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United States Politics
A historical timeline of the United States political landscape from 1784-2017 -
Constitutional Convention
made up of delegates from 12 of the original 13 colonies, meets in Philadelphia to draft the U.S. Constitution -
Shay's Rebellion
farmers from New Hampshire to South Carolina take up arms to protest high state taxes and stiff penalties for failure to pay. -
George Washington Elected
George Washington is unanimously elected president of the United States in a vote by state electors (Feb. 4). U.S. Constitution -
First Supreme Court Meeting
U.S. Supreme Courtmeets for the first time at the Merchants Exchange Building in New York City ( -
Bill of Rights Ratified
First ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, are ratified -
Washington's Second Inauguration
Washington's second inauguration is held in Philadelphia -
John Adam's Inauguration
John Adamsis inaugurated as the second president in Philadelphia -
Thomas Jeffeson Inaugurated
Thomas Jefferson is inaugurated as the third president in Washington, DC -
Marbury vs Madison
Landmark Supreme Court decision greatly expands the power of the Court by establishing its right to declare acts of Congress unconstitutional -
Jefferson Second Inauguration
Inaugurated in DC -
Us Capital Move
The U.S. capital is moved from Philadelphia to Washington, DC. U.S. Congress meets in Washington, DC, for the first time -
Lewis and Clark
Lewis and Clark reach the Pacific Ocean -
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. -
James Madison
James Madison is inaugurated as the fourth president -
War of 1812
U.S. declares war on Britain over British interference with American maritime shipping and westward expansion -
James Madison Second Inauguration
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Britian Captures 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 -
Treaty of Ghent
Treaty of Ghent is signed, officially ending the war -
James Monroe Inaugurated
James Monroe is inaugurated as the fifth president -
US gets Florida
Spain agrees to cede Florida to the United States -
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' -
Monroe's Second Inauguration
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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 -
Gibbons Vs Ogden
Landmark Supreme Court decision broadly defines Congress's right to regulate interstate commerce -
John Quincy Adams Inaugurated
Inaugurated as sixth president -
Erie Canal
Erie Canal, linking the Hudson River to Lake Erie, is opened for traffic -
Andrew Jackson Inaugurated
Inaugurated as seventh president -
Indian Removal Act
President Jackson signs the Indian Removal Act, which authorizes the forced removal of Native Americans living in the eastern part of the country to lands west of the Mississippi River -
The Liberator
William Lloyd Garrison begins publishing the Liberator, a weekly paper that advocates the complete abolition of slavery. He becomes one of the most famous figures in the abolitionist movement. -
Baltimore and Ohio railroad
Construction is begun on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the first public railroad in the U.S -
Jackson's Second Inauguration
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Alamo
Texan defenders of the Alamo are all killed during siege by the Mexican Army -
Texas Independance
Texas declares its independence from Mexico -
Texas Wins
Texans defeat Mexicans at San Jacinto -
Martin Van Buren Inaugurated
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 Inaugurated
William Henry Harrison is inaugurated as the ninth president -
Henry Harrison Dies
He dies one month later and is succeeded in office by his vice president, John Tyler. -
James Polk Inaugurated
Polk is inaugurated as 11th president -
Mexican War
US declares war on Mexico in hopes of attaining California and other lands. -
Gold Discovered
Gold is discovered at Sutter's Mill in California -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
War concludes with signing of Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Mexico recognizes Rio Grande as new boundary with Texas and, for $15 million, agrees to cede territory comprising present-day California, Nevada, Utah, most of New Mexico and Arizona, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. -
Seneca Halls
Women's rights convention is held at Seneca Falls, N.Y. -
Zachary Taylor Inaugurated
Zachary Taylor is inaugurated as 12th president -
President Taylor's Death
President Taylor dies and is taken over by his Vice President. -
South Carolina Secedes
South Carolina secedes from the Union -
Abraham Lincoln Elected
Abraham Lincoln is elected as our 16th President. -
More States Secede
Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana secede -
Confederate States
Confederate States of America is established -
Jefferson Davis
Davis is elected president of the Confederacy -
Emancipation Proclamation
Emancipation Proclamation is issued, freeing slaves in the Confederate states -
Battle of Gettysburg
Battle is fought from July 1-3 -
Gettysburg Address
Lincoln delivers the Gettysburg Address -
Grant Captures Richmond
General Ulysses S Grant and the Union Army capture Richmond, VA, the Confederate Capitol. -
Confederates Surrender
Confederate general Robert E. Lee surrenders to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, Va., -
Lincoln Assassinated
Lincoln is Assassinated by John Wilkes Booth at the Ford Theater, Andrew Johnson takes his place. -
Thirteenth Amendment
Thirteenth Amendment is ratified, prohibiting slavery -
Fifteenth Amendment
Fifteenth Amendment is ratified which allows black citizens to vote. -
Statue of Liberty Dedicated
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Ellis Island
Ellis Island is made the Chief Immigration Station of the United States -
Plessy vs Ferguson
Landmark Supreme Court decision holds that racial segregation is constitutional, paving the way for the repressive Jim Crow laws in the South -
Wright Bros Flight
Wright brothers make the first controlled, sustained flight in heavier-than-air aircraft at Kitty Hawk, N.C. -
FBI Established
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World War I
US Declares war on Germany beginning World War I -
President Harding Dies
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Star Spangled Banner
Star Spangled Banner is officially made national anthem of the USA -
Twentieth Amendment
Lame Duck Amendment, moves president inauguration from March 4 to January 20 -
New Deal
New Deal recovery measures are enacted by Congress -
Social Security Act Passed
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Fair Labor Standards Act
Act passed and sets the first minimum wage, 25 cents per hour -
Pearl Harbor
Japan attacks Hawaii and the US formally declares war on Japan -
World War 2
US declares war on Germany and Italy, the reciprocate the declaration, and formally begins World War 2 -
D-Day
Allies invade France on D-Day -
US bombs Japan
US bombs Hiroshima and Nagasaki -
Japan surrenders
Japan unconditionally surrenders to the US -
UN Established
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Vietnam War
Prolonged conflict between Communist forces of North Vietnam, backed by China and the USSR, and non-Communist forces of South Vietnam, backed by the United States. President Truman authorizes $15 million in economic and military aid to the French, who are fighting to retain control of French Indochina, including Vietnam. As part of the aid package, Truman also sends 35 military advisers -
Korean War
Cold war conflict between Communist and non-Communist forces on Korean Peninsula. North Korean communists invade South Korea -
Truman Sends In Troops
President Truman, without the approval of Congress, commits American troops to battle -
22nd Amendment
Amendment is passed limiting a president to two terms. -
Explorer 1
Explorer 1, first American satellite is launched -
Alaska and Hawaii
Alaska and Hawaii become 49 and 50 states. -
Kennedy Inaugurated
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Bay of Pigs Invasion
Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba fails -
"I Have A Dream:"
Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivers his “I Have a Dream” speech before a crowd of 200,000 during the civil rights march on Washington, DC -
Kennedy Assassinated
President Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Tex. -
Civil Rights Act
President Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act -
North Vietnam Attacks US
North Vietnamese torpedo boats allegedly attack U.S. destroyer in Gulf of Tonkin off the coast of North Vietnam -
US planes begin raid of North Vietnam
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Miranda Vs Arizona
Landmark Supreme Court decision further defines due process clause of Fourteenth Amendment and establishes Miranda rights -
25th Amendment
Twenty-Fifth Amendment to the Constitution is ratified, outlining the procedures for filling vacancies in the presidency and vice presidency -
Martin Luther King Jr is Assassinated
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26th Amendment
Lowers voting age from 21 to 18 -
South Vietnam Surrenders
South Vietnamese government surrenders to North Vietnam; U.S. embassy Marine guards and last U.S. civilians are evacuated -
Summer Olympics in Moscow
President Carter announces that U.S. athletes will not attend Summer Olympics in Moscow unless Soviet Union withdraws from Afghanistan -
End of Cold War
Following the breakup of the Soviet Union in Dec. 1991, President Bush and Russian president Boris Yeltsin meet at Camp David and formally declare an end to the cold war -
9/11
Two hijacked jetliners ram twin towers of World Trade Center in worst terrorist attack against U.S.; a third hijacked plane flies into the Pentagon, and a fourth crashes in rural Pennsylvania. More than 3,000 people die in the attacks -
Attacking Afghanistan
U.S. and Britain launch air attacks against targets in Afghanistan after Taliban government fails to hand over Saudi terrorist Osama bin Laden, the suspected mastermind behind the Sept. 11 attacks -
Obama Elected
Barack Obama becomes the first African-American to be elected President, with 52.8% of the vote
