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Period: 1491 to
Periods 1 and 2
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1492
Columbus' First Voyage
Columbus' First Voyage was majorly important in the founding of the colonies in North American by the British and in South America by the Spanish. -
House of Burgesses
With the first meeting of the House of Burgesses in 1619, the American general assembly was set up and established the foundation for bicameral institutions. -
Toleration Act
This act made it illegal to prevent any Christian from practicing his or her religion and imposed fines for those who broke the law. This set up the idea of freedom on religion. -
Trade and Navigation Acts
The Navigation Acts inflamed the hostilities of American colonists and proved a significant contributing event leading up to the revolution. -
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution permanently established Parliament as the ruling power of England representing a shift from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy. -
Salem Witch Trials
The Salem Witch Trials serve as a lesson from the government to the colonies. -
Great Awakening
The Great Awakening showed the deemphasize of higher authority and the greater importance of individual religious experiences was shown. -
End of Seven Years' War
This war led to many territorial changes in North America. This war also changed the American view of British power and control. -
Proclamation of 1763
This proclamation was issued by King George III after the end of the Seven Year's War. This proclamation was one of the first times when the colonies rebelled against the British Parlament. -
End of Salutary Neglect
The end of salutary neglect showed the change in the view of the American Colonists and started the ignition for the American Revolution. -
Period: to
Period 3
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Sugar or Revenue Act
This was the first tax on the American colonies imposed by the British Parliament. Its purpose was to raise revenue through the colonial customs service and to give customs agents more power. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was a way for the British Parlament to tax the colonist for the Seven Years' War. The British felt that they were entitled to tax the colonist to help their military efforts. The colonist did not feel the same way. -
Quartering Act
The Quartering Act displaced colonists from their homes and made the colonist feel a greater amount of resentment towards the British Military. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre worked as a way to unite the colonist against British forces. It started as a small battle and eventually turned into a turning point for the war. -
Boston Tea Party
This event helped to fuel the tension between Britain and America and worked as a catalyst for the revolution. -
Lexington and Concord
This battle signified the start of the fight for American freedom. -
Bunker Hill
This battle was important because it sent a message to both sides. The colonists began to believe they could fight against the British army and be successful against them. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence justified the rights of the colonist to revolt against the British government. It also stood as the symbol of our freedom. -
Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga became a turning point in the war and helped to solidify the American ideals in war. -
Battle of Yorktown
The significance of the conflict was that Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington as French and American forces trapped the British at Yorktown. The British surrender at the Battle of Yorktown ended the American Revolutionary War. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was signed by U.S. and British Representatives on September 3, 1783, ending the War of the American Revolution. Based on a1782 preliminary treaty, the agreement recognized U.S. independence and granted the U.S. significant western territory. -
Constitutional Convention
This event helped to establish how the newly formed America would be governed. -
Washington's Election
This election helped to establish the way presidents in years to come would be selected and how they would take office. -
XYZ Affair
This treaty helped to avert war between America, France, and Britain. -
Alien and Sedition Acts
These laws included new powers to deport foreigners as well as making it harder for new immigrants to vote. -
Jefferson's Election
Jefferson called his election "The Revolution of 1800" because it marked the first time that power in America passed from one party to another and helped to change the American people's views. -
Market Revolution
The Market Revolution was a drastic change in the manual-labor system originating in the South. Traditional commerce waschanged by improvements in transportation, communication, and industry. -
Period: to
Period 4 Part 1
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Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase gave the U.S. control of the Mississippi River and the port city of New Orleans, both of which were used by farmers to ship their crops and get paid. -
Marbury v. Madison
This even established the power of judicial review for the U.S. Supreme Court. -
War of 1812
The war of 1812 destroyed the Indians' ability to resist American expansion east of the Mississippi River. -
Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans stopped a British effort to gain control of a critical American port and elevated Major General Andrew Jackson to national fame. -
Panic of 1819
This was the first economic depression in US History. -
Sectionalism
Sectionalism helped to change the Southern way of social life and shaped Southern political tendencies. -
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was meant to create a balance between slave and non-slave states. -
Monroe Doctrine
This document warns European nations that the United States would not tolerate further colonization or puppet monarchs. -
Period: to
Period 4 Part 2
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Era of Good Feelings
The Era of Good Feelings marked a period in the political history of the United States that reflected a sense of national purpose and a desire for unity among Americans. -
Jackson's Election
This election marked the rise of Jacksonian Democracy and the transition from the First Party System to the Second Party System. -
Indian Removal Act
This law authorized the president to negotiate with southern Native American tribes for their removal to federal territory west of the Mississippi River in exchange for white settlement of their ancestral lands. -
Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny is the idea that the United States is destined by God to expand and spread democracy and capitalism across the entire North American continent. -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
Nat Turner destroyed the white Southern myth that slaves were actually happy with their lives or too weak to form a violent rebellion. -
Battle of the Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo was an important battle for Texans fighting for independence from Mexico. -
Period: to
Period 5
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Annexation of Texas
The annexation of Texas contributed to the coming of the Mexican-American War. -
Mexican-American War
The Mexican-American War helped to fulfill America's "manifest destiny" to expand its territory across the entire North American continent. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American War in favor of the United States and gave the US the land rights for Texas. -
Seneca Falls Convention
The purpose of the Seneca Falls Convention was "to discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of women.” Organized by women for women, many consider the Seneca Falls Convention to be the event that triggered and solidified the women's rights movement in America. -
Fugitive Slave Law
This law increased federal and free-state responsibility for the recovery of fugitive slaves. -
"Uncle Tom's Cabin"
"Uncle Tom's Cabin" helped to create the political climate for the election of 1860 and the candidacy of Abraham Lincoln. -
Bleeding Kansas
Bleeding Kansas ultimately lead to a disintegration of the Union itself. -
Dred Scott Case
This Supreme Court Case brought to the attention of the American people the tension surrounding the issue of slavery in the United States. -
John Brown's Raid
In an attempt to start an armed slave revolt and destroy the institution of slavery, John Brown's Raid became known as the Dress Rehearsal for the Civil War. -
Lincoln's Election
The election of Lincoln served as the primary catalyst of the American Civil War. -
Civil War
The Civil War was a major boost to American nationalism and drove out slavery once and for all. -
Battle of Bull Run
The First Battle of Bull Run, also known as the First Battle of Manassas, was the first major battle of the American Civil War and was a Confederate victory. -
Homestead Act
The Homestead Act of 1862 was one of the most significant and enduring events in the westward expansion of the United States. By granting 160 acres of free land to anyone who claimed it, this allowed nearly any man or woman a "fair chance." -
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg was a Union victory that stopped Confederate General Robert E. Lee's second invasion of the North. It was also the bloodiest battle of the Civil War with more than 50,000 causalities during the 3-day battle. -
Period: to
Period 6
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Reconstruction Acts
The Reconstruction Acts laid out the process for readmitting Southern states into the Union. It also established the way for the 14th and 15th amendments. -
Purchase of Alaska
The purchase of Alaska in 1867 marked the end of Russian efforts to expand trade and settlements to the Pacific coast of North America and became an important step in the United States' rise as a great power in the Asia-Pacific region. -
Fort Laramie Treaty
The Fort Laramie Treaty was the first step towards reservations and it set out territory for individual tribes and it undermined the Permanent Indian Frontier that had been established by Johnson in 1834 as it allowed whites to enter the Indian Territory. -
Battle of Little Big Horn
Battle of Little Big Horn marked the most decisive Native American victory and the worst U.S. Army defeat in the long Plains Indian War. -
Compromise of 1877
The Compromise of 1877 an unwritten deal, arranged among U.S. Congressmen, that settled the intensely disputed 1876 presidential election. It resulted in the United States federal government pulling the last troops out of the South, and formally ending the Reconstruction Era. -
Haymarket Square Riot
A significant effect of the Haymarket Riot was the rise of anti-union and anti-labor attitudes across the United States. -
Dawes Act
The Dawes Act to encourage Native American Indians into mainstream US society by getting rid of their cultural and social traditions. -
Interstate Commerce Act
The Interstate Commerce Act was designed to regulate the railroad industry, particularly its monopolistic practices. -
The Battle of Wounded Knee
The Battle of Wounded Knee marked the definitive end of Indian resistance to the attacks of white settlers. -
Sherman Antitrust Act
The Sherman Antitrust Act was created to protect the public from the failure of the market. -
Pullman Strike
The Pullman Strike caused disruption of rail traffic throughout the nation, riots and property damage in and around the city of Chicago, the arrest of strike leaders, and 30 deaths and was one of the first incidents of mass labor violations. -
"Cross of Gold" Speech
The "Cross of Gold" Speech advocated bimetallism and standardizing the value of the dollar to silver instead of gold. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Plessy v. Ferguson established the constitutionality of racial segregation. -
Annexation of Hawaii
The Annexation of Hawaii extended U.S. territory into the Pacific and highlighted resulted from economic integration and the rise of the United States as a Pacific power. -
Spanish American War
The Spanish American War effectively ended Spain's role as a colonial power in the New World -
Period: to
Period 7 Part 1
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Wright Brother's First Flight
The Wright Brothers not only solved a long-studied technical problem but also helped create an entirely new world in technology. -
Completion of the Panama Canal
The completion of the Panama Canal helped to ship goods quickly and cheaply between the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. -
U.S. Forest Service Founded
The U.S. Forest Service was given a unique mission: to sustain healthy, diverse, and productive forests and grasslands for present and future generations. -
Pure Food and Drug Act
The Pure Food and Drug Act's main purpose was to ban foreign and interstate traffic in mislabeled food and drug products, and it directed the U.S. Bureau of Chemistry to inspect products and refer offenders to prosecutors. -
The Jungle
The Jungle is a novel that revealed gruesome details about the meatpacking industry in Chicago and helped to establish the Pure Food and Drug Administration. -
Hepburn Act
The Hepburn Act is a federal law that gave the Interstate Commerce Commission the power to set maximum railroad rates and extended its jurisdiction. This led to the discontinuation of free passes to loyal shippers. -
16th Amendment
The Sixteenth Amendment (Amendment XVI) to the United States Constitution allows Congress to impose an income tax without rationing it among the states based on population. -
17th Amendment
The 17th Amendment established the election of United States senators by the people of the states. -
Federal Reserve Act
The Federal Reserve Act was made to create a degree of financial stability and regulate and supervise banks and to develop and implement fiscal policy. -
US enters WWI
The entry of the United States was the turning point of the war because it made the eventual defeat of Germany possible. -
Zimmerman Telegram
The Zimmerman Telegram asked the Mexican government to declare war on the United States and promised to help Mexico take back Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. This was one catalyst to get America involved in WW1. -
Espionage Act
The Espionage Act prohibited individuals from expressing or publishing opinions that would interfere with the U.S. military's efforts to defeat Germany and its allies. This went against the constitution and would later be overturned by the supreme court. -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was the most important of the peace treaties that brought World War I to an end. The Treaty ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. -
The Fourteen Points
This speech was given by President Wilson outlining his vision for ending World War I in a way that would prevent such a conflagration from occurring again. -
Sedition Act
This Sedition Act prohibited the public from speaking out against the government and was later removed because of violation of the 1st amendment. -
Period: to
Period 7 Part 2
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19th Amendment
The 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote, prohibiting any United States citizen to be denied the right to vote based on sex. -
Women's Suffrage
The woman's suffrage movement is important because it resulted in the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which finally allowed women the right to vote. -
Red Scare
The Red Scare led to change Church, home, marriage, civility, and the American Way of Life". -
Prohibition
Prohibition in the 1920s was made to reduce crime and corruption, solve social problems, reduce the tax burden created by prisons and poorhouses, and improve health and hygiene in America. -
Stock Market Crash
The Stock Market Crash was one of the reasons for the Great Depression and helped to accelerate the global economic collapse. -
Bonus Army
Bonus Army, gathering of World War I veterans who, with their wives and children, converged on Washington, D.C., in 1932, demanding immediate bonus payment for wartime services to alleviate the economic hardship of the Great Depression. -
National Industrial Recovery Act
National Industrial Recovery Act was a US labor law and consumer law passed by the US Congress to authorize the President to regulate industry for fair wages and prices that would stimulate economic recovery. -
21st Amendment
The 21st Amendment ended prohibition and repealed the 18th Amendment. -
Social Secutiry Act
The Social Security Act established a system of old-age benefits for workers, benefits for victims of industrial accidents, unemployment insurance, aid for dependent mothers and children, the blind, and the physically handicapped. -
WWII Starts in Europe
During World War II, the United States began to provide significant military supplies and other assistance to the Allies in September 1940, even though the United States did not enter the war until December 1941. -
Lend-Lease Act
The Lend-Lease Act stated that the U.S. government could lend or lease war supplies to any nation deemed “vital to the defense of the United States.” Under this policy, the United States was able to supply military aid to its foreign allies during World War II while still remaining officially neutral -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The Attack on Pearl Harbor reminded Americans of what they loved and what they most hold dear. It gave them a reason to fight for their lives and their freedoms. It reminded them that others give their all to give them what they have. -
D-Day
The invasion of northern France in 1944, known as D-Day, was the most significant victory of the Western Allies in the Second World War. -
Potsdam Conference
The Potsdam Conference was a conversation between Truman and Stalin, during which time the President informed the Soviet leader that the United States had successfully detonated the first atomic bomb on July 16, 1945. -
Atomic Bomb Dropped
The dropping of the atomic bomb, which occurred on August 6, 1945, in Hiroshima and August 9 in Nagasaki, were part of the U.S. effort to end World War II. The use of the atomic bomb resulted in the deaths of at least 192,000 people, the vast majority of whom were civilians.