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Jamestown Settlement
The Jamestown Settlement was when an English expansion was taken charge by the merchants. The Virginia Company of London was granted all of the lands from present day North Carolina to southern New York. Virginia was named Virginia in honor of Elizabeth I. She was never married and a "Virgin Queen." This English expansion was known as a joint stock corporation. -
The Indian War of 1622
This was a war that started from an influx of migrants that sparked a war over neighboring Indians. It really began when there was an assault led by Opechancanough. He attacked some of the first English invaders. Opechancanough struck again when he planned a surprise attack and killed 347 English settlers. He killed about 1/3 of the English population. Opechancanough was a really bad person. -
Puritan Exodus
It started with the departure of 900 migrants. It was led by John Winthrop. He was the first governor of Massachusetts. Winthrop wanted land for his children and a place with Christian history for the people. He governed the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Massachusetts Bay company was a joint-stock corporation. "The Puritans limited the right to vote and hold office to men who were church members." Puritans believed that God only saved a few chosen people. -
Invention of the Steam Engine
This invention played a big roles in the Industrial Revolution.This machine uses energy from steam to do mechanical work. Thomas Newcomen created it in 1712 as an atmospheric steam engine. It was used mainly for pumping the water out of mines.This was the foundation for bigger works later to come. -
The Stono Rebellion
"This was the largest slave uprising in the mainland colonies." It also shows the impossibility of success. The revolt was sort of started by the Catholic governor of Spanish Florida by promising freedom to fugitive slaves. 75 Africans made a revolt and killed a lot of whites by the Stono River due to the war between England and Spain. The Stono Rebels stumbled across a well-armed Militia. -
The Presbyterian Revival
Dominance of both the Anglican Church and the planter Elite were challenged by the Democratic religious movements. Samuel Morris led a group of Virginia Anglicans out of their congregation in 1743. He was inspired by George Whitefield's sermons. He invited Samuel Davies who was a New Light Presbyterian to lead their prayer meetings. Davies's sermons sparked Presbyterian revivals across the Tidewater region. -
Invention of the Lightening Rod
Benjamin Franklin was the person who created the Lightening rod. It was a metal rod on the top of some buildings and it connected to the ground by conductive wire. When lightning strikes the rod attracts the electric because it is high and conductive. It helped reduce damage from lightning. This helped lay a foundation for modern electrical engineering. -
The Sugar Act
The French molasses duties were raised and there were penalties for smuggling. These were made by British lawmakers. This act also made it legal for trade with foreign molasses to happen. This policy didn't receive much support from America. American, John Hancock made tons of money smuggling French molasses. -
The Stamp Act Congress
Nine assemblies sent delegates to the Stamp Act Congress that was held in New York City. They protested for the loss of American rights and liberties. Both the Stamp and Sugar Acts were Constitutionality challenged because only the Colonists' elected representatives could tax them. "Moderate-minded delegates wanted compromise, not confrontation." A boycott of British goods was organized by influential Americans. -
Tea Act of 1773
This was a British Act that lowered the existing tax on tear. It also granted exemptions to the East India Company. This made their tea cheaper in the colonies and entice boycotting Americans to buy it. It provided a royally chartered private corporation that served as an instrument of British Imperialism. -
The Battle of Long Island
This was the first major engagement of the new Continental army against the large British troops. The British troops were led by William Howe who had 32,000 troops. The people in these troops were British regulars and German mercenaries. Washington's army was defeated and then they retreated to Manhattan Island. Washington's army was just outgunned and outmaneuvered. -
Declaration of Independence
This was a document adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. This was a document that had philosophical principles and a list of grievances that declared separation from Britain. It ended a period of intense debate with moderates still hoping to reconcile with Britain. The main writer of this document was Thomas Jefferson. He mobilized resistance of the Coercive Acts with the Pamphlet A Summary View of the Rights of British America. -
Battle of Saratoga
This Battle was a turning point in the Revolutionary War. The Patriots took hostage of over 5,000 British troops. This allowed the diplomatic success of American representatives in Paris. The American representatives won a military alliance with Florida. British general John Burgoyne was the person who surrendered which ended the multistage battle. -
Battle of Yorktown
This was when the British army was trapped by the French and American troops. The British army was trapped by General Charles Cornwallis in Yorktown, Virginia. "The Franco-American victory broke the resolve of the British government and led to peace negotiations." The peace negotiations ultimately led to the Treaty of Paris. The British win ended major fighting in the Revolutionary war. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty ended the Revolutionary War. Great Britain formally identified American independence and relinquished its claims to lands south of the Great Lakes and east of the Mississippi River. It was signed on September 3, 1783. Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and John Adams were all the negotiators who played big roles in this Treaty. The treaty insured the U.S. as a sovereign nation. -
Northwest Ordinance
This created territories that would later be known as Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. This also prohibited slavery and set aside the funds from land sales for help with schools. Also Congress made governors and judges to administrate each new territory until their population reached 5,000 adult men. Then the citizens could elect a territorial legislature. Once they got over 60,000 they could apply to join the Confederation. -
Cotton Gin
This was created by Eli Whitney. It was made to make it easier to separate cotton fibers from the seeds. It allowed more cotton to be produced so it also had excellent economic impacts. Cotton was a dominant cash crop in the South. With the Cotton Gin being created, slaves weren't needed as much for the picking part but rather the harvesting part. -
Whiskey Rebellion
This is when a bunch of western Pennsylvania farmers uprose because of the excise tax on Whiskey. "This tax had cut demand for the corn whiskey the farmers distilled and bartered for eastern manufactures." This all happened as part of Alexander Hamilton's plan to make national debt lower from the Revolutionary war. Many farmers refused to pay the tax. The Rebellion also turned violent. -
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the purchase of French territory west of the Mississippi River that went from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada.This just about doubled the size of the United States.This made Thomas Jefferson who was the president to exercise powers not explicitly granted to him by the Constitution. The territory of Louisiana was offered by the French ruler for $15 million. Livingston claimed "this was the noblest work of our lives." -
Embargo Act of 1807
This was an act of Congress that didn't allow U.S. ships to travel to foreign ports in an attempt to deter Britain and France from stopping U.S. ships at sea. This caused many American's hardships that were apart of oversea commerce. The embargo weakened the economy and it went down 5%. Most of the economy damage happened in New England where more of the ports were. This was a leading event to the War of 1812. -
German Coast uprising
This was the largest slave revolt in the nineteenth-century in North America. It happened on Louisiana Sugar Plantations and over two hundred enslaved people were involved. "About ninety-five slaves were killed in the fighting or executed as a result of their involvement." It happened on January 8, 1811. -
African Methodist Episcopal Church
This was a church founded by African Americans who weren't treated fairly by White Protestants. These churches spread from the Northeast to the Mid-West. Some leaders of these churches founded congregations in the slave states of Missouri, Kentucky, Louisiana, and South Carolina. -
McCulloch v. Maryland
This was a case in the Supreme Court that denied the right of states to tax the Second Bank of the United States. This asserted the dominance of national over state statutes. This all happened under Chief Justice John Marshall. Marshall was in favor for the Federal Government. The states didn't have the authority to tax the Federal Government. The Second Bank was considered "Necessary and proper" and it was Constitutional. -
Dartmouth College v. Woodward
"This case stressed the binding nature of public charters and the sanctity or vested rights." It held that the college would stay a private institution and not become a state university. This was important because it promoted the thought that private corporations have similar rights to individuals under the law. It helped to provide more power for the private enterprise and limited state power over businesses. -
Monroe Doctrine
This was a declaration from President James Monroe that no further colonization or interference by European powers could happen in the Western Hemisphere. Monroe didn't want the U.S. to be apart of the European struggles. Also the U.S. wouldn't interfere with any wars of European nations. "Monroe warned Spain and other European powers to keep their hands off the newly independent republics in Latin America." -
The Presidential Election of 1824
There were five Republican candidates who were campaigning for this presidency. They were John Quincy Adams, John C. Calhoun, William H. Crawford, Henry Clay, and Andrew Jackson. John Quincy Adams beat Andrew Jackson with more electoral votes, so therefore Adams won. Andrew Jackson had more popular votes but he didn't win. Adams endorsed Clay's American system. -
Indian Removal Act of 1830
Eastern Native Americans were forced to relocate to territory west of the Mississippi. Jackson told everyone that it was to save the Indians and their culture. The Indians didn't like this controversial act. The Indians new territory was on the Louisiana Purchase lands. -
American Anti-Slavery Society
This was the first interracial social justice movement in the United States. This advocated an immediate and unconditional end to slavery. This all happened without compensation to slave masters. This won financial support from New York merchants and editors. -
McCormick's Reaper
This was invented by Cyrus McCormick in 1834. This made it easier to harvest all sorts of crops. The process of harvesting crops now only took about 2 people compared to 7+ people. Farmers now didn't have to worry about crops going to waste because they couldn't harvest all of it. -
Panic of 1837
There was a cash shortage when the collapse of credit happened and it led to a depression. This was the second major economic crisis in the United States. This all started when the Bank of England tried to make the British economy sharply curtail the flows of money and credit to the United States. "The British manufacturers intended credit to southern planters to expand cotton production." -
The Log Cabin Campaign
This is when the Whigs nominated William Henry Harrison for president and John Tyler for vice president. The Whigs saw Harrison as really successful. Harrison won over Van Buren and became the 9th president of the United States. The Log Cabin Campaign was a turning point in transforming political campaigns to really popular and organized movements. -
Wilmont Proviso
It was a proposal by Representative David Wilmont. He was from Pennsylvania. He wanted to ban slavery in territory acquired from the U.S.-Mexico War. Whigs and antislavery Democrats in the House of Representatives passed the bill quickly. -
Seneca Falls Convention
This was the first women's rights convention in the United States. It was held in Seneca Falls, New York. "It resulted in a manifesto extending to women the egalitarian republican ideology of the Declaration of Independence." Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott organized it. -
Compromise of 1850
This was meant to resolve the status of slavery in territories that became U.S. territory in the U.S. Mexico war. California became a free state and a new Fugitive Salve Act. Also it resolved a boundary dispute between New Mexico and Texas in favor of New Mexico. This invoked popular sovereignty. "The Compromise organized the rest of the conquered Mexican lands into the territories of New Mexico and Utah. -
Foreign Miner's Tax
This was adopted in California Territory and was a discriminating tax. It forced the Chinese and Latin American immigrant Miner's to pay high taxes for the right to prospect for gold. This tax drove the Miner's out of the gold fields effectively. About as many people coming into California is how many people was leaving. -
Treaty of Kanagawa
This was when Japan allowed American ships to refuel at two Japanese ports. At the time Matthew Perry was in charge of the United States military force. Also the U.S. consul took up residence in Japans capital, Edo. "The Pierce administration rejected Perry's bid to annex more Pacific territories, including Formosa." -
The Dred Scott Case
This is when the United States Supreme Court said that enslaved people were not citizens of the United States. With this they couldn't get any protection from the federal government. The Missouri Compromise was called unconstitutional. The opinion also said Congress had no authority to ban slavery from a Federal territory. Dred Scott really just wanted to be granted freedom. -
The Election of 1860
The Southern Democrats figured out that they could no longer count on their northern allies. The northern Democrats rejected Jefferson Davis's proposal to protect slavery in the territories at the party's convention in April 1860. Northern and Midwestern delegates nominated Stephen Douglas for president at the second Democratic Convention. Southern Democrats nominated John C. Breckenridge for vice president. -
Homestead Act
This act gave 160 acres of free western land to any applicant who occupied and improved the property. This led to a bunch of new development of the American West after the Civil War. Many homesteaders were unable to live on their land due to bad/awful conditions. The people who claimed the land needed to cultivate it to be able to live on it. -
twenty-Negro rule
This was adopted by the Confederate Congress. "It exempted one man from military conscription for every twenty slaves owned by a family." It showed how slave labor could be a military disadvantage. It exacerbated class resentments among nonslaveholding white who had to serve in the army. -
Emancipation Proclamation
This was made by Abraham Lincoln and it legally abolished slavery in all states and remained out of the union. At first it didn't free a single slave immediately, but it did signal an end to the institution of slavery. Wendell Phillips believed that Lincoln's proclamation of slavery was moved to the edge of Niagara. It was issued on January 1. -
Sand Creek massacre
John M. Chivington's army killed over a hundred women and children. Cheyenne's army was out hunting and that is when Chivington's army attacked. They also burned white settlements along the South Patte River. It happened in Colorado Territory also known as Kiowa County. -
Type Writer
The first American typewriter was created by Christopher Latham Sholes. It was known to print letters on paper using an inked ribbon. It only typed uppercase. The only problems this had was how expensive and big it was. Also the keys would often get jammed. It helped get documentations typed quicker and correctly. -
1st Transcontinental Railroad
Leland Stanford got his last spike and that marked the completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad. It was originally called the Pacific Railroad, then a little later known as the Overland Route. This connected the east and west regions of the United States. The construction of it began after the Pacific Railway Act was signed. -
Fifteenth Amendment
This Amendment forbade states to deny citizens the right to vote based on their race, color, or previous condition of servitude. This was supposed to help rebuild and reform the South following the Civil War. This was a major milestone for many African American futures. -
Yellowstone National Park
It was established by Congress. It was the first national park in the United States. The Northern Pacific Railroad helped people get to the park. Pullman cars took people to the Yellowstone hotels. It is located in about 3 states; Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. -
Battle of Little Big Horn
It started when George Armstrong Custers American Calvary attacked an encampment of Sioux, Arapaho, and Cheyenne Indians. These people were resisting removal to a reservation. Custer's army was killed/destroyed.The Native American Military victory was short lived. -
Munn V. Illinois
This affirmed that states could regulate key businesses. These businesses were railroads and grain elevators. They were clothed in public interest. People feared that too many state and local regulations would impede business and fragment the national marketplace. -
Light Bulb
Thomas Edison worked on the light bulb through his company; the Edison Electric Light Company. He first tested the bulb with a carbonized bamboo filament and the bulb would last for about 14.5 hours. He then improved them so they could last up to 600 hours. The light bulb wasn't the only thing created, the first practical electric power distribution system was also created. -
Dawes Severalty Act
It gave the Native Americans Severalty by dividing reservations into homesteads. This law was a mess for Native American people. Native people lost about 66 percent of lands that they had held at the time of the laws. The intention of this was that the Indian tribes would break up.