U.S. History Timeline By elizabailor 1492 The Discovery of America by Columbus May 14, 1607 The settlement of Jamestown Period: 1754 to 1736 The French and Indian War Dec 16, 1773 The Boston Tea Party Apr 19, 1775 The Battle of Lexington and Concord Jul 4, 1776 The Declaration of Independence Sep 28, 1781 The Battle of Yorktown May 25, 1787 The Constitutional Convention 1793 The invention of the cotton gin Patented in1794 Period: 1798 to 1798 The Alien and Sedition Acts Apr 30, 1803 The Louisiana Purchase Jun 18, 1812 The War of 1812 1820 The Missouri Compromise Period: Oct 31, 1828 to Dec 2, 1828 Andrew Jackson’s Election Period: 1830 to 1850 The Trail of Tears 1837 The invention of the telegraph Period: Mar 17, 1837 to 1842 The Panic of 1837 Peaked on May 10, 1837 Period: Apr 25, 1846 to Feb 2, 1848 The Mexican-American War 1850 The Compromise of 1850 Apr 12, 1861 The Firing on Fort Sumter Official start of the Civil War Jan 1, 1863 The Emancipation Proclamation 1865 13th Amendment Apr 9, 1865 Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse Apr 15, 1865 Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination 1868 14th Amendment Period: Feb 24, 1868 to May 26, 1868 Andrew Johnson’s Impeachment 1870 15th Amendment 1874 The invention of the telephone 1880 The invention of the electric light bulb 1882 The Organization of Standard Oil Trust Period: 1892 to 1894 The Pullman and Homestead Strikes Period: Apr 21, 1898 to Aug 13, 1898 The Spanish-American War Period: Sep 14, 1901 to Mar 4, 1909 Theodore Roosevelt becomes president 1927 The invention of the airplane