| Years |
Age |
Events |
| 1847 |
0 |
Born on March 3 in Edinburgh, Scotland. |
| 1867 |
20 |
Brother Edward dies of tuberculosis. |
| 1870 |
23 |
Mother Eliza dies of tuberculosis; family moves to Brantford, Canada. |
| 1871 |
24 |
Moves to the United States; teaches at the Boston School for the Deaf. |
| 1873 |
26 |
Becomes professor of vocal physiology at Boston University. |
| 1874 |
27 |
Begins experimenting with the telephone. |
| 1875 |
28 |
Files patent for the telephone. |
| 1876 |
29 |
Patents granted; makes first successful telephone call on March 10. |
| 1877 |
30 |
Marries Marian Hubbard; forms Bell Telephone Company. |
| 1880 |
33 |
Daughter Marian born; receives Volta Prize. |
| 1882 |
35 |
Becomes a US citizen; daughter Elsie May born. |
| 1883 |
36 |
Made a Fellow of the Royal Society. |
| 1885 |
38 |
Establishes the Volta Bureau for the deaf in Washington, D.C. |
| 1887 |
40 |
Meets Helen Keller and arranges for her education. |
| 1888 |
41 |
Co-founds the National Geographic Society. |
| 1892 |
45 |
Serves as president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. |
| 1898-1903 |
42 |
Serves as president of the National Geographic Society. |
| 1902 |
55 |
Receives Albert Medal from the Royal Society of Arts. |
| 1903 |
56 |
Founds the American Breeders Association. |
| 1907 |
60 |
Forms the Aerial Experiment Association; receives John Fritz Medal. |
| 1909 |
62 |
The Silver Dart makes the first powered flight in Canada. |
| 1914 |
67 |
Receives Edison Medal from the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. |
| 1915 |
68 |
Receives Order of the British Empire; makes the first transcontinental telephone call. |
| 1919 |
72 |
HD-4 hydrofoil sets world marine speed record. |
| 1922 |
75 |
Dies on August 2 in Baddeck, Nova Scotia, Canada. |
