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800 BCE
Eastern Woodland People
The Eastern Woodland People were natives that lived in the eastern region of the United States and Canada.They lived in log homes along with houses that were built with branches and mud-clay.They were hunters and planters, and their main diet would consist of fish, deer, rabbits, beans, berries, and nuts. Their language varies throughout the region but their religion was the same. They mostly inhabited moderate-climate regions throughout the Atlantic to the Mississippi River. -
100 BCE
Pueblo Adobe Houses
These were the homes of the Anasazi Indians. These houses were used for both a living area and a work space.The foundation was built using wooden posts that are then woven with small branches in between them. To hold it together, they put adobe in between the walls. They also put their Adobes into pithouses. As the pithouses get deeper, the roofs got flatter. Also, the pithouses used ventilation tunnels that allowed outside air to flow into the pithouses. -
Period: 1 BCE to
Beginning to Exploration
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700
Aztecs
Was a nomadic tribe that originated in northern Mexico and then migrated to Mesoamerica in the early 13th century. They were a very developed society, with advancements in intricate social, political, religious, and commercial organization and was the largest Mesoamerican civilization to exist. Their demise was caused by Hernan Cortes, his military force, and other native societies who allied with Europeans who captured the capital city of Tenochtitlan in August 13, 1521. -
1346
The Black Death
The Black Death began when 12 Genoese trading ships returned from the Black Sea and docked at the Sicilian port of Messina with several of its passengers either died or severely ill with black boils covering their body. The plague passed from person to person quickly and kill a person in less than a day. This plague lasted for 5 years and killed over 20 million, which made up about a third of the population, leaving Europeans to overcome a great devastation. -
1440
The Renaissance
Was a period of time that occurred after the Middle Ages during the late 13 century.The period was a time dedicated to reestablishing Greece and Roman language, values, and intellectual traditions.There were may Italian scholars writers embracing these ideals It also had a focus of art on the human body and the natural world.It occurred in Italy, France, Spain, and parts of Northern Europe. It ended in the late 16th century due to focus of a new style of artistry. -
1476
Dark Ages
The Dark Ages, also called the middle ages,was an era in time that had religious struggle and minuscule technological advancements. After the Roman Empire fell, Catholic churches became the main institution during the time. Orthodox Christians fought against Catholics to reestablish Christianity as the main religion. Feudalism was used as a system of government. Homeless peasants would work on the lands of noblemen in exchange for shelter on their land. -
Aug 3, 1492
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an Italian navigator and who sailed the Atlantic in hopes of finding a shorter route to India. His first voyage was financed by Isabella of Castille and Ferdinand of Aragon. Instead of finding a new route to India, he discovered the Americas and landed on island in the present day Bahamas. He would later go to do three more expeditions across the Atlantic in 1492, 1493, and 1502. His expeditions marked the beginning of transatlantic voyage and colonization. -
Period: to
English Colonial Societies
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John Smith
He was the leader of the first permanent British North American colony, Jamestown, and was one of the main reasons the colonist their survived. He set sail for America in 1606 and landed in Chesapeake Bay in April 1607. He was tasked with trading and managing food within the colonies.His expedition along the Chickahominy River resulted in him creating an alliance with the Algonquins. 1609, he was forced to return to Britain because he was severely injured by a gunpowder explosion. -
Mayflower Compact
This document was signed on the Mayflower. It was intended to create a form a self-government for the pilgrims aboard the Mayflower that established themselves in the Americas. The Mayflower was actually a merchant ship, intended to hold cargo. The original document itself has as yet to be found. It was first published in 1622 and is one of the first forms of self-government established. The main members of the Pilgrims' were Separatists and the Mayflower had members from the Church of England. -
Anne Hutchinson
Anne Hutchinson was born July 1591 and in 1634, moved to Massachusetts Bay Colony along with her husband. She was a Puritan and also a mother of fourteen kids. During her time in Massachusetts Bay Colony she would host meetings telling everyone that God's grace could be received through faith alone. Fearing that her views could disrupt the peace of the colony, John Winthrop charged her with sedition and heresy. She was later banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony on March 22, 1638. -
Navigation Acts
The navigation acts were three different acts passed by Parliament in 1651, 1660, and 1663. The acts were created with the intent to control trading in the colonies and to gain wealth by enforcing taxes in the colony. The first act prevented Dutch shipping. The second act was created to force colonies into only trading with Britain. The third act made so that all goods were shipped using English ships, inspected by European ships, and then taxed by them. -
Sir Issac Newton
He was a physicist and a mathematician. He is responsible for creating the laws of motion and one of the founders of modern physics. He is also one of the people who contributed to the Scientific Revolution that took place in the 17th century. He was born on January 4, 1643, in Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire, England. He also made discoveries in optics and mathematics, and created a reflective telescope that was able to study optics. -
William Penn
Was born on October 14, 1644 he was a Quaker and the founder of Pennsylvania Colony. Originally a Anglican, he become a Quaker at the age of 22. In March 4, 1681, William received a loan from King Charles II and settled in an area south of New Jersey. He originally named the colony Sylvania, but King Charles II had it changed to Pennsylvania in honor of Penn's father, Admiral Sir William Penn. He established this colony with the idea of religious tolerance. -
John Locke
John Locke was one of the contributors to the Enlightenment and he was also one of the founders of liberalism. He was born in Wrighton, Somerset in 1632. In 1666, he began working as an a physicians under the first Earl of Shaftesbury. During his time with Shaftesbury, Locke was writing several drafts. He created the "Essay Concerning Human Understanding" and the "Two Treatises of Government". These passages expressed the idea of a government that works for the people. -
English Bill of Rights
It was a bill passed by Parliament of Great Britain in 1689 that established the rights of the people and resolved the issue of succession between William III and Mary II. It is also what created the constitutional monarch in Great Britain. Many laws were implemented because of it. It stated that laws could not be enforced or denied without the consent of Parliament, no armies should not be created during times of no war, no excessive fines, and many more. -
Salem Witch Trials
The trials started in the Spring of 1692 when little girls living in Salem Village, Massachusetts said that they were possessed and some women living their were accused of being witches. Women who were accused of this and denied were hung and killed. The first of these women was Bridget Bishop and several others followed after. Around the Fall of 1692, the paranoia died down and the public spoke against the trials, which they were eventually stopped. -
Triangular Trade
The Triangular Trade was an exchange between Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Americans would send sugar, tobacco, and cotton to Europe. Europeans then send textiles, rum, and manufactured goods to African dealers in exchange for captured people from rival tribes that could be used as slaves. These slaves were then sent to the Americas. Slaves were shipped in ship cross the Middle Passage. It took about six weeks and many died along the way. -
Period: to
Colonial America to 1763
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George Whitfield
George Whitfield was born was born on December 27, 1714 in Gloucester, England. At a very young age, he began studying the bible. When he was older he attended Pembroke College at Oxford and he joined a group that lent a book called "The Life of God in the Soul of Man", that changed his life. He left school and become a Calvinist preacher. His preaching was very impactful and had a big effect on England and America during the Great Awakening. -
Johnathan Edwards
Johnathan Edwards was a Christian preacher and a famous philosophical theologian. He was the son of Pastor Timothy Edwards, and was the only son of eleven children. Johnathan grandfather, Solomon Stoddard was a minister of Northampton and died in 1729, leaving Johnathan as the minister of the church. He went against his grandfather's preaching and began preaching his own theology. Having one of the most prominent churches at the time, Edwards become of the contributors to the Great Awakening. -
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Years' War, was a battle between Britain and France. It started because the French tried to expand into the Ohio River Valley, but British claimed that it was their territory. The turning point of the war was with victories at Louisbourg, Fort Frontenac, and the stronghold of Quebec. The war ended in 1763, and the British received the territory of Canada from France, Florida from Spain, which also opened up the Mississippi Valley to exploration. -
Period: to
Revolutionary War
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Treaty of Paris 1763
This treaty put an end to the Seven Years' War/ French and Indian War. The war itself started with Great Britain and France, but allies of these two countries also joined in. The treaty forced France to give up all their territory in North America, gave the British the Ohio Valley and Quebec, and Spain received the Louisiana Territory west of the Mississippi.The treaty also resulted in greater tension between the colonists and Britain. -
The Stamp Act
It was an act passed by the British Parliament to help pay for the debt caused by the Seven Years' war and to pay for the soldiers who were protecting the frontier area near the Appalachians Mountains. The act imposed a tax that forced colonist to pay for every printed paper that they used. This act was disliked by the colonists because it was created to raise money, and they had no say in approving it, which also created the term "no taxation without representation". -
The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre occurred when several protesters opposing the Townshend Acts began throwing rock-filled snowballs at British soldiers. To try to put an end to the protest, the British shot at the protesters. Their assault led to the death of 5 people and the troops were sent back to Britain awaiting trial. The event itself wasn't actually a massacre, it was propaganda made by Paul Revere to create more tension between the colonist and Great Britain. -
The Boston Tea Party
This event wasn't actually a tea party, but a revolt against the taxes imposed by Parliament. Protesters of these taxes dumped 342 chests of tea into the Boston harbor. They wanted to caused more problems for the already troubled East India Company. It was led by Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty. They all boarded three separate ships in the Boston harbor and dumping the tea into the harbor. Their actions, however, led to the passage of the Coercive Acts in 1774. -
Declaration of Independence
The growing conflict between the British and the colonist caused the Revolutionary War to start. In response to the war, colonists formed the Continental Congress.Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and 2 others were responsible for creating it. It was mostly written by Thomas Jefferson. It was officially adopted by Congress in July 4, 1776. The Declaration of Independence consisted of all the motivations that the colonists had for wanting independence. -
Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the Revolutionary War because its victory caused the Americans to ally with the French. The event itself was two different battles one fought that began September 9, 1777 and the other started in October 7th. The first battle, Benedict Arnold led the American army and forced John Burgoyne and his men to retreat. In the second battle, the Arnold ignored orders and fought the British again. He forced to British to flee to Saratoga. -
Period: to
The Constitution
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Battle of Yorktown
It was the final battle of the Revolutionary War and gave victory to the Americans. During this battle, General George Washington led 17,000 soldiers and the British, under the leadership of General Charles Cornwallis led 9,000 soldiers. It started when the British moved their troops to Yorktown. Washington seized the opportunity, and surround the area with his troops. After three weeks of constant bombardment, the British surrendered and the Americans won. -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation were created during the Revolutionary War, and was the first written constitution created by the United States. There was several problems that the Articles had. There was no judiciary or executive branch, it gave most of the power to the states, it had the power to create laws but lacked the power to enforce them, and lack the strong central government that the Constitution gave. It was later replaced by the Constitution after Shay's Rebellion. -
Treaty of Paris 1783
The Treaty of Paris of 1783 was a agreement between the United States and Britain. It ended the revolutionary war and was a document that recognized America as an independent country. Five member of the Continental Congress were chosen to negotiate the terms, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, and Henry Laurens. Thomas Jefferson was unable to make it in time, and Henry Laurens was held captive by a British warship. The British gave up some of their territories in the US. -
Shay's Rebellion
Shay's Rebellion was a number of protests that took place between 1786 and 1787. These rebellions were started by farmers because of the tax that they felt targeted them specifically that was imposed by Congress in an attempt to lessen the debt that was caused by the war. It took place in areas from New Hampshire to South Carolina, but it was most serious in Massachusetts. The Articles of Confederation failed to put a stop to the rebellion and forced the needed change for the government. -
The Great Debate
The Great Debate came about during the transition from the Articles of Confederation to the Constitution. The Anti-Federalists and the Federalists were the two groups that were debating on how to create the Constitution. Federalists wanted to make the Constitution give a lot of power to the government, while the Anti-Federalists wanted to limited government power. The debate also centered around the implementation of the Bill of Rights into the Constitution. -
Judicial Branch
The Judicial Branch was added during the creation of the Constitution. This branch contains the Supreme Court, which is the highest court of law. It was created to determine whether or not laws passed are constitutional.The Supreme Court has one appointed chief justice and eight other associates that are given a lifetime term. It also has lower courts that must have cases tried there before they reach the Supreme Court, such as the federal courts and the circuit courts. -
Virginia Plan
It was a plan that was proposed by Edmund J. Randolph during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It was written by James Madison and it was the first that proposed the separation of powers. It proposed that the legislature be divided into two branches, and its creation was aimed at larger states. Also, the legislature would have one house that had members elected by people for 3-year terms and the other would have older leaders elected by the state legislatures for 7-year terms. -
The Northwest Ordinance
The Northwest Ordinance was created for the purpose of allowing western territories to join the United States. It started with Virginia in 1781, when they gave their land to Congress. In order for territories to be accepted as states, these territories would have to have a least have 20,000 people that made up their population. The Northwest Ordinance also banned slavery in these new areas. -
New Jersey Plan
The New Jersey plan was created by William Paterson during the Constitution Convention. It offered the idea of an unicameral legislature which would give an equal number of votes to all states. It was also made with the intention of supporting small states in the United States at the time, which rivaled the Virginia Plan, which was for much larger states. It also consisted of the idea of a Separation of Powers and advocated a strong national government. -
Election of 1788
It was the first ever presidential election in the United States. Only white men who owned property were able to vote. George Washington won by a landslide, and John Adams, being the candidate with the second most vote, was elected as his vice president. George Washington's neutral party position and his success in the American Revolution, were some of the reasons why he won the first presidential election, and he also won a second term. -
Period: to
New Republic
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Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights came to be after the thought there should be a legal document protecting the rights of the people while the Constitution was being created. At first, Federalists were against it, but realized it was necessary in order for the Constitution to be accepted.It was created after the Declaration of Independence in 1776. A lot of its success was due to James Madison, and it became a part of the Constitution in December of 1791. -
Alexander Hamilton
He was a part of the Continental Congress, the author of the Federalist Papers, the first secretary of Treasury, and the creator of the Nation Bank of United States which was established in 1791. He was a Federalist but was one of the reason Thomas Jefferson won the election of 1800, who was a Democratic-Republican himself. He was later killed by Aaron Burr in a duel in 1804. One of his greatest accomplishment was funding the federal debt. -
Democratic-Republicans
It was established in 1792. This party opposed a strong central government and was opposition with the Federalists. They prefer a strict interpretation of the Constitution and want state's rights. The leader of this party was Thomas Jefferson and they supported the French in the Seven Year's War. The party received its first victory in the election of 1800. While the Federalist Party declined after the War of 1812, the Democratic-Republican Party split because of internal strife. -
Whiskey Rebellion
It was a series of rebellions that occurred because of a tax on whiskey. People that produced large amounts of whiskey had to pay a rate of six cents per gallon, while small producers ended up paying nine cents per gallon. These small producers felt that the tax was unfair because they felt as though the tax was aimed at them. Eventually, George Washington led his troops and put an end to the rebellion. This rebellion also showed how much power the Constitution had. -
Cotton Gin
The Cotton Gin revolutionized agriculture the South, because it allowed people to pick cotton seeds out of the cotton faster faster and easier than before. It was created by Eli Whitney and helped cotton become the leading export in the South during the 19th century. It also encouraged slavery in the South and was one of the reasons why slavery become a such an issue in the future. It gave Southerners an excuse of why they should keep slavery. -
Election of 1796
This election had two opposing parties representing each candidate. The two candidates were Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. Thomas Jefferson was a part of the Democratic-Republicans, and John Adams was a part of the Federalist party. The winner would become president and the runner-up would become vice president. Jefferson wanted to become allies with the French but the Federalists opposed this. The election ended with John Adams as the victor. -
Alien and Sedition Acts
It was created in anticipation with the upcoming war with France. The Sedition Act prevented any form of writing or publishing that portrayed the United States government poorly. It also made it much harder for immigrants to enter the United States and had the power to deport foreigners. Immigrants who wanted to vote originally had to wait 5 years, but they now had to wait 14 years in order to vote. The acts were created as a matter of national security. -
Yeoman Farmers
Was a social class that inhabited the South during the 19th century. Their class made up most of the white population of the South. They were considered to be the middle class of the South and used family labor primarily as a way to support themselves. They were small landowners and most times did not use slaves. They ranked lower than the Planters but also ranked higher than the Tenant Farmers. They also despised the Planters because they looked down at them. -
Period: to
The Age of Jefferson
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Period: to
Westward Expansion
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Embargo Act of 1807
The Embargo Act of 1807 was a law that forbade American ships from trading with foreign ports. It was passed to prevent Americans from losing their neutrality and having to be forced to side with either the British or the French. The act led to France and British seizing American merchant ships and forcing, and the British stealing merchants and forcing them to work in their navy. It only made tensions between the British and Americans grow. -
Second Great Awakening
The Second Great Awakening was a religious revival at a time where religion wasn't associated with politics. It around the 1790's, and ended sometime in the 1830's. During this time people would hold large camp meetings that used a new and exciting style of preaching and audience participation. The most abundant religion before the time of the Awakening was Congregationalists, Anglicans, and Quakers. Now, the Anglicans, Evangelical, Methodism, and Baptists were growing in numbers. -
Battle of New Orleans
Unbeknownst to troops still fighting the war, a treaty was signed that ended the War of 1812. The Battle of New Orleans was an unnecessary fight that led to the death of 2,000 British soldiers. General Andrew Jackson led a army of soldiers, frontiersmen, slaves, Indians , and pirates against the British army. The British were planning on taking New Orleans because it was the focal point to the land to the West. The United States claimed victory in this battle. -
Period: to
American Industrial Revolution
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Panic of 1819
Success in the economy after the War of 1812 ended. Economic failure became widespread as banks became unable to function properly, mortgages were foreclosed and forced many out homes and property. Businesses were forced to drop many of their employees because of decline prices. Most of these problems were caused because of the Second Bank of the United States called in its loans, which left state banks bankrupt in the process. -
Adams-Onis Treaty (1819)
Was a agreement between the United States and Spain that resulted in the United States gaining Florida and Spain receiving a boundary between the United States and the land of New Spain. It is named after the John Quincy Adams and Don Luis de Onis, which were the two people who agreed upon the treaty. Spain gave Florida up because they did not want to invest anymore money into it. -
McCulloch v. Maryland
McCulloch v. Maryland was the 2nd most important case in the United States. It began in 1816 when Congress chartered the Second Bank of the United States. In 1818, the state of Maryland passed a law the placed taxes on the bank. The cashier of the Baltimore branch of the bank at the time, James McCulloch, refused to pay the taxes. The case resulted in Maryland, or any other states, not having the power to tax property of the national government. -
Period: to
Cultural Change
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Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 came about when Missouri anted to be admitted to the Union as a slave state. This was a problem because the number of slave states and free states would become unbalanced. To help resolve the issue, Congress allowed Missouri to be admitted as a slave state, but also admitted Maine as a free state to balance out the numbers. It also made it so that slavery would be forbidden from the Louisiana Purchase to the coordinate 36°30. -
Monroe Doctrine
A formal address that forbade foreign countries to colonize areas in the Americas. It also stated that America was to remain neutral in any upcoming European wars, and any attempt at colonization in the Americas would be seen as an act of aggression. It was pronounced by the 5th American President James Monroe, but was actually written by the next president, John Quincy Adams. -
Election of 1824
It was a political battle between John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay, and John C. Calhoun, but he backed out in attempt to get vice presidency. Andrew Jackson won the popular vote but did not win in the electoral college. John Quincy Adams won because of a agreement that he made with Henry Clay that made him into the Secretary of State when he entered office. The deal was also known as the "Corrupt Bargain" and Andrew Jackson felt cheated by it. -
Canals in the American Industrial Revolution
Canals were created in response to the Industrial Revolution. The mass production of products required a vehicle that hold all of this cargo was not available at the time. Steamboats were a reliable vehicle but required some body of water in order for it to move these goods. People of the time then created man made canals to operate as trade routes. the very first canal to be made was the Erie Canal in 1825 and connected western waterways to the Atlantic Ocean. -
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was born March 15, 1767. He was once a wealthy lawyer, general, and the 7th president of the United States. He fought in the American Revolution, and his victory at the Battle of New Orleans earned him fame, favor, and the nickname "Old Hickory", He participated in the election of 1824, but lost to John Quincy Adams after the events of the "Corrupt Bargain". He however, won of 1828 and as the leader of the Democratic party. He was also responsible for the Trail of Tears. -
Election of 1828
The Election of 1828 was an election between Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams. John Quincy Adams was up for re-election and Andrew Jackson was hoping to avenge himself from his loss in the previous election. This election made use of personal attacks on both sides and one even aimed at Jackson's wife. Jackson, however, won the public when he made his speech about the Bank of the United States, which Adams incited so that it would backfire on him. -
Period: to
Age of Jackson
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Planters of the South
The South during the early 1800's was divided into several different white social classes. Planters were highest class that a Southern could be placed in. They made their living by farming tobacco and rice.They were also despised by the Yeoman Farmers, because the Planters looked down on everyone that was below them in social class. They did however try to ally with the Yeomen Farmers because they feared that if they didn't, the Yeomen and slaves would team up together and rebel. -
Trail of Tears
The Trail of Tears is an event where Natives Americans were forced to move out of their homes and walk hundreds of miles to their new territory. They are given no food or any supplies and thousands die along the way to this new area. They were wrongfully forced out of their land, because the law required the government to negotiate some king of fair treaty, but Andrew Jackson ignored this along with the rulings of the Cherokee Nation v. Georgia and the Worcester v. Georgia. -
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith was the leader of the Mormons. He began the creation of his chruch in 1820, when in one day in this year he went into the woods and asked God what church he should join, and was told to join none. Later in his life he was visited by an angel who told him about records he later found in 1827 on golden bars. They had "gift of God" inscribed on them. Joseph then founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and became its president. He was later killed in a prison mob in 1844 -
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was network of runaway slaves and abolitionists that helped runaway slaves find a path out of borders states such as Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland and head to Canada. It is unknown when it was actually created, but the first instance of any mentioning it was from a slave named Tice Davids, who escaped from Kentucky and went to Ohio in 1831. Slaves attempted to escape to Canada because slavery was banned there and there was no way for them to be forced back. -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
Nat Turner's Rebellion was the one of the closest rebellions to succeed in overthrowing slavery. Nat Turner was a well educated slave and a man dedicated to his religion. On the eclipse of 1831, he then believed that he was destined to lead a rebellion against slavery. His first revolt on August 8, 1831, lead to the deaths of 51 whites. He was eventually caught, found guilty, and hung for his crimes. His actions lead to the creation of the Slave Codes, a harsh series of laws on slaves. -
Whig Party
The Whig Party was created for the main purpose of opposing Andrew Jackson and his Democratic party in the upcoming election. The leader of this party was Henry Clay, who was the opponent of Andrew Jackson during the election. They also formed because of Andrew Jackson's plan with dealing with the Bank of the United States. They ended up losing the election and lose the upcoming election due to their failure to pick one candidate. The party ended in the 1850's.. -
American Anti-Slavery Society (AASS)
The American Anti-Slavery Society was on of the major organizations that existed in the United States during the 19th century. It was created by Theodore Weld, Arthur Tappan, and Lewis Tappan. They took up the causes of local anti-slavery societies and made it national. They demanded that slavery be ended and that the African Americans should receive the same rights as whites. William Lloyd Garrison ended up leading the party, but his radical views caused the party to split in 1840. -
New York Female Reform Society
The New York Female Reform Society was created by Lydia A. Finney in 1834. She intended to use this society to prevent prostitution in New York during the 19th century. The group used a number of methods for its prevention. They would expose names of male clients and offering women jobs in a different field. They also tried to lobby for the state to declare prostitution illegal and used magazines to show ideal deal images for a women to model. -
Sam Houston
Sam Houston served as the governor of Texas and leader of its army. He was originally from Virginia, but later moved to Texas. During the war for Texas' independence from Mexico, he led an army that would oppose Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. He defeated Santa Anna's forces on April 21,1836. He served as president for Texas in 1836 and 1841, and he also served as a senator after Texas became a state in 1845. He became its governor in 1859, and left after Texas' succession from the Union. -
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
Once a military captain, Santa Anna later became president of Mexico in 1833. His rejection of Mexico's 1824 constitution was a major cause of the Texas revolution. He led an army to fight against the rebelling Texans, and he killed all the men in the Alamo. He was later defeated by Sam Houston in the Battle of San Jacinto. Regardless of his shameful defeat at this battle, he managed to hold his presidency until 1855 because he defeated a French invasion force at Vera Cruz in 1838. -
Telegraph
It was created sometime between 1830's and 1840's by Samuel Morse. The telegraph greatly improved long-distance communication. It transmits electrical signals over a wire laid between stations. Samuel Morse used his invention to develop a code that used a set of dots and dashes to each letter of the English alphabet which allowed for hidden messages to go through telegraph lines. This complex code was known as Morse Code, named after Samuel Morse himself. -
Lowell Mills
The Waltham-Lowell Mills was a form of labor production created by Francis Cabot Lowell in Massachusetts. The form of labor required the use of young adult women. All parts of the manufacturing process was done all in one mill. Women would work with textile and it became a revolutionary concept at the time of its creation. Lowell Mills began to decline because of overproduction. Some lost their jobs and the remaining workers were forced to work more. -
Election of 1840
The Election of 1840 was an election between Martin Van Buren and Henry Clay. Martin Van Buren was up for re-election but many felt that they did not want him to be president again. Henry Clay was originally going to run, but the Whig Party felt that he had gain too many enemies in the past years, so they decided that they go with Harrison. Harrison wins the debate by a landslide because the Whigs get women to influence votes. Harrison dies in the following month he is elected. -
Election of 1844
The two leading candidates for the Election of 1844 were originally Henry Clay and Martin Van Buren. Henry Clay was a Whig and Martin Van Buren was a Democrat. In their campaign, they left out the issue of Texas' annexation, which was a pressing issue. Henry Clay lost his place when he was unable to secure enough votes, which led to James K. Polk becoming the leading candidate. He was favored because he was an apprentice of Andrew Jackson, and he won the Election of 1844. -
Irish immigration to America 1800's
Most Irish immigrants came to America because of the potato famine also know as the Great Famine. They made up the bottom of the social, and inhabited slum areas of cities along the north eastern seaboard. Their lack of skill and the language barrier that most of them had caused discrimination between the Irish and the Americans. They sought desperately to have jobs and ended up taking jobs that other immigrants themselves did not want to do, worked for many hours, and received minimum wages. -
Battle of Palo Alto
North of the Rio Grande on May 8, 1846, General Zachary Taylor defeated Mexican forces and was victorious at the Battle of Palo Alto. Because of his victory, Zachary Taylor was elected 12th president of the United States. The battle began after the United States annexed Texas. Mexico failed to acknowledge the border that was the Rio Grande. President James Polk sent Taylor to make sure that the Mexicans wouldn't try to retake the area after the annexation. -
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis started his venture into the Mexican-American War, after he graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in June 1828. In May 13, 1846, when the Mexican-American war broke out, Davis left Congress and created a regiment. Davis prepared his men and to take part of the siege of Monterrey. He earned respect and his position as president of the Confederacy because he was always the first of his men to go into battle. -
Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso was created to get rid of slavery in the new land acquired from the Mexican War. When James K. Polk received this newly acquired land, David Wilmot, fearing that slavery would began in this new land, suggested an amendment to the bill. It was rejected but also worsened the problem with slavery. At the time, Democrats were dividing over the issue of slavery and despised the fact the Polk was willing to compromise with Britain over the Oregon dispute. -
Period: to
Sectionalism
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California Gold Rush
ON January 24, 1848, James Wilson Marshall, discovered small bit of gold in the American River at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The time it was discovered coincided with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which gave Americans access to California. With news of his discovery, thousands of gold miners found their way to California. After 1850, most of the gold on the surface was gone. The enormous amount of mining caused a lot of damage to the soil and the Gold Rush declined in 1852. -
Seneca Falls Convention
The Seneca Falls Convention was held in at Wesleyan Chapel in Seneca Falls. New York. It was a woman's rights convention that had 200 women attend and was created by Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Stanton prepared a draft call the "Declaration of Sentiments and Grievances" which was similar to the Declaration of Independence.The convention itself was seen as a nuisance among the public and a few women backed out afterwards, but it sparked the beginning of women's suffrage in the US. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 caused by the division over slavery in the new territories gained from the Mexican-American war in 1846. It allowed California to be admitted in the Union as a free state, leaving New Mexico and Utah with conflict of deciding whether or not they would have slavery, which in turn caused a dispute over Texas and New Mexico boundary, it ended slavery in Washington D.C, and reinforced the fugitive slave laws. -
Election of 1852
The Election of 1852 was a lackluster election that occurred while the Democrats were becoming more prominent because the Whig Party was starting to decline. The democratic who were mostly nominated were James Buchanan, Stephen Douglas, and Lewis Cass. The controversy came when none of them were able to get the two-thirds vote at the convention. However, the votes ended up going to the candidate Franlkin Pierce because of his support of the Compromise of 1850 and the Fugitive Slave Act. -
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne was the creator of several stories and was born in Massachusetts. He was a Transcendentalist and use of allegory and symbolism in his works made him a famous writer. He wrote My Kinsman, Major Molineux, Young Goodman Brown, Roger Malvin's Burial, Twice-Told Tales, and his two most famous novels were The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables. In 1852, he wrote a biography for Franklin Pierce, who when elected president, made him American Consul to Britain. -
Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass was a free slave who was dedicated abolitionist, author, and speaker. After he escaped slavery, he moved on to become a famous anti-slavery activist. He created two autobiographies of himself entitled "My Bondage and My Freedom" and "The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass". He made several attacks on the Jim Crow's Laws and created propaganda that showcased slavery in the South. He became one of the most famous black men in the eighteenth century. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was implemented in 1854, and created popular sovereignty in the newly founded border states. It was proposed by Stephen. A. Douglas, and it allowed for border states to decided whether or not if they wanted slavery. It replaced the Missouri Compromise's, which prevent slavery anywhere above the 36,30 point. It's installment also led to the event of Bleeding Kansas, and it was one of the causes for the Civil War. -
John Bell
John Bell was born near Nashville, Tennessee in February 15, 1797. He studied law and then worked his way to the state senate 1817. He then retired 1841, but was then elected as U.S senator for Tennessee in 1847. He served until 1859. His support to end slavery and his strong defense of the Union earned him a presidential nomination for President of the United States on the Constitutional ticket in 1860. In the Election of 1860, however, he lost and he died in 9 years afterward. -
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The Civil War
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1st Bull Run (1st Manassas)
The First Battle of Bull Run, also called the First Manassas, was the first major battle land battle of the American Civil War. It started with 35,000 Union troops marching to strike a Confederate force of 20,000 along a small river called Bull Run. The Confederates, after fighting on the defensive, eventually over the the Union's right lank and sent them retreating back the Washington, D.C. The victory of the battle gave the Confederates confidence and astonished the North. -
Clara Barton
Clara Barton served as an American nurse, suffragist and humanitarian. She became very famous for creating the American Red Cross organization. After the Civil War started, she created relief stations for the wounded, for both sides of the war. When the war ended, she helped locate thousands of missing soldiers, and help identity many of nameless soldiers who died on the battlefield. She requested for the Red Cross to gain recognition and earned it in 1881. She continued to serve in other wars. -
Stonewall Jackson
Thomas Jackson, nicknamed "Stonewall", was a war hero from the South, and one of its most successful generals during the American Civil War. He joined the Confederate Army when his home state Virginia succeeded. He became known for his fearlessness and tenacity during the Shenandoah Valley Campaign. He also served under General Robert E. Lee during most off the war. He was a keystone in many of the victories that the Confederate had. He however was mortally wounded in May 1863. -
Twenty Negro Law
The Twenty Negro Law, also known as the Second Conscription Act, exempted one white male for every 20 slaves on a plantation. It was created with the intention to prevent violent slave revolts by making sure there was enough white men to stop them, mainly due to the fact that Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation, which encouraged many slaves to try and rebel. It was also possible to pay $300 or find a substitute to avoid it, which also made many Southerns. -
George Meade
George Meade was a U.S Army general who served as a commander of the Union Army of the Potomac during the time of the Civil War. At the start of his time of the Civil War, , he served as a general in the Peninsula Campaign in 1862. He then went on to fight in the Battle of Glendale, Antietam, and Fredericksburg. He became leader of the Army of the Potomac in June 1863. He landed heavy blows to Robert E. Lee's army, but was often criticized for letting crippled enemies fled the battle. -
Conscription Act
The Conscription Act was act that enforced the first wartime military draft of U.S citizens in American history. It forced all males between the ages of 20 and 45, which also included males applying for citizenship, to be registered. The only way to avoid it was by paying a $300 dollar fee, or finding someone to replace you. It lead to many riots throughout the North, and the bloody draft riots in New York City. Most complaints were from the fact that wealthy citizens could avoid it easily. -
Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee was a military officer in the United States Army, who later served as the general of the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. Through his leadership, his army was victorious during the Peninsula Campaign, the Second Bull Run and Fredericksburg, and his greatest victory in the Battle of Chancellorsville. He however tried to invade the North in the spring of 1863, and lost at the Battle of Gettysburg. He eventually had to surrender in April 1865. -
Andrew Johnson Administration
Andrew Johnson was the seventeenth president of the United States. He was a Southerner, who belonged to the Democratic-Union Party. Johnson had Southern bias, which put him in opposition with some of the Republicans. He was seen as a racist who believed that Whites were superior to Blacks. He also believed in strict interpretation of the Constitution. He lost control of his administration when he blamed radicals for race riots, which lead to them gaining political seats. -
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Reconstruction
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Forty Acres and a Mule
The Forty Acres and a Mule was a phrase created to highlight the government's failure to create a plan that properly redistributed land after the Civil War, and the economic hardship that the African Americans because of that. After the war was over, Abraham Lincoln ordered that 20,000 acres of land confiscated in South Caroline be given to freedmen in twenty-acre plots. However after 1865, Andrew Johnson ordered that most of the confiscated land be returned to their former owners. -
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses Grant was the general of the Union army during the American Civil War. He later becomes the 18th president of the United States, and serves two terms from 1869 to 1877. He also fought in the Mexican-American War in 1846. In the Civil War, General Grants first major victory was the capture of Fort Donelson in 1862. His next victory was at Vicksburg and is where he was appointed as commander of the Union army. He later made Robert Lee surrender at Appomattox Court House, and ended the war. -
Lincoln's Assassination
Lincoln's assassination took place on the night of April 14, 1865 in Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C. He was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate extremist, and the attack only occurred five days after the surrender of the South and the end of the Civil War. Booth was a well known actor at the time and was able to easily get into the room that Lincoln was in. he fired a .44-caliber single-shot derringer pistol to the back of Lincoln's head. Lincoln was declared dead the next day. -
13th Amendment
The 13th Amendment was the amendment that officially abolished slavery in the United States. It was ratified and added to the Constitution on December 6, 1865, after the Civil War had ended. The decision to ended slavery was a conflicting one. Lincoln himself hated slavery, but knew it was the only way to keep peace in the South and the Border States. After he say the willingness of rebel slaves to fight, he thought it was the honorable thing to end slavery. -
Ku Klux Klan
The Ku Klux Klan was a group of extremist who believed in white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration. Their influence reached almost the entire southern state in 1870. Their efforts stunted the Republican Party's Reconstruction-era policies that were created to support equality for blacks. The Ku Klux Klan declined in the 1870's, but came back in the early twentieth century. They targeted no only blacks, but they also attacked white officials. -
15th Amendment
The Fifteenth Amendment allowed African-American men the right to vote and it was ratified and added to the Constitution on March 30,1870. Even though it became by the Constitution, Whites used various techniques to avoid giving Blacks the right to votes. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was created to pass the legal barriers that were imposed by Whites even though Blacks had already received voting rights because of the Fifteenth Amendment. -
Panic of 1873
The Panic of 1873 began in Europe and later reached the United States. It was the first global depression that ever occurred. Jay Cooke was one of the main causes of the panic. Cooke along with his company handled most of the Union's wartime loans. When the New York Stock Exchange closed for 10 days, credit dried up, foreclosures became common and banks failed. The extreme overbuilding of the railroad system was also a cause for the Panic and the depression that occurred after. -
Election of 1876
The results of the election of 1876, were influenced by the scandals of the Grant administration. The Democrats were represented by Samuel J. Tilden. James G. Blaine was originally representing the Democrats, but he was later replaced by Rutherford B. Hayes, because some of his actions were questionable. Tilden won the popular vote, but the electoral ballot were split. The two parties then created the Compromise of 1877, which declared that the vote was 8-7 and that Hayes should be elected.
