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Period: 30,000 BCE to
Beginnings to Exploration
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21,000 BCE
Mesoamerica
Mesoamerican civilizations were groups of indigenous cultures that grew in parts of Central America and Mexico before Spanish conquest in the 16th century. By 11,000 BCE, this area was densely populated by hunting and gathering civilizations due to the large population of larger animals. Around 7000 BCE a shift was made towards agricultural living because of a dramatic climate change. One of the most successful plants during this time period was maize. Beans, squashes, chili peppers are included -
439 BCE
Roman Law
The Roman Law was the the legal system of ancient Rome. Creating and developing the Roman Law took place over a thousand years. Making this law was a long series of decisions taking place at 12 tables. a Roman Law was a sign of law in a large part of Western Europe until the end parts of the eighteenth century. This law left a large influence on German law as it's practices remained in Germany as the Holy Roman Empire. The Roman law also had a large influence on the civil law systems in Europe. -
476
Dark Ages
The Dark Ages were also known as the "Migration Period" or the "Early Middle Ages." This time period was the early medieval period of Western Europe. This time period was known for frequent occurrences of warfare and the decline of typical urban life. This period can be described by its intellectual darkness. The Dark Ages also experienced a larger amount of religious struggle. Catholics and Orthodox Christians were of opposite perspectives in this time period. -
1300
The Renaissance
The Renaissance was a period of European history where they experienced a "rebirth" of cultural, political, artistic, and economic ideas. It was described by its rediscovery of classical literature, philosophy, and art. The Renaissance followed the Dark Ages. The Renaissance time period also promoted an idea of "humanism". This was the idea that humans were at the center of the universe and that human achievements in literature and science should be embraced and even celebrated. -
1346
The Black Death
The Black Death was a terrible and very dangerous disease that spread across Europe. It was an epidemic of the bubonic plague, a disease that comes from large amounts of rodents. The disease left a large impact on Europe's population. In just a few months, 60 percent of Florence's population were killed from the disease. This plague came from an animal that typically lives extremely close to humans, rats. The bubonic plague had an eighty percent death rate in its infected victims. -
1492
The Year of 1492
The year of 1492 is mostly described and known as the year of Columbus' discovery of America. In attempt to discover a new passage to India, Christopher Columbus traveled across the Atlantic ocean from Spain and found an Island near today's America. Columbus setup a small colony with his men and headed back to Spain with spices, gold, and supposedly "Indian" captives. This would eventually lead to many more expeditions to America and many more colonies setup on this new land. -
1492
Columbian Exchange
The Columbian Exchange, named after Christopher Columbus, described the transfer of animals, plants, technology, ideas, and culture between the Old and New World. This trade of resources immediately followed the Christopher Columbus' discovery of America. Potatoes, maize, and tomatoes were brought back to Europe and eventually became extremely important crops in Europe. Rice also became widely cultivated due to the exchange of it during the Columbian Exchange. -
Period: to
Colonial America
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Chesapeake Colonies
The Chesapeake colonies were made up of Virginia and Maryland. They received their names from the Chesapeake Bay. A large amount of the settlers were white males who came as indentured servants.They tended to have more male settlers than female. Both colonies quickly became successful due to the cash crop, tobacco. Diseases were more common in the Chesapeake Colonies due to the warmer climate. Therefore, the death rate was higher in the Chesapeake colonies compared to the New England Colonies. -
Period: to
English Colonial Societies
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Slavery
During the 17th century, North American settlers switched to African American slaves as a cheaper and more numerous source of labor. Due to slavery, the number of indentured servants slowly decreased in numbers. During the seventeenth century, African slaves primarily produced mostly tobacco, indigo, and rice. Millions of slaves are believed to be transported to the colonies in this time period. While many of these slaves arrived to work in the colonies, many ended up dying on the journey. -
New England Colonies
The New England colonies included New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts Bay Colony, and Rhode Island. A large portion of the New England colonies' religion was Puritan. These colonies had rocky soil which made it quite difficult for growing crops. Instead of farming, the New England colonies used their abundance of water sources for fishing and trade. This region had less disease than the other warmer colonies. Each of the New England colonies elected their own legislature. -
Navigation Acts
The navigation acts were a series of acts passed by British Parliament onto the colonies. These acts were passed in order to regulate and control the colonies' trade and let England collect taxes from the colonies. The Navigation acts passed a number of rules for the colonies. For example, the Navigation Act of 1660 only allowed the colonies to import and export using British ships, in order to encourage trade with Britain. The British wanted to ensure that only they were making profit. -
Triangular Trade
Triangular trade was given the name due to it's three sided passageway. The passages included England to Africa, Africa to the colonies, and the colonies back to England. This trade included natural resources and raw materials found in the colonies like tobacco, rice, sugar, and cotton. They traded manufactured goods from Europe such as cloth and guns. During triangular trade, they also traded slaves from Africa. Triangular trade included many complicated pathways for ships to travel on. -
Pennsylvania
Many of the Quakers' history began in Pennsylvania due to its founder, William Penn. Pennsylvania's history was widely influenced by Penn's idealism. This colony consisted of religious tolerance, representative government, and diversity. Penn wanted a colony that would represent the people and consist of a fair judiciary system. William Penn believed everyone should be able to pursue God in his or her own way. Unlike the other colonies, William Penn also did not establish an official church. -
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution was also known as The Revolution of 1688 and The Bloodless Revolution. This revolution consisted of the overthrow of King James II. The king was replaced by his daughter Mary and her Dutch husband, William of Orange. This revolution gave the Parliament more power began to introduce ideas of political democracy. William of Orange and Mary joined as a joint monarchy. The Declaration of Rights was also signed, which consisted of many constitutional principles. -
Salem Witch Trials
The Salem Witch Trials began after an incident of young girls claiming to be possessed and many accusations of woman of the village to be practicing witchcraft. A special court came into place to hear the cases of the people being accused of witchcraft. The accused were trialed and many were executed and hung. After the wave of fear had blown over, the public began to turn against these trials. The legacy of the Salem Witch Trials still left many in fear, but also left many people very bitter. -
Enlightenment
During the enlightenment period, a philosophical and intellectual movement took place. Enlightenment included a variety of ideas that centered on reason. This overall separated church and state, creating a gap in between religion and government. Science played an especially important role in the Enlightenment period. Important figures in Enlightenment used science to backup their beliefs. The Enlightenment period is closely related to the Scientific Revolution. -
Act of Union
The Acts of Union included two acts of parliament. The first was the Union with Scotland Act of 1706 that was passed by the English Parliament. The second was the Union with England Act that was passed in 1707 by the Scottish Parliament. This united the kingdom of England and Scotland in many aspects. The two parliaments combined to form the Parliament of Great Britain. This can also be referred to as the Union of the Parliaments. This was one of the most important European transformations. -
The Great Awakening
The Great Awakening was a revival of the importance of religion that occurred in the 1730's and 1740's. This impacted the English colonies that inhabited America. The Great Awakening was introduced when religious enthusiasm had rapidly decreased due to the Enlightenment period. Leaders of Christianity traveled across the colonies in order to spread the religion and identifying the importance of salvation.The Great Awakening overall connected more people to God and Christianity. -
Benjamin Franklin
Born in 1706, Benjamin Franklin was a man of many talents and made a variety of impacts on American history. Benjamin Franklin was an author, statesman, inventor, diplomat, publisher and scientist. Franklin had many ideas that contributed to society and he innovated many new creations in technology. In 1746 he created the lightning rod that assisted in the protection of buildings from lightning strikes. He also created bifocals in order to aid to his and many other's eyesight. -
Seven Years War
The Seven Years War, also known as the French and Indian War, was a war between Britain and France that began in 1754 and ended in 1763 by the Treaty of Paris of 1763. This war was started due to Britain wanting to claim the territory beyond the Appalachian Mountains. The area beyond the Appalachian Mountains was owned by France. Due to the good relationship between France and the Native Americans, the two groups allied together against Britain. The war was won by Britain. -
Treaty of Paris 1763
The Treaty of Paris 1763 concluded the French and Indian war between France and Britain. Officially signed on February 10, 1763, Britain was given the land that was previously owned by France. This land included the land that was beyond the Appalachian Mountains. This left France with no area left in the United States. Due to the expenses of the French and Indian War, Britain was interested in the end of the war. It had become extremely expensive for Britain. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was caused by a riot formed by the colonists. In this period, the colonists were fed up with the taxes and acts passed by Britain. On this day, colonists began to throw rocks and snow at the British soldiers. The British soldiers fired into the crowd of the colonists, killing five. The colonists used this as a pivotal point in the American Revolution. This event proved the terrible treatment Britain gave to the colonies and caused many of the colonists to turn against them. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was another act of rebellion from the colonists caused by the unfair acts passed by the British. This was caused by the Tea Act, an act that put taxes on tea and other substances. In this event, a group of patriots dressed as Native Americans and boarded a European ship. They proceeded to throw a large amount of tea overboard. Not only was this one of the most famous rebellious actions that the colonists acted on, but also was a pivotal point in the revolution. -
Shakers
Shakers in colonial America practiced a community lifestyle that exemplified the equality of sexes. Shakers also focused immensely on architecture, furniture, and simple living. The Shakers believed in religious revival and a second coming of Christ. The leader of this religious group was named Mother Ann Lee.The Shakers inhabited New York in the colonies and also a place called New Lebanon. Shakers also emphasized the idea of celibacy and work.This religious began to decline in the 19th century -
Patriots Population vs Loyalist Population
The existence of the American Revolution split the colonies into two parts. These parts were called the Patriots and Loyalists. Patriots favored the idea of separating from Britain and becoming their own country. The Patriots wanted to gain independence due to the unfair treatment from the British. Loyalists preferred the idea of staying with Britain and remain as British citizens. The Loyalists believed that they would overall be better off apart of Britain. -
Period: to
The Revolutionary War
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Olive Branch Petition
The Olive Branch Petition was written by John Dickinson. This document was adopted on July 5, 1775 by the Second Continental Congress. It was signed in order to stay away from war between Britain and the thirteen Colonies. This petition ensured American loyalty to the British empire. This was made to prevent further conflict in between the colonies and Britain. This was refused by the British King and allowed for the colonies to fully contribute to the revolution against Britain. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was the official document that declared the separation of America from Britain and the King. The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson and was ratified on July 4th, 1776. The Declaration of Independence was created due to the cruel treatment put onto the colonies by the British and the King. This document was put into place at the Pennsylvania State House.This document was signed by all of the states that made up the United States. -
Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga is known as the turning point of the American Revolution. In this part of the war, America was able to recruit the assistance of France in order to win the war and gain their independence from Britain. This battle took place from September 19, 1777 to October 17, 1777. Two years into the war, Britain was proving their superiority to the colonies as they have won most of the recent battles in the war. With the help from France, America was able to win this battleand the war -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was the first constitution put into place after the end of the American Revolution. This was approved on November 15, 1777 by the Second Continental Congress. In the Articles of Confederation,the states were given the majority of power. The government was unicameral. The national government had no power to tax, they were unable to regulate foreign trade, they had no existing national court. Due to no success provided by the AOC, the USA went to the Constitution. -
Period: to
The Constitution
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Period: to
New Republic
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Treaty of Paris 1783
The Treaty of Paris 1783 was in signed in Paris by the British representative (King George) and the representatives of the United States of America. This treaty officially ended the American Revolutionary War. This Treaty included that Britain fully acknowledged the independence of the United States. The Treaty of Paris 1783 also established the boundaries between Britain and the United States. The end of the war and the Treaty of Paris 1783 stopped all conflict between Britain and the US. -
Shay's Rebellion
Shay's Rebellion can be defined as violent attacks on government properties in Massachusetts. This started in 1786 and became a full military situation in 1787. A majority of the rebels taking part in Shay's rebellion were ex war soldiers that turned into farmers after the war. These farmers disliked the state economic policies due to them causing poverty. Shay's Rebellion was named after the leader of the rebellion, Daniel Shay. The people included in the rebellion did not receive compensation. -
Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention took place in 1787 in Philadelphia. This meeting took place in order to address and the solve the problem of the weak central government. This problem was caused by the rules put into place from the Articles of Confederation. Coming from this Constitutional Convention was a stronger government with more specific purposes. After this convention, the Constitution was ratified in 1789 and became the base of the US government. -
The Great Debate
The Great Debate was the famous debate in history between the ratification of the Constitution and the repeal of the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of the Confederation had many downfalls that overall damaged the United States. A better route was found in the Constitution. Although it had better aspects, many anti-federalists feared it would take away people's rights. In response to this, the US government put the Bill of Rights into place. This protected citizens' rights. -
Three Branches
The three branches were put into place in order to separate powers in the government. To make sure one branch did not become too powerful, checks and balances were applied. This allowed each branch to "check" the others if one was building too much power. The three branches included the executive, judicial, and legislative. The executive includes the president. The judicial includes the supreme court. The legislative includes the Senate and the House of Representatives. -
Northwest Ordinance
The Northwest Ordinance came into place and was an act of Congress in the United States. Northwest ordinance created rules for adding new states into the United States. This also added structure to new settlements in the western territory. This was an act of the Congress of the Confederation of the United States. Due to Northwest Ordinance, the newly settled territory became several states in the middle west. This also protected the newly admitted states' rights. -
Election of 1788
The Election of 1788 was the first presidential election for the United States of America. This election occurred due to the ratification of the US Constitution. The election was between George Washington and John Adams. Due to his success in the American Revolution, George Washington was unanimously voted as President of the United States. In this time period, the second place runner in the election became the vice president. Due to this, John Adams became the vice president. -
Enlightenment Ideals on America in the Late 18th Century
Enlightenment in the eighteenth century reassembled the importance of politics, science, and philosophy. Another name for Enlightenment was the "Age of Reason". It was given this name due to the increase of beliefs in logic and reason. American enlightenment was mainly inspired by the European enlightenment period. This time period gave scientific ideas and reasoning to politics. Leading representatives included Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, James Madison, and Thomas Paine. -
Period: to
America's Industrial Revolution
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Whiskey Rebellion
The Whiskey Rebellion took place from 1791-1794 due to the actions of farmers in western Pennsylvania. This was an uprising caused by these farmers protesting against the whiskey tax. The whiskey tax was put into place after the American Revolution. The United States received an abundance or debt from the war. Due to the amount of debt, the federal government put a tax on whiskey. Whiskey in this time period was an extremely profitable good and assisted bringing money to US citizens. -
Bank of the United States
The Bank of the United States was created by Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of Treasure. Under the new Constitution, Alexander Hamilton believed that the existence of a national bank was necessary and beneficial in order to improve the United States' credit. The credit of the United States needed to be improved due to the amount of debt received from the Revolutionary War. The First Bank of the United States was in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. -
Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights was put into place due to the displeasure of the Constitution from an abundance of people in the United States. This protected individual citizens' personal right. The first amendment of the Bill of Rights is "Freedom of speech, religion, and the press." The second amendment is "The right to bear arms." The third amendment is "No quartering of soldiers." The fourth amendment applies certain rules for search and seizure. These rights made people feel good about the Constitution -
Election of 1796
The election of 1796 was the first election to have a different winner than George Washington. After two terms, George Washington set the standard that each president would only serve for two, four year terms. The two candidates were the former vice president, John Adams, and the Democratic-Republican, Thomas Jefferson. John Adams represented the Federalist party. This was also the first election that divided the nation's beliefs. Both former election unanimously elected George Washington. -
Two Competing Forms of Government
The two competing forms of government were the Federalists and the Democratic Republicans. The leaders of each party were Alexander Hamilton (Federalist) and Thomas Jefferson (Democratic Republican). The federalists favored the national band while the democratic republicans were against it. Another difference was who they wanted to hold most of the power. Federalists wanted the federal government to have more power. The Democratic Republicans favored state power. -
Election of 1800
The election of 1800 was election number 4 for the United States. The candidates included Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr for Democratic Republican. John Adams and Charles Pinckney for Federalists. This was the first presidential election that switched the power from one party to another. Thomas Jefferson won the election, switching the power from Federalists to Democratic Republicans. Jefferson stated that he would give the people the power to the people. -
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Age of Jefferson
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Period: to
Westward Expansion
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Hamilton vs Burr
The Hamilton vs Burr meet included the Secretary of Treasure Alexander Hamilton, and Aaron Burr who was the present vice president of the United States. There had been a brutal rivalry between the two for a very long time. Alexander Hamilton was extremely experienced in duels. In the Burr-Hamilton duel, Hamilton shot at Burr and missed, hitting a tree behind Burr. Aaron Burr then shot and wounded Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton was carried home after the duel, and died the next day. -
Changes in Transportation
Before the changes in transportation were implemented, it took an extremely long time to make any deliveries or even to travel from one place to another. Due to the lack of innovation in transportation, improvements began to occur to the popular ways of transportation. This would be called the Transportation Revolution. A major innovation was the improvements to water travel. The invention of the steam engine caused the creation of steamboats. This increased the productivity of water travel. -
Madison Presidency
James Madison was president from March 4, 1809 to March 4, 1817. James Madison was the fourth president of the United States. James Madison was apart of the Democratic Republican party. James Madison was president for two terms. Madison was also president during the War of 1812. During his presidency he requested the declaration of war on Britain. In the war he led the United States as president. He faced resistance from public officials and merchants during the war. -
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Sectionalism
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Technological Benefits of War of 1812
In the war of 1812, many technological benefits were made to assist the United States army against the British army. Dramatic improvements were made to our ships and eventually assisted in our navy having an advantage over the British navy. Our ships received more beneficial sails, allowing our sailing speed to increase for offensive and defensive positions in the War of 1812. Other improvements were made to our artillery and other weapons.We innovated heavier and more powerful guns. -
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a battle fought between the United States and the United Kingdom. The war took place between 1812 and 1815. The United Kingdom inserted restrictions to the United States' trade and also slowed down their westward expansion. At this time, Britain was the most powerful navy in the war. During the war, the nation's capital, Washington D.C, was burned down. Americans were able to keep the British attacks contained and ended the war in a draw. -
Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans included Andrew Jackson (Old Hickory) and abundance of troops. These troops included slaves, frontiersman, militia fighters, Indians, and pirates. These troops caused an attack on the British forces. This attack resulted in many British casualties. This also widely increased Andrew Jackson's popularity as he stopped Britain's plans to invade the American frontier. This battle ended after the official end of the War of 1812 due to slow transportation of news. -
Adams Onis Treaty
Also known as the Florida Purchase Treaty, the Adams Onis treat was between Spain and the United States. This treaty was produced to show that Spain was ceding Florida to the United States. This also defined a boundary between New Spain and the United States. The Adams Onis Treaty resolved a border conflict between Spain and the United States. This Adams Onis Treaty was signed on February 22, 1819 in Washington. Some key people in the creation of this treaty were John Q. Adams and James Monroe. -
Changes in Agriculture
An abundance of new inventions were created during the Industrial Revolution that widely changed agriculture as a whole. These creations allowed more work to be completed at a much easier and quicker pace. While this increased the productivity in the agricultural business, it also caused a mass increase of slavery in the south. With inventions like the cotton gin, slaves were able to complete more work and produce more product. This increased the value of slaves. -
Slavery (Industrial Revolution)
During the Industrial Revolution, many new creations were made in order to make everyday work easier. In this time period, slavery also was were prevalent in the southern parts of the United States. Due to the Industrial Revolution, many inventions fueled the agricultural business. Slaves were able to complete more work in a day with the assistance of these new inventions. Not only did these inventions fuel the amount of work that was being completed, but also increased the number or slaves. -
Second Great Awakening
The Second Great Awakening was a revival of a protestant religion. This emphasized the importance of religion and believing in the supernatural. The Second Great Awakening started in 1790s and reached its maximum momentum in 1820. Oppositely to the Enlightenment period, the Second Great Awakening went against deism and the beliefs in science and reason. The Second Great Awakening brought an abundance of people into religious lifestyles and sparked many former religious people to be religous. -
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Cultural Changes
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Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine was created by President James Monroe and was a message to Congress. The Monroe Doctrine had four parts involved. The first is that the United States wouldn't intrude into affairs with Europe. The Second is that the United States would not intrude into any existing colonies in the West. The third is that the west would soon be colonized by the United States. The fourth is that any intrusion from European powers would be viewed as a hostile and dangerous act. -
Period: to
Age of Jackson
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Election of 1824
The election of 1824 had four main candidates involved. These candidates were Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, and William H. Crawford. John Quincy Adams eventually won the election due to the decision of the House of Representatives. This is the known as the first election that the winner was decided by the House of Representatives. In this election, Andrew Jackson received the most popular votes and the most votes from the electoral college. -
Presidency of John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams came into office on March 4th, 1825. Adams served one term and was elected to join the House of Representatives in 1830. As president, John Quincy Adams received aggression from many of Jackson's supporters. Due to the hostility, John Quincy Adams had a low number of substantial accomplishments in the White House. An accomplishment that Adams is known for is having the Erie Canal built while he was in the office. Adams had many proposals but lacked support from the Constitution -
Election of 1828
The election of 1828 had two main candidates involved. These candidates were the Democrat, Andrew Jackson and the National Republican John Quincy Adams. Andrew Jackson received more votes in the popular vote and more votes from the electoral college.Jackson became victorious due his appeal to the common man. Andrew Jackson's supporters who were recently known as Jacksonians, soon just became known as Democrats. Jackson had a large number of supporters and use of his appeal to many people to help -
Age of the Common Man
The Age of the Common Man was led by the idea that any man was able to accomplish anything. Men could become anything they wanted to become. They did not need to come from a wealthy and powerful family. The Age of the Common frequently relates to the Jacksonian Era. Andrew Jackson was immensely different from anyone else in the position of the president. He did not rise to political power due to his family background or from his wealth. He became president on his own. -
Jackson Administration
The administration of Andrew Jackson was made up by two terms that were from 1829 to 1837. A large part of his presidential impact came with the idea of the common man. When Andrew Jackson became president, it proved that other people who did not have a rich family background could amount to greater things in life. His political party made up the Democratic party in this time period. The nullification crisis, manifest destiny, and expanded suffrage all played a major role in his presidency. -
Changes in Communication
Before the Industrial Revolution, options for communication were extremely limited and overall just a poor quality. They used the options of printing paper with messages and delivered these papers. With the abundance of new inventions created in the Industrial Revolution, massive improvements were made to the options of communication. An invention made during the Industrial Revolution was the telegraph. This allowed people to communicate easily over long distances. -
Growing Cities
During the Industrial Revolution, massive improvements were made to factories and the equipment that produced goods. The improvements enabled the workers to produce more goods much more efficiently and quickly. Due to the mass production of goods, many people migrated towards cities looking for jobs. Men, women, and even children were able to find jobs working in the factories and make a living for their family. Having a numerous amount of job openings caused an abundance of people to gotocities -
Mormons
The Mormon religion was founded on April 6th, 1840. This religion was founded by a man who's name was Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith revealed what he believed was the word of God. This book was called "The Book of Mormon." Nonmormons became hostile towards Mormons as their religious beliefs were different. This began extreme persecution against Mormons. Orders were even made to make all Mormons leave or be exterminated. The Mormons traveled on the Mormon trail in order to escape this persecution. -
Election of 1832
The election of 1832 was the twelfth presidential election to occur in the United States. The two parties represented in the Election of 1832 were the Democratic party and the National Republican party. Representing the Democratic party was Andrew Jackson, who was running for his second term. Representing the National Republican Party was Henry Clay. Andrew Jackson became victorious and was able to carry out a second term as president. This occurred due to the Age of the Common Man. -
Immigration
Due to the Industrial Revolution, the United States was economically thriving. A variety of the other people living in European countries were in poverty. Due to the lack of income and money in other European countries, many people immigrated to the United States in order to escape poverty. Another reason for immigrating to the United States was in order to escape religious and political discrimination. With the Industrial Revolution, people could immigrate to get away from religious persecution -
Election of 1836
The Election of 1836 encompassed two different political parties. These two parties were the Democrats and the Whig party. The main candidate for the Democratic party was Martin Van Buren. The Whig party had various potential candidates, but the main representative for the Whig party was William Henry Harrison. Martin Van Buren emerged victorious in the Election of 1836. Martin Van Buren had a major advantage in this due to him being appointed by the previous president, Andrew Jackson. -
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail was a passageway from Missouri to Oregon. This was used to explore the Oregon land and the land around it. The Oregon Trail was explored during the Lewis and Clark expedition. On the trail, Lewis and Clark found a viable passage to the unexplored Oregon land. During this expedition they met a Native American named Sacajawea who assisted Lewis and Clark with translating to any other Native American tribes that they met during the expedition to Oregon. -
Stephen F Austin
Stephen F. Austin, known as the "Father of Texas", was an American empresario that overall allowed major settlements in the state of Texas. He was born in Virginia and raised in Missouri.Stephen F. Austin convinced many American people to settle in Texas and overall brought over 300 families to Texas. Stephen F. Austin led the people of Texas into the Texas Revolution once the conflict between Texas and Mexico increased. He led the Texas army into the Battle of Bexar. -
Lowell Mills
The town of Lowell was founded and planned to be a textile driven town. The town of Lowell brought many new developments and patterns of employment. The workers of the Lowell Mills were known as "factory girls" or "mill girls." Women and children made up a majority of these workers and many of them had a previous background of farming. While these mills were a huge jump for women as they were being brought into factories, they also received less pay and harsher conditions then men. -
Temperance Movement
The major message that came with the Temperance Movement was the declining use of alcohol. Realizing the major use consumption of alcohol and the damage it was causing on the United States' citizens, the Temperance Movement made an effort to decline the overall consumption of alcohol. This idea was implemented morally into the education and political movements. This movement became extremely popular in the United States as many groups were formed in order to promote the Temperance Movement. -
Annexation of Texas
Before 1836, Texas was apart of Mexico but declared independence as their own country. Texas became the 28th state of the United States when it was annexed in 1845. There were many issues in the politics of the United States over the debate that decided whether or not Texas would be admitted as a slave or free state. This was a major factor in the causes of the Mexican American War, because the border was extremely unclear to the United States and Mexico. -
Mexican American War
The Mexican American War was a war that occurred due to the many conflicts between America and Mexico. A major factor that caused this war was the annexation of Texas into the United States. The Mexican troops were led by Santa Anna. America was mostly led by Zachary Taylor. This war included many battles between Mexico and the United States. The United States emerged victorious over Mexico. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican American war with an American victory. -
Mormon Migration
In the early to mid 1800s, the Mormon religion was established and almost immediately received backlash and hostility due to its differences from the other more populous religions. Many Mormons were forced to leave. Due to the mass persecution, the Mormon traveled a long trail that went from Illinois to Utah. Upon arrival, the Mormons were able to establish a small settlement where they would supposedly live without the religious persecution they previously received. -
Suffrage
In this time period, it was extremely evident that men had more rights than women had. Throughout the industrial women were given more opportunities in the work environment. Due to the increase of work opportunities, women began to desire more rights and equality. A very obvious difference in men's and women's rights was the right to vote. Women did not have a say in elections. Women like Susan B. Anthony started to Women's Suffrage Movement in order to receive the right to vote. -
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush sparked due to the discovery of golden nuggets in the Sacramento Valley. This caused mass migration of gold miners to the San Francisco (the location of gold). Peaking in 1852, the California Gold Rush brought a mass amount of currency to the gold miners. The gold was initially discovered by James Wilson Marshall. In the American River he discovered flakes of gold in the water stream. He attempted to keep the discovery a secret, but news spread extremely fast. -
Nativism
In this time period many improvements were made to technology and job opportunities. Many Americans moved to the cities in order to find jobs for their families. Many immigrants also came to America in order to find jobs and a better life than from their home country. Few immigrants were welcomed, excluding the Asian immigrants. They were seen as different and in turn were not respected for the work they were doing in America. There was even an Asian Exclusion Act. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was a series of five laws that were passed in order to deal with issues about slavery. Somethings put into place due to the Compromise of 1850 was that California was admitted as a free state. This put the balance of slave states and free states into the North's favor. Slave trade also became prohibited in Washington DC. The Compromise of 1850 also put the Fugitive Slave Law into place. Although the north refused to enforce the Fugitive Slave Law. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act was apart of the Compromise of 1850. The Fugitive Slave Law put into place a law that enabled all runaway slaves to be captured and immediately brought back to their masters. The Northern States were also legally forced to cooperate. Nothing was keeping many slave owners from capturing free black people as there was no proof needed to capture African Americans and bring them back. This was a very controversial act and was a cause for the Civil War. -
Election of 1852
The election of 1852 immensely dealt with the issue of slavery as it occurred shortly after the Compromise of 1850. The major parties in the Election of 1852 were the Democratic party and the Whig party. The main candidate for the Democratic party was Franklin Pierce. The main candidate for the Whig party was Winfield Scott. Franklin Pierce emerged victorious in this election. This also became the last election that the Whig party would be represented in a presidential election. -
Republican Party
The Republican Party was founded by former members of the Whig party. This new political party was another party that was created in order to halt the spread of slavery. A majority of the Republican party was made up by many Americans in the north. The Republican party would go on to have many famous representatives and also made up most of the northern side in the Civil War. Some famous candidates in the Republican party were John C. Fremont and Abraham Lincoln. -
Revivalism
Revivalism was the regeneration of interest and belief in religion such as Christianity. A major factor in revivalism came from the assistance of the Second Great Awakening. Another big factor in revivalism was the inclusion of leaders. People such as Charles Finney crafted meetings in order to spread the importance of Christianity to other people. These leaders helped people change their overall mindset from science and reason to the supernatural and religion. -
North Industrialization
Industrialization in the the North was widely increased and became more efficient in the Industrial Revolution and afterwards it was highly promoted. The climate of northern states did not efficiently promote the mass production of agriculture. Although, the geography of the North made the use of transportation and factories much more efficient. Factory work was extremely popular in this time period. The northern states were able to manufacture an array of different good. -
South Agriculture
The agriculture industry was extremely popular in the south due to the suitable climate and the use of slavery. In this time period, slavery was at its peak in the south. With the mass improvement in agricultural products, slaves were able to produce more goods in less time. This massively increased the agricultural business and the overall use of slavery in the south. For example, using the cotton gin massively assisted slaves in taking the seeds out of cotton. -
Election of 1860
The presidential election of 1860 occurred in the midst of the conflict about slavery. The two major political parties in the Election of 1860 were the Republican and Democratic party. The republican party favored the ending of slavery and/or stopping the spread of slavery. The democratic party favored the idea of keeping slavery present as it favored their economy. The main candidates were Abraham Lincoln (Republican) and Breckenridge (Democrat). Lincoln emerged victorious. -
North (Civil War)
The northern parts of America made up the Union in the Civil War. The union were fighting for the end or stop the spread of slavery. Most of the northern parts of America made up the Republican party. The north had better transportation, better weapons, and a larger number of troops in the war. The Union had representatives such as the president, Abraham Lincoln. The beginning of the war was steering more towards the southern victory. The Union began to get an advantage and eventually won. -
South (Civil War)
The Southern parts of America made up the Confederate army in the Civil War. Also, the majority or the south were apart of the Democratic party. The south overall encouraged the use of slavery and wanted to keep its presence in America. Due to their major economic income coming from agriculture, the south wanted to preserve slavery as they were extremely valuable in the production of agriculture. Some major representatives in the south were Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. -
Neutral States
The neutral states, also known as border states, were the states that refused to leave the Union. During this time period and the Civil War, the southern states/ confederate states left the Union due to the conflict over slavery. The border states included Missouri, Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky, and West Virginia. The neutral states of the Civil War provided support and troops for the Union. This gave them an overall advantage over the Confederate Army. Although, some border states were split. -
Leaders of the North
During the Civil War, the northern states wanted to halt the spread of slavery or exterminate the use of slavery altogether. These northern states made up the Union in the Civil War. While the Union was not known for their exceptional leadership like the south, but they did have leaders that eventually led to their victory in the war. One of the renowned leaders of the Union was the president, Abraham Lincoln. More well-known leaders were Ulysses S. Grant, William Sherman, and George Mclellan. -
Leaders of the South
During the civil war, the south wanted to keep the presence of slavery in America, because it was a main source of their economy. The south was known for having more knowledgeable and prepared leader in the Civil War. The general of the Confederate army was Robert E. Lee. Other well known leaders were Stonewall Jackson and Nathan Bedford Forrest. These leaders of the Confederate army assisted in leading the Confederate army to win many battles in the Civil War. -
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The Civil War
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Trent Affair
The Trent Affair was an incident in between Great Britain and the United States that occurred in November and December of 1861. During the time period of the civil war, the Captain of the USS San Jacinto arrested Confederate diplomats. These Confederate diplomats were caught on a British mail ship in order to travel to Britain to seek out help for the South in the Civil War. The British ship was seized, and this caused the British to become enraged at the seizure of their ship. -
Emancipation Proclamation
When he became President, Abraham Lincoln's main priority was not to overall abolish slavery. Lincoln wanted to keep the Union in tact. Throughout the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln began to realize that abolishing slavery would overall be an intelligent military tactic and also noticed how morally incorrect slavery was. In response to this, Lincoln put the Emancipation Proclamation in place. This was meant to immediately abolish slavery. Even though, it was meant to end slavery, it failed in south. -
Gettysburg
Thought to be the most important battle and the turning point of the Civil War, the Battle of Gettysburg was a war that lasted three days and put a halt to the South's winning streak in the Civil War. After winning the previous battle, Robert E. Lee led his army into this battle offensively. The Confederate Army failed to get through the Union and lost this battle. The victory of the Battle of Gettysburg led the famous speech from Abraham Lincoln, the Gettysburg Address. -
Lincoln's 10% Plan
The 10 Percent Plan that was put into place by Abraham Lincoln was a distinct plan for Reconstruction. This was used mostly in order to reunite the Northern and Southern parts of the United States. Lincoln's ten percent plan stated that the confederate states could be brought back into the union, but ten percent of their voters must have sworn an "Oath of Allegiance" to the Union. Lincoln also stated that although their right to have slaves was not protected, their private property was. -
Western Frontier
The Western Frontier of the United States has always been defined as the western border of the settlements.In the mid 1800s, the frontier line was placed on the location of the eastern border of Kansas, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Although, the most known line of the Western Frontier was located California due to recent events that caused mass settlements in California. The combination of the California Gold Rush, and the discoveries of the Oregon and Mormon trail moved the frontier line -
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Reconstruction
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Freedmen's Bureau
Most notably known as the "Bureau of Refugees" the freedmen's Bureau took place in 1865. The purpose of the Freedmen's Bureau was to provide assistance to former slaves and poor whites in the southern parts of the United States. After the Civil War, this group of people were struggling immensely. The Freedmen's Bureau gave former slaves and poor whites medical aid, housing, schooling, and food. With a lack of funds due to the war, the Freedmen's Bureau was never fully carried out. -
Assassination
After the Civil War hostilities were still strong between the Confederate members and the Union members. One of the major receivers of the hostility from the Confederate members was the President, Abraham Lincoln. Many saw Abraham Lincoln as the main reason that slavery was abolished. Due to this, many death threats and murder attempts were made. On April 4th, 1865 Lincoln was viewing a play in a theater and was shot in the head by John Wilkes Booth. This occurred very shortly after the Civilwar -
Andrew Johnson Administration
Due to the assassination of former President Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson fulfilled the role of the 17th president of the United States. Andrew Johnson also became the first US president that was impeached. In the beginning of his administration, Johnson's main focus was bringing the southern/confederate states back into the Union and restore the country as one piece again. Johnson did not run for another presidency after his single term from 1865 to 1869. -
Election of 1868
The election of 1868 included two different political parties. These two parties were the Republican and Democratic parties.There were also two major presidential candidates with the potential to become President of the United States. The republican representative of this election was Ulysses S. Grant. The democratic representative of this election was Horatio Seymour. Due to his success as a general for the Union army in the Civil War, Ulysses S. Grant won the election of 1868. -
Panic of 1873
The Panic of 1873 was disaster financially that caused an overall depression in North America and Europe. This economic depression was caused by many various reasons. A major reason for the Panic of 1873 in the United States was the Civil War that split the country in half with the Union and Confederate. There were also various investments made during Reconstruction. A major economic investment was with the amount of railroads created after the American Civil War. -
Election of 1876
The election of 1876 had two major political parties. These two political parties were the Democratic and Republican parties. There were also two major candidates in this election. Representing the republican party, Rutherford B. Hayes was the lead candidate. Samuel J. Tilden represented the democratic party in this election. With extremely close results, the republican party emerged victorious, represented by Rutherford B. Hayes. The democratic party won the popular vote. -
Compromise of 1877
The Compromise of 1877 shortly followed the election of 1876 and addressed the matter of the states, Florida, South Carolina, and Louisiana. These three states were the only states that were apart of the south that still had the Republican governments in power. President Rutherford Hayes met with some of the Democratic representatives in order to discuss this issue with Florida, South Carolina, and Louisiana. After the Compromise of 1877, these states switched to the Democratic party.
