US History Timeline By M.S.L. Oct 12, 1492 The Discovery of America by Columbus Period: Oct 12, 1492 to Dec 17, 1903 US History Timline 1607 The Settlement of Jamestown 1754 The French and Indian War Dec 16, 1772 The Boston Tea Party 1775 The Battle of Lexington and Concord Jul 4, 1776 The Declaration of Independence 1781 The Battle of Yorktown 1787 The Constitutional Convention 1794 The invention of the cotton gin 1798 The Alien and Sedition Acts 1801 The Louisiana Purchase 1812 The War of 1812 Mar 3, 1820 The Missouri Compromise 1825 Andrew Jackson’s Election 1830 The invention of the telegraph 1831 The Trail of Tears 1837 The Panic of 1837 1846 The Mexican-American War 1850 The Compromise of 1850 1861 The Firing on Fort Sumter 1863 The Emancipation Proclamation 1865 13th, 14th, 15th Amendments 1865 Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse Apr 14, 1865 Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination Feb 24, 1868 Andrew Johnson’s Impeachment 1882 The Organization of Standard Oil Trust 1892 The Pullman and Homestead Strikes 1898 The Spanish-American War Sep 14, 1901 Theodore Roosevelt becomes president 1903 The invention of the electric light, telephone, and airplane