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1492
The Beginning of the Colonial Era
Christopher Columbus was financed by King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I of Spain to find a western route to India, he however landed on new undiscovered land which would be known as the New World, eventually becoming the Americas. This began a new age of colonization by European countries. This, however, had negative consequences for the natives as they had to suffer through illnesses brought by the settlers as well as being treated poorly, severely lowering the native populations. -
The Lost Colony.
During the influx of European migration to the Americas, Ralph Lane, an English Explorer, sailed to America, to settle the Roanoke colony in modern-day Dare County, North Carolina. This settlement struggled due to a lack of supplies and poor Native relations. Lane returned home to get more supplies. When he returned, the entire settlement (settlers, homes, supplies) was missing. The only remanent was the word Croatoan engraved in a tree nearby. It is unknown what happened to the settlers. -
The First Permanent British Settlement.
In 1607, King James I gave the Virginia Company of London a charter for the lands from North Carolina to New York. The company then started Jamestown, the first permanent settlement of the British. They were a tobacco plantation colony, a viable cash crop in the region. The company would then attempt to send more settlers, however, most would die. Soon, the settlement would develop more, with the Virginia Company expanding into the region, causing conflict with Powhatan, who hoped to trade. -
The Natives Strike.
Following an influx of migrants and many English attempting to convert natives to Christianity, Opechancanough, Powhatan's younger brother, led an attack by 12 chiefdoms, starting a war with no peace or truce. This led to the English seizing the lands and food of the natives, and selling prisoners of war as slaves. The Natives killed 347 English. This became known as the Indian War of 1622. This war caused King James I to revoke the Virginia Company's Charter and make Virginia a royal colony. -
Virginia Nearly Fails
In the 1670s, the economic and political power of Virginia was being held by a small group of men who controlled almost half of the settled land, Servants struggled for land, Taxes Increased, Tobacco prices fell, and William Berkeley did nothing about it. Social unrest then erupted when the Burgesses took voting away from landless free men, leading to America's first armed conflict, nearly toppling Virginia's government and highlighting friction between natives and land-intensive settlers. -
America is Religiously Awakened
In the 1720s, as German immigration grew, they brought Pietism. This was a Christian movement emphasizing pious behavior and striving for union with god. Following this, more religious reforms happened. Most famously George Whitefield's speeches told listeners they had sinned and must seek salvation, he helped them convert and they became known as the New Lights. The message was spread more through print. This was quite controversial, with many "Old LIghts" condemning the revivals. -
The Largest Colonial Slave Uprising
Due to the rough conditions under which the enslaved African Americans worked and lived, the Catholic Governor of Spanish Florida, Manuel de Montiano, promised freedom to fugitive slaves. This led to the slaves rebelling in an organized revolt in South Carolina. This proved to South Carolinians that the slaves would act if their harsh treatment continued. Many slaves also escaped to St. Augustine. This resulted in South Carolina cutting slave imports and tightening plantation discipline. -
Evil, Evil Acts and Tax.
The Sugar and Stamp Acts have been passed. The Sugar Act decreased the Molasses tax in hopes of keeping the colonies under British control. This was unsuccessful as many bribed the tax officers. The Stamp Act was seen as an infringement of the colonists' rights as it required a tax stamp on all printed items, increasing printing costs, and serving as a form of government censorship. This caused protests from the colonists and marked the end of the colonies' salutary neglect by the British Crown. -
Britain calms down with their Taxes.
After many attacks against the British, both peaceful and violent, primarily coordinated by the Sons and Daughters of Liberty, Earl of Rockingham signed the Declaratory Act in 1766, reducing molasses taxes and getting rid of the Stamp Act. This was soon, however, followed by the Townshend Act of 1767, taxing tea, glass, lead paper, and paint colors, along with the Revenue Act of 1767, creating a customs board in Boston, more courts, and using parliamentary taxes to undermine American politics. -
A Brutal Massacre.
After the passing of the Townshend Acts, many colonists rioted. During one of these riots, the colonists were verbally abusing a few redcoats and they soon began throwing snowballs at them, until one threw a rock at them, leading to the redcoats firing into the crowd leading to 5 deaths. One of the deaths was identified as Crispus Attucks, who became the first Black Martyr of American Liberty. This was then labeled as a massacre by the colonists and used as anti-British propaganda. -
Time for a Party with some Tea!
In 1773, the Tea Act was passed which gave the East India Company a government loan and canceled any duties and taxes on tea exports to America and Ireland, sparking colonial debate over the British government's authority to pass such acts without any colonial representation in parliament. The colonists then struck back and, dressed as Native Americans, dumped chests of tea off a ship into the Massachusetts harbor. The British then struck back by closing the harbor and passing the Coercive Acts. -
These Acts are Intolerable!
The British saw huge losses due to the Boston Tea Party. This led to them passing the Coercive Acts, as punishment for the colonies' behavior. This act closed the Boston Harbor, prohibited town meetings, enforced the Quartering Act, and capital crimes were to be transferred to Britain or Colonies other than Massachusetts. This led to the Americans putting their Economic retaliation plan into effect. These actions would set the stage for what would soon become the American Revolution. -
America Breaks Up with Britain
After years of suffering under British rule, serving under the mercantilist system, and dealing with the many acts, the colonists declared independence through Congress. Prior to declaring independence, Congress attempted to reconcile, however, were met with suppression. The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, listed all of the troubles the American people had to face under British rule and Declared themselves an independent nation. This began the Revolutionary War. -
The Turning Point of the Revolution
After many losses on the American side of the Revolution, many soldiers began deserting, and their morale was low. The Battle of Saratoga took place in 1777, which became the turning point of the Revolution. The battle ended in an American Victory and helped raise soldiers' morale. It also helped prove to France that America had what it took, which in turn convinced the French to ally with them and help in fighting off the British. This battle also revived hope for American independence. -
America is Independent!
After 7 Years of fighting against the British and many more of dealing with their policies, America became an independent nation. This marked a new era for America, however, they would have many problems to work out. The first form of government was put in effect called the Articles of Confederation. This was a very weak form of government with few powers and many problems that would show during Shays' Rebellion. The Rebellion then led to the current constitution being created in 1787. -
Shays Rebels over Unfair Tax.
The nation was still developing. Unfair taxation took place, focusing on ordinary citizens. This led to a full revolt led by Captain Daniel Shays, who had fought in the Revolutionary War. The Riot Act was then passed against rebellion. Wealthy bondholders fought this off. The Rebellion was then dispersed in the Winter of 1786. This rebellion failed but showed that British tyrants Americans fought off were replaced with American oppressors and pushed the argument for strong central government. -
The Constitution is Made!
The Articles of Confederation had failed to help the nation stay united and strong. This became especially apparent during Shays' Rebellion. The Philadelphia Convention was then called, initially to revise the Articles. They later scrapped them completely and created the Constitution based on James Madison's Virginia Plan. This called for a government established by people and laws operated on citizens of states and a 3 tier election system. This then slowly got support and was ratified. -
"Tax Us on Anything, but Whiskey"
In 1791, Alexander Hamilton passed an excise tax on liquors. This caused the demand for corn whiskey for eastern manufacturers to decline. This resulted in protests against the tax in Pennsylvania by farmers, beginning with not paying the tax, and later turning violent. This gave the United States the first chance to test its new military domestically and showed people that the government wasn't afraid to use its powers. The rebellion was quickly put down by George Washington and his militia. -
Virginia and Kentucky Resolve to Nullify
During John Adams' presidency, he passed the Alien and Sedition Acts. These acts set heavy restrictions on the rights of immigrants and allowed for government censorship. This violated the First Amendment, leading to Kentucky, followed by Virginia, nullifying the acts. The states did this stating they could interpret federal law and declare it unconstitutional. This brought the debate of states' powers and their ability to nullify federal laws. Adams then reevaluated the acts with his diplomacy. -
Revolution of 1800
John Adams, having passed the Naturalization, Alien, and Sedition Acts, which caused conflict, had to take action, as he would risk losing the election otherwise. He used his diplomacy to end conflicts over the acts. However, Jefferson, though attacked by Federalists, won the election even with all of the conflict in the nation due to the acts and the transfer of power between a Federalist president and a Republican. The event's name refers to the peaceful change in power during conflict. -
America's Big Purchase.
The USA needed permanent access to the French-owned Mississippi River and New Orleans. James Monroe was sent to France to purchase New Orleans, West Florida, and the Mississippi River for $10M. Napoleon Bonaparte offered the entire Louisiana Territory for $15M. Jefferson, however, was faced with a dilemma. Being a strict constructionist, he believed this was unconstitutional. However, after debating, he finally accepted and went through with the purchase, nearly doubling the size of the US. -
America becomes a Manufacturing Economy
Britain and France were at war again, after the US had finally reached decent trade relations with both. However, Jefferson wished to remain neutral, due to which Jefferson passed the Embargo Act of 1807. This immediately caused the US to enter a recession, which also caused American domestic manufacturing to grow. This caused America to be more independent of European Powers. -
An Armed Push for Abolition.
Slavery was a very brutal institution used by the South, with many slave owners violently abusing their slaves to get more work out of them or as a way of fear-mongering. This violence led to the German Coast Uprising, during which 200+ slaves rioted in many Louisiana Sugar plantations. This became the largest armed slave uprising in America, but it was suppressed. The riot resulted in more strict laws being placed on African Americans, free or enslaved, but greatly helped in abolishing slavery. -
The War of 1812
Due to the British arming and assisting Native Americans in the West and seizing American Ships in the Atlantic, America, under Madison's control pushed for war. The war was a disaster as it negatively affected the American Economy and most battles resulted in American losses. The Treaty of Ghent ended the war, however, the news reached America late, so Andrew Jackson's troops crushed British forces at New Orleans, causing Americans to see him as a hero and the was as an American Victory. -
There's Corruption in the Air
After a period known as the Era of Good Feeling under James Monroe, the Election of 1824 occurred with William Crawford, Henry Clay, John Q Adams, and Andrew Jackson as candidates. Due to no majority in the first polling, the vote went to the House of Representatives. Henry Clay, the Speaker, dropped out of the race due to this and endorsed Adams. Due to this Adams won the election, and after this Adams appointed Clay as his Secretary of State. This was named the Corrupt Bargain by Jacksonians. -
Political Parties Rise.
During Jackson's presidency, the first political parties arose. These parties were the Democrats and the Whigs, with the Democrats being supporters of Andrew Jackson and the Whigs supporting Henry Clay. The Democrats were farmers, laborers, and immigrants, who wanted more rights for the common people. They also opposed banks and strong governments. The Whigs, comprised of entrepreneurs and the middle class, wanted a stronger central government and believed in the American system. -
The South Carolina Dillemma
In 1832, Congress reenacted the Tariff of Abominations, increasing import duties greatly. South Carolina then declared both the 1828 and 1832 tariffs null and void after 1833 as they only benefitted the North and were detrimental to the South, who relied on imports. Jackson then reached a breaking point and decided to reduce the tariff, however, South Carolina wouldn't budge, calling the tariff unconstitutional. After this, a deal was reached, where the tariff would decrease by 20% annually. -
Texas is free for the USA to take!
Mexico became independent and allowed Americans to get free land if they became Mexican citizens and Catholics. This caused many immigrants to arrive from America, arriving with slaves. Mexico had no problems until they banned slavery in the territory. First, Texans hoped for political autonomy. This failed and they went to war against Mexico, during which the famous battle at the Alamo took place. Texas then voted to be annexed by the USA but was denied by Van Buren. Polk later annexed Texas. -
An Unfortunate March
Following the public's wishes to move the natives, for economic benefit and protecting the natives, Jackson ordered for their resettlement into land in the Louisiana territory. This was met by resistance as tribes didn't want to leave their lands. A small tribe then signed a treaty on behalf of the other tribes, who hadn't agreed, to be moved out by 1838. This didn't happen and Van Buren ordered General Scott to march them out. This became the Trail of Tears, lasting years, with many deaths. -
Polk wants more land!
After annexing Texas, President Polk wished to buy California and New Mexico for $30M. This was rejected by Mexico, offended by the USA's disregard for Mexican sovereignty. Polk then sent Zachary Taylor to the disputed Nueces River and announced war after the death of a troop. America soon had the upper hand and took many big cities. They soon took the capital and Polk instigated a rebellion in California, leading to their independence and annexation. The war in Mexico would go on for longer. -
Gold Discovered in California.
In 1848, John Sutter, a mill owner in California, discovered gold nuggets when cleaning his mill. He and his employee ran primitive tests and confirmed the metal was gold. Soon, news of this discovery had been widely publicized and many Americans began migrating en mass to California in hopes of discovering gold themselves and becoming rich. This became known as the California Gold Rush, however, many would discover there wasn't much gold for them to find, meaning they were stuck in California. -
The USA wins against Mexico.
The US-Mexico War went on for 2 years. In the end, America captured the capital of Mexico and forced them to sign the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The treaty stated that the USA must pay $15M for the lands that they took from Mexico (More than 1/3 of Mexico) and the border was the Rio Grande River. The treaty marked the end of the war, which proved to be challenging to the new nation of Mexico, with their president, Santa Anna, being replaced following his near victory at the end of the war. -
Henry Clay's Final Hurrah!
With all of the newly acquired territory from the war with Mexico, the USA faced problems. The USA had been going off of an equal balance of free and slave states. Henry Clay stepped up with the Compromise of 1850. This made California a free state, abolished the slave trade in D.C., organized new territories, and invoked popular sovereignty, which allowed the new states to vote whether they wanted to be free states or slave states. This was Henry Clay's final contribution to American Unity. -
The Southern Railroad needs more land.
Following the U.S. - Mexico war and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the USA had plans to build a Southern transcontinental railroad. This, however, required extra land to construct. Due to this, the USA decided to buy a 29,760 sq. mi. territory from Mexico, which would be annexed into the states of Arizona and New Mexico. The purchase cost the USA $10M and the land purchase also helped settle land disputes between the two nations in the area. -
Unrest in Kansas.
There was debate over the new states of Kansas and Nebraska. This led to the creation of the Kansas-Nebraska Act. The act admitted the two states to the Union and extinguished the prior Missouri Compromise, favoring popular sovereignty to decide if slavery would be allowed in any new states. This would lead to the events of Bleeding Kansas, in which people from Missouri would take the courthouse in Kansas for slavery voting and file fraudulent pro-slavery ballots, making Kansas a slave state. -
The Supreme Court's Take on Slavery
In 1857, an enslaved individual named Dread Scott attempted to claim that he and his family living with their master in a free state made them freedpeople. The Supreme Court, under Justice Taney, ruled that the government had no right to exclude slavery in territories meaning that free states didn't exist. Also ruling that African Americans weren't American citizens and thus couldn't sue in the Supreme Court. This was a massive blow to abolition but helped the rise of the Republican Party. -
A Landmark Election for the USA.
In 1860, the elections were approaching and candidates were being chosen, during which the Confederate Party split in half. The newly growing Republican Party chose Lincoln as their Candidate. Lincoln, believed that the US couldn't survive being split over slavery and was for the development of education, banks, canals, and railroads. Lincoln had a huge advantage due to the split of the Democrats and his major support in the North. This led to his election as president, changing the nation. -
The Confederacy Secedes.
Following Abraham Lincoln's election, the Southern states knew that slavery was on its way out. Due to this, South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union, followed by the other Southern States, excluding Kentucky, Missouri, and Virginia. These States formed the Confederacy, placing Lincoln's 1860 competitor, Jefferson Davis, as president. They relied on a cotton based economy as they had done previously. The Confederacy would shock the world by defeating the Union at Bull Run. -
The Bloodiest Day in the American Military.
The Union suffered loss after loss from the Confederacy. This battle started with the Union, led by General McClellan, attempting to stop the Confederates invading the North. After long fighting and thousands of casualties, the Confederates retreated but McClellan never pursued after them. This battle would become the bloodiest day of American Military History. This battle was seen as inconclusive, but the North saw it as a win and Lincoln released the Emancipation Proclamation following this. -
The Civil War's Tables Turn.
The Union army was still facing defeats from the Confederacy, but the Union had a secret weapon, Ulysses S. Grant. He led his troops through the Battle of Vicksburg, lasting months. This battle proved to be one of the Union's biggest successes of the Civil War. This led to the Union gaining full control of the Mississippi River, which also caused the Confederacy to be split in half. It also led to Grant getting appointed as the General-in-Chief of the Union, leading to him winning more battles. -
A Railroad Spanning the Continent!
The Republicans saw the inexistence of a railroad connecting America as a reason for the Civil War. Due to this, Lincoln hired 2 companies to build the railroad, with one starting East and the other, West. The companies got 6.4K acres of land per mile of rail, creating competition between the two, and increasing construction speed. The companies even tried building past the meeting point to get more land but got caught and had to tear down the extra rail. The two would meet in Promontory, Utah. -
Sherman marches to the Civil War's end.
After Union Victories in Vicksburg and Gettysburg, the Union was ready to end the war, with a Confederate surrender. General Sherman led his soldiers on a month-long march from Atlanta to Savannah, in which he and his troops destroyed everything, following a Hard War code in which Citizens were combatants in war. They also freed slaves along the way. Many of the cities weren't guarded as many Confederate soldiers deserted them. This led to the end of the war, with the Confederates surrendering. -
The Confederates Surrender.
After 4 long years of fighting, General Grant took Richmond, the Confederate capital, leading to General Lee fleeing. Grant then cut off Lee's escape route and on 9th April, General Lee surrendered at the Appomattox Court House. During this meeting at Appomattox, Grant made his famous dialog "Go Home," addressing the Confederate Troops, stating that they should go home and wishing them the best of luck. This meeting marked the end of the Civil War and the beginning of a new age for the USA. -
Equal Rights Are Here! (Well, Sort of.)
After long years of fighting in the civil war, it was time to keep freedom for all. Bills were made, ensuring the newly freedmen could exercise their new rights. Pres Johnson repeatedly vetoed these bills until Congress overrode the vetoes. This led to the Civil Rights Act of 1866, declaring former slaves as citizens, giving them equal protections and contract rights, with full court access. This was a major step forward, however, Republicans wished for a more permanent solution to this. -
Let's Reconstruct the South!
The South was destroyed after the Civil War, so the Union passed the 1867 Reconstruction Act, dividing the South into 5 military districts, each with 1 US General to command and set laws to reunify. To do so, states had to grant freedmen votes, deny ex-Confederate leaders votes, and ratify the 14th Amendment. President Johnson vetoed this, but the Republican majority Congress again overrode it. Sharecropping, borrowing land, and paying in a fraction of crops, grew to support the South's economy. -
More Rights for All Citizens!
All of the Southern states had rejoined the Union, meaning that they all had to ratify the 14th Amendment. This new amendment gave citizenship to all persons who were born or naturalized in the USA. It also stated that no state could abridge the rights of any citizen or deny their equal protection. This amendment was also vetoed by President Johnson at the time, fortunately, the Radical Republican majority was once again able to override this veto, passing the law. Afterward, it was ratified. -
All Men Can Now Vote!
In 1868, Grant was elected to as the new president. He then went on to pass the 15th Amendment in 1869. The Amendment gave voting rights to all male citizens, irrespective of their race, color, or previous servitude. This was another major step in advancing equal rights. The act was then ratified and put into effect in 1870. This was in time for the 1870 Congress elections, allowing people to exercise their newly gained powers. This was met with some criticism from Women's suffrage groups. -
The End of the Radical Republican's Rule.
Following a long period of the Radical Republicans keeping the majority in Congress, they finally lost their majority in the House of Representatives to the Democrats in 1874. Their numbers in the house dropped from 199 to 88. This was following many scandals such as the Credit Mobilier scam. Democratic Courts then undermined the power of acts and amendments passed under Republican control. This began a shift to a darker time for the equal rights movement, with Democrats focusing on lower taxes. -
The Disputed Election Takes Place.
In 1876, Grant's second term in office was nearing a close. The elections took place with Rutherford B. Hayes from the Republican Party and Samuel J. Tilden from the Democrats. When the ballots were finally counted, it was found that the states of South Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana had 100% votes for Democrats. This arose suspicion, leading to a committee of seven Democrats, seven Republicans, and one Supreme Court Justice forming to retally the votes. After this, Hayes was awarded the vote. -
Major Changes for Native Americans.
In the late 19th century, more people wanted to move West for land. This led to many Native tribes being forced off their land. This led to conflicts like the Little Bighorn Battle, Fetterman or Sand Creek Massacres, and 7th Cavalry battles. The white settlers wished to "Kill the Indian, Save the Man", leading to boarding schools for children, and the Dawes Act which gave homesteads to Native Americans but was meant to separate tribes. During this time many natives were repeatedly between lands.