1777 – Born: Hanover County, Virginia (April 12)
1781 – Death of his father, Rev. John Clay
1783 – Remarriage of his mother, Elizabeth Hudson Clay, to Henry Watkins
1792 – The Watkinses move to Kentucky, leaving Henry in Richmond to study law. Begins working for George Wythe.
1796 – Studies law under Robert Brooke
1797 – Admitted to bar; moves to Kentucky
1799 – Marries Lucretia Hart
1803 – Elected to state legislature
1805 – Law professor at Transylvania University
1806 – Sent to U.S. Senate at age 29 to fill unexpired term
1807 – Elected to state legislature and Speaker of the House
1809 – Fights duel with Humphrey Marshall
1810 — Again appointed to complete unexpired term in U.S. Senate
1811 – Elected to U.S. House of Representatives and Speaker of the House
1814 – Peace Commissioner at Ghent, Belgium negotiating the treaty to end the War of 1812
1816 – Presides at formation of American Colonization Society
1820-21 – Missouri Compromise sponsored by Henry Clay
1824 – Runs for Presidency and is defeated by John Quincy Adams. Adams appoints him Secretary of State (1825-1829)
1826 — Fights duel with Virginia Senator John Randolph
1828 – Rejects offer of appointment to Supreme Court
1829 –Is sued by Charlotte Dupuy, a woman he enslaved to serve as cook and nursemaid to his children, for her freedom and that of her children.
— Ends his term as Secretary of State and returns to Lexington to farm and practice law
1831 – Elected U.S. Senate; nominated for Presidency
1832 – Campaigns for Presidency and is defeated by Andrew Jackson.
1833 — Authors Compromise Tariff Act
1836 – Elected President of American Colonization Society
1842 – Resigns as U.S. Senator
1844 – Nominated for Presidency and is defeated by James K. Polk
1849 – Returns to U.S. Senate
1850 – Authors Compromise of 1850
1852 – Dies in Washington D.C. (June 29); buried in Lexington Cemetery on July 10th