When comparing the historical timeline of Chicago's two major league baseball franchises, the Chicago Cubs stand as the significantly older organization by several decades. The franchise that would become the Cubs was established in the 1870s, originally playing under names like the Chicago White Stockings before joining the original National League framework in 1876, making them one of the oldest continuously operating professional sports clubs in the United States. Meanwhile, the Chicago White Sox were founded later as a charter member of the American League when it was officially elevated to major league status at the turn of the twentieth century, establishing the Cubs' historical seniority in the city.