|
Year
|
Event
|
Answer
|
|
1776
|
Founding Father Thomas Paine publishes this pamphlet advocating independence from Great Britain to people in the Thirteen Colonies.
|
Common Sense
|
|
1777
|
This federal holiday - established to celebrate the harvest of the past year - is celebrated for the first time. It is modelled on a feast shared by the Pilgrims.
|
Thanksgiving
|
|
1778
|
This Revolutionary War battle commences, fought in modern-day Freehold Borough, New Jersey. The result was inconclusive; it claimed 1,500 casualties.
|
Battle of Monmouth
|
|
1779
|
In the Battle of Flamborough Head, the American ship Bonhomme Richard - commanded by this naval captain - engages the British ship Serapis.
|
John Paul Jones
|
|
1780
|
This American-born military officer, previously entrusted by George Washington, deflects to the British side of the Revolutionary War.
|
Benedict Arnold
|
|
1781
|
This Revolutionary War battle is fought in South Carolina, which marks a crucial turning point in the American reconquest of the state from the British.
|
Battle of Cowpens
|
|
1782
|
This American expedition, intended to destroy enemy Native American towns along the Sandusky River in the Ohio County, fails.
|
Crawford Expedition
|
|
1783
|
The American Revolution officially ends with the signature of this treaty. It set the boundaries between British North America and the United States.
|
Treaty of Paris
|
|
1784
|
Britain receives its first bales of this American-imported crop. This would come to define the Southern region of the country.
|
Cotton
|
|
1785
|
Delegates from Virginia and Maryland meet at the Mount Vernon Conference to discuss the use of this Mid-Atlantic bay: the largest estuary in the United States.
|
Chesapeake Bay
|
|
1786
|
This armed uprising begins in Western Massachusetts, in response to a debt crisis and in opposition to the state's efforts to heavily tax its citizens.
|
Shays' Rebellion
|
|
1787
|
The first of these 85 essays is published - to promote the ratification of the United States Constitution.
|
The Federalist Papers
|
|
1788
|
American pioneers establish this town in modern-day Ohio: the first permanent American settlement outside the original Thirteen Colonies.
|
Marietta
|
|
1789
|
This epistolary novel, written by William Hill Brown, is published in Boston. It is considered the first American novel.
|
The Power of Sympathy
|
|
1790
|
This federal system is established, granting rights to inventors of a "new, useful" "process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter".
|
United States Patent System
|
|
1791
|
The First Bank of the United States is chartered for 20 years, with its headquarters in this city.
|
Philadelphia
|
|
1792
|
The Coinage Act is passed, establishing this bureau responsible for producing coinage and conducting trade and commerce within the nation.
|
United States Mint
|
|
1793
|
The epidemic of this disease occurs in Philadelphia, claiming the lives of 5,000 people - at the time, 10% of its population.
|
Yellow Fever
|
|
1794
|
This violent protest occurs - primarily in western Pennsylvania - over taxation on distilled spirits imposed by the federal government
|
Whiskey Rebellion
|
|
1795
|
The ______________ Act of 1795 is enacted, to increase the period of required residence from two to five years before granting citizenship.
|
Naturalization
|
|
1796
|
This treaty is officially put into effect, resolving issues between the United States and Great Britain following the Revolutionary War.
|
Jay Treaty
|
|
1797
|
This diplomatic episode in the presidency of John Adams inflames, involving a confrontation between the United States and France, which led to the Quasi-War.
|
XYZ Affair
|
|
1798
|
The Alien and ________ Acts become law, criminalising the publication or writing of false or malicious statements about the United States government.
|
Sedition
|
|
1799
|
As part of the Quasi-War, this United States Navy frigate captures the French frigate Insurgente.
|
USS Constellation
|
|
1800
|
The plot of this slave rebellion in Richmond, Virginia, is discovered, resulting in the hanging of the culprit and twenty-five followers.
|
Gabriel's Rebellion
|
|
1801
|
This American Founding Father is appointed the fourth Chief Justice of the United States, succeeding Oliver Ellsworth.
|
John Marshall
|
|
1802
|
The United States Military Academy is established at this fortified site in New York. It is still open to this day.
|
West Point
|
|
1803
|
The landmark Supreme Court decision _______ v. Madison establishes the principle of judicial review.
|
Marbury
|
|
1804
|
This Northern city - at the time with a population of about a thousand people - is engulfed by a major fire, and is mostly destroyed.
|
Detroit
|
|
1805
|
This naval war between Tripolitania and the United States - fought over American refusal to pay of tribute to piratical rulers of North Africa - ceases.
|
First Barbary War
|
|
1806
|
This expedition sent out by President Thomas Jefferson commences, intended to explore the southern and western regions of the Louisiana Territory.
|
Pike Expedition
|
|
1807
|
This highly controversial law is passed, which essentially prohibited trade between the United State and any foreign port.
|
Embargo Act of 1807
|
|
1808
|
The discovery of this type of coal in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, leads to coal being the key fuel source of America's industrial revolution.
|
Anthracite
|
|
1809
|
James Madison is sworn in as the fourth President, with this Founding Father - known for being the first governor of New York - as his Vice President.
|
George Clinton
|
|
1810
|
Jacob John Astor founds the Pacific ___ Company, engaged in the commercial trade of a commodity sourced from animals.
|
Fur
|
|
1811
|
The Commissioners' Plan of 1811 is presented, depicting the design for the streets of this borough.
|
Manhattan
|
|
1812
|
The Boston Gazette coins this term, referring to legislation creating oddly shaped electoral districts designed to help incumbents win re-election.
|
Gerrymander
|
|
1813
|
This battle - part of the War of 1812 - results in an American victory against Tecumseh's Confederacy and their British Allies.
|
Battle of the Thames
|
|
1814
|
The Battle of Horseshoe Bend - part of this war between the United States and the Muscogee tribes - occurs in northern Alabama.
|
Creek War
|
|
1815
|
The War of 1812 nears completion with this treaty; the results are inconclusive, but several indigenous nations are displaced from their territory.
|
Treaty of Ghent
|
|
1816
|
Due to an observed persistent "dry fog" and an average decrease in temperature of 0.4-0.7°C (0.7-1°F), this year is known as the 'Year Without a ______'.
|
Summer
|
|
1817
|
With the inauguration of James Monroe as President, this political period begins - marked by a sense of national purpose and a desire for unity among Americans.
|
Era of Good Feelings
|
|
1818
|
This Midwestern Native American tribe ceded their traditional lands across present Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.
|
The Osage
|
|
1819
|
The Supreme Court decision McCulloch v. ________ rules that the Bank of the United States is constitutional, defining Congress' legislative authority.
|
Maryland
|
|
1820
|
This law is enacted, with the hopes of maintaining an equal number of slave states and free states.
|
Missouri Compromise
|
|
1821
|
This private liberal arts college based in Massachusetts is founded by the then-president of Williams College Zephaniah Swift Moore.
|
Amherst College
|
|
1822
|
This free Black leader in Charleston, South Carolina, for plotting a slave revolt. Its potential major scale stoked the fears of the antebellum planter class.
|
Denmark Vesey
|
|
1823
|
Religious leader Joseph Smith first goes to the place containing these 'sacred' objects - the source from which he translated the Book of Mormon.
|
Golden Plates
|
|
1824
|
This French aristocrat embarks on a tour of the then 24 states forming the Union. He visits President James Monroe at the White House.
|
Marquis de Lafayette
|
|
1825
|
This canal is opened, granting passage from Albany, New York to the Great Lakes; it is the first navigable waterway joining the Atlantic Ocean to these lakes.
|
Erie Canal
|
|
1826
|
The historical romance novel: 'The Last of the Mohicans' is first printed, written by this American author.
|
James Fenimore Cooper
|
|
1827
|
The _________ and Ohio Railroad is incorporated, becoming the first railroad in America offering commercial transportation of both people and freight.
|
Baltimore
|
|
1828
|
This minor party is formed in New York, being the earliest third party in the United States. It nominated William Wirt for president in the election of 1832.
|
Anti-Masonic Party
|
|
|
A prominent British chemist and mineralogist leaves a bequest of £100,000 to fund this institution, which presently holds 154 million archived items.
|
Smithsonian Institution
|
|
1830
|
Sarah Josepha Hale - also known for campaigning for the completion of the Bunker Hill monument - has this renowned nursery rhyme published in Boston.
|
Mary Had a Little Lamb
|
|
1831
|
This French political philosopher visits the United States, inspiring his conservative social text 'Democracy in America'.
|
Alexis de Tocqueville
|
|
1832
|
The Supreme Court case _________ v. Georgia rules that the Cherokee are entitled to federal protection from the states, but is ignored by Andrew Jackson.
|
Worcester
|
|
1833
|
This sectional political crisis, involving South Carolina's refusal to adopt the federal Tariffs of 1828 and 1832, comes to a close.
|
Nullification Crisis
|
|
1834
|
The Whig Party is officially named by this United States Senator of Kentucky, known for the Compromise of 1850 and his promotion of the American System.
|
Henry Clay
|
|
1835
|
This war between the United States and a group of Native Americans and Black Indians in Florida breaks out; it is regarded as the longest of the Indian conflicts.
|
Second Seminole War
|
|
1836
|
This pivotal military engagement in the Texas Revolution occurs, later culminating in the defeat of the Mexican army and the formation of the Republic of Texas.
|
Battle of the Alamo
|
|
1837
|
This manufacturer begins his agricultural manufacturing business in Grand Detour, Illinois, now known for its tractors and other heavy equipment.
|
John Deere
|
|
1838
|
This forced displacement of 60,000 people from the 'Five Civilised Tribes' to modern-day Oklahoma leads to the death of thousands of innocent native Indians.
|
Trail of Tears
|
|
1839
|
This American inventor takes the first known American photographic portrait. However, the first-ever self-portrait was taken by Hippolyte Bayard in France.
|
Robert Cornelius
|
|
1840
|
In the presidential election of 1840, William Henry Harrison defeated incumbent Martin Van Buren. This Virginian is the former's running mate for vice president.
|
John Tyler
|
|
1841
|
The Supreme Court rules that the Africans who took control of this Spanish vessel had been enslaved illegally; having then been shipped off to Cuba.
|
La Amistad
|
|
1842
|
The _______-Ashburton Treaty is signed, establishing the United States-Canada border east of the Rocky Mountains.
|
Webster
|
|
1843
|
This Mexican President announces that the annexation of Texas by the United States would be considered an act of war by Mexico.
|
Antonio López de Santa Anna
|
|
1844
|
American chemist Charles Goodyear receives a patent for this process, which involves using sulfur to harder rubber, especially for use in motor tyres.
|
Vulcanisation
|
|
1845
|
This narrative poem by Edgar Allan Poe is first published, noted for its musicality, stylised language and supernatural atmosphere.
|
The Raven
|
|
1846
|
This group of American pioneers depart Independence, Missouri, on the Oregon Trail. Later, they become snowbound in the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
|
Donner Party
|
|
1847
|
This religious leader - the second president of the LDS Church - along with 148 Mormon pioneers, arrive in modern-day Utah - hence establishing Salt Lake City.
|
Brigham Young
|
|
1848
|
This treaty is signed, ending the Mexican-American war and ceding to the United States virtually all of what becomes the southwestern part of the nation.
|
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
|
|
1849
|
The present fifth-largest city in Texas, in the county seat of Tarrant County, is founded. It is known as "where the West begins".
|
Fort Worth
|
|
1850
|
This abolitionist and social activist, later an advocate for woman's suffrage, becomes an official conductor of the Underground Railroad.
|
Harriet Tubman
|
|
1851
|
This private Jesuit university - the now oldest operating institution of higher learning in California - is opened.
|
Santa Clara University
|
|
1852
|
This novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe - depicting the harsh conditions experienced by enslaved African Americans - is published in Boston.
|
Uncle Tom's Cabin
|
|
1853
|
This diplomatic expedition is sent to the Tokugawa Shogunate, with the goal of forcing the end of Japan's 220-year-old policy of isolation - to open up trade.
|
Perry Expedition
|
|
1854
|
This American transcendentalist philosopher's novel: Walden, is published - a reflection on his simple living in a cabin over the course of two years.
|
Henry David Thoreau
|
|
1855
|
This American industrialist opens a new factory for the manufacture of firearms in Hartford, Connecticut.
|
Samuel Colt
|
|
1856
|
Preston Brooks beats this Senator with a cane in the United States Senate, for a speech the latter gave disavowing the pro-slavery violence in Kansas.
|
Charles Sumner
|
|
1857
|
This series of hostile attacks during the Utah War occur, perpetuated by settlers from the LDS Church against the Baker-Fancher emigrant wagon train.
|
Mountain Meadows Massacre
|
|
1858
|
This then-Senator of Illinois engages in publicised debates with Abraham Lincoln over slavery, especially regarding the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854.
|
Stephen Douglas
|
|
1859
|
This American composer (probably) writes the folk song 'Dixie': one of the most distinctive pieces of Southern culture.
|
Dan Emmett
|
|
1860
|
Abraham Lincoln delivers this address in New York City, in which he affirming his opposition to the expansion of slavery into the western territories.
|
Cooper Union Speech
|
|
1861
|
This battle fought in Prince William County, Virginia, is the first major battle of the American Civil War - resulting in a Confederate victory.
|
First Battle of Bull Run
|
|
1862
|
Author Horace Greeley publishes an editorial in this newspaper, urging President Abraham Lincoln to make abolition of slavery an official aim of the war effort.
|
New-York Tribune
|
|
1863
|
The first claim under this law - granting free ownership of government or public land in exchange for its development - is made for a farm in Nebraska.
|
Homestead Act
|
|
1864
|
This naval and land engagement of the Civil War - fought over this crucial port on the Alabama coast - results in a Union victory.
|
Battle of Mobile Bay
|
|
1865
|
With the end of the Civil War, and the initiation of the presence of Union troops in former Confederate states to defend newly freed slaves, this period begins.
|
Reconstruction
|
|
1866
|
This politician from Ohio - affiliated with the Radical Republicans - is the current chief justice of the United States, succeeding Roger Taney.
|
Salmon P. Chase
|
|
1867
|
Alaska is purchased for $7.2 million from Russia, by this United States Secretary of State. The media then described it as a "folly", due to its apparent lack of use.
|
William Seward
|
|
1868
|
In the Battle of Washita River, this United States Army officer leads an attack on Cheyenne living on reservation land with Chief Black Kettle, killing 103 of them.
|
George Armstrong Custer
|
|
1869
|
The 'golden spike' is driven in Promontory, Utah, marking the completion of this major engineering feat: the first of its kind in North America.
|
Pacific Railroad
|
|
1870
|
This German-born cartoonist drafts a political cartoon for Harper's Weekly - for the first time symbolising the Democratic Party with a donkey.
|
Thomas Nast
|
|
1871
|
William "Boss" Tweed - noted as the political boss of this Democratic Party political machine based in New York - is arrested for bribery.
|
Tammany Hall
|
|
1872
|
This American-registered merchant brigantine is discovered adrift and deserted in the Atlantic Ocean off the Azores Islands.
|
Mary Celeste
|
|
1873
|
Congress enacts this law, criminalising any use of the United States Postal Service to send any "obscene, lewd, or lascivious" items through the mail.
|
Comstock Law
|
|
1874
|
This minor political party is established - advocating the issuing of non-gold backed currency to create inflation, hence making debts easier to pay.
|
Greenback Party
|
|
1875
|
A murder conviction begins to break the power of this Irish-American secret society, for their anti-owner coal miner activism.
|
Molly Maguires
|
|
1876
|
This catastrophic fire in New York breaks out, claiming the lives of approximately 300 individuals.
|
Brooklyn Theatre Fire
|
|
1877
|
Thomas Edison announces his first 'great' invention: a machine that can record sound and store it as etchings on wax cylinders or discs.
|
Phonograph
|
|
1878
|
The Bland-Allison Act is passed, requiring the United States Treasury to buy some silver and put it into circulation, briefly restoring this monetary policy.
|
Bimetallism
|
|
1879
|
This political economist and journalist self-publishes his work: 'Progress and Poverty', in which he argues for land value taxation.
|
Henry George
|
|
1880
|
This amateur astronomer - the son of one of the first Americans to be photographed - takes the first photograph of the Orion Nebula.
|
Henry Draper
|
|
1881
|
This famous gunfight: a thirty-second shootout between lawmen led by Virgil Earp and a group of outlaws, takes place in Tombstone, Arizona Territory.
|
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
|
|
1882
|
This United States federal law, signed by President Chester A. Arthur, is the first major law restricting immigration into the country.
|
Chinese Exclusion Act
|
|
1883
|
The first theatre of this genre of variety entertainment based in France - noted as a farce with music - is opened in Boston, Massachusetts.
|
Vaudeville
|
|
1884
|
This free-floating perennial aquatic plant native to tropical and subtropical South America is introduced in the United States, and becomes an invasive species.
|
Water Hyacinth
|
|
1885
|
This stock market index - then representing the dollar average of fourteen stocks: twelve railroads and two leading American industries - is published.
|
Dow Jones Industrial Average
|
|
1886
|
This riot: the aftermath of a bombing that took place at a labour demonstration in Chicago, Illinois, shores up national support for the eight-hour work day.
|
Haymarket Affair
|
|
1887
|
This political era is undergoing: a time of rapid economic growth in the industrial sector, as well as corruption and power abuse by robber barons.
|
Gilded Age
|
|
1888
|
An international Congress for Women's Rights is opened in Washington, D.C., organised by this social reformer committed to women's suffrage.
|
Susan B. Anthony
|
|
1889
|
President Grover Cleveland signs the Enabling Act, admitting four territories as U.S. States. On November 8, this region becomes the 41st state.
|
Montana
|
|
1890
|
This law is enacted, broadly prohibiting anticompetitive agreements and unilateral conduct that monopolises the relevant market.
|
Sherman Antitrust Act
|
|
1891
|
This early motion picture exhibition device - designed for films to be viewed by one person at a time through a peephole viewer window - is first displayed.
|
Kinetoscope
|
|
1892
|
This American monthly fashion and lifestyle magazine, based at One World Trade Center in New York City, is launched.
|
Vogue
|
|
1893
|
The United States Marines intervene in Hawaii, resulting in the overthrow of this queen of the nation.
|
Liliʻuokalani
|
|
1894
|
Three thousand workers of a railroad car company go on strike to protest lowered wages without an equivalent reduction in expenses in Chicago.
|
Pullman Strike
|
|
1895
|
The gold reserve of the United States Treasury is saved when this wealthy Ashkenazi Jewish family, originally from Frankfurt, loan $65 million worth of gold.
|
The Rothschilds
|
|
1896
|
The United States Supreme Court decision Plessy v. Ferguson upholds racial segregation and promotes this three-word doctrine.
|
"Separate but equal"
|
|
1897
|
This gold rush to Yukon commences when the first successful prospectors arrive in Seattle. Out of the original 100,000 miners, only 30,000 would arrive.
|
Klondike Gold Rush
|
|
1898
|
In the Battle of Manilla Bay - the first of the Spanish-American War - this commodore - the only Admiral of the Navy - destroys the Spanish squadron.
|
George Dewey
|
|
1899
|
The United States embarks on an 'Open Door Policy' in foreign affairs: one of trade and intervention, especially in reaction to this uprising in the Qing dynasty.
|
Boxer Rebellion
|
|
1900
|
This hurricane makes landfall in Southeast Texas, eventually killing 6,000-12,000 citizens - making it the deadliest natural disaster in United States history.
|
Galveston Hurricane
|
|
1901
|
This industrial production firm based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - the first billion-dollar corporation - is incorporated by industrialist J. P. Morgan.
|
U.S. Steel
|
|
1902
|
This annual American college football bowl game, between Michigan and Stanford, is held in Pasadena, California, for the first time.
|
Rose Bowl Game
|
|
1903
|
This cantilever bridge over the East River in New York City opens - it would be complete six years later.
|
Queensboro Bridge
|
|
1904
|
The third Modern Olympic Games open in this city, lasting from 29 August to 3 September. It is the first time that the Olympic Games were held outside Europe.
|
St. Louis, Missouri
|
|
1905
|
The landmark United States Supreme Court decision _______ v. New York holds that New York's eight-hour work day law is unconstitutional.
|
Lochner
|
|
1906
|
This writer and muckraker publishes 'The Jungle': a novel depicting the life of a contemporary immigrant family in Chicago working in the meat packing industry.
|
Upton Sinclair
|
|
1907
|
This group of United States Navy battleships departs Hampton Roads, Virginia, on a fourteen-month circumnavigation of the globe.
|
Great White Fleet
|
|
1908
|
This automobile by the Ford Motor Company: the first affordable car, is officially launched at the initial price of $850 (~$28,000, adjusted for inflation, in 2023).
|
Model T
|
|
1909
|
This civil rights organisation is formed by such figures as W. E. B. Du Bois and Ida B. Wells, on the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln.
|
NAACP
|
|
1910
|
This African-American boxer defeats white boxer James J. Jeffries in a heavyweight boxing match, sparking race riots throughout the country.
|
Jack Johnson
|
|
1911
|
The United States Supreme Court declares this company - founded principally by John D. Rockefeller - an "unreasonable monopoly" and orders its dissolution.
|
Standard Oil
|
|
1912
|
This political activist - one of the founding members of the Industrial Workers of the World - is nominated as the Socialist Party's candidate for President.
|
Eugene V. Debs
|
|
1913
|
This central banking system - still in use to this day - is created by President Woodrow Wilson, largely due to the Panic of 1907.
|
Federal Reserve
|
|
1914
|
United States troops withdraw from this constituent state in Mexico; Venustiano Carranza's troops take over and Carranza makes the town his headquarters.
|
Veracruz
|
|
1915
|
This controversial, but highly advanced, film - by D. W. Griffith - praising the Ku Klux Klan and condemning the Black race, is first premiered.
|
The Birth of a Nation
|
|
1916
|
During the Mexican Revolution, this general leads about 500 Mexican raiders in an attack against Columbus, New Mexico, killing twelve U.S. soldiers.
|
Pancho Villa
|
|
1917
|
This award for achievements in journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States is first distributed.
|
Pulitzer Prize
|
|
1918
|
President Woodrow Wilson delivers his Fourteen Points speech. The thirteenth one encourages the creation of this independent state.
|
Poland
|
|
1919
|
The Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution goes into effect, authorising this federal process, which lasted until 1933.
|
Prohibition
|
|
1920
|
This period of mass paranoia about the alleged spread of socialism, communism, and anarchism among American labourers commences.
|
First Red Scare
|
|
1921
|
This full-length silent comedy-drama film, written, produced, directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin - in his Tramp character - is released.
|
The Kid
|
|
1922
|
This Californian species is hunted to extinction. Prior to Spanish settlement in the second half of the 1700s, approximately 10,000 of them inhabited the region.
|
California Grizzly Bear
|
|
1923
|
This political scandal boils over (pun intended) - which started when Secretary of the Interior Albert Bacon Fall leased Navy petroleum reserves in Wyoming.
|
Teapot Dome Scandal
|
|
1924
|
This musical composition is written by George Gershwin for solo piano and jazz band, combining elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects.
|
Rhapsody in Blue
|
|
1925
|
This trial commences, in which a school teacher in Dayton, Tennessee, is arrested and prosecuted for teaching Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution.
|
Scopes Trial
|
|
1926
|
This engineer and physicist successfully launches the world's first liquid-fueled rocket at Auburn, Massachusetts.
|
Robert H. Goddard
|
|
1927
|
This musical drama film, directed by Alan Crosland, is the first "talkie" with a synchronised soundtrack, fostering the end of the silent film era.
|
The Jazz Singer
|
|
1928
|
The New York Yankees defeat this Missouri professional baseball team, 4 games to 0, to win their 3rd World Series Title.
|
St. Louis Cardinals
|
|
1929
|
This national park in northwestern Wyoming - covering approximately 310,000 acres of land - is established by Congress.
|
Grand Teton National Park
|
|
1930
|
This law is passed, raising U.S. Tariffs on 20,000 imported goods, leading to a freeze in international trade. It is said to have prolonged the Great Depression.
|
Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act
|
|
1931
|
This group of nine African American teenage males are accused in Alabama of raping two white women, leading to a series of Supreme Court cases.
|
Scottsboro Boys
|
|
1932
|
A sequence of natural disasters begin in Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas, leading to the start of these storms in the United States.
|
Dust Bowl
|
|
1933
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This voluntary government work relief program, initially for unmarried men aged 18 to 25, commences as part of the New Deal.
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Civilian Conservation Corps
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1934
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This comedy team - active from 1922 to 1970 - releases their first short: 'Woman Haters', directed by Archie Gottler.
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The Three Stooges
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1935
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This United States senator, dubbed 'The Kingfish', makes the longest speech on Senate record, taking fifteen and a half hours and containing 150,000 words.
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Huey Long
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1936
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Margaret Mitchell's novel: 'Gone with the Wind', is first published. It is centred around this female character: the spoiled daughter of a plantation owner.
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Scarlett O'Hara
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1937
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The United States Senate votes down President Franklin D. Roosevelt's proposal to add these members to the federal government.
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Supreme Court Justices
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1938
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Orson's Welles' radio adaptation of this H.G. Wells novel - on the radio series: 'The Mercury Theatre in the Air' - is broadcast, leading to mass panic.
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The War of the Worlds
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1939
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The classic colour musical film: 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' - produced by this film and media corporation - is premiered in movie theatres.
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Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios
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1940
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This General of the Armies - the sole one - urges all-out aid to Britain in order to defend the Americas in a nationwide radio broadcast.
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John J. Pershing
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1941
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This law is enacted, under which the United States supplied the Allied nations with food, oil, and materiel between 1941 and 1945.
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Lend-Lease Act
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1942
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This Italian-born physicist creates the first nuclear reactor: the Chicago Pile-1, as part of the Manhattan Project.
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Enrico Fermi
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1943
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This military campaign about an island - part of the Solomon Islands - in the Pacific theatre of World War II results in a United States victory against Japan.
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Guadalcanal Campaign
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1944
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This army officer, who later served as Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense under President Harry Truman, becomes the first Five-Star general.
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George C. Marshall
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1945
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This World War II meeting between Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin is held in Crimea, to discuss the postwar reorganization of Germany and Europe.
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Yalta Conference
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1946
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This Indian Prime Minister appeals to the United States and the Soviet Union to end nuclear testing and to start nuclear disarmament.
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Jawaharlal Nehru
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1947
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This Academy Award-winning 'Tom and Jerry' cartoon is released to theatres: and later voted #42 of the top 50 Greatest Cartoons of all time.
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The Cat Concerto
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1948
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The first audio-recorded presidential debate in the United States is recorded, featuring New York Governor Thomas Dewey and this Minnesota Governor.
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Harold Stassen
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1949
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This modernist poet and critic, whose works include 'The Cantos', is awarded the first Bollingen Prize in poetry.
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Ezra Pound
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1950
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This syndicated daily and Sunday comic strip, written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, is first published in seven newspapers.
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Peanuts
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1951
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This television sitcom, starring Lucille Ball and her husband Desi Arnaz, makes its television debut on CBS.
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I Love Lucy
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1952
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'4'33"': a controversial composition consisting of four minutes and thirty-three seconds of silence - by this composer - premiers in Woodstock, New York.
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John Cage
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1953
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With the NBC Symphony Orchestra, conductor Arturo Toscanini performs this Beethoven symphony for the last time.
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Symphony No. 3 "Eroica"
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1954
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Joseph Welch lashes out at this Senator of Wisconsin in a hearing on the issue of Communism with the army, saying, 'Have you, at long last, no decency?'
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Joseph McCarthy
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1955
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The Disneyland theme park opens in this city in Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area.
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Anaheim
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1956
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This Broadway musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe - based on George Bernard Shaw's 'Pygmalion' - debuts.
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My Fair Lady
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1957
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This suspension bridge connecting the Upper and Lower peninsulas of Michigan - at the time the longest of its kind between anchorages - opens to traffic.
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Mackinac Bridge
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1958
|
This political advocacy group is founded by a retired candy manufacturer, associated with ultraconservative, libertarian, and far-right politics.
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John Birch Society
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1959
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The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum of modern art - designed by this architect - opens to the public in New York City.
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Frank Lloyd Wright
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1960
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This professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh defeat the New York Yankees in the seventh game of the World Series.
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Pittsburgh Pirates
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1961
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In his Farewell Address President Dwight Eisenhower warns of this abstract business relationship pertaining to the sale, purchase, and acquisition of arms.
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Military-Industrial Complex
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1962
|
Bob Dylan premieres this protest anti-war song - included on his album 'The Freewheelin' Bot Dylan - Gerde's Folk City in Greenwich Village, New York City.
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Blowin' in the Wind
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1963
|
In his inaugural speech, Alabama Governor George Wallace defiantly proclaims: "___________ now, ___________ tomorrow, and ___________ forever!"
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Segregation
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1964
|
This commission to investigate the assassination of John F. Kennedy concludes that he was killed by Lee Harvey Oswald and that Oswald acted alone.
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Warren Commission
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1965
|
This Scottish racing driver wins the Indianapolis 500, and later wins the Formula One world driving championship in the same year.
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Jim Clark
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1966
|
The Supreme Court case _______ v. Arizona rules that an arrested individual is entitled to rights against self-incrimination and to an attorney.
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Miranda
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1967
|
During the Six-Day War, this Israeli attack on a United States Navy research ship results in the death of 34 crew members but is concluded to be an accident.
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USS Liberty Incident
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1968
|
The Beatles announce the creation of this record label in New York City, which would later serve such artists as James Taylor and Badfinger.
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Apple Records
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1969
|
These spontaneous protests by members of the gay community mark the start of the modern gay rights movement in the United States.
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Stonewall Riots
|
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1970
|
Lieutenant William Calley goes on trial for this mass murder of unarmed South Vietnamese civilians during the Vietnam War, committed by the United States.
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Mỹ Lai Massacre
|
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1971
|
The Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, which deals with this legal election issue.
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Voting Age
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1972
|
This astronaut is the twelfth and last person to walk on the Moon, after jointly completing the third and final Extra-vehicular activity of Apollo 17.
|
Gene Cernan
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1973
|
In 'The Battle of the Sexes', this tennis player defeats Bobby Riggs in a televised tennis match at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas.
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Billie Jean King
|
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1974
|
This amusement park located twenty miles southeast of Trenton, New Jersey, is opened - including a water park named 'Hurricane Harbor'.
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Six Flags Great Adventure
|
|
1975
|
The Apollo-_____ Test Project is carried out by the United States and the Soviet Union, marking the first such link-up between spacecraft from the two nations.
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Soyuz
|
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1976
|
Ford launches volume production of this supermini car at its Valencia plant - selling over 22 million units since release.
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Ford Fiesta
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1977
|
This Grammy Award-winning Fleetwood Mac album is released, featuring such hit numbers as 'Go Your Own Way', 'Dreams', and 'Don't Stop'.
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Rumours
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|
1978
|
These agreements signed by Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin - arranged by President Jimmy Carter - begin, leading to the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty.
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Camp David Accords
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|
1979
|
After false radio reports from this Ayatollah that the Americans had captured the Grand Mosque in Mecca, its embassy in Pakistan is attacked by a mob.
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Ruhollah Khomeini
|
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1980
|
Millions of viewers tune into this prime-time television soap opera to learn who shot the lead character J. R. Ewing.
|
Dallas
|
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1981
|
The biographical sports drama film: 'Raging Bull' - directed by this film producer - wins the Academy Award for Best Film Editing and Best Actor.
|
Martin Scorsese
|
|
1982
|
This electronics company's _________ 64 8-bit home computer is launched - over the course of twelve years, selling approximately fifteen million units.
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Commodore
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1983
|
The first restaurant of this fast-food chain opens in Clearwater, Florida - the owl is its mascot.
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Hooters
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1984
|
This civil rights activist delivers his speech: 'What The Future Holds For Farm Workers And Hispanics', at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco.
|
Cesar Chaves
|
|
1985
|
President Ronald Reagan joins this West German Chancellor for a funeral service in Bitburg, including the graves of 59 elite S.S. troops from World War II.
|
Helmut Kohl
|
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1986
|
The first artists are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which included this duo known for their steel-string acoustic guitar playing - formed in 1951.
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Everly Brothers
|
|
1987
|
This controversial religious broadcaster - associated with televangelicalism - announces his candidacy for the 1988 Republican presidential nomination.
|
Pat Robertson
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1988
|
In the vice presidential debate of the 1988 election, after Dan Quayle's assertion of his experience, Lloyd Bentsen replies: "Senator, you're no ____ _______".
|
Jack Kennedy
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1989
|
Warner Communications and this new magazine business based in New York City announce plans for a formal merger.
|
Time
|
|
1990
|
Congress passes this federal environmental law - intended to reduce and control air pollution nationwide.
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Clean Air Act
|
|
1991
|
Indictments against two Libyan intelligence officials in connection with the bombing of a Boeing 747-121 during this transatlantic flight are announced.
|
Pan Am Flight 103
|
|
1992
|
In Super Bowl XXVI, the Buffalo Bills are defeated by this Washington football team 37–24 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
|
Washington Redskins
|
|
1993
|
The North American ____ _____ Agreement is signed by Canada, the United States and Mexico: establishing a trilateral economic bloc in the continent.
|
Free Trade
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|
1994
|
The first conference devoted to the World Wide Web opens, featuring such speakers as Marc Andreessen: co-founder of this first widely used web browser.
|
Mosaic
|
|
1995
|
The 67th Academy Awards are held at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, hosted by this late-night television talk host - whose show featured on NBC and CBS.
|
David Letterman
|
|
1996
|
This company specialising in computer workstations for higher education and business use - founded by Steve Jobs - is bought by Apple Computer.
|
NeXT
|
|
1997
|
This Senator of South Carolina - also known for his 24-hour long filibuster - becomes the longest-serving Senator, with a then-tenure of under 42 years.
|
Strom Thurmond
|
|
1998
|
This Pixar computer-animated comedy film - their second feature-length one - is released in theatres.
|
A Bug's Life
|
|
1999
|
Traders of this energy company based in Houston, Texas, allegedly route 2,900 MWs of electricity destined for California to the town of Silver Peak, Nevada.
|
Enron
|
|
2000
|
These potential computer errors occur - related to the formatting and storage of calendar data for dates in and after the year 2000.
|
Y2K Problem
|
|
2001
|
As part of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, three cities are struck: New York City, Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and _________ County, Virginia.
|
Arlington
|
|
2002
|
This bear market of this stock market bubble reaches bottom; many online shipping and communication companies shut down or became devalued.
|
Dot-com Bubble
|
|
2003
|
The United States government claims that Saddam Hussein's Iraqi government is in possession of "weapons of ____ ___________".
|
Mass Destruction
|
|
2004
|
The Spirit and ___________ rovers - launched by NASA - land on Mars. The latter remained active on the Red Planet for 5,111 sols (14 Earth years).
|
Opportunity
|
|
2005
|
John Roberts is sworn in as the 17th Chief Justice of the United States, succeeding this Supreme Court Justice.
|
William Rehnquist
|
|
2006
|
This digital optical data storage format is released, designed to supersede the DVD format - capable of storing several hours of high-definition video.
|
Blu-Ray
|
|
2007
|
This television game show airs its last episode hosted by Bob Barker, who had been its host since 1972.
|
The Price is Right
|
|
2008
|
The colourised $5 bill is released, featuring this historical figure. Approximately 6% of paper currency produced by the U.S. Treasury in 2009 were $5 bills.
|
Abraham Lincoln
|
|
2009
|
This American financier pleads guilty to his investment scandal - concerning the largest Ponzi scheme in history, worth about $64.8 billion.
|
Bernie Madoff
|
|
2010
|
This element - the 117th in the periodic table - is discovered. It is probably a metallic solid at room temperature, with properties similar to astatine.
|
Tennessine
|
|
2011
|
This left-wing populist movement initiates in response to high unemployment, record executive bonuses, and extensive bailouts of the financial system.
|
Occupy Wall Street
|
|
2012
|
This Scottish driver wins the 96th Indianapolis 500 with the manufacturer Chip Ganassi Racing - being his third win there.
|
Dario Franchitti
|
|
2013
|
In the 85th Academy Awards, this Ang Lee adventure-drama film wins four awards, including Lee's second for Best Director,
|
Life of Pi
|
|
2014
|
Microsoft announces that it is purchasing this Swedish video game developer - creator of the popular sandbox video game: Minecraft - for $2 billion.
|
Mojang Studios
|
|
2015
|
This American horse race: a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds in New York, takes place for the 147th time.
|
Belmont Stakes
|
|
2016
|
This NASA space probe, built by the Lockheed Martin Corporation, enters the orbit of Jupiter.
|
Juno
|
|
2017
|
This renowned circus stages the final show in its 146-year history at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.
|
Barnum & Bailey Circus
|
|
2018
|
President Donald Trump boasts on Twitter that his nuclear button is "much bigger" and "more powerful" than whose?
|
Kim Jong-un
|
|
2019
|
This corporation supplying medical devices and pharmaceuticals is ordered to pay $572 million for contributing to the opioid crisis in Oklahoma.
|
Johnson & Johnson
|
|
2020
|
This state is the last to report a confirmed case of COVID-19 - nowadays having a total of over 650,000 cases.
|
West Virginia
|
|
2021
|
The 240th anniversary of these crucial Federalist documents - the predecessors to the United States Constitution - is noted.
|
Articles of Confederation
|
|
2022
|
This Category 5 Atlantic hurricane - the third costliest tropical cyclone on record - strikes Cuba, Florida and the Carolinas hard, causing 161 casualties.
|
Ian
|
|
2023
|
A global banking crisis arises out of four American regional banks, with the largest being this firm operating in Santa Clara, California.
|
Silicon Valley Bank
|
I had a brain lock on way too many answers I knew. Going back over afterward was a lot of forehead smacking. I wish I could nominate it, but we can't do that on quizzes with over 100 answers.