Election
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee are victorious in the Iowa caucuses, the first races of the presidential primary season
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Barack Hussein Obama Biography and Timeline — Page 2
Follow Barack Hussein Obama through 94 dated historical records for United States of America.
Barack Hussein Obama, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
94Distinct records
2 of 3Page
2008–2010Years on this page
2008
Iowa Caucus
Wins the Iowa Democratic caucus and becomes a leading presidential contender
Role range: 2005-2008
Election
Democrat Hillary Clinton finishes first in the New Hampshire primary, ahead of Barack Obama and John Edwards
South Carolina Primary
Wins a major South Carolina Democratic primary victory over Hillary Clinton
Role range: 2005-2008
Election
Among the January 2008 DNC-sanctioned state contests, Obama ties with Hillary Clinton for delegates in the New Hampshire primary and wins more delegates than Clinton in the Iowa, Nevada and South Carolina elections and caucuses
Super Tuesday
Competes with Hillary Clinton across multiple Super Tuesday Democratic contests
Role range: 2005-2008
Democratic Nomination
Clinches enough delegates to become the Democratic presidential nominee
Role range: 2005-2008
Democratic Convention
Accepts the Democratic presidential nomination before a large convention crowd in Denver
Role range: 2005-2008
Presidential Debate
Debates John McCain in the first presidential debate during the financial crisis
Role range: 2005-2008
1st Black President
Defeats John McCain in the general election with 365 electoral votes to McCain's 173 and becomes the first African American to be elected President of the United States
1st Black President
In his victory speech, delivered before a crowd of hundreds of thousands of his supporters in Chicago's Grant Park, Obama proclaimed that "change has come to America"
Election
Defeats John McCain in the general election with 365 electoral votes to McCain's 173 and becomes the first African American to be elected President of the United States. Barack Obama defeats John McCain to become the 44th President of the United States and the first African American President in US history
Election
Defeats John McCain to become president-elect of the United States
Role range: 2005-2008
Election
Time magazine names Barack Obama as its Person of the Year for his historic candidacy and election, which it described as "the steady march of seemingly impossible accomplishments"
Person of the Year
Time magazine names Barack Obama as its Person of the Year for his historic candidacy and election, which it described as "the steady march of seemingly impossible accomplishments"
2009
Inauguration
The theme of the inauguration is "A New Birth of Freedom," commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. The inauguration of Obama as the forty-fourth President of the USA
Role range: 2009-2017 – 2009-2017
Bombing of Mosul
In the worst single loss to the American military in nine months, a suicide bomber kills four American soldiers and their Iraqi translator in the northern Iraq city of Mosul
Role range: 2003-2003 – 2001-
Election
Iraq holds local elections to create provincial councils, the elections are notable for their lack of violence and the noticeably diminished role the US plays in their implementation
Role range: 2003-2003 – 2001-
Rule of Iraq
Iraq holds local elections to create provincial councils, the elections are notable for their lack of violence and the noticeably diminished role the US plays in their implementation
Role range: 2003-2003 – 2001-
Suicide
In the worst single loss to the American military in nine months, a suicide bomber kills four American soldiers and their Iraqi translator in the northern Iraq city of Mosul
Role range: 2003-2003 – 2001-
Bombing of Baghdad
A female suicide bomber kills 35 Shiite pilgrims in Baghdad, the deadliest attack in a string of bombings
Role range: 2003-2003 – 2001-
Suicide
A female suicide bomber kills 35 Shiite pilgrims in Baghdad, the deadliest attack in a string of bombings
Role range: 2003-2003 – 2001-
Invasion of Iraq
In front of a crowd of Marines in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, President Obama announced his intention to withdraw most American troops out of Iraq by August 31, 2010
Role range: 2003-2003 – 2001-
Rule of Iraq
In front of a crowd of Marines in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, President Obama announced his intention to withdraw most American troops out of Iraq by August 31, 2010
Role range: 2003-2003 – 2001-
Prague Nuclear Disarmament Speech
Calls for concrete steps toward a world without nuclear weapons while maintaining deterrence during the transition.
Role range: 2009-2017
Sanctions
President Barack Obama loosens the travel ban, now allowing Cuban-Americans to travel freely to the country
Role range: 2009-2017 – 2009-2017
Invasion of Iraq
In compliance with the status of forces agreement between the US and Iraq, US troops complete their withdrawal from Iraqi cities, including Baghdad, and transfer the responsibility of securing the cities to Iraqi troops
Role range: 2003-2003 – 2001-
Rule of Iraq
In compliance with the status of forces agreement between the US and Iraq, US troops complete their withdrawal from Iraqi cities, including Baghdad, and transfer the responsibility of securing the cities to Iraqi troops
Role range: 2003-2003 – 2001-
Diplomatic Plan
US President Barack Obama informs the Czech Republic and Poland that his administration has shelved Bush-era, Moscow-opposed plans to build missile shield bases on their territories
Role range: 2009-2017 – 2009-2017
Missile Bases
US President Barack Obama informs the Czech Republic and Poland that his administration has shelved Bush-era, Moscow-opposed plans to build missile shield bases on their territories
Barack Obama named winner of 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for his extraordinary
Barack Obama named winner of 2009 Nobel Peace Prize "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples," Norwegian Nobel Committee says
Role range: 2009-2017 – 2009-2017
Nobel Prize
Receives the Nobel Peace Prize for efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.
Role range: 2009-2017 – 2009-2017
Barack Obama named winner of 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for his extraordinary
Barack Obama named winner of 2009 Nobel Peace Prize "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples," Norwegian Nobel Committee says
Invasion of Afghanistan
Obama announces deployment of 30,000 more US troops while pledging to begin withdrawals in 18 months
AQAP Threat Focus
US security attention increasingly focuses on Al-Qaeda in Yemen.
Role range: 2009-2017
Christmas Day Bomb Plot Response
Responds after the attempted bombing is linked to Yemen-based AQAP.
Role range: 2009-2017
2010
Al-Qaeda
The United States and the United Kingdom have close their embassies in the country of Yemen due to ongoing security threats from terrorist group Al-Qaeda. The suicide bomber on the Christmas Day flight to Detroit was tied to the terrorist organisation in Yemen
Role range: 2009-2017 – 2009-2017
Suicide
The suicide bomber on the Christmas Day flight to Detroit was tied to the terrorist organisation in Yemen
Role range: 2009-2017 – 2009-2017
United States and the United Kingdom have close their embassies in
The United States and the United Kingdom have close their embassies in the country of Yemen due to ongoing security threats from terrorist group Al-Qaeda
Role range: 2009-2017 – 2009-2017
New START Treaty Signed
Signs the New START treaty with Dmitry Medvedev to limit deployed strategic nuclear forces.
Role range: 2009-2017
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.