1870s - The first pep club is established at Princeton University.
1880s - The first organised yell is recorded at a Princeton football game.
1890s - First school 'fight song' is written at University of Minnesota.
1898 - Johnny Campbell leaves spectator stands to lead cheers from the field.
1900s - Megaphones become a popular cheerleading tool; the first cheerleader fraternity, Gamma Sigma, is organised.
1910 - The first "homecoming" is held at the University of Illinois.
1920 - Cheerleaders first incorporate drums and noise-makers to routines.
1920s - Women become active in cheerleading. The University of Minnesota begins to incorporate gymnastics and tumbling into their cheers.
1930s - Paper pompons are invented.
1948 - The first cheerleader company is formed by Lawrence "Hurkie" Herkimer in Texas.
1965 - Vinyl pompons are invented.
1967 - The first annual ranking of the "Top Ten College Cheer Squads" is released.
1978 - The Collegiate Cheerleading Championships are televised by the CBS network.
Source: Cheerleader Magazine and the University of Wisconsin - River Falls
