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The Treaty of Paris 1763
This treaty ended the seven years war. It granted Britain all the land east of the Mississippi where the colonies would eventually be established. This land gain led to Native American problems and the colonists being unhappy and rebelling. Indians that were already living on the land often got into conflicts with the colonists that arrived. In South Carolina, the Cherokees often fought with the colonists. -
The Boston Massacre
Protesters gathered outside the customs house in Boston. The crowds grew each day so the British government stationed soldiers there. After colonists started throwing snowballs at the soldiers, one was hit with a rock. This caused the soldiers to start firing. Many colonists were injured and 5 were dead. Paul Revere, who was there, drew the massacre. He then sent it to people so it could be published in the underground papers. Colonists saw the massacre and were even more upset with the British. -
Intolerable Acts
The Coercive Acts, also known as the intolerable acts, was a series of laws passed to punish the Massachusetts bay colony for the Boston Tea Party. These Acts closed the port of Boston, outlawed local assemblies, enforced the quartering act, and stated royal officials accused of a crime were tried in England. Colonists' everyday lives were greatly affected. Many lost their jobs on the ports. The intolerable acts led to the first continental congress and caused people to want freedom even more. -
The Beginning of the U.S. Navy
In May of 1775, the Second Continental Congress decided that in order to survive, the colonies needed a navy. In October of 1775, the Second Continental Congress authorized the purchase of two navy vessels. The first submarine was also added to the navy in 1775. Towards the end of 1775, the Continental Congress authorized the construction of 13 new navy ships. While the colonies were still at a disadvantage to the British, the Navy kept growing and eventually became a full sized navy. -
Declaration of Independence
Around the French and Indian war, benign neglect ended. Now the British wanted to have more control. The British passed many acts that limited the colonists rights. Some of these were the Sugar Act, the Quartering Act, and the Stamp Act. Colonists began speaking out against these things through speeches and riots. The Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party added to the need for freedom and on July 4, 1776, the Declaration was signed and the war shifted into a war for their independence. -
Thomas Paine's Common Sense
Common Sense was a pamphlet (book) written by Thomas Paine. It was written in a way that appealed to everyday people. Because of this, it exploded and was read by everyone. Common Sense was published right before the US declared independence from Great Britain. It highlighted the things that the British did that harmed the colonists. Common Sense made many people now want independence. During the war, Thomas Paine wrote another influential book, American Crisis. It encouraged the soldiers. -
The Battle of Saratoga
This Battle was a turning point for the war. Knowing more about the terrain than the British, the U.S. won. Benjamin Franklin had been negotiating with France for an alliance, but they were refusing. When Franklin told them about Saratoga they agreed and sent their navy and military leaders. No one had ever defeated an entire British army before. Now that the U.S. had and it gave new hope for the war. With the help of their new allies, the U.S. won the Battle of Yorktown and then the war. -
The Articles of Confederation
Going into effect in 1781, the Articles were the US first form of gov lasting until 1788. They reflected peoples fears of a strong gov. Under the Articles, the US could not collect taxes, draft soldiers, or enforce laws. Shay's Rebellion in 1786 showed the weakness of the AOC. Daniel Shay led a rebellion because people were upset with their debt. The AOC were not written in a way that allowed the gov to easily stop the rebellion. After realizing the need for a new gov, the constitution was made. -
Battle of Yorktown
This was the last major battle of the revolutionary war. After the French created an alliance with the Americans, they sent their navy to the colonies. They were able to defeat the British navy outside Yorktown without the British on land knowing. The British fake retreat back to Yorktown thinking they would be safe for the winter and Washington would be stuck. Unaware that the ships were French and they were now surrounded by the French and American armies, the British were forced to surrender. -
Constitution Ratified
After 13 states ratified the constitution, it became the official framework for the United States. Now, the government has an actual leader, a military, a way to tax, etc. George Washington was appointed president. The first test was the Whiskey Rebellion when a group of farmers rebelled over the excise tax on whiskey. The gov. successfully stopped the rebellion and the constitution was proven powerful enough. This paved the way for federalists and anti-federalists and eventually gov. parties. -
The Election of Washington
As the first president, Washington set many precedents for future presidents like standing when the president enters and putting your hand on the bible to be sworn in. Washington also only served two terms. He did this to make sure he didn't become like a king. This helped the people who were still afraid of a strong central gov. Washington created the court system to help with legal cases. He also established the presidential cabinet, knowing there were too many things to do by himself. -
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Washington Presidency
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Bill of Rights Ratified
The Bill of Rights was 10 amendments outlining the rights of the people. It allowed Americans the freedom of religion, the right to bear arms, freedom of speech, etc. It also said that anything not stated in the constitution would be left to the states to decide. This was very appealing to many Americans because it outlined their rights and guaranteed those rights. It also helped ease people's fear of a strong gov because it gave states all the power not stated in the constitution. -
First Bank of the United States
Alexander Hamilton had ideas about how to solve the new nations debt and currency problems. Hamilton based his plan off of the Bank of England. He argued that a bank could issue paper money, provide a safe place to keep public funds, and hold the government's funds. Some people, including Jefferson, were afraid the bank would do things to help the wealthy merchants but hurt the farmers and poor laborers. This led to multiple state banks and debates over renewing the banks charter. -
Invention of the Cotton Gin
Eli Whitney invented the Cotton Gin in 1793 and it was patented in 1794. The Cotton Gin caused the production of cotton to double each decade after 1800. By 1850, America was growing 3/4 of the world's cotton. The south also had three fifths of the nations exports, most of which were in cotton. The Cotton Gin also affected the growth of slavery. Cotton was so profitable that the demand for slaves grew rapidly. Slave labor grew and tobacco production slowed as cotton became more profitable. -
The XYZ Affair
France was upset because the US broke a Treaty. They began attacking our ships and the US sent diplomats to France. Diplomats X, Y, and Z were met by lower class people demanding $250,000 before France would negotiate with the US. The diplomats did not pay and returned to the US. When the people heard about this, they wanted war. This showed how much other countries disrespected the US and some believed going to war would help us gain respect. Instead, Adams privately negotiated for peace. -
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Adams Presidency
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Jefferson Presidency
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Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the US. In 1803, Thomas Jefferson purchased the French territory west of the Mississippi River that stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada. Napoleon wanted to restore France's empire in America. Jefferson wanted to purchased New Orleans, but got the entire territory of Louisiana. This caused him to have to reconsider his view of the constitution. He had been in favor of strictly following it, but there was no part that stated adding territories. -
The Embargo Act of 1807
The Embargo Act prohibited U.S. ships from traveling to foreign ports in an attempt to deter Britain and France from stopping American ships at sea. It had a negative effect because Jefferson overestimated how much Britain and France relied on our shipping. The embargo hurt the nations economy and exports dropped from $108 M to $22 M in 1808. Smuggling became common and both farmers and merchants were harmed. It was eventually replaced with the less restrictive Non-Intercourse act of 1807. -
The Steam Engine
The first successful steam engine was in 1807. Robert Fulton was able to attach the engine to a boat and sail it upstream. With the invention of the steam engine and different improvements made to travel was drastically different. Boats could now be powered upstream efficiently and could go downstream twice as fast. Instead of just receiving goods, places could also ship goods. New powering machines also affected the way goods were transported and the speed at which things could get places. -
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Madison Presidency
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The Battle of Thames
This was a major battle in the war of 1812. It was a big win for the U.S. After the British Navy stole from our ships and took our people, America went to war. The U.S. was not respected by other countries yet and they believed if they won the war they might gain respect. At this Battle, the U.S. kills/captures almost every one, including the leaders. It ended Indian resistance in the Ohio River Valley and showed the U.S. were strong enough to win even though the British had native allies. -
The Battle of New Orleans
Going into the Battle of New Orleans, Andrew Jackson knows he doesn't have enough men. He decides to recruit anyone who would join like farmers, pirates, soldiers, etc. He then studies the land and figures out where the British would be. He prepares for them and is able to win the Battle. His troops killed over 2,000 British and Jackson only lost 71 men. After the Battle, there is news of the Treaty of Ghent being signed. This means the war is officially over. Jackson is seen as a hero. -
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Monroe Presidency
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The Panic of 1819
The Panic of 1819 was caused by a drop in cotton prices, the national bank, many factories closing, and hard-currency payments for land purchases. During the Panic, many people lost their jobs and prices dramatically increased. By 18223, the Panic was over, however it left a lasting imprint on the nation. People were even more distrustful of the bank and wealthy corporations. There were conflicts between people because the northerners wanted higher tariffs to help their industries bounce back. -
The Completion of the Erie Canal
Construction on the Erie Canal began in 1817 and almost eight years later it was completed. This canal connected many big cities and waterways like the Lake Erie, Hudson River, New York, and New Orleans. This canal was the first major canal. It allowed people and goods to travel between places faster and more efficiently. The Erie Canal was built during the transportation and market revolutions. This meant there were more goods to be shipped places and more ways to effectively ship these goods. -
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John Quincy Adams Presidency
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The Tariff of Abominations
The Tariff of 1828, known as the Tariff of Abominations, was created to help industries in the U.S. grow and profit. The northern perspective was that by making the imported goods more expensive, people will buy more U.S. goods. Then, northern industries will profit. The Southern perspective was that by making foreign goods more expensive, foreign countries will retaliate and not buy southern cotton as much. This would greatly hurt the southern economy because cotton is the U.S. biggest export. -
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Jackson Presidency
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Nullification Crisis
South Carolina was not happy about the tariffs of 1828 and 1832. Beginning in 1832, they started threatening nullification. To fix this problem, Jackson reduced the tariff. South Carolina was still not happy and they passed the Nullification Ordinance declaring the tariffs to be null and void. They also stated that if the US tried to force them to pay, they would succeed from the union. Jackson responded by claiming that succession would be considered treason and is punishable by death. -
Worcester v. Georgia
In Worcester v Georgia, like in Cherokee Nation v Georgia, the Natives won again. John Marshal declared that the state of Georgia does not have jurisdiction over the Cherokee nation. Because Jackson did not like the native Americans and believed they were inferior to the Americans, he did not agree with Marshal. However, Jackson refused to enforce Marshal's decision and was in open defiance of the court. As a result of this, Georgia does whatever they want and the court's ruling is ignored. -
Panic of 1837
The Panic of 1837 lasted several years and led to high unemployment. President Andrew Jackson did not trust the national band and allowed the charter to expire. He placed all the money into privately owned banks that people called "pet" banks. These banks loaned out too much money. As a result, the dollar lost its value and prices went up rapidly. The Panic was at the same time as a drop in cotton exportation. As a result, there was a high level of bankruptcy among southern planters. -
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Van Buren Presidency
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Harrison Presidency
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Tyler Presidency
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The First Use of the Telegraph
Samuel Morse was not only able to invent the Telegraph, he also created Morse code to send along the telegraph. This new form of communication greatly changed the way people communicated. People were now able to send messages across longer distances at a much faster rate. The telegraph also helped the newly created railway system be able to coordinate their schedules. State Governments could communicate with each other more efficiently, and during wars soldiers could receive news much faster. -
Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny was the belief that God was telling Americans to expand westward. This drove expansion westward in the 19th century and led to the Louisiana Purchase. Things like overcrowding and economic challenges led many Americans to move westward. Many native Americans were removed from their land and violence often broke out. America was more powerful and was able to force them away using things like the trail of tears. The gov also supported manifest destiny, influencing people to move. -
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Polk Presidency
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Dred Scott v. Sandford
When Dred Scott's owner moved to a free state, Dred Scott believed he should get independence. However, the court ruled that even though he was in a free state, he was still property. Robert Taney said that the African Americans were not U.S. citizens and as a result of this, they shouldn't expect protection from the courts. The verdict in this case basically said that no states were completely free states. While African Americans could freely live there, they could also be slaves there. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
This treaty ended the war between the U.S. and Mexico. In this Treaty, we gained Texas with a border extending to the Rio Grande River. It also gave the U.S. California. With the new land in the west, the U.S. is now a bicostal nation and can have ports in both the east and the west. This makes living in the west easier and allows the United States to trade with more countries around the world. The addition of these states leads to the compromise of 1850 because CA goes through the 36 30 line. -
California Gold Rush
In early 1848, gold was found at Sutter's Mill in California. This led to thousands of people flocking there in hopes of becoming rich. However, few people actually became rich and living conditions were terrible. The gold rush turned into a wheat boom as many people became farmers. It also greatly grew the population of California and other places in the west. However, there were already Native Americans living there. They were forced off their land and often treated poorly by settlement govs. -
The Seneca Falls Convention
The Seneca Falls Convention was the first women's rights convention. It fought for the social, religious, and Civil rights of women. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and Susan B. Anthony were big leaders in the movement. At the convention, the declaration of sentiments was created. It had 11 rights the women wanted to have. The convention passed 10 of the 11. The only one they didn't pass was the right for women to vote. The convention was the beginning of the struggle for women's rights. -
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Taylor Presidency
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Compromise of 1850
When California wanted to be a state, there was a problem. They were straddling the 36 30 line. Henry Clay came up with the Compromise of 1850 to fix this problem. In the compromise, California was accepted as a free state, slavery was abolished in D.C., fugitive slave laws were enacted everywhere, and popular sovereignty went into effect. Some of these things upset the north and some upset the south, but there were benefits to both sides and it restored peace for a little longer. -
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Fillmore Presidency
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Uncle Tom's Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin to create awareness about what the slaves lives were like. It was a very popular book and people in the north read it. After reading it, they had a better understanding of what slavery was actually like. Before, they had never seen what actually happened to the slaves. It made people aware and fueled many abolitionists even more now that they knew more of what was happening. Uncle Tom's Cabin was banned, but people still found ways to read it. -
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Pierce Presidency
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Bleeding Kansas
The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 allowed residents of Kansas to vote on how Kansas entered the union. As a result, some moved there to be able to vote. On the day of the voting, an armed pro-slavery group from Missouri crossed the border and prevented the abolitionists from voting. Things got violent during the voting, some houses were burned and other people got into fights. This showed a loophole in the system because the border ruffians were able to cast fake ballots and win the vote. -
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Buchanan Presidency
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South Carolina Secedes
After Abraham Lincoln was elected, South Carolina seceded from the union. They were unhappy and feared that Lincoln was going to free their slaves. Their succession paved the way for the rest of the southern states. Before Lincoln took office, the entire south had seceded from the union and formed the Confederate States of America. This led to the attack on Fort Sumter located in South Carolina. This attack was looked at as the beginning of the Civil War. -
Battle of Bull Run
This was the first major battle of the Civil War. Going into the war, northerners believed the Union was a lot stronger than the south and it would be a quick war. Bull Run changed these views. The Union was strong for a while, but when Confederate reinforcements arrived, General McDowell and his army were weakened and forced to retreat. The Confederate army did not pursue them and they were able to make it back to the safety of Washington. Bull Run showed the war was not ending quickly. -
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Lincoln Presidency
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Antietam
Antietam was the bloodiest day in American history. McClellan had more men, but he sent less than three-quarters into Battle and as a result, Lee was able to shift forces from threat to threat. During the night, both armies tended to the wounded and tried to gather their people to fight again. When the Confederates retreated, McClellan did not pursue them. The war ended in a draw, with both sides claiming victory. Antietam gave Lincoln the win he needed to deliver the emancipation proclamation. -
First Legally Binding Draft
The Confederates were the first to impose a legally binding draft. They were low on soldiers and needed more. New laws required existing soldiers to serve for the rest of the war and all men between 18 and 35 must serve at least 3 years. The draft had some challenges. Wealthy people could hire substitutes, and one man in a house with more than 20 slaves was exempt. Even though it was not perfect at first, the military draft spread to different places and changed the way wars were fought. -
Transcontinental Railroad
In 1862, the Pacific Railway Act was passed. This created a railroad connecting the west to the east. Lincoln chartered two companies, one in the west and one in the east. By doing this, he made it a competition, meaning it would get done faster. He also paid the companies a certain amount of money depending on the terrain and a plot of land for every 10 miles of track laid. When the tracks connected, it was a big deal. People and goods could now make the trip in a weak instead of months. -
The Homestead Act
After the transcontinental railroad was created, the homestead Act was passed. This encouraged people to move westward. If people moved westward, the federal government would grant them 160 acres of land. You had to permanently live there and farm the land for at least 5 years. You also had to improve the land. If you did this, the land was officially yours. This disrupted the Native Americans because many moved and took their land. They were forced onto reservations and conflict arose. -
Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by Lincoln on January 1, 1863, abolished slavery in any state that remains out of the union. If a state peacefully rejoins the union, they can keep their slaves. Because no states rejoined, they all lost their slaves. However, Lincoln couldn't free the slaves immediately because the south was no longer a part of the union. They would have to win the civil war for the slaves to be free. This proclamation shifted the Civil War to a war about slavery. -
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg was the first and only time Lee tried to advance his army into the north. The three day battle was challenging for both sides and there were more than 50,000 casualties making it the deadliest battle. Across the three days, the Confederates launched heavy attacks on the Union, weakening them. The Union was able to hold out and they won when the Confederates retreated back into Virginia. After the Battle, Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address to honor the soldiers. -
Sand Creek Massacre
The Sand Creek Massacre showed how the Natives were treated. After gold was found on their land, a new Treaty was created. It moved them to a different reservation. The Natives didn't want to move because the new reservation had significantly less land. They resisted and as a result, the U.S. military started shooting them. They kept shooting them as they were trying to flee and it turned into a massacre. Native resistance often led to violent attacks where they were unable to defend themselves. -
The Freedmen's Bureau
Established in 1865, the Freedmen's Bureau helped newly freed African Americans establish a stable life. It created schools, negotiated labor contracts, secured loans, helped them buy land, and provided legal aid. The Freedmen's Bureau helped the African Americans to get better contracts and negotiated for terms that were more fair towards them. However, in 1872, the Freedmen's Bureau was dissolved by President Johnson and the freed blacks struggled with unfair contracts and Jim Crow laws. -
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Johnson Presidency
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14th Ammendment
The 14th Amendment was created because it was a more permanent way to give the newly freed blacks rights. It said everyone born in the US is a full citizen and everyone naturalized was a full citizen regardless of race. It also gave equal protection to everyone. This granted everyone things like free speech and voting rights. States that denied voting rights lost representation. This was unpopular, but the radical Republicans passed it knowing they wouldn't be reelected and it needed to be done. -
National Women's Suffrage Association
The NWSA was created to fight for women's rights, especially the right to vote. After the 15th amendment was passed, Susan B. Anthony founded the NWSA. They believed that instead of just accepting the 15th amendment as it was, they should fight for women to be included in it. The fight for women's rights spiked during the second great awakening and went hand in hand with African american rights. The Seneca Falls convention was held where the declaration of sentiments was created. -
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Grant Presidency
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15th Amendment
Ratified on February 2, 1870, the 15th Amendment granted African Americans the right to vote. This was a huge step towards equal rights but, many southern states still found ways around the amendment. Many had tests you had to pass to be able to vote. Others had a fee you had to pay. Most African Americans were poor and uneducated and were unable to vote. The court also did things that went against their rights. Plessy v Ferguson said there could be separate but equal things for black and white. -
The Civil Rights Act of 1875
As a part of reconstruction, the Civil Rights Act of 1875 gave equal rights to the African Americans. They were able to do whatever and go wherever the whites could. Segregation was not allowed and the Act was well enforced while Grant was in office. However, once he left office it wasn't enforced and segregation continued. In the south, people found ways round the laws regarding blacks rights. Violent Acts were committed against them to scare them away from doing things they could legally do. -
The Battle at Little Bighorn
The Battle at Little Bighorn was one of the few wins for the Indians. The Sue Indians and the Cheyenne Indians were engaged with George Custard's troops. Before realizing how many Indians there actually were, Custard split his troops. He then called for reinforcements and more ammunition. Before it got there, the Indians attacked him and everyone, including Custard, was killed. While it was a victory for the Indians, it was another rallying cry for the Americans and they fought harder.