Chronology: Key Events in USA 1890–1945

1890 ‘End of the Moving Frontier’. Sherman Antitrust Law. Formation of UMWA.

1892 Election victory for the Democrats and return of Grover Cleveland.

1895 US backing for revolt in Cuba against Spanish rule.

1896 Republican triumph in elections.

1898 Outbreak of Spanish-American War. US occupation of the Philippines.

1900 American intervention in China and start of ‘Open Door’ policy. Re-election of President McKinley.

1901 Assassination of President McKinley. Theodore Roosevelt becomes president. Platt Amendment passed to prevent foreign interference in Cuba.

1903 Secession of Panama from Colombia enables US control of the Panama Canal.

1904 Roosevelt Corollary set out by Theodore Roosevelt.

1905 American mediation of peace between Russia and Japan. Formation of the IWW.

1908 Victory of William H. Taft in presidential election.

1909 Launch of Taft’s ‘Dollar Diplomacy’ in foreign policy.

1912 ‘Bull Moose’ Progressive party launched by Theodore Roosevelt. Victory of Woodrow Wilson in presidential election.

1914 Temporary occupation of Vera Cruz in Mexico by US forces. Outbreak of First World War in Europe.

1915 Sinking of the Lusitaniaby German U boat.

1917 US entry into the First World War. Bolshevik revolution in Russia.

1918 Large-scale involvement of US troops on Western Front. Defeat of Germany. Sedition Act passed.

1919 The ‘Red Scare’ and the Palmer raids. Boston police strike. Treaty of Versailles signed. Volstead Act begins the era of Prohibition.

1920 End of the peace conference in Paris. Warren Harding elected president. Arrest of Sacco and Vanzetti. Race riots in Washington and Chicago.

1922 Washington naval treaty.

1923 Teapot Dome scandal. Death of President Harding.

1924 Re-election of President Coolidge. Immigration to USA limited by Quota Act.1925 ‘Monkey Trial’ in Dayton Tennessee.

1927 Execution of Sacco and Vanzetti. Lindbergh’s solo flight over the Atlantic.

1928 Herbert Hoover elected president.

1929 Wall Street Crash.

1931 Onset of Great Depression. Arrest and imprisonment of Al Capone.

1932 Election of Franklin Roosevelt as president.

1933 Roosevelt’s ‘Hundred Days’ and launch of New Deal. Volstead Act repealed.

1935 Launch of ‘Second New Deal’. Assassination of Governor Huey Long. Neutrality Act passed. ‘Black Sunday’ dust blizzards in the Midwest.

1936 Re-election of Roosevelt.

1937 Start of ‘Roosevelt Recession’. Japanese invasion of Manchuria.

1938 End of New Deal legislation.

1940 Lend-Lease agreement with Britain. FDR re-elected for third term.

1941 US entry into Second World War after Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor.

1942 Withdrawal of US forces from Philippines and Guam. Battle of Midway.

1943 Massive increases in wartime production. Summit conference at Tehran.

1944 D-Day landings in Normandy and liberation of France.

1945 Summit conference at Yalta. Death of FDR – Harry Truman president. Liberation of Manila by US forces. End of Second World War in Europe. Atomic weapons used against Japan. End of the Second World War.