US History: Key Events & Eras
From the first colonies to the modern era — the people, events, and turning points that shaped the United States.
Colonial Period (1607–1775)
The first permanent English settlement in North America was Jamestown, Virginia, founded in 1607. By 1732, thirteen colonies stretched along the Atlantic coast, all under British rule.
- 1620 — The Mayflower brings Pilgrims to Plymouth, Massachusetts. They sign the Mayflower Compact, an early model of self-governance.
- 1692 — Salem witch trials in Massachusetts; 20 people executed during a period of mass hysteria.
- 1754–1763 — French and Indian War. Britain wins but runs into massive debt, leading to new taxes on the colonies.
- 1765 — Stamp Act: Britain taxes the colonies without their consent. Colonists protest with the slogan "No taxation without representation."
- 1773 — Boston Tea Party: colonists dump British tea into Boston Harbor to protest the Tea Act.
Revolutionary Era (1775–1789)
| Year | Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1775 | Battles of Lexington and Concord | First shots of the Revolutionary War ("the shot heard round the world") |
| 1776 | Declaration of Independence | Formally declares separation from Britain; authored by Thomas Jefferson |
| 1777 | Battle of Saratoga | American victory that convinced France to ally with the colonies |
| 1781 | Battle of Yorktown | Last major battle; British surrender effectively ends the war |
| 1783 | Treaty of Paris | Britain formally recognizes US independence |
| 1787 | Constitutional Convention | US Constitution written in Philadelphia; ratified in 1788 |
Early Republic (1789–1860)
- 1789 — George Washington becomes the first President of the United States.
- 1803 — Louisiana Purchase: the US doubles in size, buying land from France for about $15 million.
- 1812–1815 — War of 1812 with Britain. British troops burn the White House. The war ends in a draw but strengthens American national identity.
- 1823 — Monroe Doctrine: the US declares that European nations should not colonize or interfere in the Americas.
- 1830 — Indian Removal Act forces tens of thousands of Native Americans from their homelands. The forced march west becomes known as the Trail of Tears.
- 1848 — Gold discovered at Sutter's Mill, California. The Gold Rush brings 300,000 people west by 1855.
Civil War Era (1861–1877)
The central cause of the Civil War was slavery. Southern states depended on enslaved labor for their agricultural economy and feared that Abraham Lincoln's presidency would threaten it.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1861 | 11 Southern states secede; Confederate States of America formed. Civil War begins at Fort Sumter. |
| 1863 | Emancipation Proclamation frees enslaved people in Confederate states. Battle of Gettysburg — the bloodiest battle of the war, a Union turning point. |
| 1865 | Confederate General Lee surrenders at Appomattox. Lincoln is assassinated. 13th Amendment abolishes slavery. |
| 1865–1877 | Reconstruction: Congress passes laws to integrate formerly enslaved people into society. The South resists with Black Codes and later Jim Crow laws. |
Industrialization & Progressive Era (1877–1920)
- 1879 — Thomas Edison invents the practical lightbulb.
- 1886 — American Federation of Labor founded; labor unions fight for shorter hours and safer workplaces.
- 1898 — Spanish-American War. The US gains Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, becoming a global power.
- 1903 — Wright Brothers achieve the first powered airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, NC.
- 1913 — 16th Amendment establishes the federal income tax. 17th Amendment establishes direct election of senators.
- 1917–1918 — The US enters World War I. Over 116,000 Americans die.
- 1920 — 19th Amendment gives women the right to vote.
Depression, WWII, and Cold War (1929–1989)
| Era | Key Events |
|---|---|
| Great Depression (1929–1939) | Stock market crash of 1929 triggers massive unemployment (25%). FDR's New Deal creates jobs and social safety nets including Social Security. |
| World War II (1939–1945) | Japan attacks Pearl Harbor (Dec 7, 1941), drawing the US into the war. D-Day invasion (June 6, 1944). US drops atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki; Japan surrenders. |
| Cold War (1947–1991) | Ideological conflict between the US (democracy/capitalism) and USSR (communism). Korean War (1950–53), Vietnam War (1955–75), Space Race (Moon landing 1969), Cuban Missile Crisis (1962). |
| Civil Rights Movement (1954–1968) | Brown v. Board ends school segregation (1954). Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat (1955). March on Washington (1963). Civil Rights Act (1964) and Voting Rights Act (1965). |
Modern Era (1990–Present)
- 1991 — Gulf War. The US leads a coalition to push Iraq out of Kuwait.
- 2001 — September 11 terrorist attacks kill nearly 3,000 people. The US launches the War on Terror, invading Afghanistan.
- 2003 — US invades Iraq, beginning an 8-year occupation.
- 2008 — Financial crisis: the housing market collapses, causing the worst recession since the Great Depression.
- 2020 — COVID-19 pandemic causes over 1 million US deaths. Global economic disruption.
Key Theme: Expanding Rights
A central thread of US history is the gradual expansion of who is included in the rights promised by the Declaration of Independence. From abolishing slavery to women's suffrage to civil rights legislation, each era has seen new groups fight for and win greater equality.
Quick Quiz
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