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Important Historical Events

America celebrates important historical events with fun celebrations across the country. Sometimes these events are studied in classrooms, but after that, we sometimes tend to forget the actual dates of these events.

On this page, you will find a historical events timeline from early American history through the end of the Civil War. These events shaped America and should be remembered. Further on down the page, you'll find a Historical Events calendar that has some current historical events, re-enactments and celebrations (you can add your important historical events to the calendar by using the form at the bottom of this page!).

  • Columbus sets foot on San Salvador Island in the Bahamas and is credited with "discovering" America - October 12, 1492
  • Stamp Act - March 22, 1765
  • Boston Massacre - March 5, 1770
  • The Boston Tea Party - December 16, 1773
  • Shots fired at Lexington and Concord, beginning of the Revolutionary War - April 19, 1775
  • Battle of Bunker Hill - June 17, 1775
  • Declaration of Independence signing - July 4, 1776
  • Articles of Confederation - November 15, 1777
  • The British army surrenders at Yorktown - October 19, 1781
  • England officially declares an end to hostilities in America - February 4, 1783
  • Treaty of Paris is signed by United States and Great Britain - September 3, 1783
  • Unveiling of the US Constitution - September 17, 1787
  • George Washington elected first President of the United States - April 6, 1789
  • Bill of Rights Amendments added - December 15, 1789
  • Louisiana Purchase - November 30, 1803
  • War of 1812 begins - June 18, 1812
  • War of 1812 ends with Treat of Ghent - December 24, 1814
  • Civil War begins with first shots fired at Fort Sumter - April 12, 1861
  • President Lincoln delivers the Gettysburg Address at Gettysburg - November 19, 1863
  • Civil War ends with General Lee's surrender - April 9, 1865
  • President Abraham Lincoln assassinated - April 14, 1865
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British Surrender at Yorktown, 1781, Effectively Ending the American Revolution

If you enjoy participating or watching historical re-enactments, maybe you'd like to take up a new hobby that would enable you to learn more about history? And maybe just find some historical treasures along the way! Metal detecting and treasure hunting is a great way to discover more about the history around you. The website Metal Detecting - Ghost Towns of the East is a great place to start learning more about this exciting hobby. Through his website, videos, ebooks and television show, Frank will help you learn about this fun and exciting hobby!

The Gettysburg Festival is a great place to see some great music, theater, and historical events. Held this year (2011) June 10th through the 19th, you are sure to have fun and learn lots there! You can see some of the events listed at the bottom of this page.

From Independence day celebrations to Constitution day activities, there are many historical events and celebrations available for the perfect long weekend or your next vacation. This page also serves as a list of important historical events and celebrations that visitors to American History Fun Facts have submitted. It will eventually include a list of events and activities scheduled all across the United States.

If you know of an event, or are involved in planning an event or celebration relating to United States history, please use the form at the bottom of this page to submit it. Your event will become a post on the American History Fun Facts blog, and will also become it's own page on this website. In addition to that, I will add it to the calendar below. Thousands of people visit this website every day, and your important historical events will gain some great free publicity by posting it here!

Click on any event in the calendar for more information, including a map, event hours, etc.

Historical events and the celebrations of those events allow us to learn more about American history and celebrate the historical events of our past. Many schools offer special programs about historical dates, events and American holidays.

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Paul Revere's Engraving of the Boston Massacre
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When listing your event or celebration, please be sure to include the name, date and place. If you have photos of past events, they can be posted also. Tell us a little about your event, and be sure to mention your website address and e-mail address, if you want my visitors to be able to contact you.

If you are sharing information about Civil War reenactments, please use the form on our Civil War Reenactments page to share those details.

List your important historical event details here!

Are you involved with an important historical event celebration or festival? If you or your group have something planned for a federal holiday, history month observance, or any type of important historical event celebration, I'd love to share it with my visitors!

Post the details of your event here. Be sure to include your website and/or e-mail address for people to contact you, if you want to. Pictures from past events are also welcome!

Your event details will become a page on this website, and will also be posted on our facebook page and twitter account. Please use 300-400 words to describe your event.

Enter Your Event Title

What Other Visitors Have Said

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

SOS The USS Olympia Annual Dinner - September 3, 2011  USS Olympia Annual Dinner: September 3, 2011 at the Desmond Hotel & Conference Center.

This is our first dinner and will seat 300 people. All proceeds ...

Hillsdale College Constitution Day Celebration Webcast - Sept 16/17, 2010  Hillsdale College is putting together a 2 day webcast event for Constitution Day, September 17, 2010. The webcast will start on September 16th.

This ...

All-American Brass Picnic, including Civil War period bands - The Gettysburg Festival - June, 2011  The All-American Brass Picnic combines the excellence of brass concerts with a picturesque location. The event takes place at the Festival Main Stage, located ...

History Meets the Arts - The Gettysburg Festival - June, 2011  Enjoy gallery exhibits featuring masterful paintings and exquisite sculpture, opportunities to meet world-renown artists, artist demonstrations and much ...

Presidents of Mount Rushmore - The Gettysburg Festival - June, 2011  Join four of the nation's premier presidential impersonators in this special theater presentation. Learn more about the United States Constitution, the ...

The 237th Anniversary Boston Tea Party Annual Reenactment - December 12, 2010  The 237th Anniversary Boston Tea Party Annual Reenactment, sponsored by Salada Tea, will take place on December 12, 2010.

Join the party! Take on the ...

NSU Annual U.S. Constitution Day Celebration Program - Sept 16, 2010 - Norfolk, VA  Norfolk State University will be hosting a U.S. Constitution Day program from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 16 at the L. Douglas Wilder Performing ...

National Constitution Center - September 17, 2010 - Constitution Day at the Center  Activities at the National Constitution Center include a Preamble challenge, American National Tree Induction Ceremony, Preamble Printing and Calligraphy ...


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