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United States History Timeline

Important Dates, Events, and Milestones in American History History

Timelines of American History

Offers a chronological timeline of important dates, events, and milestones in United States history.

This is a timeline of United States history, comprising most legal and territorial changes and political events in the United States and its predecessor states. Do you know your U.S. History chronology? Use these handy timelines to help you memorize important dates in U.S. History.

Discovery of the Americas

• August 3, 1492 - Christopher Columbus set out on his first voyage with three ships and a crew of 90 to find a westward route to the east.
• October 12, 1492 - Christopher Columbus reported to be the 1st European to set foot on the New World (Dominican Republic).
• April 2, 1513 - Juan Ponce DeLeon establishes the 1st colony in what's now the United States (St. Augustine, Florida).
• December 20, 1606 - Virginia Company settlers left London to establish the first permanent English settlement in North America.
• May 14, 1607 - First permanent English settlement in what's now the United States was established at Jamestown, Virginia.
• December 4, 1619 - 1st Thanksgiving celebrated.
• May 9, 1689 - Britain declares war on France.
• May 24, 1689 - English Parliament guarantees freedom of religion for Protestants.
• July 25, 1689 - France declares war on Britain.
• December 16, 1689 - English Parliament adopts a Bill of Rights.
• February 28, 1704 - French/Indian forces destroy Deerfield, Massachusetts.
• January 28, 1712 - American forces attack the Tuscarora Indians during the Tuscarora Indian War.
• September 2, 1752 - Britain and the colonies under its control adopt the Gregorian calendar.
• March 5, 1770 - British troops fire on a rock throwing crowd (known as "The Boston Massacre").
• June 9, 1772 - 1st naval Battle of the American Revolution off the coast of Rhode Island.
• December 16, 1773 - "Boston Tea Party" takes place as residents disguised as Indians throw crates of tea into Boston Harbor.
• June 2, 1774 - Martial Law declared in Massachusetts.
• October 26, 1774 - Minute Men are established in America.

The Revolutionary War

• April 19, 1775 - Revolutionary War officially begins with the Battles of Lexington and Concord.
• May 10, 1775 - American forces take the British fort at Ticonderoga, New York.
• June 12, 1775 - 2nd naval Battle of the American Revolution takes place.
• June 14, 1775 - Continental Army established by the Continental Congress.
• June 15, 1775 - George Washington appointed to Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army.
• June 17, 1775 - British troops win the Battle of Breed's Hill.
• August 22, 1775 - King George III officially declares a state of open rebellion in the American colonies.
• November 28, 1775 - Continental Navy established by the Continental Congress.
• December 22, 1775 - Esek Hopkins appointed to Commodore of the Navy.
• July 4, 1776 - US declares its Independence from Britain (by approving the Declaration of Independence).
• September 6, 1776 - First submarine, the Turtle, used in Battle in New York Harbor.
• December 25, 1776 - American forces cross the Delaware River and attack British forces at Trenton.
• September 19, 1777 - American forces win the 1st Battle of Saratoga.
• December 7, 1777 - 2nd Battle of Saratoga begins.
• December 17, 1777 - American forces win the 2nd Battle of Saratoga.
• January 5, 1778 - Naval mines are used for the 1st time by the Continental Navy.
• May 4, 1778 - Continental Congress ratifies the Treaty of Alliance with France.
• July 9, 1778 - Continental Congress approves the Articles of Confederation.
• February 5, 1778 - South Carolina is the 1st State to ratify the Articles of Confederation.
• July 21, 1778 - North Carolina ratify the Articles of Confederation.
• July 22, 1778 - Pennsylvania ratify the Articles of Confederation.
• July 24, 1778 - Georgia to ratify the Articles of Confederation.
• August 8, 1778 - New Hampshire to ratify the Articles of Confederation.
• November 26, 1778 - New Jersey ratify the Articles of Confederation.
• May 5, 1779 - Delaware ratify the Articles of Confederation.
• January 30, 1781 - Maryland is the 13th State to ratify the Articles of Confederation.
• October 19, 1781 - American/French forces win the Battle of Yorktown.
• November 5, 1781 - John Hanson elected the 1st President of the US by the Continental Congress.
• August 7, 1782 - Gen. George Washington creates the Order of the Purple Heart (for soldiers wounded in battle).
• September 3, 1783 - Treaty of Paris 1783 signed by Britain and the United States, officially ending the Revolutionary War as the United States is recognized as a sovereign nation.

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The New Nation

• September 3, 1783 - United States gains what's currently Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and parts of Alabama, Georgia, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia as a result of the Treaty of Paris 1783.
• November 2, 1783 - Continental Army disbanded.
• August 8, 1786 - Continental Congress adopts the "Dollar" and decimal coinage.
• February 21, 1787 - Continental Congress adopts a resolution calling for a convention of state delegates to draw up a change to the Articles of Confederation.
• May 17, 1787 - Delegates begin meeting in Philadelphia to draw up a change to the Articles of Confederation.
• May 25, 1787 - George Washington elected President of the Philadelphia convention.
• September 17, 1787 - Delegates at the Philadelphia convention approve the Constitution and sends it to the Continental Congress.
• September 28, 1787 - Continental Congress sends the new Constitution to the states for ratification.
• October 27, 1787 - 1st of the Federalist Papers published in a New York newspaper, calling for a Bill of Rights (written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay).
• December 7, 1787 - Delaware is the 1st state to ratify the Constitution. Delaware, one of the thirteen colonies, gained its distinction as the "First State" when it was the first to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787.

• Area - 2,397 sq. miles
• Capital - Dover
• 2000 Population - 783,600
• Rank - 45
  

• December 12, 1787 - Pennsylvania is the 2nd state to ratify the Constitution. In September 1787, the US Constitution was signed in Philadelphia and on December 12, 1787, Pennsylvania, one of the thirteen colonies, became the second state.

• Area - 45,759 sq. miles
• Capital - Harrisburg
• 2000 Population - 12,281,054
• Rank - 6

• December 18, 1787 - New Jersey is the 3rd state to ratify the Constitution. New Jersey, one of the thirteen colonies, became the third state on December 18, 1787

• Area - 8,215 sq. miles
• Capital - Trenton
• 2000 Population - 8,414,350
• Rank 9

• January 2, 1788 - Georgia is the 4th state to ratify the Constitution. Georgia, one of the thirteen colonies, ratified the US Constitution on January 2, 1788, becoming the fourth state to do so; it joined the Confederacy on January 19, 1861, and re-entered the Union after the Civil War.

• Area - 58,977 sq. miles
• Capital - Atlanta
• 2000 Population - 8,186,453
• Rank - 10

• January 9, 1788 - Connecticut is the 5th state to ratify the Constitution. Connecticut, one of the thirteen colonies, became the fifth state on January 9, 1788.

• Area - 5,544 sq. miles
• Capital - Hartford
• 2000 Population - 3,405,565
• Rank - 29

• February 6, 1788 - Massachusetts is the 6th state to ratify the Constitution. Originally part of the thirteen colonies, Massachusetts became a state on February 6, 1788

• Area - 9,241 sq. miles
• Capital - Boston
• 2000 Population - 6,349,097
• Rank - 13

• April 28, 1788 - Maryland is the 7th state to ratify the Constitution. Maryland became the seventh state on April 28, 1788. During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln placed Maryland under military control.

• Area - 12,297 sq. miles
• Capital - Annapolis
• 2000 Population - 5,296,486
• Rank - 19

• May 23, 1788 - South Carolina is the 8th state to ratify the Constitution. South Carolina, one of the thirteen colonies, became the eighth state on May 23, 1788. On December 20, 1860, South Carolina became the first state to secede form the Union. It re-entered after the Civil War.

• Area - 31,189 sq. miles
• Capital - Columbia
• 2000 Population - 4,012,012
• Rank - 26

• June 21, 1788 - New Hampshire is the 9th state to ratify the Constitution. In a sense, New Hampshire, originally one of the thirteen colonies, "created" the new nation by becoming the ninth state on June 21, 1788, meeting the requirement for nine states to ratify the Constitution.

• Area - 9,283 sq. miles
• Capital - Concord
• 2000 Population - 1,235,786
• Rank - 41

• June 21, 1788 - United States Constitution goes into effect after the necessary 9 states have ratified it.
• June 25, 1788 - Virginia is the 10th state admitted to the Union. Virginia one of the thirteen colonies, became the 10th state on June 25, 1788. Richmond became the capital of the Confederacy on May 29, 1861, but re-entered the Union after the war.

• Area - 67,468 sq. miles
• Capital - Richmond
• 2000 Population - 7,078,515
• Rank - 12

• July 26, 1788 - New York is the 11th state admitted to the Union. On July 26, 1788, New York , one of the thirteen colonies, became the 11th state.

• Area - 53,989 sq. miles
• Capital - Albany
• 2000 Population - 18,976,457
• Rank - 3

• April 1, 1789 - United States House of Representatives holds its 1st full meeting in New York City.
• April 21, 1789 - John Adams sworn in as the 1st US Vice President.
• April 30, 1789 - George Washington sworn in as the 1st US President.
• September 25, 1789 - US Congress adopts the Bill of Rights (containing the 1st 10 Amendments) and sends it to the states to be ratified.
• September 29, 1789 - US Army established.
• November 21, 1789 - North Carolina is the 12th state admitted to the Union. North Carolina, one of the thirteen colonies, became the 12th state on November 21, 1789. North Carolina troops suffered the greatest losses of all the states during the Civil War while fighting for the Confederacy, re-entered the Union after the fighting ceased.

• Area - 52,672 sq. miles
• Capital - Raleigh
• 2000 Population - 8,049,313
• Rank - 11

• April 3, 1790 - US Coast Guard established.
• May 29, 1790 - Rhode Island is the 13th state admitted to the Union. Rhode Island was the last of the thirteen colonies to join the Union on May 29, 1790.

• Area - 1,231 sq. miles
• Capital - Providence
• 2000 Population - 1,048,319
• Rank - 43

• December 21, 1790 - Samuel Slater opens the first textile factory in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
• March 4, 1791 - Vermont is the 14th state admitted to the Union. Vermont became the first state added to the Union following the 13 colonies on March 1, 1791.

• Area - 9,615 sq. miles
• Capital - Montpelier
• 2000 Population - 608,827
• Rank - 49

• December 15, 1791 - Bill of Rights (1st - 10 Amendments) ratified by 3/4ths of the states and becomes a part of the US Constitution.
• February 20, 1792 - US Postal Service established.
• April 2, 1792 - US Mint established.
• May 8, 1792 - US Military Draft established.
• June 1, 1792 - Kentucky is the 15th state admitted to the Union. Kentucky became the first state to be carved from the great western wilderness on June 1, 1792.

• Area - 40,411 sq. miles
• Capital - Frankfort
• 2000 Population - 4,041,769
• Rank - 25
  

• December 5, 1792 - George Washington was re-elected president of the US; John Adams was re-elected vice president.
• February 18, 1793 - US Supreme Court rules that a citizen of one state may sue a citizen of another state in Federal Court.
• March 4, 1793 - George Washington sworn in as President for a 2nd term.
• March 4, 1793 - John Adams sworn in as Vice President for a 2nd term.
• March 5, 1794 - 11th Amendment passed by Congress.
• March 27, 1794 - US Navy established.
• May 8, 1794 - US Post Office established.
• June 1, 1796 - Tennessee is the 16th state admitted to the Union. Tennessee became a state on June 1, 1796. On June 8, 1861, it joined the Confederacy and became a major battleground for the Civil War, re-entering the Union after war's end.

• Area - 42,145 sq. miles
• Capital - Nashville
• 2000 Population - 5,689,283
• Rank - 16

• November 3, 1796 - John Adams was elected to be the second US President.
• December 7, 1796 - Electors chose John Adams to be the second US President.
• March 4, 1797 - John Adams sworn in as the 2nd US President.
• March 4, 1797 - Thomas Jefferson sworn in as the 2nd US Vice President.
• January 8, 1798 - 11th Amendment added to the Constitution.
• July 11, 1798 - US Marine Corps established.
• May 7, 1800 - Indiana Territory organized.
• May 7, 1800 - Ohio Territory organized.
• December 12, 1800 - Washington, DC becomes the official capital of the US. Residents of Washington were given the right to vote for president and vice president with the ratification of the 23rd Amendment in 1961. But the District of Columbia does not have statehood.

• 2000 Population - 572,059
• Rank - 50

• March 4, 1801 - Thomas Jefferson sworn in as the 3rd US President.
• March 4, 1801 - Aaron Burr sworn in as the 3rd US Vice President.
• March 1, 1803 - Ohio is the 17th state admitted to the Union. Ohio became the first state west of the Alleghenies on March 1, 1803.

• Area - 44,828 sq. miles
• Capital - Columbus
• 2000 Population - 11,353,140
• Rank - 7

• April 30, 1803 - United States purchases the Louisiana Territory for $15 million, containing what's now Arkansas, part of Colorado, Iowa, Louisiana, part of Minnesota, Missouri, part of Montana, part of North Dakota, part of Oklahoma, South Dakota, and part of Wyoming.
• December 12, 1803 - 12th Amendment passed by Congress.
• May 17, 1804 - Louis & Clark begin their expedition of the Louisiana Territory.
• September 25, 1804 - 12th Amendment added to the Constitution.
• January 11, 1805 - Michigan Territory organized.
• March 4, 1805 - Thomas Jefferson sworn in as President for a 2nd term.
• March 4, 1805 - George Clinton sworn in as 4th US Vice President.
• November 18, 1805 - Lewis and Clark reach the Pacific Ocean.
• September 23, 1806 - Lewis and Clark return from exploring the Louisiana Territory.
• February 3, 1809 - Illinois Territory organized.
• March 4, 1809 - James Madison sworn in as the 4th US President.
• March 4, 1809 - George Clinton sworn in as Vice President for a 2nd term.
• October 27, 1810 - United States annexes what's now part of Alabama, part of Louisiana, and part of Mississippi.
• April 30, 1812 - Louisiana is the 18th state admitted to the Union. Louisiana became the 18th state on April 30, 1812. It joined the Confederacy on January 26, 1861 and re-entered the Union after the Civil War.

• Area - 49,650 sq. miles
• Capital - Baton Rouge
• 2000 Population - 4,468,976
• Rank - 22

• May 14, 1812 - Mississippi Territory organized.
• June 4, 1812 - Missouri Territory organized.

War of 1812

• June 18, 1812 - United States declares war on Britain.
• March 4, 1813 - James Madison sworn in as President for a 2nd term.
• March 4, 1813 - Elbridge Gerry sworn in as the 5th Vice President for a 2nd term.
• August 24, 1814 - British set fire to Washington, D.C.
• September 20, 1814 - "Star-Spangled Banner" becomes the official national Anthem.
• December 24, 1814 - United States and Britain sign the Treaty of Ghent, ending the War of 1812.
• January 8, 1815 - American forces win the Battle of New Orleans (they didn't know the war is over).

The Era of Good Feelings

• December 11, 1816 - Indiana is the 19th state admitted to the Union.

• Area - 36,420 sq. miles
• Capital - Indianapolis
• 2000 Population - 6,080,485
• Rank - 14

• March 3, 1817 - Alabama Territory organized.
• March 4, 1817 - James Monroe sworn in as the 5th US President.
• March 4, 1817 - Elbridge Gerry sworn in as Vice President for a 2nd term.
• December 10, 1817 - Mississippi is the 20th state admitted to the Union.

• Area - 48,286 sq. miles
• Capital - Jackson
• 2000 Population - 2,844,658
• Rank - 31

• December 3, 1818 - Illinois is the 21st state admitted to the Union.

• Area - 57,918 sq. miles
• Capital - Springfield
• 2000 Population - 12,419,293
• Rank - 5

• February 22, 1819 - United States annexes Florida.
• March 2, 1819 - Arkansas Territory organized.
• December 14, 1819 - Alabama is the 22nd state admitted to the Union. Alabama entered the Union on December 14, 1819. In January 1861, Alabama seceded from the Union, and on February 4, delegates from six states met at Montgomery and formed the Confederate States of America, with Montgomery as the capital. After the Civil War, Alabama re-entered the Union.

• Area - 52,237 sq. miles
• Capital - Montgomery
• 2000 Population - 4,447,100
• Rank - 23

• March 15, 1820 - Maine is the 23rd state admitted to the Union. Maine became the 23rd state on March 15, 1820. Its admission to the Union balanced the simultaneous admission of Missouri as a slave state.

• Area - 33,741 sq. miles
• Capital - Augusta
• 2000 Population - 1,274,923
• Rank - 40

• March 4, 1821 - James Monroe sworn in as President for a 2nd term.
• March 4, 1821 - Daniel Tompkins sworn in as the 6th US Vice President.
• August 10, 1821 - Missouri is the 24th state admitted to the Union. Missouri was admitted as a slave state on August 10, 1821, after an agreement known as the Missouri Compromise in which Maine was admitted as a free state.

• Area - 69,709 sq. miles
• Capital - Jefferson City
• 2000 Population - 5,595,211
• Rank - 17

• March 30, 1822 - Florida Territory organized.
• March 4, 1825 - John Quincy Adams sworn in as the 6th US President.
• March 4, 1825 - John Calhoun sworn in as the 7th US Vice President.
• March 4, 1829 - Andrew Jackson sworn in as the 7th US President.
• March 4, 1829 - John Calhoun sworn in as Vice President for a 2nd term.

The Age of Jackson

• March 4, 1833 - Andrew Jackson sworn in as President for a 2nd term.
• March 4, 1833 - Martin van Buren sworn in as the 8th US Vice President.
• June 30, 1834 - Indian Territory established in what's now Oklahoma.
• Apr 20. 1836 - Wisconsin Territory organized.
• June 15, 1836 - Arkansas is the 25th state admitted to the Union. Despite opposition in Congress to a new slave state, Arkansas became a state on June 15, 1836. Arkansas Governor Henry M. Rector seized Fort Smith and Arkansas joined the Confederacy in 1861 re-entering the Union at War's end.

• Area - 53,182 sq. miles
• Capital - Little Rock
• 2000 Population - 2,673,400
• Rank - 33

Manifest Destiny

• March 4, 1837 - Martin van Buren sworn in as the 8th US President.
• March 4, 1837 - Richard Johnson sworn in as the 9th US Vice President.
• January 26, 1837 - Michigan is the 26th state admitted to the Union.

• Area - 96,705 sq. miles
• Capital - Lansing
• 2000 Population - 9,938,444
• Rank - 8

• June 11, 1838 - Iowa Territory organized.
• March 4, 1841 - William Harrison sworn in as the 9th US President.
• March 4, 1841 - John Tyler sworn in as the 10th US Vice President.
• April 6, 1841 - John Tyler sworn in as the 10th US President.
• April 12, 1844 - United States annexes what are now parts of Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas as a result of the Adams-Onis Treaty with Spain.
• March 3, 1845 - Florida is the 27th state admitted to the Union. Florida became a state on March 3, 1845, a move delayed by the reluctance of Congress to admit another slave state, and it joined the Confederacy on January 10, 1861, re-entering the Union at war's end.

• Area - 59,988 sq. miles
• Capital - Tallahassee
• 2000 Population - 15,982,378
• Rank - 4

• March 4, 1845 - James Polk sworn in as the 11th US President.
• April 4, 1845 - George Dallas sworn in as the 11th US Vice President.
• December 29, 1845 - Texas is the 28th state admitted to the Union. After ten years of independence, Texas became a state on December 29, 1845.

• Area - 267,277 sq. miles
• Capital - Austin
• 2000 Population - 20,851,820
• Rank - 2

The Mexican War

• May 8, 1846 - Mexican War begins with the Battle of Palo Alto.
• May 13, 1846 - United States declares war on Mexico.
• August 22, 1846 - United States annexes what's now Arizona and New Mexico.
• December 28, 1846 - Iowa is the 29th state admitted to the Union. On December 28, 1846, Iowa became the first free state in the old Louisiana Territory.

• Area - 56,276 sq. miles
• Capital - Des Moines
• 2000 Population - 2,926,324
• Rank - 30

• September 14, 1847 - American forces take Mexico City.
• February 2, 1848 - Mexico and the United States sign the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, ending the Mexican-American War.
• February 2, 1848 - United States gains what's now California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming as a result of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
• May 29, 1848 - Wisconsin is the 30th state admitted to the Union. According to the 1999-2000 Wisconsin Blue Book (published by the State of Wisconsin), "on May 29, 1848, Wisconsin became the 30th state in the Union." (p. 630)

• Area - 65,500 sq. miles
• Capital - Madison
• 2000 Population - 5,363,675
• Rank - 18

• August 14, 1848 - United States annexes the Oregon Territory containing what's now Idaho, part of Montana, Oregon, Washington, part of Wyoming.
• March 3, 1849 - Minnesota Territory organized.
• March 4, 1849 - Millard Fillmore sworn in as the 12th US Vice President.
• March 5, 1849 - Zachary Taylor sworn in as the 12th US President.
• December 6, 1849 - Harriet Tubman escapes from slavery on the "Underground Railroad".
• May 30, 1850 - Kansas Territory organized.
• May 30, 1850 - Nebraska Territory organized.
• July 10, 1850 - Millard Fillmore sworn in as the 13th US President.
• September 9, 1850 - California is the 31st state admitted to the Union. Congress hesitated to welcome a new free state, but because of its booming population and the discovery of gold California was admitted in September 9, 1850.

• Area - 158,869 sq. miles
• Capital - Sacramento
• 2000 Population - 33,871,648
• Rank - 1

• September 9, 1850 - Utah Territory organized.
• September 18, 1850 - Fugitive Slave Act passed by Congress, requiring the return of escaped slaves.
• March 2, 1853 - Washington Territory organized.
• March 2, 1853 - Oregon Territory organized.
• March 4, 1853 - Franklin Pierce sworn in as the 14th US President.
• March 4, 1853 - William King sworn in as the 13th US Vice President.
• December 30, 1853 - United States purchases what's now part of Arizona and New Mexico.
• March 4, 1857 - James Buchanan sworn in as the 15th US President.
• March 4, 1857 - John Breckinridge sworn in as the 14th US Vice President.
• May 11, 1858 - Minnesota is the 32nd state admitted to the Union.

• Area - 86,943 sq. miles
• Capital - St. Paul
• 2000 Population - 4,919,479
• Rank - 21

• February 14, 1859 - Oregon is the 33rd state admitted to the Union.

• Area - 97,093 sq. miles
• Capital - Salem
• 2000 Population - 3,421,399
• Rank - 28

Secession

• December 20, 1860 - South Carolina is the 1st state to secede from the Union.
• January 9, 1861 - Mississippi is the 2nd state to secede from the Union.
• January 10, 1861 - Florida is the 3rd state to secede from the Union.
• January 11, 1861 - Alabama is the 4th state to secede from the Union.
• January 19, 1861 - Georgia is the 5th state to secede from the Union.
• January 26, 1861 - Louisiana is the 6th state to secede from the Union.
• January 29, 1861 - Kansas is the 34th state admitted to the Union. Kansas became a free state on January 29, 1861, after seven years of bloody feuding between residents over whether to be admitted as a slave or free state.

• Area - 82,282 sq. miles
• Capital - Topeka
• 2000 Population - 2,688,418
• Rank - 32

• February 4, 1861 - Confederate States of America formed.
• February 4, 1861 - Apache declare war on the United States.
• February 13, 1861 - 1st Congressional Medal presented to Col. Bernard Irwin.
• February 18, 1861 - Jefferson Davis sworn in as the 1st President of the Confederate States of America
• February 18, 1861 - Alexander Stevens sworn in as the 1st Vice President of the Confederate States of America.
• February 22, 1861 - Nevada Territory organized.
• February 23, 1861 - Texas is the 7th state to secede from the Union.
• February 28, 1861 - Colorado Territory organized.
• March 2, 1861 - Dakota Territory organized.
• March 4, 1861 - Abraham Lincoln sworn in as the 16th US President.
• March 4, 1861 - Hannibal Hamlin sworn in as the 15th US Vice President.
• March 11, 1861 - Confederate Congress adopts their Constitution.
• April 12, 1861 - Confederate forces begin an assault on Fort Sumter.
• April 13, 1861 - After 34 hours of bombardment, Fort Sumter surrenders.
• April 17, 1861 - Virginia is the 8th state to secede from the Union.
• April 19, 1861 - Union blockade of Confederate ports is initiated (1st part of the Anaconda Plan).
• April 27, 1861 - 48 counties in western Virginia secede to rejoin the Union (reducing Virginia's size to 42,326sq. miles).
• May 6, 1861 - Arkansas is the 9th state to secede from the Union.

The Civil War

• May 6, 1861 - President Abraham Lincoln declares a state of insurrection in the southern states.
• May 21, 1861 - North Carolina is the 10th state to secede from the Union.
• May 21, 1861 - Richmond, VA. becomes the official capital city of the Confederate States.
• June 8, 1861 - Tennessee is the 11th state to secede from the Union.
• July 21, 1861 - Confederate forces win the 1st Battle of Bull Run.
• October 22, 1861 - Transcontinental telegraph completed.
• March 9, 1862 - 1st ironclads, the Monitor and the Merrimack , meet at the Battle of the James River (resulting in a Union victory).
• April 7, 1862 - Union forces win the Battle of Shiloh.
• April 14, 1862 - Union forces begin the Peninsula Campaign.
• August 30, 1862 - Confederate forces win the 2nd Battle of Bull Run.
• September 17, 1862 - Union forces win the Battle of Antietam.
• September 22, 1862 - Emancipation Proclamation issued.
• December 13, 1862 - Confederate forces win the Battle of Fredericksburg.
• February 24, 1863 - New Mexico Territory organized.
• February 24, 1863 - Arizona Territory organized.
• May 4, 1863 - Confederate forces win the Battle of Chancellorsville.
• June 20, 1863 - West Virginia is the 35th state admitted to the Union. On June 20, 1863, the wartime state of West Virginia was born by acceptance of the federal government.

• Area - 24,232 sq. miles
• Capital - Charleston
• 2000 Population - 1,808,344
• Rank - 37

• July 1, 1863 - Battle of Gettysburg begins.
• July 3, 1863 - Union forces win the Battle Gettysburg.
• July 4, 1863 - Union forces capture Vicksburg, thereby taking the entire Mississippi River (2nd part of the Anaconda Plan).
• November 25, 1863 - Union forces win the Battle of Chattanooga.
• May 26, 1864 - Idaho Territory organized.
• May 26, 1864 - Montana Territory organized.
• September 1, 1864 - Union forces take Atlanta.
• October 31, 1864 - Nevada is the 36th state admitted to the Union. On October 31, 1864, at the urging of President Abraham Lincoln, Nevada became a state. Only a short four years earlier, it had been a wilderness.

• Area - 110,567 sq. miles
• Capital - Carson City
• 2000 Population - 1,998,257
• Rank - 35

• November 16, 1864 - Union forces begin the "march to the sea", from Atlanta to Savannah.
• February 1, 1865 - 13th Amendment passed by Congress.
• March 4, 1865 - Abraham Lincoln sworn in as President for a 2nd term.
• March 4, 1865 - Andrew Johnson sworn in as the 16th US Vice President.
• March 21, 1865 - Union forces finish the "march to the sea" (by taking Savannah, Georgia).
• April 2, 1865 - fleeing Confederate government sets fire to Richmond.
• April 3, 1865 - Union forces occupy the Confederate capital, Richmond (3rd part of the Anaconda Plan).
• April 9, 1865 - Confederate States of America surrender at Appomattox Courthouse, ending the Civil War.

Reconstruction

• April 15, 1865 - Andrew Johnson sworn in as the 17th US President.
• December 18, 1865 - 13th Amendment added to the Constitution. Jun 16, 1866 - The 14th Amendment passed by Congress.
• July 24, 1866 - Tennessee is the 1st state to be readmitted to the Union.
• March 1, 1867 - Nebraska is the 37th state admitted to the Union. President Andrew Johnson vetoed the Nebraska statehood bill of 1866, but Congress overrode his veto, and Nebraska became a state on March 1, 1867

• Area - 77,359 sq. miles
• Capital - Lincoln
• 2000 Population - 1,711,263
• Rank - 38

• March 30, 1867 - United States purchases the Alaska Territory from Russia for $7.2 million.
• August 28, 1867 - US annexes the Midway Islands.
• January 7, 1868 - Arkansas constitutional convention meets in Little Rock.
• January 7, 1868 - Mississippi constitutional convention meets in Jackson.
• January 14, 1868 - North Carolina constitutional convention meets in Raleigh.
• January 14, 1868 - South Carolina constitutional convention meets in Columbia.
• February 24, 1868 - US House of Representatives impeaches President Andrew Johnson.
• March 13, 1868 - US Senate begins its Impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson
• April 14, 1868 - South Carolina adopts a new constitution.
• April 16, 1868 - Louisiana adopts a new constitution.
• May 26, 1868 - US Senate acquits President Andrew Johnson of all 11 Articles of Impeachment.
• June 1, 1868 - Texas constitutional convention meets in Austin.
• June 22, 1868 - Arkansas is the 2nd state to be readmitted to the Union.
• June 25, 1868 - Florida is the 3rd state to be readmitted to the Union.
• June 25, 1868 - Alabama is the 4th state to be readmitted to the Union.
• June 25, 1868 - Louisiana is the 5th state to be readmitted to the Union.
• June 25, 1868 - North Carolina is the 6th state to be readmitted to the Union.
• June 25, 1868 - South Carolina is the 7th state to be readmitted to the Union.
• July 23, 1868 - 14th Amendment added to the Constitution.
• July 25, 1868 - Wyoming Territory organized.
• December 25, 1868 - President Andrew Johnson issues an unconditional pardon to all those who participated in the southern rebellion.
• February 27, 1869 - 15th Amendment passed by Congress.
• March 4, 1869 - Ulysses Grant sworn in as the 18th US President.
• March 4, 1869 - Schuyler Colfax sworn in as the 17th US Vice President.
• April 10, 1869 - number of Supreme Court Justices increased from 7 to 9.
• May 10, 1869 - Transcontinental Railroad completed at Promontory Point, Utah.
• November 17, 1869 - Suez Canal opens for business, in Egypt, linking the Mediterranean and Red seas.
• January 27, 1870 - Virginia is the 8th state to be readmitted to the Union.
• February 23, 1870 - Mississippi is the 9th state to be readmitted to the Union.
• March 30, 1870 - Texas is the 10th state to be readmitted to the Union.
• March 30, 1870 - 15th Amendment added to the Constitution.
• July 15, 1870 - Georgia is the 11th state to be readmitted to the Union.

Expansion

• August 1, 1870 - Colorado is the 38th state admitted to the Union. After three tries Colorado was made a state on August 1, 1876.

• Area - 104,100 sq. miles
• Capital - Denver
• 2000 Population - 4,301,261
• Rank - 24

• March 4, 1873 - Ulysses Grant sworn in as President for a 2nd term.
• March 4, 1873 - Henry Wilson sworn in as the 18th US Vice President.
• March 4, 1877 - William Wheeler sworn in as the 19th US Vice President.
• March 5, 1877 - Rutherford Hayes sworn in as the 19th US President.
• March 4, 1881 - James Garfield sworn in as the 20th US President.
• March 4, 1881 - Chester Arthur sworn in as the 20th US Vice President.
• September 20, 1881 - Chester Arthur sworn in as the 21st US President.
• May 17, 1884 - Alaska Territory organized.
• March 4, 1885 - Grover Cleveland sworn in as the 22nd US President.
• March 4, 1885 - Thomas Hendricks sworn in as the 21st US Vice President.
• March 4, 1889 - Benjamin Harrison sworn in as the 23rd US President.
• March 4, 1889 - Levi Morton sworn in as the 22nd US Vice President.
• November 2, 1889 - North Dakota is the 39th state admitted to the Union. Both North and South Dakota became states on November 2, 1889.

• Area - 70,704 sq. miles
• Capital - Bismarck
• 2000 Population - 642,200
• Rank - 47

• November 2, 1889 - South Dakota is the 40th state admitted to the Union. Both North and South Dakota became states on November 2, 1889.

• Area - 77,121 sq. miles
• Capital - Pierre
• 2000 Population - 754,844
• Rank - 46

• November 8, 1889 - Montana is the 41st state admitted to the Union.

• Area - 147,046 sq. miles
• Capital - Helena
• 2000 Population - 902,195
• Rank - 44

• November 11, 1889 - Washington is the 42nd state admitted to the Union.

• Area - 70,637 sq. miles
• Capital - Olympia
• 2000 Population - 5,894,121
• Rank - 15

• May 2, 1890 - Oklahoma Territory organized.
• July 3, 1890 - Idaho is the 43rd state admitted to the Union.

• Area - 83,574 sq. miles
• Capital - Boise
• 2000 Population - 1,293,953
• Rank - 39

• July 10, 1890 - Wyoming is the 44th state admitted to the Union. Although the Wyoming population was not enough to qualify for statehood, it became one anyway on July 10, 1890.

• Area - 97,819 sq. miles
• Capital - Cheyenne
• 2000 Population - 493,782
• Rank - 51

• March 4, 1893 - Grover Cleveland sworn in as the 24th US President.
• March 4, 1893 - Adlai Stevenson sworn in as the 23rd US Vice President.
• January 4, 1896 - Utah is the 45th state admitted to the Union.

• Area - 84,904 sq. miles
• Capital - Salt Lake City
• 2000 Population - 2,233,169
• Rank - 34

• March 4, 1897 - William McKinley sworn in as the 25th US President.
• March 4, 1897 - Garret Hobart sworn in as the 24th US Vice President.

The Spanish-American War

• April 20, 1898 - United States declares war on Spain.
• May 1, 1898 - American forces win the Battle of Manila Bay.
• July 1, 1898 - American forces win the Battle of Santiago.
• July 7, 1898 - United States annexes Hawaii.
• July 25, 1898 - American forces invade Puerto Rico.
• August 12, 1898 - United States and Spain sign an armistice, ending the Spanish-American War.
• December 10, 1898 - United States and Spain sign the Treaty of Paris 1898, officially ending the Spanish-American War.

The American Empire

• February 6, 1899 - United States annexes Guam, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico.
• February 22, 1900 - Hawaii Territory organized.
• March 4, 1901 - William McKinley sworn in as President for a 2nd term.
• March 4, 1901 - Theodore Roosevelt sworn in as the 25th US Vice President.
• September 14, 1901 -Theodore Roosevelt sworn in as the 26th US President.
• March 4, 1905 -Theodore Roosevelt sworn in as President for a 2nd term.
• March 4, 1905 - Charles Fairbanks sworn in as the 26th US Vice President.
• January 16, 1907 - Oklahoma is the 46th state admitted to the Union. Oklahoma became a state on November 6, 1907, with a population of 1,414,177, including residents in Indian Territory.

• Area - 69,903 sq. miles
• Capital - Oklahoma City
• 2000 Population - 3,450,654
• Rank - 27

• March 4, 1909 - William Taft sworn in as the 27th US President.
• March 4, 1909 - James Sherman sworn in as the 27th US Vice President.
• July 12, 1909 - 16th Amendment passed by Congress.
• January 6, 1912 - New Mexico is the 47th state admitted to the Union.

• Area - 121,598 sq. miles
• Capital - Santa Fe
• 2000 Population - 1,819,046
• Rank - 36

• February 14, 1912 - Arizona is the 48th state admitted to the Union.

• Area - 114,006 sq. miles
• Capital - Phoenix
• 2000 Population - 5,130,632
• Rank - 20

• May 16, 1912 - 17th Amendment passed by Congress.
• February 25, 1913 - 16th Amendment added to the Constitution.
• March 4, 1913 - Woodrow Wilson sworn in as the 28th US President.
• March 4, 1913 - Thomas Marshall sworn in as the 28th US Vice President.
• April 8, 1913 - 17th Amendment added to the Constitution.
• April 21, 1914 - American forces occupy Vera Cruz, Mexico.
• June 28, 1914 - Principe assassinates Archduke Ferdinand of the Ottoman Empire.
• July 18, 1914 - US Army Air Corps established.

World War I

• July 28, 1914 - World War I begins as the Ottoman Empire declares war on Bosnia.
• July 29, 1914 - Central forces bomb Belgrade, Belgium.
• August 4, 1914 - Central forces invade Belgium.
• August 4, 1914 - President Wilson issues a proclamation of neutrality.
• August 15, 1914 - Panama Canal opens for business.
• August 25, 1914 - Central forces bomb Antwerp, Belgium.
• August 25, 1914 - Central forces invade France.
• August 30, 1914 - Central forces bomb Paris, France.
• September 9, 1914 - Allied forces win the Battle of Marne.
• December 24, 1914 - Central forces bomb Dover, England.
• January 2, 1915 - Allied forces win the Battle of Sarikamis.
• May 7, 1915 - British liner Lusitanian sunk by German U-Boats, killing 128 American passengers.
• June 10, 1915 - Girl Scouts established.
• July 29, 1915 - American forces invade Haiti.
• February 21, 1916 - Battle of Verdun begins.
• March 9, 1916 - Poncho Villa raids Columbus, New Mexico.
• March 15, 1916 - American forces drive Poncho Villa to Mexico.
• June 15, 1916 - Boy Scouts established.
• July 1, 1916 - 1st Battle of Somme begins.
• August 4, 1916 - United States purchases the West Indies and the Virgin Islands for $25 million.
• August 25, 1916 - US National Park Service established.
• September 3, 1916 - Allied forces win the Battle of Verdun.
• November 18, 1916 - Allied forces win the 1st Battle of Somme.
• January 31, 1917 - Germany declared unrestricted submarine warfare against all ships.
• March 2, 1917 - Puerto Rico made a United States territory.
• March 4, 1917 - Calvin Coolidge sworn in as the 29th US Vice President.
• March 5, 1917 - Woodrow Wilson sworn in as President for a 2nd term.
• April 6, 1917 - United States enters World War I on the side of the Allies.
• August 5, 1917 - US National Guard established.
• December 17, 1917 - 18th Amendment passed by Congress.
• March 3, 1918 - Russia pulls out of World War I.
• July 15, 1918 - 2nd Battle of the Marne begins.
• July 18, 1918 - Allied forces win the Battle of the Aisne-Marne.
• September 12, 1918 - 2nd Battle of Verdun begins.
• September 26, 1918 - Battle of Mouse-Argonne begins.
• September 29, 1918 - Allied forces push Central forces past the Hindenburg Line.
• November 11, 1918 - Allied and Central Powers sign an armistice, ending World War I.
• January 29, 1919 - 18th Amendment added to the Constitution.
• June 28, 1919 - Treaty of Versailles signed, ending World War I.

The Roaring 20's

• June 5, 1919 - 19th Amendment passed by Congress.
• August 26, 1920 - 19th Amendment added to the Constitution.
• March 4, 1921 - Warren Harding sworn in as the 29th US President.
• March 4, 1921 - Charles Dawes sworn in as the 30th US Vice President.
• August 3, 1923 - Calvin Coolidge sworn in as the 30th US President.
• March 4, 1925 - Calvin Coolidge sworn in as President for a 2nd term.
• March 4, 1925 - Charles Curtis sworn in as the 31st US Vice President.
• March 4, 1929 - Herbert Hoover sworn in as the 31st US President.
• March 4, 1929 - John Garner sworn in as the 32nd US Vice President.

The Great Depression

• October 29, 1929 - New York Stock Market crashes to an all time low (referred to as "Black Tuesday"), signaling the start of the Great Depression.
• March 2, 1932 - 20th Amendment passed by Congress.
• January 23, 1933 - 20th Amendment added to the Constitution.
• February 20, 1933 - 21st Amendment passed by Congress.
• March 4, 1933 - Franklin Roosevelt sworn in as the 32nd US President.
• March 4, 1933 - Henry Wallace sworn in as the 33rd US Vice President.
• December 5, 1933 - 21st Amendment added to the Constitution.
• March 7, 1936 - Germany invades the Rhineland (Austria).
• January 20, 1937 - Franklin Roosevelt sworn in as President for a 2nd term.
• January 20, 1937 - Henry Wallace sworn in as Vice President for a 2nd term.
• September 1, 1939 - Germany invades Poland.

World War II

• September 4, 1939 - France and Great Britain declare war on Germany.
• September 28, 1939 - Germany and the Soviet Union sign the Warsaw pact, keeping the Soviet Union out of World War II.
• June 4, 1940 - British evacuate over 300,000 soldiers from Dunkirk, France back across the English Channel.
• June 22, 1940 - France surrenders to Germany.
• October 16, 1940 - Benjamin Davis becomes the first black General in the US Army.
• January 20, 1941 - Franklin Roosevelt sworn in as President for a 3rd term.
• January 20, 1941 - Henry Wallace sworn in as Vice President for a 3rd term.
• June 22, 1941 - Germany invades the Soviet Union.
• December 7, 1941 - Japanese forces attack the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
• December 8, 1941 - United States declares war on Japan.
• December 11, 1941 - Germany and Italy declare war on the United States.
• May 15, 1942 - Women are now allowed to serve in all branches of the armed services.
• August 7, 1942 - United States Marines land at Guadalcanal.
• February 2, 1943 - 200,000 German soldiers surrender at Stalingrad.
• November 28, 1943 - Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin meet in Tehran to discuss WWII.
• June 6, 1944 - Allied forces invade Normandy (referred to as "D-Day").
• August 25, 1944 - Allied troops liberate Paris.
• December 16, 1944 - A German surprise attack begins the Battle of the Bulge.
• December 24, 1944 - Allied forces push the German troops past the German border.
• January 12, 1945 - American forces liberate the Philippines.
• January 20, 1945 - Franklin Roosevelt sworn in as President for a 4th term.
• January 20, 1945 - Harry Truman sworn in as the 34th US Vice President.
• April 12, 1945 - Harry Truman sworn in as the 33rd US President.
• June 26, 1945 - United Nations established.
• July 12, 1945 - American forces take Okinawa.
• August 6, 1945 - United States drops the 1st atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan.
• August 9, 1945 - United States drops the 2nd atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan.
• September 2, 1945 - Japan unconditionally surrenders to the United States, ending World War II.

The Cold War

• July 4, 1946 - Philippines, a United States protectorate, gains its independence.
• October 1, 1946 - Nazi war criminals receive sentencing at the Nuremberg trials.
• October 17, 1946 - Winston Churchill proclaims "an iron curtain has swept across the continent (Europe)," beginning the Cold War.
• March 24, 1947 - 22nd Amendment passed by Congress.
• January 20, 1949 - Harry Truman sworn in as President for a 2nd term.
• January 20, 1949 - Alben Barkley sworn in as the 35th US Vice President.
• April 4, 1949 - North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) established by Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and the United States.

The Korean War

• June 25, 1950 - Korean War officially starts as North Korea invades South Korea.
• June 26, 1950 - North Korean forces take Seoul.
• June 27, 1950 - United Nations declares war on North Korea.
• September 15, 1950 - U.N. forces take Inchon.
• October 7, 1950 - U.N. forces recapture Seoul.
• January 4, 1951 - North Korean/Chinese forces recapture Seoul.
• February 26, 1951 - 22nd Amendment added to the Constitution.
• November 1, 1952 - United States detonates the 1st thermonuclear device.
• January 20, 1953 - Dwight Eisenhower sworn in as the 34th US President.
• January 20, 1953 - Richard Nixon sworn in as the 36th US Vice President.
• May 17, 1954 - US Supreme Court declares that segregated schools violates the 14th Amendment.
• January 20, 1957 - Richard Nixon sworn in as Vice President for a 2nd term.
• January 21, 1957 - Dwight Eisenhower sworn in as President for a 2nd term.
• January 3, 1959 - Alaska is the 49th state admitted to the Union. Alaska became the 49th state on January 3, 1959; it was the first new state in the Union since 1912.

• Area - 615,230 sq. miles
• Capital - Juneau
• 2000 Population - 626,932
• Rank - 48

• August 21, 1959 - Hawaii is the 50th state admitted to the Union.

• Area - 6,459 sq. miles
• Capital - Honolulu
• 2000 Population - 1,211,537
• Rank - 42

• June 16, 1960 - 23rd Amendment passed by Congress.
• January 20, 1961 - John Kennedy sworn in as the 35th US President.
• January 20, 1961 - Lyndon Johnson sworn in as the 37th US Vice President.
• March 29, 1961 - 23rd Amendment added to the Constitution.
• April 17, 1961 - An American backed Cuban invasion force landed at Bahia de Cochins (Bay of Pigs).
• August 27, 1962 - 24th Amendment passed by Congress.
• October 14, 1962 - American spy planes spot Soviet missile bases on Cuba.
• October 22, 1962 - Soviet Union pulls its missiles out of Cuba.

The Vietnam War

• November 1, 1963 - American/Vietnamese forces stage a coup in Vietnam.
• November 22, 1963 - Lyndon Johnson sworn in as the 36th US President.
• January 30, 1964 - 24th Amendment added to the Constitution.
• July 2, 1964 - Segregation abolished in the United States.
• August 4, 1964 - Vietnamese forces attack an American Destroyer (USS Maddox).
• August 7, 1964 - United States begins military presence in Vietnam.
• January 20, 1965 - Lyndon Johnson sworn in as President for a 2nd term.
• January 20, 1965 - Hubert Humphrey sworn in as the 38th US Vice President.
• July 6, 1965 - 25th Amendment passed by Congress.
• February 10, 1967 - 25th Amendment added to the Constitution.
• March 16, 1968 - American forces take My Lai.
• January 20, 1969 - Richard Nixon sworn in as the 37th US President.
• January 20, 1969 - Spiro Agnew sworn in as the 39th US Vice President.
• July 20, 1969 American astronaut Neil Armstrong is the 1st human to walk on the Moon.
• April 30, 1970 - American forces invade Cambodia.
• December 31, 1970 - United States begins withdrawing troops from Vietnam.
• March 3, 1971 - 26th Amendment passed by Congress.
• June 30, 1971 - 26th Amendment added to the Constitution.
• December 18, 1972 - American forces begin bombing Hanoi and Haiphong.
• December 28, 1972 - American forces cease bombing Hanoi and Haiphong.
• January 20, 1973 - Richard Nixon sworn in as President for a 2nd term.
• January 20, 1973 - Spiro Agnew sworn in as Vice President for a 2nd term.
• January 27, 1973 - United States and Vietnam sign a peace treaty, ending the Vietnam War.
• March 29, 1973 - Last of American forces leave Vietnam.
• December 6, 1973 - Gerald Ford sworn in as the 40th US Vice President.
• August 9, 1974 - Gerald Ford sworn in as the 38th US President.
• December 19, 1974 - Nelson Rockefeller sworn in as the 41st US Vice President.
• January 20, 1977 - Jimmy Carter sworn in as the 39th US President.
• January 20, 1977 - Walter Mondale sworn in as the 42nd US Vice President.
• November 4, 1979 - Iranians seize the American Embassy in Tehran, Iran taking 52 people hostage.
• January 20, 1981 - Ronald Reagan sworn in as the 40th US President.
• January 20, 1981 - George Bush sworn in as the 43rd US Vice President.
• January 20, 1981 - hostages from the American Embassy are freed.
• March 23, 1983 - President Reagan starts the Strategic Defense Initiative.
• January 20, 1985 - George Bush sworn in as Vice President for a 2nd term.
• January 21, 1985 - Ronald Reagan sworn in as President for a 2nd term.
• January 20, 1989 - George Bush sworn in as the 41st US President.
• January 20, 1989 - Dan Quayle sworn in as the 44th US Vice President.

The Persian Gulf War

• August 2, 1990 - Iraqi forces invade Kuwait.
• January 16, 1991 - UN air strike launched on Iraq.
• February 23, 1991 - UN ground force liberates Kuwait.
• February 28, 1991 - A cease fire signed between the United Nations and Iraq.
• February 1, 1992 - United States and Russia sign a treaty officially ending the Cold War.

The Information Age

• May 7, 1992 - 27th Amendment added to the Constitution.
• January 20, 1993 - Al Gore sworn in as the 45th Vice President of the US
• January 21, 1993 - Bill Clinton sworn in as the 42nd US President.
• January 20, 1997 - Al Gore sworn in as Vice President for a 2nd term.
• January 21, 1997 - Bill Clinton sworn in as President for a 2nd term.
• August 7, 1998 - 2 American embassies (Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya) in eastern Africa are destroyed by terrorist bombs.
• August 20, 1998 - American forces launch air strikes at 2 targets in retaliation for the American embassy bombings: a terrorist training facility in Afghanistan, and a chemical plant in Sudan.
• December 16, 1998 - American forces launch the 1st of 3 air strikes at targets in Iraq.
• December 17, 1998 - American forces launch the 2nd of 3 air strikes at targets in Iraq.
• December 18, 1998 - American forces launch the 3rd of 3 air strikes at targets in Iraq.
• December 19, 1998 - US House of Representatives approves 2 of 4 Proposed Articles of Impeachment.
• March 23, 1999 - NATO begins launching air strikes against Yugoslavia.
• December 31, 1999 - Panama gains control of the Panama Canal from the United States.

The New Millennium

2000 - The New Millennium begins

• Y2K fears are unfounded
• Dow Jones reaches 11,722
• NASDAQ reaches all time high of 5048
• The end of the 90s DotCom boom begins and stocks start to plunge
• George W. Bush wins the Presidential electiono November 9th -
  • Al Gore requests recount of Florida ballots
  • December 12th - The United States Supreme Court overrules Florida
  • Supreme Court on manual recount of under-ballots; George Bush is
    declared the winner of the Presidential Election
  • December 13th - Al Gore concedes election to George Bush

2001 -

• On September 11th Al Qaeda terrorists crash three planes into the New
  York's World Trade Center and Pentagon
• Heroic passengers on fourth plane, United Flight 93, foil hijackers and plane
  crashes into a Pennsylvania field
• Apple Computer Debuts iPod
• In October U.S. begins military strikes in Afghanistan

2002 -

• U.S. Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba, known as Gitmo, opens as a detention camp for terrorist suspects captured in Afghanistan
• In his State of the Union address of January 2002, President Bush defines an Axis of Evil, which includes North Korea, Iran and Iraq
• President Bush addresses U.N. Security Council on Iraq, begins the run up toward war with Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein
• On October 11th 2002, the U.S. Congress passes the Joint Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq

2003 -

• On February 3rd 2003, Secretary of State Colin Powell lays out the case to go to war before the United Nations Security Council
• In March, UN Weapons Inspectors are withdrawn from Iraq
• U.S. Launches war against Iraq on March 20th
• George Bush declares the end of combat operations on May 1st
• The National Human Genome Research Institute announces the successful
  completion of the Human Genome Project
• Major power outage cripples New York City
• Arnold Schwarzenegger becomes Governor of California
• Mark Zukerberg launches FaceBook
• My Space debuts

2004 -

• Google, Inc. goes public with stock offering
• NASA Mars Rover lands safely on planet and begins exploring
• SpaceShipOne is the first private manned mission to space 2
• President George Bush wins re-lection

2005 -

• Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans and Mississippi Gulf Coast
• John Roberts confirmed as Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
• You Tube is launched by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim
• Congress begins investigation of performance enhancing drugs in American
  sports

2006 -

• Jack Dorsey launches Twitter
• Samuel Alito is confirmed as an Associate Justice to the U.S. Supreme Court

2007 -

• Bush begins surge in Iraq, American public divided over the war
• Barack Obama announces candidacy for President in February
• Apple Computer releases the iPhone in June
• Mortgage concerns hit U.S. markets and share indexes plunge amid fears that the failing U.S. mortgage market may cause a global credit crunch
• The official number of illegal immigrants in the U.S. reaches 11 million

2008 -

• Barack Obama wins U.S. Presidential election
• World markets and U.S. markets slide as economic recession looms on the
  horizon
• July 11th - U.S. oil prices reach a record $147 a barrel in July
• Lehman Brothers files for bankruptcy
• Stock market crashes and the Dow Jones tumbles from a historic high of 14198.10in October 2007 to 7449 in December 2008
• President George Bush signs into law TARP the (Troubled Asset Relief Program) a $700 billion bank bailout bill in October

2009 -

• Barack Obama is inaugurated as America's first black President
• America enters a deep recession
• Congress passes $787 billion stimulus package to help U.S. economy
• Two of America's 'Big Three' car makers, Chrylser and General Motors, go
  through bankruptcy proceedings

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