America's top 40 Historical Events

1st permanent English settlement, Jamestown founded

First record of enslaved Africans arriving in VA

Peace of Paris ends French and Indian War/Proclamation Line

Declaration of Independence

Critical Period (Articles of Confederation)

Ratification of US Constitution/ New Government Established

Rise of King Cotton in the South - further entrenchment of slavery in America

Jefferson elected/transfer of power to new political party/America's 1st Party

Jefferson purchases LA Territory from French... debate over legality of this

Election of (King?) Andrew Jackson/America's 2nd Party Begins

Trail of Tears- 6,000 native people die from Jackson's previous signing of 1830 Indian Removal Act

Seneca Falls Convention is held... 1st convention on rights of women in US

Dred Scott case legalizes slavery everywhere in US-identified states and territories

American Civil War

President Abraham Lincoln signs the Emancipation Proclamation

Reconstruction Era

Dawes Act is signed by Pres. Cleveland

Wounded Knee Massacre occurs

Plessy v Ferguson US Supreme Court Cases legalizes segregation/Jim Crow laws become further entrenched

Spanish American War begins and put into question America's world power/purpose

Progressive Era.. women and men in US fight for more rights and liberties

NAACP founded

WW1/US involvement from 1917-1918

Stock Market Crash/Beginning of Great Depression

FDR announces the Four Freedom/US enters WWII

Yalta Conference/V-E Day/V-J Day/End of WWII

Korean War....often referred to as the "Forgotten War" No formal declaration by US

Brown v Board of Education Supreme court cases ends legalized segregation in public schools

US Civil Rights movement—including Red Power, Black Power, Women's Rights, LGBTQ+

Historical March on Washington occurs-MLK has a dream/Feminine Mystique published

Historic Civil Rights Act signed by Johnson & Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Direct Involvement by United States in Vietnam War

Assassination of MLK/"Indian" Civil Rights Act passed/Tet Offensive/antiwar demonstrations/riots at Democratic Convention

Stonewall Uprising occurs

Resignation of Nixon & Watergate Scandal

Election of Reagan marks upswing of conservative politics

Berlin Wall falls/political change in Eastern Europe

Gulf War

US attacked by members of Al Qaida

Same sex marriage is legalized by the US Supreme Court