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Benjamin Franklin was born
Benjamin Franklin was born. -
American Revolutionary War begins
The American Revolutionary War begins at this time. -
Colonies to Country
The 13 colonies becomes the United States of America -
Period: to
United States Politics
A historical timeline of the United States political landscape from 1784-2017 -
Period: to
United States Politics
A historical timeline of the United States political landscape from 1784-2017 -
Bill of Rights
The first 10 amendments were approved and became what is known as the Bill of Rights. -
John Adams
John Adams is elected second president of the U.S. Jefferson is elected vice president, having received the second largest number of electoral votes. -
George Washington dies
George Washington dies. -
Library of Congress
he United States Library of Congress is founded. -
U.S. Capital
The U. S. capital is moved from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. -
John Marshall
John Marshall is appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. -
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson is inaugurated as the third president in Washington, DC -
NY Post
The first edition of the New York Post is published. -
Martha Washington dies
Martha Washington, the first First Lady of the United States, passes. -
New Jersey and Slavery
New Jersey becomes the last northern state to abolish slavery. -
Michigan Territory
The Michigan Territory is established. -
Illinois Territory
The Illinois Territory is created. -
James Madison
James Madison is inaugurated as the fourth president -
War of 1812
U.S. declares war on Britain over British conflict with American maritime shipping and westward expansion on June 18, 1812. British capture Washington, DC, and set fire to White House and Capitol on Aug. 1814. -
James Monroe
James Monroe is inaugurated as the fifth president. -
McCulloch v. Maryland
Supreme Court decision upholds the right of Congress to establish a national bank, a power implied but not specifically given by the Constitution. -
Florida to United States
Spain cedes Florida to America. -
Missouri Compromise
In an effort to maintain the balance between free and slave states, Maine (formerly part of Massachusetts) is admitted as a free state so that Missouri can be admitted as a slave state; except for Missouri, slavery is prohibited in the Louisiana Purchase lands north of latitude. -
Monroe Doctrine
President Monroe declares that the American continents are henceforth off-limits for further colonization by European powers. -
Gibbons v. Ogden
Supreme Court decision broadly defines Congress's right to regulate interstate commerce. -
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams is inaugurated as the sixth president. -
First U.S. Railroad
Construction began on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at this time, this became the first public railroad in the U.S. -
Removal Act
President Jackson signs the Indian Removal Act, which enforces the forced removal of Native Americans living in the eastern part of the country to lands west of the Mississippi River. -
Nat Turner
Nat Turner, an enslaved African American preacher, leads the most significant slave uprising in American history. He and his band of about 80 followers launch a bloody, day-long rebellion in Southampton County, Virginia. The militia quells the rebellion, and Turner is eventually hanged. As a consequence, Virginia institutes much stricter slave laws. -
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison is inaugurated as the ninth president -
William Henry dies
William Henry Harrison dies one month later after becoming president and is succeeded in office by his vice president, John Tyler. -
Mexican War
U.S. declares war on Mexico in effort to gain California and other territory in Southwest. -
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor is inaugurated as the 12th president. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Congress passes the Kansas-Nebraska Act, establishing the territories of Kansas and Nebraska. The legislation repeals the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and renews tensions between anti- and proslavery factions. -
Abe Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln becomes the 16th president of the United States. -
Lincoln Assasination
President Lincoln gets assassinated at the Petersen House. -
Slavery prohibited
Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution is ratified, prohibiting slavery. -
U.S. buys Alaska from Russia
U.S. gets Alaska from Russia for the sum of $7.2 million treaty. -
15th Amendment
Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution is ratified, giving black men the right to vote. -
Statue of Liberty
We receive Lady Liberty as a gift from France. -
Ellis Island
Ellis Island becomes the main place for immigration for the United States -
Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris is signed, ending the Spanish-American War. Spain gives up control of Cuba, and cedes Puerto Rico, Guam, and (for $20 million) the Philippines to the U.S. -
U.S. acquires American Samoa
U.S. receives American Samoa by treaty with Great Britain and Germany. -
President McKinley Asassination
President McKinley was assassinated at this time -
Pure Food and Drug Act
This bill that was passed by congress, created regulations on food and water. -
President Taft
William Howard Taft is inaugurated as the 27th president. -
Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson is inaugurated as the 28th president. -
World War I Begins
World War I began at this time. -
World War I Ends
World War I ends at this time. -
Palmer Raids
The Palmer Raids begin, launching a period of intense government persecution of radical political dissidents in response to the postwar Red Scare sweeping the nation. -
Steel Strike Ends
The Great Steel Strike of 1919 ends with capitulation by the steelworkers -
19th Amendment
The Nineteenth Amendment is ratified, granting women the right to vote. -
FDR and Polio
FDR was diagnosed with polio at the age of 39 around this time. -
Ford Motor Company
The market capitalization of Ford Motor Company exceeds $1 billion. -
Klansmen March
Forty thousand Ku Klux Klansmen march on Washington, their white-hooded procession filling Pennsylvania Avenue. -
Immigrant Radicals
With all possible avenues of appeal now exhausted, Italian immigrant radicals Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti are executed by electric chair. -
Black Tuesday
The stock market crashes on Black Tuesday, resulting in the Great Depression. -
Chicago Mob
In the "Saint Valentine's Day Massacre," the single bloodiest incident in a decade-long turf war between rival Chicago mobsters fighting to control the lucrative bootlegging trade, members of Al Capone's gang murder six followers of rival Bugs Moran. -
Hoover dam construction begins
The Hoover dam begins construction. This created thousands of jobs, for company's and workers during the depression. -
Star-Spangled Banner
The Star-Spangled Banner is adopted as the national anthem. -
20th Amendment
Also known as the “Lame Duck Amendment,” is ratified, moving the president's inauguration date from March 4 to Jan. 20. -
FDR becomes president
FDR becomes 32th president of the United States. -
First Hundred Days begin
President FDR begins massive socialist-like reforms for the government, the economy, and the condition of the people. -
FDR begins fireside chats
President FDR delivers his first Fireside chat. This was a radio show which the president uses to address the nation about the countries condition. -
21st Amendment
Twenty-First Amendment to the Constitution is ratified, repealing Prohibition. -
Fair Labor Standards Act
Fair Labor Standards Act is passed, setting the first minimum wage in the U.S. at 25 cents per hour. -
World War II begins
WW II has begun at this time. -
Roosevelt elected 3rd term
F. Roosevelt's third inauguration. He is the first and only president elected to a third term. -
Troops at Central High School in Little Rock, Ark., to enforce integration of black students.
Eisenhower sends federal troops to Central High School in Little Rock, Ark., to enforce integration of black students. -
JFK wins Presidency
John F. Kennedy is elected 35th president of the United States -
Kennedy Elected
JFK wins presidency in tightest election since 1884 -
JFK gets inaugurated
John F. Kennedy is inaugurated as the 35th president of the United States. -
Peace Corps
JFK issues an executive order establishing the Peace Corps. The Corps aims to disseminate good will and practical knowledge by enlisting volunteers, most under age 30, to two-year terms of service. -
Minimum Wage Hike
Pres. JFK signs legislation raising the minimum wage in stages from its current $1 per hour to $1.25 per hour by September 1963. -
JFK and Moon Program
In a congressional address, JFK pledges to land a man on the moon by the end of the decade. -
JFK Assassination
President JFK is assassinated in Dallas, Texas. VP Lyndon Baines Johnson is sworn in as president the same day. -
LBJ Declares War on Poverty
In President Lyndon Johnson’s first inaugural address, he declares war on poverty and outlines an ambitious domestic agenda aimed at reducing unemployment, increasing support for education and job training, and expanding public services for the poor. -
Johnson slashes taxes
President Lyndon Johnson signs the Tax Reduction Act lowering income tax rates from a range of 20-91% to 14-70%. Corporate rates are reduced from 52% to 48%. -
Civil Rights Act
President Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act. -
Transit Bill
Johnson signs the Urban Mass Transit Act. This puts away $375 million dollars for the construction of urban transit systems. -
LBJ Signs Jobs Bill
Pres. LBJ signs the Economic Opportunity Act, one of the centerpieces of his domestic agenda. -
Voting Rights Act
The legislation end discrimination at the polls. -
Higher Education Act
Johnson signs the Higher Education Act. This creates the first federally funded college scholarships. -
Miranda v. Arizona
Supreme Court decision further defines due process clause of Fourteenth Amendment and establishes Miranda rights. -
Minimum Wage Increase
The minimum wage is raised in stages from its current $1.25 per hour to $1.60 by February 1968. -
Protesters March to U.N.
400,000 march to the U.N. and hear speeches by Dr. Martin Luther King and Dr. Benjamin Spock -
MLK Assassination
Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., is assassinated in Memphis, Tenn. -
Nixon Inauguration
Richard Nixon is inaugurated as the 37th president. -
Kent State shooting
Kent State shooting occurs at this time. -
26th Amendment
The Twenty-Sixth Amendment to the Constitution is ratified, lowering the voting age from 21 to 18. -
Nixon resigns
Nixon resigns from presidency. -
U.S. athletes don't attend summer Olympics
Pres. Carter announces that U.S. athletes will not attend Summer Olympics in Moscow unless the Soviet Union withdraws from Afghanistan. -
Reagan Inaugurated
Ronald Reagan is inaugurated as 40th president of the United States. -
G.H.W Bush inaugurated
George H. W. Bush is inaugurated as the 41st president. -
U.S. annexes Hawaii
U.S. annexes Hawaii by an act of Congress. -
G.W. Bush inaugurated
George W. Bush is inaugurated as the 43rd president. -
9/11
Two hijacked jetliners ram twin towers of World Trade Center in worst terrorist attack against U.S.; a third hijacked plane flies into the Pentagon, and a fourth crashes in rural Pennsylvania. More than 3,000 people die in the attacks. -
Minimum wage increases
The minimum wage in the U.S. increases to $5.85, up from $5.15. It's the first increase in 10 years. -
Obama becomes President
Barack Obama becomes the first African-American to be elected President, with 52.8% of the vote. -
Obama becomes president
Senator Barack Obama of Illinois was elected president of the United States -
Obama re-elected
Obama gets re-elected. -
Hurricane Sandy
Hurricane Sandy causes at least 132 deaths and an estimated 82 billion in damages, making it the second costliest hurricane in the U.S., behind Katrina. -
Bernie and his presidential run
Bernie Sanders posts a Youtube video, announcing his run for president. -
Donald Trump becomes president
Donald Trump becomes 45th president of the United States on this day. -
Woman's March On Washington
Millions of people march on this day for human rights. Specifically, human rights.
