- January 18
- A Canadian Pacific Railway train carrying anhydrous ammonia derails outside of Minot, North Dakota, killing one. [23]
- January 23
- Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl is kidnapped in Pakistan, accused of being a US Central Intelligence Agency agent by his captors. [23]
- February 9
- (to February 24) The XIX Olympic Winter Games are held in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. [7] (February 8 [23])
- February 12
- The U.S. Secretary of Energy makes the decision that Yucca Mountain is suitable to be the United States' nuclear waste repository. [5] [23]
- March 1
- Space Shuttle Columbia flies the Hubble Space Telescope service mission, its last before STS-107. [23]
- March 12
- In Houston, Texas, Andrea Yates is found guilty of drowning her five children on June 20, 2001. She is later sentenced to life in prison. [23]
- March 14
- 125 vehicles are involved in a massive pile-up on Interstate 75 in Ringgold, Georgia, USA. [23]
- April 6
- A ship spills 340,000 litres of crude oil off the southeast Louisiana coast, USA. [522]
- April 8
- Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing changes its company name to 3M Company. [228]
- April 15
- The Alameda Corridor transportation project in Los Angeles, California opens to rail traffic, ceasing operations of freight trains on the 120-year-old BNSF Harbor Subdivision. [23]
- April 27
- The Laughlin, Nevada River Run Riot leaves three dead. [23]
- May 10
- FBI agent Robert Hanssen is sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for selling American secrets to Moscow for $1.4 million in cash and diamonds. [23]
- May 21
- The US State Department releases a report naming seven state sponsors of terrorism: Iran, Iraq, Cuba, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria. [23]
- May 22
- In Washington, DC, Chandra Levy's remains are found in Rock Creek Park. [23]
- A jury in Birmingham, Alabama convicts former Ku Klux Klan member Bobby Frank Cherry of the 1963 murders of four girls. [23]
- May 26
- A barge collides with the Interstate 40 bridge across the Arkansas River in eastern Oklahoma, leaving 14 dead. [23]
- June 11
- Antonio Meucci is recognized as the first inventor of the telephone by the United States Congress. [23]
- June 29
- U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney serves as Acting President for two and a half hours, while President George W. Bush undergoes a colonoscopy procedure. [23]
- July 2
- Steve Fossett becomes the first person to fly solo around the world in a balloon. [5]
- July 15
- In Washington, DC, "American Taliban" John Walker Lindh pleads guilty to aiding the enemy and possession of explosives during the commission of a felony. Lindh agrees to serve ten years in prison for each charge. [23]
- July 30
- Sotheby's in New York in conjunction with Stack's auctions the King Farouk specimen of the US 1933 Saint-Gaudens double eagle for $7,590,020, a world record for a single coin at auction. The $20 represents a $20 Federal Reserve note paid by auctioneer David Redden to Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore to officially monetize the coin. [421.68] [436.82] [486.64] [548.79,164]
- August 2
- The US Mint releases the 2002 Indiana quarter dollar to circulation. [516.32]
- August 12
- In Arlington, Virginia, US Airways declares bankruptcy. [23]
- August 16
- At the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, California, the 29th Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races are held, over three days. Corvette is the honored marque. Over sixty historic Corvettes are on display and participate in racing, including: Corvette SR-2, Corvette SS, 1959 Sting Ray, CERV-I, Daytona-winning Corvette C5-R, Mako Shark, Aerovette, Grand Sport, 1953 Corvette #2 (EX-122), and plenty of early race Corvettes. [8]
- August 29
- A 78-foot long Japanese midget submarine is found in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, believed to have been sunk by the US Navy two hours before the Japanese attack in 1941. [10]
- September 3
- Consolidated Freightways, the third largest U.S. trucking firm, files for bankruptcy. [23]
- September 5
- The Sour Biscuit Fire in Oregon and northern California, which burned 499,570 acres (2,022 square km), is finally contained. [23]
- September 12
- U.S. President George W. Bush addresses the United Nations, and challenges its members to confront the "grave and gathering danger" of Iraq, or stand aside as the United States and likeminded nations act. [23]
- October 2
- The Congress of the United States passes a joint resolution, which explicitly authorizes the President to use the United States Armed Forces as he deems necessary and appropriate, against Iraq. [23]
- The Beltway sniper attacks begin with five shootings in Montgomery County, Maryland. [23]
- October 9
- The Dow Jones Industrial Average reaches a low of 7,286.27, its lowest close since October 1997. [227]
- October 16
- US President George W. Bush signs the Iraq War Resolution. [23]
- October 24
- The suspected Beltway snipers, John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo, are arrested. [23]
- October 25
- U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone, his family and staff, are killed by a plane accident at Eveleth, Minnesota. [23]
- November 3
- In Central Alaska, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake occurs, the world's largest earthquake in 2002. No deaths, few injuries, but extensive damage to roads. Felt as far away as Seattle, Washington. [53]
- November 5
- In U.S. elections, the Republican Party maintains control of the House of Representatives and regains control of the United States Senate. [23]
- November 6
- The U.S. Federal Reserve System drops its primary discount rate by 50 basis points to 0.75 percent, putting the real interest rate solidly below the inflation rate. [23]
- November 7
- Iran bans the advertising of United States products. [23]
- November 14
- Microsoft officially launches the Xbox Live online video gaming service in the USA. [9]
- November 25
- U.S. President George W. Bush signs the Homeland Security Act into law, establishing the Department of Homeland Security, in the largest U.S. government reorganization since the creation of the Department of Defense in 1947 (the Senate passed the bill 90-9 on November 19). [23]
- December 9
- United Airlines, the second largest airline in the world, files under the United States Bankruptcy Code Chapter 11. [23]
- December 11
- Chile government concludes bilateral trade agreement with the USA. [160.28]
- December 30
- In Yemen, Abed Abdel Razzak Kamel kills three American missionaries. [160.33]
2003
- January 3
- The 108th United States Congress is sworn in, including incoming freshmen Senators Saxby Chambliss (Republican-Georgia), Lindsey Graham (Republican-South Carolina), John Sununu (Republican-New Hampshire), Lamar Alexander (Republican-Tennessee), Elizabeth Dole (Republican-North Carolina), Norm Coleman (Republican-Minnesota), and Mark Pryor (Democrat-Arkansas). [24]
- January 7
- US Congress convenes, with Republican Senate majority (51-48-1 independent) [160.21]
- January 8
- US Airways Express Flight 5481 crashes at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina, killing all 21 people aboard. [24]
- January 15
- The Supreme Court of the United States allows the extension of copyright terms in the U.S. [24]
- January 24
- The new United States Department of Homeland Security officially begins operation. [24]
- January 30
- The leaders of Britain, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania and the Spain release a statement, The Letter of the Eight, demonstrating support for the United States' plans to invade Iraq. [24]
- February 1
- American Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrates over Texas upon re-entry, killing all seven astronauts onboard: Michael P. Anderson (born 1959), David M. Brown (born 1956), Kalpana Chawla (born 1961), Laurel Clark (born 1961), Rick Husband (born 1957), William McCool (born 1961), Ilan Ramon (Israeli, born 1954). [24] [129] [180.79]
- February 5
- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell addresses the United Nations Security Council on Iraq, giving evidence of Iraq's efforts to conceal weapons of mass destruction from inspectors. [24] [180.13]
- February 13
- A small airplane crashes in southern Colombia. FARC guerillas kill one American and a Colombian army sergeant, and take three Americans hostage. FARC claims they are CIA agents; the US government claims they are defense contractors. [226.38]
- February 20
- The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island claims the lives of 100 people. [24]
- February 24
- Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles sells a 1943-D copper Lincoln cent graded MS-64 by PCGS for US$212,750, a record for any small cent. [438.93] [492.50]
- February 26
- An American businessman is admitted to the Vietnam France Hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam with the first identified case of SARS. WHO doctor Carlo Urbani reports the unusual highly contagious disease to WHO. (Both the businessman and the doctor later die of the disease.) [24]
- March 1
- The Turkish parliament votes against U.S. troop access to airbases in Turkey in order to attack Iraq from the north. The Bush administration starts working on Plan B, namely attacking Iraq from the south, through the Persian Gulf. [24] [234.48] [236.21]
- The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, the United States Customs Service, and the United States Secret Service move to the United States Department of Homeland Security. [24] [234.29]
- March 5
- The Supreme Court of the United States, by a 5-4 margin, upholds California's "three strikes and you're out" law. [24]
- March 16
- The leaders of the United States, Britain, Portugal, and Spain meet at a summit in the Azores Islands. U.S. President Bush calls March 17 the "moment of truth", meaning that the "coalition of the willing" will make its final effort to extract a resolution from the U.N. Security Council, giving Iraq an ultimatum to disarm immediately or be disarmed by force. [24]
- March 17
- U.S. President George W. Bush gives an ultimatum: Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and his sons must either leave Iraq, or face military action at a time of the U.S.'s choosing. [24]
- March 18
- FBI agents raid the corporate headquarters of HealthSouth Corporation in Birmingham, Alabama on suspicion of massive corporate fraud led by the company's top executives. [24]
- March 19
- US President George Bush's 48-hour mandate for President Saddam Hussein and his sons to exit from Iraq expires. The first American cruise missiles and stealth bombers strike targets in Baghdad. [24] [129] [236.20]
- March 20
- Land troops from United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invade Iraq. [24]
- March 22
- The United States and the United Kingdom begin their "shock and awe" campaign, with a massive air strike on military targets in Baghdad, Iraq. [24]
- March 30
- Meigs Field Airport in Chicago, Illinois is demolished overnight. [24]
- April 2
- A US B-52 bomber drops two new CBU-105 bombs over Iraq, which each release 10 submunitions, each ejecting four discs, which then use laser and heat-detecting infrared sensors to locate Iraqi armored vehicles. Slugs of copper the size of a tangerine then strike and destroy about 30 vehicles in a column of about 100. [636.88]
- April 9
- U.S. forces seize control of Baghdad, ending the regime of Saddam Hussein. [5] [24]
- April 23
- US President George W. Bush signs legislation authorizing changes to the design of the 5-cent coin through 2005, to commemorate the bicentennial of the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark expedition. [324.7]
- April 29
- The United States announces the withdrawal of troops stationed in Saudi Arabia, and the redeployment of some at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. [24]
- May 1
- George W. Bush lands on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, in a Lockheed S-3 Viking, where he gives a speech announcing the end of major combat in the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. A banner behind him declares "Mission Accomplished." [24]
- May 3
- The Old Man of the Mountain, a rock formation in New Hampshire, USA, crumbles after heavy rain. [24]
- May 4
- (to May 10) A major severe weather outbreak spawns more tornadoes than any week in U.S. history; 393 tornadoes are reported in 19 states. [24]
- Top Thrill Dragster opens in Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio as the world's tallest, fastest roller coaster. [24]
- May 23
- US coin dealer Paul Montgomery announces a $1 million bounty for the missing 1913 Liberty Head nickel. [412.84]
- Dewey, the first deer cloned by scientists at Texas A&M University, is born. [24]
- May 30
- Disney releases the animated Disney-Pixar feature film Finding Nemo to theaters in the USA. American theater ticket sales: US$340 million. Worldwide theater ticket sales: US$850 million. [6]
- May 31
- Eric Rudolph, suspected in the Centennial Olympic Park bombing in 1996, is captured in Murphy, North Carolina. [24]
- June 2
- The US Mint releases the 2003 Maine quarter dollar coin to circulation. [428.42]
- June 4
- Martha Stewart and her broker are indicted for using privileged investment information and then obstructing a federal investigation. Stewart also resigns as chairperson and chief executive officer of Martha Stewart Living. [24]
- June 10
- NASA begins its Mars Exploration Rover mission by launching Spirit Rover. [5]
- June 22
- The largest hailstone ever recorded falls in Aurora, Nebraska. [24]
- June 23
- The Supreme Court of the United States upholds affirmative action in university admissions. [24]
- June 26
- The U.S. Supreme Court declares sodomy laws unconstitutional. [24]
- June 27
- In Nashville, Tennessee, General Motors holds the Official Corvette 50th Anniversary Celebration, over two days. About 10,000 Corvettes and 18,000 people attend. Special cars on hand include the Tiger Shark, XP-880 Astro II, 1963 Monza SS, Astro I, 1969 aluminum Reynolds Corvette EXP 040, 1973 Aerovette, CERV III, CERV IV, C5-R #50 Le Mans race car, LT1 Spyder Concept, ASC Sting Ray III, and Corvette SS. Two raffle draws raise US$700,000 for the National Corvette Museum. [8]
- The United States National "Do Not Call Registry" is formed to combat unwanted telemarketing calls and administered by the Federal Trade Commission, enrolling almost three-quarters of a million phone numbers on its first day. [5]
- June 28
- In St. Charles, Illinois, the Bloomington Gold Corvettes USA show is held, over four days. Mecum Collector Car Auctioneers conducts the auction of over 300 Corvettes. Roger Judski pays US$640,000 for a 1967 L88 red coupe with only 12 miles on it. This is a world record for any production Corvette. [8]
- June 29
- Thirteen are killed in a porch collapse in Chicago, Illinois. [24]
- June 30
- Rosario Marin's term as Treasurer of the US ends. [548.98]
- (month unknown)
- At the Las Vegas Excalibur casino, a record slot machine jackpot of over US$39 million is won on a dollar bet on a Megabucks machine. [187.480]
- July 14
- Washington Post columnist Robert Novak publishes the name of Valerie Plame, blowing her cover as a US Central Intelligence Agency operative. The Central Intelligence Agency leak scandal begins. [24]
- August 14
- A widescale power blackout affects the northeast United States and Canada. [5]
- US intelligence officer Captain William Ponce contacts fellow officers in Iraq, informing them that a colonel has indicated prisoners need to be "broken", to gather information to prevent further attacks on American soldiers. [46.443]
- August
- Bowers and Merena auctions the Adams-Carter specimen of the Class III 1804 Draped Bust dollar for US$1,207,500. [488.18]
- August 28
- In the USA, Brian Douglas Wells wears a time bomb explosive fastened to his neck, and dies. The event stands out as the most bizarre event in the history of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. [24]
- September 13
- Indiana Governor Frank O'Bannon dies after suffering a stroke on September 8 in Chicago, Illinois. Joe Kernan, the Lieutenant Governor, is sworn in as Indiana's 48th Governor. [24]
- September 14
- Top American commander in Iraq Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez authorizes a wide range of new interrogation procedures, including deliberate humiliation, exploiting fear of dogs, sensory deprivation, sensory overload, and stress positions. [46.443]
- October 7
- Voters recall California Governor Gray Davis from office and elect actor Arnold Schwarzenegger to succeed him. [24]
- October 9
- The Mission: Space attraction opens in Epcot at Walt Disney World in Florida. The attraction cost US$150 million to build. [6]
- The Liberty Bell is moved to new site in Independence Mall in Philadelphia. [442.91]
- October 15
- The 2003 Staten Island Ferry crash kills 11 after one of its ferries slams into a pier. [24]
- October 25
- The Cedar Fire begins in San Diego County, burning 280,000 acres (1,100 square km), 2,232 homes and killing 14. [24]
- November 5
- Gary Ridgway, the "Green River Killer", confesses to murdering 48 women. [24]
- December
- The MGM Grand resort and casino opens in Las Vegas, Nevada. The resort includes 5000 guest rooms, casino, and theme park. This is the first hotel to cost US$1 billion. [187.485]
- December 22
- An earthquake shakes up California, killing two people. [24]
- December 24
- A BSE (mad cow disease) outbreak in Washington State is announced. Several countries including Brazil, Australia and Taiwan ban the import of beef from the United States of America. [24]
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