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Jan 1, 1492
Columbus Discovers American
Christopher Columbus makes the first of four voyages to the New World, funded by the British Crown, seeking a western sea route to Asia. On October 12, sailing the Santa Maria, he lands in the Bahamas thinking it is an outlying Japanese island. -
Jan 1, 1541
Mississippi River is found
Hernando De Soto of Spain discovers the Mississippi River. -
Tobacco Is Frst Planted
Native tobacco is first planted and harvested in Virginia by colonoists. -
First School In America
Boston Latin school is established as the first public school in America. -
Histeria Breaks Out In Massachusetts
In May, histeria grips the city of Salem, Massachusetts, as witchcraft suspectcs are arrested and imprisoned. They set up a special court just for this. Between June and September, 150 people were accused with 20 people, including 14 women, were executed. By October, the histeria subsides, th eremaining people are set free, and the special court is dissolved. -
Population Rises
The Anglo population in the English colonies in America reaches 250,000. -
Yale Is Founded
In October, Yale college is founded in Connecticut. -
Boston News Letter Is Published
In April, the first enduring newspaper in America, The Boston News-Letter, is published. -
Benjamin Franklin Is Born
January 17th, Benjamin Franklin is born in Boston. -
The Post Office Act Is Passed
The English Parliament passes the Post Office Act which starts a postal system in the American colony controlled by the postmaster general of London and his deputy in New York City. -
Tuscarora Indian War
Hostilities break out between Native Americans and settlers in North Carolina after the massacre of settlers there. The conflict, known as the Tuscarora Indian War will last two years. -
Carolina Splits
In May, the Carolina colony is divided into North Carolina and South Carolina. -
Import Of Slaves Is Banned In Pennsylvania
In June, the Pennsylvania assembly bans the import of slaves into that colony. -
First American Public Library
The first American public library is founded in Philadelphia by Benjamin Franklin. -
Georgia Is Founded
In June, Georgia, the 13th colony is founded. -
Molasses Act Is Passed
Th Molasses Act, passed by the English Parliment, imposes heavy duties on Molasses, rum, and sugar imported from non-british islands to the Carribean to protect the english planters there from French and Dutch competition. -
England Declares War On Spain
England declares war on Spain, As a result, in America, hostilities break out between Florida Spaniards and Georgia and South Carolina colonists. -
Iron Act Passed
The Iron Act is passed by the English Parliament, limiting the growth of the iron industry in the American colonies to protect the English Iron industry. -
Hopital Opens
The first general hospital is founded in Philadelphia. -
Seven Year's War Ends
The French and Indian War, known in Europe as the Seven Year's War, ends with the Treaty of Paris. Under the treaty, France gives England all French territory east of the Mississippi River, except New Orleans. The Spanish give up east and west Florida to the English in return for Cuba. -
The Sugar Act Is Passed
The Sugar Act is passed by the English Parliament to offset the war debt brought on by the French and Indian War and to help pay for the expenses of running the colonies and newly acquired territories. This act increases the duties on imported sugar and other items such as textiles, coffee, wines and indigo (dye). It doubles the duties on foreign goods reshipped from England to the colonies and also forbids the import of foreign rum and French wines. -
Stamp Act Repealed
In March, King George III signs a bill repealing the Stamp Act after much debate in the English Parliament, which included an appearance by Ben Franklin arguing for repeal and warning of a possible revolution in the American colonies if the Stamp Act was enforced by the British military. -
Massachusetts Under Military Rule
May 13, General Thomas Gage, commander of all British military forces in the colonies, arrives in Boston and replaces Hutchinson as Royal governor, putting Massachusetts under military rule. -
Treaty Of Paris Signed
The Treaty of Paris is signed by the United States and Great Britain. Congress will ratify the treaty on January 14, 1784. -
Treaty Of Paris Ratified
The Treaty of Paris is ratified by Congress. The Revolutionary War officially ends. -
What Took Place At Constitutional Convention
Rather than revise the Articles of Confederation, delegates at the constitutional convention vote to create an entirely new form of national government separated into three branches - the legislative, executive and judicial - thus dispersing power with checks and balances, and competing factions, as a measure of protection against tyranny by a controlling majority. -
Georgetown Founded
Georgetown University, the first Catholic college in the U.S., is founded by Father John Carroll. -
Benjamin Franklin Dies
Benjamin Franklin dies in Philadelphia at age 84. His funeral four days later draws over 20,000 mourners. -
Purchase Of Louisana
Louisiana is purchased -
Photography Introduced
Joseph Nicéphore Niépce from France created the first photograph. -
Typewriter Invented
W.A. Burt invents the typewriter in the USA that changes the way Americans live. They're now able to type up papers instead of handwriting them. -
Safety Pin
Walter Hunt introduces the safety pin to the USA. -
Sewing Machine
Isaac Singe didn't invent the sewing machine, but he added improvements that made the machine much more usable. -
The New York Times
The New York Times is founded, It was first published by Henry Jarvis Raymond and George Jones on September 18th, 1851, under the name of the New York Daily Times. It was intended for production on every day except Sundays. -
Pennsylvania Is Founded
Pennsylvania is founded as William Penn, a Quaker, receives a royal charter with a large land grant from King Charles the second. -
The Union Uses African American Troops
The United States War Department issued General Order Number 143 establishing a "Bureau of Colored Troops" to facilitate the recruitment of African-American soldiers to fight for the Union Army. By the end of the civil war, about 178,000 free blacks and freed slaves served in the army. -
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, Partly in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, the Yellowstone National Park was appointed the United States' first national park on March 1st, 1872. -
Communication Is Soaring
The United States has about 50,000 telephones. -
The First Breakthrough For The Lightbulb
On January 27th, Thomas Edison received the historic patent embodying the principles of his incandescent lamp that paved the way for the universal domestic use of electric light. -
Fingerprints Are Used
Fingerprints, for the first time, start being used for identification. -
Statue Of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York Harbor on October 28th. -
Kodak Camera Sold
The Kodak box camera was offered for sale for $25, taking 100 pictures on a roll. -
Mine Workers Of America
The United Mine Workers of America is founded. -
Plege Of Allegiance First Resited In Schools
To mark 400 anniversary Columbus Day holiday, the "Pledge of Allegiance" was first recited in unison by students in US public schools. -
Utah Is Admitted
Utah is admitted as the 45th U.S. state. -
Separate But Equal Document
The United States Supreme Court rules in Plessy v. Ferguson, introducing the "separate but equal" doctrine and upholding segregation. -
Peace Treaty Signed
A peace treaty between the United States and Spain is ratified by the United States Senate. -
Theodore Roosevelt
In 1901, President Mckinley is assassinated and Theodore Roosevelt becomes President. -
Ford Company Created
The Ford motor company was formed. -
First Flight
The Wright brothers complete their first flight. -
Oklahoma Becomes A State
Oklahoma becomes the 46th state to enter the Union. -
U.S. Penny Is Changed
The design on the front of the penny is changed to Abraham Lincoln's face. -
Wilson Becomes President
Woodrow Wilson is elected as the 28th Prestident of the United States. -
Mother's Day
Mother's Day is established as a national holiday. -
U.S. Aquires The Virgin Islands
The U.S. Virgin Islands is one of five inhabited insular areas of the United States, along with American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico. The territory comprises St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas and Water Island. The Virgin Passage separates the U.S. Virgin Islands from the Spanish Virgin Islands of Vieques and Culebra, which are part of Puerto Rico. The United States dollar is the official currency. -
U.S. Enters World War One
World War I (WWI), also known as the First World War, was a global war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918. From the time of its occurrence until the approach of World War II in 1939, it was called simply the World War or the Great War, and thereafter the First World War or World War I. More than 9 million combatants were killed: a scale of death impacted by industrial advancements, geographic stalemate and reliance on human wave attacks. -
Zimmermann Telegram
The Zimmermann Telegram (or Zimmermann Note) was a 1917 diplomatic proposal from the German Empire for Mexico to join the Central Powers, in the event of the United States entering World War I on the side of the Entente Powers. The proposal was intercepted and decoded by British intelligence.
