1800-1876

  • US Capital is Moved

    The U.S. capital is moved from Philadelphia to Washington, DC.
  • Thomas Jefferson becomes President

    Thomas Jefferson is inaugurated as the third president in Washington, DC.
  • Louisiana Purchase

    Louisiana Purchase: United States agrees to pay France $15 million for the Louisiana Territory, which extends west from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains and comprises about 830,000 sq mi. As a result, the U.S. nearly doubles in size.
  • Marbury vs Madison

    Marbury v. Madison: Landmark Supreme Court decision greatly expands the power of the Court by establishing its right to declare acts of Congress unconstitutional.
  • Lewis and Clark

    Lewis and Clark set out from St. Louis, Mo., on expedition to explore the West and find a route to the Pacific Ocean.
  • Jefferson second term

    Jefferson's second inauguration.
  • James Madison is Inagurated

    James Madison is inaugurated as the fourth president.
  • War of 1812

    War of 1812: U.S. declares war on Britain over British interference with American maritime shipping and westward expansion.
  • British Capture Washington DC

    British capture Washington, DC, and set fire to White House and Capitol.
  • Star-Spangled Banner

    Francis Scott Key writes Star-Spangled Banner as he watches British attack on Fort McHenry at Baltimore.
  • War of 1812 Ends

    Treaty of Ghent is signed, officially ending the war.
  • James Monroe Inagurated

    James Monroe is inaugurated as the fifth president
  • Florida Acquired

    Spain agrees to cede Florida to the United States.
  • Missouri Compromise

    Missouri Compromise: In an effort to maintain the balance between free and slave states, Maine (formerly part of Massachusetts) is admitted as a free state so that Missouri can be admitted as a slave state; except for Missouri, slavery is prohibited in the Louisiana Purchase lands north of latitude 36°30'.
  • Articles of Confederation

    Continental Congress adopts the Articles of Confederation, the first U.S. constitution.
  • Monroe Doctrine

    Monroe Doctrine: In his annual address to Congress, President Monroe declares that the American continents are henceforth off-limits for further colonization by European powers.
  • John Quincy Adams Inauguration

    John Quincy Adams is inaugurated as the sixth president.
  • Constitution

    U.S. Constitution goes into effect, having been ratified by nine states.
  • Andrew Jackson Inauguration

    Andrew Jackson is inaugurated as seventh president.
  • Cotton Gin

    Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton gin greatly increases the demand for slave labor.
  • Martin Van Buren Inauguration

    Martin Van Buren is inaugurated as the eighth president.
  • Trail of Tears

    More than 15,000 Cherokee Indians are forced to march from Georgia to Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma. Approximately 4,000 die from starvation and disease along the “Trail of Tears.”
  • William Henry Harrison Inauguration

    William Henry Harrison is inaugurated as the ninth president.
  • Annex of Texas

    U.S. annexes Texas by joint resolution of Congress
  • James Polk Inauguration

    James Polk is inaugurated as the 11th president
  • Mexican War

    Mexican War: U.S. declares war on Mexico in effort to gain California and other territory in Southwest.
  • Gold Rush

    The California Gold Rush starts
  • Oregon

    Oregon Becomes The 33rd state
  • Abraham Lincoln President

    Abraham Lincoln is nominated President
  • Civil War Begins

    The Beginning of the Civil War
  • Abraham Lincoln Assassinated and end of Cicil War

    Abraham Lincoln Assassinated, end of the Civil war
  • Ulysses S. Grant 18th President

    Ulysses S. Grant 18th President
  • Telephone

    First Practical Telephone