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Period: 1491 to
Period 1/2: 1491-1762
Native America before European contact, European exploration, Colonization -
1492
Columbus Sails to the "New World"
In October of 1492, Columbus arrived in the Bahamas, mistaking it for India. This is widely regarded as the first European contact with the Americas (other than Vikings, which had no lasting impact) -
1497
Exploration of John Cabot
John Cabot was an English explorer that was responsible for the first of the English land claims that later grew into settlements and colonies. -
Establishment of Jamestown
Jamestown was the first permanent British colony of the new world. It was funded by the Virginia Company. -
Expansion of Farming and Shipping Tobacco
The increase in tobacco production led to many things, including establishing a farming-based economy, bringing money to the colonies, and proving the profitability of the colonies to Britain. Tobacco was made more profitable when John Rolf began to cultivate it more in 1611. -
The First Enslaved People are Brought to the New World
The first Slaves were brought to the New World in 1619, in Point Comfort, Virginia. -
The Mayflower Sails to Plymouth Harbor
The Mayflower, full of religiously persecuted Pilgrims, landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620. They went on to establish the Plymouth Colony. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Bacon's Rebellion was important because its results lead to stricter punishments for slaves (which were involved in the uprising) to prevent rebellions like Bacon's in the future. -
Establishment of New Orleans
Even though New Orleans was originally a French Colony, It held great importance as the port where the Mississippi meets the Gulf of Mexico. New Orleans was important later in the Louisiana Purchase and the Civil War. -
The Great Awakening
The Great Awakening was a religious revival with English roots that impacted the colonies in the 1730s and 1740s. -
The French and Indian War
A war between the French Colonies and the British Colonies, an extension of the Seven Years War, which was fought between Britain and France. The fighting was between 1756 and 1763 and contributed to the end of British Saulitary Neglect. This war also ut Britain in debt, causing them to rely on colonial taxes as a source of income. -
The End of Saulitary Neglect
The end of Saulitary neglect was one of the major events that pushed the colonies towards revolution. This end of neglect and addition of attention led to more aggravated, sparking the revolution against Britain. -
Period: to
Period 3: 1763-1800
The American Revolution, the Confederal Era, Early Federal Era, Creation of the Foundation of the US government. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was another tax on the colonies, targeting things made with paper. Because these items were so common and widely used, colonists responded with boycotts and smuggling paper goods. -
Declatory Act
The Declaratory act repealed the stamp act, but stated that Parlament had the right to tax the colonies without representation. -
Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts were designed to make money to pay royal governors, and taxed lead, glass, tea, paper, and paint. These taxes inspired a plethora of protests, including non-importation agreements, Sons of Liberty protests, and more boycotts. -
British Troops are Sent to Boston
In 1768, 2000 British troops were sent to Boston. They were sent to enforce the Townshend duties, and made use of the Quartering act of 1765. -
The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a protest in 1770, ended by British soldiers fired into the mob of people. This angered colonists further about British rule, fueling the rebellion further. -
The Boston Tea Party
Colonists that were angry about the high taxes without representation dumped British tea into the Boston Harbor to protest. -
The Tea Act
The Tea Act was passed by Britain in 1773 in order to increase tea sales in the colonies. Colonists protested by leaving tea to rt in the harbor, not letting British ships in ports, and the Boston Tea Party. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were created to punish the colonies for the Boston Tea Party, and had many parts, including closing off the Boston port, took away Massachuset's colonial charter, and establishing a second Quartering Act. This only angered colonists further, resulting in more boycotts and protests. -
The Revolutionary War Begins
The Revolutionary War began after a series of skirmishes between rebels and British troops and expanded into a full-scale conflict after war was declared. At this point, most colonists had had enough of the unfair British rule and were ready to officially fight fr their freedom. The Second continental congress acted as the colonial leadership during the times of the war. -
The Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress acted as a central government for the colonies in the time of the Revolutionary War. It organized troops and directed strategy, and without it, the colonies would have been ununited in the war. After the war, the Second Continental Congress legislated the Articles of Confederation, and later the US Constitution. -
The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was the official declaration that the colonies had severed ties with Britain. Approved by the Second Continental Congress, it was sent to King George III and contained a list of grievances that explained why the colonies were becoming Independent from Britain. -
"Common Sense" is Published
Thomas Paine published "Common Sense" in 1776, a book that supported the rebellion. It talked about the unfairness that came with taxation without representation in parliament, and drew more support from colonists to the rebellion. -
The Articles of Confederation
Ratified in 1781, the articles of confederation was the first form of a collective, federal government for the colonies. Unfortunately, this first document made the federal government too weak, most likely because the colonists that wrote it had experienced a government that didn't listen to them firsthand. -
The Constitution is Ratified
The Constitution was the successor to the Articles of confederation and was created in the Constitutional Convention. After the weak federal government of the Articles, More thought was put into the different branches of government and the checks and balances between them. Federalists and Anti-Federalists debated over whether or not to ratify it and the Bill of Rights was added to please Anti-Federalists. -
Period: to
Period 4, Part 1: 1800-1824
Early Expansion and increased land acquisition, The rise and starting decline of the First Party System. -
Louisianna Purchase
Under the Presidency of Thomas Jefferson, The Louisiana Purchase was bought from the French and doubled the size of the US at the time. The French didn't actually own all of the territory, meaning the US was basically purchasing a claim to the territory. Thomas Jefferson didn't have the power to purchase the land as president, so he did so in a treaty (technically unconstitutional but the good outweighs the bad in this situation.) -
Marbury vs. Madison
This court case ruled that the supreme court could decide if laws or executive actions were constitutional, also known as Judicial Review. This added another check to balance out the Legislative and Executive Branch. -
The Lewis and Clark Expolration
Thomas Jefferson Tasked Lewis and Cark with exploring/mapping the new land acquired from the Louisianna Purchase. They were also instructed with finding a practical route across the western US to get to the Pacific coast. -
The War of 1812
A war with Britain that the US played a small part in when looking at the bigger picture. Britain had been in a long-standing conflict with France, And the US joined, proving that it was on its way to becoming a world power. -
The Era of Good Feelings
The period immediately following the war of 1812, The US saw a rise of national pride, expansion, and a change from the first to the second party system. -
The Battle of New Orleans
The battle od NewOrleanswas a decisive victory for the US against Britain in the war of 1812. This battle actually occurred after the signing of the treaty of Ghent, but word hadn't reached general Andrew Jackson before the battle had ensued. -
The Transcontinental Treaty
This Treaty organized the purchase of Florida and stated claims to the Oregon Country. It also solved a land dispute with the Spanish over the Louisiana Purchase. -
The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was a bill that granted Missouri statehood and decided that slavery wasn't allowed north of the 36th parallel and was allowed south of it. This was the first instance where the US government made legislation prohibiting slavery. -
The Beginning of Sectionalism
Sectionalism in the US centers around the people's loyalty to their region of North or South. These tensions manifest into much bigger issues later concerning States vs Federal rights and Slavery. -
The Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine is a policy that denounced Old World (Europe) interference (colonization) with the New World (The Americas) and promoted Democratic Governments. -
Gibbons vs. Ogden
This supreme court case in 1824 ruled that Congress had the right to control interstate commerce and that states couldn't interfere with it. -
Period: to
Period 4, Part 2: 1824-1847
Conflict over the Tariff and Nullification, the Mexican American War, the purchase of western territory, populating the west, increased sectionalism. -
The Completion of the Erie Canal
This canal was completed in 1825 and connected the Atlantic to Lake Erie. This allowed ships to access more of the Northwest and cost much less than other transportation methods at the time. -
Tariff of Abominations
This policy raised the Tariff to 45% and was supported by Jackson. This larger tariff supported the northern economy much more the southern economy and some southern states considered it unconstitutional. -
Tarrif of 1832
This tariff was made to please the southern states after the conflict concerning the Tariff of Abominations and lowered the tariff to 35%. South Carolina voted to nullify the tariff (claim that it was unconstitutional and not abide by it). This was also very unconstitutional. -
The Compromise Tariff
A Tariff enacted in response to the further conflict surrounding the Tariff of 1832 that would change the percent to 35 and gradually lower it over time. -
The Force Bill of 1833
This bill was enacted after South Carolina threatened to secede because of conflict over the tariff. These Act gave the president (Andrew Jackson at the time) the power to use the army to enforce the law, and they were created so that Jackson could use force, if necessary, to bring back South Carolina. -
South Carolina's Response
After Jackson was given the power to use the army to enforce the law (and in this case the tariff), SC revoked their nullification votes for the Tariff of 1832 and the Force Bill. -
Texas Decared Independent from Mexico
Texas declared independence from Mexico in 1836 after the Texas Revolution. The US viewed Texas as a potential state, but Texan ties were Mexico were never truly severed until the end of the Mexican American war. -
Manifest Destiny
Manifest destiny was the ideal that the US had the right to expand west and occupy all the western territory until the Pacific Coast. This ideal is linked with American Exceptionalism and is associated with multiple periods of US western expansion, but the phrase was coined in an editorial in 1845. -
Annexation of Texas
After Texas spent a short decade as the "Lone Star Republic", the Texan Congress expressed interest in becoming a state. It was annexed in 1845 under the president James K Polk. -
The Mexcan American War
The Mexican American War originated from disputed land claims and US interest in western land. This war was an act to push Mexico out of the western US and resulted in the gain of the Mexican Cession territory. -
The Treaty of Guadalupe Higaldo
This treaty was signed to end the Mexican American war in 1848. After Mexico's defeat, the territory known as the Mexican Cession was given to the US to populate. -
Period: to
Period 5: 1848-1877
This period was defined by continuing purchasing landing the west and expanding into it, Manifest destiny, increased tensions due to sectionalism, the resulting outbreak: The Civil War, and the following period of attempted reconstruction. -
The Californian Gold Rush
When Gold was found in California, many people saw it as a chance to get rich. About 300,000 people came to California looking for gold, allowing it to become a state because it met the population qualifications. -
The Compromise of 1850
The compromise of 1850 was legislature that covered many f the issues concerning slavery in the new territory. California became a free state while Utah and New Mexico decided on the issue themselves; it also defined the new Mexico/Texas boundary and made the fugitive slave law more strict for runaway slaves. -
The Gadsden Purchase
The Gadsden Purchase was a US purchase of the southern portions of modern-day New Mexico and Arizona. This land was bought because it would be a better potential route for the Transcontinental Railroad, as opposed to going through the Rocky Mountains. -
Kansas Nebraska Act
The Kansas Nebraska act was designed to create the territories into states and decide whether or not they would become slave states. It was decided that a vote would be held in both potential states to decide, but both northerners and southern tried to interfere, leading to the conflict known as Bleeding Kansas. -
Bleeding Kansas
After the Kansas Nebraska Act, many northerners and southerners rushed to the territory to influence the vote. Pro-slavery supporters won the first election, but Anti- slavery supporters called fraud and tried to hold another election, in which the Pro-slavery supporters refused to vote in because they had one the first election. Conflict and violence soon broke out, resulting in Bleeding Kansas from 1855-1861. -
John Brown Raids Harpers Ferry
In 1859, a small group of abolitionists including John Brown launched a night raid on Harpers Ferry, an armory in Virginia. Their goal was to inspire an uprising of slaves, but he was arrested and tried for murder the next morning. -
John Brown Raids Harpers Ferry
In 1859, a small group of abolitionists including John Brown launched a night raid on Harpers Ferry, an armory in Virginia. Their goal was to inspire an uprising of slaves, but he was arrested and tried for murder the next morning. -
Lincoln is Elected
Abraham Lincoln is one of the, if not the most, prominent figures in the Civil War era. His election in 1860 was one of the reasons that the south seceded, even though abolishing slavery wasn't on his political platform. After the conflict broke out, it was clear that Lincoln and the north were fighting to end slavery, and Lincoln went down as one of the greatest US presidents. -
The South Seceeds
South Carolina was the first state to secede from the union, with other low south states following after. After conflict broke out at fort sumpter, more upper south states also seceded from the union They set up a capital in Montgomery, Alabama. The act of secession happened from late 1860 to early 1861. -
West Virginia Breaks off of Virginia.
The state of Virginia was one of the largest former colony states, and was also a border state of the North and South. When Virginia seceded in 1861, the western portion of the state separated from the main state and declared itself anti-slavery. From then on, they were two different states. -
Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter was a military base on an island located off the coast of Charleston and was occupied by Union forces in 1861. When ships carrying supplies were sent to the island, they were attacked by confederate troops, beginning the first conflict of the Civil War. -
The Civil War Begins
After the conflict at Fort Sumter and the tension built up by secession, war was inevitable. The war lasted from 1861 to 1865 and centered over the issues over slavery, taxes, and state rights vs. federal rights. It was one of the bloodiest wars in American history, but victory in the North resulted in a reuniting of the US and a declaration of abolished slavery, but it would be a long time before African Americans equality was recognized. -
The Homestead Act
This act gave 160 acres of cheap land to people that would go west and cultivate it and live on it. This was a cheap and easy way for many to acquire western land, leading to more people populating the west. -
Period: to
Period 6: 1865-1898
The later reconstruction and the Gilded Age classified this era, containing the beginning of Solid South, the KKK, Southern "redemption", Robber Barons, Big Business, Unions, and the start of the Progressive Era. -
Formation of the KKK
The KKK was originally formed as a social club, but grew larger over time. It became a southern way to protest the Southern loss in the civil war, reconstruction, and the republican government. The Klan grew touts peak in 1920. -
Completion ofthe Trans-Continental Railroad
The Transcontinental railroad was a track that linked the US east and west. It was built by the Central Pacific and Union Pacific companies, it was started in 1862 and finished in 1869. -
The Credit Mobilier Scandal
The Credit Mobilier scandal involved the government allowing the Union Pacific to create the Credit Mobilier of America construction company and illegally use it's government funds for profit. This scandal symbolizes the corrupted government of the Gilded Age. -
The Compromise of 1877
The compromise of 1877 was a deal that settled the conflict over the election of 1876. The compromise was that Rutherford B Hayes (Republican) was elected president over Samuel Tilden (Democrat), and the government troops put in the south for the reconstruction were removed. -
Munn vs. Illinios
This Supreme court case in 1877 where the court ruled that state government to regulate private industries that affected the common good. -
The Immigration Act of 1882
This Act imposed a head tax on noncitizens of hr US and placed a restriction on certain classes from entering the US. This is recognized as the first immigration law passed by the US. -
The Haymarket Square Riot
The Gilded Age was known for its infamous big business and the many unions and protests that resulted from it. The Haymarket Square riot began as a peaceful protest but escalated after an unknown person threw a bomb in the center of the people, escalating the affair into a conflict. Seven police officers and four civilians were killed. -
The Interstate Commerce Act
The Interstate Commerce Act was a law designed to regulate the high prices of railroad tickets, requiring them to be "reasonable and just". This law created the Interstate Commerce Commission but didn't give it enough power to effectively regulate prices until later. -
The Sherman Antitrust Act
The Sherman Antitrust Act was designed to target monopolies and trusts. It intentionally targeted "alliances" between monopolies where both companies raised prices in unison to force people to pay more. -
The Panic of 1893
The panic of 1893 was an economic depression that lasted from 1893 to 1897 and was caused by bad investment in Argentina that resulted in run on golden the US treasury. This was the last economic panic in the US before the Great Depression in the 1920s. -
Plessy vs. Ferguson
This US court case upheld the legality of segregated public areas declaring that black and white people were "Separate but equal". This case was used as a reference for many civil rights arguments and cases and the ideals were challenged in the later landmark court case Brown vs. The Board of Education. -
The Annexation of Hawaii
The push for Hawaii to be annexed as a state originated in USsugar farmers that didn't want to pay tariffs when sugar was shipped from Hawaii to the US. The Hawaiin monarch was tricked into signing the document agreeing to the annexation, and Hawaii became the 50th state. -
The Spanish American War
This war was between Spain and the US over the Spanish colonial rule in the US. It resulted in the US acquisition of land in Latin America and the Philippines. This is a good example of the increasing imperialism in the early 1900s. -
Period: to
Period 7, Part 1: 1898-1918
The Progressive Era, Expansion into the Spoils of the Spanish American War, Imperialism, Big Stick Diplomacy, Fighting WW1 -
The Open Door Policy with China
The Open door policy was created saying that the US and Europe would be able to trade with China and Japan. It was created after the end of the Chinese Civil War. China was not asked, so it is more declaration of trade aspiration. -
US Insular Cases
The US insular cases were held to decide what to do with the acquired territory from the Spanish American War. The cases decided that the people of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines would not be full citizens, and were only granted limited constitutional rights. -
Teddy Roosevelt's Square Deal
The Square Deal was Teddy Roosevelt's domestic program when he was president in 1900 and 1904. The three C's of the Square Deal are Conserve natural resources, Control operations, and Consumer protection. -
The Wright Brothers Fly the First Plane
The first successful airplane was flown in Kitty Hawk, NC by Wilbur and Orville Wright. The initial flight was not for long, but the Wright brothers still attempted to sell the technology to multiple countries. Planes were used less than 20 years later in WWI and had widespread use in WWII. -
The US Gains Control of the Construction of the Panama Canal
The Panama canal Construction began in 1881, but the Us gained control of it in 1904, meaning that the US could control who went through after its completion. It finished construction in 1914 and was considered a great technological feat at the time. Its acquisition is a great example of Teddy Roosevelt's big stick diplomacy. -
The Roosevelt Corollary
The Roosevelt Corollary was a State of the Union Speech that added to the Monroe doctrine and stated that the US had the right to enter into affairs between European powers and Latin America. Teddy Roosevelt believed that the US should play more of a part in Global diplomacy, so this is one of the examples. -
The Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act
The Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act were both progressive acts concerning the increase food standards. The Meat Inspection Act concerned meat factories that didn't monitor the cleanliness of processed meats, ad the Pure Food and Drug Act deal with the presence and accuracy of food labels. These were likely influenced by Muckrakers that examined the bad conditions and standards in the industry and published literature about it to expand awareness. One example is "the Jungle". -
The Expansion of the Navy and the Great White Fleet
Under the Order of Roosevelt, the Navy was expanded and sowed off to the world, part of his Big Stick Diplomacy. "The Great White Fleet" was ordered to travel the world from 1907 to 1909 to demonstrate the US's Navy prowess. -
The Creation of the National Child Labor Commirree
The National Child Labor Committee was a non-profit organization designed to promote the "rights, awareness, dignity, well-being, and education of children and youth as they relate to work and working.". In 1900, 1 in 6 children had an occupation, and the NCLC sought to reduce that in future years. -
Muller vs. Oregon
In this case, women were given a restriction on maximum working hours. Thus was seen as a partial win for progressivists because hours were reduced but only for women, as well as the decision being justified by the beliefs that women and men arent equal. -
The Root–Takahira Agreement
This agreement between Japan and the US was to decrease tensions and maintain the status quo. After the Spanish American War, the US gained the Philippines and Hawaii shorty after, establishing its presence in the pacific and in east Asia. Both the US and Japan were suspicious of each other and tensions rose, but this agreement subdued tensions and ensured free trade. -
William Howard Taft Busted Trusts
While one of Roosevelt's Square deal initiatives was to get rid of bad corporations, Taft busted more trusts than he did. Known as "the Great trust Buster", he placed restrictions on 99 big businesses. All of this, even though he just wanted to be a Supreme court Justice. -
WW1 Begins
WW1 was known initially as "the Great War" began in 1914 because of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which spiraled into larger conflict due to militarism, imperialism, nationalism, and alliances. This war involved all of the continents (except Antarctica), giving it the later name, WW1. -
The US Joins WWI
The US initially tried to stay out of the conflict of WWI, which was possible because of the separation North America has with Europe. After the Zimmerman Telegram, Sinking of US ships by German U-boats, and the Russian Revolution, which left a large power gap in the Triple Entente, leading to the US joining WW1. -
Woodrow Wilson's 14 Points Speech
Woodrow Wilson's 14 points speech were statements of principals of peace given at the end of WWI. The 14th point called for an association of Nations to regulate peace, likely inspiring the League of Nations. -
Period: to
Period 7, Part 2
The continuation of the Progressive Era, The Roaring '20s, The Great Depression, WWII -
The Creation of the League of Nations
The League of Nations was the association of the major countries in the world, founded by Woodrow Wilson after the Paris Peace convention. This organization was created to ensure collective national security and disarmament after WWI, as well as use diplomacy to solve major conflicts before they turn into another great war, The US was not part of the League of Nations because of one Article X in the Covenant of the League of Nations. -
The 19th Amendment Recognizes Women's Suffrage
The 19th Amendment granted Women the right to vote, after more than a century of protests. The women's rights movement dates back to the Seneca Falls convention in 1848, organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, known as the first time the women's rights movements was organized on the National level. -
The Prohibition
The Prohibition was a Nationwide Constitutional ban on the production, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. Its roots were in the temperance movement of the late 1800s but was more strict in enforcement and what it limited. People who supported it were often women and mothers that had seen the effect of overuse of alcohol in their husbands and were neglected financially because of it. -
The Kellogg-Briand Pact
The Kellogg-Briand Pact was a national agreement between countries to use diplomacy when solving problems before resulting to war, effectively trying to outlaw war. This was one of the League of Nations attempts to try and prevent another global conflict on the scale of WWI. The problem was that there was no way to enforce it, leading to the only way to stop countries from taking over other places would be to go to war with them, violating the pact (like in the future WWII). -
The Stock Market Crashes
In 1929, there was the most dramatic stock market crash in US history. At the beginning of the crash, hesitant people rushed to banks to withdraw their money, leading to the banks becoming insolvent, only making the crash worse. The cause is largely attributed to the terrible post-WWI German economy, where inflation and poverty soared because they took the blunt punishment for WWI. The leading years of extreme worldwide economic downturn were known as the Great Depression. -
The Worst Year of the Great Depression
The worst year of the Great Depression were at the end of Herbert Hoovers Presidency and just before FDR took office. Herbert Hoover took an approach of encouragement and raising the tariff, hoping that would bring more income to the US, but it actually led to fewer people to export goods to the US because the tariff was so high. Hoover treated the Depression-like it was an economic panic that would pass over time, but the lack of federal help led to record low GDP and a declining stock market. -
The End of Prohibition
The Prohibition was repealed in 1933 after many people disregarded the law not to drink or produce alcohol. One problem was that the mob profited off of the illegal alcohol trade, and expanding their operations allowed more people to continue drinking. The law also made many responsibly drinking people technically criminals, even though they continued to drink responsibly. Many drunks were threatened with intense alcohol withdrawal if they quit immediately, increasing their need for alcohol. -
The New Deal
The New Deal was FDR's program for helping the US economy in the Great Depression that lasted from 1933 to 1939. After Hoover's neglect of the issue, FDR used public work projects, financial reform, and regulation that helped the country recover. The New Deal didn't actually fix the depression, the increased production of the future wartime economy was what really ended the depression; the New Deal just suppressed its symptoms. -
The Social Security Act
The Social Security Act was one of FDR's programs in the New Deal. Its purpose was to allow people that couldn't work to have a wage that came from a small percentage of everyone that found work. People included in Social Security were the elderly, the unemployed, and the injured who couldn't work. -
WWII Begins
WWII began after multiple countries switched to Fascism and Communism after the Great depression. These countries later formed a treaty, consisting of Germany, Japan, Italy, and Russia and the Soviet Union at the time. After Germany invaded Poland and ignored an ultimatum from Britain and France, they declared war on Germany and it's allies. The subsequent war initially began without US involvement, but the US showed support for the Allies, and later provided support through money and WarShips. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
Between 1939 and 1941, the US showed varying interest in the European conflict of WWII, although support was given to Britain and the US economy was benefiting from the increased wartime market. On December 7th, Japan saw an opportunity to cripple the US Navy while many ships were docked at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The subsequent attack made the war personal to the US, and the US joined the war. this attack is what began the long-standing battle of the Pacific between Japan and the US. -
VE Day
Victory in Europe day happened when Nazi Germany surrendered to the Allied powers. Hitler committed suicide during the Battle of Berlin after defeat had become apparent. His successor declared surrender after that. This day was celebrated by many European Allies countries, but the US specifically as hesitant because the Pacific war with Japan was still going on. -
Atom Bombs are Dropped on Japan
After the death of FDR shortly before VE day, it was Harry Truman that decided to use the Atomic Bombs on Japan. The Atomic bomb had been in development in the US since the 1930s, and its use on Japan was the first the world had seen of this technology. The bomb was used because it provided a low US casualty solution and increased the likelihood of Japan's unconditional surrender. -
VJ Day
VJ day came shortly after the dropping of atomic bombs on Japan. After the US advance at Midway and the display of power with the atomic bombs, Japan requested peace five days after the second bomb was dropped. This officially ended WWII allowing the US to celebrate as Europe did after VE-day. The after-effects of the war lead to distrust between the Soviet Union and the US as well as the introduction of atomic warfare, leading to the future cold war.
