History of United States in Timeline
The United States of America, located in North America and Oceania, is a federal union comprising 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. The U.S. also includes 574 federally recognized tribes, 326 Indian reservations, and claims sovereignty over several island territories. A megadiverse nation, it possesses the world's third-largest land area and population, exceeding 340 million. Major metropolitan areas include New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, while California, Texas, and Florida are its most populous states.
1900: Acquisition of American Samoa
In 1900, American Samoa was acquired by the United States after the Second Samoan Civil War.
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: Armory Show in New York City
In 1913, the Armory Show in New York City, an exhibition of European modernist art, shocked the public and transformed the U.S. art scene.
1917: Immigration to the United States
From 1865 through 1917, the United States experienced an unprecedented wave of immigration, including 24.4 million people from Europe.
1917: Purchase of the U.S. Virgin Islands
In 1917, the U.S. Virgin Islands were purchased from Denmark.
1917: U.S. Enters World War I
In 1917, the United States entered World War I alongside the Allies.
1920: Women's Suffrage
In 1920, a constitutional amendment granted nationwide women's suffrage in the U.S.
1929: Wall Street Crash
In 1929, the Wall Street Crash triggered the Great Depression.
1929: Academy Awards
Since 1929, the Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, have been held annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
1933: National Defense Act Amendments
The National Defense Act Amendments of 1933 created the Guard and provides for the integration of Army National Guard units and personnel into the U.S. Army.
March 1941: Supplying War Materiel to Allies
In March 1941, the U.S. began supplying war materiel to the Allies of World War II.
December 1941: Attack on Pearl Harbor
In December 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, leading the U.S. to enter World War II.
January 1944: Golden Globe Awards
Since January 1944, the Golden Globe Awards have been held annually.
August 1945: Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
In August 1945, the U.S. used atomic weapons against the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leading to the end of World War II.
July 4, 1946: Philippine Independence
On July 4, 1946, the Philippines was granted full independence from the U.S. following World War II.
1946: Culinary Institute of America Founded
In 1946, the Culinary Institute of America was founded by Katharine Angell and Frances Roth.
1947: Integration of Air National Guard
Since 1947, the National Defense Act Amendments of 1933 provides for the integration of Air National Guard units and personnel into the U.S. Air Force.
1958: Establishment of NASA
In 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was established in the United States.
1964: Wilderness Act
The idea of wilderness has shaped the management of public lands since 1964, with the Wilderness Act.
1965: The National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Established
In 1965, The National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities was established.
1967: Public Broadcasting Act
NPR was incorporated in February 1970 under the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967.
1969: Apollo 11 Mission
In 1969, the Apollo 11 mission achieved the first crewed Moon landing.
1969: First Crewed Moon Landing
In 1969, the U.S. prevailed in the Space Race, which culminated with the first crewed Moon landing.
February 1970: Incorporation of NPR
In February 1970, NPR was incorporated under the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967.
1973: End of Conscription
In 1973, open defiance of the military draft led to the end of conscription in the United States.
1973: Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 provides a way to protect threatened and endangered species and their habitats.
1975: U.S. Withdrawal from Vietnam
In 1975, the U.S. totally withdrew from Vietnam.
1981: Space Shuttle Program Start
In 1981, the Space Shuttle program started.
1983: U.S. GDP Growth
From 1983, U.S. real compounded annual GDP growth was 3.3%.
1985: Majority of Women Employed
By 1985, the majority of American women aged 16 and older were employed.
1990: Hubble Space Telescope Launch
In 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched.
1990: Human Genome Project Launched
In 1990, the Human Genome Project was formally launched.
1991: Gulf War
In 1991, an American-led international coalition expelled an Iraqi invasion force that had occupied neighboring Kuwait during the Gulf War.
1991: End of the Cold War
In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed, marking the end of the Cold War and leaving the U.S. as the world's sole superpower.
1994: FIFA World Cup Hosted by the U.S.
The United States hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
1998: Nasdaq Trades Online
In 1998, Nasdaq became the first stock market in the United States to trade online.
1998: Life Expectancy Gap
Starting in 1998, life expectancy in the U.S. fell behind that of other wealthy industrialized countries.
1999: FIFA Women's World Cup
The 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup was also hosted by the United States.
2001: September 11 Attacks
In 2001, the September 11 attacks on the United States by al-Qaeda led to the war on terror.
2001: Transportation Security Administration
Since 2001, the Transportation Security Administration has provided security at most major airports.
2007: Great Recession
In 2007, The U.S. housing bubble culminated in the Great Recession, the largest economic contraction since the Great Depression.
2008: U.S. GDP Growth
Until 2008, U.S. real compounded annual GDP growth was 3.3%.
2010: Student Loan Debt Increase
Between 2010 and 2020, student loan debt increased by 102%.
2010: Languages Spoken at Home
German, spoken by 1 million people at home in 2010, fell to 857,000 total speakers in 2020.
2010: U.S. homicide rates analysis
In 2010, an analysis showed that U.S. homicide rates were significantly higher than other high-income countries, primarily due to gun homicides.
2010: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
In 2010, former President Obama passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
2011: Space Shuttle Program End
In 2011, the Space Shuttle program ended.
2011: Wealth Concentration
In 2011, the richest 10% of the adult population in the United States owned 72% of the country's household wealth, while the bottom 50% owned just 2%.
July 2013: Market for Professional Sports
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 after its merger with US Airways.
2013: Household Income Ranking
In 2013, U.S. was the sixth-highest median household income.
2014: U.S. Ally of Ukraine
Since 2014, the U.S. has become a key ally of Ukraine.
2016: Pew Research Center Poll
A 2016 Pew Research Center poll found that Americans were the most supportive of free expression of any polity measured.
2016: Charitable Donations
According to a 2016 study by the Charities Aid Foundation, Americans donated 1.44% of total GDP to charity.
2016: Aerospace Production
In 2016, the United States accounted for just over half of the world's aerospace production.
2016: Income Distribution
In 2016, the top fifth of earners took home more than half of all income in the U.S.
2017: U.S. Foreign-Born Population
In 2017, out of the U.S. foreign-born population, some 45% were naturalized citizens.
2019: Income Inequality
In 2019, income inequality in the U.S. reached a record high.
2019: Single-Parent Households
In 2019, the U.S. had the world's highest rate of children living in single-parent households, at 23%.
2019: Global Competitiveness Report
In 2019, the U.S. ranked second in the Global Competitiveness Report, after Singapore.
April 1, 2020: U.S. Census
On April 1, 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau reported 331,449,281 residents in the United States.
2020: Languages Spoken at Home
According to the American Community Survey (2020), approximately 245.4 million people in the U.S. age five and older spoke only English at home, and 41.2 million spoke Spanish.
2020: Student Loan Debt Increase
Between 2010 and 2020, student loan debt increased by 102%.
2020: The Commonwealth Fund Report
In 2020, The Commonwealth Fund reported that the U.S. had the highest suicide rate among high-income countries.
2020: Education Spending
In 2020, the U.S. spent an average of $18,614 per year per public elementary and secondary school student.
2020: Restaurant Industry Sales
In 2020, the United States restaurant industry was projected at $899 billion in sales.
January 2021: Capitol Attack
In January 2021, a mob of insurrectionists attacked the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to prevent the peaceful transfer of power.
2021: Education Spending
In 2020-2021, the U.S. spent an average of $18,614 per year per public elementary and secondary school student.
2021: Radio Listenership
In 2021, about 83% of Americans over age 12 listened to broadcast radio, while about 40% listened to podcasts.
2021: James Webb Space Telescope Launch
In 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope was launched.
2021: U.S. Manufacturing Sector
In 2021, the U.S. manufacturing sector was the world's second-largest after China's.
2021: Patent Applications
In 2021, the U.S. ranked second by the number of patent applications.
2021: Land Usage in the United States
In 2021, the United States possessed 8% of global permanent meadows and pastures and 10% of cropland.
2022: Food Insecurity and Poverty
In 2022, 6.4 million children experienced food insecurity and about 37.9 million people were living in poverty in the U.S.
2022: Commuting Methods
In 2022, a study found that 76% of U.S. commuters drive alone and 14% bicycle.
2022: Urban Population
In 2022, about 82% of Americans lived in urban areas, including suburbs.
2022: Average Life Expectancy
In 2022, average American life expectancy at birth was 77.5 years.
2022: U.S. Airports Ownership
In 2022, most of the 19,969 U.S. airports were owned and operated by local government authorities.
2022: Student Loan Debt
In 2022, student loan debt exceeded $1.7 trillion.
2022: Scientific Papers
In 2022, the United States was the country with the second-highest number of published scientific papers.
2022: Video Game Market
In 2022, the video game market of the United States was the world's largest by revenue.
January 2023: Incarceration Rate
In January 2023, the United States had a high per capita incarceration rate and the largest prison population in the world.
2023: Average Life Expectancy
According to the CDC, average American life expectancy at birth was 78.4 years in 2023.
2023: Largest Companies by Revenue
In 2023, 136 of the world's 500 largest companies by revenue were headquartered in the U.S., the most of any country.
2023: Marriage and Fertility Rates
In 2023, 51% of Americans age 15 and over were married, and the total fertility rate stood at 1.6 children per woman.
2023: Household and Employee Income
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 were over $18.5 trillion, and the U.S. had the most dollar billionaires and millionaires.
2023: Global Innovation Index
In 2023, the United States ranked third in the Global Innovation Index.
2023: Energy Sources
In 2023, the United States received approximately 84% of its energy from fossil fuels.
2023: U.S. Military Spending
In 2023, the United States spent $916 billion on its military, the largest amount of any country.
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
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.
2024: Diplomatic Presence
As of 2024, the United States has the world's second-largest diplomatic corps.
2024: Nuclear Power Expansion
From 2024, the U.S. plans to triple its nuclear power capacity by 2050.
2024: Environmental Performance Index
In 2024, the U.S. ranked 35th among 180 countries in the Environmental Performance Index.
2024: U.S. Economic Output
In 2024, the United States accounted for over a quarter of the nominal global economic output.
2024: Global Innovation Index
In 2024, the United States ranked third in the Global Innovation Index.
2024: Incarceration Rate
In 2024, the United States" prison system held over 1.9 million people across various facilities.
2024: Homelessness
In 2024, there were approximately 771,480 homeless persons in the U.S.
2024: Refugee Resettlement
In fiscal year 2024 alone, the United States resettled 100,034 refugees.
2028: Los Angeles Hosts Summer Olympics
Los Angeles will host the 2028 Summer Olympics.
2050: Nuclear Power Expansion
The U.S. plans to triple its nuclear power capacity by 2050.
