America'sTop+40

This list was originally compiled by Mr. Paul Rykken of Black River Falls HS in WI. He called it “America’s Top 40.”

1492 First Voyage of Columbus to “New World” 1588 Defeat of the Spanish Armada by England 1607 English settlement begins with founding of Jamestown 1620 Pilgrim’s arrival at Plymouth in New England 1763 Peace of Paris ends French and Indian War/ Proclamation Line 1776 Declaration of American Independence 1781-87 Critical Period (Articles of Confederation) 1789 Ratification of US Constitution/ New Government Established 1800 Election of Jefferson/ Transfer of Power to New Political Party 1803 Jefferson Purchases Louisiana from the French 1828 Election of Andrew Jackson 1838 Trail of Tears (Cherokee Indian Removal) 1845 “Manifest Destiny” Reaches Peak 1850 Compromise of 1850 delays Civil War for 10 years 1860 Election of Lincoln/ Beginning of Southern Secession 1861-1865 American Civil War 1864-1877 Reconstruction Period in American South 1890 Census Bureau Announces the End of the Frontier 1896 Election of McKinley/ End of Populist Movement 1898 Spanish-American War 1898-1917 Progressive Era 1914-1918 World War I   1929 Crash of Stock Market Marks Beginning of Great Depression 1932 Election of Franklin Roosevelt 1941 Pearl Harbor/ US Enters World War II   1945 Yalta Conference; V-E Day and V-J Day end WW II in Europe and Japan 1947 Truman Doctrine 1950-53 Korean Conflict 1957 Sputnik 1963 Assassination of John Kennedy 1964 Civil Rights Act; Tonkin Gulf Resolution 1964-1973 Direct Involvement by United States in Vietnam 1968 Tet Offensive in Vietnam; Anti-War Demonstrations; Riots at Democratic Convention; Assassinations of MLK and RFK 1974 Resignation of Richard Nixon/ Watergate 1979 Establishment of Formal Relations with China 1979-81 Americans Held Hostage in Iran for 444 Days 1980 Election of Ronald Reagan Marks Conservative Political Swing 1989 End of Cold War; Fall of Berlin Wall and Political Changes in Eastern Europe 1991 Gulf War 2000 Bush v. Gore Supreme Court Decision