Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica
SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE TO PREMIUM
  • Home
  • Biographies
  • Animals & Nature
  • History & Society
  • Science & Tech
  • Geography & Travel
  • Arts & Culture
  • ProCon
  • Money
  • Games & Quizzes
  • Videos
  • Today in History
  • Dictionary
  • New Articles
Biographies
  • Browse Biographies
Animals & Nature
  • Birds, Reptiles & Other Vertebrates
  • Environment
  • Fossils & Geologic Time
  • Insects & Other Invertebrates
  • Mammals
  • Plants
History & Society
  • History
  • Philosophy & Religion
  • Politics, Law & Government
  • Society & Social Issues
Science & Tech
  • Health & Medicine
  • Science
  • Technology
Geography & Travel
  • Geography & Travel
Arts & Culture
  • Entertainment & Pop Culture
  • Literature
  • Sports & Recreation
  • Visual Arts
  • Image Galleries
  • Podcasts
  • Summaries
  • Top Questions
  • Lists and Stories
  • Britannica Kids
Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
26 Decade-Defining Events in U.S. History
  • Introduction
  • 1770s: Declaration of Independence (1776)
  • 1780s: Constitution of the United States of America (1787)
  • 1790s: Whiskey Rebellion (1794)
  • 1800s: Louisiana Purchase (1803)
  • 1810s: Battle of New Orleans (1815)
  • 1820s: Monroe Doctrine (1823)
  • 1830s: Era of the Common Man (1829–37)
  • 1840s: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)
  • 1850s: Dred Scott Decision (1857)
  • 1860s: Battle of Gettysburg (1863)
  • 1870s: Battle of the Little Bighorn (1876)
  • 1880s: Haymarket Affair (1886)
  • 1890s: Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
  • 1900s: Breakup of Northern Securities (1902–04)
  • 1910s: Sinking of the Lusitania (1915)
  • 1920s: Stock Market Crash (1929)
  • 1930s: FDR’s First Fireside Chat (1933)
  • 1940s: The Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (1945)
  • 1950s: U.S. Army–McCarthy Hearings (1954)
  • 1960s: Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. (1968)
  • 1970s: Watergate Scandal (1972–74)
  • 1980s: PATCO Strike (1981)
  • 1990s: The Monica Lewinsky Affair (1998–99)
  • 2000s: September 11 Attacks (2001)
  • 2010s: Election of Donald Trump (2016)
  • 2020s: COVID-19 Pandemic
References & Edit History
Images
Battle of New Orleans; Jackson, Andrew

26 Decade-Defining Events in U.S. History: References & Edit History

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

  • Jeff Wallenfeldt
    Jeff Wallenfeldt was manager of Geography and History at Encyclopaedia Britannica.      
Stay Connected
Facebook X YouTube Instagram

  • About Us & Legal Info
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Equal Opportunity
  • Do Not Sell My Info
©2026 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.