Detroit, Michigan

1903Ford Motor Company Founded: Henry Ford founded Ford Motor Company with $28,000 in capital. His development of the moving assembly line in 1913 revolutionized manufacturing, made automobiles affordable, and created the modern American middle class.

19671967 Detroit Rebellion: A police raid on an after-hours bar sparked five days of civil unrest. Federal troops were deployed, 43 people were killed, and over 2,000 buildings were destroyed. The uprising accelerated white flight and decades of decline.

2013Detroit Files for Bankruptcy: Owing $18 billion, Detroit filed the largest municipal bankruptcy in American history. The city emerged from bankruptcy in 2014 after restructuring debt and cutting services.

1959Motown Records Founded: Berry Gordy Jr. founded Motown Records in a house he called 'Hitsville U.S.A.' The label produced an unmatched string of hits and launched the Supremes, Temptations, Stevie Wonder, and the Jackson 5.

1805Great Fire Destroys Detroit: A fire destroyed nearly the entire city. Judge Augustus Woodward designed a new city plan with radial avenues inspired by Washington, D.C. The city adopted the motto 'We hope for better things; it will rise from the ashes.'.

1913Ford's Moving Assembly Line: Ford introduced the moving assembly line at Highland Park, reducing Model T assembly time from 12 hours to 93 minutes. The innovation transformed manufacturing worldwide.

19431943 Race Riot: Three days of racial violence left 34 dead and over 400 injured. Federal troops were needed to restore order in one of the worst race riots of the World War II era.

1937UAW Wins Recognition at GM: The United Auto Workers won recognition from General Motors after the Flint Sit-Down Strike, establishing the UAW as one of the most powerful unions in America.

2009Auto Industry Bailout: The federal government bailed out GM and Chrysler during the financial crisis, saving the Detroit auto industry and hundreds of thousands of jobs.

1701Detroit Founded by the French: Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac established Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit as a French fur trading post on the strait connecting Lake Erie and Lake Huron.