US History Timeline By isa1234 Oct 12, 1492 The Discovery of America by Columbus Period: Oct 12, 1492 to Dec 17, 1903 US History Timeline May 14, 1607 The Settlement of Jamestown May 28, 1754 The French and Indian War begins Dec 16, 1773 The Boston Tea Party Apr 17, 1775 The Battle of Lexington and Concord Jul 4, 1776 The Declaration of Independence Oct 19, 1781 The Battle of Yorktown May 25, 1787 The Constitutional Convention begins Mar 14, 1793 The invention of the cotton gin Jul 14, 1798 The Alien and Sedition Acts Apr 30, 1803 The Louisiana Purchase Jun 18, 1812 The War of 1812 begins Mar 6, 1820 The Missouri Compromise Dec 4, 1828 Andrew Jackson’s Election 1831 The Trail of Tears May 10, 1837 The Panic of 1837 begins May 24, 1844 The invention of the telegraph Apr 25, 1846 The Mexican-American War Sep 9, 1850 The Compromise of 1850 Apr 12, 1861 The Firing on Fort Sumter Jan 1, 1863 The Emancipation Proclamation Apr 9, 1865 Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse Apr 14, 1865 Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination Dec 6, 1865 13th Amendment ratified Feb 24, 1868 Andrew Johnson’s Impeachment Jul 9, 1868 14th Amendment ratified Jan 2, 1870 The Organization of Standard Oil Trust Feb 3, 1870 15th Amendment ratified Mar 10, 1876 The invention of the telephone Oct 21, 1879 The invention of the electric light May 11, 1894 The Pullman Strike begins Apr 21, 1898 The Spanish-American War begins Sep 14, 1901 Theodore Roosevelt becomes president Dec 17, 1903 The invention of the airplane