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Oct 12, 1492
Christopher Columbus sails to the Americas
In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed to the "New World." He discovered what is now part of the modern day Bahamas. Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand II and Isabella I of Spain, sponsored Columbus's voyage. Columbus was trying to find another route to India but he landed on another continent instead. Columbus introduced horses, disease, sugar, and different plants to the New World. -
The Jamestown Settlement
Jamestown was the first permanent settlement in the Americas to survive. The first settlers came for financial opportunity. The Virginia Company of London sent settlers to this colony. During the 1st year the mortality rate was 80%. Tobacco became the first cash crop that helped the colony survive, but also supported the Slave Trade, which would impact the colony and future county for many, many years to come -
Jonathan Edwards in The First Great Awakening
Jonathan Edwards was an influential character in the First Great Awakening. Along with George Whitefield, he gave a series of sermons. These sermons were emotional and gave people a more personal relationship with God. People in support of the First Great Awakening were considered "New Lights." Jonathan Edwards gave a shared a very famous sermon called "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." It gave descriptions of hell and God's judgment to scare people into following God's lead. -
The beginning of the 7 Years War
The Seven Years War was a war between France and Great Britain that began in 1754 as a dispute over North American land. It can also be recognized as the French and Indian War. This conflict would end up leading to the Revolutionary War. The British ended up winning and the colonists thought they deserved praise and contributed greatly to the war effort. The British thought that the colonists had been cowards on the battlefield. The British also had war debt to pay off, so colonists paid taxes. -
Treaty of Paris of 1763
This treaty officially ended the 7 Years War. It stated that France had to cede Canada to Great Britain and to give up all land claims that were east of the Mississippi River, outside of New Orleans. This treaty also started the era of British dominance outside of Europe. -
Royal Proclamation of 1763
This Proclamation Line prohibited Anglo-American colonists from settling on lands that were previously owned by France, that the British won over after the 7 Years War. It was also created to prevent further conflict with Native Americans. This Proclamation upset the settlers because they thought that the land out west would be their reward for participating in the war. The were mistaken when this proclamation was set in place. -
The Sugar Act
The Sugar Act was the first act put on the colonists. After the war, the British was experiencing war debt, so they put taxes on items such as sugar. The Sugar Act lowered the tax so that colonists would stop smuggling. George Genville, a member of the British Parliament, put this policy in place. The smuggling i n the colonies actually increased because of this act. -
The Intolerable Acts
There were four acts that made up the Intolerable Acts. They were the Boston Port Act, the Massachusetts Government Act, the Administration of Justice Act, and the Quartering Act. These acts were the colonists final straw. They were the breaking point for the road to the Revolutionary War. -
Paul Revere's Midnight Ride
The colonists had been preparing for war by storing supplies in Concord. The British learned that Samuel Adams and John Hancock were in Lexington. Paul Revere and a few other men rode by horse saying "the red coats are coming," to warn the colonists -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
This was the first battle of the Revolutionary War. 70 British militia men stood on the town greens, they were outnumbered and outmatched by the colonists. Then a shot was fired which is now known as "the shot heard around the world." This was an American victory. -
Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson wrote the original draft of the Declaration of Independence. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and other members of the committee made edits. It stated that all men are created equal and are subjected to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It was written because Americans were upset with the taxation, British military in the colonies, and the tyranny of the King. Overall, it announced a new nation. -
Thomas Paine's American Crisis
Enlightenment writer, Thomas Paine, wrote a series of essays called The American Crisis to boost morale among soldiers fighting in the Revolutionary war. He wanted them to remain hopeful and optimistic despite the obvious British advantages. The first essay was published in 1776, and the last one was published in 1783. -
Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga is seen as a turning point in the Revolutionary War. The American victory finally gave France the confidence to join the U.S. on the war again Britain, since they wanted revenge. Benjamin Frankin had been trying to gain France as an ally but before this battle they had been hesitant. The French decided to send troops and their Navy, as well. -
Articles of Confederation Adopted
In preparation to become an independent nation, the Continental Congress created the Articles of Confederation in 1777 and made it effective in 1781. The Articles of Confederation was mainly just a reflection of everything that they were afraid of. This was the first form of government in the United States. It was not very successful and very weak. It eventually led to Shays' Rebellion. -
Battle of Yorktown
This battle essentially gave America it's independence. General Cornwallis retreated to Yorktown, Virginia. When he arrived, he found the French Navy at his back and the American Army before him. General Cornwallis eventually surrendered on October 20, 1781. This ended the major fighting in the Revolutionary War. -
The Treaty of Paris
This treaty formally ended the Revolutionary War. It recognized the U.S. as an independent nation. It also granted the U.S. significant western territory. It stated that the Mississippi River would be the western border of the United States. -
The Great Compromise of 1787
There was a problem when deciding on how states would be represented. Virginia wanted state based population, as it is a largely state, therefore would get more representation. New Jersey wanted 1 vote per state, since it has a lower population. The Great Compromise of 1787 stated that Congress would have two houses. The Senate would have equal representation and the House of Representatives would have population based representation. -
Constitution Ratified
The Constitution ended up being much more successful than the Articles of Confederation. It included a Bill of Rights that were the first 10 Amendments. The Federalists did not like the Bill of Rights and the Anti-Federalists didn't like the Constitution, so they compromised. The would be able to be changed if 66% of Congress agreed to the change. -
George Washington Becomes First President of the U.S.
George Washington became the 1st president, not because he was elected but because he was nominated. As President, he set many precedents for many presidents to come. He set the standard that presidents would serve two terms. -
Hamilton's Financial Bank Plan
Hamilton wanted to pay off war debt by having the states assume the debt. He also wanted to create a national bank to have a safe place to keep government money, makes business loans, and issue paper currency. Jefferson opposes because he thought that the government should stay out of personal finances. Jefferson and Hamilton come to an agreement to create a national capital on the border of Virginia. -
Whiskey Rebellion
During Washington's presidency the Whiskey Rebellion took place from 1791-1794. Pennsylvanian farmers refused to pay the whiskey tax until the American Army enforced it. It demonstrated the power of the constitution. President Washington lead an army to a battlefield and ordered cannons to be fired but for no one to be harmed. -
The Cotton Gin is Invented
Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin in 1793, and patented it in 1794. This truly changed the game for cotton production. It became much more profitable. A downside to this was that it caused slavery to rise, since more cotton needed to be picked. -
Alien and Sedition Acts
John Adams' established the Alien and Sedition Acts during his presidency. The Naturalization Act increased the amount of time immigrants has to live in the U.S. before they could become citizens. The Alien Act allowed the president to deport anyone seen as dangerous. The Sedition Act made it illegal for newspapers to print any material that is critical of the president or Congress. -
The Revolution of 1800
The Revolution of 1800 and Jefferson becoming president showcased the political pendulum. It was the end of Federalist power. Jefferson was an Anti-Federalist and had opposite views as Adams. This also continued on the precedent of a peaceful transition of power -
The Lewis and Clark Expedition
This expedition was set up by President Jefferson to have Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark explore the land bought with the Louisiana Purchase. Jefferson also wanted them to build a trading relationship with Native Americans. Another goal was to find a water route to the Pacific Ocean. -
The Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was made in 1803 by the U.S. from France.. It doubled the size of the nation. It secured port city New Orleans and the Mississippi River for the U.S. It ended up costing the U.S. 4 cents an acre. -
The Embargo of 1807
Jefferson wanted to remain neutral with Great Britain and France at war again. He imposed an embargo on foreign trade. The embargo restricted imports from Britain and also all U.S. ports for exports. -
The British Burn the Capital (War of 1812)
In August of 1814, the British Army invade the U.S. and marches in Washignton D.C. The city surrenders and nearly all government buildings are ruined. All of this is caused by the British taking American sailors captive and for supplying Native Americans with resistance against the U.S. -
The Battle of New Orleans
In the Battle of New Orleans the American forces are a group of multicultural experienced soldiers and warriors. The British are destroyed by the American forces as they hid behind earth works and cannons. Andrew Jackson commanded violent gangs and ended up winning the war with 2,042 British causalities and only 71 American casualties. Jackson is now associated with winning the war. -
The Temperance Movement Begins
The drinking during this time period was getting out of hand. A group of people formed the Temperance movement. This movement was established for many reasons, some being to lower domestic violence and child abandonment. Alcohol was on Constitutional prohibition in the U.S. that took place from 1920 to 1933. -
Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine, by President James Monroe, stated that further colonization of the Americas by European countries is now prohibited. The goal of this was to get European countries out of the Western Hemisphere. This doctrine promoted nationalism and Manifest Destiny. -
The American System
This system was created by Henry Clay. He was inspired by Alexander Hamilton. He wanted to have a policy based on a strong central bank, protective tariffs, and the revenue from the tariffs would support the transportation revolution. It was introduced in a speech given by Henry Clay. -
Corrupt Bargain of 1824
In the election of 1824, Andrew Jackson won the most popular and electoral votes. He did not become president. The House elected John Quincy Adams after Henry Clay and Adams meet privately. Jackson claimed it was corrupt bargain. -
Erie Canal Finished
The Erie Canal was just one of many canals that affected the U.S. It was created to link towns to major rivers and lakes. Steam boats were also starting to appear more, which was helpful as the water in canals does not flow. -
Indian Removal Act
This act authorized the president to grant lands west of the Mississippi in exchange for Indian lands within existing state borders. A few nations went peacefully but many resisted. This was to ethnically cleanse Native peoples. In the Cherokee Nation v GA court case, the court sided with the Cherokee nation and said that it was a "domestic dependent nation." -
The Nullification Crisis
In the South, everyone was still angry about the Tariff of Abominations. John C. Calhoun thought it was unconstitutional. Jackson fought all nullification and passed the Tariff of 1828 to preserve the Union. South Carolina thought it was unconstitutional so the state passed the Nullification Ordinance of 1832, where they stated that they would secede if the government used force to make them comply. Jackson then claimed that secession would be considered treason. -
Panic of 1837
The Panic of 1837 was a financial depression that lasted until the mid 1840s. It was caused by President Jackson's economic policies, especially the Bank War where he didn't renew the charter of Second Bank of the United States. During this time period approximately ten percent of U.S. workers were unemployed at any time. This led to people having less confidence in the government. -
The Oregon Trail Established
The Oregon Trail was a 2,170 mile east to west wagon trail. It made the settlement of what would become major cities. It also carried through the overarching idea of "Manifest Destiny" and had a huge negative impact on the Native People living in the trail's path. This was a huge turning point in American land expansion. -
Seneca Falls Convention
The Seneca Falls Convention was a Woman's Suffrage Movement effort. It was organized by famous figures such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and Susan B. Anthony. They did this to organize their efforts and discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of women. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
On February 2, 1848, the Mexican-American War was brought to a close with this treaty. It supported the idea of Manifest Destiny because it gave 525,000 square miles of land to the U.S. that formerly belonged to Mexico. This land would become present day California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, most of Arizona and Colorado, and parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was a series of bills that admitted California into the the Union as a free state. The bills also stated that slavery was to be decided by popular sovereignty in the admission of new states. It also established the Fugitive Slave Act and prohibited slave trade in Washington D.C. -
Americanization Schools
These schools were designed to promote assimilation and integrate children into mainstream American culture. The goal was to "kill the Indian, but save the man." These children, starting at the age of 6, were stripped away of their culture to fit into American society. -
Election of 1860
Abraham Lincoln was a rising star in the Whig party and later joined the Republican party. The Republican party then chose Lincoln to run for presidency. Lincoln won even though his name was not on some ballots in the south. The south was absolutely distraught and all states seceded before Lincoln was even inaugurated and became the Confederate States of America. This lead to the Civil War. -
The Battle of Bull Run
This was the first big battle of the Civil War. It made it known that this war would be long and gruesome. It ended up being a Confederate victory as the Federal forces had to defend Washington D.C. -
Homestead Act of 1862
The Homestead Act gave individuals 160 acres of federal land for their private use. There were some requirements though. They had to move to the land, farm it for 5 years, and had to improve the land. This opportunity was open to any head of household. This did create more conflicts with Native Americans though. The last homestead was given out in 1988 in Alaska. -
Battle of Vicksburg
This Union victory was a huge turning point in the Civil War. The Anaconda plan was finally complete. It weakened the Confederacy by splitting it in half and isolating Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas. -
Reconstruction Begins
After the Civil War there were many efforts to bring the nation back together. After the war Lincoln proposed the 10% plan but was then assassinated. Most of Reconstruction was under Johnson. Some Reconstruction policies were the 10% clause, forgiving the South of their war debt, disenfranchised from Confederate leaders, and granted personal pardons. -
The Gettysburg Address
The Gettysburg Address, by Abraham Lincoln was given a few months after the bloody Battle of Gettysburg. This speech broadened the purpose of fighting the war. The war went from being to unify the nation, to then being a war about slavery. It also boosted morale among soldiers and gave meaning to the sacrifice that the soldiers made. -
The 13th Amendment is Ratified
The 13th Amendment officially abolished slavery once and for all. This was a big victory for the Northern states, as this is what they fought the Civil War for. It took a while for this amendment to be ratified because the south wanted slavery to stay. -
Transcontinental Railroad Completed
This railroad was started in 1863 and Lincoln had two separate railroad companies build it to create competition. This was done in order to get the workers to work more effectively and efficiently. This railroad united the nation by reducing the travel time between the East and West Coasts from six months to under two weeks. This caused people to be more connected and for the economy to boost, because goods could travel more easily.