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Aug 3, 1492
Columbus Lands in the Americas
Christopher Columbus arrives on the American mainland in 1492 in present day Venezuela, on Spain's behalf. Columbus sailed the two long months in order to find gold, land, and power to bring back to Spain. Spain promised Columbus 10% of their profits from this new land, in return for bringing back gold and spices. Along with this, they promised Christopher governorship over the new lands and the fame that came along with the title "Admiral of the Sea". -
Jamestown
Jamestown was the first permanent settlement for the English in the Americas. A few days after landing, the English settlers were attacked by the Powhatan Indians. The following December, 104 Englishmen sailed from London with instructions of building and securing various settlements in areas of possible gold mines along with seeking a route to the Pacific by sea. -
History of Slavery in America 1619
During the 17th and 18th centuries, slavery was a common practice in the Americas. African slaves allowed for the building of new nations and allowed for high production at a low lucrative. By the mid-19th century, the abolition movement had provoked a nationwide debate over slavery, North against South. This led to a bloody civil war, and the success of the Union. While slavery was later illegal, it affected major parts of American history, such as Jim Crow laws and racial issues. -
Pilgrims Land
English settlers, seeking religious freedom, known as the Pilgrims reached shore in 1620 where is now Provincetown in Cape Cod. They crossed the Atlantic in the famous ship called the Mayflower to establish a new home. -
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French Indian War
France's expansion towards the Ohio River valley triggered continuous tension with the British, along with a series of battle that ended up leading to Britain declaring war in 1756. This was also called the "Seven Years' War" because it lasted from 1756 until 1763. -
Boston Tea Party
In 1773, a political protest called the Boston Tea Party took place in Boston, Massachusetts. American colonists were angered with the "taxation without representation" that the British were imposing on goods. Because of this, 342 large chests of British tea was dumped off harbor. This was an important act of rebellion because it was the first time colonists began fighting the Britain's harsh rule. -
Lexington and Concord
In 1775, a battle called Lexington and Concord was the beginning of the American Revolutionary War, therefore it was a very significant time in American history. Tension had been building for years between the inhabitants of the 13 colonies and the British forces. This war began on April 19th, 1775, when British troops marched from Boston to Concord, to take control over an arms cache. -
Declaration of Independence
In 1776, the Second Continental Congress meeting took place in the Pennsylvania State House. This is where the statement that all 13 colonies at war with Great Britain would now be viewed as independent sovereign states. This meant that Great Britain was no longer ruling the 13 colonies. The Declaration of Independence was the first collective step towards independence from Britain. -
Articles of Confederation
In 1777, the Articles of Confederation was the first constitution written for the United States. The articles were written about sovereign and independent states, as Congress would serve as the last option to discuss disputes. It also spoke about the armed forces and coined money. The Articles of Confederation had many issues, and it was finally ratified in March of 1781. -
Virginia v New Jersey
In 1787, the states of Virginia and New Jersey were disputing on their very different plans on how to reconstruct the country's government. the Virginia plan spoke of two separate legislative houses, the size based on population, while the New Jersey Plan spoke of one single legislative house, in which the number of members would be equal for all states. Their drastically different ideas caused this case to go up to the Supreme Court. -
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Constitutional Convention
The United States Constitutional Convention of 1787 took place in the old Pennsylvania State house on May 27th until September 17th. Although it was initially intended to edit the first system of government under the Articles of Confederation and the league of states; the whole goal was to create a new durable government rather than fixing the existing one. -
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Jefferson Presidency pt. 1
Thomas Jefferson was the United State's third president and a leading figure in the country's early developments. He was also the author of the Declaration of Independence, served in Virginia's legislature, the Continental Congress, and governed Virginia. He believed government should have a very limited part in citizens' lives and he encouraged individual liberty, although he was a slaveowner. -
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Jefferson Presidency pt.2
During his two terms in office, the US purchased the Louisiana Territory. After his two terms in office, Thomas Jefferson retired to his planation in Virginia and helped found the University of Virginia. -
Louisiana Purchase
In 1803, the United States bought 828,000,000 square miles of territory from France, known as the Louisiana Purchase. This purchase doubled the size of the small republic, as the Louisiana Territory stretched from the Mississippi River into the east of the Rocky Mountains and from the Gulf of Mexico into the south of the Canadian border. This took place during Thomas Jefferson's presidency and is monumental because part of or all of 15 states were created from this purchase land. -
Marbury v Madison
In 1803, the Supreme Court case Marbury v Madison case established judicial review. Jefferson won the presidential election in 1800, but before he took office, Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1801, which allowed for new courts and judges to be added. -
Invention of the Steam boat
During the industrial revolution, innovations were arising left and right. An American revolution that allowed for boats to ship upstream, was made by Robert Fulton. The steamboat was very significant at the time because it allowed for goods to be moved around and sold to different places of the country with a great ease. -
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was a legislation that granted Missouri's request of being a slave state, but also admitted Maine as a free state. This happened because the dispute between the balance of slave states and free states. Once Missouri requested to become a slave state, tension arose because of the imbalance, therefore the compromise was made to ensure balance between the North and South. -
Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine of 1823 warned European nations not to interfere with the New World/ Western Hemisphere. It stated that t"he American continents. . .are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers." -
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Jackson Presidency
By 1812, Andrew Jackson had become a popular politician and a wealthy Tennessee lawyer. Jackson's leadership in the war between Britain and the United States earned his national fame as a "military hero". He later became America's most influential political figure in the 1820s and 30s. Andrew Jackson was president from March 4th 1829 until March 4th 1837. As early American party systems developed, Jackson became known for being the leader of the new Democratic Party. -
Indian Removal Act
President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act in 1830. By signing the act, he authorized himself to negotiate with the Native American tribes to leave their land and move to federal territory west of the Mississippi River. Because of this, the Cherokee tribe were forced to travel east to the Mississippi River. This voyage was called the "Trail of Tears". -
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Women's Rights Movement
Seneca Falls was the birth place of the women's rights movement in 1848 in the United States. This movement became widely popular quite fast due to the progressive mindset individuals were obtaining. This large group of women (and some men) were determined to equalize men and women and to change societal rules. This is important because it is still prominent in todays society. -
Dredd Scott v Sanford pt.1
In 1857, a case called the Dredd Scott v Sanford went to the supreme court. This case was one of the most controversial events following the civil war. Dredd Scott, a man enslaved in the state of Missouri, went to court, petitioning for his freedom. He believed residing in a free state guaranteed his right as a free man. -
Dredd Scott v Sanford pt.2
The court argued that just because he lived in a free state, that didn’t signify he was a citizen of the US, therefore he didn’t obtain the rights a free man would have. Due to the Fifth Amendment stating that slaves were viewed as ‘property’ of their owners, they could not be considered as free. -
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Lincoln Presidency pt.1
Abraham Lincoln was a lawyer, legislator, and vocal abolitionist. He was elected the 16th president of the United States in 1860. Shortly after his election, the Civil War began. Lincoln was popular due to his military strategies and due to the fact that he was a very savvy leader. His Emancipation Proclamation kicked off slavery's abolition. -
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Lincoln Presidency pt.2
Lincoln is also known for is the Gettysburg Address, which continues to be one of the most famous speeches in American history. Lincoln was assassinated by a Confederate sympathizer. -
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The Civil War
In 1861, the United States broke out in a civil war that last 4 years. After decades of tension between the north and southern states because of slavery and states' rights, the election of Ab.Lincoln in the 60s caused southern states to form the Confederate States of America. States later joined them, but the Civil war ended with the Confederate's surrender in 1865. It was deadlier than any war fought on American soil, with hundreds of thousands of soldiers killed and millions injured. -
Rise of the K.K.K.
The Ku Klux Klan, otherwise known as the KKK, was found in 1865. This group of white men extended into almost every southern state five years after being founded. Members of the KKK created a campaign of violence and intimidation through killing African Americans, burning black houses, schools, and stores, and bringing terrorism and death to Southern white activists that opposed of their views. -
Thirteenth Amendment Ratified
Eight months after the civil war, the Thirteenth Amendment was passed on December 6th, 1865. This amendments ratified the institution of slavery in the United States. -
Workers Rights
Before the 1880s went the workers rights movement began, working conditions were absolutely awful. Children were being forced to work in factories all day with little to no pay. This movement became most prominent in 1881, when workers began protesting and refusing to work. This is extremely important because working conditions wouldn't be nearly as impressive today if not for this movement. -
Chinese Exclusion Act
In 1882, the United States created a statute that prohibited Chinese immigration into the country for 10 years, as well as state that all Chinese people were unqualified for naturalization. Chinese that were already residing in the country rebuttal led the act, but no change was made. In 1892, the act was renewed for another ten years, and the in 1902, any and all Chinese was illegal. -
Sherman Anti-Trust Act
In 1890, the Sherman Antitrust Act was passed by the United States Congress. Prior to this, several states had already passed similar laws, but the Sherman Antitrust Act prohibited any form of trust. This law arose from the constitutional power that Congress held, which was to regulate interstate commerce. -
Plessy v Ferguson pt.1
In 1896, a court called Plessy v Ferguson that went up to the Supreme Court because of the "separate but equal doctrine". The case arose when an African-American male passenger, named Homer Plessy refused to sit with black men. -
Plessy v Ferguson pt.2
The Supreme court ruled that Plessy's constitutional rights were not violated and that the law implies a distinction between whites and blacks is not unconstitutional. This court case led to Jim Crow laws, which was when the races had separate public accommodations based of skin color. -
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Spanish American War
In April of 1898, the Spanish-American War began. This war arose from the conflict between the USA and Spain, which ended Spain's colonial rule in the Americas and resulted in the United States addition of territories in the western Pacific and Latin America. -
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T. Roosevelt Presidency pt.2
He won a Nobel Peace Prize for his negotiations which helped end the Russo-Japanese War and began the construction of the Panama Canal. -
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T. Roosevelt Presidency pt.1
Theodore Roosevelt was a Republican politician before unexpectedly becoming the 26th president of the United States. Due to his young and intelligent ways, Teddy brought a new energy into the White House, which helped him win a second term in 1904. He became known as the "Great Trust Buster" for his efforts to break up trusts under the Sherman Antitrust Act. Roosevelt also set aside about 200 million acres of land to build national forests, reserves, and wildlife refuges. -
Invention of the Airplane
In 1903, the Wright brothers were the first pioneer an aircraft of aviation. They passed their milestone when the successful flew a practical airplane two years later, flying a powered and sustainable airplane. -
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Wilson Presidency pt.2
He attempted at keep the US neutral during WWI, but his efforts were not successful and he ended up asking Congress to declare war on Germany in 1917. After the war had ended, he negotiated a peace treaty that spoke of a plan for the League of Nations, which helped him to receive of Nobel Peace prize later in his life. 03 04 1913, 03 04 1921 -
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Wilson Presidency pt.1
In 1913, Woodrow Wilson was elected the 28th president of the United States. Wilson led the United States through WW1 from 1914 to 1918. although he was an advocate for world peace and democracy. Wilson was very progressive for his time and as soon as he assumed office in 1913, he began agendas of reform. He established the Federal Reserve and the Federal Trade Commission. -
World War 1 begins
In 1914, World War began due to the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand. During the world war, the Central Powers, which consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire battled against the Allied Powers, which consisted of Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Romania, Japan and the United States. -
Panama Canal
In 1914, the construction of the Panama Canal began. This canal's purpose was create a shortcut between Europe and Asia. It was also designed to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean together in order for ships carrying goods not need to go around the Americas in order to reach Asia. -
World War 1 Ends
In 1918, World War 1 finally was done. World War 1 left nine million soldiers dead world wide and 21 millions soldiers wounded. Multiple countries, such as Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, France, and Great Britain each lost nearly one million or move lives. The war ended because the Bolsheviks had taken control over Russia and had already began negotiations of peace with Germany in 1917. And Germany signed an armistice agreement with the Allies in 1918. -
Wilson’s 14 Points
After the war ended in 1918, Woodrow Wilson (the United States president at the time) proposed 14 points to sustain world peace. These 14 point proposed that the Allies would set peace terms with the Central Powers of WWI. This included freedom of seas, restoration of territories conquered during WWI, along with many other ideals. The 14 points were later used as a basis for peace negotiations worldwide. -
Eighteenth Amendment
In 1919, the United States Constitution prohibited "intoxicating liquors" in the country. This amendment was passed due to the misuse of alcohol throughout the country. The amendment was very controversial, and people who didn't support it, took great lengths to loophole the law. The Amendment suggested you could not buy or sell alcohol, therefore the year before the law began, people stock piled on alcohol as a loophole. Drugstores even began selling alcohol in medicine bottles. -
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Treaty of Versailles
In 1919, the Treaty of Versailles began. This treaty was commenced to develop a treaty between the forces that fought in WWI. One of the goals was to punish Germany and to satisfy the Allied Powers. This treaty is very important because it helped end World War 1. The treaty lasted so long due to the long and complicated process that was satisfying all the different powers. -
Invention of the Radio
In 1920, the invention of the radio was made by an Italian man. The radio became very popular in the United States and very fast. The radio allowed for nationwide broadcast to take place and allowed for news to spread much faster. This invention was very significant become it encouraged communication nationwide. -
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Prohibition
Prohibition is the prevention of the selling or buying of alcohol which took place in the 1920s until 1933 in the United States. Due to the controversy of this law, the people became clever with the ways they could continue to consume liquors. Because of this, Congress passed the Eighteenth Amendment which stated that the selling and buying of alcohol was illegal. -
Nineteenth Amendment
In 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment was passed. This amendment stated that citizens could not be rejected from voting due to their gender. The women's rights movement had been in motion for years, therefore this was a drastic improvement for the equality between sexes. -
Gitlow v New York
In 1925, the Supreme Court ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution had reached limitations of government which set forth for first amendment. The freedom of speech and freedom of press were specifically effected by this court case. -
Scopes Trial
In 1925, John Scopes, a science teacher brought it upon himself to teach evolution to his students in a Tennessee public school. This had recently become illegal at the time, due to the South's strong religiousness. Scopes was then taken to trial and the case quickly became viewed as an opportunity to question the constitutionality of the bill, to publicize Darwin's theory of evolution, and to magnify the American Civil Liberties Union. -
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Stock Market Crash
The Stock Market Crash of 1929, also known as Wall Street Crash or the Great Crash, is when share prices of the New York Stock Exchange completely collapsed. This occurred because of how wealthy investors were cheating at the stock market system, called buying on margin. This meant banks lost all their money and practically everyone in the United States was affected (including farmers, Mexican Americans, women, families, and stock holders). -
Harlem Renaissance
In the 1930s, New York was a dominantly black area, specifically Harlem. The explosion of culture, whether it was music or clothing, allowed for a golden age in African American culture to take place. Literature, music, stage performances, and art were all things that people were immersed in the Roaring Ages. -
Living Condition Movement
In 1930, many immigrants were coming into the United States and were being forced to live in tenement housing. Tenement houses were building extremely over capacitated with immigrants. This arose handfuls of problems such as increasing the spread of illness. The living conditions movement allowed for laws to be set in place in order for people to live safely and sanitarily. -
CCC
In 1933, the Civilian Conservation Corps, also known as the CCC, was a public relief program that operated until 1942 in the United States. It was created to provide jobs for unemployed, unmarried men in the ages of 17 to 28 years old. What made this foundation different from others, is that all money made from the men were shipped back to their families, no questions asked. This allowed for unemployment to go down and the economy rebalance itself. -
Social Security Act
In 1935, a system called the Social Security Act was established to primally benefit workers, victims of industrial accidents, unemployed insurance, dependent mothers, children, the blind, and the physically handicapped. This act was signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt, as a he was very progressive for his time. -
Roosevelt 1st Election
FDR was elected as the United States 32nd president in 1932. The Great Depression had severely impacting the public, and FDR used his confidence and public speaking skills to inspire a restoration in the country. He redefined the role of government in the lives of Americans and allowed the economy to rebuild itself. -
FDR Court Packing Scandal
President FDR announced a plan to expand the Supreme Court to 15 judges in February of 1937. This plan was controversial because critics said FDR was merely trying to "pack" the court with judges and neutralizes the hostility the Supreme Court was feeling towards FDR's New Deal. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
In 1941, Japanese forces bombed the United States naval base in Hawaii, called Pearl Harbor. Fighter planes descended on the base one morning, managing to destroy 20 naval vessels, eight battleships, and over 300 airplanes. Over 2,400 Americans were killed in the attack and another 1,000 were wounded. The following day, President FDR declared war on Japan. -
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Vietnam War
The Vietnam war took place from 1955 until 1975. It was clearly a very long and costly conflict between the communist party of North Vietnam against South Vietnam with the United States as their main ally. Over 58,000 Americans were killed in the Vietnam War, which arose a large dispute between Americans. President Nixon ordered the withdrawal of soldiers in 1973. -
9/11 pt.1
On September 11th, 2001, terrorists associated with Islamic extremist groups hijacked four airplanes. The intention was to carry out attacks on large targets on the United States. Two of the four planes were flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in NYC. The third plane hit the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed into a field. -
9/11 pt.2
Nearly 3,000 people were killed during these suicide attacks. I chose this as one of my eight events because it is something that happened close to when I was born therefore I saw some effects it had on those around me, and is still an issue today. -
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Obama Presidency
In 2009, a man from Illinois named Barack Obama was elected as the 44th president of the United States. His presidency is very significant because he was the first man of color to become elected president. He was reelected and served as president until 2017. -
Trump's Presidency
Donald Trump was the elected president of the United States in 2016, and is currently in his presidency. Since the beginning of his presidency, Trump has mentioned a wall he desires to build over the American and Mexican border. He now is asking for money to build his wall, which is exceeding the national budget, which forces the government to shut down. I chose this event because he is forcing national parks, TSA, and other government funded things to shut down.