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1492
The Discovery of America by Columbus
He actually never set foot in North America, he was in Central & South America the whole time. -
The Settlement of Jamestown
Established in 1607, but left bare for a brief period and finally settled in 1634 as the first British settlement in the New World. -
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The French and Indian War
The war started over the confusion of who the Ohio river belonged to as a territory, Britain or France. Britain won this war. -
The Boston Tea Party
A group of men in Boston, Massachusetts, "The Sons of Liberty", dumped 342 chests of tea into the Boston harbor while dressed as Native Americans. They're imported tea supply was being unfairly taxed and they were not allowed to have a representative in British Court to change this, hence the term "Taxation without representation." -
The Battle of Lexington and Concord
This was the battle that started the Revolutionary War. British authorities and American colonists were on edge with each other for years preceding the battle, but the Americans finally had enough after British militia tried to confiscate a weapons cache the night before. -
The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is primarily known for being signed on July 4, 1776, but it was also signed by more founding fathers on Aug 2nd, 1776. -
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The Battle/Siege of Yorktown
This battle was lead by George Washington, with 17,000 troops in total, meant to force British forces to surrender in Yorktown. -
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The Constitutional Convention
The CC met to discuss the weak central government that existed under the Articles of Confederation. James Madison made the first drafts of the Constitution soon afterwards. -
The invention of the cotton gin
An American inventor, Eli Whitney, invented the cotton gin to speed up the process of removing the seeds from cotton fiber. It made cotton a much more profitable business, causing more land and slaves to be purchased by slave owners. -
The Alien and Sedition Acts
John Adams signed these acts while in office, granting him the power to deport foreigners considered "Dangerous", and it made gaining citizenship as an immigrant much, much harder. -
The Louisiana Purchase
This was when the U.S. purchased 530,000,000 acres of land from France, it is called the Louisiana Purchase because what was originally requested was just part of Louisiana. -
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The War of 1812
Britain vs U.S.. Again. Called the War of 1812 to distinguish it from the Napoleonic war during the same time period. -
The Missouri Compromise
This was when Missouri was declared a slave state and Maine was declared a non-slave state by congress. -
Andrew Jackson's Election
Andrew Jackson was a popular candidate, having served in the military and other branches of government. -
The invention of the telegraph
Samuel Morse invented the telegraph to communicate coded messages over long distances. -
The Panic of 1837
Because of the effects of the War of 1812 and Andrew Jackson's Specie Circular order, the economy was left in poverty and people, well, panicked. -
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The Trail of Tears
The Indian Removal Act was passed in 1831, backed by President Andrew Jackson, forcing Native Americans to migrate 60 miles to the Ohio river to make room for settlers. Native americans referred to the journey as "The Trail of Tears." -
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The Mexican-American War
Caused by territory disputes in southern Texas. -
The Compromise of 1850
Made recovering escaped slaves easier for southern slave owners, and ended slave trade in Washington, D.C.. -
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The Firing on Fort Sumter
This began the Civil War. -
The Emancipation Proclamation
Issued by President Lincoln, stating "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free." -
13th Amendment
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Surrender at Appomattox Court House
The official surrender of the Confederates, ending the Civil War. -
Abraham Lincoln's Assassination
John Wilkes Booth, an angry confederate, shot Lincoln in a theater. -
14th Amendment
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Andrew Johnson's Impeachment
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15th Amendment
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The invention of the electric telephone
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The invention of the electric light
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The Organization of Standard Oil Trust
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The Homestead Strikes
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The Pullman Strikes
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The Spanish-American War
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The invention of the airplane
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Theodore Roosevelt Becomes President
