Princeton University history

In 1807, a large student riot occurred at Nassau Hall, spurred by underlying distrust of educational reforms by Smith away from the Church.

Role in training Presbyterian ministers reduced following founding in 1812 of independent Princeton Theological Seminary apart from College, but Presbyterian influence continued among trustees, faculty and student body

When Nassau Hall burned down again in 1855, Maclean raised funds and used the money to rebuild Nassau Hall and run the university on an austerity budget during the war years.

In 1868, President James McCosh broadened curriculum; allowed some student choice in courses; founded School of Science; instituted formal graduate study

Founded in 1887, the Evelyn College for Women in Princeton provided education to largely the daughters of professors and sisters of Princeton undergraduates.

In 1893, the honor system was established, allowing for unproctored exams.

In 1896, expanded program offerings brought the College university status, and four years later the Graduate School was established.

History of coeducation at the university dates back to the 19th century. It closed in 1897 following the death of its founder, Joshua McIlvaine.

In 1900, the Graduate School was formally established.

In 1902, Woodrow Wilson elected University president, first to hold post who was not an ordained minister, Wilson restructured curriculum, strengthened academic standards, recruited new faculty, expanded fund raising to build new graduate campus and expand undergraduate facilities

FitzRandolph Gateway - Located in front of Nassau Hall, these wrought iron main gates, erected in 1905, were opened for commencement exercises.

In 1906, the reservoir Lake Carnegie was created by Andrew Carnegie, and the university officially became nonsectarian.

​​Following approval by Congress in April 1917 of Wilson's request that US declare war on Germany, some 6,000 Princeton staff, alumni and students enlisted in military by end of conflict.

After the war, enrollment spiked and the trustees established the system of selective admission in 1922.

Aside from managing Princeton during WWI, Hibben introduced the senior thesis in 1923 as a part of The New Plan of Study.

In 1930, the Institute for Advanced Study was founded to provide a space for the influx of scientists, such as Albert Einstein.

In 1933 Albert Einstein took an office at Princeton when he became a life member of the nearby Institute for Advanced Study.

Throughout its history, the School has helped create new fields of study, including aeronautical engineering in 1942.

Upon surrender of Germany on May 8, 1945, and Japan on August 14, 1945, students, faculty, staff and other volunteers from campus community take turns for long periods continuously ringing the bell in Nassau Hall

Bicentennial celebration in 1946 launched $20 million fundraising program, included Forrestal Library and new building for Woodrow Wilson School.

Military training program also led to first African American undergraduates, with three in Navy's V-12 program earning undergraduate degrees in 1947

Sotomayor credits the episodes of the television crime show Perry Mason (1957–66) that she watched as a child with influencing her decision to become a lawyer.

Forrestal Campus established on United States Route 1; “Project Matterhorn” research in nuclear fusion begins there; in 1961 its name is changed to the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL)

While Princeton activism initially remained relatively timid compared to other institutions, protests began to grow with the founding of a local chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) in 1965, which organized many of the later Princeton protests.

In 1966, the SDS gained prominence on campus following picketing against a speech by President Lyndon B. Johnson, which gained frontpage coverage by the New York Times.

Following abortive discussions with Sarah Lawrence College to relocate the women's college to Princeton and merge it with the university in 1967, the administration commissioned a report on admitting women.

The university finished these plans in April 1969 and announced there would be coeducation in September.

After President Richard Nixon in April 1970 announced that US had bombed Communist forces in Cambodia, mass protest meetings were convened on campus, with many students cutting classes, burning draft cards and engaging in other demonstrations against the War..

​​Professor of economics William Bowen named president 1972, in 15-year tenure oversaw creation of residential college system, establishment of 46 endowed professorships, four new departments, five new buildings, new programs in women’s studies and life sciences

1993 Nobel Prize in literature awarded to Professor Emerita Toni Morrison, who taught courses in humanities and African American studies, first African American to be awarded Nobel Prize in literature

As a federal judge, Sotomayor received national attention in 1995 when she ruled in favour of Major League Baseball players, then on strike, who were suing because of changes to the free agent system and salary arbitration rules.

Bill Clinton nominated Sotomayor to be a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in 1997, Republican senators delayed her appointment for more than a year because of their concerns that the position might lead to a Supreme Court nomination.

After her appointment to the court in 1998, Sotomayor was known for her candid, direct speaking style and for her carefully reasoned decisions.

In 2001, Princeton shifted the financial aid policy to a system that replaced all loans with grants.

Third World Center founded (renamed the Fields Center for Equality and Cultural Understanding in 2002) and Women’s Center are founded

University Center for the Creative and Performing Arts established (renamed the Lewis Center for the Arts in 2007), with a mandate to enhance the role of the arts in the University and community

Sotomayor’s confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee in July 2009 went smoothly, and the following month she was confirmed (68–31) by the Senate.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa ’86 returned to campus to receive Alumni Day honors, along with Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Julia Wolfe, Graduate School class of 2012

Sotomayor released a memoir, My Beloved World, in 2013.

Center for African American Studies (CAAS) established; trustees approve African American studies concentration, department in 2015 Four-year residential college system launched with the opening of Whitman College

University agrees in 2016 to pay $18.2 million over six years to settle lawsuit brought in behalf of several resident taxpayers contesting school's tax-exempt status, allegations include claims that some University activities and properties utilized for operations excluded from tax-exempt status

In 2017, Princeton University unveiled a large-scale public history and digital humanities investigation into its historical involvement with slavery called the Princeton & Slavery Project.

In April 2018, university trustees announced that they would name two public spaces for James Collins Johnson and Betsey Stockton, enslaved people who lived and worked on Princeton's campus and whose stories were publicized by the project.