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John D. Rockefeller and the Standard Oil Trust
In 1882 John D. Rockefeller took over the oil industry with his Standard Oil Trust. The Trust controlled about 90% of the nations refineries and pipelines. The formation of the Standard Oil Trust was an important event in industrialism because it supplied oil to major companies and was one of the first monopolies in the industry. -
The Founding of Hull House
In 1889 Jane Addams and her friend Ellen Gates Starr founded a large settlement house in Chicago called Hull House. Hull House was important during the Industrialization and Progressive Era because it attracted some of the most intelligent women of that time and they went on to be influential reformers who worked at the local, state, and national levels. The Women of Hull House focused on national issues and had a large part in the fights for better wages, sanitation, and working conditions. -
The Spanish-American War
The Spanish-American War was an important event dealing with foreign affairs and imperialism because America gained Puerto Rico and the Phillipines as a result. This gain also gave America a larger influence on Cuba. -
Theodore Roosevelts Presidency
Theodore Roosevelt became president in 1901 and was said to have steered America down the right path to prosperous growth. He was actively involved in foreign affairs and used government regulations and policies to enforce social and economic justice in America. Roosevelt also had a large impact with his efforts to conserve America's natural resources by protecting nearly 230 million acres of land. -
The Red Scare
The Red Scare was a very important post WWI event. After the war there was a nationwide fear of communist, anarchist, and socialist because of all the communism emerging in the world. There was a large fear that a Communist revolution was brewing in the U.S. -
The Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was an important post WWI event because it established the terms of peace after the war. The Treaty of Versailles was also the treaty that included the plan to form the Leaugue of Nations. President Wilson was also a huge supporter of the treaty and the league. -
Ratification of the 19th Ammendment
The ratification of the 19th Ammendment which granted women the right to vote was an important event during the prosperity of the '20s. This gave America a much larger voting pool and showed that great changes were taking place that benefit the economy. -
The Stock Market Crash
The Great Depression was a direct result of the stock market crash in 1929. After the crash the United States fell into a deep business depression along with other nations. The unemployment rate sky-rocketed and millions were out of jobs. -
Franklin D. Roosevelts Presidency
The Presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt was very important to history because he was a great leader during World War II. FDR was the creator of the First New Deal. He made many strides to pick the country up out of the Depression and was liked so much he served 12 years in office. -
The Creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was one of the many relief programs that came along with the New Deal. It was proposed to provide jobs in natural resource conservation to young men ages 18-25. The CCC planted nearly 3 billion trees in its 9 years of service. -
The Lend-Lease Act
The Lend-Lease Act was approved on March 11, 1941. The Act's purpose was to provide U.S. military aid to foreign nations during the war. The Act was important because it allowed the U.S. to support its war interests without being overextended in battle. -
The Attack on Pearl Harbor
On December 7, 1941 there was an unprovoked attack on the United States in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii by Japanese forces. This was an important event because it forced the U.S. to enter the World War II. It was the worst defeat by a foreign power in United States military history. -
Dropping of the Atomic Bomb
On August 6, 1945, under the leadership of President Truman the United States dropped an atomic bomb code named "Little Boy" on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The bomb killed 100,000 people instantly, and went on to kill 100,000 more men, women, and children from burns, radiation, or other effects. The Japanese did not surrender after the dropping of this first atomic bomb and later surrendered after the dropping of the second atomic bomb on Nagasaki. -
The Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine created in 1947 was a way for the United States to put containment to work. The United States had to aid Greece and Turkey or they feared that Communist would succeed and open up three continents to Soviet penetration. The Truman Doctrine provided about $400 million in military and economic aid. -
Brown v. Board of Education Court Ruling
The Brown v. Board of Education court ruling was an important factor in the social transformation of the United States. In this case the supreme court ruled segregation in public schools as unconstitutional because it went against the freedoms stated in the 14th Ammendment. This was a major victory in the Civil Rights Movement and created a large social change with newly integrated schools. -
The Highway Act
The Highway Act of 1956 was an extensive interstate highway system that encouraged automobile travel. The act authorized $32 billion for the construction of more than 40,000 miles of federal highways. The Higway Act transformed the United States both socially and economically because it became easier for people to travel places and participate in more activities. -
The Cuban Missile Crisis
In October of 1962 a U.S. spy plane flying over Cuba got clear photos of crew installing Soviet Missiles. This outraged President Kennedy and pushed the United States and the Soviet Union to the brink of nuclear war. The outcome was not as bad as we thought and the Soviets removed the missiles, while the U.S. vowed to never attack Cuba. -
Ratification of the 26th Ammendment
The 26th Ammendment of the constitution lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. This ammendment added to the social transformation of the U.S. because young people were given a larger role and voice. This ammendment paved the way for future generations of young people so they could exercise their political voices . -
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
Following the Cold War competition and conflict over trade was still in existence. The NAFTA was an agreement between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico that lifted all trade barriers and tarrifs between the countries so they could trade more easily. NAFTA allowed the countries involved to nurture potential new markets while maintaining old ones. -
9/11
The Attack on the World Trade Center in September of 2001 was one of the darkest events in American History. This brought on the same terrified feelings people felt back during the Cold War with all the nuclear threats. This event led to the war in Iraq as a form of retaliation from the United States. -
First African American President
Elected in November of 2008, Barack Obama was the first African-American Presdient of the United States. This was an important historical event in the United States because it shows just how much our country has changed. We went from two separate societies to having an African American as our leader.
