaring slaves in Confederate states to be free. -
Civil War
US gains Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines and Cuba following the Spanish-American war. US annexes Hawaii. -
World War I and the Great Depression
US intervenes in World War I, but rejects membership of League of Nations in its aftermath. -
World War I and the Great Depression
More than 13 million people are unemployed after the Wall Street stock market crash of 1929 triggers the Great Depression. President Herbert Hoover rejects direct federal relief. -
Desegregation and the Vietnam war
Racial segregation in schools becomes unconstitutional; start of campaign of civil disobedience to secure civil rights for Americans of African descent. -
Desegregation and the Vietnam war
US compels Soviet Union to withdraw nuclear weapons from Cuba in what has become known as the Cuban missile crisis. -
Desegregation and the Vietnam war
President John F Kennedy assassinated; Lyndon Johnson becomes president. -
Global assertiveness
Republican Party's Ronald Reagan elected president, and goes on to adopt a tough anti-communist policy abroad and tax-cutting policies at home. -
The Clinton years
Democratic Party candidate Bill Clinton elected president. -
11 September attacks
11 September - Co-ordinated suicide attacks by al-Qaeda terror group prompts the US to embark on a ''war on terror'' that includes invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. -
Obama elected
Democratic Senator Barack Obama becomes the first black president of the United States. -
Trump elected president
Republican candidate Donald Trump wins presidential election, defeating Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in one of the biggest political upsets in US history. He is inaugurated in January. -
Road to impeachment
Joe Biden inaugurated president amid unprecedented security, a week after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in Washington DC.