us history a timeline By Sterbin Aug 3, 1492 Christopher Columbus's first voyage to the Americas May 14, 1607 The Jamestown settlement was established 1754 The French and Indian War beginning 1760 The French and Indian War end Dec 16, 1771 The Boston Tea Party Apr 19, 1773 The Battle of Lexington and Concord Jun 4, 1776 The Declaration of Independence 1781 The Battle of Yorktown Mar 25, 1787 The Constitutional Convention Mar 14, 1794 The invention of the cotton gin 1797 The Alien and Sedition Acts Apr 30, 1803 The Louisiana Purchase Jun 18, 1812 The War of 1812 beginning Jan 17, 1815 The War of 1812 end Mar 6, 1820 The Missouri Compromise Nov 4, 1828 Andrew Jackson’s Election 1830 The Trail of Tears 1830 The invention of the telegraph start 1837 The Panic of 1837 1840 The invention of the telegraph end Apr 25, 1846 The Mexican-American War start Feb 2, 1848 The Mexican-American War end 1849 The Compromise of 1850 Apr 12, 1861 The Firing on Fort Sumter Jan 1, 1863 The Emancipation Proclamation 1865 13th Amendment Apr 9, 1865 Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse Apr 14, 1865 Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination 1867 14th Amendment Feb 24, 1868 Andrew Johnson’s Impeachment 1870 15th Amendment 1876 The invention of the telephone 1879 The invention of the electric light Jan 2, 1882 The Organization of Standard Oil Trust May 11, 1894 The Pullman and Homestead Strikes 1897 The Spanish-American War 1901 Theodore Roosevelt becomes president 1903 The invention of the airplane