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Jamestown Settlement
Jamestown was the first permanent English Settlement. They struggled with starvation and diseases and many of them died. 80% of them died. They traveled to this new land as a company for money. They wanted to find natural resources for their company and the crown. The Native Americans taught them the ways for five years, and once the colonials figured out about tobacco as a cash crop, Virginia flourished, which changed the colonial history. -
The French and Indian War
The French and Indian War were between the British and French. The war lasted for nine years. Britain wanted to dominate the fur-trading system in the Ohio River Valley that was set by France. The war was located in America, so the colonies fought for their country. The war ended with the Treaty of Paris. While the colonies thought they had contributed greatly and would be respected, the British saw it the opposite way. The war debt soon led to British troops enforcing the Proclamation of 1763. -
The Sugar Act of1764
After the French and Indian War, Britain was in debt, and blamed the colonists. George Grenville was in charge of increasing revenue for Britain. Parliament made the Sugar Act, which taxed molasses. Many colonists started smuggling molasses, so Grenville decreased the tax, but it didn't work. The Quartering Act of 1765 allowed access for British troops to stay in colonists' homes. Since the British troops were stationed due to the Proclamation of 1763, they weren't provided barracks to stay in. -
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was one of the most infuriating for the colonists. Any legal document needed a stamp, and now they were taxed. These documents were also searched which gave more lack of privacy and freedom. This ended up affecting many aristocrats. -
The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre occurred in 1770. It took place outside the Old State House. Some colonists began to throw snow balls at the troops who were stationed there. The soldiers didn't move until one colonist put a stone inside their snow ball and it hit one of the soldiers in the face. The soldier started to fire into the crowd, which began the blood bath. Many colonists were killed, including Crispus Attucks, who was a free slave. -
The Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was run by the Sons of Liberty. The Sons of Liberty was a riot group that protested in violent ways (such as tar and feathering). The Sons of Liberty dressed up themselves as Indians and in the evening, they boarded English docked ships filled with crates of tea, and knocked them all over in the ocean. They did this in protest to the tax on tea. This infuriated the English Parliament and King George III. -
The Intolerable Acts
After the Boston Tea Party, the British Parliament created the Intolerable Acts (or the Coercive Acts). This put a tighter grip over Boston. This closed the Boston port (which at the time was the biggest in the New World), royal officials were accused of a crime and tried in England, and they outlawed all assemblies and took full control over the colonial government. This act got the colonists extremely upset over the sudden choke hold they were in, and they started to look toward secession. -
First Continental Congress
After the Intolerable Acts were made, colonists were furious. Even though all assemblies were outlawed, the colonies sent delegates for the First Continental Congress. They had many discussions of what to do. They ended up agreeing to be part of the British Empire with taxation if they also got representation in the British Parliament. -
Concord
The colonies were preparing for revolution by storing gunpowder, cannons, and ammunition at Concord. The British troops marched to Concord to seize the military goods. The militia men raised alarm, and by the time the British got to Concord, the weapons had been moved. The British were met with 1,500 troops who harassed them all the way back to Boston. This was the beginning of the Revolution. -
Shots at Lexington
British troops that were stationed in the colonies got to know that John Hancock and Samuel Adams were staying at Lexington. They wanted to disrupt the colonial leaders. However when the British arrived at Lexington, both leaders had already fled, and instead 70 militia men stood out on the greens. the militia was outnumbered, but both sides were told to stand down. One shot was fired (no one knows from where) and it caused an open fire. 700 British open fire on the men, killing 17, others fled. -
The Second Continental Congress
After a month from Lexington and Concord, the Second Continental Congress formed. This time all 13 colonies sent delegates. They quickly divided into 2 factions, one that wanted reconciliation and one that wanted separation. The Second Continental Congress also established a Continental army, appointed a general, began to print paper currency, and organized a committee to deal with other foreign nations. -
Olive Branch
The Conservatives, led by John Dickenson, wanted reconciliation with Great Britain. They sent King George III the Olive Branch Petition hoping to prevent war. The King rejects it and declares the colonies to be in open rebellion. Later, the delegates charge Thomas Jefferson and others to write the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson writes the first draft, and the others review/vote, approving it. The final draft was given to Congress in June 1776, and officially adopted on July 4, 1776. -
Thomas Paine's Common Sense
Thomas Paine, before independence was declared, wrote a piece called "Common Sense" written in January 1776. It was largely known as a fantastic piece of propaganda to showcase independence. It was written in the language of the common people. After less than a year of independence being declared, the Continental army faced some low morale. To help them, Thomas Paine wrote the "American Crisis" written in December 1776. American Crisis was a series of nine essays. -
Battle of Saratoga
The battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the war. The British General John Buroyne had plans to move his army down south where he would meet up with two other British armies. However when he reached, the two armies weren't there and he was quickly surrounded by the continentals. General Buryone was forced to surrender at the end. This battle helped Bejamin Franklin convince the French to become their ally and send troops and the French Navy for support. -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was the United States' first constitution. Since they just got out of British control, the Americans were still scarred from the over-controlled government. This constitution gave all the power to the states and not having a strong central government. This ended up being a horrible idea, and caused some disruption. It was adopted on November 15, 1777 by the
Continental Congress, but wasn't forced until March 1 1781. -
Battle of Yorktown
General Cornwallis retreated his troops to Yorktown, Virginia. He didn't know that the French Navy had defeated the other British troops in the Battle of Capes in September 1851. When Cornwallis reached, the French Navy and American troops were there. They laid siege on Yorktown. This led Cornwallis to surrender on October 20, 1781. They signed the Treaty of Paris in 1783, officially ending the war. The United States of America got all British lands from the Atlantic to the Mississippi River. -
Shays Rebellion
Daniel Shays was a farmer who had joined the Continental Army. When he returned to farming, he was extremely in debt. For people who were in debt, the bank could take back land and put the people in debtors prison. Shay made a local militia and took over the courthouse. Shay and his army started to get closer to the Boston banks. Massachusetts tried to call Congress, but due to the Articles of Confederation, they couldn't do anything. This rebellion showed the flaws in the current constitution. -
The Northwest Ordidnance
The Northwest Ordinance was created by Thomas Jefferson. There were new territories of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The territories had to reach a minimum population of 60,000 people. When they became states: slavery would be banned in the Northwest, and they would support education by including a central location for a school house. -
The Creation of the New Constitution
When the new constitution, they split up into two factions, the federalist (central power) and the anti-federalist (state power). They presented two plans: the Virginia Plan (population based) and the New Jersey Plan (equal votes). To include slaves they had the 3/5 compromise. Anti-Federalists still wanted rights for the people, and they forced the Bill of Rights. In the 10th Amendment, anything not included in the constitution is held to the states. -
George Washington's Presidency
George Washington was the first president of the U.S. He established the Court System and the presidential cabinet. Washington and Hamilton created a National Bank. Hamilton's financial plan helped strengthen the federal government. The whiskey rebellion (1794) showed the power of the New federal government, Washington enforces neutrality during the French Revolution, after Pinckney's Treaty (1795), Spain gave Americans the right to travel on the Mississippi River and part of New Orleans. -
XYZ Affair
During the Adams presidency, he wanted to repair relations with the French, so he sent diplomats to negotiate a treaty. The French demanded a "gift"of 250,000 first. The diplomats refused, and everybody in the U.S. was upset at what France had done and wanted war. Adams negotiated with Napoleon to avoid war. -
Alien and Sedition Acts
It had the Alien Act which allowed the president to deport any immigrant that seemed dangerous. The Sedition Act made it illegal for newspapers to print anything that was critical toward the president and congress, this came in the way of the first amendment. The Naturalization Act increased the amount of time immigrants had to stay in the U.S. before they would be considered citizens. Jefferson and Madison created the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions saying the states could nullify laws. -
Interchangeable Parts and the Cotton Gin
Two major inventions by Eli Whitney were interchangeable parts and the Cotton Gin. Interchangeable parts was remarkable in manufacturing and is what helped make mass production possible. The Cotton Gin was able to remove the seeds from the Cotton fiber. It made it easier for people to farm cotton. This helped Cotton and the South become more profitable. It did, however, have some unintended consequences including slaves and their downfall. -
Louisiana Purchase
Jefferson worried about losing access to New Orleans and the Mississippi River. He sent James Monroe in 1803 to buy it. Napoleon wanted to sell the entire Louisiana Territory for $15 million. Jefferson was worried about the Constitutionality of the purchase, but he decided to put his views to the side and buy it. This doubled the size of the country. Jefferson commissioned the Lewis and Clark expedition to find a water route, explore, and begin a trading relationship with the Native Americans. -
The Embargo Act of 1807
Great Britain and France were at war again. Since the United States had a good relation with both countries, Jefferson wanted to remain neutral, like Washington had. He makes the Embargo Act to ban all foreign trade. This upsets many people that are merchants, in the business industry, or are traders. It causes great damage in the American economy. However, the act ends up motivating American manufacturing. -
The British Burn the Capital.
In August 1814, during the War of 1812, the British invaded the United States. They marched into Washington D.C. and after fighting, the city surrendered. That night in the White House was supposed to be a dinner, but everyone got rushed out. Dolly Madison, the first lady, became a national hero by saving some important paintings that were in the White House. The British burned down the White House, Capitol, and other government offices. People came to support the war effort after that. -
Missouri Compromise of 1820
Slavery was still a growing problem, people started to make colonization societies, like Henry Clay's American Colonization Society. These societies argued for gradual emancipation plans. When Missouri wanted become a state, Southerners feared gradual emancipation and argued slavery not be banned in Missouri. Henry Clay made the Missouri Compromise which allowed Maine to become a free state and Missouri to be a slave state. Slavery was not allowed beyond the 36º 30 line. This created a balance. -
Market Revolution Inventions
Some inventions during the market Revolution included interchangeable parts and the Cotton Gin by Eli Whitney. Another invention was the sewing machine. It was invented by Elias How and perfected by Thomas Singer. This started the textile industry in the north. The Reaper was a farming tool created by McCormick Co. and it helped change the way grains were harvested, speeding up the process. Thanks to these inventions and mainly interchangeable parts, factory life had begun (mainly up north). -
Transportation Revolution
Inventions that were part of the transportation revolution included the steam engine. This magnificent piece was created by Thomas Savery and James Watt. It powered mechanical equipment using steam. This led into steam boats that were made by Robert Fulton. Fulton traveled upstream from New York City to Albany to prove its possibilities commercially. This was the start of highways. Other transportation included the canals. They helped link major towns, rivers, and lakes. -
Election of 1824
The candidates for the election of 1824 had Henry Clay, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, and William Crawdford (he died). None of them won the majority of electoral votes, so it goes to the House of Representatives. Clay drops out and he and Adams speak privately. In days, Clay supports Adams, and Clay becomes the secretary of state. This "corrupt bargain" caused no one to trust Adams during his presidency, but created a national university, astronomical observatory, and naval academy. -
Spoils System
After Jackson won the election of 1828, he created the Spoils System. This is when he fired many government employees and replaced them with the common people as a reward for electing him as president. People started to get upset that he was just rewarding Democrats instead of choosing qualified men. Jackson dismissed around 200 people from the office. -
The Temperance Movement
Another movement during the second Great Awakening was the Temperance Movement, which meant staying away from alcohol. Back in the 1800's drinking was a huge problem and it caused a lot of situations, especially in families. Mainly the men drank, so the women tried to help. In 1870, they created the Women's Christian Temperance Union. These organizations tried to help people stop drinking. -
Removal of Indians
Americans and President Jackson wanted to kick out the Indians. Some Natives already adopted white ways, but others didn't want to leave their ancestral lands. Jackson made the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Women across the nation spoke against this. The Cherokees didn't want to leave and went to court against Georgia in 1831 and won with Marshall concluding Indians as "domestic dependent nations". The Cherokees were still forced out marching 1,200 miles to Oklahoma: known as the Trail of Tears. -
The Nullification Crisis
In 1831, South Carolina was upset over the Tariff of Abominations and threatened to nullify the law. Jackson fought against the nullification, but reduced it by 1832. South Carolina, still not happy, passed the Nullification Ordinance 1832, saying they would secede if forced to comply. Jackson said secession is treason and he made the Force Bill to use military force. Clay made the Compromise Tariff to reduce the tariffs drastically over the next 10 years. South Carolina repealed the ordinance. -
Abolition Movements
During the Second Great Awakening, many changes started to occur: one of them being Abolitionism. In 1831, William Loyd Garrison created the Liberator a newspaper production talking about abolition. There was a conference over this topic in 1841 called the Great Schism. Frederick Douglass, a former slave that escaped up North and taught himself how to read and write, wrote The North Star in 1848. These were abolition movements that occurred before the civil war. -
Women's Suffrage Movement
During the Second Great Awakening, women's Rights movements also started to rise. In 1833 was the first women's college called the Overlin College. In 1848, they had the Seneca Falls Convention which was a conference for women to give their convincing arguments. Here people got to see very influential women: Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Caty Stanton, and Lucretia Matt. William Loyd Garrison also supported this movement. In 1868, there was the NAWSA that was founded by Susan B. Anthony herself. -
Changes in communication
They started to update the U.S. postal system by linking every area of the nation together. This allowed for commercial communication and personal communication. Samuel Morse created the telegraph. This allowed for messages to be sent through a wire. This was a huge leap into technological advancements. -
Removal of the National Banks
Andrew Jackson doesn't like the national banks, and it was time for the bank to be re-charted. He didn't like how much control the banks had. Biddle, the president of the bank that doesn't get along with Jackson, thought he wouldn't veto the bill during election year. Well, Jackson won the election and then vetoed the bill. They deposited all the money into state banks. This ended up causing the Panic of 1837. This economic depression lasted until 1843. -
Manifest Destiny and New Territories
After an amazing report from the U.S. Navy, everyone got Oregon fever. By 1860, 250,000 people went on the tedious 6 month long Oregon trail. Some went to California for the gold rush, but by the time some got there, barely any left. Others went to Texas (became Mexican citizens) for the land. After the Mexican wars (including Polk laying siege on the Mexican capital and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo) the U.S. gained the territories of Arizona, Texas, California, Nevada, and New Mexico. -
Henry Clay's Compromise of 1850
When California was becoming a state, people were arguing whether it should be a free or slave state since it couldn't be divided up with the Missouri Compromise. Henry Clay came up with the Compromise of 1850. This included California entering as a free state, the slave trade being abolished in Washington D.C., territories could use popular sovereignty when applying for statehood, and the nationwide strict fugitive slave laws to return slaves back to their owners if they escaped. -
Bleeding Kansas
There were many violent acts after the compromise of 1850. One of which is the Kansas Election. After Kansas became a state, they needed a free or slave state vote. The north was starting to have an advantage since Kansas started leaning towards being a free state. However, on election day, a bunch of border ruffians, that were pro-slavery, invaded the town of Lawrence, Kansas. They burnt down newspaper offices, the courthouse, and many businesses and homes. They put in fraudulent votes. -
Lincoln Wins and States Secede
The North nominated Lincoln for the 1860 election. This worried the South of the impact, even though he said he would do nothing. Lincoln ends up winning, and South Carolina secedes before his inauguration. Half the nation is gone when Lincoln becomes president. The South became the Confederate States of America, led by Jefferson Davis. The start of the civil war was in Fall of Fort Sumter. The Battle of Bull Run, people thought the war would be done, when Confederates won, the North got scared. -
The Homestead Act
Lincoln signed the Homestead act to encourage more people to move out west. They gave out free (160 acres) of land to make it a productive area. The people had to meet certain requirements before it officially became their land. This opportunity was given out to everyone. Lincoln also gave out land to states to make state colleges because he thought education was also very important. -
Emancipation Proclamation
At first, Lincoln was concerned about making the Emancipation Proclamation, but drafted it. Slaves were not free because border states kept their slaves and if Confederate states returned peacefully to the Union. If not, the Union would reconquer the state and liberate the slaves. It was signed on New Years. The military started to get African Americans to join, even though not everything was equal, they joined. The 54th Massachusetts regiment also wanted blacks, and have them liberate slaves. -
The Plans for Reconstruction
Lincoln made the Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction, or the "10% Plan". In this plan: pardons are given to any Confederate leader swearing to be loyal and follow emancipation under oath, states are readmitted if 10% of voters swore to be loyal, and states need new constitutions. Radical Republicans thought it's too lenient and made the Wade-Davis Bill. This needed 50% of voters to be loyal and only non-confederates could hold a political office and vote. Lincoln refused to sign the bill. -
13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments
In 1863, Congress ratified the 13th Amendment which abolished slavery. In 1866, Congress made the Civil Rights Act which gave citizenship to African Americans and protection against black codes. The Republicans worried the Democrats would overturn it, and made the 14th Amendment in 1866, so all people born and naturalized were citizens and given the same rights. Lastly in 1870, they made the 15th Amendment which prohibited any state from denying a person from a different background from voting. -
The Continental Railroad
Two private companies were hired by Lincoln to complete a Continental Railroad, approved by the Pacific Railroad Act. However there was a deadline, and if not done, all the money would go back to the government. The group starting in the east (Nebraska) were made up of Irish Immigrants and Civil War veterans who worked for the Union Pacific. In the west (Sacramento), it was made up of Chinese immigrants. They planned to meet at Promintory Point, Utah. They were able to finish 2 years in advance. -
Battle of Gettysburg and Vicksburg
Grant decided to split the Confederate armies and laid siege on Vicksburg who surrendered. General Lee decided to go offensive and accidentally met with Union troops at Gettysburg. It was a Union victory but the confederates got away. Lincoln had his Gettysburg Address. Grant cut off Lee escaping to North Carolina, causing Lee to surrender at the Appomattox Court House. Meanwhile, Atlanta surrendered to Sherman, and he went on a 300-mile walk freeing slaves. The Civil War ended on April 9, 1865. -
Reconstruction under President Johnson
After Lincoln assassination, Johnson had a similar plan to Lincoln's. The South finished mostly everything, which included loyally returning to the Union and writing new state constitutions (but didn't include black voting rights). The South ended up passing "black codes" which restricted blacks' freedom. Johnson said the South met all terms and also vetoed 2 important bills. Congress got a 2/3 vote to override the veto. Johnson got impeached in 1868 for not following the Tenure of Office Act. -
Sharecropping to Jim Crow Laws
In a way, a new form of slavery emerged: sharecropping. This way black farmers could rent white people's land, however they had to pay 1/4 of their 1/2 of crops. This kept them in a loop because they would never have enough money to separate. Speaking of separation, "Jim Crow Laws" arose legalizing segregation and black restriction of freedom. In the Plessy v. Ferguson: the supreme court that "separate but equal" was still in the limits of the 14th Amendment. Segregation started to rise up more. -
Election of 1876
The election was between Democrat Samuel Tilden and Republican Rutherford B. Hayes. After the voting, seemingly 100% of the South voted for Tilden, so the North questioned it due to groups like the Ku Klux Klan. After recounting it went toward Hayes, so the South was upset. The Election Commission was created with 5 republicans, 5 democrats, and 5 supreme court justices. They negotiated Hayes would be the president and took out military oversight in the south which fully ended Reconstruction. -
Native American Wars
People started to move west, Indians started to lose land, including reservations. When General Custer tried to make a group to kill the Indians, they found out and killed every single person in the group. The Natives practiced ghost dances, but troops thought they were getting ready for war: leading to the Wounded Knee and Indians dying. The Dawes Act of 1887 gave land to Indians. There was a law for Indian kids to go to boarding school. These laws broke Indians from their tribe and culture.