Early Life and Education of Hillary Clinton: A Complete Timeline

Discover the defining moments in the early life of Hillary Clinton. From birth to education, explore key events.

Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is a prominent American politician, lawyer, and diplomat. She served as the 67th United States Secretary of State under President Barack Obama, a U.S. Senator representing New York, and First Lady during Bill Clinton's presidency. As a member of the Democratic Party, she made history as the first woman nominated for president by a major U.S. party in 2016, also winning the popular vote, though ultimately losing the election to Donald Trump. Notably, she is the only former First Lady to have pursued and achieved elected office.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

October 26, 1947: Hillary Clinton Born

On October 26, 1947, Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton was born.

1960: Canvassing Chicago's South Side

At age 13, Hillary Rodham helped canvass Chicago's South Side after the very close 1960 U.S. presidential election and claimed to have seen evidence of electoral fraud.

1961: Letter to NASA

Around 1961, Hillary Rodham was inspired by the U.S. efforts during the Space Race and sent a letter to NASA asking what she could do to become an astronaut, only to be informed that women were not being accepted into the program.

1962: Meeting Martin Luther King Jr.

In 1962, Hillary Rodham saw and briefly met civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. when he gave a speech in Chicago's Orchestra Hall.

1964: Campaigning for Barry Goldwater

In the 1964 election, Hillary Rodham volunteered to campaign for Republican candidate Barry Goldwater.

1965: Enrolled at Wellesley College

In 1965, Hillary Rodham enrolled at Wellesley College, where she majored in political science and became president of the Wellesley Young Republicans.

1965: Graduation from Maine South High School

In 1965, Hillary Rodham graduated from Maine South High School in the top five percent of her class.

1968: Attended Republican National Convention

In 1968, Hillary Rodham attended the Republican National Convention in Miami Beach and was upset by the portrayal of Nelson Rockefeller and the convention's "veiled" racist messages, leading her to leave the Republican Party.

1968: Antiwar Presidential Nomination Campaign

In early 1968, Hillary Rodham became a supporter of the antiwar presidential nomination campaign of Democrat Eugene McCarthy.

1969: Graduation from Wellesley College

In 1969, Hillary Rodham graduated from Wellesley College.

1969: President of Wellesley College Government Association

In early 1969, Hillary Rodham held her position as president of the Wellesley College Government Association.

1971: Began Dating Bill Clinton

In the spring of 1971, Hillary Rodham began dating fellow law student Bill Clinton.

1973: Research on 'Beyond the Best Interests of the Child'

During her second year at Yale Law School, Hillary Rodham worked as a research assistant on the seminal work, Beyond the Best Interests of the Child.

1973: Graduation from Yale Law School

In 1973, Hillary Rodham graduated from Yale Law School.

1973: Juris Doctor Degree from Yale

In 1973, Hillary Rodham received a Juris Doctor degree from Yale.

August 1974: Moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas

In August 1974, Hillary Rodham moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas, and became one of two female faculty members at the University of Arkansas School of Law.

August 1974: Resignation of President Richard Nixon

In August 1974, President Richard Nixon resigned, which was the culmination of the work done by the House Committee, including Hillary Rodham's advisory role during the Watergate scandal.

1974: Bill Clinton Lost Congressional Race

In 1974, Bill Clinton lost an Arkansas congressional race to incumbent Republican John Paul Hammerschmidt.

October 11, 1975: Hillary Rodham and Bill Clinton Married

On October 11, 1975, Hillary Rodham and Bill Clinton got married in a Methodist ceremony in their living room. Hillary decided to retain the name Hillary Rodham, upsetting both mothers.

1975: Marriage to Bill Clinton

In 1975, Hillary Rodham married Bill Clinton.

November 1976: Bill Clinton elected Arkansas attorney general

In November 1976, Bill Clinton was elected Arkansas attorney general, and the couple moved to the state capital of Little Rock.

November 1978: Bill Clinton elected governor of Arkansas

Following her husband's November 1978 election as governor of Arkansas, Hillary Rodham became that state's first lady.

1978: Trading of cattle futures contracts

During 1978 and 1979, while looking to supplement their income, Hillary Rodham engaged in the trading of cattle futures contracts; an initial $1,000 investment generated nearly $100,000 when she stopped trading after ten months.

January 1979: Became First Lady of Arkansas

In January 1979, Hillary Rodham became the first lady of Arkansas, following her husband's election as governor.

1979: First Lady of Arkansas

In 1979, Hillary Clinton became the first lady of Arkansas.

February 27, 1980: Birth of Chelsea Clinton

On February 27, 1980, Hillary Rodham gave birth to the couple's only child, a daughter whom they named Chelsea.

November 1980: Bill Clinton Defeated for Re-Election

In November 1980, Bill Clinton was defeated in his bid for re-election as Governor of Arkansas.

1982: Bill Clinton Returned to Governorship

In 1982, Bill Clinton returned to the governorship of Arkansas after winning the election. During her husband's campaign, Hillary began to use the name "Hillary Clinton", or sometimes "Mrs. Bill Clinton".

1990: Considered Running for Governor

In 1990, When Bill Clinton thought about not running again for governor in 1990, Hillary Clinton considered running. Private polls were unfavorable, however, and in the end he ran and was reelected for the final time.

1992: National Attention and Campaign Controversy

In 1992, Hillary Clinton received sustained national attention for the first time when her husband became a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination. She made culturally disparaging remarks about Tammy Wynette's song "Stand by Your Man".

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January 1993: Became First Lady of the United States

In January 1993, Hillary Rodham Clinton became the first lady, when Bill Clinton took office as president. She was the first in this role to have a postgraduate degree and her own professional career.

1993: First Lady of the United States

In 1993, Hillary Clinton became the First Lady of the United States as the wife of Bill Clinton.

1993: Blind trust established

In 1993, when Bill Clinton became president, a blind trust was established.

April 1994: Approval rating drops

In April 1994, Hillary Clinton's approval ratings, which had generally been in the high-50 percent range during her first year as First Lady, fell to 44 percent.

1994: Republican Success in Midterm Elections

In 1994, the Republican Party negatively highlighted the Clinton health care plan in their campaign for the 1994 midterm elections, resulting in strong success for the Republican Party. After this, the White House subsequently sought to downplay Hillary Clinton's role in shaping policy.

September 1995: Speech at Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing

In September 1995, Hillary Clinton delivered a forceful speech at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, arguing against practices that abused women around the world, including in China. She declared that women's rights should be considered human rights.

1998: Clinton-Lewinsky Scandal

In 1998, Hillary Clinton's marital relationship came under public scrutiny during the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal, which led her to publicly reaffirm her commitment to the marriage.

1998: Lewinsky scandal and impeachment

In 1998, investigations revealed that President Bill Clinton had engaged in an extramarital affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, leading to his impeachment by the House of Representatives. Hillary Clinton initially characterized the allegations as part of a "vast right-wing conspiracy" before acknowledging her husband's actions.

September 1999: Purchase of home in Chappaqua, New York

In September 1999, after deciding to run for Senate, the Clintons purchased a home in Chappaqua, New York.

November 2000: State dinner honoring bicentennial of White House

In November 2000, Hillary Clinton hosted a state dinner honoring the bicentennial of the White House.

2000: Clintons earn more than $100 million since 2000

Later disclosure statements revealed that since 2000, the Clintons had earned over $100 million, most of it coming from Bill's books, speaking engagements and other activities.

June 2004: Unveiling of official White House portrait

In June 2004, Hillary Clinton's official White House portrait, painted by Simmie Knox, was unveiled in a ceremony at the White House.

April 2007: Clintons liquidate blind trust

In April 2007, the Clintons liquidated their blind trust to avoid ethical conflicts as Hillary undertook her presidential race. Later disclosure statements revealed the couple's worth was upwards of $50 million.

2009: Bill Clinton named UN Special Envoy to Haiti

In 2009, Bill Clinton was named the UN Special Envoy to Haiti following a tropical storm season that caused $1 billion in damages to Haiti. This tied into the "build back better" program.

December 2012: Hospitalization for blood clot

In December 2012, Hillary Clinton was hospitalized for a few days for treatment of a blood clot in her right transverse venous sinus, which was discovered during a follow-up examination for a concussion. The clot was treated with anticoagulant medication, and she made a full recovery.

2016: Presidential Nomination

In 2016, Hillary Clinton became the Democratic Party's nominee in the presidential election, becoming the first woman to win a presidential nomination by a major U.S. political party and the only woman to win the popular vote for U.S. president.