United States Political Timeline- Cohen

United States Politics

Period: Jan 1, 1784 to Jan 20, 2017

A historical timeline of the United States political landscape from 1784-2017

Delaware Enters The Union

Dec 7, 1787

Delaware becomes the 1st state to become a state. It was named in the honor of the early Virginia governor, Lord De La Warr.

Pennsylvania Enters The Union

Dec 12, 1787

Pennsylvania becomes the 2nd state. It was named in the honor of Admiral William Penn and his son of the same name, the founder of Pennsylvania.

New Jersey Enters The Union

Dec 18, 1787

New Jersey becomes the 3rd state. It was named by James, Duke of York, who was given the state from his brother, King Charles II of England.

Georgia Enters The Union

Jan 2, 1788

Georgia becomes the 4th state. It was named to honor King George II of England.

Connecticut Enters The Union

Jan 9, 1788

Connecticut becomes the 5th state. The name came from the word "quonehtacut", a Mohican/Algoquin word that means "long tidal river"

Massachusetts Enters The Union

Feb 6, 1788

Massachusetts becomes the 6th state. It was named for an Algonquian Indian word that means "a big hill place"

Maryland Enters The Union

Apr 28, 1788

Maryland becomes the 7th state. It was named to honor the Queen consort Henrietta Maria (1609-1669), the wife of King Charles I

South Carolina Enters The Union

May 23, 1788

South Carolina becomes the 8th state. It was named in the honor of King Charles I

New Hampshire Enters the Union

Jun 21, 1788

New Hampshire becomes the 9th state. It was named by Captain John Mason for Hampshire, England

Virginia Enters The Union

Jun 25, 1788

Virginia becomes the 10th state. It was named for Queen Elizabeth I of England, known as the Virgin Queen.

New York Enters The Union

Jul 26, 1788

New York becomes the 11th state. It was named in the honor of the Duke of York

George Washington is Inaugurated

Apr 30, 1789

Unaffiliated George Washington becomes the first President of the United States. His Vice President was John Adams

North Carolina Enters The Union

Nov 21, 1789

North Carolina becomes the 12th state. It was named to honor King Charles I

Rhode Island Enters The Union

May 29, 1790

Rhode Island becomes the 13th state. It was named after either the Island of Rhodes or Dutch explorer Adriaen Block may have named it "Rood Eylandt" which means Red Island in Dutch for it's red clay.

Vermont Enters The Union

Mar 1, 1791

Vermont becomes the 14th state. The name comes from "mont vert" a French word that means "green mountain"

Kentucky Enters The Union

Jun 1, 1792

Kentucky becomes the 15th state. It's name is from the Iroquois Indian word "Ken-tah-ten,", meaning "land of tomorrow"

Tennessee Enters The Union

Jun 1, 1796

Tennessee becomes the 16th state. The name is from a Cherokee village in the region called "Tanasie"

John Adams is Inaugurated

Mar 4, 1797

Federalist John Adams becomes the 2nd President of the United States, previously the first Vice President. His Vice President was Thomas Jefferson.

Thomas Jefferson is Inaugurated

Mar 18, 1801

Democratic-Republican Thomas Jefferson becomes the 3rd President of the United States. His Vice President was Aaron Burr and then George Clinton.

Ohio Enters The Union

Mar 1, 1803

Ohio becomes the 17th state. The name comes from an Iroquois Indian word meaning "good river" or "large river"

Louisiana Purchase

Jul 4, 1803

The Louisiana Purchase gave the Louisiana territory to the United States from France.

James Madison is Inaugurated

Mar 4, 1809

Democratic-Republican James Madison becomes the 4th President of the United States. His Vice President was George Clinton and then Elbridge Gerry, who both died in office.

Louisiana Enters The Union

Apr 30, 1812

Louisiana becomes the 18th state. It was named by French explorer Sieur de La Salle to honor King Louis XIV

Indiana Enters The Union

Feb 11, 1816

Indiana becomes the 19th state. The name refers to the Indians.

James Monroe is Inaugurated

Mar 4, 1817

Democratic-Republican James Monroe becomes the 5th President of the United States. His Vice President was Daniel D. Tompkins.

Mississippi Enters The Union

Dec 10, 1817

Mississippi becomes the 20th state. The name comes from the Ojibwa (Chippewa) Indian words "mici zibi," which means "great river" or "gathering of waters"

Illinois Enters The Union

Dec 3, 1818

Illinois becomes the 21st state. The name comes from the word Illini, a confederation of the Cahokia, Kaskaskia, Michigamea, Moingwena, Peoria and Tamaroa Indian tribes

Alabama Enters The Union

Dec 14, 1819

Alabama becomes the 22nd state. The name comes from the language of local Creek Indians, it means "tribal town"

Maine Enters The Union

Mar 15, 1820

Maine becomes the 23rd state. It's name refers to the mainland.

Missouri Enters The Union

Aug 10, 1821

Missouri becomes the 24th state. It's name is an Algonquian Indian word that means "river of the big canoes"

John Quincy Adams

Mar 4, 1825

Democratic-Republican John Quincy Adams becomes the 6th President of the United States. His Vice President was John C. Calhoun.

Andrew Jackson is Inaugurated

Mar 4, 1829

Democrat Andrew Jackson becomes the 7th President of the United States. His Vice President was John C. Calhoun who resigned then Martin Van Buren.

Arkansas Enters The Union

Jun 15, 1836

Arkansas becomes the 25th state. It's name is from the Quapaw (Sioux) word "acansa," which means "downstream place" or "south wind"

Martin Van Buren is Inaugurated

Jan 4, 1837

Democrat Martin Van Buren becomes the 8th President of the United States. His Vice President was Richard Mentor Johnson

Michigan Enters The Union

Jan 26, 1837

Michigan becomes the 26th state. It's name is from an Algonquian Chippewa Indian word "meicigama" that means "big sea wate", referring to the Great Lakes

Panic of 1837

May 10, 1837

A financial crisis in the United States that began a major recession that lasted till the mid-1840s.

William Henry Harrison is Inaugurated

Mar 4, 1841

Whig William Henry Harrison becomes the 9th President of the United States. His Vice President was John Taylor. He died in office and was succeeded by Taylor.

John Tyler is Inaugurated

Apr 4, 1841

Whig and later in his second term Unaffiliated John Tyler becomes the 10th President of the United States in William Henry Harrison's place. He did not have a Vice President.

Florida Enters The Union

Mar 3, 1845

Florida becomes the 27th state. It was originally found by Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon and named the "Pascua de Florida," meaning "Feast of Flowers", claiming it for Spain

James K. Polk is Inaugurated

Mar 20, 1845

Democrat James K. Polk becomes the 11th President of the United States. His Vice President was George M. Dallas

Texas Enters The Union

Dec 29, 1845

Texas becomes the 28th state. It's name came from the Caddo Indians of eastern Texas who called their tribes "Tejas", meaning "those who are friends"

Iowa Enters The Union

Dec 28, 1846

Iowa becomes the 29th state. The name comes from Ioway, the French word for the Bah-kho-je Indian tribe that lived in the area

Wisconsin Enters The Union

May 28, 1848

Wisconsin becomes the 30th state. The name is from an Indian word, but it's origin is unknown. It might be an Algonquian Indian word that means "long river", or a Chippewa/Ojibwa/Anishinabe word, "ouisconsin", that means "grassy place," or "gathering of the waters."

Zachary Taylor is Inaugurated

Mar 4, 1849

Whig Zachary Taylor becomes the 12th President of the United States. His Vice President was Millard Fillmore. He died in office and was succeeded by Fillmore.

Millard Fillmore is Inaugurated

Jul 9, 1850

Whig Millard Fillmore becomes the 13th President of the United States in Zachary Taylor's place. He did not have a Vice President.

California Enters The Union

Sep 1, 1850

California becomes the 31st state. Its name comes from a mythical Spanish island ruled by a queen called Califia that was featured in a Spanish romance ("Las Sergas de Esplandian") written by Garcia Ordonez de Montalvo in 1510. The Spanish explorers originally thought that California was an island.

Franklin Pierce is Inaugurated

Mar 20, 1853

Democrat Franklin Pierce becomes the 14th President of the United States. His Vice President was William R. King then in his second term had no Vice President due to King's death.

James Buchanan is Inaugurated

Mar 4, 1857

Democrat James Buchanan becomes the 15th President of the United States. His Vice President was John C. Breckinridge.

Minnesota Enters The Union

May 11, 1858

Minnesota becomes the 32nd state. The name is from a Dakota Sioux Indian word that means "cloudy water" or "sky water" and refers to local rivers

Oregon Enters The Union

Feb 1, 1859

Oregon becomes the 33rd state. The origin of the name is unknown but it may have come from the French word Ouragan (which means Hurricane) and was a former name of the Columbia River

Kansas Enters The Union

Jan 1, 1861

Kansas becomes the 34th state. It was named for Konza (also called Kansa or Kaw) Indians who lived in the area

Abraham Lincoln is Inaugurated

Mar 4, 1861

Republican (National Union) Abraham Lincoln becomes the 16th President of the United States. His Vice President was Hannibal Hamlin and then Andrew Johnson. He was assassinated while in office and was succeeded by Johnson

American Civil War

Apr 12, 1861

The American Civil War took place from 1861 to 1865. The result of the war abolished slavery, destructed the Confederate States.

West Virginia Enters The Union

Jun 20, 1863

West Virginia becomes the 35th state. It was named for Queen Elizabeth I, known as the Virgin Queen.

Nevada Enters The Union

Oct 31, 1864

Nevada becomes the 36th state. Its name is from the Spanish word meaning "snowcapped"

Abraham Lincoln is Assassinated

Apr 14, 1865

President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth in Ford's Theatere in Washington D.C.. He was shot in the head.

Andrew Johnson is Inaugurated

Apr 15, 1865

National Union then Democrat Andrew Johnson becomes the 17th President of the United States in the place of Abraham Lincoln. He did not have a Vice President.

Nebraska Enters The Union

Mar 1, 1867

Nebraska becomes the 37th state. Its name is from an Oto Indian word that means "flat water", referring to the Platte River, which means "flat river" in French

Ulysses S. Grant is Inaugurated

Mar 20, 1869

Republican Ulysses S. Grant becomes the 18th President of the United States. His Vice President was Schuyler Colfax then Henry Wilson who died in office, leaving it vacant.

Colorado Enters The Union

Feb 1, 1876

Colorado becomes the 38th state. The is Spanish meaning the "color red," and refers to the Colorado River

Rutherford B. Hayes is Inaugurated

Mar 4, 1877

Republican Rutherford B. Hayes becomes the 19th President of the United States. His Vice President was William A. Wheeler.

James A. Garfield is Inaugurated

Mar 20, 1881

Republican James A. Garfield becomes the 20th President of the United States. His Vice President was Chester A. Arthur. He was assasinated while in office and was succeeded by Arthur

James A. Garfield is Assassinated

Jul 2, 1881

President James A. Garfield was assassinated by Charles J. Guiteau at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington D.C..

Chester A. Arthur is Inaugurated

Sep 19, 1881

Republican Chester A. Arthur becomes the 21st President of the United States in the place of James A. Garfield. He did not have a Vice President.

Grover Cleveland is Inaugurated

Mar 4, 1885

Democrat Grover Cleveland become the 22nd President of the United States. His Vice President was Thomas A. Hendricks who died in office, leaving the office vacant.

Benjamin Harrison is Inaugurated

Mar 4, 1889

Republican Benjamin Harrison become the 23rd President of the United States. His Vice President was Levi P. Morton.

North Dakota Enters The Union

Nov 2, 1889

North Dakota becomes the 39th state. Dakota is what the Sioux Indians called themselves.

South Dakota Enters The Union

Nov 2, 1889

South Dakota becomes the 40th state. Dakota is what the Sioux Indians called themselves.

Montana Enters The Union

Nov 8, 1889

Montana becomes the 41st state. The name comes from the Spanish word for mountainous.

Washington Enters The Union

Nov 11, 1889

Washington becomes the 42nd state. The state was named after George Washington, the first President of the United States.

Idaho Enters The Union

Jul 3, 1890

Idaho becomes the 43rd state. The origin of the name is unknown.

Wyoming Enters The Union

Jul 10, 1890

Wyoming becomes the 44th state. The name may come from the Delaware Indian word "Maughwauwama," which means "large plains"

Grover Cleveland is Inaugurated Again

Mar 20, 1893

Republican Grover Cleveland, previously the 22nd President, becomes the 24th President of the United States. His Vice President was Adlai Stevenson.

Utah Enters The Union

Jan 4, 1896

Utah becomes the 45th state. Its name is from the Ute Indians.

William McKinley is Inaugurated

Jan 4, 1897

Republican William McKinley becomes the 25th President of the United States. His Vice President was Garret Hobart who died in office and later Theodore Roosevelt in his second term. He was assassinated while in office and was succeeded by Theodore Roosevelt.

William McKinley is Assassinated

Sep 6, 1901

William McKinley is assassinated by Leon Czologosz in Buffalo, New York. He was shot to "advance anarchism"

Theodore Roosevelt is Inaugurated

Sep 14, 1901

Republican Theodore Roosevelt becomes the 26th President of the United States in place of William McKinley. His first term had no Vice President then had Charles W. Fairbanks in his second term as Vice President.

Oklahoma Enters The Union

Nov 16, 1907

Oklahoma becomes the 46th state. The name is from the Choctaw Indian words "okla" meaning people and "humma" meaning red

William Howard Taft is Inaugurated

Mar 20, 1909

Republican William Howard Taft becomes the 27th President of the United States. His Vice President was James S. Sherman who died in office, leaving it vacant.

New Mexico Enters The Union

Jan 6, 1912

New Mexico becomes the 47th state. It was named by the Spanish in reference to Mexico

Arizona Enters The Union

Feb 14, 1912

Arizona becomes the 48th state. The origin is not certain but it could be from the Aztec Indian word "arizuma," that means "silver-bearing," from the Tohono O'odham Indian word "Aleh-zone" which means "small spring," or the Pima Indian word "Ali shonak" which also means "small spring."

Woodrow Wilson is Inaugurated

Mar 20, 1913

Democrat Woodrow Wilson becomes the 28th President of the United States. His Vice President was Thomas R. Marshall.

Warren G. Harding is Inaugurated

Mar 20, 1921

Republican Warren G. Harding becomes the 29th President of the United States. His Vice President was Calvin Coolidge. He died in office and was succeeded by Coolidge.

Calvin Coolidge is Inaugurated

Aug 2, 1923

Republican Calvin Coolidge becomes the 30th President of the United States in the place of Warren G. Harding. His first term he did not have a Vice President but in his second he had Charles G. Dawes as his Vice President.

Herbert Hoover is Inaugurated

Mar 20, 1929

Republican Herbert Hoover becomes the 31st President of the United States. His Vice President was Charles Curtis

Franklin D. Roosevelt is Inaugurated

Mar 20, 1933

Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt becomes the 32nd President of the United States. His first and second term Vice President was John Nance Garner. His third term Vice President was Henry A. Wallace. His fourth term Vice President was Harry S. Truman. He died in office and was succeeded by Truman.

Harry S. Truman is Inaugurated

Apr 12, 1945

Democrat Harry S. Truman becomes the 33rd President of the United States in place of Franklin D. Roosevelt. His first term he had no Vice President and in his second his Vice President was Alben W. Barkley.

North Atlantic Treaty is Signed

Jan 4, 1949

Signed to settle peace and alliance with the U.S. and Europe. Created NATO, National Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Dwight D. Eisenhower is Inaugurated

Jan 20, 1953

Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes the 34th President of the United States. His Vice President for both of his terms was Richard Nixon

Alaska Enters The Union

Jan 3, 1959

Alaska becomes the 49th state. The name is from the Aleut Indian word "alaxsxaq" or "agunalaksh" that means the mainland or shore.

Hawaii Enters The Union

Aug 21, 1959

Hawaii becomes the 50th state. It may been named for the traditional home of the Polynesians, Hawaii or Hawaiki, called "Owhyhee"

John F. Kennedy is Inaugurated

Jan 26, 1961

Democrat John F. Kennedy becomes the 35th President of the United States. His Vice President was Lyndon B. Johnson. He was assassinated in office and Johnson succeeded him.

John F. Kennedy is Assassinated

Jan 22, 1963

President JFK is assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas, Texas. He was shot in a sniper style.

Lyndon B. Johnson is Inaugurated

Nov 22, 1963

Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson becomes the 36th President of the United States. The Vice President office was vacant and then Hubert Humphrey became the Vice President.

Richard Nixon is Inaugurated

Jan 20, 1969

Republican Richard Nixon becomes the 37th President of the United States. His Vice President was Spiro Agnew, who resigned leaving the office vacant. His second Vice President was Gerald Ford. Nixon resigned from office and was succeeded by Ford.

Watergate Scandal

Jun 26, 1972

The Watergate scandal was a break in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate hotel/office. It led to President Nixon resigning.

Gerald Ford is Inaugurated

Aug 9, 1974

Republican Gerald Ford become the 38th President of the United States in the place of Richard Nixon. His Vice President was Nelson Rockefeller after the Vice President office was vacant.

Jimmy Carter is Inaugurated

Jan 26, 1977

Democrat Jimmy Carter becomes the 39th President of the United States. His Vice President was Walter Mondale.

Ronald Reagan is Inaugurated

Jan 20, 1981

Republican Ronald Reagan becomes the 40th President of the United States. His Vice President was George H. W. Bush.

George H. W. Bush is Inaugurated

Jan 20, 1989

Republican George H. W. Bush becomes the 41st President of the United States. His Vice President was Dan Quayle.

Bill Clinton is Inaugurated

Jan 20, 1993

Democrat Bill Clinton becomes the 42nd President of the United States. His Vice President was Al Gore.

George W. Bush is Inaugurated

Jan 20, 2001

Republican George W. Bush becomes the 43rd President of the United States. His Vice President was Dick Cheney.

September 11 Attacks

Sep 11, 2001

9/11 was four coordinated terrorist attacks against the United States by an Islamic group, al-Qaeda. They used hijacked planes to crash into buildings and people. It killed nearly 3,000 people and injured over 6,000. Most notably they attacked the World Trade Center in New York. Another place crashed into The Pentagon in Virginia. Another was initially going to Washington D.C. but crashed in Pennsylvania.

Barack Obama is Inaugurated

Jan 20, 2009

Democrat Barack Obama becomes the 44th President of the United States. This makes him the first African American President in U.S. history. His Vice President was Joe Biden.

Donald Trump is Inaugurated

Jan 26, 2017

Republican Donald Trump becomes the 45th President of the United States. His Vice President is Mike Pence.