APUSH timeline 1877-Present

  • End of Reconstruction

    End of Reconstruction
    Federal troops withdraw from the South, leading to the rise of segregation laws.
  • Spanish-American War

    Spanish-American War
    U.S. gains territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, Philippines), becoming a global power.
  • 19th Amendment Ratified

    19th Amendment Ratified
    Women gain the right to vote, marking a major step in gender equality.
  • Stock Market Crash

    Stock Market Crash
    Triggers the Great Depression, leading to mass unemployment and economic hardship.
  • Attack on Pearl Harbor

    Attack on Pearl Harbor
    Japan’s attack draws the U.S. into World War II.
  • End of World War II

    End of World War II
    U.S. emerges as a superpower; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
  • Brown v. Board of Education

    Brown v. Board of Education
    Supreme Court rules segregation in schools unconstitutional.
  • Martin Luther King Jr.’s "I Have a Dream" Speech

    Martin Luther King Jr.’s "I Have a Dream" Speech
    Becomes a defining moment in the Civil Rights Movement.
  • Civil Rights Act Signed

    Civil Rights Act Signed
    Outlaws segregation and discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
  • Apollo 11 Moon Landing

    Apollo 11 Moon Landing
    U.S. becomes the first nation to put a man on the moon.
  • Watergate Scandal

    Watergate Scandal
    President Nixon resigns due to the cover-up of a political scandal.
  • Fall of the Berlin Wall

    Fall of the Berlin Wall
    Symbolizes the end of the Cold War and the collapse of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe.
  • Gulf War

    Gulf War
    U.S. leads a coalition to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait.
  • 9/11 Terrorist Attacks

    9/11 Terrorist Attacks
    Leads to the War on Terror, including wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
  • Barack Obama Elected

    Barack Obama Elected
    First African American president of the U.S.
  • Great Recession

    Great Recession
    Financial crisis causes global economic downturn, leading to major government interventions.
  • Black Lives Matter Protests

    Black Lives Matter Protests
    Protests against racial injustice gain worldwide attention after George Floyd’s death.
  • COVID-19 Pandemic

    COVID-19 Pandemic
    Global pandemic disrupts daily life, leading to economic crises and lockdowns.
  • January 6 Capitol Riot

    January 6 Capitol Riot
    Challanges democracy and election integrity.
  • Roe v. Wade Overturned

    Roe v. Wade Overturned
    Supreme Court decision removes federal protection for abortion rights, shifting laws to states.