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Thomas Jefferson elected
After a highly contentious election, Jefferson became our third president. -
Louisiana Purchase
Jefferson purchases a massive amount of land in the West...without asking Congress. -
War of 1812
The first post-Revolution war that America was involved in, once again facing the British. -
McCulloch v. Maryland
A Supreme Court case involving taxes and state versus federal supremacy. -
Missouri Compromise
The federal government decides that they're responsible for determining the legality of slavery. They don't do a good job. -
Andrew Jackson elected
Another contentious election results in the appointment of our seventh president. -
The Liberator begins publication
An abolitionist newspaper begins to circulate, fanning the flames of the brewing civil war. -
Nullification Crisis
A fight between state and federal governments about taxes. -
Tocqueville publishes Democracy in America
A Frenchman writes his thesis on democracy based on his observations of our country. -
Dorothea Dix visits her first jail
Appalled at the mistreatment of mental illness patients, Dix fought for reform. -
Emerson publishes "Self-Reliance"
Transcendentalist writer Ralph Waldo Emerson publishes his essay about, well, relying on yourself. -
Seneca Falls convention
Male and female allies alike meet to discuss the future of equality. -
Fugitive Slave Act
A law that equates African-American slaves to literal property by allowing owners to recapture escapees in any state. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin published
A black woman, Harriet Beecher Stowe, publishes a revolutionary novel that helps white people sympathize with her people's cause. -
Thoreau publishes "Walden"
Transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau publishes his thoughts on living alone in the woods. -
Frederick Douglass publishes his autobiography
One of the first black slaves to publicly take a stand against his owner, Douglass catches the attention of all races in America with his life story. -
Whitman publishes "Leaves of Grass" (1st edition)
Transcendentalist poet Walt Whitman publishes a book of poetry about the beauty of humans, earning him poet laureate status in the U.S. -
Frederick Douglass publishes his autobiography
A free man with an education, Douglass begins to shift the perception of whites towards blacks. -
Dred Scott decision
The Supreme Court rules in a slave's favor, but enacts judicial review to prevent slaves from filing future lawsuits. This was probably an attempt to appease their guilty consciences for sweeping the slavery issue under the rug. -
John Brown attacks Harper's Ferry
A probably well-intentioned white man leads a revolt against slavery and gets executed for treason. -
Abraham Lincoln
The only president to go to the Good Place (according to Ted Danson), Lincoln's time in office was mostly spent dealing with the Civil War.
