-
Period: 1491 to
Period 1/2: 1491-1763
Native America, European Exploration, Colonization -
1492
The Columbian Exchange Begins
The Columbian exchange was a widespread transfer of crops, raw goods, and slaves between the Americas, Europe, and West Africa. -
1492
American Isolation Ends
Native Americans lived throughout North and South America. They created self-sufficient civilizations, only to be largely destroyed by European colonization. -
1500
Encomienda System Begins
The Spanish Crown grants land to Spaniards who in turn forcefully Christianized natives. -
Jamestown
Jamestown was the first successful English colony in the future US, settled in Virginia. -
Plymouth
Plymouth was the first settlement created in Massachusets by Separatists to create a religiously pure society. -
Atlantic Slave Trade Emerges in Full Force
British colonies began to find it harder and harder to sustain themselves with indentured servants, and natives began to become harder to enslave, therefore African slave trade routes were invested in. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Nathaniel Bacon gathered a group of impoverished white settlers and African Americans in order to rise up and forcefully take western land. This lead to Virginia passing stricter slave laws to prevent similar rebellions. -
Pueblo Revolt
Pueblos revolted based on religious oppression and held out Spainyards for over 10 years. -
Period: to
The Enlighenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated ideologies in the 18th century. The ideologies influenced many leaders of the American Revolution. -
The First Great Awakening
The First Great Awakening was a religious movement that swept through the colonies and championed individual piety and religious devotion. -
French and Indian War Begins
The French and Indian War began in the colonies when French settlers encroached on Land claimed by the British. -
Proclamation Line of 1763
The Proclamation Line of 1763 was a British induced geographic line that forbode westward travel, and was inspired by Pontiac's Rebellion. -
Period: to
Period 3: 1763-1800
American Revolution, the Confederal Era, and the Early Federal Period -
The Stamp Act / The Townshend Act
Britain imposed taxes on the colonies in order to refund the French and Indian War, which was protested heavily, and sparked the Stamp Act Congress, the Commities of Correspondance, and the First Continental Congress. -
The Tea Act
A tax on tea that was collected by the British and protested heavily by the colonists, most notably in the Boston Tea Party. -
The Intolerable Acts
Britain passed the Intolerable Acts as a punishment for the Tea Party. The Act backfired and instead increased colonial unity and retaliation towards Britain. -
Period: to
The Revolutionary War
The United States of America won the Revolutionary War in 1781 due to familiarity with the land, French aid, and military leadership. -
Publication of Common Sense
Common Sense is a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine which encouraged the colonies to fight for independence, and massively shifted the public opinion on the subject. -
The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson at the Second Continental Congress and explained why the 13 Colonies considered themselves independent from Brittain. -
Articles of Confederation
Due to a fear of centralized powers, the US created the Articles of Confederation issuing in a very weak and generally unsuccessful central government. -
Shays' Rebellion
Shays' Rebellion was an armed uprising in Massachusets in opposition to tax collections. It highlighted the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation. -
Northwest Land Ordinance
The Northwest Land Ordinance provided a process for admitting new states and banned slavery in the Northwest Territory. -
The Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia where the US Constitution was written. A bill of rights was added to appease Antifederalists. -
The Great Compromise
The Great Compromise was a compromise between large and small states about appropriate levels of representation. -
The Three-Fifths Compromise
The Three-Fifths Compromise was a compromise between Northern and Southern states decreeing that slaves constituted 3/5ths of a person in regards to representation. The compromise foreshadowed future conflict between the North and the South. -
Alien and Sedition Acts
The Alien and Sedition Acts were signed into law by President John Adams and gave the government new powers to deport immigrants as well as making it harder for new immigrants to vote. -
VA and KY Resolutions
The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions were written by James Madison and Thomas Jefferson and argued that states should be allowed to nullify national laws. -
The Market Revolution
The Market Revolution consists of three smaller revolutions: The Agricultural Revolution, The Industrial Revolution, and The Transportation revolution, all of which introduced new technologies that changed the US economy as well as labor/ management relations. -
Period: to
Period 4 part 1: 1800-1824
War of 1812, The Era of Good Feelings, Westward Migration, The Market Revolution -
The Election of 1808
James Madison is elected president and will serve for 8 years. He was known to be stubborn and unpolitical. -
Period: to
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was fought with Great Brittain over violations of neutrality. The war ends with the Treaty of Ghent in 1815, but neither side came out particularly victorious. The war indirectly causes the downfall of the Federalist party. -
The Beginning of the Era of Good Feelings
The Era of Good Feelings was a period after the War of 1812 where the US reflected a sense of national purpose and a desire for unity. It ended ten years later in 1825. -
Henry Clay's American System
Henry Clay's American System established a protective tariff, the Second Bank of the United States, and promoted internal improvement. It lead to the south feeling neglected by the national government and increased tensions. -
Election of 1816
James Monroe, a Democratic-Republican, won the Election of1816 and served for 8 years as president. -
Adams Onis Treaty
The Adams Onis Treaty consisted of Spain selling Florida to the United States and giving up Oregon in order to avoid war. -
The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise established the 36*30' line splitting slave and free states in westward expansion. The compromise delayed the Civil War for many years. -
The Second Great Awakening
The Second Great Awakening was a Protestant religious revival which utilized emotional preachings in order to recruit members to the church. -
The Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine was written by John Quincy Adams and encouraged new democracies and dissuaded European interference in South and Latin America. -
Election of 1824
In the Election of 1824, John Quincy Adams came out victorious with the support of Henry Clay. He quickly embraced a nationalistic program. -
Period: to
Period 4 part 2: 1824-1848
Jacksonian Democracy, The Bank War, Indian Removal, Post Jackson Politics, Reform Movements, Manifest Destiny -
Election of 1828
In the Election of 1828, Andrew Jackson defeated JQA in a landslide election, running off of an image of a "common man". During his presidency he greatly increased the power of the president by using a number of power grabs and vetoes. -
Period: to
The Abolition Movement
The Abolition Movement was the movement to end slavery. The movement had multiple divisions, each having different beliefs of what was best: the free soilers, the moderates, and the radicals. -
The Bank War
The Bank war was a political struggle under the presidency of Andrew Jackson over the rechartering of the Second Bank of the United States. -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
Nat Turner's Rebellion was a slave rebellion in Virginia led by Nat Turner. Over 50 white people were killed, highlighting the unrest in enslaved populations. -
Indian Removal
Andrew Jacksons Indian removal process incited wars and legal battles, all to be ignored creating the trail of tears, a forced migration of Native Americans to western lands. -
Emergence of the Whig Party
During Andrew Jackson's presidency, a new party formed in opposition: the Whigs. The Whigs political views aligned with the Federalist Party. -
Texas Secession from Mexico
Majority Americans in Texas began the War of Texas Secession to bring Texas under the United States. After the war ends in the Battle of San Jacinto, the US enforces Texan independence. -
The Specie Circular
Congress issues The Specie Circular, declaring that only gold and silver would be taken as payment for western land. This in turn causes paper money to lose it's value, and starts the Panic of 1837. -
Election of 1840
In the election of 1840, William Henry Harrison, a Whig, came out victorious. However, he died after 30 days in office, leading to John Tyler taking office. -
Labor Movement Legalized
The widespread legalization of labor movements allowed early groups like the Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor to take hold. -
Election of 1844
In the election of 1844, James K. Polk, a Democrat, emerged victorious. He closely followed the ideals of Manifest Destiny, annexing texas, and beginning The Mexican War in order to California. -
Period: to
Period 5: 1844-1877
Slavery and Abolition, The Civil War, Reconstruction -
Election of 1848
In the Election of 1848, Zachary Taylor, a Whig, wins. Taylor promoted sectionalism, the idea that peace could be kept by allowing the south to have slaves, but preventing the north and west from doing so. -
The Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was a package of five separate bills attempting to ease tensions between slave and free states. Among other things, it admitted California as a free state, while strengthening the Fugitive Slave Law. -
The Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act require seizure and return of slaves escaped into the North. The law was disliked by many and bolstered the Abolition movement. -
Election of 1852
In the Election of 1852 Democrat Franklin Pierce gained office, marking the downfall of the Whig party. The election marked the beginning of a North/South split in political affiliation. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin is a book published in 1852 by author Harriet Beacher Stowe. It highlighted the horrors of slavery in the South and bolstered the Abolition movement. -
The Kansas Nebraska Act
The Kansas Nebraska Act allowed Kansas and Nebraska to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery in their borders, which spawned violence and tensions throughout the United States. -
Election of 1856
In the Election of 1856, James Buchanon, a Democrat, took office. -
Lincoln Douglas Debates
The Lincoln Douglas Debates were debates in the Illinois Senate over slavery between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. -
John Brown's Raid
John Brown's Raid was an effort by abolitionist John Brown to initiate a slave revolt by taking over a US arsenal. He died a martyr and furthered the cause of abolitionism. -
Election of 1860
In the election of 1860 Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, reigns victorious. He made no effort to appeal to the south and in turn outraged them. -
Period: to
The Civil War
The American Civil War was fought between the North and the South over states rights to slavery. The north was victorious due to industrial and leadership advantages. -
Period: to
Reconstruction
The Reconstruction Era defines the time period where Northern troops occupied the south forcing an end to slavery. Northern occupation drops off soon after, and large scale segregation and racism quickly pick back up. -
Period: to
Unit 6: 1865-1898
The Gilded Age, Industry, The Labor Movement -
Credit Mobilier Scandal
The Credit Mobilier Scandal was a fraud committed by the Union Pacific Railroad in which it profited by illegally manipulating finances. -
Election of 1868
Ulysses S. Grant, a Republican, is elected president in the Election of 1868. He went on to add the 15th amendment to the constitution. -
Laramie Treaties
The US Government offers a number of treaties to Native American peoples, only to near immediately ignore them and continue white encroachment onto native land. -
Period: to
The Gilded Age
The Gilded Age was a period of massive economic growth, along with large amounts of corruption and inequality. -
Election of 1872
U.S. Grant once again takes office in the election of 1872. Due to the stress caused by the election, the Republican party begins to split. -
Panic of 1873
The Panic of 1873 was a recession of the economy caused by over expansion of business. -
Election of 1876
Rutherford B. Hayes, a Republican, takes office in the Election of 1876. Under his presidency reconstruction officially ends, and small bits of civil service reform begin to take hold. -
The Compromise of 1877
The compromise of 1877 ended the Reconstruction Era, and was an informal agreement to allow the south to ignore the 14th and 15th amendments. -
Election of 1880
Andrew Garfield Wins in the Election of 1880. During the election, the Republican party split into two factions: the Half-breeds, who supported reform, and the Stalwarts, who did not. -
Birth of Social Darwainism
Social Darwinism is the idea that natural selection and survival of the fittest applies to people and companies. It was frequently used as a defense of monopolies. -
Chinese Exclusion Act
The Panic of 1873 creates a push to keep immigrants out, especially those of Chinese heritage, -
Early Labor Movements Acheive Minor Success
Early Labor Movements gain minor victories in the Gilded Age, such as the establishment of the Bureau of Labor and the adoption of 10 and 8 hour work days in some states. -
New Imperialism Begins in Full Force
The United States involves itself in South American and Caribean affairs, such as the Chilean Crisis in 1891, and begins to acquire territories in search of new resources due to the closing of the frontier. -
Annexation of Hawaii
The United States peacefully annexed Hawaii in the interests of allowing American companies to avoid tariffs. -
US Prompts War With Spain
After the De Lome letter reveals minor Spanish hostility towards the US, and the USS Maine is sunk in suspicious circumstances, the US issues Spain an ultimatum. Spain accepts, but the US still declares war. -
The Spanish American War
The Us battles Spain and wins, gaining control of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. -
Period: to
Period 7 Part 1: 1898-1918
New Imperialism, The Progressive Era, World War 1 -
Period: to
The Progressive Era
The Progressive Era was a period of widespread social activism and political reform across the United States. -
The Insular Cases
The Insular Cases decreed that territories would be eligible for taxes and the draft, but would receive to representation or voting rights. -
McKinley Assassinated
President McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt, becomes president. -
Election of 1904
Teddy Roosevelt retains his presidency, running on the "Square New Deal", which dealt with the conservation of natural resources, control of corporations, and consumer protection. -
Election of 1912
In the election of 1912, William Howard Taft was elected president. Despite being hand-picked by T. Roosevelt, he was a largely unsuccessful president, despite the massive amounts of trust-busting he partook in. -
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The Serbian Government sponsored Gavrillo Princep to murder the Archduke of Austria. Four aspects led to the event escalating into WW1: Militarism, Imperialism, Nationalism, and Alliances. -
Election of 1916
Woodrow Wilson was elected president in the 191g election. He pushed for economic stability and promoted "moral diplomacy": a foreign policy attempting to seek goodwill with other nations. -
The National Defense Act
In response to the sinking of the Lusitania and German breach of the Sussex Ultimatum, Woodrow Wilson passed the National Defence Act to prepare the US for WW1. -
The US Declares War
Due to a combination of factors, specifically the Zimmerman Telegram and the resumption of submarine warfare, the Us declared war. -
The Spanish Flu
The Spanish Flu was a global outbreak affecting 1/3 of the world's population, and killing 20-50 million people. -
Period: to
Period 7 Part 2: 1918-1945
1920's Culture, The Great Depression, World War Two -
The Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles brought WW1 to an end. Most of the blame fell onto Germany, who was required to pay massive reparations, leading to economic instability. -
The Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was an intellectual, social, and artistic explosion centered in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City. -
American Identity Appears
Mass-produced comodities like the Model T, along with nationwide broadcasts, magazines, and newspapers lead to a more united sense of "Th American Dream". -
Fear of Change and Difference Increases.
The Bolshevik Revolution caused a fear of communism called the "Red Scare". Other fears caused quota systems to be enacted on immigration limits. -
Race Relations Stagnate
After World War 1, hoards of African American workers were kicked out of factories to make room for returning whites. Lynchings and race riots were commonplace, and the KKK became a mainstream organization. -
US Enters Semi-Isolationism
The US refuses to take part in the League of Nations, giving trust to the Kellog Briand Pact which outlawed war. -
Hoover Responds Inadequately
President Herbert Hoover fails to grasp the extent of the problem, and issues out three responses, all to little to late. His last aimed to boost the economy by increasing public works such as beginning the Hoover Dam. -
The Great Depression Begins
The Great Depression was caused by a myriad of causes, specifically a massive stock market crash combined with inadequate diversification of industry. -
Election of 1932
Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat, wins the 1932 election. He promises to "take risks and do new things". -
Hitler Rises to Power in Germany
Hitler gains immense power in Germany due to the economic devastation caused by WW1. Countries turn a blind eye on the countries illegal rearmament, and early invasions. -
The First New Deal
The New Deal was a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations enacted by President Roosevelt to aid the hardships of the Great Depression. The program was met with considerable success. -
The Second New Deal
The Second New Deal included union protection programs, the Social Security Act, and programs to aid tenant farmers and migrant workers, all in an effort to fight off the last remnants of the Great Depression. -
World War Two Begins
Britain and France declare War two days after Germany's invasion of Poland -
The US Enters WW1
After prolonged support of the Allies, the United States joins World War One after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. -
WW1 In Europe Comes to a Close
After 5 beaches are taken in D-Day, Paris is liberated, and the war in Europe begins to come to a close. -
The United States Drops Atomic Bombs to End WW1
After continued retaliating from Japanese forces, the US decides to drop two atomic weapons on the mainland of Japan to bring a swift end to the war. Japan swiftly surrenders.