-
1492
Christopher Columbus's voyage
An Italian explorer, who while sailing for Asia, accidentally discovered the New World. He landed in the present-day Bahamas. His discovery popularized the colonization of the new world in Europe. He would make more journeys across the Atlantic. -
1492
Columbian Exchange
System of trade of raw material between the Americas, Europe, and Africa that followed Columbus's "discovery" of the New World. People, animals, plants, and disease passed from continent to continent. This trade of new raw materials affected the economy and culture of Europe and the New World. -
1494
Treaty of Tordesillas
Issued by Spain and Portugal, dividing the New World. Spain received most territory in the Americas, and Portugal with titles to lands in Africa and Asia. -
1512
Encomienda system established
Conquistadors and other leaders received grants of Indians. The encomenderos were supposed to protect and Christianize the Indians given to them, but they were most often used the system to enslave the Indians and take their lands. -
1525
Development of Slavery/ Rise of Atlantic Slave Trade
Initially tobacco farmers relied on indentured servants, but as indentured servants fulfilled their labor obligations many looked to the importation of African slaves. -
1565
St Augustine Established
First permanent Spanish settlement in the Americas, established 1565 in modern day Florida. -
Jamestown Is Established
Jamestown was the first Permanent and succsesful English Colony. The colony faced many difficulties such s lack of leadership and a lack of finding of gold led to starvation. -
House of Burgesses
The Virginia Company created a legislature. It was the very first form of self government in the Americas. Men were allowed to become members if they owned property or were appointed by Virginia company. -
The Half-Way Covenant
Puritans established the Half-Way Covenant, an agreement extending partial church membership to church members’ children who had not yet experienced conversion. It gave more people a say in politics. -
King Philip’s War
The Wampanoag leader called “Philip” by the English, led a war/revolt against New England settlers who wanted to control the native population to colonial control. -
The Pueblo Revolt
It was the destruction of Pueblo religious/artifacts in attempts to force Catholicism, that led to an uprising in Santa fe. The Pueblo people got together and fought off the Spanish colonist, who were then forced to abandon capitol at Santa fe. -
Salem witch trails
In 1692 multiple accusations of witchcraft led to prosecution in Salem, Massachusetts. Soon eighteen men and women were found guilty and hanged. The extent of the 1692 incident is infamous, but accusations of witchcraft were not uncommon often to explain things many people hadn't quite understood yet. -
The Middle Passage
This was the voyage across the Atlantic on slave ships, four-fifths of the people brought to the New World between 1492 and 1820 were from Africa and enslaved. Many died from disease or malnourishment on the trip to the New World. -
The Great Awakening
The religious revival now known as the Great Awakening was led by Jonathan Edwards, whose sermons emphasized human depravity, divine omnipotence, and a personal relationship with God. It helped lay the ground work for the American Revolution. -
French and Indian War
The impearl fight against the British and French powers. Many Natives sided with the French because they often did trade with each other. -
Treaty of Paris
British forces ended up victories in the French and Indian War. This treaty formally ended fighting and had French loose most claims to Northern lands. The War put Brian in massive debt. -
Stamp Act
This stamp act was passed on to paper goods and infuriated the colonies. Colonist demanded representation , but parliament said the colonist and virtual representations. -
Boston Massacre
Colonist were marching in the streets of Boston frustrated by the Quartering acts .These protesters were shot at by British soldiers and a total of 5 civilians die. -
First shots at Lexington and Concord
The famous shot heard around the world happened and threw the young United states into a revolutionary war led by George Washington. -
Declaration of Independance
The Declaration of independence was written in Philadelphia written by the committee of five. The purpose of the document was to sever its ties of the colonies with Great Britain, and listed a series of grievances. -
Treaty of Paris 1783
This treaty formally ended the American revolution and as a result the United States gained their Independence and the task of creating a new government and a discussion of gaining more land. -
Marbury vs. Madison
Federalist clung to power during Jefferson's administration, mostly in the judicial system. Jefferson ordered Madison to block the delivery of the appointments . When one of the appointments that was not delivered Marbury sued. It ruled the Judicial act Unconstitutional. -
Louisiana Purchase
Jefferson sent in people to negotiate for a strip of land to purchase. Napoleon offered all of the territory to receive funds to conquer Europe. -
War of 1812
The United States declared war against Britain in 1812 over impressment of American seamen. During this time America has yet to be taken seriously and threatening. -
Tariff of 1816
The Tariff of 1816 placed a high tax on foreign goods to protect American industry after the War of 1812. This act helped and encouraged Americans and American businesses. -
The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise prohibited slavery north of latitude 36°30' N. except in Missouri, which was admitted to the Union as a slave state while Maine (until then part of Massachusetts) was admitted as a free state. -
Election of 1824
This election had four candidates, but the election was close that the House of Representatives had to declare the winner. -
Indian Removal act of 1830
President Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act, which forced Indians to relocate and promised financial compensation to Indian tribes that agreed. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
A compromise in 1854 that revoked the Missouri Compromise and left it to voters in Kansas and Nebraska to determine whether they would be slave or free states. This proved a failure when sectional tensions rised over the question of slavery in Kansas. It was very controversial. -
Dred Scott Decision
Supreme Court decision that stated : Blacks were not citizens and could not sue i; Because a slave is their master's property, they can be taken into any territory and held there in slavery; Congress had no power to ban slavery from the territories -
Election of 1860
Lincoln represented the Republicans. Lincoln was not on the ballot in most southern states. It was primarily a north v. south election. Lincoln received the most popular votes and won the election with the electoral vote. -
Fort Sumter
A military base in South Carolina, guarding Charleston Harbor. Its capture by Confederate forces, was the first action of the Civil War. -
Secession in the South
Secession in the South was the winter of 1860-1861, when 7 southern states, South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas, seceded in rapid succession. Due to the Outcome of the 1860 election. -
Emancipation Proclamation
After wining the battle of Antietam Lincoln announces, all slaves in the rebelling states would be free. This announcement, threaten its property, heighten its dread, hurt its morale. -
Reconstruction Act
This divided the Confederate states into five military districts. This military occupation would last until the states created new constitutions that included black suffrage, the permanent disfranchisement of Confederate leaders, and ratification of the 14th Amendment. -
American Federation of Labor 1886
Founded by Samuel Gompers fought for sought better pay, hours,and working conditions. This as organized due to the unfair treatment of factory workers. -
Interstate Commerce Act 1887
Established the Interstate Commerce Commission it monitors the business operation of carriers and created to regulate railroad prices for poor farmers who don't have advantages. -
Gospel of Wealth
A book written by Carnegie that described the responsibility of the rich to be philanthropists. This promoted the idea of philanthropy. -
National American Women Suffrage Association
a group formed by leading suffragist in the late 1800s to organize the women's suffrage movement. Led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton. -
Sherman Anti-Trust Act 1890
Federal action against monopolies, it was signed into law by Harrison and was extensively used by Theodore Roosevelt for trust-busting. -
Populists
Group that called for nationalizing the railroads, telephones, and telegraph, and free and unlimited coinage of silver. Many in this party were poor or unhealthy farmers. -
Plessy vs. Ferguson
A case that was brought to supreme court to challenge segregation. The court ruled that segregation was legal as long as it was "equal". -
Pure Food and Drug Act
Forbade the manufacture or sale of mislabeled or spoiled food or drugs, it gave the government power to ensure the safety and of drugs. Still in existence as the FDA. -
World War I
World War I began in 1914, after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and lasted until 1918. -
18th Amendment
prohibited the distribution sale of alcohol. -
19th Amendment
Amendment to the US. Constitution extended the right to vote to women in federal or state elections. -
Black Tuesday
A name given to October 29, 1929, when stock prices fell sharply. Led to the Great Depression. -
First New Deal
The "three Rs" Relief for the people out of work, Recovery for business and the economy as a whole, and Reform of American economic institutions to help aid people by the great depression. -
Truman Doctrine
policy of providing economic and military aid to any country threatened by communism. -
Interstate Highway Act
plan to build 41,000 mi of highway, met the need of suburban growth and was a means to transport missiles -
Affirmative Action
A policy designed to stop discrimination against women and minority groups, and to improve their economic and educational opportunities -
Cuban Missile Crisis
A confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union over placement of nuclear-armed missiles in Cuba. The Soviet Union made deal with the US that missiles would be removed from Turkey and that the U.S. would not invade Cuba. -
Civil Rights Act
This act made racial, religious, and sex discrimination by employers illegal and gave the government the power to enforce all laws governing civil rights, including desegregation of schools and public places. -
Voting Rights Act
Designed to help end formal and informal barriers to African American suffrage. After this law, hundreds of thousands of African Americans were registered and the number of African American elected officials increased dramatically. -
Watergate scandal
A Republican engineered break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington D.C., that eventually forced Nixon to resign in 1974 -
Afghanistan
The war was a nine-year war during the Cold War involving the Soviet Union against the Afghan guerrilla movement. They received unofficial military and/or financial support from a variety of countries including the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, and Israel. -
Immigration Act of 1990
Abolished the quotas for the admission each year immigrants from the Eastern Hemisphere and Western Hemisphere -
Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START)
Agreement between the United States and Russia to cut their long-range nuclear arsenals by half. -
Fall of the Soviet Union,
Soviet leader Gorbachev started to give more freedom to people which led to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 -
Persian Gulf War
Began when Saddam Hussein, invaded the oil-rich country of Kuwait. This threatened to disturb the world's oil supply. Some Responded with a trade embargo against Iraq, and eventually with military fore that made Iraq withdraw from Kuwait. -
Attacks of September 11, 2001
Terrorist attacks on the US World Trade Centers and the Pentagon. Sends US to declare a war on terror. -
Department of Homeland Security
US federal agency created in 2002 to coordinate national efforts against terrorism -
Iraq War
The USA went to war with Saddam Hussein because Hussein kicked out UN weapons inspectors, he was suspected of building weapons of mass destruction and he didn't obey the no-fly zones limitations
