US HISTORY-BY NATHAN TROTTIER By nathantrottier Jun 15, 1215 The Magna Carta is written to limit the power of English rulers Aug 1, 1492 COLUMBUS SETS SAIL TO FIND A ROUTE TO THE EAST INDIES Nov 8, 1519 HERNANDO CORTES CAPTURES TENOCHTITLAN, BEGINNING THE FALL OF THE AZTEC EMPIRE Jan 1, 1607 VIRGINIA FOUNDED Jan 1, 1620 MASSACHUSETTS FOUNDED Jan 1, 1620 The Mayflower Compact, the first document of self-government in North America, is written by Pilgrim leaders in Plymouth Jan 1, 1622 NEW HAMPSHIRE FOUNDED Jan 1, 1624 NEW YORK FOUNDED Jan 1, 1632 MARYLAND FOUNDED Jan 1, 1636 CONNECTICUT FOUNDED Jan 1, 1636 RHODE ISLAND FOUNDED Jan 1, 1638 DELAWARE FOUNDED Jan 1, 1663 THE CAROLINAS FOUNDED Jan 1, 1664 NEW JERSEY FOUNDED Jan 1, 1682 PENNSYLVANIA FOUNDED Jan 1, 1689 The English Bill of rights is written to limit the monarchy and protect the rights of citizens Jan 1, 1690 John Locke publishes "Two Treatises on Government" Jan 1, 1712 THE CAROLINAS SPLIT INTO NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA Jan 1, 1732 GEORGIA FOUNDED Jan 1, 1748 Baron de Montesquieu publishes "The Spirit of the Laws," urging that the government power be divided into three branches Apr 1, 1754 FRENCH AND INDIAN WA BEGINS AT BATTLE OF FORT NECESSITY Jan 1, 1755 FORT TROOPS DEFEAT GENERAL BRADDOCK Sep 18, 1759 QUEBEC SURRENDERS TO THE BRITISH Jan 1, 1760 BRITISH TROOPS TAKE MONTREAL, ENDING THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR FIGHTING IN NORTH AMERICA Jan 1, 1763 TREATY OF PARIS IS SIGNED BETWEEN BRITAIN & FRANCE, ENDING THE FRENCH & INDIAN WAR Jan 1, 1764 SUGAR ACT Jan 1, 1765 STAMP ACT May 1, 1767 TOWNSHEND ACTS Mar 5, 1770 BOSTON MASSACRE Jan 1, 1773 TEA ACT Nov 1, 1773 BOSTON TEA PARTY Jan 1, 1774 INTOLERABLE ACT Sep 1, 1774 FIRST CONTINENTALCONGRESS CONVENES IN PHILADELPHIA Apr 19, 1775 "THE SHOT HEARD AROUND THE WORLD"IS FIRED IN LEXINGTON May 10, 1775 SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS MEETS IN PHILADELPHIA Jun 16, 1775 BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL Nov 1, 1775 AMERICAN TROOPS SECURE MONTREAL Dec 31, 1775 AMERICAN TROOPS FAIL TO TAKE QUEBEC Jun 1, 1776 THOMAS PAINE WRITES COMMON SENSE Jul 4, 1776 CONTINENTAL CONGRESS ACCEPTS DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE Jan 1, 1777 ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION WRITTEN Oct 17, 1777 BRITISH TROOPS SURRENDER AT SARATOGA Sep 1, 1780 BENEDICT ARNOLD TURNS TRAITOR NTO THE AMERICAN CAUSE Oct 7, 1780 AMERICAN TROOPS CAPTURE KINGS MOUNTAIN Jan 1, 1781 ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION GO INTO EFFECT Oct 14, 1781 BRITISH TROOPS SURRENDER AT YORKTOWN Apr 15, 1783 TREATY OF PARIS IS RATIFIED BY CONGRESS ENDING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR Feb 22, 1784 The "Empress of China" becomes the first American ship to trade with China Jan 1, 1785 LAND OREDINANCE OF 1785 Jan 1, 1786 SHAYS REBELLION Jan 1, 1787 NORTHWEST ORDINANCE May 25, 1787 CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OPENS IN PHILADELPHIA Sep 17, 1787 CONSTITUTUION APPROVED BY CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION Dec 1, 1787 Delaware becomes first state to ratify the US Constitution Jun 1, 1788 New Hampshire becomes the ninth state to ratify the US Constitution, allowing it to go into effect Jul 4, 1788 Citizens of Philadelphia celebrate the ratification of the US Constitution with a festival Jan 1, 1789 Congress creates the first five executive departments Apr 30, 1789 George Washington is inaugurated as our 1st President in New York City Jul 14, 1789 The French Revolution begins when an angry mob storms the Bastille Jan 1, 1791 The Whiskey Rebellion Feb 1, 1791 Congress creates the first Bank of the United States Oct 1, 1791 French King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette are beheaded Dec 1, 1791 Three fourths of the states ratify the first ten amendments to the Constitution, which become known as the Bill of Rights Apr 22, 1793 Washington issues the Neutrality Proclamation Nov 1, 1793 Britain seizes American ships trading in the French West Indies Mar 4, 1794 11th Amendment - Suits against States Sep 26, 1796 George Washington publishes his Farewell Address Jan 1, 1797 France seizes American ships trading in the French West Indies Mar 4, 1797 John Adams is inaugurated as our 2nd President Jan 1, 1798 XYZ AFFAIR Jan 1, 1798 Alien and Sedition Acts passed Dec 14, 1799 George Washington dies in his Virginia home, Mount Vernon Jan 1, 1800 Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr receive the same number of electoral votes for President, causing Congress to eventually pass the 12th amendment Feb 13, 1801 Congress passes the Judiciary Act to organize the federal court system Mar 4, 1801 Thomas Jefferson is inaugurated the third President of the United States Jan 1, 1803 Marbury v. Madison tried before the Supreme Court, establishing judicial review Jan 1, 1803 Thomas Jefferson approves the purchase of Louisiana Dec 9, 1803 12th Amendment - Election of President and Vice President Jan 1, 1804 Federalist leader, Alexander Hamilton, killed in a duel with Republican, Aaron Burr May 1, 1804 Lewis and Clark set out from St. Louis to explore the American west Nov 7, 1805 Lewis and Clark reach the Pacific Ocean Jan 1, 1806 Lewis and Clark return to St. Louis Nov 1, 1806 Zebulon Pike views a mountain peak rising above the Colorado plains, which becomes known as "Pikes Peak" Jan 1, 1807 Thomas Jefferson persuaded Congress to pass the Embargo Act Mar 12, 1808 Congress passes the Nonintercourse Act to replace the Embargo Act Dec 7, 1808 James Madison wins the election and becomes our fourth President Jun 18, 1812 The American ship, the Constitution, battles the British ship, Guerriere, in the north Atlantic near the beginning of the War of 1812 Sep 12, 1813 -Battle of Lake Erie Mar 27, 1814 Battle of Horseshoe Bend Jan 1, 1820 Joseph Smith founds the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Jan 1, 1830 Joseph Smith is killed, Mormons choose Brigham Young as their leader Apr 21, 1830 Battle of San Jacinto is won by Sam Houston Jan 1, 1831 Nat Turner's Rebellion May 22, 1831 Harriet Beecher Stowe publishes "Uncle Tom's Cabin" Jan 1, 1836 General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna comes to power in Mexico Feb 23, 1836 Mexican troops begin a siege of the Alamo Mar 2, 1836 Texans declare independence from Mexico Jan 1, 1840 Brigham Young moves the Mormons from Illinois to Utah for safety Jan 1, 1844 Manifest Destiny plays important role in election of James K Polk as President Jan 24, 1845 The "forty-niners" make the long journey to California in search of gold Feb 2, 1845 Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo signed, ending the Mexican War, and forcing Mexico to cede California and New Mexico to the United States Jan 1, 1846 US and Britain reach agreement to jointly occupy Oregon May 1, 1846 Fighting at Rio Grande sparks beginning of Mexican War May 13, 1846 President Polk orders troops into disputed area along Rio Grande May 1, 1848 John Sutter strikes gold at his sawmill on the American River in California Jan 1, 1850 Missouri Compromise Sep 9, 1850 California is admitted to the Union as a free state Jan 12, 1853 The Gadsden Purchase is made, with the US paying Mexico $10 million for a strip of land to finish building a railroad Jan 1, 1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act Jan 1, 1854 Bleeding Kansas Mar 6, 1857 Dred Scott Decision Jan 1, 1858 Lincoln-Douglas Debates Jan 1, 1859 John Brown's Raid of Harpers Ferry, Virginia Dec 20, 1860 Secession of South Carolina Jan 1, 1861 Emancipation Proclamation Jan 18, 1861 Lincoln is elected 16th President of the United States Apr 12, 1861 Firing on Fort Sumter Apr 16, 1861 Virginia joins the Confederacy Jul 21, 1861 Battle of Bull Run of First Manassas ( Jan 2, 1862 Battle of Murfreesboro Feb 1, 1862 Battles at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson Apr 6, 1862 Battle of Shiloh May 1, 1862 Jackson's Valley Campaign Aug 28, 1862 Second Manassas Sep 17, 1862 Battle of Antietam Oct 8, 1862 Battle of Chaplin Hills Dec 11, 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg May 1, 1863 Battle of Chancellorsville May 18, 1863 Siege of Vicksburg May 22, 1863 General Order 143 Jan 31, 1865 13th Amendment - Abolition of Slavery Jun 13, 1866 14th Amendment - Rights of Citizens Feb 26, 1869 15th Amendment - Voting Rights Jul 12, 1909 16th Amendment - The Income Tax May 13, 1912 17th Amendment - Direct Election of Senators Dec 18, 1917 18th Amendment - Prohibition of Alcoholic Beverages Jun 4, 1919 19th Amendment - Women's Suffrage Mar 2, 1932 20th Amendment - Presidential Terms; Sessions of Congress Feb 20, 1933 21st Amendment - Repeal of 18th Amendment (Prohibition) Mar 12, 1947 22nd Amendment - Limit on number of President's Terms Jun 16, 1960 23rd Amendment - Presidential Electors for District of Columbia Aug 27, 1962 24th Amendment - Abolition of Poll Tax in National Elections Jul 6, 1965 25th Amendment - Presidential Succession and Disability Mar 23, 1971 26th Amendment - Voting Age May 7, 1992 27th Amendment - Congressional Pay Increase
