U.S. History A Timeline By Ha11ow5cyth 1492 the discovery of America by Columbus 1605 the settlement of Jamestown Period: 1751 to 1763 the French and Indian war 1773 the Boston tea party 1775 the battle of Lexington and concord 1776 the declaration of independence 1780 the battle of yorktown 1787 the constitutional convention 1793 the alien and sedition acts 1793 the invention of the cotton gin 1802 the Louisiana purchase Period: 1812 to 1802 the war of 1812 1820 the Missouri compromise 1828 Andrew Jackson's election Period: 1830 to 1849 the trail of tears 1836 the panic of 1837 1843 the invention of the telegraph Period: 1846 to 1848 the Mexican American war 1848 the compromise of 1850 1860 the firing on fort Sumter 1863 the emancipation proclamation Period: 1864 to 1870 13th 14th and 15th amendments 1865 Abraham Lincolns assassination 1865 surrender at Appomattox courthouse 1868 Andrew Jackson's impeachment Period: 1879 to 1903 the invention of the electric light telephone and the airplane 1882 the organization of standard oil trust Period: 1894 to 1892 the Pullman and homestead strikes 1898 the Spanish-American war 1901 Theodore Roosevelt becomes president