Brigadier General James Monroe Williams

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The following outline is provided as an overview of and a topical guide to the history of the United States.

By period

Named eras and periods

These multi-year periods are commonly identified in American history. The existence and dating of some of these periods is debated by historians.

Political parties

These periods are commonly identified as the large changes within political parties. Newer Party Systems are typically disputed by experts and historians due to the complexity of changes in political parties.

Wars

See List of wars involving the United States.

Timelines and lists

15th century

1490s

16th century

1500s
1510s
1520s
  • On March 6, 1521, three Spanish ships under the command of Fernão de Magalhães (Ferdinand Magellan) land on the Island of Guam after a seemingly endless eleven week voyage across the Pacific Ocean. Magellan names the archipelago Las Isles de las Velas Latinas (The Islands of the Latine Sails). When the Spaniards refuse to pay for supplies, natives take iron from the ships. Magellan renames the archipelago Las Islas de los Ladrones (The Islands of the Thieves).
1540s
1550s
1560s
1570s
1580s
1590s

17th century

1600s
1610s
1620s
1630s
1640s
1660s
1670s
1680s
1690s

18th century

1700s
Map of North America at the start of Queen Anne's War (1702), showing areas occupied by the three European powers
1710s
1720s
1730s
1740s
1750s
1760s
Map of the British and French settlements in North America in 1750, before the French and Indian War
1770s
1780s
1790s

19th century

1800s
1810s
1820s
1830s
1840s
1850s
1860s
1870s
1880s
1890s

20th century

1900s
1910s
1920s
1930s
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s

21st century

2000s
2010s
2020s
  • The COVID-19 pandemic shuts down most businesses and activities, arriving on January 13, 2020.
  • Joe Biden becomes the 46th president of the United States on January 20, 2021.

By region

States
Federal district
Insular areas
Outlying islands

By subject

History books

Books on the history of the United States:

Cultural history of the United States

Economic history of the United States

History of education in the United States

Geographic history of the United States

History of health care in the United States

Historiography of the United States

Maritime history of the United States

Political history of the United States

History of science in the United States

See also

References

  1. ^ The states of North Dakota and South Dakota were admitted to the Union at precisely the same time. Since the names of the new states were officially published in alphabetical order, it has been customary to consider North Dakota to be the 39th state and South Dakota to be the 40th state.

Further reading

  • Adams, James Truslow, ed. Dictionary of American History (5 Vols. 1940)
  • Kutler, Stanley I. ed. Dictionary of American History (3rd Edition 10 Volumes, 2003)
  • Martin, Michael. Dictionary of American History (Littlefield, Adams 1989)
  • Morris. Richard, ed. Encyclopedia of American History (7th ed. 1996)
  • Purvis, Thomas L. A Dictionary of American History (Blackwell 1997)
  • Schlesinger, Arthur M., Jr. The Almanac of American History (2nd ed. 1993)
  • Thompson, Peter, and Chris Cook. Dictionary of American History: From 1763 to the Present (Facts on File, 2000)

External links