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Period: Jan 1, 1491 to
American and National Identity
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Apr 23, 1492
Isabel and Ferdinand
The king and queen sucessfully conquered taking over Grenada, this was the last muslim controlled area in Iberia. They were the two people who finance Christopher Columbus's voyage to the new world. The significance of this event is Christopher Columbus was able to reach the Americas allowing for the creation of America. -
Aug 3, 1492
Christopher Columbus
Columbus went to the king and queen of Spain for financial help. They gave him three ships to get to the new world. When he got there it was disappointing becasue their was little to no gold , few new spices and no way to get to China and India. The significance of this event was Columbus was gaining new land for Spain and discovers the Americas. -
Apr 22, 1497
John Cabot
John Cabot went and explored North America with the financial help of Henry VII. He went to claim land for England.The land he claimed for England was land in parts of Canada. The significance of this event was England was starting to explore into the Americas and later governs the 13 colonies. -
Nov 17, 1497
Henry VII
Henry VII was the king of England and gave John Cabot the money he needed to be able to go out and explore the new world. The significance of this event was that with the help of Henry VII , John Cabot was able to explore and gain land for England. -
Apr 23, 1534
Jacque Cartier
Cartier wanted to find a way passage to the indies. He took voyages during 1534, 1535, and 1541. He found his was to the Saint Lawrence River. He helped to make claims for France. The significance was he claimed land for France and moved deeper into the Americas. Now their is a third country that will influence the development of America. -
James town founded
Jamestown was founded in Virginia. Colonist built the town and named it Jamestown in the Kings honor. This event is significant because it was the first permanent English colony in the America. The brought their culture and way of governing. -
The Plymouth and Massachusetts colony
A group of pilgrims aboard the Mayflower came to the new world for religious freedom and not wealth. A civil war in England made more people want to come to the new world therefore growing the population in the Massachusetts Bay colony. They were lead by John Winthrop and they were know as the Puritans. The significance of this event was they were people were searching for religious freedom national identity. -
Bacon's rebellion
Bacon's rebellion showed the clashes between the wealthy farmers and poorer farmers. The significance of this event was that it was an early rebellious army of a lower class standing up for their rights. -
William Penn
William Penn supervised the captail of Philadelphia. He drafted a document called the Frame of Government giving gurarantees of religious freedom, civil liberties, and elected representation. The significance of this event was that it was the beginnings of how our government is run today and is part of our national identity. -
James II
James II wanted to get more royal control over the colonies. When the colonies were controlled by his brother (Charles II) the colonies gained alot of freedom and had grown very powerful and independent. The Glorious Revolution caused the colonies to begin a series of rebellions against James II. The significance of this event was it was the beginning of the American colonies rebelling against England and wanted their own national identity. -
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War started when the French built a chain of forts in the Ohio River Valley. The French colonies built this chain to try and stop the westward growth of the British colonies. The significance of this event was British Empire became dominant in America. The French believed this to be their region and had been assimilating with the native americans.
and resources. -
Stamp Act
The stamp act was an act that the British Parliament put on the American colonies in order to raise money to support the British Millitary. The Significance was it rose to the formation of the Sons and Daughters of Liberties and the colonist boycotting British goods. The Sons and Daughters of Liberties were showing patriotism. -
Declaration of Independence
This document said that the 13 American colonies were now free from Great Britiains rule, Jefferson listed grievances against King George III. This event is significant because it officially said the 13 colonies wanted to be free from Great Britian and wanted to start a new nation. -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was the first "consitution" that was made for America. The Articles of Confederation were infavor of a weak central government. The significance of this event was that it later leads to the consistution of the United States and allows for the different regions to join together. -
Constitution
The constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation The consititution was more infavor of a stronger central government. The significance of this event was that it established the government that we have today. -
Reform Movements
A reform movement is when a group of people come together to change a part of society. One reform Movement was the education reform movement it wanted to create public schools for children of all classes. The significance of this event was that businesses and other leaders began to see that the American society would depend more on an educated population this would also help the lower classes. -
Market Revolution
Goods were being produced by machinery and not by people. The government was expanding because companies were able to produce more in a shorter amount of time. The significance was that it lead to more investments and expanded the economy. -
Henry Clay's American System
Henry Clay was a leader in the House of Representatives and he came up with a plan to advance the nation's economic growth. The American system was used to improve banking. The significance of this event was it lead to more economic growth in America and it also expanded transportation. -
The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri compromise was when Missouri would enter as a slave state but if this happened it would tip the political balance of having 11 slave and 11 free states. This event was significant because it caused Maine to enter as a free state to keep the political balance. This did not solve the problem of slavery and racial identity. -
Manifest Destiny
It said that it was Americas god given right to expand and go west and it also said America should use it democracy to help more "backwards "people, lower classes. This event is significant because pacific trade was going to increase if America was able to get and keep the harbors. People are expanding into new regions. -
Mexican American War
The United States annexation of Texas is what lead to the trouble with Mexico. Mexico claimed it was unwilling to sell California so the United States took Texas. General Taylor moved his army to the Rio Grande but when U.S. troops got there Mexico shot and killed 11 of them. The signifance of this event was it added 30,000 square miles to the United States and allowed the railroads to expand. The United States believed these regions to belong to them. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was a debate over if slavery should be able to expand to the new territories. California entered as a free state. The significance was that the issue of slavery was not settled and it eventually led to the Civil War. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas- Nebraska Act was when Stephen A. Douglas annouced a bill that was to split Nebraska into two parts and then have each part decide if they wanted to have slavery or not. The significance of this event was that it later lead to "bleeding Kansas". -
Dred Scott Supreme Court Case
Dred Scott a black man lost the court case because slaves were seen as property and Congress could not exclude slavery from any federal territory. The significance of this event was that the supreme court ruled that the westerm territories would be open to slavery. -
Election of 1860
The election of 1860 was when Abraham Lincoln took office for the first time. He won all of the 18 free states. This event was significant because he was the first republican president. The country is still divided over the issue of slavery. -
Reconstruction
Reconstruction was a time that was post civil war. This was when America started to help the 4 million slaves that were now free. This is important because America started to rebuild the south. -
Knights of Labor
The Knights of Labor was the second national labor union. It was a secret society but them opened up to everyone. It had over 730,000 workers but it was very loosely controled and started to decline. The significance of this event was that it was an attempt to organize workers for fair working conditions and better pay and more unions that would benefit the working classes. -
Glided Age
The term Glided Age was first used by Mark Twain for the title of his book. Almost all the major museums and art galleries were funded during this time because the wealthy were infavor of the arts. The significance of the event was the wealthy contrubited back to society. Arts were important to woman as well. -
Progressive Era
The progressive Era was a reform movement to improve the poor urban conditions. Progressives wanted to change policy rather than political structure. The significance was that it started to improve the conditions of the poor in urban regions of the country. -
Plessy V. Ferguson
This is a United States Supreme Court decision that established "separate but equal". This event was significant because it still was a discriminatory act toward African Americans even though it was believed it was going to help them equal access to education. -
Spanish- American War
The Spanish-American War was a conflict between Spain and the United States. The fighting began after a U.S. ship was sunk. The significance of this event was that it led to alot of Cubans not liking Americans and Americans ideas about nationalism. -
Great Migration
This was the movements of African- Americans from the south to more urban areas for better work and over all better oportunites for themselves.. The significance of this event was African Americans were able to get better jobs. -
World War 1
World War 1 was a war that began in Europe. The United States tried not to get invloved but they ended up getting invloved after the sinking of the lusitania. The significance of this event was that it was it lead to the desire to begin the league of nations. Americans serve in World War 1 because of feelings of patriotism. -
Red Scare
The Red Scare was a term that was used to describe communism. People feared that communism was going to enter the United States.They also feared that there was communist working in the government. The significance of this event was that it was the first scare the United States had with communism evoked strong feelings of nationalism. -
Harlem Reniassance
The Harlem Reniassance was a cultural , social, and artistic eruption in Harlem, New York. The significance of this event was that for the first time in U.S. history African Americans were linked to something that was not slavery. -
Cold War
The Cold War was a time of political and military unrest between the United States and the Soviet Union. This is significant because it was the first war that was not actually a war and it led to the arms races and nuclear fears. -
Containment
Containment is a millitary strategy to stop communism from spreading. It is best known as a Cold War policy. This is significant because it helped to keep the Russians from expanding their policy of communism to protect America. -
Great Society
The Great Society is a set of programs in the United States that was put into power by Lydon B. Johnson. It was put into power to help reduce poverty in America. This is significant because it did help reduce the amount of people living in poverty and the working class. -
Vietnam War
The purpose of this war was to help stop South Vietnam from becoming communist. This event is significant because it was the first American war ever lost and it also led to war protest. -
Counter Culture
A counter culture is a culture whose values and behavior differ from the social norms. It was expressed with drug use, communal living, and dress. The significance of this event was that it had an impact on the sexual revolution and the womens movement. -
Technology boom
The technolnogy boom introduced e-commerce as an American way of life. It introduced the internet and e-mail into peoples homes and also increased productivity in the United States. House hold incomes rose. The significance of this event was that Apple , Yahoo, and Google influnced many parts of American life. All different groups of people have access to many different kinds of information. -
Persian Gulf War
Saddan Hussein invaded Kuwait threating western oil sources. President Bush created a coalition of UN members to pressure his withdrawl in a millitary invasion that lasted 100 hours and involved 28 other nations, Iraq gave up. The significance of this event was it gave Bush better ratings as presidents and 28 nations were invloved and we are still invloved in the middle east. Americans were able to see a different culture and what was happening in different parts of the world. -
NAFTA
The North American Free Trade Agreement is an agreement that allowed for free trade with Canada and Mexico. The goal was to improve productivity and living standards. The significance of this event was that it expanded the markets of the 3 countries who were invloved. (Canada, Mexico, and the United States). It exposes the different coutries to other countries products. -
Twin Towers
The Twin Towers falling was a terrorist attack on U.S. soil. A plane was over taken by hijackers and hit the Twin Towers. This event is significant because homeland security was created and it also helped to create the patriot act of 2001 which gave more power to the U.S. government to get information. Americans had a strong sense of national identify and a desire to end terrorism. -
Iraq War
The Iraq war began with the 2003 invasion of Iraq by a U.S. led coalition. America also had the support of other allies. This is significant because there was a belief that they held weapons of mass destruction and the United States is still involved in Iraq today. Americans were feeling a strong sense of patriotism since 9/11.
