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The Headright System
The headright system was when a colonist could earn 50 acres of land by paying for passage of someone to come to the New World. It helped more “common people” come to the Americas and allowed for greater indentured servitude which led to socioeconomic divides. -
The House of Burgesses
The first elected legislative assembly in the New World established in the Colony of Virginia. It was the first elected government in the colonies. -
The Mayflower Compact
It was the first self-governing contract in America signed by 41 before they settled in Plymouth colony. It represented the idea that the government’s authority comes from the consent of the people. -
Piquot War
1634-1638A conflict between the Pequot tribe against Mass Bay, Plymouth and Saybrook colonies who were aided by the Narrangansett and Mohegan tribes. There was a very high death toll and the Pequot tribe was essentially wiped out, and after there wasn’t as much conflict between Native Americans and New England colonists. -
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
They were a set of orders laid down to govern the structure and powers of Connecticut river towns. It was a representative government. -
Acts of Toleration
It was a statute in Maryland that allowed for all types of Christian worship, but atheists and Jews were still executed. It is significant because America’s stand on freedom of religion is based on it. -
The Navigation Act
1651-1673: Passed under the mercantilist system, the Navigation Act regulated trade in order to benefitted the British economy. It created resentment in the colonies and contributed to the American Revolution. -
Halfway Covenant
It was done by the puritans who saw that later generations weren’t as pious- they could be “halfway” members of the church and could be baptized/take part it the lord’s supper but they couldn’t vote or accept communion. It caused religion to be less important in the colonies, so it might have sown the seeds for the First Great Awakening in the 1730’s. -
King Phillips War
The war was a conflict between the Wampanoag Native Americans and New Hampshire colonists, who won with the help of the Mohawks. Winning the war opened up additional land for expansion and wiped out much of the Wampanoag tribe. -
Bacon's Rebellion
A conflict between the poor working farmers and the wealthy aristocrats who eventually drove Gov Berkley out of Jamestown because they felt they were not being adequately protected. The rebellion was eventually crushed but it caused a distrust among aristocrats of the poor working class who began drawing racial lines to avoid the black indentured servants and white farmers revolting together. -
Sir Edmund Andros and the Dominion of New England
1686-89Sir Edmund Andros was the gov of the Dominion of New England, encompassing the Mass Bay colony, NH, CT, Plymouth Colony, RI, NY and NJ. He was extremely unpopular and the puritans revolted against him after the Glorious Revolution which caused the spirit of independence to grow within the colonists. -
The Enlightenment
A shifting of ideas towards the idea of John Locke, (who believed that the authority of the government came from the consent of the governed,) Baron de Montesquieu (who developed the idea of a system of checks and balances) Hobbes, (who believed government needed to be the ultimate form of authority because people are selfish) Rousseau, (who believed the good of the community was better than the good of the individual) and Voltaire (who believed in freedom of press and speech.) -
The Glorious Revolution
A bloodless revolution that dethroned James II and gave the rule to Mary II and William III. It weakened the power of the monarchy. -
The Salem Witch Trials
It was a series of hearings a persecutions of women who were perceived as being witches in colonial Massachusetts. The events were significant because they helped develop the US justice system. -
The Founding of Georgia
Georgia was started as a place for debtors to start a new life and as a buffer state against the Spanish in Florida. Georgia also had the closest relationship out of all the colonies to England. -
The First Great Awakening
I1739 -1744The First Great Awakening was a religious fervor that swept across the colonies spurred by John Edwards and George Whitefield. This unified the colonies as people were saddened by the decline in Puritanism in the 1730’s. -
Pontiacs Rebellion
A conflict between Native Americans and English which led to the English creating a divide between the colonists and natives using the Proclamation of 1763. The natives were attacking British settlements because they were offended by policies created by British general Jeffrey Amherst. -
Proclamation of 1763
Created by the British after Pontiac’s Rebellion in order to divide lines between the colonists and the Native Americans. This was unpopular with the colonists and was an early contributing factor to the revolution. -
The Sugar Act
An act that imposed a 3 cent tax on sugar bought by Americans to help pay off England’s debt. -
The Stamp Act
An act required that many printed materials in the colonies be produced on stamped paper produced in London. -
Intolerable Acts: The Quartering Acts
An act that forced colonists to house British soldiers in their homes. -
The Declaratory Act
An act that accompanied the appeal of the Stamp act saying that parliaments authority was the same in the colonies as it was in Britain and the parliament’s power is binding. -
The Townshend Acts
A group of acts mainly including revenue Act of 1767, the Indemnity Act, the Commissioners of Custom Act, the Vice Admiralty Court Act, and the New York Restraining Act. -
Boston Massacre
An incident that occurred after a group of colonists were taunting british soldiers which escalated into shots being fired and 5 colonists’ deaths. It was used as a way to rally colonists and unite the colonies against England. -
John Peter Zenger Trial
John Peter Zenger was accused of libel and the outcome of the case was considered landmark. “Truth is a defense against accusations of libel.” -
The Tea Act
An act that granted the East India Trading Company permission to export tea directly to the colonies in an attempt to save the company, which led to the Boston Tea Party. -
Boston Tea Party
The Sons of Liberty were protesting the face that the English felt they had a right to impose a tax on the colonies. Even though the tea with the tax cost less than before, it caused problems for colonists who were smuggling tea because they couldn’t make profit off of tea since it was less expensive. -
Intolerable Acts: Boston Port Act
An act to discontinue trade and landing at any Boston port in response to the Boston Tea Party. -
Intolerable Acts: Quebec Act
An Act passed for making more effectual Provision for the Government of the Province of Quebec in North America. -
Lexington and Concord
Brit commander in Boston sent troops to nearby Lexington & Concord, colonial militia or “Minute Men” were there to greet them and shots were fired (by who is unknown and 8 Americans were killed. This united the militia and Americans and officially started the revolution. -
Second Continental Congress
Started once the revolutionary war had started, the Second Continental congress managed war efforts and eventually would adopt the Articles of Confederation. The congress eventually became the government of the US. -
Battle at Bunker Hill
The colonists tried to take Breed’s hill and overthrow the British, but the British still overcame them. It was still considered a victory for the colonists, however, because they had inflicted significant casualties on the British which raised their morale and their outlook on their chances in the war. -
Olive Brance Petition
The Continental congress wrote this pledging allegiance to the crown, even though the revolution had already begun, in order to keep violence and hostilities at bay. However, King George denied the petition and declared the colonies officially in rebellion, and the revolutionary war officially began. -
Common Sense
Written by Thomas Paine, Common Sense was an extremely influential pamphlet that opened up colonists eyes to things that Thomas Paine said were contrary to “common sense,” and ignited passion for the revolution. In the pamphlet Paine says that no where else is a larger body governed by a smaller one. -
The Declaration of Independence
First drafted by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration was a statement to Great Britain based on a motion that Henry Lee made earlier saying that the US should be free and independent states that included a lists of grievances against the king. It made a universal impact and cleared the air so that foreign aid could be solicited and the “rebels” could begin openly opposing Great Britain. -
Battle of Saratoga
It was the turning point of the war, when British General John Burgoyne had a plan to divide the northern and southern colonies. The Americans captured part of the British trenches and it was a rallying point for the colonies that helped them push through. -
The Articles of Confederation
They were the original document for governing the colonies created by the Continental Congress, but they were largely unsuccessful (with the exception of the Northwest Ordinance.) Later they were changed into the US Constitution. -
Battle of Yorktown
This was the last major battle of the American Revolution, the French fought with the colonists and they came out victorious. General Cornwallis had been trying to take Yorktown and Gloucester, and George Washington marched down to battle them. -
Treaty of Paris
The treaty officially ended the revolutionary war, made the US sovereign, gave the continental congress power, and gave America very generous land boundaries. This negatively impacted all the Native Americans who were living in the area, but led to America as we know it today. -
Shay's Rebellion
1786-87Shays rebellion was named after David Shays, who led the rebels in Massachusetts. The rebels were poor, angry, veteran farmers who were frustrated because they had fallen on hard economic times. The rebellion was crushed but the incident raised the idea of creating a documents to replace the articles of confederation (which allowed for only weak central gov.) -
Northwest Ordinance
It was created by the second continental congress and it determined how American would move westward, and created the Northwest Territory which was the US’s first official territory. It also established criteria for creation of new states, and created the “natural rights” which later turned into the Bill of Rights in the constitution. It did negatively impact Native Americans who were then forced out of the area. -
Constitutional Convention
(May 25, 1787 - September 17th 1787) It was in Philadelphia, Penn in 1787 to address the problems that were growing under the Articles of Confederation. -
Judiciary Act of 1789
This act established a Supreme court with one chief justice and five associate justices. The Supreme court was the highest court and ruled on the decisions made by state courts. -
Second Great Awakening
The second great awakening was a protestant revival movement that occured during the 19th century. There was a huge descrepancy in morals and religious attendance between the conservative rural people and the more liberal, urban population. It also spurred the temperance movement and several other notable movements. -
The Whiskey Rebellion
1791-1784The Whiskey Rebellion was the refusal of a group of farmers to pay the federal excise tax on whiskey. The farmers refused to pay the tax because they were defending their “liberties.” Washington responded with 15,000 state militia and placed them under the command of Alexander Hamilton. Fortunately, there wasn’t any casualties on either side. -
Chisholm v. Georgia
This case granted the court the power to hear disputes between private citizens and the states. Mostly because of this case, the 11th Amendment was ratified in 1795. -
Proclamation of Neutrality
George Washington was known for his neutral stance on foreign policy. In 1793 Washington believed that the country wasn’t strong enough for a European War and issued a Proclamation of Neutrality. This proclamation caused Thomas Jefferson to resign from the cabinet. -
The Pinckney Treaty
The Pinckney Treaty was created by Thomas Pinckney who was the U.S. minister to Spain. He negotiated a treaty in which Spain agreed to open the lower Mississippi River and New Orleans to American trade. This was granted to the U.S. so that they could transfer cargoes in New Orleans without paying duties to the Spanish government. Also, Spanish agreed to accept that Florida’s northern boundary should be at the 31st parallel. -
Jay Treaty
John Jay went on a special mission that talked the British out of it’s offensive practice of searching and seizing American ships. After a year of negotiations , Jay brought back a treaty signed by Britain that stated they agreed to evacuate it’s posts on the U.S. western frontier. However, the treaty never included anything about British seizures of American merchant ships. This treaty was unpopular among Americans who supported France , but it did maintain Washington’s policy of neutrality whi -
XYZ Affair
1797-1798
U.S. merchant ships were being seized by French warships, Adams sent a delegation to negotiate with the French government. -
Alien and Sedition acts
The Alien acts allowed the president to deport any alien that could be seen as threatening or dangerous. The Sedition acts allowed those who spoke out against government to be detained. -
Revolution of 1800
Thomas Jefferson was elected, and power began shifting away from the federalists. Jefferson won against John Adams. -
Marbury v. Madison
It was a landmark in the US supreme court because it forms a basis for the judicial view of the US. It helped define the main boundary line between the executive and judicial branches of the government. It occurred in February 1803. -
Louisianna Purchase
Purchase of the territory encompassing 15 current U.S. states was under the presidency of Thomas Jefferson (1803). The sale of the territory by Spain back to France in 1800 went largely unnoticed. Holding fear of a future French attack on American soil, Jefferson kept any thoughts of invasion under wraps. In 1801, Napoleon sent a military force to secure New Orleans. -
Embargo Act
Enacted in response to British and French mistreatment of American merchants, the Act banned the export of all goods from the United States to any foreign port. The embargo placed great strains on the American economy while only marginally affecting its European targets, and was therefore repealed in 1809. -
Nonintercourse Act
Passed alongside the repeal of the Embargo Act, it reopened trade with all but the two belligerent nations, Britain and France. The Act continued Jefferson's policy of economic coercion, still with little effect. -
Macons Bill No 2
Aimed at resuming peaceful trade with Britain and France, the act stipulated that if either Britain or France repealed its trade restrictions, the United States would reinstate the embargo against the nonrepealing nation. When Napoleon offered to lift his restrictions on British ports, the United States was forced to declare an embargo on Britain, thereby pushing the two nations closer toward war. -
Battle of Tippecanoe
Resulted in the defeat of Shawnee chief Tenskwatawa, "the Prophet" at the hands William Henry Harrison in the Indiana wilderness. After the battle, the Prophet's brother, Tecumseh, forged an alliance with the British against the United States. -
Election of 1816
The results of the election begain the Era of Good feelings. The federalist part was collapsing, and James Monroe beat out his oponent, Rufus King, -
War of 1812
(June 18, 1812 – February 18, 1815)
An unexpected war between Britain and the U.S. which was caused by the continued violation of the U.S. neutral rights at sea and troubles with the British on the western frontier. -
Hartford Convention
(1814-1815)
It was met to discuss the grievances concerning the ongoing War of 1812 and the problems concerning the federal government sudden increase in power. They discussed about removing the ⅗ compromise and other agreements which worried them. -
Burning of Washington
It was during the war of 1812 in 1814 between Britain allied with Ireland. The U.S. General Robert Ross occupied Washington, D.C. and set fire to many of the buildings in the city including the White House which was destroyed in the process. -
Threaty of Ghent
The treaty was signed on December 24, 1814 in Ghent which is known as Belgium today. It was the peace treaty that concluded the War of 1812. The Battle of New Orleans was still fought after it was signed because the treaty was not in effect after it was ratified by Congress in February in 1815. -
Battle of New Orleans
It took place on January 8, 1815 and was the final major battle of the war of 1812. American forces defeated a British Army which goal was to seize New Orleans and the territory that the US gained from the Louisiana Purchase. -
Second Bank of United States
The Second Bank of the United States served as the nation's central bank during its charter from February 1817 to January 1836. In 1833, President Jackson declared that the bank would no longer be used, and used all his power to remove all funds from the bank, called the 'Bank War.' Jackson felt that the bank represented the elite businessmen of the country. -
Dartmouth College v. Woodward
It was a case dealing with the Contract Clause of the US Constitution to private corporations. It started when the president of Dartmouth was deposed by his companions which lead to New Hampshire attempting to force the college to become a public institution and place the ability to appoint more trustees in the hands of the government. -
McColluch v. Maryland
The state of Maryland tried to impose a tax on all bank notes not chartered in Maryland, in an attempt to impede on the Second National Bank. The case established to main principles: implied powers of congress and that states are not allowed to step on federal power. -
McColloch v. Maryland
This was another landmark in the US supreme court in 1819. Maryland attempted to oppose the Second Bank of the US by taking all of the notes of banks that are not in Maryland. This cause established that State action mant not impose the valid constitutional exercises by the power of the federal government and The constitution grants implied powers to the Congress in order to function the national government. -
Texas Gains Independece
Texas fought with Mexico to be independent and eventually, after capturing Santa Anna after the Battle of San Jacinto, forced him under the threat of death to sign a treaty recognizing Texas as independent. Officials in Mexico city did not recognize this, but it opened the door for Texas to be annexed to the US and for the slavery question to be brought up. -
Johnson v. McIntosh
Established that private citizens could not purchase land from native americans. The case was in Marshall court and is considered an influential case. -
Monroe Doctrine
It stated that European nations could not interfere with the states in North or South America and it would be viewed as acts of aggression which would require the US to interfere. It said that the US would not interfere with European colonies and that they would not interfere with the US. It was Issued in 1823 by President Monroe. -
Gibbons v. Ogden
It stated that the New Yorks monopoly was unconstitutional and Marshall has established the federal government's broad control of the interstate commerce. It occurred in 1824. -
The Election of 1824 (The Corrupt Bargain)
In the presidential election of 1824, no candidate recieved a majority vote, so it went to the House of Representatives. The House elected John Quincy Adams over Andrew Jackson, supposedly because Henry Clay (Speaker of the House at the time) convinced them, under the impression that in exchange he would one day be given the position of Secretary of State. As a result, Jacksonians attacted the administration as being corrupt and not on the people's side. -
Election of 1828
The Election of 1828 was a rematch between John Q Adams and Andrew Jackson. It was considered a very dirty race. Andrew Jackson won, and as a result, Jacksonian democracy rose. -
Indian Removal Act of 1830
The Indian Removal act was signed into effect by Andrew Jackson in 1830, negotiating all indian tribes to be moved west of the mississippi. There was a lot of pressure on the native americans to reolcate, even though technically the movement was supposed to be voluntary. The act had a lot of suuport from the South. -
Nullification Crisis 1832
The Nullification Crisis was an event leading to the civil war, starting with John Q Adam's Tarrif of Abominations. South Carolina opposed the tarrif, declared nullification and threatened succession. Andrew Jackson responded by sending troops to Charleston harbor to show that the federal government was not afraid to use force. -
Webster-Ashburton Treaty
This reaty settled the disputed territory between Maine and Canadian New Brunswick, which was controlled by the British, and eventually tensions between te British and Americans caused fighting to erupt. The treaty split the disputed area between Maine and canada, and also settled the Minnesota border dispute leaving the US the iron-rich Mesabi range. -
Election of 1844
The election of 1844 was betweek James Polk and Henry Clay, Polk calling for the annexation of Texas and Clay opposed to it. Polk won, which signaled that the public wanted to annex Texas and continue with the idea of Manifest Destiny. -
Mexican-American War
1846-1848This war was fought because the US annexed texas, even though Mexico still recognized Texas as part of Mexico. It ended with the treaty of Gaudalupe Hidalgo and the Mexican Cession, gaining the US more territory, and it was the end of all conflict between texas and mexico. -
The Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso was introduce by David Wilmot, and proposed that none of the territories aquired from Mexico in the Mexican cession could have slavery. The proviso passed the house twice but could not pass the senate and was ultimately an event leading up the civil war. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
This was a peace treaty betweent the US and Mexico that ended all conflict and gave the US California, Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado, New mexico, Arizona and Utah. It also established the Rio Grande as Texas’ southern border. -
The Ostend Manifesto
The Ostend Manifesto was a secretive document that tried to manipulate spain into giving up control of Cuba in order to expand slavery. It was an emarrassment to the Peirce administration when it was leaked, and was opposed both by northerners who opposed spreading slavery and by other countries. -
The Gadsen Purchase
The purchase was an area of land in southern Arizona and New Mexico that was purchased through a treaty signed by James Gadsden, who was the US embassador to Mexico at the time. The purchase was for the main purpose of building a trans-continental railroad under Pres. Franklin Peirce. -
The Panic of 1857
This was a financial panic due to a domestic economy that grew too quickly and an international economy that was going downhil. The crisis did not last long and the civil war saw a economic recovery. -
Dred Scott vs Sanford
In this case, it was ruled to bot be a citizen, therefore he cannot sue. It also ruled that congress could not ban slavery in the territories. This increased tension leading up the the civil war. -
Panic of 1857
A depression caused by the inflation of the Califiornia Gold Rush, causing 5,000 businesses to fall. -
John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry
A militia of freed slaves led by abolitionist John Brown that was defeated after causing damage. This led to furthur tension between the north and south. -
Abraham Lincoln Elected
Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln is elected at the start of the Civil War. The elction tore the nation apart, as the democrats split between the north and South, with respective candidates Douglas and Breckenridge. -
South Carolina secedes
South Carolina is the first state to officially secede, other southern states follow. -
Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter was the first clash of the civil war. Union troops entered the Fort, and when the South protested, President Lincoln told the northern troops not to leave. This was the battle that initiated the civil war. -
Battle of Antietam
Antietam was considered the bloodiest day of the Civil War, and was a win for the North. It caused General McLellan to be let go for the final time, and gave President Lincoln the win he needed to deliver the emancipation proclamation. -
Emancipation Proclamation
After the North's victory at Antietam, President Lincoln was finally able to declare the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all slaves in the United and Confederate states. Although it could not be enforced in the confederate states, it lifted the spirits of those still enslaved and led many to attempt escape to the North. -
Battle of Gettysburg
Gettysburg was considered the bloodiest battle of the civil war because of extensive casulaties. However, it was also considered the turning point in favor of the North. -
Chesapeake Affair
Conflict between Britain and the United States that precipitated the 1807 embargo. The conflict developed when a British ship, in search of deserters, fired on the American Chesapeake off the coast of Virginia. -
Sherman's March
Sherman's March was the movement of Union Troops from Atlanta, Georgia to their final destinaition of the port of Savannah. The troops destroyed much of what was in their path, including Confederate infastructure and supplies. -
13th Amendmend adpoted
The 13th amendment was the first of the 3 "reconstruction amendments" - the 13th, 14th and 15th. It officially freed all slaves in the US. It was important because it did not mention race in the amendment itself. -
Alaska Purchase
The US purchased Alaska from Russia which officially became a state in 1959 because they felt that the area wasn’t worth the thread of British takeover. William Seward, the US secretary of state, purchased the area for $7.2 million, but the American public didn’t immediately recognize the area’s value. -
Great Railroad Strike
During the Great Railroad Strike, Rutherford B Hayes utilized federal troops in a labor dispute for the first time. He argued that the govenrnment must protect the mail at all costs. -
Pendleton Act
The Pendleton Act set up a civil service commission, and prohibited civil servants from making political contributions in an effort to cub some of the corruption that was so prevalent in the Gilded Age and continues today. -
Haymarket Riot
The Haymarket Riot officially ends the Knights of Labor. A bomb is thrown and there are casualties. The riot began as a peaceful protest of workers tryng to get an 8 hour workday. -
Dawes Act
The Dawes act was created with the purpose of assimilating Native Americans into society in the late 19th century. The act established reservations, broke up tribes, and encouraged isolating individual Native Americans (such as the indian schools.)The act was eventually ended under FDR, who then gave Native Americans a New Deal act to allow them to once again congregate and form their own governments. -
Wounded Knee Massacre
The massacre at Wounded Knee occured when a shot was accidentally fired and the US militia opened fire on the native american tribe at wounded knee, including defenseless women and children, killing almost all members of the tribe. The death count was around 300. The event lead to furthur anger of native americans. -
The Pullman Strike
The strike began with a few railroad workers in Pullman, Illionois went on strike for lower wages. When workers eventually began blocking the trains, President Grover Cleveland sent in federal troops. -
The Spanish - American War
After the Roosevelt Corollary, the US felt that they had to get involved in the affairs of the Phillipines, Cuba and Puerto rico due to Spanish misrule and yellow journalism (which caused pressure on congress by US citizens who were mislead on the happenings in those countries.) Ultimately the war raised the question of whether the US constitution applied to US territories as well as US states, but it also established the US as a world power. -
The USS Maine
An event leading up the Spanish-American war, the USS Maine was docked in a port in Havana, Cuba when it suddenly exploded killing 260 Americans. Even though now we know it was probably an accident, it fueled US tempers and provided another readon for the US to go to war with Spain. -
The Teller Amendment
Congress passed the Teller Amendement to authorize war, saying that once Cuba was stable, the US would pull out and let Cuba have it’s own government. -
The Open Door Policy
Created by John Hays in 1899, many world powers had spheres of influence in China and America wanted to be a part of the trade there, so the Open Door Policy created free trade in the area so that all countries had equal priviledges. The policy was called a diplomatic triumph and ultimately influenced American’s relations with Japan in the 1930’s -
Boxer Rebellion
A group of Chinese Nationalists also called the Society of Harmonious Fists attacked foreigners and killed hundreds of American missionaries. US troops went in and squashed the rebellion, and the fines paid by china furthur weakened them. -
Election of 1900
The two candidates were former President William McKinley (Theodore Roosevelt was his running mate) who was for imperalism and Manifest Destiny, and Wiliam Jennings Bryan, who was not as pro-imperialism. -
The Platt Amendment
This was a bill that pulled out US troops as long as Cuba followed certain terms, such as never building up a lot of public debt, not signing treaties with world powers that would affect their independence, allowing the US to maintain Guantanamo Bay, and letting the US intervene in their affairs in the future. -
Panama Canal
The panama canal needed to be built so that the US could keep an eye on the lands it aquired during the Spanish-American war. At first Columbia rifused to give US the area to build the canal, but Theodore Roosevelt supported a revolt there and it quickly suceeded, allowing the US to build the canal. -
The Roosevelt Corollary
Allowed the US to intervene in Latin American countries who hadn’t paid off european debts and could occupy ports there until they had taken care of the debt. The effect of the Corollary was poor relations between the US and latin america in coming years. -
Gentlemen's Agreement
This was an informal understanding proposed by Roosevelt to ease tensions between the US and Japan, to correct discriminatory laws against Japanese in California in exchange for limiting Japanese immigration to the US. -
Election of 1908
The election was between William Jennings Bryan and William Taft, who was endorsed by Theodore Roosevelt. Bryan lost for the third time in a row with there being a comfortable Margin for Taft. -
Founding of the NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was founded in 1909, after a race riot in Springfield Illinois. This organization lead to an outlet for black voices and was a step in the right direction for equality. -
Election of 1912
This election was a 4 way race between Theodore Roosevelt and William Taft (who had gone from friends to rivals during Taft’s presidency, Taft was conservative while Roosevelt was progressive, and Roosevelt decided to run in a progressive party when he failed to gain the republican nominee) and Eugene Debs & Woodrow Wilson. This is important because it split the republican party, so Woodrow Wilson could more easily take the presidency -
The Jones Act
Won by President Wilson, the Jones Act granted territory status to the Phillipines, gave male Fillipinos the right to vote, and promised independence as soon as there could be a set government. This was Wilson’s attempt to show that he respected other countries rights and wanted to spread democracy. -
First Red Scare
The first red scare occured during 1919-1920, following World War I, because of American's fear of communism and Bolshevikism (after the revolution in Russia.) This fear spurred illigal searches and seizures, detaining and arrests, and the suppression of radical organizations. -
Red Summer
During the Red Summer there were multipe race riots in various US cities in 1919. This was a result of tensions that came from the red scare and WW II. The NAACP staged peaceful protests against the riots. -
Period: to
Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Rennassaince was a time of growing culture and created "The New Negro." New forms of music, poetry and other art forms flourished. It created a very different culture in the urban areas, with jazz music being played at speakeasies and new forms of dance being popularized. -
Election of 1932
The race was between Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt during the depression of the 30's. Roosevelt blamed Hoover and his weak policy and favorism of businesses and corporations for the Great Depression and won by a landslide. -
The New Deal
The New Deal was President Roosevelt's response to the stock market crash and depression of the 1930's. It included work programs, housing projects, and regulations on the stock market to restore citizen's faith in the bank system, all of which came out from 1933-1936. It utilized Keysian economics. -
Attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was the only use of nuclear weaponry to date. Arguably, the bombings resulted in the surrender of Japan to the Ally powers at the end of WWII. The events killed hundreds of thousands of Japanese civilians. -
Winston Churchill's "Iron Curtain" Speech
On March 5, 1946 Winston Churchill (Britain’s Prime Minister) gave a speech called the Iron curtain. Many people consider his speech the beginning of the Cold War. The "Iron Curtain" pertains to the border between countries under NATO and countries under the Warsaw Pact (leaded by Soviet Union.) -
The Truman Doctrine
President Harry S. Truman issued the Truman Doctrine in 1947. The Truman Doctrine was the basis of American foreign policy towards the Soviet Union and Soviet Union. The doctrine pledged support for countries trying to hold back soviet-style revolutions. -
George Kennan's Containment Policy
The Containment was a foreign policy strategy that the United States had during the Cold War. The strategy was first laid out in 1947 by George Kennan. The Containment stated that communism needed to isolated and contained or it would spread to neighboring countries. -
National Security Act 1947
This act provided a centralized Department of Defense, creation of the NSC (National Security Council) and creation of the CIA. -
The Marshall Plan
1948-1951
The Marshall Plan is the foreign aid program that the United States had in 1948 to 1951 that pumped money and resources to help countries in Europe after World War 2. Also the Marshall Plan was an American attempt to prevent the spread of Communism. -
Berlin Airlift
(24 June 1948 – 12 May 1949)
The western allies were trying to bring aid to those in West Berlin. The US and British air force made more than 200,000 trips from 1948-49 to provide daily necessities such as food and fuel. The soviets had originally thought that the airlift wouldn’t make a difference, but they were proven wrong, because soon the airlift was bringing in more supplies than the area had been getting previously via rail. -
Fall of China to Communism
China fell to communism after a decades long war between the two idealogical parties of china: the National-led Republic of China (KMT) and the Communist Party of China (CPC). No official armistice was ever signed and there is still debate to who "won" today. -
NATO Signed into effect
It is a military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty, which was signed in April 1949. The treaty states that if an external party attacks us then the member states will give mutual defense. -
NSC - 68
NSC-68 stands for “National Security Council 68”- it defined two main, conflicting world powers that had come out since WWII, represented by the US and soviet russia. It scared the American public and spurred the arms race. -
The Korean War
25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953
• After Japan was defeated in WWII, Korea was split along the 38th parallel between the Soviets and the US. After the two armies withdrew, North Korea was left in the hands of communist leaders and South Korea under a conservative nationalists Syngman Rhee. North korea invaded south korea and UN sent in troops to provide aid. -
Election of 1952
The race was between Dwight Eisenhower and Adlai Stevenson. Cold war tension was gathering quickly, and Dwight Eisenhowers strong foreign policy may have been what won him the election.
