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Period: 1 BCE to 1 BCE
Beginnings to Exploration
No actual beginning date to record; ends in 1600 A.D. -
1096
The Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars between Christians and Muslims. During this time they had knights that were called Templars. They originally were a group of knights that protected Christian pilgrims travelling to the Holy Land against attacks. -
1220
The Aztecs
The Aztecs, who probably originated as a nomadic tribe in northern Mexico, arrived in Mesoamerica around the beginning of the 13th century. From their magnificent capital city, Tenochtitlan, the Aztecs emerged as the dominant force in central Mexico, developing an intricate social, political, religious and commercial organization that brought many of the region’s city-states under their control by the 15th century. -
1350
The Renaissance
The Renaissance started in Florence, Italy right after the Middle Ages of the world. The term renaissance means "rebirth". And it is called this because, at that time, people were starting to take a liking to learning about ancient times, Ancient Rome and Greece in particular. Many artists of this time played a huge part in this, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Leonardo da Vinci are some people who dominated this era in time. -
1490
The Black Death
The Black Death was a medieval widespread disease that swept through Asia and Europe. It is also known as the bubonic plague, and it was carried by fleas that attached onto rats that ran throughout the place. About 25 million people died from this plague. Because this disease cause a decrease in population, it increased the waged of peasants. Because of this, peasants were said to be enjoying living with higher pay. -
1492
Columbian Exchange
The Columbian Exchange was the trading system used to transport goods from the Old World to the Americas. They transported things like disease, plants, and animals. A positive affect that the exchange had on the world was the massive exchange of crops, but one of the negative effects was that it brought disease and wiped out a lot of people. The Columbian Exchange ended in 1850. -
1492
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer who made four trips across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain in 1492-1502. He was determined to find a direct water route west from Europe to Asia, but he never did. However, he did stumble upon the Americas. Columbus thought he landed in Asia, so as history clams it, he did not discover the "New World," but his journeys did mark the start of centuries of transatlantic conquest and colonization. -
1541
John Calvin
John Calvin was the leading French Protestant Reformer and the most important figure in the second generation of the Protestant Reformation. Calvin lived in Geneva briefly until he was kicked out, then he was invited back, and upon his return, he had become an important spiritual and political leader. He created what was called Calvinism, and predestination was a big part of his teachings. Predestination is knowing whether you're going to heaven or hell before you die. He was a firm believer. -
Anne Hutchinson
A New England religious leader and midwife, Anne Hutchinson was born in England, and later followed Puritan leader John Cotton to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1634. She brought attention to Cotton's spirit-centered theology through biweekly meetings, making him and her brother-in-law be seen as true Christian ministers. She was later punished with banishment with the charge of heresy by the Court of Massachusetts and was later killed in an Indian raid in New York a few years later. -
Triangular Trade
The best-known triangular trading system is the transatlantic slave trade. The system operated from the late 16th to early 19th centuries, carrying slaves, cash crops, and manufactured goods between Africa, American colonies and the European colonial powers. The slave trade had begun with Portuguese and some Spanish traders taking African slaves to the American colonies they had conquered in the 15th century. It continued until the Civil War era . -
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English Colonial Societies
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The Headright System
The Headright System referred to a grant of land, usually 50 acres, given to settlers in the 13 colonies. The system was used mainly in Virginia, Georgia, Maryland and other colonies. It proved to be very effective by increasing the population in the British colonies. It was originally created in 1618 in Jamestown, Virginia. It was used as a way to attract new settlers. Whoever was willing to come to said place, they would receive 50 acres of land. And it proved its effectiveness. -
The Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was a set of rules for self-governance established by English settlers who traveled to the New World on the Mayflower Ship. When Pilgrims and other settlers set out on the ship for America in 1620, they intended to lay anchor in northern Virginia. But after a struggle-filled journey that drove their ship off course, the settlers ended up in Massachusetts instead. Knowing life without laws could be hectic, they created this to create a government for themselves to follow. -
King Louis XIV
King Louis XIV served as the King of France for 72 years, longer than any other European sovereign. During his time, he changed the monarchy, established a new age of art and literature and also set his country as the dominant European power. Though during the last decades of his reign, France was weakened by many lengthy wars that deprived them of important resources. -
Sir Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton had a huge impact on the Enlightenment. Not only did he create calculus, he also described universal gravitation and the three laws of motion. Newton was fantastic thinker. He discovered the idea of gravity, that bodies attract to one another based on their mass. -
Quakers
The Quaker Movement was founded in England in the mid-1600's by George Fox. He and other early Quakers were persecuted for their beliefs, which was that the presence of God exists in every person. Quakers rejected elaborate religious ceremonies because they didn't have official members and believed in spiritual equality for men and women. Quakers first arrived in the 1650's. They also played a key role in women's rights and abolition movements. Many consider themselves as Christians. -
The Navigation Acts
The Navigation Acts were a series of laws passed in the English Parliament in 1651,1660, and 1663. The purpose of the Navigation Acts was supposed to encourage British shipping and allow great Britain to retain the monopoly of British colonial trade for the benefit of British merchants. The reason for the first act was to restrict Dutch shipping because they were the British's biggest competition. The rest were passed for the benefit of Great Britain and the British colonial trading system. -
The English Bill of Rights
The English Bill of Rights is an act that the Parliament of England passed in December 1689. The Bill creates separation of powers, limits the powers of the ruling people, enhances the democratic election and bolsters freedom of speech. The Bill of Rights was later added on by the Act of Settlement in 1701. Both of these contributed to the establishment of parliamentary sovereignty, which gives the legislative body absolute sovereignty and makes it supreme over all other government institutions. -
The Salem Witch Trials
The Salem Witch Trials occurred in colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693. After a group of young girls claimed to be possessed by demonic spirits, they started to accuse several local women of witchcraft. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft and 20 were executed. After the governor of the colony heard that his wife was accused of witchcraft, he ordered for the trials to end. After the trials stopped, the colony admitted that the trials were a mistake. -
Acts of Union 1707
The Acts of Union, passed by the English and Scottish Parliaments in 1707, led to the creation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain on May 1, 1707. The United States Parliament met for the first time in October of 1707. It was two acts of Parliament: the Union with Scotland Act 1706 passed by the Parliament of England, and the Union with England Act passed in 1707 by the Parliament of Scotland, thus making these the Union of these Parliaments. -
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Colonial America to 1763
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The Great Awakening
The Great Awakening was a spiritual renewal that swept the American colonies, particularly New England, during the 18th century. Certain Christians began to disassociate themselves with the established approach to worship at the time which had led to a general sense of complacency among believers. This new spiritual renewal began with people like the Wesley brothers and George Whitefield in England. In a way, the Great Awakening was a way of preparing America for its independence. -
Salutary Neglect
Salutary neglect is an American history term that refers to the 17th and 18th century British Crown policy of avoiding strict enforcement of parliamentary laws meant to keep American colonies obedient to England. On the whole, the colonists were allowed to govern themselves with minimal royal and parliamentary interference. The Navigation Acts were an attempt to end the period of neglect and create a coherent imperial policy, but the act were poorly enforced, and sadly, the neglect continued. -
The French and Indian War
The Seven Years' War lasted from 1756 to 1763, forming a chapter in the imperial struggle between Britain and France called the Second Hundred Years' War. In the 1750's, France's expansion to the Ohio River cause repetitive conflict with the claims of the British colonies. During 1754-1755 the French defeated George Washington and others.Throughout this period, the British military effort was hampered by lack of interest, and in 1756 the British declared war. -
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The Revolutionary War
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Treaty of Paris - 1763
The Treaty of Paris of 1763 ended the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War between Great Britain and France, as well as their respective allies. In the terms of the treaty, France gave up all its territories in mainland North America, effectively ending any unknown military threat to the British colonies there. -
Sugar Act
On April 5, 1764, Parliament passed a modified version of the Sugar and Molasses Act (1733), which was about to expire. The Molasses Act of 1733, which had imposed a tax of six pence per gallon of molasses, had never been effectively collected due to colonial resistance and evasion. The Sugar Act also increased enforcement of smuggling laws. -
The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre occurred on March, 5, 1770. A squad of British soldiers, come to support a sentry who was being pressed by a heckling, snowballing crowd, let loose a volley of shots. Three people were shot and killed immediately and two others died of their their wounds; among the victims was Crispus Attucks, a black man. The British officer in charge, Capt. Thomas Preston was arrested for manslaughter along with his troops. This event is remembered as a key event. -
The Boston Tea Party
This famed act of American colonial defiance served as a protest against taxation. Seeking to boost the troubles East India Company, British Parliament adjusted import duties with the passage of the Tea Act in 1773. While buyers in New York and Philadelphia rejected tea shipments, merchants in Boston refused to concede to Patriot pressure. On the night of December 16, 1773, Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty boarded three ships in the Boston Harbor and threw 342 chests of tea overboard. -
Coercive Acts
The Coercive Acts, also known as the Intolerable Acts) were harsh laws passed by the British Parliament. they were meant to punish the American colonists for the Boston Tea Party fiasco, along with other protests. It The acts included the Boston Port Bill and it also closed the Boston Harbor until the people of Boston paid for the tea that they threw over into the harbor. Many saw this as a violation of their constitutional rights, and thought that they were a threat to all of British America. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord, fought in April 1775, kicked off the American Revolutionary War. Tensions had been building for years between residents of the 13 colonies and British authorities, particularly in Massachusetts. On the night of April 18, 1775, British troops marched from Boston to nearby Concord to seize an arms cache. Paul Revere helped sound the alarm, and a confrontation began the battle. More battles followed, and in 1783, the colonists formally won their independence. -
Common Sense - Thomas Paine
Published in 1776, Common Sense, written by Thomas Paine, challenged the authority of the British government and the royal monarchy. The plain language that Paine used spoke to the common people of America and was the first work to openly ask for independence from Great Britain. -
The Declaration of Independence
When armed conflict between bands of American colonists and British soldiers began in 1775, the Americans were fighting only for their rights as subjects of the British crown. By the following summer, with the Revolutionary War in full swing, the movement for independence from Britain had grown, and delegates of the Continental Congress were faced with a vote on the issue. In mid-June, a five-an committee was tasked drafted a formal document. It was formally accepted on July 4, a memorable date. -
Massachusetts Constitution
Drafted by John Adams, the Massachusetts Constitution is the world's oldest functioning written constitution. It served as a model for the United States Constitution. In turn the U.S. Constitution has, particularly in years since World War II, served as a model for the constitutions of many nations, including Germany, Japan, India, and South Africa. he U.S. Constitution has also influenced many international agreements and charters, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, -
The Articles of Confederation
The AOC was the first written constitution of the United States. Its progress was slowed by fears of central authority and extensive land claims by states before it was ratified. Under these articles, the states remained ahead and independent, with Congress serving as the last resort on appeal of disputes. However, the central government lacked the ability to levy taxes and regulate commerce, issues that led to the Constitutional Convention in 1787 for the creation of new federal laws. -
Treaty of Paris 1783
The Treaty of Paris of 1783, negotiated between the Untied States and Great Britain, ended the revolutionary war and recognized American independence. The Continental Congress named a five-member commission including Henry Laurens, to negotiate a treaty. However, Laurens was captured by a British warship and held in the Tower of London until the end of the war. The preliminary articles were signed for Great Britain in November of 1782 and the final was signed in September of 1783. -
Shay's Rebellion
Shay's Rebellion is the name given to a series of protest in 1786 and 1787 by American farmers against state and local enforcement of tax collections and judgments for debt. The rebellion was most serious in Massachusetts, where, bad harvests, economic depression, and high taxes threatened the farmers because they could've lost their farms. They tried to capture the arsenal and harassed people of importance to the government. This just showed it was time for a new form of government. -
Virginia Plan
The Virginia Plan was proposed by Virginia delegates for a bicameral legislative branch of government. The plan was drafted by James Madison while he waited for a quorum to assemble at the Constitutional Convention of 1787. -
The Branches of Government
The Constitution created the branches of government. The Legislative Branch is to make the laws. Congress is made up of two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Executive Branch is made to enforce the laws, and the Judicial Branch is made to interpret the laws. -
New Jersey Plan
Put forth by William Patterson, a New Jersey delegate, the New Jersey Plan was a counter proposal to the Virginia Plan. The plan offered the idea of an unicameral legislature in which all states would have an equal number of votes. This was to protect the equality of the states regardless of population size, and to protect the smaller states from being trampled by the larger states. -
Northwest Ordinance
The Northwest Ordinance, formerly an ordinance for the Government of the Territory of the Untied States, North-West of the River Ohio, and also known as The Ordinance of 1787, was an act of the Congress of the Confederation of the United States -
The Election of 1788
The U.S. Presidential Election of 1788-89 was the first four-yearly presidential election. It was held from December 15, 1788 to January 10, 1789. It was conducted under the new United States Constitution, which had been ratified earlier in 1700. George Washington was randomly elected for the first of his two terms as president, and John Adams became the first vice president. -
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The New Republic
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The Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. Proposed following the oftentimes bitter 1787-88 battle over ratification of the United States Constitution, and made to address the protests raised by anti-federalists, the Bill of Rights amendments add to the Constitution specific guarantees and freedom rights, and declarations that all powers not directly affiliated with the Congress are reserved for the state or the people of the U.S. -
Whiskey Rebellion
The Whiskey Rebellion was a tax protest in the United States beginning in 1791 during the presidency of George Washington. The whiskey tax was the first tax put on a domestic product by a newly formed federal government. After years of aggression with tax collectors, the region exploded in a confrontation that Washington had to send troops to shut down the rebellion. This was the first time the President himself directly stopped an event of this kind. -
The First Bank of the United States
The First Bank of the United States was a national bank chartered for a term of twenty years, by the Untied States Congress on February 25, 1791, Hamilton believed a national bank was necessary to stabilize and improve the nation's credit, and to better the handling of the financial business of the United States government under the newly enacted Constitution. -
The Cotton Gin
Eli Whitney invented the Cotton Gin, a machine that revolutionized the production of cotton by greatly speeding up the process of removing seeds from cotton fiber. By the 1800's, cotton had become America's leading export. Despite its success, the gin made little money for Whitney due to patent-infringement issues. His invention also offered Southern planters a justification to maintain and expand slavery even as a growing number of Americans supported its abolition. -
Jay's Treaty
Representatives of the United States and Great Britain signed Jay’s Treaty, which sought to settle outstanding issues between the two countries that had been left unresolved since American independence. The treaty proved unpopular with the American public but did accomplish the goal of maintaining peace between the two nations and preserving U.S. neutrality. -
Pinckney's Treaty
One of the important diplomatic aims of the Washington administration was to secure recognition of American borders from the great powers. Britain did so in Jay's Treaty. France was unlikely to cooperate on any issue, given that the U.S. had failed to honor the alliance of 1778. Spain at this time held the prized port of New Orleans at the mouth of the Mississippi River. The agreement was to fix the southern boundary of the U.S. at 31 degrees latitude and establishing favorable arrangements. -
The Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was a secret set of routes that helped runaway slaves escape to freedom. The network was mostly known only by slaves and abolitionists. Abolitionists also volunteered their homes for the slaves to stay i while travelling through the "railroad". One highly known slave during this time was Harriet Tubman. Tubman, born a slave, became a "conductor" of the railroad and helped hundreds of runaway slaves to freedom. -
Washington's Farewell Address
The final address by George Washington to his fellow citizens as he was leaving the presidency is known as the Farewell Address. He wrote the address in 1796 but never delivered it. Washington discussed the dangers of divisive party politics and warned strongly against long-term alliances with other countries. -
XYZ Affair
The XYZ Affair was, in fact, a diplomatic incident between France and America in the late 18th century that led to an undeclared war at sea. France went to war with Great Britain in 1793 while America was neutral. Later the next year, the U.S. and Britain signed the Jay Treaty, thinking that it violated earlier treaties. After members of Congress asked to know what happened in France, Adams handed it over with the names of people replaced with an X, Y and Z. hence the XYZ Affair's name. -
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The Age of Jefferson
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Election of 1800
The Election of 1800 between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson was a hard-fought campaign. At this time there was a split between the Democrat-Republicans and the Federalists. The Federalists wanted a strong central government while the Democrat-Republicans wanted to reduce national authority so that the people could rule more. Thomas Jefferson won and the election was decided in the House of Representatives where each state equaled a single vote. -
Marbury vs. Madison
Marbury vs. Madison is arguably the most important case in Supreme Court history. This was the first U.S. Supreme Court case to apply "judicial review", the power of federal courts to void acts of Congress in question of the Constitution. This case came about when James Madison did not deliver William Marbury's commission as justice of the peace. Marbury was furious, so he petitioned the Supreme Court to issue a writ of mandamus. This became one of the most important court cases in history. -
Louisiana Purchase
The United States purchased approximately 828,000,000 square miles of territory from France, thereby doubling the size of the republic. What was known as Louisiana Territory stretched from the Mississippi River in the east to the Rocky Mountains in the west and from the Gulf of Mexico in the south to the Canadian border in the north. Part or all of 15 states were eventually created from the land deal, which is considered one of the most important achievements of Thomas Jefferson’s presidency. -
The Waltham System
In the early 19th century, the textile trade was beginning to boom. Since the textile industry had begun to use helpful machines, such as the spinning mule, production was increasing. It was at that time that Francis Cabot Lowell started a new business in Waltham, Massachusetts. Farm girls and young women who came to work at the textile factory were housed in supervised dormitories or boardinghouses and were provided with educational and cultural opportunities. -
Francis Scott Key
Attorney Francis Scott Key witnessed the twenty-five hour bombardment of Fort McHenry from a British troopship anchored some four miles away. He had boarded the ship to negotiate the release of an American civilian imprisoned by the British, and had been detained aboard as the bombardment began. On September 14, 1814, as the dawn’s early light revealed a flag flying over the fort, Key exultantly began jotting down the lines of the song that became our national anthem. -
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The Early American Industrial Revolution
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Battle of New Orleans
In January of 1815, the British marched to New Orleans hoping to capture it, separating it from the rest of the U.S.. However, Pirate Jean Lafitte had told the Americans of the attack, and the British militiamen under General Jackson went into position. In two assaults, the British soldiers were unable to penetrate the U.S. defenses. In half an hour, General Pakenham died, and many of his men were killed or injured. The U.S. came out with only eight dead and 13 wounded. -
McCulloch vs. Maryland
In McCulloch vs. Maryland, the Supreme Court ruled that Congress had implied powers under the Necessary and Proper Clause of Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution to create the Second Bank of the United States and that Maryland lacked the power to tax the Bank. The state of Maryland imposed a tax on the bank of $15,000/year, which cashier McCulloch of the Baltimore branch refused to pay. Maryland argued that as a sovereign state, it had the power to tax any business within its borders. -
Panic of 1819
In 1819, the impressive post-War of 1812 economic expansion ended. Banks throughout the country failed; mortgages were foreclosed, forcing people out of their homes and farms. Falling prices impaired agriculture and manufacturing, triggering widespread unemployment. This was the first major financial crisis in the U.S. It featured foreclosures, bank failures, unemployment, and a slump in agriculture and manufacturing. It marked the end of the economic expansion that had followed the War of 1812. -
Adams-Onis Treaty
The Adams–Onís Treaty of 1819, also known as the Transcontinental Treaty, the Florida Purchase Treaty, or the Florida Treaty, was a treaty between the United States and Spain in 1819 that ceded Florida to the U.S. and defined the boundary between the U.S. and New Spain. -
Second Great Awakening
The Second Great Awakening was a Protestant religious revival during in the United States. The movement began around 1790, gained momentum by 1800 and, after 1820, membership rose rapidly among religious congregations whose preachers led the movement. In addition to a religious movement, other movements such as temperance, abolition, and women's rights also grew in America. The temperance movement encouraged people to abstain from consuming alcoholic drinks in order to preserve family order. -
Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine is a U.S. policy that any intervention by outside powers in politics could result in an hostile act. Along with such other statements as George Washington’s Farewell Address and John Hay’s Open Door notes regarding China, James Monroe's ‘Monroe Doctrine’ became a cornerstone of American foreign policy. Secretary of State John Quincy Adams had played the most important role in developing the wording of the declaration, and he also influenced the doctrine’s overall shape. -
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Jacksonian America
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Election of 1828
The United States presidential election of 1828 was the 11th quadrennial presidential election, held from Friday, October 31, to Tuesday, December 2, 1828. It featured a re-match between incumbent President John Quincy Adams, and Andrew Jackson, who won a plurality of the electoral college vote in the 1824 election. -
Death of Andrew Jackson's Wife
Rachel Jackson (1767-1828) was the wife of U.S. Army general and President-elect Andrew Jackson, who became the seventh president of the United States (1829–37). She died less than three months before his inauguration. Then Andrew Jackson threw his inauguration ball. The White House has seen a lot of big parties, but nothing compares to March 4, 1829, when Andrew Jackson’s open house sparked a mob scene that almost destroyed the president’s house. He had this party after his wife died. -
Changes in Transporation
There were three main types of transportation that increased during the Industrial Revolution: waterways, roads, and railroads. Transportation was important because people were starting to live in the West. During this time period, transportation by water was the cheapest way to move heavy products. As a result, canals were widened and deepened to allow more boats to pass. The roads also improved during this time. These all made traveling safer, and it allowed goods to be moved more efficiently. -
Telegraph
Developed in the 1830s and 1840s by Samuel Morse (1791-1872) and other inventors, the telegraph revolutionized long-distance communication. It worked by transmitting electrical signals over a wire laid between stations. In addition to helping invent the telegraph, Samuel Morse developed a code (bearing his name) that assigned a set of dots and dashes to each letter of the English alphabet and allowed for the simple transmission of complex messages across telegraph lines. -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
Nat Turner's Rebellion was a slave rebellion that happened in Virginia during August of 1831. Led by Nat Turner, a religious mystic, rebel slaves killed 55 to 65 whites including women and children. This rebellion turned out to be the largest and deadliest slave uprising in U.S. history and eventually lead Virginia to secession. It caused greater fear and stricter enforcement by southern whites. And even some believe that this was an event that lead to the Civil War. -
Election of 1832
The election of 1832 was a unique one by the standards of the time. It was the first time that the respected parties would hold nominating conventions. It also included, for the first time, the introduction of a third party, the Anti-Masons. The three nominees were the incumbent, Jackson on the democratic ticket, Henry Clay for the republicans and William Wirt for the Anti-Masons. Andrew Jackson won and chose Martin van Buren to be his successor. -
Anti-Slavery Movement
The goal of the abolitionist movement was the immediate emancipation of all slaves and the end of racial discrimination and segregation. Advocating for immediate emancipation distinguished abolitionists from more moderate anti-slavery advocates who argued for gradual emancipation, and from free-soil activists who sought to restrict slavery to existing areas and prevent its spread further west. -
Free Black Communities
When Americans think of African-Americans in the deep south before the Civil War, the first image that invariably comes to mind is one of slavery. However, many African-Americans were able to secure their freedom and live in a state of semi-freedom even before slavery was abolished by war. Free backs lived in all parts of the United States, but the majority lived amid slavery in the American South. It is estimated that by 1860 there were about 1.5 million free blacks in the southern states. -
Election of 1836
Martin Van Buren was the personal choice of Andrew Jackson and faced no opposition for the Democratic nomination. Martin Van Buren The Whigs, however, were badly split and decided to field a number of regional candidates in the hope of having the issue decided by the House of Representatives. William Henry Harrison, hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe, hoped to gain the support of Western voters, Daniel Webster had strength in New England, and Hugh Lawson White had backing in the South. Buren won. -
Panic of 1837
Jackson's comments to the Senate when he vetoed (rejected) the bank bill. Andrew Jackson, whom had served as secretary of state, vice president, and close adviser, hurt the federal Second Bank of the United States by moving federal funds to smaller state banks. President Martin Van Buren was blamed for the tragedy and proposed the system for the retaining government funds in the United States Treasury and its sub-treasuries to address the situation but met with strong opposition by the Whigs. -
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe (January 19, 1809 to October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, critic and editor best known for evocative short stories and poems that captured the imagination and interest of readers around the world. His imaginative storytelling and tales of mystery and horror gave birth to the modern detective story. Many of Poe’s works, including “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Fall of the House of Usher,” became literary classics. -
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Westward Expansion
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Election of 1840
The United States presidential election of 1840 saw President Martin Van Buren fight for re-election against an economic depression and a Whig Party unified for the first time behind war hero William Henry Harrison. The Presidential Election of 1840 saw William Henry Harrison become the 9th President of the United States. While his presidency was short lived, Harrison was the first member of the Whig Party to become president. In 1840, the American political landscape saw a fundamental change. -
Election of 1844
The United States presidential election of 1844 was the 15th quadrennial presidential election, held from November 1, to December 4, 1844. Democrat James K. Polk defeated Whig Henry Clay in a close contest that turned on the controversial issues of slavery and the annexation of the Republic of Texas. This U.S. presidential election saw Democrat James Knox Polk defeat Whig Henry Clay in a close contest that turned on foreign policy, with Polk favoring the annexation of Texas and Clay opposed. -
Temperance Movement
The temperance movement of the 19th and early 20th centuries was an organized effort to encourage moderation in the consumption of intoxicating liquors or press for complete abstinence. The movement's ranks were mostly filled by women who, with their children, had endured the effects of unbridled drinking by many of their men. In fact, alcohol was blamed for many of society's demerits, among them health problems, destitution and crime. At first, they used moral suasion to address the problem. -
Mexican-American War
The Mexican-American War marked the first U.S. armed conflict 4 fought on foreign soil. It pitted a politically divided and militarily unprepared Mexico against the expansionist-minded administration of U.S. President James K. Polk, who thought the United States had a “manifest destiny” to spread across the continent to the Pacific Ocean. When the dust cleared, Mexico had lost about one-third of its territory, including nearly all of present-day California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico. -
Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso was designed to eliminate slavery within the land acquired as a result of the Mexican War (1846-48). Soon after the war began, President James K. Polk sought the appropriation of $2 million as part of a bill to negotiate the terms of a treaty. Fearing the addition of a pro-slave territory, Pennsylvania Congressman David Wilmot proposed his amendment to the bill. -
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Sectional Crisis
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The California Gold Rush
In 1848 gold was discovered by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill, in California. News of the newfound discovery spread quickly, resulting in many people (men, women, and children) coming to California from around the U.S. to get a few pieces of gold for themselves. These early seekers, named the "forty-niners," often traveled to California with struggle. San Francisco transformed from a small town to a boomtown, and California quickly became a place where colonists decided to settle down. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Mexican-American ended with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The treaty awarded the United States with 525,000 square miles that now make up present day Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, etc. Simply put, the treaty ended the Mexican-American War and it's the oldest treaty still in effect between the United States and Mexico. -
Seneca Falls Convention
The Seneca Falls Convention took place in Seneca Falls, New York in July 1848. Hundreds of women and a number of men went on the 20th (the second day) to talk about women's rights. They wrote the Declaration of Sentiments , which among other things, tried to get women the right to vote. It's significant today because of the fact that it was a form of independence as women, and a fight about equality among the sexes. -
Election of 1848
The United States presidential election of 1848 was the 16th four-yearly election held in December of 1848. Zachary Taylor of the Whig Party won, who ran against Lewis Cass of the Democratic Party and former President Martin Van Buren of the newly formed Free Soil Party. Taylor owned many slaves, Buren made slavery an issue, and Cass was known to be the father of popular sovereignty. Taylor puled this election from under both opposing candidates. -
Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman became famous as a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad during the turbulent 1850s. Born a slave on, she endured the harsh existence of a field hand, including brutal beatings. In 1849 she fled slavery, family behind in order to escape. Despite a bounty on her head, she returned to the South at least 19 times to lead her family and hundreds of other slaves to freedom via the Underground Railroad. Tubman also served as a scout, spy and nurse during the Civil War. -
Popular Sovereignty
Popular sovereignty was the political doctrine that the people who lived in a region should determine for themselves the nature of their government. In U.S. history, it was applied particularly to the idea that settlers of federal territorial lands should decide the terms under which they would join the Union, primarily applied to the status as free or slave. The first proponent of the concept was Senator Lewis Cass of Michigan, who put the idea forward while opposing the Wilmot Proviso in 1846. -
Trail of Tears
The Trail of Tears was a series of forced removals of Native Americans from their homes in the Southeastern Untied States to an area around the Mississippi River that had been known to be Indian Territory. In the beginning of the 1830's, Native Americans lived on miles of land in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina and Florida. The Indian Removal Act was the beginning of the removal period. Andrew Jackson proved that he wasn't very fond of Indians, and in the 1830's he signed the Act. -
Compromise of 1850
In the Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act was amended and the slave trade in Washington, D.C. was abolished. Also, California entered the Union as a free state and a territory government was created in Utah. It simply called for the welcoming of California as a free state, thus strengthening the Fugitive Slave Law; popular sovereignty in Utah and New Mexico concerning the question of slavery; the abolition of the slave trade in D.C. and the federal assumption of Texas's debt. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Acts were a pair of federal laws that allowed for the capture and return of runaway slaves within the territory of the United States. Enacted by Congress in 1793, the first Fugitive Slave Act authorized local governments to seize and return escaped slaves to their owners and imposed penalties on anyone who aided in their flight. Widespread resistance to the 1793 law later led to the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin is an anti-slavery novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe, Published in 1852. The inspiration for this book came from the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 just before the Civil War. Many say that the anti-slavery book had an effect on what was to eventually become the Civil War. Enraged at the response to this book, a pro-slavery woman, Mary Henderson Eastman wrote Aunt Phillis's Cabin or Southern Life As It Is saying that plantation owners treat their slaves like people, which wasn't true. -
Dred Scott vs. Sanford
In the Dred Scott vs. Sanford case, Dred Scott believed he was no longer a slave because he had lived in a free state. He sued Mrs. Emerson, the wife of John Emerson, Scott's owner. This case is one of the most important slave related cases in history. Dred Scott did not win this case because of the Missouri Compromise of 1850 details. And not only did he not win, the court decided that slaves would no longer reserve the right to have a case in court at all. -
The Spoils System
In politics and government, a spoils system (also known as a patronage system) is a practice in which a political party, after winning an election, gives government civil service jobs to its friends and relatives as a reward for working toward victory, and as an incentive to keep working for the party. The Spoils System advocated by Andrew Jackson was based on rotation in office and rewarding loyal supporters. Jackson had good cause in placing so much importance on loyalty. But it didn't last. -
Frederick Douglas
Frederick Douglass (1818-95) was a prominent American abolitionist, author and orator. Born a slave, Douglass escaped at age 20 and went on to become a world-renowned anti-slavery activist. His three autobiographies are considered important works of the slave narrative tradition as well as classics of American autobiography. Douglass’ work as a reformer ranged from his abolitionist activities in the early 1840s to his attacks on Jim Crow and lynching in the 1890s. -
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Women's Rights Movement. With Lucretia Mott and several other women, Elizabeth Stanton held the famous Seneca Falls Convention in 1848. At this meeting, the attendees drew up its “Declaration of Sentiments” and took the lead in proposing that women be granted the right to vote. She helped organize the world’s first women’s rights convention, and formed the National Women’s Loyal League with Susan B. Anthony in 1863. Seven years later, they established the National Woman Suffrage Association. -
Election of 1860
In the 1850's, the United States were divided because of slavery. The northern abolitionists against slavery while the southerners were for it. Lincoln ran in the Republican Party, whose beliefs were that slavery would not spread any farther than it already had. Lincoln won this election, though he barely got any votes from the South at all. He did not win the popular vote, but he did win the election. -
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The Civil War
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Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee served as a military officer in the U.S. Army, a West Point commandant and the legendary general of the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. Lee and his army achieved great success during the Peninsula Campaign and at Second Bull Run and, with his greatest victory coming in the bloody Battle of Chancellorsville. In the spring of 1863, Lee invaded the North, only to be defeated at the Battle of Gettysburg. -
The Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation was issued after the Union victory at the Battle of Antietam. The document was only temporary, but it declared that as of January 1, 1863 that all slaves in rebellious states "shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free." But while the Emancipation Proclamation did not free a single slave, it was a very important turning point for the war, transforming the fight to preserve the nation into a battle for human freedom. -
The Battle of Gettysburg
Fought from July 1 to July 3, 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg is considered to be the most important battle of the American Civil War.Though this was a Union victory, General Robert E. Lee fought hard for the South throughout the days. This battle is known as the bloodiest battle during this time. On day one, the South advanced on the Union position, which lead to day two where they fought into day three when the Union ends the battle causing General Lee to resign and retreat back to the South. -
The Gettysburg Address
After the Union's victory of the Battle of Gettysburg, Abraham Lincoln was invited to deliver remarks months after the battle took place, which later turned into the Gettysburg Address. This short speech would be recognized as one of the most important speeches in American history, though in Lincoln's eyes, he thought this address was not good. After speaking, the war began to wind down and the Union began to overwhelm the South, which lead to a crumbling confederacy. -
Women in the Civil War
White women in the South threw themselves into the war effort with the same zeal as their Northern counterparts. The Confederacy had less money and fewer resources than did the Union, however, so they did much of their work on their own or through local auxiliaries and relief societies. They, too, cooked and sewed for their boys. They provided uniforms, blankets, sandbags and other supplies for entire regiments. They even cared for wounded soldiers in their own home. -
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln, a self-taught lawyer, legislator and vocal opponent of slavery, was elected 16th president of the United States in November 1860, shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War. Lincoln proved to be a shrewd military strategist and a savvy leader: His Emancipation Proclamation paved the way for slavery’s abolition, while his Gettysburg Address stands as one of the most famous pieces of oratory in American history. He was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth in 1865 -
Election of 1864
In the election of 1864, the candidates for presidency are Lincoln and McClellan. Lincoln wants the North and the South to live in peace, while McClellan wants war to end if he wins. So many northerners are sick of war that many vote for McClellan, but Lincoln prevails. This happened in the month of November of 1864 and was around the time the Civil War era. This era was unfortunately mostly about Lincoln's death. He was one of the greatest presidents to ever be in office. -
Freedman's Bureau
The Freedman's Bureau was established in 1865 by Congress to help former black slaves and poor whites in the South after the Civil War came to an end. It was a corporation started by the government to help newly freed slaves find jobs, homes, education and a better life. It was a government social policy where equal treatment would be there. This movement is known as an important big moment in U.S. history. -
13th Amendment
In the Constitution of the United States of America, the 13th amendment states that neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction. Passed by Congress in 1865, the 13th amendment abolished slavery, but unfortunately, it did not abolish racism. -
Appomattox Courthouse
On April 9, 1865, near the town of Appomattox Court House, Virginia, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia to Union General Ulysses S. Grant. Days earlier, Lee had abandoned the Confederate capital of Richmond and the city of Petersburg; his goal was to rally the remnants of his beleaguered troops, meet Confederate reinforcements in North Carolina and resume fighting. The battle lasted only a few hours. -
Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was shot by the well-known actor, John Wilkes Booth while watching the play Our American Cousin at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C. Though Booth shot Lincoln in the head, Lincoln didn't pass until the next day. Booth was in favor of the South during the Civil War and grew increasingly bitter throughout the time period. He shot Lincoln out of revenge for the South, shouting about how the South was avenged after shooting Lincoln. -
The Ku Klux Klan (White Resistance)
Founded in 1866, the KKK extended into almost every southern state by 1870 and became a vehicle for white southern resistance to the Republican Party’s Reconstruction-era policies aimed at establishing political and economic equality for blacks. Its members waged an underground campaign of intimidation and violence directed at white and black Republican leaders. -
Black Codes
Under the lenient Reconstruction policies of President Johnson, white southerners reestablished civil authority in the former Confederate states in 1865 and 1866. They enacted a series of restrictive laws known as “black codes,” which were designed to restrict freed blacks’ activity and ensure their availability as a labor force now that slavery had been abolished. For instance, many states required blacks to sign yearly labor contracts; if they refused, they risked being arrested as vagrants. -
The 14th Amendment
Following its ratification by the necessary three-quarters of U.S. states, the 14th Amendment, guaranteeing to African Americans citizenship and all its privileges. Two years after the Civil War, the Reconstruction Acts of 1867 divided the South, where new state governments, based on universal manhood suffrage, were to be established. Thus began the period known as Radical Reconstruction, which saw the 14th Amendment, which had been passed by Congress in 1866, ratified in July 1868. -
Election of 1868
U.S. Grant was on good terms with Andrew Johnson, but the two parted over the issue of Secretary of War Stanton's dismissal under the Tenure of Office Act. Grant could have had the nomination from either party, but he drifted into the Radical Republicans' orbit. He enjoyed the attention showered on him following the war. New York City awarded him a cash grant; Philadelphia and Galena provided him with free houses. His love of money and luxury led him to accept the Republican nomination in 1868. -
The 15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment, granting African-American men the right to vote, was formally adopted into the U.S. Constitution on March 30, 1870. Passed by Congress, the amendment reads: “the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” Despite the amendment, various discriminatory practices were used to prevent African Americans from exercising their right to vote.
