Basic Dates Timeline By marylindsey Aug 2, 1492 Christopher Columbus sails the ocean blue May 14, 1607 Jamestown Jul 4, 1776 Declaration of Independence Mar 4, 1789 Constitution Apr 30, 1803 Louisiana Purchase Jun 18, 1812 War of 1812 Apr 12, 1861 Civil War Starts Apr 9, 1865 Civil War Ends Apr 6, 1917 U.S. Involvement in World War I Starts Nov 11, 1918 U.S. Involvement in World War I Ends Oct 29, 1929 Stock Market Crash and Beginning of the Great Depression Dec 8, 1941 U.S. Involvement in World War II Starts Sep 2, 1945 U.S. Involvement in World War II Ends Sep 2, 1945 Cold War Starts Jun 25, 1950 Korean War Starts Jul 27, 1953 Korean War Ends Nov 1, 1965 Vietnam War (Americanization) Starts Apr 29, 1975 Vietnam War Ends Aug 3, 1989 Cold War Ends Feb 28, 1991 Gulf War Sep 11, 2001 September 11th Mar 20, 2003 U.S. Invasion of Iraq