-
Period: 1491 to
Period 1/2 1491-1763
North American exploration European exploration, colonization, -
1492
Columbus begins his voyage to discover the new world
The New World is discovered by Europeans and the race for colonization begins. -
1565
St. Augustine established
The first permanent settlement in North America, built by the Spanish to control shipping lanes and protect the land. -
The Lost Colony
An attempt at colonization in Roanoke, led by John White who upon returning from a 3 year supply voyage, saw the colony had disappeared without a trace. -
Jamestown Established
The first permanent British colony in North America, with the first cash crop, tobacco, to help support it. -
House of Burgesses
The first representative meeting in America, held in Virginia for the first time. -
Plymouth Colony
The first Puritan community in America, founded by pilgrims who were prosecuted for their beliefs in Europe. -
New York City founded
What is now New York City was the first permanent Dutch settlement in the Americas, which was surrendered to the English 40 years later. -
Mayflower Compact
The first established and accepted governing document for the new world, made by the Pilgrims to help regulate order in the new colony. -
French and Indian war
From 1754 to 1763, the French and Indian war was over territory in the Americas, with Britain going into lots of debt afterwards. -
Proclamation act
An act issued by Britain to stop colonists from settling upon Indian lands by drawing a line across the Appalachians and forbidding anyone west of that line. -
Period: to
Period 3 1763-1800
American Revolution, Government formation -
Boston Massacre
British troops fire into a crowd in Boston after being harassed. This, in terms was one of the major points that led to the Revolution and angered colonists. -
Boston Tea Party
Angry at the British for taxing many things without the colonies being able to give their thoughts, Colonists boarded a tea carrying ship and proceeded to throw boxes of tea into the harbor in protest. -
Tea Act
This act passed by Parliament, essentially gave the East India tea company a monopoly on tea sales, enraging the colonists with the new tax brought along. -
First continental congress
Representatives from 12 colonies met in Philadelphia to discuss the intolerable acts and a unified way to reprimand the acts. -
Intolerable acts
In response to the Boston Tea Party, the intolerable acts served to isolate Boston from the rest of the colonies. It also replaced the local government with an appointed one as well as restricting other rights. -
American Revolution Begins
Tensions between the colonies and Great Britain rose to the point where firing began at the battle of Lexington and Concord -
Declaration of independence signed
The document that stated America's independence from Britain, and stated the freedoms of man, according to nations leaders. -
Articles of confederation
This document was the first official constitution of the United States and while it had many flaws, it eventually was ratified. -
Treaty of Paris
Great Britain properly acknowledges American independence with the Treaty of Paris ending the Revolutionary war. -
Shay's Rebellion
An armed revolt led by Daniel Shays to protest tax policies and encouraged a stronger national government -
Constitutional convention
With pressure from citizens to revise the articles of confederation or write something new, the constitutional congress meets to write the constitution with the founding fathers. -
George Washington becomes president
Washington became the first U.S. president, elected unanimously for his war efforts and his help writing the constitution. -
Bill of Rights
The first 10 amendments to the constitution known as the Bill of Rights were ratified. -
Washington's second presidency
George Washington ran for president for his second term, and was reelected unanimously by the electoral college. -
John Adams
John Adams wins the election of 1797 becoming the second U.S. president after serving as vice resident for George Washington. -
Period: to
Period 4 part 1 1800-1824
Manifest Destiny, Era of Good Feelings -
Thomas Jefferson inaugurated
Thomas Jefferson wins the election to become the third president of the United States after being the vice president for Adams. -
Marbury V Madison
This case established judicial review, in which the judicial courts could deem an act of congress unconstitutional. -
Louisiana Purchase
The purchase of the Louisiana territory from the French that roughly doubled the size of the U.S. at that point, marking an start of westward expansion and exploration. -
Lewis and Clark
After the Louisiana purchase, Lewis and Clark set out to map, explore, and learn about the new territory. Sent by Thomas Jefferson, this expedition lasted until 1806. -
James Madison
James Madison was inaugurated as the 4th president after being a founding father and secretary of state. -
War of 1812
Lasting from 1812 to 1815, the War of 1812 was between the U.S. and Britain over land dispute, impressment, and violations of neutrality. -
James Monroe
James Monroe is inaugurated as the 5th president, and a Democratic Republican over Rufus King. -
McCulloch V Maryland
This case established the necessary and proper clause which allowed congress to make laws implied but not directly said in the constitution. -
Missouri Compromise
Maine was admitted to the U.S. as a free state, while Missouri was admitted as a slave state in order to keep balance between the north and south. -
Monroe Doctrine
While not called the Monroe Doctrine till later, this policy opposed European involvement in the Americas and opposed American involvement in European matters. -
Period: to
Period 4 part 2 1824-1848
Age of the common man, Jacksonian democracy -
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams is inaugurated as the 6th president of the U.S. after winning the election against Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay, and William Crawford. -
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was inaugurated for his first term after defeating former president, John Quincy Adams in the 1828 election. -
Indian Removal Act
Jackson signed the Indian Removal act which allowed for negotiations with Indians where they would be relocated in the west and given land out there in exchange for their home land. -
Nat Turners rebellion
A rebellion led by Nat Turner killing around 60 people with the majority of them being white in opposition to slavery. -
Reelection of Andrew Jackson
Jackson secured a second term by defeating republican, Henry Clay, in the 1832 election. -
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren was inaugurated as the 8th president for his first and final term with the panic of 1837 closely following him into the presidency. -
Trail of Tears
The Cherokee east of the Mississippi were forced to give up their land and walk to the reserve in Oklahoma. This was under the Indian removal act and many Cherokee lost their lives along the way. -
James K. Polk innagurated
Polk running as a democrat defeated Whig Henry Clay in the election of 1844 with the annexation of Texas in mind. -
Period: to
Period 5 1844-1877
Slavery and Abolition ,Civil war era -
Texas Annexed
Texas declared independence from Mexico and became the 28th state and a slave state, despite controversy through the north. -
Mexican American War
Lasting until 1848, the Mexican American war was a result of a dispute at the border of Texas and the problem of U.S. westward expansion. -
California Gold Rush
Gold was found in Sutter's Mill, California, which brought around 300,000 optimistic gold miners from the rest of the states to California. -
Compromise of 1850
With the new territories acquired by the U.S. from the Mexican American war, there was lots of controversy over which states would be free states or slave states. The compromise made California a free state and gave the other states the ability to chose within themselves. -
Gadsden Purchase
An agreement between the U.S. and Mexico where the U.S. gave Mexico $10 Million in exchange for the southern part of present day Arizona and New Mexico -
Kansas-Nebraska act
This act allowed both Kansas and Nebraska to decide whether they wanted to be a slave state or a free state in elections. -
Dred Scott, V Sanford
After a long fight in court, Dred Scott lost his case, and the supreme court ruled that since he was not an actual citizen, he couldn't sue in federal court. -
Abraham Lincoln elected
Abraham Lincoln became the 16th president after winning the election of 1860 as a republican. -
South Carolina Seceeds
In response to Lincoln winning the 1860 election, South Carolina wrote their declaration of succession and succeeded from the Union. -
Civil War starts
The Civil War starts at Fort Sumpter when the South Carolina Militia bombarded the fort. This marked the first battle and the first confederate victory. -
Homestead Act
This act encouraged westward expansion during the Civil War by guaranteeing 160 acres of land if they would farm it. -
Emancipation Proclamation
This document passed by Abraham Lincoln three years into the war stated that all slaves in any state are free. -
Thirteenth Amendment
With the end of the Civil War coming close, the thirteenth amendment was passed outlawing slavery in the United States. -
Assassination of Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth who was captured and killer later. Democrat Andrew Johnson took Lincolns place for the rest of his term. -
Period: to
Period 6 1865-1898
Reconstruction era, Guilded age -
Transcontinental railroad finished
The first transcontinental railroad was finished in Utah after 6 years of construction. -
Ulysses S. Grant inagurated
Former commanding general of the Union army Ulysses S. Grant was inaugurated after winning the 1868 election. -
15th Amendment retified
This amendment gave all men the right to vote, regardless of race in America, which made many former slaves flock to polling stations to place their vote for the first time. -
Credit Mobilier Scandal
This scandal by the Union Pacific Railroad inflated construction costs in order for executives to buy and sell stock for very high prices and make a lot of money. -
Panic of 1873
This event caused by over speculation and over expansion, especially in the railroads, sent the U.S. as well as parts of Europe into an economic depression. -
Rutherford B. Hayes Innagurated
Rutherford B.Hayes is inaugurated as the 19th president of the United States after questionably winning the 1876 election. -
Garfield is inaugurated
James Garfield is inaugurated, only to be assassinated 4 months later resulting in Chester A. Arthur taking his place. -
Chinese Exclusion act
In an effort to slow the immigration of Chinese immigrants, the Chinese exclusion act stopped all Chinese immigration and naturalization. -
American Federation of Labor created
The AFL was considered one of the first successful labor organizations because it worked with only skilled laborers. -
Interstate Commerce act
This law put into place ensured that railroads would be fair and charge fair rates to all citizens, which helped poor farmers to make a living. -
National American Womens Suffrage association
NASWA was formed to advocate for womens right to vote especially in the wake of the 15th amendment being ratified with Elizabeth Cady Stanton leading the association. -
Sherman Anti trust act
This was the first act passed that outlawed monopolies after the growth of trusts in the 1880s. -
Battle of Wounded Knee
A U.S. military unit massacred and fought the Lakota Sioux in South Dakota killing around 300 men, women, and children. -
Pullman Strike
After many worker's wages were cut and workers were laid off by the Pullman rail car company, the American Railway union started a strike that shut down the railroads -
Plessy V Ferguson
This ruling stated that blacks and whites were to be separate, but equal under the eyes of the law. This did not end and racial unfairness especially in schools, but it was a start. -
Hawaii Annexed
After overthrowing the Queen in Hawaii, the U.S. annexed Hawaii in order to end sugar and other crops to the U.S. without a tariff. -
Period: to
Period 7 Part 1 1898-1918
Progressive era, New imperialism, -
Mckinley assassinated
6 months into his presidency, William Mckinley was assassinated and replaced by Theodore Roosevelt. -
Victory over the Spanish
The U.S. emerged victorious after the Spanish American War while regaining possession of Guam, the Philippines and Puerto Rico -
Wright Brothers
The first powered aircraft was flown at Kitty Hawk, N.C. by the Wright brothers. -
Roosevelt inaguration
Theodore Roosevelt defeated democrat Alton B. Parker to secure his second presidential term. -
Meat Inspection act
This law prohibited false labeling of meat sold in stores following the publication of The Jungle that exposed neat processing plants. -
Taft inaugurated
William Howard Taft becomes the 27th U.S. president after winning the 1908 election as a republican. -
Mann Elkins Act
This act gave the Interstate Commerce Commission authority to regulate the railroad rates to ensure fairness. -
Wilson Inagurated
Woodrow Wilson was the 28th president after winning the 1912 election against William Howard Taft. -
17th amendment ratified
This amendment allowed for the election of U.S. senators by the people instead of state legislatures. -
Panama Canal opened
After 10 years of construction, the Panama canal was finally open for traffic. -
Wilson's second Inauguration
In the heat of WWI, Woodrow Wilson was inaugurated for his second 4 year term as president of the United States. -
U.S. enters WWI
After three years of fighting, America declared war on Germany and Austria Hungary to help the British. -
Spanish flu hits
With many soldiers coming home, the strand of Spanish flu was passed to a third of the worlds population and caused many deaths. -
14 points speech
This speech made by Woodrow Wilson addressed the measures that will be taken after the war in order to maintain peace in the world. -
Period: to
Period 7, part 2 1918-1945
Roaring 20s, New Deal era, WWII -
18th amendment
This amendment established the grounds for prohibition in the United States and was repealed in 1933. -
19th amendment
After many years of fighting, the 19th amendment was finally passed making womens suffrage legal -
Warren G Harding
Warren G. Harding dies of a heart attack and is replaced by Calvin Coolidge -
Scopes Trial
A high school teacher was accused of teaching students about evolution which was illegal at the time. John Scopes was fined $100 but the case brought a lot of publicity. -
Hoover is Inagurated
Herbert Hoover was inaugurated as the 31st president to start his first and only term as president. -
Black Thursday
Marked as the start of the Great Depression, this fateful Thursday was when the stock market crashed and investors lost a lot of money. -
FDR inaugurated
in the middle of the Depression, America needed a solution, and FDR with his ideas was able to secure the presidency to become the 32nd president -
Social Security Act
One of the first parts of the new deal that established benefits for injured, old, and handicapped people. -
Fair Labor Standards act
This law established a minimum wage as well as overtime for workers. -
Neutrality Act
This act was passed in response to the growing concern about WWII and created the cash and carry premise for trade. -
Pearl Harbor
The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in an act of aggression which resulted in the U.S. getting involved officially in WWII. -
US declares war
Roosevelt delivered the "Day of Infamy" speech and the U.S. officially declared war until an unconditional surrender on the Japanese and Germans. -
D-Day
The allied forces invaded Normandy beach in an effort to drive the German army back and make Germany eventually surrender. -
U.S. Bombs Japan
In an effort to make Japan surrender unconditionally, the U.S. dropped two atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. -
Potsdam Conference
Between Winston Churchill, Stalin, and Truman, these leaders met to discuss the postwar terms and what would happen once the war ended.
