-
1492
The Columbian Exchange
The Columbian Exchange started right after Christopher Columbus's 1492 voyage. It consisted of the exchange of goods, ideas, diseases, and people between the Americas, Africa, and Europe. The Columbian Exchange is significant because the many exchanges altered the natural environment of North America and affected interactions amongst various groups as their societies were shaped by the transfer of commodities, people, diseases, and ideas. -
Oct 12, 1492
Christopher Columbus "Discovers" the New World
The explorer Christopher Columbus made his first trip across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain in 1492. He was determined to find a direct water route west from Europe to Asia, but he never did. Instead, he accidentally stumbled upon the Americas. Although he did not really "discover" the New World, his journey marked the beginning of centuries of trans-Atlantic conquest and colonization. -
1512
The Encomienda System was Established
Under the encomienda system, Spanish settlers would protect, care for, and Christianize Indians. In return, Indians would work a portion of their time for Spanish settlers. However, in reality, Spanish settlers failed to protect, forced long labor, seized their land, and didn’t pay the Indian workers. As a result, many Indians died from disease, harsh living, and working conditions. This is significant because this is the earliest pattern of mistreatment the Native Americans endured. -
1525
The First Record of a Slave Trade to the Americas
The first record of a slave trade voyage direct from Africa to the Americas is a ship that landed in Santo Domingo, on the island Española (Hispaniola), in 1525. The Slaves helped sustain the sugar, coffee, cocoa, cotton, and tobacco industries. Because of the slave trade, there was a vast amount of African slaves to use to help develop the New World both agriculturally and economically. -
The Lost Colony
The Roanoke Island colony was founded by English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh in August 1585. The first Roanoke colonists suffered from low food supplies and Indian attacks. By the time Governor John White finally returned on his voyage to obtain more supplies from England, everyone including his family members had vanished. There was no trace of the Roanoke colonists. This event is significant because the Roanoke colony was the first attempted and failed English colony. -
The Defeat of the Spanish Armada
The Spanish Armada was a fleet of "Invincible" ships that were sent by King Philip II of Spain to invade England in 1588. The Armada was defeated by smaller, more maneuverable English Sea Dogs in the English Channel. Ultimately, the defeat of the Spanish Armada led to England emerging as a dominant naval power. So, it gave Britain the endless possibility of establishing colonies and trading companies such as the East India Company. -
The Founding of Jamestown
Jamestown was the first permanent English colony in North America. Jamestown suffered from lack of leadership and the failure to find gold, which nearly resulted in starvation for many colonists. However, once Jamestown began cultivating tobacco for a profit, the town began to prosper. -
The House of Burgesses was Established
In order to oversee the colony at Jamestown, the Virginia Company established a legislative body that was similar to England's Parliament called the House of Burgesses. The representatives were appointed by the Virginia Company or elected by land-owning males. The House of Burgesses was the first self-government created in the New World. -
The Start of King Phillip's War
Metacomet, the Wampanoag leader called “Philip” by the English, led a war against New England settlers who wanted to victimize the Native Americans in New England to colonial control. After the Natives lost the ability to fight back against deadly colonial weapons, the Indian resistance surrendered and the Indians never returned. This event is significant because it is an early pattern of the colonies using their advanced technology as an unfair advantage over the Native Americans. -
Bacon's Rebellion
In response to Governor Berkeley’s apathy on the issue of exterminating all of the colony’s Natives, Bacon and his supporters slaughtered Natives, marched Berkeley out of Jamestown, and set Jamestown on fire. Bacon’s Rebellion showed that poor farmers would not tolerate a government that catered only to the wealthy. Most importantly, it was the first example in colonial America in which citizens themselves attempted to overthrow an unjust government. and led to a need for slaves. -
The Dominion of New England
The Dominion of New England was an administrative union that was created by royal authority. The union consisted of all of New England, New York, and East and West New Jersey. It was placed under the rule of Sir Edmund Andros who curbed popular assemblies, taxed residents without their consent, and strictly enforced Navigation Laws. Its collapse after the Glorious Revolution in England demonstrated early colonial opposition to strict royal control. -
The Salem Witch Trials
The Salem Witch Trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts. These accusations were marked by an atmosphere of fear, hysteria, and stress from encroaching settlers without Puritanical viewpoints. The mass hysteria of the Salem Witch Trials highlighted the dangers of religious extremism in colonial America. -
The First Great Awakening
During The First Great Awakening, the colonies experienced a dramatic increase in religion. This period had many sermons that placed a great emphasis on individual religious experience rather than religious experience through church doctrines. This period is significant because it created a national identity to colonial America and would later lay the groundwork for the strong, religious origins in the fight for independence from Britain. -
The Stono River Rebellion
The Stono Rebellion was a slave revolt in South Carolina where a group of slaves gathered arms to rise up against their masters. They were headed to St. Augustine, where the Spanish promised freedom to any slave who escaped from the British colonies. However, the rebellion ended in the deaths of approximately 24 whites and 200 African slaves as well as stricter slave code laws. The Stono Rebellion represents the slaves' determined resistance to the oppressive system of slavery. -
The Proclamation of 1763 was Issued
The Proclamation of 1763 was created to alleviate relations with natives after the French and Indian War. It stated that the colonists nor the British would not settle lands west of Appalachian Mountains. However, many colonists ignored the Proclamation and ventured West regardless. This new law was significant because this was the first example of colonial resentment to new British laws. -
The Sons of Liberty was Created
The Sons of Liberty was created to play a central role in agitating against the Stamp Act and enforcing non-importation agreements. When Samuel Adams founded the Sons of Liberty it was a very significant event because the members helped cause events like the Boston Tea Party, Boston Massacre, riots, mobs, and protests. All of these caused more tension between the colonies and Britain, which ended up leading to the American Revolution. -
The Declaration of Independence was Ratified
Under the authorship of Thomas Jefferson, the 2nd Continental Congress issued the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The Declaration of Independence formally announced a political severing of all ties between the colonies and Great Britain. The declaration allowed Americans to appeal for foreign aid and served as an inspiration for later revolutionary movements worldwide. -
The Battle of Saratoga Begins
The Battle of Saratoga was the turning point of the Revolutionary War. The troops of British General Burgoyne became exhausted and were short of supplies after they captured Fort Ticonderoga. An expedition was sent to Bennington to capture American supplies but a force of New England militia met them and defeated them. Burgoyne’s men surrendered after the Continental Army surrounded them near Saratoga. This victory convinced the French government to aid the American cause. -
The Treaty of Paris was Signed
The Treaty of Paris formally ended the American Revolution. The United States won its independence from Great Britain and gained control of land stretching west to the Mississippi River. This event is significant because it gave newly freed colonists the exciting task of creating their own new government. -
Shays’ Rebellion Starts
Shays’ Rebellion is the name given to a series of protests in 1786 and 1787 by American farmers against state and local enforcement of tax collections and judgments for debt. Since Massachusetts was unsuccessful in quelling the rebellion, this event demonstrated the need for a stronger centralized government. -
The Whiskey Rebellion Ends
The Whiskey Rebellion was a revolt by farmers in western Pennsylvania who objected to a federal tax on whiskey. In order to crush the revolting farmers in Western Pennsylvania, President Washington sent in troops under the command of Alexander Hamilton to quell the revolt. Washington’s quick, firm handling of the Whiskey Rebellion proved that the new ratified Constitution could in fact work. -
The Negotiations of the Louisiana Purchase was Concluded
The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the US. The acquisition of the Louisiana Territory for the bargain price of less than three cents an acre was Thomas Jefferson’s most notable achievement as president. Despite Jefferson's views on the Constitutionality of his decision, the president reluctantly agreed to the deal. -
The First Hartford Convention Meeting
The Hartford Convention was a series of secret meetings between New England Federalists. During the meetings, federalists met to discuss possible actions to take against the Democratic Republicans. Specifically, they wanted the government to pay them back for the loss of trade due to the Embargo Act, Macon’s Bill No. 2, and the War of 1812. Many of their complaints were from their fears of being overpowered by states in the south and west. Overall, their complaints seemed unpatriotic. -
Congress Passes the Missouri Compromise
Because of the fact that Missouri requested an admission to the Union as a slave state, it threatened to upset the balance between slave states and free states. So, the Missouri Compromise proposed that Missouri would be admitted as a slave state, Maine would be admitted as a free state, and slavery would not be allowed above the 36’ 30’ line except for Missouri. -
The Monroe Doctrine was Declared
President James Monroe proclaimed a new U.S. foreign policy that became known as the “Monroe Doctrine.” Since many Latin American countries were experiencing revolutions and leaning towards more democratic forms of government, European countries attempted to reassert their influence. Ultimately, the Monroe Doctrine declared that the Western Hemisphere was closed for European colonization. -
The Indian Removal Act was Signed into Law
In 1830, President Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act This law required the government to negotiate removal treaties fairly, voluntarily, and peacefully. However, President Jackson and his government frequently ignored the law and forced Native Americans to vacate lands they had lived on for generations. Consequently, this led to the death of 4,000 Cherokee Indians to die during their voyage to Oklahoma through the Trail of Tears. -
Samuel Morse's Telegraph was Demonstrated
Samuel Morse’s telegraph system was demonstrated for the first time at the Speedwell Iron Works in Morristown, New Jersey. The telegraph used electric impulses to transmit encoded messages over a wire. The invention of the telegraph revolutionized long-distance communication and eventually brought the people of the nation closer to each other. -
The Seneca Falls Convention Begins
The Seneca Falls Convention was the first women’s rights convention in U.S. History. The convention was led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. For proclaiming a women’s right to vote, the Seneca Falls Convention was subjected to public ridicule. However, the resolutions that were passed marked the beginning of the women’s suffrage movement in America. -
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was Passed
The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska. This act allowed the principles of popular sovereignty to decide whether or not slavery should be allowed within those territories. Consequently, the Kansa-Nebraska Act didn't work out as violence erupted over the vote of allowing or banning slavery. This act is significant because it showed the US that another temporary compromise wasn't going to completely fulfill peace between the North and the South. -
The Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott, a former slave, sued for his freedom after being taken by his master to a free state. Once the case went all the way to the Supreme Court, the Court ruled against Scott and claimed that slaves were property and could be taken anywhere. Also, the Supreme Court ruled the Missouri Compromise of 1820 unconstitutional, stating that slavery could not be prohibited in federal territories. This ruling further divided the North and the South. -
The Suspension of Habeas Corpus
After the start of the Civil War, Lincoln began using powers that no president has ever used before. Lincoln suspended the Constitutional writ of habeas corpus. Under this writ, people charged with a crime were guaranteed the right to be brought before a judge and told of the crimes against them. Consequently, Lincoln imprisoned thousands of Confederate supporters without trial denying them their basic civil liberties as outlined in the Bill of Rights. -
The Issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation
During the Battle of Antietam, Union forces successfully prevented a Southern invasion. Lincoln saw this victory as an opportunity to issue his “Emancipation Proclamation” in January 1863. The Proclamation declared that all slaves are to be freed from their masters. This declaration established a moral course for the war. The war was no longer just about maintaining the Union, but also about ending slavery once and for all. -
The Battle of Gettysburg
In Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, The Battle of Gettysburg was the final attempt of the South to invade the North. The three days of fighting led to over 46,000 troops killed, wounded, or missing. The battle was seen as the war’s major turning point. Lee’s confederate soldiers would retreat, allowing the North to regain control of the war. -
The KKK was Founded
The Ku Klux Klan was founded in Tennesee as a response towards the changing political, social, and economic conditions of the Reconstruction Era. The KKK used terror in order to incite fear and ban freedoms from non-white groups. The amount of hate from the KKK did not characterize a democracy, but demonstrated the wild, irrational, killing that has led people throughout our history to extremes of violence against others simply because of their race, nationality, religion or lifestyle. -
The First Transcontinental Railroad is Finished
In order to link the eastern markets to western territories, the government proposed a transcontinental railroad. While the Central Pacific Company began laying tracks eastward from California, the Union Pacific Company laid tracks westward from Nebraska. Once the two tracks finally connected at Promontory Summit in Utah, the transcontinental railroad revolutionized transportation in the West. -
The Greenback Party was Founded
The Greenback Party consisted of the majority of prairie farmers who went into debt during the Panic of 1873. The Party fought for an increase in monetary circulation through the issuance of paper currency and bimetallism. They also supported inflationary programs and sought benefits for labor like shorter working hours and a national labor bureau. But their main goal was to push the government to print more greenbacks for more monetary circulation. -
The Battle of Little Bighorn
Colonel George A. Custer and 260 of his men were killed by Sioux Indians led by Sitting Bull at the Battle of Little Bighorn in southern Montana. In order to retaliate, the US Army crushed the Sioux and forced Sitting Bull to flee to Canada. However, they ended up killing Sitting Bull after the government's campaign to suppress the Ghost Dance Movement, which eventually led to the Massacre at Wounded Knee. -
The Compromise of 1877
In order to avoid conflict between Northern Republicans and Southern Democrats over the election of 1876, both parties came up with an agreement called the Compromise of 1877. In the Compromise, Republican Hayes would be “given” the Presidency by 1 electoral vote and all the remaining federal troops would be removed from Southern states. The Compromise of 1877 effectively ended Reconstruction. -
The First Public Demonstration of the Light Bulb
After years of work and thousands of experiments, Thomas Edison gave his first public demonstration of the incandescent light bulb at his laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey. With leading financier, J.P. Morgan on his side, Edison established the Edison Light Company and advanced Edison with $30,000 for research and development. The creation of the light bulb allowed factories to operate 24 hours a day and were no longer restricted to operate during the daylight. -
The Chinese Exclusion Act
With rising pressure from nativists, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882. This act prohibited Chinese immigration to the US and limited the rights of the Chinese immigrants already living in the country. The issuing of the Chinese Exclusion Act is significant in US history because this was the first time that a specific racial group was forbidden to enter the United States. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
The court case of Plessy v. Ferguson established the doctrine of "seperate but equal". The ruling of the Supreme Court gave the South permission to create Jim Crow laws, which segregated public facilities. This caused an increase in discrimination towards African Americans. -
The Pullman Strike of 1894
The Pullman Strike consisted of workers going on strike to protest wage cuts and layoffs. The strike grew violent with many protestors destroying rail lines and equipment. Because the Pullman Strike was interrupting the delivery of federal mail, President Grover Cleveland sent 12,000 federal troops to stop the protestors. However, when the troops arrived, riots broke out and it led to the deaths of 30 people and brought a bad image upon unions. -
Roosevelt Issued his Corollary of the Monroe Doctrine
Many nations in Latin America feared that some European countries would use their military to collect their debts from them. In response to these threats, Teddy Roosevelt issued a new Latin American policy, The Roosevelt Corollary. The Roosevelt Corollary stated that the US would use its military power to prevent Europe from intervening in Latin American affairs. -
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
The Triangle Shirtwaist Company factory in New York City erupted in flames as young female workers were trapped inside with locked exit doors. Nearly 50 workers ended up jumping to their death, while 100 workers died inside the factory. The tragedy brought widespread attention to the dangerous sweatshop conditions of factories and led to the development of a series of laws and regulations that improved the protection and safety of workers. -
The U.S Congress Passed the Sedition Act
The Sedition Act of 1918 was solely an extension of the Espionage Act of 1917. The Espionage and Sedition Acts prohibited interference with military operations or recruitment, insubordination in the military, the support of US enemies in wartime, and any form of speech that conveyed information intended to interfere with the U.S. armed forces’ prosecution of the war effort. Both acts were very controversial as it failed to follow the first amendment of the Bill of Rights. -
The Ratification of the 19th Amendment
After so many years of demanding women suffrage, women received the extended right to vote in federal or state elections. The 19th amendment ratified the right of citizens of the United States to vote regardless of sex. -
The Emergency Quota Act was Passed
In response to nativism and fears that immigrants were a threat to the livelihood of American citizens, Congress limited immigration. Using the 1910 census, this legislation restricted new immigration to 3% of the number of residents per year from their country of origin already living in the United States. The United States favored immigration from western European nations while severely denying immigration from areas perceived to be undesirable. -
Black Tuesday
The Stock Market Crash of 1929 signaled the beginning of a worldwide depression. As a result of the speculation of stocks and commodities, an investing "fever" in America, and an overproduction of goods that were under-consumed in American goods, many banks began to close, savings got completely lost, and the economy of America was destroyed. -
The Attack on Pearl Harbor
In an attempt to destroy American fleet units, Japan launched a surprise attack on American soil at the U.S. naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The bombing of Pearl Harbor killed 2,500 people. The next day, the U.S. discontinued their policy of neutrality in WWII and declared war on Japan. -
NSC-68 is Issued to President Truman
The NSC-68 was a secret policy statement proposed by the National Security Council that called for an ongoing military commitment to contain Soviet Communism. It was accepted by Truman after the North Korean invasion of South Korea. -
Sputnik Blasts into Space!
The Soviet Union surprised the world by launching the first satellite to orbit the earth. The United States feared that the Soviet Union were ahead in both space exploration and military missiles. This resulted in forcing the Eisenhower administration to increase defense spending and accelerate America's space program. -
The Berlin Wall was Constructed
In an effort to stop refugees from leaving East Berlin, the communist government of East Germany began building the Berlin Wall to divide East and West Berlin. The quality of life in the West was much better than in the East after 1948. West Germany received financial help through the Marshall plan from the US, while East Germany had suffered under a communist system after the control of the Soviet Union had been established. -
The Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was an incident where Soviet missiles were placed in Cuba as a response to help after the Bay of Pigs. The event greatly increased tensions between the Soviets and the Americans. As a result, a hotline was established between the two nations to avoid any miscommunication or any accidents. -
The Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 illegalized segregation in public areas. It also created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to prevent racial, religious, and sex discrimination by employers. -
The Golf of Tonkin Resolution
This is what the government legislation passed after the attack on the U.S. destroyer in the Gulf of Tonkin. The resolution granted the president the use of whatever force needed to help any member of SEATO without an official declaration of war. -
Roe v. Wade
The Roe v. Wade legalized abortion. With a ruling of 7-2, court justices ruled that governments lacked the power to ban abortions due to the 14th Amendment. -
The Strategic Defense Initiative, Nicknamed "Star Wars," Was Announced
The Strategic Defense Intiative, or Star Wars, was a program under the Reagan adminstration. The purpose of the program was to develop a missile system in order to prevent missile attacks from other countries, specifically the Soviet Union during the Cold War. -
The World Wide Web Went Public
Tim Berners-Lee, a British scientist, invented the World Wide Web (WWW). At first, there was no fanfare in the global press. In fact, most people around the world didn’t even know what the Internet was. The web was originally developed to meet the demand for automatic information-sharing between scientists in universities and institutes around the world. -
The Soviet Union Collapsed
The Soviet Union collapsed due to the Soviet's economy. The increase in Military defense spending by Reagan forced the Soviets to spend more on their own defense. This came at a bad time economically for the Soviets, which caused growing protests against repression. With the disappointment of Mikhail Gorbachev growing fonder of the dissolution of his nation, he resigned his post as president of the Soviet Union; and the Cold War officially ended! -
President Bill Clinton Signed NAFTA
NAFTA is a trade agreement between Canada, Mexico, and the US without the use of tariffs and other fees. The agreement promoted free trade, gave the government a bigger role in regulating the economy, and connected countries in North America. -
Oklahoma City Bombing
The bombing was initiated by anti-government, militant Timothy McVeigh. The massive truck bomb killed 168 men, women, and children. The attack was the worst act of national domestic terrorism in United States History. -
September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks
During the 9/11 attack, 19 militant Islamist men hijacked and crashed four commercial aircraft into the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon just outside Washington D.C. Nearly 3000 people were killed in the worst case of domestic terrorism in American history! -
Barack Obama was Elected President
Obama's 2008 election was historic due to the high voter turn out of both the youth and the minority groups. Also, Barrack Obama was the first African American to be elected as president in the US.
