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10,000 BCE
First Americans Enter North America
The first humans to enter North America came during the end of the Ice Age over 11,500 years ago. -
1436
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, navigator and colonizer who led an expedition on in 1492 with the intention of discovering a new route to Asia but instead ending up in the new world. He was born in 1436 in Genoa, Italy and died on May 20, 1506. -
1492
Christopher Columbus Lands
Christopher Columbus had set out on a voyage with the intention of discovering a new route to Asia. Instead he happened upon the Caribbean Islands in 1492. -
Mercantilism
Mercantilism lasted from the 16th to 18th century. It was a system that was used in the American colonies where they would send raw goods to Britain where they would be manufactured then sold to other European countries and back to the Colonies. -
Jamestown
Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in North America. It is located in the state of Virginia and at the time was near the Powhatan tribe. -
Navigation Act of 1651
The Navigation Act of 1651 was an Act passed by British Parliament that forced the American colonies to only engage in trade with Britain. It prevented them from buying from or selling to other countries. -
The Enlightenment
The Enlightenment was a intellectual and philosophical movement that became very popular in the 18th century although it lasted from 1685 to 1815. -
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin was one the American Founding Fathers, a scientist, inventor and diplomat among many other things. He aided inn drafting the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. He was born January 17, 1706 and died April 17, 1790. -
George Washington
George Washington was an American soldier that commanded the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War from 1775–1783 and served as the first President of the United States from 1789 to 1797, he is remembered as one of the most important founding fathers. He was born February 22, 1732 and died December 14, 1799. -
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was one of the American Founding Fathers, an author of the Declaration of Independence and served as the 3rd President of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was born April 13, 1743 and died July 4, 1826. -
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War lasted for 7 years starting in 1754 and ending in 1763. The conflict that lead to this was between the English and the French, both wanted to expand their territories into the Appalachian Mountains which resulted in the war. In the end the British won although it left them in great debt financially. -
Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 was issued by King George III stating that the American Colonies would not expand West of the Appalachian Mountains in hops of regaining the favor of the Natives who had sided against the English in the French and Indian War. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was an Act passed by British Parliament that put a tax on all paper and documents on the American colonies. This included newspapers, playing cards, documents, etc. The Act, however, was not well received by the Colonists. -
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was an American soldier and statesman who eventually served as the 7th President of the United States from the year of 1829 to 1837, during his Presidency he established the Indian Removal Act that forced Natives to move Westward. He was born March 15, 1767 and died June 8, 1845. -
Lewis and Clark
Meriwether Lewis was an American soldier, explorer and politician born on August 18, 1774 passing away on October 11, 1809. William Clark was also an American soldier and explorer as well as an Indian agent, he was born August 1, 1770 and died on September 1, 1838. They are famous for leading the Lewis and Clark Expedition across the U.S. recording the land and their discoveries as they traveled towards the west coast. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was an incident where British Army troops shot and killed several people while under attack by a mob in Boston, Massachusetts on March 5, 1770. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a rebellious act executed by the Sons of Liberty as a form of political protest against the Parliaments taxation of tea. On this event, they disguised themselves as Native Americans, boarded ships and dumped the tea into the harbor. -
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the uprising on the American colonies against the British in a fight for their independence which lasted from 1775 to 1783. This resulted in the freedom of the colonies which became the United States of America. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is one the most important documents in American history. It was originally written by Thomas Jefferson. Benjamin Franklin and John Adams made with the purpose to establish independence from Britain. While it was adopted on July 4, 1776, the final document was signed on August 2, 1776. -
United States Constitution Is Signed
The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the country. It addresses how the country should work and describes the government systems. It was written during the Philadelphia Convention and signed on September 17, 1787. -
Dred Scott
Dred Scott was an African American slave in the United States that unsuccessfully sued for the freedom of his wife, daughters and himself in what was called the Dred Scott Decision. He was born in 1799 and died on September 17, 1858. -
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the deal between the French and U.S. in the acquisition of land that more than doubled the size of the United States at the cost of $15 million in 1803. -
Westward Expansion
After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, Americans started to move out into the new territory, by 1840 almost 7 million Americans had settled west. -
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark expedition was a journey lad by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark as they documented the animals, plants, people, etc on their journey as well as mapping the landscape from the frontier to the West Coast and back. This trip began May 14, 1804 and ended upon their return on September. 23, 1806. -
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was an American statesman and lawyer that served as the 16th President of the U.S. from March 4, 1861 to April 15, 1865. He aided in the victory of the Union in the Civil War and the freedom of slaves. He was born February 12, 1809 and was assassinated on April 15, 1865 by John Wilkes Booth. -
Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass was an African American slave that eventually gained his freedom and became an abolitionist, social reformer and writer. He was dedicated and determined in his goal to change the U.S. so that all races were equal as well as men and women. He was born in February of 1818 and died February 20, 1895. -
Era of Reform
The Era of Reform from 1820 - 1865 served the purpose of pushing for equality among differing races, mainly the black and white people in America as the issue of slavery became more and more tense leading up to the Civil War. -
Election of 1828
The Election of 1828 was the 11th quadrennial presidential election in which Andrew Jackson, from the democratic party, won and became the 7th President of the U.S. -
Jacksonian Democracy
Jacksonian Democracy was the movement for more and better democracy in the American government during Andrew Jackson's presidency. This "movement" pushed for more equality among people and aided in making voting more affordable for men without as much wealth as others. -
Abolitionist Movement
The Abolitionist Movement was the political and social shove for the immediate emancipation of slaves and end of segregation and racism, this began in the year 1830 until 1870. -
Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal Act was created by Andrew Jackson and signed on May 28, 1830. This Act forced Native Americans to leave their homes and land and move westward of the Mississippi River. -
Manifest Destiny
This was the belief that Americans had the inevitable and justified god given right to expand the country through the North American land, from coast to coast. -
Mexican American War
The Mexican American War was the clash between the U.S. and Mexico over the tension of borders and territory. The conflict began on April 25, 1846 and ended on February 2, 1848 with the U.S. claiming victory and taking over what had previously been Mexican territory. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was created in attempts to ease the tensions between the North and South and the heated disagreements over slavery. It pronounced California a free state and left Utah and New Mexico to be decided upon, it ended the slave trade in Washington D.C. and included the Fugitive Slave Act . -
Dred Scott Decision
The Dred Scott Decision was a case in which African American slave Dred Scott attempted to sue for the freedom of himself and his family, the case was taken all the way up to the supreme court, but ended with them losing the case. -
Election of 1860
The Election of 1860 was the nineteenth quadrennial presidential election, in the end Abraham Lincoln won the election and became the 16th President of the U.S. -
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was an American layer and statesman who later became the 16th President of the United states serving from March 4, 1861 to April 15, 1865. He aided in winning the Civil War for the North which resulted in the freedom of all black slaves. He was born February 12, 1809 and was assassinated on April 15, 1865 by John Wilkes Booth. -
Civil War
The Civil War was fought between the Northern and Southern states of the U.S. from April 12, 1861 to May 13, 1865. The Civil War was fought to prevent the Southern States from seceding. In the end the North won and South remained part of the Union and all African American slaves were freed.