US History Timeline By History-Person Oct 12, 1492 America's discovered by Columbus Period: Oct 12, 1492 to Dec 17, 1903 US History Timeline May 14, 1607 Settlement of Jamestown 1756 the French and Indian War Dec 16, 1773 the Boston Tea Party Apr 19, 1775 the battle of Lexington and Concord Jul 4, 1776 the Declaration of Independence Aug 28, 1781 the Battle of Yorktown May 14, 1787 the Constitutional Convention 1794 the invention of the cotton gin 1798 the alien and sedition acts Dec 20, 1803 the louisiana purchase Jun 18, 1812 war of 1812 Mar 3, 1820 the missouri compromise 1828 Andrew Jackson's election 1830 the trail of tears May 10, 1837 the panic of 1837 1844 the invention of the telegraph 1846 the mexican and american war 1850 the compromise of 1850 Apr 12, 1861 the firing of fort sumter Jan 1, 1863 the emancipation proclamation Apr 9, 1865 surrender of the appomattox courthouse Apr 14, 1865 Abraham Lincoln's assassination Dec 6, 1865 13th amendment Feb 24, 1868 Andrew Johnson's impeachment Jul 9, 1868 14th amendment Feb 3, 1870 15th amendment 1876 telephone 1879 electric light 1882 the organization of standard oil trust 1889 the Pullman and Homestead strikes 1898 the spanish- american war 1901 Theodore Roosevelt Dec 17, 1903 airplane