01/01 Happy New Year! Celebrate the new year by reading your Constitution.
01/02 Georgia ratified the Constitution on January 2, 1788. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
01/03 Alaska became a state on January 3, 1959. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
01/04 Utah became a state on January 4, 1896. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
01/05 January 5, 1928 is Walter Mondale's birthday - find his name in the Electoral Returns.
01/06 New Mexico became a state on January 6, 1912. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
01/07 January 7, 1800 is President Millard Fillmore's birthday.
01/08 On January 8, 1795, the 11th Amendment, modifying the Supreme Court's jurisdiction, was ratified.
01/09 January 9, 1913 is President Richard Nixon's birthday.
01/10 On January 10, 1776, Thomas Paine published Common Sense.
01/11 January 11, 1755 is Alexander Hamilton's birthday.
01/12 January 12, 1737 is John Hancock's birthday. Celebrate by reading the Declaration of Independence.
01/13 On January 13, 1847, the Treaty of Cahuenga was signed, ending fighting in the Mexican-American War.
01/14 On January 14, 1784, the Treaty of Paris was signed, ending the Revolutionary War and fulfilling the Declaration of Independence.
01/15 January 15, 1929 is Martin Luther King's birthday. Celebrate by reading his I Have a Dream speech.
01/16 On January 16, 1919, the 18th Amendment, instituting alcohol prohibition, was ratified.
01/17 January 17, 1706 is Benjamin Franklin's birthday. Celebrate by reading his Speech at the Convention.
01/18 January 18, 1782 is Daniel Webster's birthday. Celebrate by finding the year he ran for President.
01/19 January 19, 1807 is Robert E. Lee's birthday.
01/20 January 20, 1732 is Richard Henry Lee's birthday. Celebrate by reading Lee's Resolution.
01/21 On January 21, 1861, Jefferson Davis resigned from the Senate - Davis later became President of the Confederate States of America.
01/22 On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court decided Roe v Wade. Read about it and other cases on Events Page.
01/23 On January 23, 1964, the 24th Amendment, barring poll taxes, was ratified.
01/24 January 24 is the anniversary of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall's death in 1993.
01/25 Shays' Rebellion started on January 25, 1787. The rebellion was one of the principle precursors of the Constitutional Convention.
01/26 Michigan became a state on January 26, 1837. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
01/27 On January 27, 1973, the Paris Peace Accords were signed, ending the Vietnam War.
01/28 On January 28, 1916, Louis Brandeis was appointed to the Supreme Court. Brandeis was the first Jew to serve on the Court.
01/29 January 29, 1843 is President William McKinley's birthday.
01/30 January 30, 1882 is President Franklin Roosevelt's birthday.
01/31 January 31, 1752 is Gouverneur Morris's birthday. Morris is acknowledged as the author of the final draft of the Constitution.
02/01 On February 1, 1790, the Supreme Court convened for the first time, in New York City. Celebrate by reading your Constitution.
02/02 On February 2, 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, officially ending the Mexican-American War.
02/03 On February 3, 1870, the 15th Amendment, permitting suffrage regardless of race, was ratified.
02/04 February 4, 1913 is Rosa Parks's birthday. Parks has been called the Mother of the civil rights movement in the United States.
02/05 February 5, 1900 is Adlai Stevenson's birthday. Go to the Elections Page to find out when he ran for President.
02/06 February 6, 1911 is President Ronald Reagan's birthday.
02/07 February 7, 1817 is Frederick Douglass's birthday. Celebrate by reading the Emancipation Proclamation.
02/08 On February 8, 1837, Richard Johnson was chosen to be Vice President by the Senate, having failed to gain a majority of electoral votes.
02/09 February 9, 1773 is President William Henry Harrison's birthday.
02/10 On February 10, 1967, the 25th Amendment was ratified.
02/11 February 11, 1812 is Alexander Stephens's birthday. Stephens was the first Vice President of the Confederate States of America and U.S. Representative both before and after the Civil War.
02/12 February 12, 1809 is President Abraham Lincoln's birthday.
02/13 On February 13, 1933, Guiseppe Zangara kills Chicago mayor Anton Cermak while attempting to assassinate President Franklin Roosevelt.
02/14 Oregon became a state on February 14, 1859. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
02/14 Arizona became a state on February 14, 1912. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
02/15 On February 15, 1898, the USS Maine blew up in Havana harbor, touching off the Spanish-American War.
02/16 On February 16, 1804, the US frigate Philadelphia was captured, touching off the Tripolitan War.
02/17 On February 17, 1801, Thomas Jefferson was finally elected President by the House of Representatives. The election mess of 1800 led to the 12th Amendment.
02/18 The Know-Nothing Party, which eventually became the American Party, met for the first time on February 18, 1856. The party failed to do well in elections, with former President Millard Fillmore getting only 8 Electoral Votes.
02/19 On February 19, 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt signed an executive order that forced Japanese-Americans into internment camps.
02/20 On February 20, 1809, the Supreme Court handed down the Marbury v Madison decision, cementing the concept of judicial review into American constitutional law.
02/21 On February 21, 1848, the Communist Manifesto was published.
02/22 February 22, 1732 is President George Washington's birthday.
02/23 On February 23, 1870, Mississippi was readmitted to the Union. See other notable events in the Timeline.
02/24 On February 24, 1868, the House impeached President Andrew Johnson. For more information on impeachment, see the Glossary.
02/25 Hiram Rhodes Revels of Mississippi was sworn into the House of Representatives on February 25, 1870. Revels was the first black member of Congress.
02/26 On February 26, 1993, a terrorist bomb exploded in the World Trade Center.
02/27 On February 27, 1951, the 22nd Amendment was ratified, limiting the President to two four-year terms.
02/28 On February 28, 1861, Congress created the Colorado Territory. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
02/29 Happy Leap Year Day! Use this extra day to read your Constitution.
03/01 Ohio became a state on March 1, 1803. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
03/01 Nebraska became a state on March 1, 1867. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
03/02 In accordance with the time limit included in the Constitution, the slave trade was abolished by Congress on March 2, 1807. The Act became effective January 1, 1808.
03/03 Florida became a state on March 3, 1845. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
03/04 Vermont became a state on March 4, 1791. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
03/05 The Boston Massacre took place on March 5, 1770. The Massacre is considered a key event leading up to the Declaration of Independence.
03/06 The Supreme Court ruled that slaves are not citizens in the Dred Scott Case on March 6, 1857.
03/07 On March 7, 1965, law enforcement officers forcibly broke up a civil rights demonstration in Selma, Alabama - the events are televised and become known as Bloody Sunday.
03/08 March 8, 1841 is Oliver Wendell Holmes's birthday.
03/09 The Supreme Court ruled that the Amistad slaves were free on March 9, 1841.
03/10 On March 10, 1862, the federal government issued paper money for the first time, as authorized in Article 1, Section 8.
03/11 March 11, 1936 is Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia's birthday.
03/12 On March 12, 1868, the Senate began President Andrew Johnson's impeachment trial. For more information on impeachment, see the Glossary.
03/13 On March 13, 1925, Tennessee passed the Butler Act, which prohibited teachers from denying that Biblical account of creation. The Butler Act led to the infamous Scopes Monkey Trial, which pitted Clarence Darrow and former Presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan against each other.
03/14 On March 14, 1967, the body of assassinated President John Kennedy was permanently moved to Arlington National Cemetery.
03/15 March 15, 1767 is President Andrew Jackson's birthday.
03/16 March 16, 1751 is President James Madison's birthday.
03/17 March 17, 1777 is Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Taney's birthday. Taney wrote the decision in the Dred Scott Case.
03/18 March 18, 1837 is President Grover Cleveland's birthday.
03/19 March 19, 1860 is William Jennings Bryan's birthday. Find his name as a candidate for President on the Elections Page.
03/20 On March 20, 2003, the United States invaded Iraq, leading to the overthrow of Saddam Hussein.
03/21 On March 21, 1980, President Jimmy Carter announced the U.S.-led boycott of the Olympics in Moscow to protest the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
03/22 On March 22, 1765, the British Parliament passes the Stamp Act, which, in part, prompted the Declaration of Rights to be written.
03/23 On March 23, 1777, Patrick Henry, later a noted Anti-Federalist, declared "Give me Liberty or give me Death!"
03/24 On March 24, 1765, the British Parliament passed the Quartering Act, which, in part, prompted the Declaration of Rights to be written.
03/25 On March 25, 1983, President Ronald Reagan ordered the invasion of Grenada.
03/26 March 26, 1930 is Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's birthday. O'Connor was the first woman to serve on the Suprme Court.
03/27 On March 27, 1866, President Andrew Johnson vetoed a bill that would eventually evolve into the 14th Amendment.
03/28 On March 28, 1834, the Senate censured President Andrew Jackson for defunding the Second Bank of the United States.
03/29 March 29, 1790 is President John Tyler's birthday. Tyler is notable for being the first Vice President to assume the presidency, after William Henry Harrison died after serving only a month in office.
03/30 On March 30, 1867, a treaty with Russia for the purchase of Alaska was sent to the Senate.
03/31 After paying $25 million to Denmark, the United States formally took possession of the U.S. Virgin Islands on March 31, 1917. The day is celebrated as Transfer Day in the islands.
04/01 On April 1, 1789, Frederick Muhlenberg was elected the first Speaker of the House of Representatives.
04/02 On April 2, 1792, the Congress authorized the first U.S. Mint in Philadelphia under its Article 1, Section 8 powers.
04/03 On April 3, 1968, the day before his assassination, Martin Luther King delivers his "Mountaintop" speech in Memphis, Tennessee.
04/04 On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King was assassinated in Memphis. In remembrance, read his I Have a Dream speech.
04/05 On April 5, 1792, President George Washington uses the veto for the first time, rejecting a bill to apportion representatives among the states.
04/06 On April 6, 1917, the United States entered World War One.
04/07 President Dwight Eisenhower gives his "domino theory" speech during a news conference on April 7, 1954.
04/08 On April 8, 1913, the 17th Amendment was ratified.
04/09 Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses Grant on April 9, 1865 - celebrate the restoration of the Union by reading your Constitution.
04/10 As authorized in Article 1, Section 8, the U.S. patent system was established on April 10, 1790.
04/11 April 11, 1862 is Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Hughes's birthday. Hughes was also a candidate for the presidency in 1916.
04/12 April 12, 1777 is Henry Clay's birthday. Clay was a candidate for President in 1824.
04/13 April 13, 1743 is President Thomas Jefferson's birthday.
04/14 On April 14, 1865, Abraham Lincoln was shot. In remembrance, read his Emancipation Proclamation.
04/15 On April 15, 1865, Abraham Lincoln died from wounds received the day before. In remembrance, read his Gettysburgh Address.
04/16 On April 16, 1862, Abraham Lincoln signed an act abolishing slavery in the District of Columbia. To celebrate, read the Emancipation Proclamation.
04/17 On April 17, 1790, Benjamin Franklin died. Franklin signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and promulgated one of the first plans of union.
04/18 On April 18, 1994, President Richard Nixon suffered a stroke. Nixon died four days later.
04/19 On April 19, 1775, the "shot heard 'round the world" was fired in Lexington, Massachusetts, prompting the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War.
04/20 April 20, 571 is the presumed date of birth of Muhammad, the patriarch of Islam.
04/21 On April 25, 1898, Congress declared that as of April 21, 1898, a state of war existed between the U.S. and Spain.
04/22 On April 22, 1864, the phrase "In God We Trust" was authorized for coins minted in the United States.
04/23 April 23, 1791 is President James Buchanan's birthday.
04/24 On April 24, 1898, Spain declared war on the United States in the Spanish-American War.
04/25 On April 25, 1945, the United Nations was established by 50 nations in San Francisco.
04/26 On April 26, 1865, John Wilkes Booth, President Abraham Lincoln's assassin, was killed by Union troops.
04/27 April 27, 1822 is President Ulysses Grant's birthday.
04/28 April 28, 1758 is President James Monroe's birthday.
04/29 On April 29, 1974, President Richard Nixon announced that he will release transcripts of White House tapes relating to the Watergate scandal.
04/30 Louisiana became a state on April 30, 1812. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
05/01 On May 1, 1790, the first census was completed. The census is a decennial count of the population of the United States, mandated in the Constituion by Article 1, Section 2.
05/01 May 1 is Law Day in the United States. It is also May Day in much of the world, a holiday for workers. Celebrate Law Day by reading your Constitution.
05/02 Joseph McCarthy, Senator from Wisconsin, infamous for his anti-communist hearings in the Senate, died on May 2, 1957.
05/03 May 3, 1469 is Niccolo Machiavelli's birthday. Celebrate by reading about his work on the Philosopher's Page.
05/04 On May 4, 1970, National Guard troops fired on student protesters at Kent State College in Kent, Ohio. The shootings are regarded as an opinion turning point against the Vietnam War.
05/05 May 5, 1818 is Karl Marx's birthday. You can do some related reading on the Political Systems Topic Page.
05/06 On May 6, 1861, Arkansas seceded from the union to join the Confederate States of America.
05/07 On May 7, 1992, the 27th Amendment was ratified, over 200 years after its submission to the states.
05/08 May 8, 1884 is President Harry Truman's birthday.
05/09 May 9, 1800 is John Brown's birthday. This fiery abolitionist stirred up passions before the Civil War.
05/10 May 10, 1838 is John Wilkes Booth's birthday. Booth assassinated President Abraham Lincoln, whose Emancipation Proclamation formed one of Booth's points of contention.
05/11 Minnesota became a state on May 11, 1858. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
05/12 On May 12, 1957, the formal NORAD agreement was signed by the United States and Canada. NORAD is the joint command responsible for early attack warning against North America.
05/13 On May 13, 1846, the United States declared war on Mexico, starting the Mexican-American War.
05/14 On May 14, 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set out from Camp Dubois up the Missouri River, beginning their historic voyage of discovery into the American interior.
05/15 On May 15, 1862, the Department of Agriculture, a cabinet-level department, was created in an act of Congress.
05/16 May 16, 1801 is William Seward's birthday. Seward was Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of State, and an attempt was made on his life the same day Lincoln was shot. Seward recuperated and eventually negotiated the treaty with Russia that led to the U.S.'s purchase of Alaska.
05/17 On May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court issued its decision in Brown v Board, ending legal school segregation.
05/18 On May 18, 1896, the Supreme Court issued its decision in Plessy v Ferguson, creating the notion of "separate but equal" that led to legal segregation.
05/19 On May 19, 1848, Mexico ratified the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, formally ceding Texas, California, and most of Arizona and New Mexico to the U.S.
05/20 On May 20, 1861, North Carolina voted to secede from the Union. For secession dates of other Confederate States, see the Timeline.
05/21 On May 21, 1961, Alabama Governor John Patterson declares martial law in the wake of race riots.
05/22 On May 22, 1807, former Vice President Aaron Burr was indicted for treason by a grand jury. Burr was acquitted.
05/23 South Carolina ratified the Constitution on May 23, 1788. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
05/24 On May 24, 1787, the Constitutional Convention gained a quorum.
05/25 On May 25, 1787 the Constitutional Convention opened. Read the result here.
05/26 On May 26, 1868, President Andrew Johnson was acquitted of impeachment charges in the Senate. You can learn more about Checks and Balances and the Separation of Powers.
05/27 On May 27, 1738, Nathaniel Gorham, sixth President of Congress under the Articles of Confederation and a signer of the Constitution, was born.
05/28 The First Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia on May 28, 1774.
05/29 May 29, 1917 is President John Kennedy's birthday.
05/30 On May 30, 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act became law, establishing the territories of Kansas and Nebraska.
05/31 May 31, 1924 is Patricia Roberts Harris's birthday. Harris was the first black woman to hold a cabinet post under President Jimmy Carter.
06/01 Kentucky became a state on June 1, 1792. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
06/01 Tennessee became a state on June 1, 1796. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
06/02 June 2, 1731 is Martha Washington's birthday. Martha married George Washington in 1759.
06/03 June 3, 1808 is Jefferson Davis's birthday. Davis was the first and only President of the Confederate States of America.
06/04 June 4, 1738 is the birthday of King George III. It was in protest of his rule that the Declaration of Independence was written.
06/05 On June 5, 1968, Robert F. Kennedy, brother of slain President John Kennedy, was shot. He died the next day.
06/05 On June 5, 2004, President Ronald Reagan died after a long illness. He was 93.
06/06 June 6, 1755 is Nathan Hale's birth date. Hale is considered America's first spy, and was hanged by the British early in the Revolutionary War.
06/06 On June 6, 1799, Patrick Henry died. Henry was an opponent of the Constitution.
06/06 On June 6, 1944, D-Day began when American, British, and Canadian troops land in Normandy.
06/07 On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee proposed to the Continental Congress that a declaration of independence be drafted.
06/08 On June 8, 1861, Tennessee voted to secede from the Union. For secession dates of other Confederate States, see the Timeline.
06/09 On June 9, 1732, James Oglethorpe was granted a royal charter for the colony of Georgia.
06/10 Rebecca Latimer Felton was born on June 10, 1835. In 1922, Felton was appointed to the Senate, becoming the first female Senator.
06/11 On June 11, 1788, Gerasim Izmailov claimed Alaska for Russia. The United States later purchased from Russia in 1867.
06/12 June 12, 1924 is President George H.W. Bush's birthday.
06/13 On June 13, 1966, the Supreme Court issued its decision in Miranda v Arizona, effectively creating the Miranda Warning.
06/14 On June 14, 1775, the United States Army was founded. The President is Commander-in-Chief of the Army.
06/15 Arkansas became a state on June 15, 1836. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
06/16 On June 16, 1829, Geronimo was born. Geronimo was a leader of the Chiricahua Apache tribe and was known for fighting Mexican and American troops.
06/17 On June 17, 1972, a burglary at the Democratic Party Headquarters at Watergate began the Watergate Scandal that led the to downfall of President Richard Nixon.
06/18 On June 18, 1812, the War of 1812 began.
06/19 Happy Juneteenth! June 19 is celebrated as the day on which, in 1865, news reached slaves in Galveston, Texas that Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation two years before.
06/20 West Virginia became a state on June 20, 1864. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
06/21 On June 21, 1788, the Constitution was ratified. Celebrate by reading it again.
06/22 June 22, 1923 is Bob Dole's birthday. Find Dole's name as a candidate for President on the Elections Page.
06/23 On June 23, 1969, Warren Burger was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
06/24 On June 24, 1908, President Grover Cleveland, the only President to serve two non-consecutive terms, died.
06/25 Virginia ratified the Constitution on June 25, 1788. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
06/26 On June 26, 1945, the charter of the United Nations was signed.
06/27 June 27, 1930 is Ross Perot's birthday. Find Perot's name as a candidate for President on the Elections Page.
06/28 On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, kicking off World War I.
06/28 On June 28, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed, ending World War I.
06/29 On June 29, 1776, Virginia adopted its constitution. The Virginia Declaration of Rights was prepended to the constitution, which was adopted in whole by a convention of members of the House of Burgesses.
06/30 On June 30, 1971, the 26th Amendment was ratified, lowering the voting age to 18.
07/01 On July 1, 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg began.
07/02 On July 2, 1976, the Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty is not inherently cruel or unusual.
07/03 Idaho became a state on July 3, 1890. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
07/04 Happy Independence Day! Celebrate another year of freedom and liberty by reading your Constitution.
07/05 On July 5, 1731, Samuel Huntington was born. Huntington was the first President of Congress under the Articles of Confederation.
07/06 July 6, 1946 is President George W. Bush's birthday.
07/07 On July 7, 1846, California was annexed by the U.S. as a result of the Mexican-American War.
07/07 On July 7, 1898, Hawaii was annexed by the U.S.
07/08 On July 8, 1777, Vermont abolished slavery.
07/09 On July 9, 1850, Zachary Taylor became the second president to die in office.
07/10 Wyoming became a state on July 10, 1890. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
07/11 July 11, 1767 is President John Quincy Adams's birthday.
07/12 On July 12, 1862, the U.S. Congress authorized the issuance of the Medal of Honor.
07/13 On July 13, 1868, Alabama was readmitted to the Union. See other notable events in the Timeline.
07/14 July 14, 1913 is President Gerald Ford's birthday.
07/15 On July 15, 1870, Georgia was readmitted to the Union. See other notable events in the Timeline.
07/16 On July 16, 1790, the District of Columbia was established as the seat of government.
07/17 On July 17, 1821, Spain ceded Florida to the United States under the terms of the Adams-Onis Treaty.
07/18 On July 18, 1947, President Harry Truman signs the Presidential Succession Act, placing the Speaker and the President Pro Tem into the Presidential Line of Succession.
07/19 On July 19, 1848, the Seneca Falls Convention opened. The Convention eventually issued the Declaration of Sentiments.
07/20 On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon.
07/21 On July 21, 1949, the Senate ratified the North Atlantic Treaty, creating NATO.
07/22 On July 22, 1937, the Senate rejects President Frankling Roosevelt's court-packing plan. Roosevelt had been frustrated by the Court's rejection of several of his New Deal laws, and he sought to add several new justices sympathetic to the cause. The packing plan is seen as one of FDR's greatest failures.
07/23 On July 23, 1885, Ulysses Grant, former President and Civil War hero, died in New York.
07/24 On July 24, 1866, Tennessee was readmitted to the Union. See other notable events in the Timeline.
07/25 On July 25, 1866, Ulysses S. Grant was appointed General of the Army, the first person to hold that rank.
07/25 On July 25, 1868, Wyoming officially became a U.S. territory. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
07/26 New York ratified the Constitution on July 26, 1788. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
07/27 On July 27, 1953, an armistice was signed, effectively ending the conflict known as the Korean War.
07/28 On July 28, 1868, the 14th Amendment, guaranteeing the due process of law to all citizens regardless of race, was ratified.
07/29 Alexis de Tocqueville, a famous commentator on U.S. culture and politics, was born on July 29, 1805 in France.
07/30 The House of Burgesses of Jamestown, Virginia, the first representative assembly in the New World, opened on July 30, 1619.
07/31 On July 31, 1875, President Andrew Johnson died.
08/01 Colorado became a state on August 1, 1876. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
08/02 On August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait, touching off the Gulf War.
08/03 On August 3, 1492, Christopher Columbus set off on his first voyage to North America.
08/04 On August 4, 1916, Denmark ceded the Virgin Islands to the United States.
08/05 On August 5, 1884, the cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty was laid.
08/06 On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, prompting the end of World War 2.
08/07 On August 7, 1964, the Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, a major event in the Vietnam War.
08/08 On August 8, 1974, President Richard Nixon announced that he would resign the Presidency the following day.
08/09 On August 9, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan, prompting the end of World War 2.
08/10 August 10, 1874 is Herbert Hoover's birthday.
08/11 On August 11, 1972, the last U.S. troops left South Vietnam, effectively ending the Vietnam War.
08/12 August 12, 1762 is King George III's birthday. Celebrate the American revolt against the King by reading the Declaration of Independence.
08/13 On August 13, 1961, the Soviet Union closed the border in Berlin, erecting a barbed-wire fence that lasted almost 30 years.
08/14 On August 14, 1935, the Napoleon Bonaparte's birthday; Napolean authorized the sale of France's Louisiana Territory to the United States in 1803.
08/16 On August 16, 1777, American forces fought the Battle of Bennington, celebrated as a state holiday in Vermont.
08/17 Union ships begin a bombardment of Fort Sumter in South Carolina on August 17, 1863. The bombardment continues for over four months.
08/18 On August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
08/19 August 19, 1946 is President Bill Clinton's birthday.
08/20 August 20, 1833 is President Benjamin Harrison's birthday.
08/21 Hawaii became a state on August 21, 1959. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
08/22 The United States annexed New Mexico on August 22, 1846.
08/23 August 23, 1754 is King Louis XVI's birthday. King Louis's support of the fledgling American Revolution against Britain is seen as a key to America's independence.
08/24 The Congress and the White House were burned by the British in the War of 1812 on August 24, 1814.
08/25 On August 25, 1950, President Harry Truman ordered that that government take control of the railroads to forestall a strike. Control of the railroads returned to the owners two years later. The case was never heard by the Supreme Court.
08/26 The 19th Amendment was ratified on August 26, 1920, ensuring women the right to vote.
08/27 August 27, 1908 is President Lyndon Johnson's birthday.
08/28 On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King delivered his I Have a Dream speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
08/29 August 29, 1632 is John Locke's birthday. Locke's writing were of some influence in the Constitutional Convention.
08/30 On August 30, 1963, a hot line was established between Washington and Moscow to help avert accidental nuclear war.
08/31 On August 31, 1980, the Solidarity labor union was formed in Poland. The forming of this union is seen as a watershed event in the fall of communism in Europe.
09/01 On September 1, 1807, former Vice President Aaron Burr was found innocent of treason.
09/02 September 2, 1838 is Queen Liliuokalani's birthday. Liliuokalani was the last monarch of Hawaii.
09/03 The United States and Britain signed the Treaty of Paris on September 3, 1783, fulfilling the Declaration of Independence.
09/04 On September 4, 1957, Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus called out the National Guard to prevent black students from attending Central High School in Little Rock.
09/05 The First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia on September 5, 1774. One of the work products of the First Congress was the Articles of Association.
09/06 September 6, 1757 is the Marquis de Lafayette's birthday. Lafayette was a great friend of George Washington and a supporter of the American Revolution.
09/07 On September 7, 1998, Google was founded. Google sends this site about one third of its total traffic. Thanks Google!
09/08 On September 8, 1974, President Gerald Ford granted President Richard Nixon a full pardon.
09/09 California became a state on September 9, 1850. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
09/10 On September 10, 1813, the Battle of Lake Erie was fought between U.S. and British forces. The U.S. victory ensured U.S. control of the Great Lakes during the War of 1812.
09/11 On this anniversary of the terrorist attacks on America in 2001, celebrate our freedom by reading your Constitution.
09/11 On September 11, 1786, the Annapolis Conference met for the first time.
09/12 On September 12, 1962, President John Kennedy announced the goal of reaching the moon by the end of the decade.
09/13 On September 13, 1948, Margaret Chase Smith was elected to the Senate, becoming the first woman to serve in both houses of Congress.
09/14 On September 14, 1901, President William McKinley died of his wounds from an assassin's gun.
09/15 September 15, 1857 is President William Howard Taft's birthday. Taft served as President and as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
09/16 President Gerald Ford granted conditional amnesty to Vietnam deserters and draft evaders on September 16, 1974.
09/17 September 17 is Constitution Day. Celebrate by reading your Constitution.
09/18 September 18, 1779 is Joseph Story's birthday. Story is the youngest person ever to serve in the Supreme Court.
09/19 On September 19, 1881, President James Garfield died of a gunshot wound inflicted the previous July 2.
09/20 The U.S.S. Constitution was launched from Boston on September 20, 1797.
09/21 On September 21, 1780, Benedict Arnold gave plans to West Point to the British. His courier was intercepted and his treason was discovered. Arnold escaped, and his name is now synonymous with "traitor."
09/22 On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued his initial Emancipation Proclamation.
09/23 On September 23, 1868, Puerto Rico declared its independence from Spain - Spain did not agree to the declaration, and ceded Puerto Rico to the United States in 1898 after the Spanish-American War.
09/24 September 24, 1755 is John Marshall's birthday. Marshall wrote the opinion in Marbury v Madison.
09/25 On September 25, 1789, the Congress adopted the twelves articles of amendment that would later become the Bill of Rights.
09/26 On September 26, 1789, President George Washington appointed the first cabinet under the new Constitution. Notable appointments were Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State and John Jay as Chief Justice.
09/27 September 27 is your Webmaster's birthday. Celebrate by reading your Constitution.
09/28 On September 28, 1787, the Congress approved the Constitution and sent it to the states for ratification. See the Convention Timeline for more information.
09/29 The first Congress under the Constitution adjourned on September 29, 1789. Celebrate by reading your Constitution.
09/30 On September 30, 1867, the United States took control of the Midway Atoll. The atoll has no native inhabitants and is maintained as a U.S. territory.
10/01 October 1, 1924 is President Jimmy Carter's birthday.
10/02 On October 2, 1967, Thurgood Marshall was sworn in as the first black Supreme Court Justice.
10/03 On October 3, 1922, Rebecca Felton of Georgia became the first woman to serve in the U.S. Senate.
10/04 October 4, 1822 is President Rutherford Hayes's birthday.
10/05 October 5, 1830 is President Chester Arthur's birthday.
10/06 On October 6, 1884, the Naval War College was founded in Newport, Rhode Island.
10/06 October 6 is German-American Day. Celebrate by reading your Constitution.
10/07 On October 7, 1765, the Stamp Act Congress met in response to the Stamp Act. The Declaration of Rights, a precursor to the Declaration of Independence, was issued.
10/08 October 8, 1941 is Jesse Jackson's birthday. Jackson was a colleague of Martin Luther King and a candidate for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988.
10/09 On October 9, 1888, the Washington Monument, honoring our first president, was opened to the public.
10/10 On October 10, 1973, Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned. Under the 25th Amendment, President Richard Nixon later nominated Gerald Ford to replace Agnew.
10/11 October 11, 1884 is Eleanor Roosevelt's birthday. Eleanor was President Franklin Roosevelt's wife, and active in social causes.
10/12 In a precursor to the 9/11/2001 attacks, the USS Cole was attacked in Yemen on October 12, 2000.
10/13 On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress authorized creation of a navy.
10/14 October 14, 1890 is President Dwight Eisenhower's birthday.
10/15 On October 15, 1962, the 13-day geopolitical drama known as the Cuban Missile Crisis began when U.S. spy plane over-flights first spotted Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba.
10/16 October 16, 1758 is Noah Webster's birthday. Webster worked to standardize American spelling.
10/17 On October 17, 1777, the American forces under General Horatio Gates defeated British General John Burgoyne's forces at Saratoga, New York.
10/18 On October 18, 1767, the boundary between Pennsylvania and Maryland was established - the Mason-Dixon Line.
10/19 General George Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington at Yorktown on October 19, 1781, bringing to an end the last major battle of the American Revolution.
10/20 On October 20, 1964, President Herbert Hoover died.
10/21 On October 21, 1797, the frigate U.S.S. Constitution was launched in Boston Harbor.
10/22 The first U.S. military casualties in Vietnam occurred on October 22, 1957.
10/23 October 23, 1835 is Adlai Stevenson's birthday. Stevenson was a Vice President of the United States - find his name in the Electoral Returns.
10/24 On October 24, 1929, Wall Street suffered "Black Thursday", the precursor to the "Black Tuesday" event five days later. Though there is debate on whether the stock market crash caused the Great Depression, the crash is generally seen as the beginning of that historical era.
10/25 On October 25, 1962, Ambassador Adlai Stevenson displayed definitive proof of Soviet missiles recently placed in Cuba at an emergency session of the United Nations.
10/26 October 26, 1947 is Hillary Clinton's birthday. Clinton was Bill Clinton's First Lady, later served as a U.S. Senator, and ran for President in 2008.
10/27 October 27, 1858 is President Teddy Roosevelt's birthday.
10/28 On October 28, 1886, the Statue of Liberty was dedicated by President Grover Cleveland.
10/29 On October 29, 1901, Leon Czolgosz, assassin of President William McKinley, was executed.
10/30 October 30, 1735 is President John Adams's birthday.
10/30 James S. Sherman, Vice President under William Howard Taft, died on October 30, 1912, just days before the election. Sherman's electoral votes were given to Nicholas Butler.
10/31 Nevada became a state on October 31. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
11/01 On November 1, 1765, the Stamp Act was passed in the British Parliament. The Declaration of Rights was written in response and accompanied American boycotts of British goods.
11/02 November 2, 1795 is President James Polk's birthday.
11/02 November 2, 1865 is President Warren Harding's birthday.
11/03 November 3, 1933 is Michael Dukakis's birthday. Dukakis was a governor of Massachusetts and a candidate for President of the United States - find his name in the Electoral Returns.
11/04 November 4, 1946 is Laura Bush's birthday. Bush is George W. Bush's First Lady.
11/05 November 5, 1855 is Eugene Debs's birthday. Debs was a perennial Socialist candidate for President of the United States - find his name in the Election Results.
11/06 On November 6, 1860, President Abraham Lincoln was elected president.
11/07 On November 7, 1916, Jeannette Rankin of Montana was elected to the House of Representatives, the first woman ever elected to Congress.
11/08 Montana became a state on November 8, 1889. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
11/09 On November 9, 1620, the Mayflower landed on North America.
11/10 On November 10, 1775, the Continental Congress authorized the creation of the Continental Marines, later the U.S. Marine Corps.
11/11 Washington became a state on November 11, 1889. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
11/12 November 12, 1815 is Elizabeth Cady Stanton's birthday. Stanton helped draft the Declaration of Sentiments.
11/13 November 13, 1856 is Louis Brandeis's birthday. Brandeis was a noted lawyer and Supreme Court Justice.
11/14 On November 14, 1969, Apollo 12, second manned mission to the surface of the moon, was launched.
11/14 On November 14, 1971, Mariner 9 reached Mars, becoming the first spacecraft to orbit another planet.
11/15 On November 15, 1777, the Continental Congress approved the Articles of Confederation.
11/16 Oklahoma became a state on November 16, 1907. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
11/17 On November 17, 1800, Congress met in Washington, D.C. for the first time. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
11/18 On November 18, 1886, President Chester Arthur died.
11/19 November 19, 1831 is President James Garfield's birthday.
11/20 November 20, 1925 is Robert Kennedy's birthday. Kennedy, brother of President John Kennedy, was assassinated in 1968.
11/21 North Carolina ratified the Constitution on November 21, 1789. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
11/22 On November 22, 1963, President John Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas.
11/23 November 23, 1804 is President Franklin Pierce's birthday.
11/24 November 24, 1784 is President Zachary Taylor's birthday.
11/25 On November 25, 1783, the British abandoned New York City, their last post in America. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
11/26 On November 26, 1941, the Japanese fleet that would eventually attack Pearl Harbor set sail.
11/27 On November 27, 1973, the Senate confirms Representative Gerald Ford as President Richard Nixon's new Vice President. The House confirmed Ford on December 6.
11/28 On November 28, 1943, President Franklin Roosevelt agrees to meet in Tehran, Iran with Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Premier Josef Stalin to discuss war strategy.
11/29 On November 29, 1990, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 678, authorizing the use of force in Iraq if Iraq did not withdraw from Kuwait by January 15.
11/30 On November 30, 1782, British and American representatives in Paris signed preliminary peace articles, later formalized in the 1783 Treaty of Paris.
12/01 On December 1, 1824, the selection of a President was turned over to the House when the Electoral College Vote failed to produce any majority.
12/02 On December 2, 1823, President James Monroe expounded his Monroe Doctrine.
12/03 Illinois became a state on December 3, 1818. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
12/04 The Senate approved United States membership in the United Nations on December 5, 1945.
12/05 December 5 is President Martin Van Buren's birthday.
12/06 The 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery, was ratified on December 6, 1865.
12/07 Delaware became the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
12/07 On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese.
12/08 On December 8, 1941, Congress declared war on the Empire of Japan
12/09 On December 9, 1992, U.S. Marines landed in Somalia as a part of Operation Restore Hope, designed to help the war-torn and famine-ravaged nation.
12/10 Mississippi became a state on December 10, 1817. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
12/11 Indiana became a state on December 11, 1816. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
12/12 Pennsylvania ratified the Constitution on December 12, 1787. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
12/13 December 13, 1818 is Mary Todd Lincoln's birthday. Lincoln was President Abraham Lincoln's First Lady.
12/14 Alabama became a state on December 14, 1819. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
12/15 December 15 is Bill of Rights Day - see if you can find the Bill in your Constitution.
12/16 The Boston Tea Party took place on December 16, 1773. Commemorate the day by reading the Declaration of Independence.
12/17 France formally recognized American independence on December 17, 1777. Commemorate the day by reading the Declaration of Independence.
12/18 New Jersey ratified the Constitution on December 18, 1787. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution.
12/19 On December 19, 1998, the House of Representatives impeached President Bill Clinton.
12/20 On December 20, 1860, South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union. See the Timeline for other notable events.
12/21 On December 21, 1620, the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts.
12/22 On December 22, 1775, the first commander and officers of United States Navy were commissioned.
12/23 Construction of Plymouth Colony began on December 23, 1620. Plymouth is where the Mayflower landed after crossing the Atlantic from England.
12/24 On December 24, 1814, the War of 1812 ended when the United States and Britain signed the Treaty of Ghent.
12/25 Merry Christmas! Enjoy the holiday with your family - come back later and read your Constitution.
12/26 On December 26, 1972, President Harry Truman died.
12/27 On December 27, 1945, Korea was divided into North Korea and South Korea; the split ultimately led to the Korean War.
12/28 December 28, 1856 is President Woodrow Wilson's birthday.
12/29 December 29, 1808 is President Andrew Johnson's birthday.
12/30 On December 30, 1853, the United States completed the Gadsden Purchase, buying 45,000 square miles from Mexico.
12/31 Happy New Year's Eve. As you reflect on the past year, reflect on your liberty and freedom, and read your Constitution, to see how you keep them.