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United States Historical Events

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Explore historical events and significant moments from United States

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January
1
Political
Emancipation Proclamation Takes Effect
On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation took effect during the Civil War.... Read more
Social
Ellis Island Immigration Station Opens
Ellis Island opened on January 1, 1892, serving as the primary federal immigration station for... Read more
2
Political
Georgia Ratifies the United States Constitution
On January 2, 1788, Georgia became the fourth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. The... Read more
Economic
National Maximum Speed Limit Signed
On January 2, 1974, President Richard Nixon signed the Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act, creating... Read more
3
Political
Alaska Admitted as the 49th State
On January 3, 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaimed Alaska the 49th state of the... Read more
4
Political
Utah Admitted as the 45th State
On January 4, 1896, Utah became the 45th state to join the Union after decades... Read more
Political
Nancy Pelosi Elected First Woman Speaker of the House
On January 4, 2007, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California was elected Speaker of the U.S.... Read more
5
Other
Construction Begins on the Golden Gate Bridge
On January 5, 1933, crews began construction on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.... Read more
Scientific
United States Announces Development of the Space Shuttle
On January 5, 1972, President Richard Nixon announced that the United States would proceed with... Read more
6
Political
New Mexico Admitted as the 47th State
On January 6, 1912, New Mexico entered the Union as the 47th state. The territory... Read more
Political
Four Freedoms Address by Franklin Roosevelt
On January 6, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered his State of the Union address... Read more
7
Political
First United States Presidential Election Begins
On January 7, 1789, states began selecting electors for the first U.S. presidential election under... Read more
Cultural
Marian Anderson Performs at the Metropolitan Opera
On January 7, 1955, contralto Marian Anderson became the first Black singer to perform as... Read more
8
Political
Washington Delivers the First State of the Union Address
On January 8, 1790, President George Washington delivered the first State of the Union address... Read more
Military
Battle of New Orleans
On January 8, 1815, American forces under Major General Andrew Jackson defeated the British at... Read more
9
Political
Connecticut Ratifies the United States Constitution
On January 9, 1788, Connecticut became the fifth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. The... Read more
Political
Mississippi Secedes from the Union
On January 9, 1861, Mississippi passed its ordinance of secession, becoming the second state to... Read more
10
Political
Common Sense by Thomas Paine was Published
On January 10, 1776, Thomas Paine published “Common Sense” in Philadelphia. The pamphlet argued plainly... Read more
11
Political
First Territorial Legislature of Alaska Meets
On January 11, 1913, Alaska’s first territorial legislature convened in Juneau following congressional establishment of... Read more
Political
First National Prohibition Begins
On January 11, 1920, the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution took full effect, formally... Read more
13
Political
Robert Clifton Weaver Becomes First Black Cabinet Member
On January 13, 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson’s administration installed Robert C. Weaver as the... Read more
Political
Second Impeachment of Donald Trump
On January 13, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald J.... Read more
14
Political
United States Senate Ratifies Treaty of Peace with Great Britain
On January 14, 1784, the Confederation Congress received formal ratification of the Treaty of Paris... Read more
15
Social
Birth of Martin Luther King Jr
On January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia. Over the... Read more
Other
US Airways Flight 1549 Miracle on the Hudson
On January 15, 2009, U.S. Airways Flight 1549 made an emergency water landing in the... Read more
16
Political
House Votes to Impeach President Andrew Johnson
On January 16, 1868, the U.S. House of Representatives passed articles of impeachment against President... Read more
17
Social
US Alcohol Prohibition Begins
On January 17, 1920, the Volstead Act, enforcing the 18th Amendment, went into effect, ushering... Read more
Other
Gary Gilmore Executed
On January 17, 1977, convicted murderer Gary Gilmore became the first person executed in the... Read more
18
Other
First Aircraft Landing on a Ship
On January 18, 1911, U.S. naval aviator Eugene B. Ely piloted a Curtiss biplane and... Read more
Other
Martin Luther King Jr Day
On January 18, 1993, the U.S. observed Martin Luther King Jr. Day nationwide for the... Read more
19
Political
Georgia Secedes from the Union
On January 19, 1861, Georgia’s state convention voted to secede from the United States and... Read more
Other
Howard Hughes Sets Transcontinental Flight Record
On January 19, 1937, aviator and entrepreneur Howard Hughes flew his H-1 Racer from Los... Read more
20
Political
Second Inauguration of Franklin Roosevelt
On January 20, 1937, Franklin D. Roosevelt took the oath of office for his second... Read more
Political
Ronald Reagan Inaugurated as President and Hostages Released in Iran
On January 20, 1981, Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as the 40th U.S. President. Minutes after... Read more
21
Social
First Kiwanis Club Founded
The first Kiwanis club was founded on January 21, 1915, in Detroit, Michigan, marking the... Read more
Military
US Launches First Nuclear-Powered Submarine
On January 21, 1954, the USS Nautilus was launched, becoming the world’s first operational nuclear-powered... Read more
Political
Newt Gingrich Reprimanded by US House
On January 21, 1997, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 395–28 to reprimand Speaker Newt... Read more
28
Sports
Roy Campanella Car Accident Ends Career
On January 28, 1958, former Major League Baseball star Roy Campanella was involved in a... Read more
Scientific
Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster
On January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrated 73 seconds after liftoff, killing all... Read more
31
Scientific
US Launches First Satellite and Enters Space Age
On January 31, 1958, the United States launched its first satellite, Explorer 1 , from... Read more
Other
Alaska Airlines Flight 261 Crash
On January 31, 2000, an Alaska Airlines MD-83 aircraft operating Flight 261 crashed into the... Read more
February
1
Political
First US Supreme Court Convenes in New York City
On February 1, 1790, the U.S. Supreme Court convened for the first time in New... Read more
Political
Texas Secedes from the Union
On February 1, 1861, Texas declared its secession from the United States and joined the... Read more
4
Political
Provisional Confederate Congress Meets in Montgomery
On February 4, 1861, representatives from the first seven southern states convened in Montgomery, Alabama,... Read more
8
Political
Creation of the Confederate States of America
On February 8, 1861, six seceded southern states signed the Confederate States Constitution in Montgomery,... Read more
9
Political
Jefferson Davis Elected Provisional President of the Confederacy
On February 9, 1861, Jefferson Davis was chosen as the provisional President of the Confederate... Read more
10
Military
U2 Pilot Powers Exchanged for Rudolf Abel
On February 10, 1962, U.S. spy plane pilot Francis Gary Powers was exchanged with Soviet... Read more
11
Scientific
Thomas Edison Invents the Phonograph
On February 11, 1878, Thomas Edison earned the patent for his phonograph, the first machine... Read more
12
Political
Abraham Lincoln Born in Kentucky
On February 12, 1809, Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin in Hardin County... Read more
Social
NAACP Founded in New York City
On February 12, 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was... Read more
13
Scientific
Chuck Yeager Receives the Collier Trophy
On February 13, 1948, pilot Chuck Yeager received the Collier Trophy for his achievement as... Read more
Cultural
National Public Radio Founded
On February 13, 1970, National Public Radio (NPR) was founded under the Public Broadcasting Act... Read more
14
Political
Arizona Becomes the 48th State
On February 14, 1912, Arizona was admitted to the Union as the 48th state. It... Read more
Other
The Saint Valentines Day Massacre
On February 14, 1929, seven members of Chicago’s North Side Gang were murdered in what... Read more
15
Military
USS Maine Explodes in Havana Harbor
On February 15, 1898, the U.S. battleship Maine exploded while anchored in Havana Harbor, Cuba,... Read more
Scientific
Galileo Probe Launched to Study the Moons of Jupiter
On February 15, 1989, NASA launched the Galileo probe aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis to... Read more
16
Natural Disaster
Chicago Blizzard of 1967
On February 16–17, 1967, a massive snowstorm struck Chicago, dropping over 23 inches of snow—the... Read more
17
Political
Missouri Compromise Introduced
On February 17, 1820, the U.S. Senate began debating what became known as the Missouri... Read more
18
Scientific
Pluto Discovered at Lowell Observatory
On February 18, 1930, Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. Using... Read more
Religious
First Church of Scientology Established in Los Angeles
On February 18, 1954, L. Ron Hubbard founded the first Church of Scientology in Los... Read more
19
Political
Executive Order 9066 Authorizes Japanese American Internment
On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, authorizing the forced... Read more
Political
Tule Lake Segregation Center Opened for Internees
On February 19, 1943, the Tule Lake Segregation Center in California was established as part... Read more
20
Scientific
John Glenn Becomes First American to Orbit Earth
On February 20, 1962, astronaut John Glenn piloted the Mercury capsule Friendship 7 , becoming... Read more
Cultural
Presidents Day Becomes a Federal Holiday
On February 20, 1971, the United States first observed Presidents’ Day under the Uniform Monday... Read more
21
Political
Washington DC Granted Presidential Vote
On February 21, 1961, the 23rd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, granting residents... Read more
Social
Malcolm X Assassinated in New York City
On February 21, 1965, civil rights leader Malcolm X was assassinated while speaking at the... Read more
22
Political
George Washington Born in Virginia
On February 22, 1732, George Washington, the first President of the United States, was born... Read more
Other
US Embassy Bombed in Beirut
On February 22, 1984, a suicide bomber attacked the U.S. Embassy annex in Beirut, Lebanon,... Read more
23
Military
US Marines Raise Flag on Iwo Jima
On February 23, 1945, five U.S. Marines and a Navy corpsman raised the American flag... Read more
Scientific
Polio Vaccine Test Begins
On February 23, 1954, the first mass trial of Dr. Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine began... Read more
24
Military
US Marines Capture Derna During First Barbary War
On February 24, 1805, U.S. forces and allied troops captured Derna, Libya, marking the first... Read more
Scientific
US Launches Mariner 2 Venus Probe
On February 24, 1961, NASA’s Mariner 2 became the first successful planetary probe to fly... Read more
25
Other
Samuel Colt Patent Revolver
On February 25, 1836, Samuel Colt received a U.S. patent for the revolver, a firearm... Read more
Political
Hiram Revels Sworn in as First Black US Senator
On February 25, 1870, Hiram Rhoades Revels of Mississippi was sworn in as the first... Read more
26
Other
Grand Canyon was Declared a National Park
On February 26, 1919, Congress established the Grand Canyon as a national park, recognizing its... Read more
Other
World Trade Center Bombing
On February 26, 1993, terrorists detonated a truck bomb beneath the North Tower of the... Read more
27
Military
US Occupies Vera Cruz During Mexican Revolution
On February 27, 1914, U.S. forces occupied the port of Vera Cruz to protect American... Read more
Political
Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution
On February 27, 1951, the Twenty-second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, limiting presidents... Read more
28
Cultural
Final Episode of MASH Airs to Record Audience
On February 28, 1983, the final episode of the television series M*A*S*H aired to an... Read more
Other
US Government Approves First COVID 19 Vaccine Distribution Plan
On February 28, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the Johnson & Johnson... Read more
29
Cultural
Gone with the Wind Wins Eight Academy Awards
On February 29, 1940, the film Gone with the Wind won eight Academy Awards, including... Read more
Scientific
Mount Saint Helens Reopens for Monitoring After 1980 Eruption
On February 29, 1984, scientists resumed research and monitoring inside the Mount St. Helens crater... Read more