History of United States in Timeline

The United States of America is a federal republic primarily located in North America, consisting of 50 states and Washington, D.C. It borders Canada to the north and Mexico to the south, with Alaska in the northwest and Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The U.S. also controls island territories in Oceania and the Caribbean. It's a megadiverse country, holding the world's third-largest land area and population, with over 341 million residents.

1898: Annexation of Hawaii

In 1898 Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam were ceded to the U.S. by Spain after the latter's defeat in the Spanish–American War.

1900: Acquisition of American Samoa

American Samoa was acquired by the United States in 1900 after the Second Samoan Civil War.

1900: Establishment as a great power

By 1900, the United States had established itself as a great power.

1904: 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis

The 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri, were the first-ever Olympic Games held outside of Europe.

1913: The 1913 Armory Show

The 1913 Armory Show in New York City, which was an exhibition of European modernist art, shocked the public and transformed the U.S. art scene.

1916: Referendum in Denmark

In 1916, Danish voters approved the sale of the U.S. Virgin Islands to the United States in a referendum.

1917: Immigration to the United States

From 1865 through 1917, an unprecedented stream of immigrants arrived in the United States.

1917: Purchase of the U.S. Virgin Islands

The U.S. Virgin Islands were purchased from Denmark in 1917.

1917: Entry into World War I

The United States entered World War I alongside the Allies in 1917, helping to turn the tide against the Central Powers.

1920: Women's suffrage

In 1920, a constitutional amendment granted nationwide women's suffrage.

1929: First Academy Awards Ceremony in 1929

The Academy Awards, also known as "the Oscars", have been held annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences since 1929.

1929: Wall Street Crash

The Wall Street Crash of 1929 triggered the Great Depression.

1933: National Defense Act Amendments

The National Defense Act Amendments of 1933 created the Guard and provides for the integration of Army National Guard and Air National Guard units and personnel into the U.S. Army and (since 1947) the U.S. Air Force.

March 1941: Supplying war materiel to the Allies

In March 1941, the U.S. began supplying war materiel to the Allies of World War II, while remaining initially neutral.

1941: Attack on Pearl Harbor

Following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the U.S. entered World War II on the side of the Allies.

January 1944: Golden Globe Awards Held Annually Since January 1944

The Golden Globe Awards have been held annually since January 1944.

May 1945: Defeat of Italy and Germany

Agreeing to a "Europe first" policy, the U.S. concentrated its wartime efforts on Japan's allies Italy and Germany until their final defeat in May 1945.

August 1945: Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

In August 1945, the U.S. used the first nuclear weapons against the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ending the war.

1945: End of World War II

The end of World War II in 1945 left the U.S. and the Soviet Union as superpowers, leading to the Cold War.

July 4, 1946: Independence of the Philippines

On July 4, 1946, the Philippines was granted full independence from the U.S. following World War II.

1946: Founding of the Culinary Institute of America in 1946

In 1946, the Culinary Institute of America was founded by Katharine Angell and Frances Roth.

1947: U.S. Air Force

1950: Military interventions

The United States has engaged in over 400 military interventions since its founding in 1776, with over half of these occurring between 1950 and 2019.

1958: Establishment of NASA

In 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was established, marking the beginning of the United States' space program.

1961: Apollo Program Start

In 1961, NASA's Apollo program began, running until 1972 and achieving the first crewed Moon landing.

1964: The Wilderness Act

The idea of wilderness has shaped the management of public lands since 1964, with the Wilderness Act.

1965: Establishment of the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities in 1965

In 1965, the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities was established as an agency of the United States federal government.

1967: Public Broadcasting Act of 1967

In 1967, The Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 was established.

1969: Apollo 11 Moon Landing

In 1969, the Apollo 11 mission achieved the first crewed Moon landing, a significant milestone for NASA.

February 1970: Incorporation of National Public Radio in February 1970

In February 1970, National Public Radio (NPR) was incorporated under the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967.

1972: End of Apollo Program and Start of Voyager Program

In 1972, NASA's Apollo program concluded, and the Voyager program began, which is ongoing.

1973: End of conscription

In 1973, open defiance of the military draft led to the end of conscription in the U.S.

1973: Roe v. Wade decision in 1973

In 1973, the Roe v. Wade decision protected abortion rights in the United States which was later overruled in 2022.

1973: The Endangered Species Act

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 provides a way to protect threatened and endangered species and their habitats.

1975: Withdrawal from Vietnam

In 1975, the U.S. totally withdrew from Vietnam due to wide opposition to U.S. intervention.

1981: Start of the Space Shuttle Program

In 1981, NASA initiated the Space Shuttle program, which ran until 2011.

1983: U.S. GDP Growth

From 1983 to 2008, the U.S. real compounded annual GDP growth was 3.3%, compared to a 2.3% weighted average for the rest of the G7.

1985: Majority of women employed

By 1985, the majority of American women aged 16 and older were employed.

1989: Fall of Communism

The Fall of Communism began in 1989, marking the end of the Cold War.

1990: Launch of the Hubble Space Telescope

In 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched.

1990: Human Genome Project launched

In 1990, the Human Genome Project was formally launched in the U.S.

1991: Gulf War

In the Gulf War of 1991, an American-led international coalition of states expelled an Iraqi invasion force that had occupied neighboring Kuwait.

1991: Collapse of the Soviet Union

The Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 left the U.S. the world's sole superpower.

1994: 1994 FIFA World Cup

In 1994, the United States hosted the FIFA World Cup.

1998: Nasdaq trades online

In 1998, Nasdaq became the first stock market in the United States to trade online.

1998: U.S. Life Expectancy Falls Behind Other Wealthy Countries Starting in 1998

Starting in 1998, life expectancy in the U.S. fell behind that of other wealthy industrialized countries, and Americans' "health disadvantage" gap has been increasing ever since.

1999: 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup

In 1999, the United States hosted the FIFA Women's World Cup, with the final match drawing a record crowd of 90,185 attendees, marking the largest women's sporting event crowd at the time.

2001: Installation of Destiny Module on ISS

In 2001, the Destiny module was installed on the International Space Station (ISS) as part of U.S. contributions.

2001: TSA Security at Airports

Since 2001, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has provided security at most major airports in the U.S.

2001: September 11 attacks

The September 11 attacks on the United States in 2001 by al-Qaeda led to the war on terror and subsequent military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq.

2007: Installation of Harmony Module on ISS

In 2007, the Harmony module was installed on the International Space Station (ISS) as part of U.S. contributions.

2007: Great Recession

The U.S. housing bubble culminated in 2007 with the Great Recession, the largest economic contraction since the Great Depression.

2008: U.S. GDP Growth

From 1983 to 2008, the U.S. real compounded annual GDP growth was 3.3%, compared to a 2.3% weighted average for the rest of the G7.

2010: Student Loan Debt Increase Begins in 2010

Between 2010 and 2020, student loan debt increased by 102%.

2010: German Language Speakers in the U.S.

In 2010, German was spoken by 1 million people at home, but it fell to an estimated 881,000 total speakers by 2020.

2010: Obama Passes the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2010

In 2010, President Barack Obama passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

2010: U.S. Homicide Rates

In 2010, analysis of the World Health Organization Mortality Database showed that the U.S. homicide rates "were 7 times higher than in other high-income countries, driven by a gun homicide rate that was 25 times higher".

2010: Installation of Tranquility Module on ISS

In 2010, the Tranquility module was installed on the International Space Station (ISS) as part of U.S. contributions.

2011: End of the Space Shuttle Program

In 2011, NASA's Space Shuttle program concluded after running since 1981.

2011: U.S. Wealth Distribution

In 2011, the richest 10% of the adult population in the U.S. owned 72% of the country's household wealth, while the bottom 50% owned just 2%.

July 2013: Professional Sports Market in the U.S. in July 2013

In July 2013, the market for professional sports in the United States was approximately $69 billion.

2013: American Airlines Merger

In 2013, American Airlines became the global leader in total number of passengers carried after its merger with US Airways.

2013: U.S. Median Household Income Ranking

In 2013, the U.S. ranked sixth-highest in median household income, rising to fourth-highest by 2023.

2014: Key ally of Ukraine

Beginning in 2014, the U.S. had become a key ally of Ukraine.

2015: U.S. Video Game Industry Statistics in 2015

In 2015, the U.S. video game industry consisted of 2,457 companies, employed around 220,000 jobs, and generated $30.4 billion in revenue.

2016: American Attitudes on Free Speech in 2016

In 2016, a Pew Research Center poll found that Americans were the most supportive of free expression of any polity measured and were also "most supportive of freedom of the press and the right to use the Internet without government censorship".

2016: American Altruism Statistics 2016

In 2016, a study by the Charities Aid Foundation showed that Americans donated 1.44% of total GDP to charity, the highest rate in the world.

2016: U.S. Income Distribution

In 2016, the top fifth of earners in the U.S. took home more than half of all income, giving the U.S. one of the widest income distributions among OECD countries.

2017: Breakdown of U.S. Foreign-Born Population in 2017

In 2017, of the U.S. foreign-born population, approximately 45% were naturalized citizens, 27% were lawful permanent residents, 6% were temporary lawful residents, and 23% were unauthorized immigrants.

2019: U.S. Income Inequality

In 2019, income inequality in the U.S. reached a record high.

2019: U.S. Single-Parent Households

In 2019, the U.S. had the world's highest rate of children living in single-parent households, at 23%.

2019: Top Countries of Origin for Immigrants in 2019

In 2019, the top countries of origin for immigrants in the U.S. were Mexico (24%), India (6%), China (5%), the Philippines (4.5%), and El Salvador (3%).

2019: Military interventions

The United States has engaged in over 400 military interventions since its founding in 1776, with over half of these occurring between 1950 and 2019.

April 1, 2020: U.S. Census Bureau Report

On April 1, 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau reported 331,449,281 residents, making the United States the third-most-populous country in the world.

2020: American Community Survey Language Data

According to the American Community Survey (2020), about 245.4 million people in the U.S. age five and older spoke only English at home. About 41.2 million spoke Spanish at home, making it the second most commonly used language. Other languages spoken at home by one million people or more include Chinese (3.40 million), Tagalog (1.71 million), Vietnamese (1.52 million), Arabic (1.39 million), French (1.18 million), Korean (1.07 million), and Russian (1.04 million). German, spoken by 1 million people at home in 2010, fell to 881,000 estimated total speakers in 2020.

2020: Student Loan Debt Increase By 2020

Between 2010 and 2020, student loan debt increased by 102%.

2020: Education Statistics 2020

In 2020, statistics showed high school graduation, college attendance, bachelor's and graduate degree attainment rates among Americans age 25 and older.

2020: U.S. Suicide Rate and Healthcare Spending in 2020

In 2020, the Commonwealth Fund reported that the U.S. had the highest suicide rate among high-income countries. The U.S. healthcare system also far outspends that of any other country.

2020: U.S. Restaurant Industry Projections in 2020

In 2020, the United States restaurant industry was projected at $899 billion in sales.

January 2021: Capitol attack

In January 2021, the country's polarization was violently reflected in the Capitol attack, when a mob of insurrectionists entered the U.S. Capitol and sought to prevent the peaceful transfer of power in an attempted self-coup d'état.

2021: U.S. Education Spending per Student in 2020-2021

In 2020–2021, the U.S. spent an average of $18,614 per year per public elementary and secondary school student.

2021: Broadcast Radio and Podcast Listenership in 2021

In 2021, about 83% of Americans over age 12 listened to broadcast radio, while about 40% listened to podcasts.

2021: Launch of the James Webb Space Telescope

In 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope was launched.

2021: U.S. Patent Applications

In 2021, the U.S. ranked second (after China) by the number of patent applications and third by trademark and industrial design applications (after China and Germany), according to World Intellectual Property Indicators.

2021: Land use

In 2021, the United States had 8% of the Earth's permanent meadows and pastures and 10% of its cropland.

2022: Food Insecurity and Poverty in the U.S.

In 2022, 6.4 million children in the U.S. experienced food insecurity. Feeding America estimates that around 13 million children experience hunger. About 37.9 million people, or 11.5% of the U.S. population, were living in poverty.

2022: U.S. Airport Ownership

In 2022, most of the 19,969 U.S. airports were owned and operated by local government authorities, with some private airports. About 5,193 are designated as "public use," including for general aviation.

2022: Student Loan Debt Exceeds $1.7 Trillion in 2022

In 2022, student loan debt exceeded $1.7 trillion.

2022: Supreme Court Overrules Roe v. Wade in 2022

In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court decision Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization effectively overruled Roe v. Wade (1973), leading to abortion restrictions in several states.

2022: Vehicle Ownership in the U.S. and Commuting Methods

In 2022, the U.S. was among the top ten countries with the highest vehicle ownership per capita (850 vehicles per 1,000 people). A study in 2022 found that 76% of U.S. commuters drive alone, 14% ride a bicycle, and about 11% use some form of public transportation.

2022: U.S. Energy Consumption

In 2022, the United States constituted about 4% of the world's population but consumed around 16% of the world's energy. The U.S. ranks as the second-highest emitter of greenhouse gases behind China.

2022: U.S. Music Market Size in 2022

In 2022, the United States had the world's largest music market, with a total retail value of $15.9 billion.

2022: U.S. Scientific Publications

In 2022, the United States was the country with the second-highest number of published scientific papers, after China.

2022: Immigrant Population Statistics in 2022

In 2022, the immigrant population and U.S.-born children of immigrants in the United States totaled 87.7 million, which is nearly 27% of the overall U.S. population. In fiscal year 2022, over one million immigrants were granted legal residence.

January 2023: Incarceration Rate in the U.S.

In January 2023, the United States had the sixth-highest per capita incarceration rate in the world, with 531 people per 100,000 inhabitants. It also had the largest prison and jail population globally, with over 1.9 million people incarcerated.

2023: U.S. Demographics

In 2023, 51% of Americans age 15 and over were married, 6% were widowed, 10% were divorced, and 34% had never been married. The total fertility rate for the U.S. stood at 1.6 children per woman.

2023: U.S. Income and Consumption

In 2023, Americans had the highest average household and employee income among OECD member states and the fourth-highest median household income. Personal consumption expenditures exceeded $18.5 trillion, making the U.S. the world's largest consumer market. The U.S. also ranked first in the number of dollar billionaires and millionaires, with 735 billionaires and nearly 22 million millionaires.

2023: Life Expectancy Increases in 2023

In 2023, U.S. life expectancy increased by 0.6 years.

2023: World Food and Agriculture – Statistical Yearbook 2023

In 2023, content from the "World Food and Agriculture – Statistical Yearbook 2023" by FAO was incorporated into an article under the CC BY-SA IGO 3.0 license.

2023: U.S. Technological Advancement Ranking

In 2023, the United States was ranked the second most technologically advanced country in the world (after South Korea) by Global Finance magazine.

2023: Undocumented Immigrant Population Reaches Record High in 2023

In 2023, the undocumented immigrant population in the U.S. reached a record high of 14 million.

February 2024: U.S. Federal Government Debt

In February 2024, the total U.S. federal government debt was $34.4 trillion.

July 1, 2024: U.S. Population Clock Estimate

According to the Bureau's U.S. Population Clock, on July 1, 2024, the U.S. population had a net gain of one person every 16 seconds, or about 5400 people per day.

2024: Planned Increase in U.S. Nuclear Power Capacity

From 2024, the U.S. plans to triple its nuclear power capacity by 2050.

2024: U.S. Municipalities and City Populations

In 2024, 346 incorporated U.S. municipalities had populations over 100,000, 11 cities had more than one million residents, and four cities—New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston—had populations exceeding two million. Some 56 U.S. metropolitan areas have one million or more residents.

2024: U.S. Life Expectancy Reaches Record High in 2024

In 2024, average U.S. life expectancy at birth reached 79.0 years, its highest recorded level. Life expectancy for American men rose to 76.5 years, and for women, it was 81.4 years. The CDC attributed the improvement to a fall in fatal drug overdoses.

2024: New York Metro Area Resident Gain

In 2024, the New York metro area gained the most new residents but fell to 13th in 2025 due to a fall in immigrants.

2024: U.S. Manufacturing Sector

In 2024, the U.S. manufacturing sector was the world's second-largest by value output after China's.

2024: Environmental Performance Index

In 2024, the U.S. ranked 35th among 180 countries in the Environmental Performance Index.

2024: U.S. Wealth and Income Inequality

In 2024, the United States had some of the highest wealth and income inequality levels among OECD countries, with approximately 771,480 homeless persons.

2024: U.S. Population Demographics

In 2024, the median age of the United States population was 39.1 years.

2024: NFL Revenue in 2024

In the year 2024, the NFL generated over $23 billion, making them the most valued professional sports league in the United States and the world.

2024: Diplomatic corps

The United States has the world's second-largest diplomatic corps as of 2024.

2025: U.S. Companies in Global Ranking

In 2025, 138 of the world's 500 largest companies by revenue were headquartered in the U.S., the highest number of any country.

2025: Executive Order 14224

In 2025, Executive Order 14224 declared English the official language of the United States de facto, though the U.S. has never had a statutory official language.

2025: U.S. Video Game Market Ranking in 2025

In 2025, the U.S. was the world's second-largest video game market by revenue, after China, with 58% of the world's game developers based there.

2025: U.S. Global Innovation Index Ranking

In 2025, the United States ranked third (after Switzerland and Sweden) in the Global Innovation Index.

2025: Fastest-Growing Metropolitan Areas

In 2025, the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the U.S. were in the South, while southern metros along the Mexican border and Gulf Coast metros susceptible to hurricanes declined the most. The top metro areas with rising populations were Houston and Dallas–Fort Worth, followed by Atlanta, Phoenix, and Charlotte.

2025: U.S. Population Estimate

The Census Bureau's official 2025 population estimate was 341,784,857, an increase of 3.1% since the 2020 census.

2025: Military spending

The U.S. spent $954 billion on its military in 2025, which is by far the largest amount of any country.

2026: 2026 FIFA World Cup

In 2026, the United States will co-host the FIFA World Cup along with Canada and Mexico.

2026: Prison System Statistics

In 2026, the United States' prison systems held nearly 2 million people in various facilities, including state prisons, federal prisons, local jails, juvenile correctional facilities, immigration detention facilities, Indian country jails, military prisons, civil commitment centers, state psychiatric hospitals, and prisons in U.S. territories, costing at least $445 billion annually.

2028: Los Angeles to host the 2028 Summer Olympics

The Olympic Games will be held in the U.S. for a ninth time when Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Summer Olympics.

2050: Target Year for Nuclear Power Capacity Increase