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Oct 12, 1492
Columbus Discovers America
Christopher Columbus unknowingly discovers America when he lands in the Bahamas in his quest to reach Asia -
Jamestown is Founded
The first successful English settlement in North America -
Bacon's Rebellion
Bacon rebells againt governor Berkeley over relations with the Indians -
The Great Awakening Begins
Time period in which the idea that anyone can start over with God is prevalent -
The Stamp Act and Crisis
Tax on printed documents which affects and angers all colonists -
The Boston Massacre
Event involving five colonists ending up shot and killed -
The Boston Tea Party
In response to the Tea Act, a good deal of colonists throw tea chests off of British ships and into the harbor -
The American Revolution Begins
Battles of Lexington and Concord signify the start of a war between the colonists and the British -
Declaration of Independence
Declaration of Independence A document which claims the states free and independent and lists the alleged crimes of the king -
Shay's Rebellion
Daniel Shays and his followers rebel against the collection of debts, but the rebellion is borken up by troops -
The Great Compromise is Accepted
A compromise among a divided convention concerning the legislature and representation of the states -
The U.S. Constitution is Adopted
U.S. Constitution The Constitution answers questions involving sovereignty and limiting power -
George Washinton Becomes First President
Washington is the obvious choice to be the Nation's first president and is inaugurated on this day -
The Bill of Rights is Made Final
Bill of RightsThere is much debate about whether to even have a bill of rights, but ten ammendments are evetually ratified by the states -
The Whiskey Rebelion
A refusual by Western Pennsylvania farmers to pay the new whiskey excise tax which led to an ultimately unsuccessful rebellion -
The Marbury v. Madison Case Takes Place
Marbury takes Madison to the Supreme Court to hand over his commission, but the Court decides against making him do so -
The Louisiana Purchase
Jefferson purchases Louisiana so that American trade access to the port of New Orleans will not be blocked -
The War of 1812
A war between the U.S. and Great Britain which resulted in a U.S. victory -
Announcement of the Monroe Doctrine
James Monroe announces this policy which declares that the American colonies should not be considered for colonization by European powers -
The Erie Canal Opens
The Erie Canal which goes from the Hudson River to Lake Erie opens and heavy traffic quickly follows -
Nat Turner's Slave Rebellion
A volient slave resistance in which sixty white southerners are killed while sleeping by Nat Turner and his followers -
The Trail of Tears
A forced trek to Indian Territory out West in which thousands of Indians die -
The Telegraph is Used
Morse code is used to send signals along an electrical cable as a major advancement in communication -
Uncle Tom's Cabin is published
A powerful book on abolitionism is published and becomes very popular -
Bleeding Kansas
An event in which abolitionist John Brown and followers kill five pro-slavery settlers in Kansas -
The Dred Scott Decision
The Supreme Court ruling that Dred Scott would not be granted freedom from slavery, because he is not a citizen and could not bring the case to court -
John Brown's Raid
An event in which John Brown and followers seize an arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Virginia in order to start a slave rebellion which is unsuccessful -
The Civil War Begins
The First Battle of Bull Run signifies the war's beginning which ends with a Union Victory and the freeing of slaves -
Lincoln Announces Recontruction Plan
Plan to offer amnesty to white Southerners -
Establishment of The Freedmen's Bureau
An agency which helped protect former slaves by providing food, schooling, and some land
