The first federal U.S. postage stamps went on sale in 1847, featuring Benjamin Franklin and George Washington.

The Statue of Liberty arrived in New York Harbor from France in 1885, ahead of its dedication the following year.

The Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 created the Interstate Commerce Commission to oversee the railroad industry, marking a new role for the federal government in regulating interstate business.

Chicago’s World’s Columbian Exposition opened in 1893, bringing millions of visitors to its celebrated White City.

In 1894, federal legislation made the first Monday in September a legal holiday, recognizing the contributions of American workers.

The Vitascope had its first theatrical exhibition in New York City on April 23, 1896, helping bring projected moving pictures to paying audiences.

President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906, a landmark in federal oversight of food and medicines.

Ford introduced the Model T in 1908, pursuing Henry Ford’s goal of a practical automobile within reach of more Americans.

New Mexico and Arizona joined the Union in 1912 as the 47th and 48th states.

The Panama Canal opened on August 15, 1914, creating a shipping route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

The United States entered World War I in April 1917, following its declaration of war against Germany.

Congress passed the proposed Nineteenth Amendment in June 1919 and sent it to the states for ratification.

The Nineteenth Amendment was ratified in August 1920, prohibiting denial of the vote on the basis of sex. Other discriminatory barriers to voting persisted.

During the 1920s, radio brought news, music, and entertainment into American homes, becoming a new part of everyday life.

Pittsburgh’s KDKA broadcast a major-league baseball game in August 1921, bringing the Pirates–Phillies matchup to radio listeners.

The Lincoln Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 1922.

Nashville’s WSM Barn Dance began broadcasting in 1925. The program would become known as the Grand Ole Opry.

Route 66 had its official beginning in 1926 as part of the new federal highway system.

Charles Lindbergh flew the Spirit of St. Louis from New York to Paris in May 1927, completing the first solo, nonstop transatlantic flight.

Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic in 1928, traveling as a passenger. Her solo crossing followed in 1932.

Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, in 1930.

Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly nonstop and solo across the Atlantic Ocean in May 1932.

Construction of Hoover Dam was completed in 1936, marking a major engineering achievement on the Colorado River.

San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge opened to pedestrians on May 27, 1937. Vehicles began crossing the following day, linking San Francisco and Marin County.

Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The United States declared war on Japan the following day, entering World War II.

In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act, setting in motion the building of the Interstate Highway System.

NASA’s Curiosity rover landed on Mars in August 2012, beginning a new chapter of exploration on the Red Planet.