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Date |
Event(s) |
| 1 | 1718 | - 3 Jan 1718: New Orleans founded,The French founded the city of New Orleans, which became a key port on the Mississippi River.
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| 2 | 1733 | - 12 Feb 1733: Georgia founded,James Oglethorpe founded the colony of Georgia, the last of the original 13 colonies, as a haven for debtors.
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| 3 | 1735 | - 19 Mar 1735: Zenger Trial,John Peter Zenger was acquitted of seditious libel, a landmark case that established a precedent for freedom of the press in America.
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| 4 | 1739 | - 1 Jan 1739: Stono Rebellion,A slave rebellion in South Carolina resulted in the deaths of over 20 whites and 44 slaves, leading to stricter slave codes.
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| 5 | 1740 | - 1 Jan 1740: Great Awakening begins,A series of religious revivals began to sweep through the American colonies, led by figures like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield.
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| 6 | 1752 | - 15 Jun 1752: Franklin's kite experiment,Benjamin Franklin conducted his famous kite experiment, proving that lightning is a form of electricity.
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| 7 | 1754 | - 28 May 1754: French and Indian War begins,A conflict between Great Britain and France for control of North America began, with Native American tribes allied with both sides.
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| 8 | 1759 | - 14 Sep 1759: Battle of Quebec,British forces under General James Wolfe defeated the French, leading to the capture of Quebec and a turning point in the French and Indian War.
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| 9 | 1763 | - 10 Feb 1763: Treaty of Paris ends war,The Treaty of Paris was signed, ending the French and Indian War and ceding French territory in North America to Great Britain.
- 7 Oct 1763: Proclamation of 1763,King George III issued a proclamation forbidding American colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains.
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| 10 | 1764 | - 5 Apr 1764: Sugar Act passed,The British Parliament passed the Sugar Act to raise revenue from the colonies, which angered colonists and led to protests.
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| 11 | 1765 | - 22 Mar 1765: Stamp Act passed,The British Parliament passed the Stamp Act, requiring a tax on all legal documents, newspapers, and other printed materials.
- 24 Mar 1765: Quartering Act,The British Parliament passed the Quartering Act, requiring American colonists to provide housing and food for British soldiers.
- 7 Oct 1765: Stamp Act Congress meets,Delegates from nine colonies met in New York to protest the Stamp Act, issuing a Declaration of Rights and Grievances.
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| 12 | 1766 | - 18 Mar 1766: Declaratory Act passed,The British Parliament repealed the Stamp Act but passed the Declaratory Act, asserting its right to legislate for the colonies "in all cases whatsoever."
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| 13 | 1767 | - 29 Jun 1767: Townshend Acts passed,Parliament passed new laws taxing imports of glass, lead, paper, paint, and tea into the colonies.
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| 14 | 1770 | - 5 Mar 1770: Boston Massacre,British soldiers fired into a crowd of colonists in Boston, killing five people and further inflaming tensions.
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| 15 | 1773 | - 10 May 1773: Tea Act passed,The British Parliament passed the Tea Act, which gave the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the colonies.
- 16 Dec 1773: Boston Tea Party,Colonists in Boston, disguised as Native Americans, dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor in protest of the Tea Act.
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| 16 | 1774 | - 31 Mar 1774: Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts),In response to the Boston Tea Party, Parliament passed a series of punitive laws, including the Boston Port Act and the Quartering Act.
- 5 Sep 1774: First Continental Congress,Delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies met in Philadelphia to coordinate a response to the Coercive Acts.
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| 17 | 1775 | - 19 Apr 1775: Battles of Lexington and Concord,The "shot heard 'round the world" was fired, marking the start of the American Revolutionary War.
- 10 May 1775: Second Continental Congress,The Second Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia, assuming the role of a provisional government for the colonies.
- 17 Jun 1775: Battle of Bunker Hill,British forces defeated the American colonists in a costly battle in Boston, demonstrating the colonists' determination.
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| 18 | 1776 | - 4 Jul 1776: Declaration of Independence adopted,The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, formally severing ties with Great Britain.
- 26 Dec 1776: Battle of Trenton,General George Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware River and defeated a Hessian garrison in a surprise attack.
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| 19 | 1777 | - 17 Oct 1777: Battle of Saratoga,American forces defeated the British at Saratoga, a turning point that convinced France to enter the war as an American ally.
- 19 Dec 1777—19 Jun 1778: Winter at Valley Forge
The Continental Army endured a brutal winter at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, suffering from disease, cold, and starvation.
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| 20 | 1778 | - 23 Feb 1778: Treaty of Alliance with France,The United States and France signed a treaty, formally recognizing American independence and creating a military alliance.
- 29 Dec 1778: British capture Savannah,British forces captured the city of Savannah, Georgia, as part of their "Southern strategy."
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| 21 | 1780 | - 12 May 1780: British capture Charleston,The British captured Charleston, South Carolina, a major defeat for the Continental Army.
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| 22 | 1781 | - 1 Mar 1781: Articles of Confederation ratified,The states officially ratified the Articles of Confederation, the first government of the United States.
- 19 Oct 1781: Battle of Yorktown,The combined American and French forces trapped and defeated the British army at Yorktown, Virginia, a decisive victory that led to the end of the war.
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| 23 | 1783 | - 3 Sep 1783: Treaty of Paris ends war,The Treaty of Paris was signed, officially ending the American Revolutionary War and recognizing American independence.
- 23 Dec 1783: Washington resigns his commission,George Washington resigned his commission as commander-in-chief, a rare act of a military leader voluntarily giving up power.
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| 24 | 1787 | - 25 May 1787—17 Sep 1787: Constitutional Convention
Delegates met in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation, but instead drafted a new Constitution.
- 13 Jul 1787: Northwest Ordinance passed,The Northwest Ordinance established a process for admitting new states to the Union and banned slavery in the Northwest Territory.
- 17 Sep 1787: U.S. Constitution signed,Delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the United States Constitution in Philadelphia.
- 7 Dec 1787: Delaware ratifies Constitution,Delaware became the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
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| 25 | 1788 | - 21 Jun 1788: New Hampshire ratifies Constitution,New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, putting it into effect.
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| 26 | 1789 | - 4 Mar 1789: U.S. Constitution goes into effect,The new U.S. government was formally established under the Constitution.
- 30 Apr 1789: George Washington inaugurated,George Washington was sworn in as the first President of the United States in New York City.
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| 27 | 1791 | - 15 Dec 1791: Bill of Rights ratified,The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution were ratified, guaranteeing fundamental rights and freedoms.
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| 28 | 1794 | - 1 Jan 1794: Whiskey Rebellion,Farmers in western Pennsylvania protested a federal tax on whiskey, leading to a military response by President Washington.
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| 29 | 1795 | - 10 Aug 1795: Treaty of Greenville,A treaty was signed between the United States and a confederation of Native American tribes, ceding a large portion of what is now Ohio.
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| 30 | 1796 | - 1 Jan 1796: Tennessee becomes 16th state,Tennessee was admitted to the Union as the 16th state.
- 17 Nov 1796: Washington's Farewell Address,George Washington published his farewell address, warning against political factions and foreign entanglements.
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| 31 | 1797 | - 4 Mar 1797: John Adams becomes President,John Adams was inaugurated as the second President of the United States.
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| 32 | 1798 | - 7 Jul 1798: Quasi-War with France,The U.S. entered an undeclared naval war with France, triggered by French seizure of American ships.
- 14 Jul 1798: Alien and Sedition Acts,Congress passed a series of laws that made it more difficult for immigrants to become citizens and allowed the government to deport or imprison "seditious" persons.
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| 33 | 1801 | - 4 Mar 1801: Thomas Jefferson inaugurated,Thomas Jefferson was sworn in as the third President of the United States.
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| 34 | 1803 | - 30 Apr 1803: Louisiana Purchase,The United States purchased a vast territory from France for $15 million, nearly doubling the size of the country.
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| 35 | 1804 | - 14 May 1804: Lewis and Clark Expedition begins,Meriwether Lewis and William Clark began their expedition to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Territory.
- 2 Dec 1804: Jefferson reelected,Thomas Jefferson was reelected as President of the United States.
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| 36 | 1807 | - 2 Mar 1807: Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves,Congress passed a law prohibiting the importation of slaves into the United States, effective January 1, 1808.
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| 37 | 1809 | - 14 Jan 1809: Erie Canal construction begins,Construction began on the Erie Canal, a major infrastructure project that connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.
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| 38 | 1812 | - 18 Jun 1812: War of 1812 begins,The United States declared war on Great Britain over maritime rights and British support for Native American tribes.
- 16 Aug 1812: Surrender of Detroit,American forces surrendered Detroit to the British, a major early defeat in the War of 1812.
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| 39 | 1814 | - 24 Aug 1814: Burning of Washington,British troops captured and burned Washington, D.C., including the White House and the Capitol.
- 13 Sep 1814: Battle of Fort McHenry,American forces at Fort McHenry successfully defended Baltimore from a British naval attack, inspiring Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner."
- 24 Dec 1814: Treaty of Ghent,The Treaty of Ghent was signed, officially ending the War of 1812.
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| 40 | 1815 | - 8 Jan 1815: Battle of New Orleans,General Andrew Jackson defeated the British in the final major battle of the War of 1812, fought after the peace treaty had been signed.
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| 41 | 1817 | - 4 Mar 1817: James Monroe inaugurated,James Monroe was sworn in as the fifth President of the United States.
- 10 Dec 1817: Mississippi becomes 20th state,Mississippi was admitted to the Union.
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| 42 | 1819 | - 2 Mar 1819: Missouri Compromise,Congress passed a compromise allowing Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state and Maine as a free state, maintaining the balance of power.
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| 43 | 1823 | - 2 Dec 1823: Monroe Doctrine,President James Monroe announced a U.S. foreign policy opposing European colonialism in the Americas.
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| 44 | 1825 | - 26 Oct 1825: Erie Canal completed,The Erie Canal officially opened, revolutionizing transportation and trade.
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| 45 | 1826 | - 4 Jul 1826: Jefferson and Adams die,Former presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
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| 46 | 1829 | - 4 Mar 1829: Andrew Jackson inaugurated,Andrew Jackson was sworn in as the seventh President, beginning the "Age of Jackson."
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| 47 | 1830 | - 28 May 1830: Indian Removal Act,President Andrew Jackson signed a law forcing the relocation of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands.
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| 48 | 1836 | - 2 Mar 1836: Texas declares independence,Texas declared its independence from Mexico, leading to the Texas Revolution.
- 6 Mar 1836: Battle of the Alamo,Texan defenders of the Alamo were defeated by Mexican forces after a 13-day siege.
- 28 Dec 1836: Battle of San Jacinto,Texan forces led by Sam Houston defeated the Mexican army, securing Texas independence.
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| 49 | 1838 | - 28 May 1838: Trail of Tears begins,The forced relocation of the Cherokee Nation from their homeland began, resulting in thousands of deaths.
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| 50 | 1845 | - 29 Dec 1845: Texas annexed by U.S.,The Republic of Texas was annexed by the United States, becoming the 28th state.
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| 51 | 1846 | - 13 May 1846: Mexican-American War begins,The United States declared war on Mexico over a border dispute in Texas.
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| 52 | 1848 | - 24 Jan 1848: California Gold Rush begins,Gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill, California, triggering a massive migration of "forty-niners."
- 24 Jan 1848: Gold discovered in California,James W. Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California, beginning the California Gold Rush.
- 2 Feb 1848: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo,The treaty was signed, ending the Mexican-American War and ceding significant territory to the United States.
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| 53 | 1850 | - 9 Sep 1850: Compromise of 1850,A series of five bills passed to address the issue of slavery, including admitting California as a free state and enacting the Fugitive Slave Act.
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| 54 | 1852 | - 20 Mar 1852: Uncle Tom's Cabin published,Harriet Beecher Stowe's anti-slavery novel was published, becoming a bestseller and fueling the abolitionist movement.
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| 55 | 1854 | - 30 May 1854: Kansas-Nebraska Act,The act created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska and allowed settlers to decide on the issue of slavery through "popular sovereignty."
- 15 Oct 1854: Republican Party founded,Anti-slavery activists and Whig Party members formed the Republican Party in Ripon, Wisconsin.
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| 56 | 1856 | - 21 May 1856: Sack of Lawrence,Pro-slavery forces attacked and looted the anti-slavery town of Lawrence, Kansas, during "Bleeding Kansas."
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| 57 | 1857 | - 6 Mar 1857: Dred Scott decision,The Supreme Court ruled that African Americans were not citizens and that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional.
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| 58 | 1858 | - 15 Oct 1858: Lincoln-Douglas Debates,Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas held a series of seven debates on the issue of slavery in Illinois.
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| 59 | 1859 | - 16 Oct 1859: John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry,Abolitionist John Brown led a raid on a federal armory in Harpers Ferry, Virginia, hoping to start a slave revolt.
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| 60 | 1860 | - 6 Nov 1860: Abraham Lincoln elected,Abraham Lincoln was elected as the 16th President of the United States.
- 20 Dec 1860: South Carolina secedes,South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union following Lincoln's election.
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| 61 | 1861 | - 8 Feb 1861: Confederate States of America formed,Seven Southern states formed the Confederate States of America.
- 4 Mar 1861: Lincoln inaugurated,Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as President of the United States.
- 12 Apr 1861: Attack on Fort Sumter,Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina, marking the start of the American Civil War.
- 21 Jul 1861: First Battle of Bull Run,The first major land battle of the Civil War resulted in a Confederate victory.
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| 62 | 1862 | - 8 Mar 1862: Monitor vs. Merrimack,The first battle between two ironclad warships took place in Hampton Roads, Virginia.
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| 63 | 1863 | - 1 Jan 1863: Emancipation Proclamation,President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing slaves in Confederate-held territory.
- 1 Jul 1863—3 Jul 1863: Battle of Gettysburg
A major Union victory in Pennsylvania that is considered a turning point of the war.
- 4 Jul 1863: Siege of Vicksburg ends,Union forces captured Vicksburg, Mississippi, giving them control of the Mississippi River.
- 19 Nov 1863: Gettysburg Address,Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous address at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg.
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| 64 | 1864 | - 8 Nov 1864: Lincoln reelected,Abraham Lincoln was reelected as President of the United States.
- 15 Nov 1864—21 Dec 1864: Sherman's March to the Sea
Union General William Tecumseh Sherman led his troops on a destructive march through Georgia.
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| 65 | 1865 | - 9 Apr 1865: Lee surrenders at Appomattox,Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the Civil War.
- 14 Apr 1865: Lincoln assassinated,President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre.
- 18 Dec 1865: 13th Amendment ratified,The 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery, was ratified.
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| 66 | 1867 | - 1 Jan 1867: Reconstruction Acts,Congress passed acts that divided the South into five military districts and set conditions for readmission to the Union.
- 30 Mar 1867: Alaska Purchase,The United States purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million, a deal widely known as "Seward's Folly."
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| 67 | 1868 | - 1 Jan 1868: 14th Amendment ratified,The 14th Amendment was ratified, granting citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States.
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| 68 | 1869 | - 1 May 1869: Transcontinental Railroad completed,The first transcontinental railroad was completed at Promontory Summit, Utah.
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| 69 | 1870 | - 1 Jan 1870: 15th Amendment ratified,The 15th Amendment was ratified, guaranteeing the right to vote regardless of race.
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| 70 | 1876 | - 25 Jun 1876: Battle of the Little Bighorn,Lakota and Cheyenne warriors defeated U.S. Army forces led by General George Custer in Montana.
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| 71 | 1877 | - 2 Mar 1877: Compromise of 1877,A political deal that ended the disputed 1876 presidential election and resulted in the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, ending Reconstruction.
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| 72 | 1881 | - 1 Jan 1881: American Federation of Labor founded,The AFL was founded by Samuel Gompers as a national federation of labor unions.
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| 73 | 1882 | - 4 Sep 1882: Edison's Pearl Street Station,Thomas Edison's electric power plant began operation in New York City, providing power for the first time.
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| 74 | 1886 | - 1 May 1886: Haymarket Affair,A labor protest rally in Chicago turned into a riot after a bomb was thrown, killing police officers and civilians.
- 28 Oct 1886: Statue of Liberty dedicated,The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York Harbor.
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| 75 | 1890 | - 1 Dec 1890: Wounded Knee Massacre,U.S. soldiers killed over 150 Lakota people in what is considered the final major conflict of the Indian Wars.
- 29 Dec 1890: Sherman Antitrust Act,Congress passed the first federal law prohibiting trusts and monopolies to promote competition.
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| 76 | 1893 | - 1 Jan 1893: Panic of 1893,A severe economic depression began, marked by bank failures and high unemployment.
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| 77 | 1896 | - 1 Jan 1896: Plessy v. Ferguson decision,The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the "separate but equal" doctrine.
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| 78 | 1898 | - 15 Feb 1898: USS Maine explodes,The USS Maine battleship exploded in Havana Harbor, leading to the Spanish-American War.
- 21 Apr 1898: Spanish-American War begins,The United States declared war on Spain.
- 13 Aug 1898: Spanish-American War ends,The Treaty of Paris was signed, ending the war and ceding territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States.
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| 79 | 1900 | - 14 Dec 1900: Hawaii annexed,The United States officially annexed Hawaii.
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| 80 | 1901 | - 14 Sep 1901: Theodore Roosevelt becomes President,Theodore Roosevelt became president after the assassination of President William McKinley.
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| 81 | 1903 | - 1 Jan 1903: Wright brothers' first flight,Orville and Wilbur Wright made the first powered, controlled, and sustained flight of an aircraft at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
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| 82 | 1906 | - 1 Jan 1906: San Francisco Earthquake,A major earthquake and subsequent fires devastated San Francisco, California.
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| 83 | 1908 | - 1 Jan 1908: Ford Model T introduced,Henry Ford introduced the Model T, making the automobile affordable for the average American.
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| 84 | 1912 | - 15 Apr 1912: Titanic sinks,The "unsinkable" passenger liner Titanic sank after hitting an iceberg, resulting in over 1,500 deaths.
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| 85 | 1913 | - 1 Jan 1913: 16th Amendment ratified,The 16th Amendment was ratified, allowing the federal government to collect an income tax.
- 1 Jan 1913: 17th Amendment ratified,The 17th Amendment was ratified, providing for the direct election of U.S. Senators.
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| 86 | 1914 | - 1 Jan 1914: Panama Canal opens,The Panama Canal officially opened, allowing ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
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| 87 | 1915 | - 1 Jan 1915: Lusitania sinks,A German U-boat sank the British passenger liner Lusitania, killing 128 Americans and turning public opinion against Germany.
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| 88 | 1917 | - 6 Apr 1917: U.S. enters World War I,The United States declared war on Germany, officially entering World War I.
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| 89 | 1918 | - 1 Jan 1918: Spanish Flu pandemic,The first cases of the devastating influenza pandemic were reported in the U.S.
- 11 Nov 1918: Armistice Day,An armistice was signed, ending World War I.
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| 90 | 1919 | - 1 Jan 1919: 18th Amendment ratified,The 18th Amendment, which prohibited the manufacture, sale, or transportation of alcoholic beverages, was ratified.
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| 91 | 1920 | - 19 Jan 1920: Prohibition begins,The Volstead Act went into effect, implementing the 18th Amendment.
- 18 Aug 1920: 19th Amendment ratified,The 19th Amendment was ratified, granting American women the right to vote.
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| 92 | 1921 | - 1 Jan 1921: Emergency Quota Act,Congress passed a law limiting the number of immigrants from any country to 3% of the people from that country already living in the U.S.
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| 93 | 1924 | - 1 Jan 1924: Immigration Act of 1924,A law that further restricted immigration, establishing a national origins quota.
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| 94 | 1925 | - 21 Jan 1925: Scopes "Monkey" Trial,A high school teacher, John Scopes, was tried for teaching evolution in a highly publicized trial.
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| 95 | 1927 | - 1 Jan 1927: Charles Lindbergh's solo flight,Charles Lindbergh completed the first solo, nonstop transatlantic flight from New York to Paris.
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| 96 | 1929 | - 29 Oct 1929: Stock Market Crash,Known as "Black Tuesday," the stock market crashed, beginning the Great Depression.
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| 97 | 1931 | - 1 Jan 1931: Empire State Building opens,The Empire State Building officially opened in New York City.
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| 98 | 1932 | - 1 Jan 1932: Bonus Army march,Thousands of World War I veterans marched on Washington, D.C., to demand early payment of a bonus owed to them.
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| 99 | 1933 | - 1 Jan 1933: 20th Amendment ratified,The 20th Amendment was ratified, moving the presidential inauguration date from March to January.
- 4 Mar 1933: FDR's first inauguration,Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated as the 32nd President, promising a "New Deal" for the American people.
- 5 Apr 1933: FDR's Fireside Chats,President Roosevelt began his series of radio broadcasts to address the American public directly.
- 5 Dec 1933: 21st Amendment ratified,The 21st Amendment was ratified, repealing the 18th Amendment and ending Prohibition.
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| 100 | 1935 | - 1 Jan 1935: Social Security Act,A law was passed creating a system of old-age benefits, unemployment insurance, and aid for disabled and dependent Americans.
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| 101 | 1936 | - 1 Jan 1936: Jesse Owens at the Olympics,African American athlete Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics, defying Adolf Hitler's belief in Aryan supremacy.
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| 102 | 1937 | - 1 Jan 1937: Hindenburg disaster,The German airship Hindenburg caught fire while docking in New Jersey, ending the era of commercial airship travel.
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| 103 | 1938 | - 1 Jan 1938: Fair Labor Standards Act,A law was passed establishing a national minimum wage, a 40-hour work week, and prohibiting child labor.
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| 104 | 1939 | - 1 Jan 1939: World War II begins in Europe,Germany invaded Poland, marking the start of World War II in Europe.
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| 105 | 1940 | - 1 Jan 1940: FDR reelected for third term,Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first and only president to be elected to a third term.
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| 106 | 1941 | - 11 Mar 1941: Lend-Lease Act,Congress passed a law allowing the U.S. to lend or lease war supplies to Allied nations.
- 7 Dec 1941: Attack on Pearl Harbor,The Imperial Japanese Navy launched a surprise attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
- 8 Dec 1941: U.S. declares war on Japan,The United States officially entered World War II.
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| 107 | 1942 | - 1 Jan 1942: Declaration by United Nations,Representatives of 26 Allied nations signed a declaration to fight against the Axis powers.
- 19 Feb 1942: Japanese-American internment,President Roosevelt signed an executive order authorizing the internment of Japanese Americans.
- 25 Feb 1942: Battle of Los Angeles,A rumored air raid on Los Angeles led to a panicked anti-aircraft barrage, though no enemy planes were ever found.
- 4 Jun 1942: Battle of Midway,The U.S. Navy defeated the Imperial Japanese Navy at the Battle of Midway, a turning point in the Pacific War.
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| 108 | 1943 | - 1 Jan 1943: War Production Board,The U.S. government took control of industries to produce war materials.
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| 109 | 1944 | - 1 Jan 1944: Servicemen's Readjustment Act (G.I. Bill),A law that provided benefits to World War II veterans, including low-cost mortgages and tuition assistance.
- 6 Jun 1944: D-Day Invasion,Allied forces launched a massive amphibious invasion of Normandy, France, beginning the liberation of Western Europe.
- 17 Dec 1944: Battle of the Bulge begins,The German army launched a surprise counteroffensive in the Ardennes region of Belgium.
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| 110 | 1945 | - 20 Jan 1945: FDR's fourth inauguration,Franklin D. Roosevelt was sworn in for an unprecedented fourth term.
- 4 Feb 1945—11 Feb 1945: Yalta Conference
The leaders of the U.S., UK, and Soviet Union met to discuss the post-war reorganization of Europe.
- 12 Apr 1945: FDR dies,President Franklin D. Roosevelt died in office; Harry S. Truman became president.
- 28 Apr 1945: Mussolini executed,Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was captured and executed.
- 30 Apr 1945: Hitler commits suicide,Adolf Hitler committed suicide in his Berlin bunker.
- 8 May 1945: V-E Day (Victory in Europe),The Allied forces celebrated the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany.
- 26 Jun 1945: United Nations Charter signed,The United Nations Charter was signed in San Francisco, officially creating the organization.
- 16 Jul 1945: First atomic bomb test (Trinity),The first detonation of a nuclear weapon occurred in the New Mexico desert.
- 17 Jul 1945—2 Aug 1945: Potsdam Conference
The leaders of the U.S., UK, and Soviet Union met to decide the future of Germany.
- 6 Aug 1945: Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima,The U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.
- 8 Aug 1945: Soviets declare war on Japan,The Soviet Union declared war on Japan and invaded Manchuria.
- 9 Aug 1945: Atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki,A second atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki, Japan.
- 14 Aug 1945: V-J Day (Victory over Japan Day),Japan announced its unconditional surrender, effectively ending World War II.
- 2 Sep 1945: Formal Japanese surrender,Japanese officials formally signed the instrument of surrender aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.
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1713 - 1787 (74 years)
