American History By hintonb Jan 1, 1607 Establishment of Jamestown Jan 1, 1621 First thanksgiving at Plymouth Mar 4, 1681 William Penn receives a charter for land on which he will found Pennsylvania Jan 1, 1692 Salem witch trials begin. Jan 1, 1693 The College of William and Mary is founded Jan 1, 1715 Yamasee tribes attack and kill several hundred Carolina settlers. Jan 1, 1716 South Carolina settlers and their Cherokee allies attack and defeat the Yamassee. Jan 1, 1718 French found New Orleans. Jan 1, 1732 Birth of George Washington Jan 1, 1739 War of Jenkin's Ear Jan 1, 1749 First American repertory acting company established in Philadelphia Jan 1, 1754 Colonies adopt Benjamin Franklin's "Plan of the Union" of English colonies. Jul 4, 1776 Second Continental Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence. Aug 27, 1776 The colonial army suffers a serious defeat at the Battle of Long Island. Oct 9, 1776 City of San Fransico May 12, 1780 After 40 days of siege, General Benjamin Lincoln surrenders Charles Town Sep 6, 1781 Benedict Arnold and his troops attack and destroy parts of New London, Connecticut. Jan 1, 1790 First American cotton mill. Jan 1, 1791 Washington, D. C. established as U. S. capital. Dec 14, 1799 George Washington dies at Mount Vernon Jul 4, 1802 United States Military Academy opens at West Point, N. Y. Aug 31, 1803 . Lewis and Clark expedition sets out down the Ohio River Apr 1, 1804 Aaron Burr is defeated in his campaign for governor of New York. Apr 30, 1812 State of Louisiana enters the union. Dec 11, 1816 Indiana is admitted to the union as a free state. Mar 4, 1817 James Monroe is inaugurated as fifth president of the U. S. Mar 15, 1820 Maine added as 23rd state Aug 10, 1821 Missouri enters union as 24th state, thus balancing the union at 12 slave and 12 free states Dec 2, 1823 President Monroe presents Monroe Doctrine stating that U.S. will not tolerate European interference in Western Hemisphere. Jan 1, 1832 Democrat Andrew Jackson is re-elected president Apr 12, 1836 Texans capture Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto Mar 4, 1837 Democrat Martin Van Buren is inaugurated president Jul 4, 1840 The Independent Treasury Act is signed into law by President Martin Van Buren Aug 13, 1841 The Independent Treasury Act is repealed. Feb 28, 1849 First gold seekers arrive in San Francisco Dec 30, 1853 Gadsden Purchase gives the U.S. a strip of land in what is now southern New Mexico and Arizona. Mar 23, 1857 First elevator installed by Elisha P. Otis in New York City Jan 1, 1859 Georgia passes a law forbidding owners from manumitting slaves in their wills. Oct 21, 1861 Union forces defeated at the battle of Ball's Bluff, Virginia. May 20, 1862 Lincoln signs the Homestead Act Jan 1, 1863 The Emancipation Proclamation is signed Jun 22, 1870 Department of Justice is created May 8, 1874 Massachusetts limits women's working days to 10 hours, a significant reform. Jul 14, 1877 The Great Strike of 1877 begins with railroad workers walking out Jan 1, 1880 Building of Panama canal begins Jul 2, 1881 Garfield is shot in the back Jan 1, 1885 Washington Monument dedicated after 36 years of construction. Oct 28, 1886 Statue of Liberty dedicated in New York Harbor May 13, 1889 Johnstown (Pennsylvania) flood kills an estimated 5,000 people Dec 29, 1890 Two hundred Sioux are killed by soldiers at Wounded Knee, South Dakota. Oct 20, 1893 World's Columbian Exhibition opens in Chicago Jan 19, 1896 First use of X-rays to treat breast cancer. Feb 25, 1898 Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt sends the Pacific fleet to the Philippines Aug 12, 1898 Annexation of Hawaii.
