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Oct 12, 1492
Columbus Discovers America
When Columbus discovered America, he thought he had found a faster route to India. However, when people realized he had discovered a new continent, countries flocked to the land. The British and Spanish sought to conquer the Native Americans, while the French just wanted to trade with them. They established the Columbian exchange, which caused lots of new ecology to be introduced to both the Old World and the New World. The downside of the exchange was the diseases that decimated the natives. -
Settlement of Jamestown
Jamestown was the first permanent settlement for the English in the Americas. Mostly young men and boys settled in Jamestown, hoping to make a life for themselves by growing crops and harvesting natural resources. To convince people to settle in America, the English created the headright system which guaranteed 50 acres of land to people who paid for passage to the colonies. Indentured servitude would serve as the main method of labor for people who settled in Jamestown, many growing tobacco. -
Settlement of Plymouth Colony
The Plymouth Colony was settled by Pilgrims separated from the Anglican Church and sailed to America on the Mayflower. They created the Mayflower Compact, an outline for their new settlement's government. This had several flaws but was important because it was the first guideline for the government of a settlement in what would become the colonies. They struggled the first year, but help from Native Americans combined with hard work allowed them to thrive in years to come. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Bacon's Rebellion was an armed rebellion by Virginia settlers. It was led by Nathaniel Bacon against Colonial Governor William Berkeley after Berkeley refused Bacon's request to drive Native American Indians out of Virginia. Bacon's rebellion torched the colony of Jamestown to the ground. However, they were stopped by the British military shortly after Bacon died. This rebellion marked the first popular uprising in the American Colonies. It was viewed as an early revolt against English tyranny. -
The Enlightenment
The Enlightenment in America saw ideas from philosophers and scientists make their way to America. People began to test societal ideas like government and "who has the right to vote." John Locke established the idea that every person gets 3 natural rights, life, liberty, and property. This would later be used in the Declaration of Independence. Ideas that government should have a separation of power and ideas of freedom of speech, press, and thought would also be important in the Constitution. -
First Great Awakening
During this time, many new protestant ministers, such as Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, gave impassioned and emotional sermons convincing people to have a more personal relationship with God. There was also a big push for improved literacy so people could read the Bible on their own. This caused deep religious convictions, but also deep divisions among different denominations of Christianity in America. -
Molasses Act
The Molasses Act created a tax on molasses, rum, and sugar. The Molasses Act of 1733 was a part of Britain's larger policy of mercantilism and directly impacted the British thirteen American colonies. The Act heavily influenced colonial trade by imposing high taxes on imported molasses from non-British sources. This led many merchants to engage in smuggling as a means of evading these taxes, causing more resistance by the colonists against the British government. -
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French and Indian War
The French and Indian War saw the British defeat the French and Indians in North America, giving them massive territorial gains. The colonists believed they had contributed greatly to winning the war and that Western lands should be opened for them. The British believed colonists were cowards on the battlefield and didn't follow the rules of war. They were left in significant debt as well, leading them to increase taxes in the colonies and leave soldiers to enforce these taxes. -
Proclomation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 was a British Act that would not allow expansion past the Appalachian Mountains for the colonists. This enraged the colonists who felt they had fought valiantly in the French and Indian War and wanted the benefits gained from the war. The British wanted the colonists to follow the new act and sent soldiers to enforce it, further enraging colonists. -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act of 1764 lowered the tax on sugar and molasses in an attempt to stop the smuggling that colonists were doing to get around the tax. This arrived in the middle of a colonial depression, in an attempt to make the British government more money and keep the colonists happy. However, this act failed because the colonists were still making more money to smuggle the goods than they were to pay the tax. -
Stamp Act
The British Parliament passed the “Stamp Act” to help pay for British troops stationed in the colonies during the Seven Years' War. The act required the colonists to pay a tax, represented by a stamp, on various forms of papers, documents, and playing cards. This caused an uproar in the American colonies. They became even more upset over their lack of representation in parliament and how it was leading to higher taxes being imposed on them. -
Quartering Act
This act required colonists to house British soldiers and feed them. This upset many of the wealthier colonists because the soldiers would stay in the best houses that they could get. This also caused many families to lose food that they could not afford to spare because they had to feed the soldiers without compensation. The colonists resisted this act because they had to house the people that were enforcing the taxes. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a confrontation in Boston in which nine British soldiers shot into a crowd of three or four hundred who were harassing them verbally and throwing various objects at them. It caused several colonists to be killed, further enraging groups such as the Sons of Liberty who were resisting Parliament. The massacre showed that the growing tensions between colonists and the British military were heading towards violence. -
Boston Tea Party
The Sons of Liberty, led by Samuel Adams, boarded British vessels in the port of Boston and dumped chests of tea into the port to protest the tax on tea. The event caused the coercive acts to be created which closed the port of Boston till the amount of tea lost had been paid back, outlawed assemblies, and made it so that colonists would be charged in England. It also caused taxes to be raised, the Quartering Act to be reinforced, and trade to be regulated heavily. -
First Contential Congress
The First Continental Congress met in Philidelphia, Pennslyvania to discuss what to do after the increased taxes and limiting Acts and the Boston Tea Party. They told Parliament they would remain part of the empire if they got representation in Parliament. They also decided it would be best to prepare for war based on what had already happened and began to stockpile gunpowder, rifles, ammunition, and some cannons in the town of Concord. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The British government decided to attempt to capture the leaders of the rebellion and the military stockpile in the town of Concord. However, Paul Revere warned people in Lexington and Concord that the Redcoats were coming. This prepared them and allowed 1,500 militiamen to surround Concord and force the British to retreat. While they retreated, the militiamen followed them, killing 250 British soldiers before they could get back to Boston. This officially started the Revolutionary War. -
Second Continental Congress
The 13 colonies sent delegates to Philadelphia to attend the Second Continental Congress and decide what to do in the Revolution. The radicals support the revolution and independence but the conservatives want to reconcile with Britain. However, when the King rejected their Olive Branch Petition, Congress wrote and passed the Declaration of Independence. They established an army and declared George Washington as general. They began printing currency and organized a committee for foreign affairs. -
Battle of Trenton
Washington knew he needed a victory to receive more funding and support for the army. He designed a daring surprise attack on Christmas, having his men cross the Delaware in the dark of night and attack Hessian soldiers stationed at Trenton. The Continental Army captured many men and supplies, but more importantly, they gained a large morale boost and increased support which allowed them to continue to fight the British military. -
Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga represents a turning point in the Revolutionary War. The British were trying to trap the Continental Army by bringing two armies together. However, one British army got bogged down in a swamp, allowing the Continental Army to surround the army that showed up on time at Saratoga. They captured the entire army, eliminating many fighting men from battle and capturing supplies. This gave Benjamin Franklin the leverage he needed to convince the French to support the colonies. -
Valley Forge
The Continental Army entered the winter of 1777, camping at Valley Forge. They were ill-equipped, lacked training, and had poor funding. Many soldiers died of disease, starvation, or froze to death during the winter while others simply deserted the army. During this encampment, Thomas Paine wrote American Crisis, which was a series of 9 essays about why people should fight. Washington had this read out loud to convince people to re-sign with the army. -
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Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was the U.S.'s first attempt at creating a government. The articles reflected the colonies' worst fears, stating they wanted no chief executive, no army, no federal taxes, and limited authority. The articles also stated that to be changed they had to have 100% agreement from the colonies. They were officially changed out for the constitution after Shay´s rebellion pointed out how weak they were. -
Battle of Yorktown
The British Army led by General Cornwallis retreated to the city of Yorktown, Virginia, on the coast. Cornwallis expected the British Navy to be there to support him, however, they had been defeated by the French and American Navy, but Cornwallis did not know this. The Continental Army surrounded the British and bombarded them until they surrendered. This ended fighting in the Colonies, proving to be the last battle of the Revolutionary War. -
Treaty of Paris
This treaty officially ended the Revolutionary War. England recognized U.S. independence and granted them land from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River and all the way North to British Canada. This treaty did not severely punish the British other than removing their rights from the 13 colonies. -
Shay's Rebellion
During the American Revolution, many farms incurred extreme debt while farmers were away fighting the war. The courthouses would foreclose on the farms, enraging many farmers who had fought in the war. Daniel Shay created a militia that took over courthouses across Massachusetts, preventing foreclosures. Without a national army, the wealthy had to pool their money for a private army that defeated the rebellion. This highlighted the problems with the Articles of Confederation. -
Constitutional Convention
The Constitution Convention met to create a new government for the U.S. Federalists were wealthy landowners who wanted to share power between federal and state governments. Anti-Federalists were less educated farmers who were scared of an overwhelming federal government. They were able to create the Constitution through compromises like the Connecticut Compromise, the 3/5ths Compromise, the Bill of Rights, and the 10th Amendment. -
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George Washington Presidency
George Washington was nominated to be the first president of the United States with no one running against him. He established many precedents like having a presidential cabinet and only serving for two terms. He created the Federal Judiciary Act of 1789 which created an independent federal court system. During his presidency, the government assumed state debts to build credit, placed tariffs on goods to build businesses, created a national bank, and established Washington D.C. as the capital. -
Whiskey Rebellion
The government created tariffs on domestically produced whiskey which hurt farmers who heavily relied on whiskey for trade. The farmers created the Whiskey Rebellion which proved to be the first test of the constitution. Where the Articles of Confederation had failed vs. Shays Rebellion, the Constitution succeeded as Washington could lead troops to disperse the Rebellion without killing anyone. -
Pinckney's Treaty
For farmers who lived west of the Appalachian mountains, it was very hard to sell their goods because they had no access to the Ocean. they relied solely on the Mississippi River to get goods to the coast so they could be sold. The problem was that the Mississippis ran through Spanish territory to the port of New Orleans which was in Spanish-controlled Louisiana. Pinkney's treaty negotiated with Spain to allow Americans to travel on the river and use the port of New Orleans. -
Alien and Sedition Acts
The Alien and Sedition Acts were established by President Adams and the Federalist Congress. The Alien Act allowed the president to deport any alien person considered dangerous. The Sedition Act made it illegal for papers and press to print any material that was critical of the President or Congress. These acts were hated because they violated freedom of speech and press. They caused the idea of nullification because the states of Kentucky and Virginia resolved to decide these acts were void. -
Louisiana Purchase
President Thomas Jefferson negotiated the purchase of the entire Louisiana territory for $15 million. Jefferson worried about the legality of the purchase but decided that this was worth it because it would double the size of the nation and protect the Mississippi River. He sends Lewis and Clark to explore the territory in an attempt to find a water route to the Pacific. Along the way, they traded with Native Americans and discovered lots of new flora and fauna. -
Embargo of 1807
Great Britain and France were at war once again, however, the United States had a good relationship with both nations and Jefferson wanted to remain neutral in the fight. He established an embargo on all foreign trade which was extremely unpopular among merchants and traders. This embargo in the short term extremely damaged the American economy. However, in the long term, it increased the growth of domestic manufacturing, later benefiting the economy. -
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War of 1812
The British Navy was forcing American sailors and ships to join their navy and was supporting Native American resistance against the United States. The U.S. declared war on the British, however, the military was poorly trained and the Navy was no match for the British Navy. The British burnt Washington D.C. to the ground but were unable to do much else. The Treaty of Ghent ended the war and set all boundaries back to where they originally were located. -
Battle of New Orleans
General Andrew Jackson recruited a multicultural band of experienced soldiers and warriors to defend New Orleans from an attack he knows is coming. The Americans built defenses and killed over 2,000 British during the attack, taking only 71 casualties. Andrew Jackson became the hero of New Orleans and is associated with winning the war. This would later help him during his political career as he ran for President. -
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Second Great Awakening
During this time, the idea of free will was instituted and the church was seen as a way to perfect society. Leaders in the church saw women as the key to growing the church because if they convinced the women to join and be active in church, their families would usually come with them. This period also saw a large increase in support for social issues such as abolition, temperance, and women's rights. -
Missouri Compromise
The South wanted Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state, however, Northern legislatures kept denying their entry because it would tip the balance between slave states and free states. Henry Clay came up with the Missouri Compromise which had Missouri enter the Union as a slave state and Maine enter the Union as a free state. It made a line across the U.S. with territories North of the line becoming free and territories South of the line becoming slave states when they entered the Union. -
Indian Removal Act
Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act which was intended to remove the Native Americans from land in the East and move them to reservations out West. The Indians sued in Cherokee Nation V. Georgia and won the case. Then, they sued in Worcester V. Georgia and won again. However, Jackson said, "John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it." Jackson openly defied the Supreme Court and Congress did not punish him. Instead, they let him continue with the Indian Removal Act. -
Jackson vs. the Bank
The Bank of the U.S. was up for charter during Jackson's presidency. Jackson did not trust the bank and felt they were trying to ruin him. He dispersed most of the money from the national bank to different state banks. He refused to sign the charter for the national bank, killing it. This caused a large economic crisis that affected the United States for many years. -
Tariff of Abominations
The South was extremely angry about the "tariff of abominations" which taxed imports from Europe. President Jackson recommended Congress reduce the tariff to preserve the Union, however, South Carolina still believed it was oppressive and threatened to secede if the government made them comply with the tariff. Jackson passed the Force Bill which allowed him to use the military to force them to obey and Henry Clay created a 10-year compromise that reduced the tariff periodically over ten years. -
Battle of the Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo saw all the American defenders refuse to surrender as they were surrounded by the Mexican government. Every single person defending the Alamo was killed including folk hero Davy Crocket, upsetting many Americans and putting more support behind the Texas cause. The slogan, "Remember the Alamo" became a war cry in the Mexican-American war and was used back in the States to get more support for the war. -
Texas Annexation
Mexico allowed Americans to come to settle in Texas in an attempt to make it more profitable. However, when the Mexican military tries to enforce the taxes and religious law. This upsets many Texans who vote for independence and begin to fight the Mexican government. They also voted to be annexed by the United States. President Polk used a battle between U.S. and Mexican soldiers to convince Congress to give him a declaration of war, officially starting the Mexican-American War. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The U.S. military had driven deep into Mexico and had even taken over the capital, Mexico City. Polk did not want to take over Mexico, instead, he wanted land West of the U.S. The Mexican Government had collapsed and the new one in its place was forced to sign the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This set the Rio Grande River as the Texas-Mexico border. It also forced Mexico to give up Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and California to the U.S. This made the U.S. a bi-coastal nation. -
Seneca Falls Convention
This convention was held in Seneca Falls, New York, to unite women's suffrage. They created the Declaration of Sentiments which listed ways women hadn't been treated equally. They wrote it in the same way the Declaration of Independence had been written, attempting to put their push for suffrage on the same stage that the push for independence had been on. Many important speakers spoke at this convention including abolitionist Fredrick Douglass. -
Compromise of 1850
The Northern and Southern legislatures could not agree on whether California should enter the Union as a free state or a slave state. The Compromise of 1850 said California would enter the Union as a free state and the Slave trade would be abolished in Washington D.C. However, strict fugitive slave laws were enacted nationwide, and territories applying for statehood would be governed by the concept of popular sovereignty. -
Bleeding Kansas
When Kansas took the vote on whether to become a slave or free state, Southern border ruffians broke into the state and made fraudulent votes in favor of becoming a slave state. This upset the North who started fighting those in favor of slavery in the South. John Brown went to Kansas and hacked several pro-slavery people to death in the Pottawatomie massacre. Southern senator Preston Brooks beat up Charles Sumner on the Senate floor when Sumner was giving a pro-abolition speech. -
Battle of Bull Run
This was the first battle of the Civil War. Lincoln was determined to preserve the Union, however, the South seceded before he had even been officially inaugurated. This left nothing to do but go to war over it. People went to watch the Battle which was supposed to be an overwhelming Union victory. However, in a surprise turn of events, the South defeated the Union and pushed them back into Washington D.C. The battle showed the South's determination and meant there would be a long war. -
Homestead Act of 1862
The Homestead Act of 1862 gave people who settled out West 160 acres of free land. They had to live on the land permanently, improve the land, and farm it for 5 years. This caused a massive rush of people to get out West and take advantage of this Act. However, it also caused violence to break out between settlers and Native Americans. The Native Americans were losing their land and being moved to reservations, causing wars to break out between them and the military. -
Emancipation Proclomation
The Emancipation Proclamation came after a Union victory because Lincoln felt that he could only give the proclamation after a victory for it to be received well. The proclamation emancipated all slaves in the Confederate States unless those states re-joined the Union, which they did not. This also gave African Americans their first chance to serve in the Union Army. -
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg saw the Union defeat the Confederate army in the town of Gettysburg, Pennslyvania, in a battle that lasted for three days. This battle proved to be the deadliest conflict in American history and ended Lee's push into the North. After this battle, Lee was constantly in retreat, losing men and supplies. After the battle, President Lincoln gave his Gettysburg address and dedicated the battlegrounds as a national cemetery. -
Battle of Vicksburg
The Battle of Vicksburg saw General Ulysses S. Grant siege a Confederate army in the town of Vicksburg. The entire army surrendered to Grant, greatly reducing the number of soldiers available to the Confederate army. It also made Ulysses S. Grant famous and led to his being promoted to General over the Union Army. This ended the Union's carassell of generals as Grant was a good leader and would help the Union win the war quickly. -
Surrender at Appomatix Courthouse
The battle at Appomattox Courthouse saw Lee's army once again defeated by Grant's army. After this battle, Lee realized that the South had no chance of victory and surrendered to Grant, ending the Civil War. Grant respected Lee and allowed him to keep his sword, realizing the Southern re-entry into the Union would need to be peaceful so he should respect Southerners as much as possible. This also began the process of reconstruction as the South was left decimated after the war. -
14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment stated that all people born in the U.S. were U.S. citizens. All U.S. states were required to protect U.S. citizens and their voting rights. If states were denied these rights, they would lose representation in Congress. The amendment also made it so that former confederates could not run for office, because that would lead to the same situation as before the Civil War. -
15th Amendment
This amendment prohibited any state from denying any citizen the right to vote. It was unpopular in the North, which one the Democrats much needed support. However, the radical Republicans considered the loss of support a necessary sacrifice to get this amendment passed. Even with the unpopularity, the republican nominee, Ulysses S. Grant, won the election of 1868. This act also led to the Civil Rights Act of 1875 being passed which banned discrimination in public accommodations.