American History Timeline Built-in Glossary Click on the underlined words to find out what the words mean

40,000 B.C– 11,000 B.C First people (called Paleo-Indians) cross from Siberia to Alaska andSiberiaAlaska begin to move into North America.

8000 B.C—1000 B.C North American Indians begin using stone to grind food and to hunt bison and smaller animals.bison

700– 1492 A.D Many different Indian cultures develop throughout North America.cultures

1492 Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus sails across the Atlantic ocean and found land on October 12th which he thought was Asia not America.

1619 The first African slaves are brought to Jamestown (Slavery is made legal in 1650) Jamestown

1620 PilgrimsPilgrims from England arrive at Plymouth MassachusettsPlymouth Massachusetts, on the Mayflower. Mayflower

1776 The Declaration of Independence is approved and America was independent from Great Britain.Declaration of Independence approved independent

1789 The new Constitution is approved by the states. George Washington is chosen as the first President.Constitution

1861 The Civil War begins.Civil War

1863 President Lincoln issues the Emancipation ProclamationEmancipation Proclamation, freeing most slaves.

1865 The Civil War ends as the South surrenders.surrenders

1954 The U.S Supreme Court forbids racial segregation in public schools.Supreme Court segregationpublic schools

1964 CongressCongress passes the Civil Rights Act, which outlaws discrimination in voting and jobs.Civil Rights Act outlawsdiscrimination

1968 Martin Luther King Jr is assassinated in Memphis.assassinatedMemphis

2008 Barack Obama is elected the first black President of the United States.elected