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The End of the French and Indian War
The war fought primarily between Great Britain and France, also known as the Seven Years' War, had ended with British victory.
The importance of this event was that it led to the American Revolution. This is because after the war, Britain taxed the colonists and began to enforce British laws on the colonies. Colonists became unhappy from these events. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was known as a street fight between a patriot mob and British soldiers.
The importance of this massacre was that it was part of the ending relationship between the British and American colonists. This event was also a crucial step towards the American Revolution and their independence. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party happened when American colonists rebelled against the British and dumped tea off of tea ships because the British taxed them unfairly.
This was important because it was an act of independence from the colonists. Their refusal to pay the British tax on tea was one of many steps in the direction of their independence. It was very symbolic for the Americans. -
Start of the American Revolution
In order to win independence, American colonists fought against England.
The importance of this war wasn't only that the colonists won their independence. It was also an inspiration to Enlightenment thinkers in other countries, as well as to the French to start their own revolution. -
Signing of the Declaration of Independence
The Declaration was a document sent to King George that announced American independence from Britain's rule.
This is important because it was a step in the direction of American independence. The document regarded the thirteen colonies as thirteen independent states. It came to represent a moral standard by which the U.S. would strive. -
U.S. Constitution Signed
The Constitution was signed by delegates in Philadelphia, presided over by George Washington.
The importance of this event was that it established America's national government and fundamental laws. It also guaranteed certain basic rights for its citizens. The federal government earned three branches of government- executive, legislative, and judicial. -
Bill of Rights Ratified
The Bill of Rights was a document that guaranteed citizens' natural rights.
The importance of the Bill of Rights was that it reinforced individual rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness by issuing rights to protect them. Just as well, it kept federal powers separate and restricted, so the government could not take away citizens' rights. -
The End of the Quasi-War
The Quasi-War was an undeclared war between the U.S. and the French Republic after the XYZ Affair.
The importance of this war was the fact that France and the U.S. made provisions to reestablish trade and with the Convention of 1800. This helped to avoid further conflicts as well. In addition, this war led to the end of the Federal Party. -
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was a land deal between the United States and France,
The importance of this event was that, because of this deal, the U.S. doubled in size. This allowed Americans to discover new space and resources in the west. It also gave control of the Mississippi River and the port city of New Orleans over to the United States, which were used to ship crops by farmers. -
War of 1812 Ends
The War of 1812 was a war fought between the U.S. and Great Britain because Britain restricted U.S. trade with France.
This war was important because Americans earned their own patriotism and pride in their country. The people felt like a united nation, and they had a sense of nationalism. Not only that, but the United States earned respect in Europe and at home. -
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was an agreement designed to maintain equal power between slave states and free states.
The significance of the event was that it affected the relationship between the North and the South, and eventually led into the Civil War. The country became split on the issues of federalism and slavery, leading into the South wanting to become its own independent nation. -
Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine was a foreign policy stating that any further attempts of European nations attempting to colonize on North or South America would be viewed as acts of aggression.
The importance of this doctrine was the fact that the U.S. was showing their independence. As they were newly independent, this doctrine was a way to tell European nations that the U.S. would not allow any other nations to colonize on their territory. -
Battle of the Alamo Ends
The Battle of the Alamo was fought between Texans and Mexican troops for Texan independence.
Even though the battle only lasted ninety minutes, the significance of this battle was its symbol of bravery in the face of unbeatable odds. Mexico did win the battle, but the thirteen-day siege gave the commander-in-chief, Sam Houston, enough time to assemble another army. -
Texas Annexation
The Texas Annexation was the incorporation of the territory of Texas as the twenty-eighth state in the U.S.
The importance of this was that the U.S. gained a large sum of land. However, this also caused tensions to grow between Mexico and the United States. Texas also added to this tension after gaining their independence from Mexico in 1836. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was a peace treaty signed by American colonists and the Mexican Republic to end the Mexican-American War.
The importance of this treaty was that Mexico agreed to give up California for fifteen million dollars. This helped the U.S. gain about 500,000 square miles of territory, and aided in America emerging as a world power in the late nineteenth century. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed to allow the people of both states to decide whether or not to own slaves.
This act was important because it not only signified the two states as American territories, but it also gave settlers of those lands to decide whether or not to be a free state or a slave state. It also split the Whig Party apart. -
Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation was an executive order given by President Lincoln to end slavery.
This was important because it changed the reasons of the Civil War. The proclamation gave slaves a legal basis to leave, so many left for the North. This caused the South to withdraw from the Union to try and fight for slavery. This caused the Union's objective to change towards freeing the slaves. -
Lincoln's Assassination
At Ford's Theatre, Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth while he was watching a play.
The importance of this event was the fact that it made Andrew Johnson president, who was a white supremacist. All of this doomed Reconstruction and condemned the South to nearly a century of being a brutal, poor, viciously racist terrorist state. -
Thirteenth Amendment Passed
On December sixth, the Thirteenth Amendment was ratified by the required number of states.
The importance of this was that this amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude. This amendment gave equal rights to men of different skin color, which changed American history forever. -
Alaska Purchase
The Alaska Purchase was the U.S.'s acquirement of Alaska from the Russian Empire.
The importance of this was that it marked the end of Russian efforts to expand their trade and settlement to the Pacific Coast. The U.S. gained more territory, which was also an important step in the United States' rise as a great power in the Asia-Pacific Region.
