US History Timeline

By ErrisElizabeth
  • 1492

    The Discovery of America

    The first recorded discovery of North America.

  • Settlement of Jamestown

    First settlement in the new world.
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    French and Indian War

    A seven-year war between the British and French colonies. Both sides assisted by natives.

  • Boston Tea Party

    Most well-known act of rebellion pre-revolutionary war.

  • Battle of Lexington and Concord

    Famous 'shot heard 'round the world'. Officially started the revolutionary war.

  • The Declaration of Independence

    The declaration of independence stated that the colonies were no longer under British rule.

  • Battle of Yorktown

    An impossible American victory against the British.
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    Constitutional Convention

    The first written constitution for a nation in the history of the world.

  • Invention of the Cotton Gin

    The invention of a new cotton harvesting machine.

  • Alien and Sedition Acts

    Security laws passed by the US in anticipation of a war with France.

  • First Electric Light

    The very first electric light was invented by Humphry Davy, he called it the electric arc lamp.

  • The Louisiana Purchase

    The US bought over 800,000 miles of land from France.
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    The War of 1812

    A war fought over Britain infringing on US maritime rights.

  • The Missouri Compromise

    Divided the states into north (free) and south (slaveholding).

  • Election of Andrew Jackson

    Andrew Jackson was elected as the 7th president.
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    The Trail of Tears

    An 'ethnic cleansing' that resulted in the displacement and death of tens of thousands of Native Americans.

  • The Panic of 1837

    A financial crisis that started a depression that lasted until the 1840s.

  • Invention of the Telegraph

    Samuel Morse invented the telegrah with national funding and sent the first message, 'what hath god wrought?'
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    The Mexican-American War

    The US fought with Mexico to get more land in western North America.

  • The Compromise of 1850

    This compromise diffused a political confrontation between the free states and the slaveholding states.

  • The Firing on Fort Sumter

    The confederate army decided to attack Fort Sumter before they could restock supplies, leading to the battle of Fort Sumter.

  • The Emancipation Proclamation

    Abraham Lincoln finally freed the all slaves in the slaveholding states.

  • The Organization of Standard Oil Trust

    The standard oil trust was made in 1863 by John Rockefeller.
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    The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments

    The 'Civil War Amendments outlawed slavery, stated that everyone born in the US is a US citizen, and gave black Americans the right to vote.
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    The Appomattox Surrender

    General Lee surrendered to prevent further destruction to the South.

  • The Assassination of Lincoln

    The 16th President of the US was murdered after finally banning slavery in all states.

  • The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson

    Andrew Johnson was impeached for 'violating the tenure of office act'.

  • The Invention of the Telephone

    Alexander Bell invents the first telephone.
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    The Pullman and Homestead Strikes

    Two groups of workers decided to go on strike because of unfairly low wages.
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    The Spanish American War

    The US declared war on Spain after the sinking of the Battleship Maine.

  • The Invention of the Airplane

    The Wright brothers invented the first successful airplane

  • The Election of Theodore Roosevelt

    Roosevelt was the 30th president of the US and the first president who hadn't originally been elected to the office.