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Founding of Jamestown
Jamestown was founded by the Virginia Company of England attempting to establish the first English colonies in America. The objective of the colonists were to get rich off the presumed to be rich in minerals instead of establishing a settlement with food. They found little minerals but John Smith saved the colony by beginning the cultivation of tobacco, setting a trend for future Chespeake colonies. Similar hardships of food and disease were faced by other English colonies like Plymouth. -
First Great Awakening
This was a religious revival in the 1730s to 1740s. Preachers like George Whitefield went around the colonies spreading their emotional messages of having faith in god. He also emphasized the importance of having a personal connection with god, having people read the bible at home instead of it being intepreted to them at the church. Those who followed the movement were called the New Lights who challenged more traditional ways of religion. Many schools also opened due to the awakening. -
Proclamation of 1763
After the 7 Years' War, the British gained all the French land east of the Mississippi. Excited by the victory and opportunity for land, many colonists began their excursion west. However, this caused tensions with the Native Americans who already lived there and whom the British wanted to trade with. Thus, the proclamation barred colonists from settling west of the Appalachians as planned, causing tensions between the British and their American colonies. -
Stamp Act of 1765
This was one of the many British policies placed on the colonies after the 7 Years' War. Britain had broken the bank going to war against France and they needed money quickly to pay back their debt. Thus, they increased taxes on the colonies as the mother country. The Stamp Act made it so that any printed product like playing cards was taxed in the colonies. The main problem though was that the taxes were passed by parliament without colonists' representation, causing tension in the colonies. -
Boston Massacre
Tensions grew with the many taxes and regulations by the British on the colonies, especially in Boston. Groups like the Sons of Liberty went against British rule and the most radical wanted independence. In a protest in front of the courthouse, a group of British soldiers was confronted and thrown objects at. In a panic, the soldiers shot at the crowd, killing 5, including a freedman, Crispus Attucks. Colonists were infuriated and news spread quickly through media like Paul Revere's engraving. -
Intolerable Acts
Infuriated by the Sons of Liberty's doing in the Boston Tea Party where millions worth of tea were lost, Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts. Mostly to punish Massachusetts, these acts forced the colony to pay back the tea that was lost but closed the Boston Port, outlawed its colonial government, allowed royal officials to be tried back in Britain, and enforced the Quartering Act. These acts deeply infuriated colonists and began the first ideas of armed fighting with the British. -
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Revolutionary War
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Lexington and Concord
The British, trying to surpress revolutionary action, needed to reclaim weapons from colonists stored in Concord. They began their march from their base in Boston and night riders warned their advance to revolutionaries. A small colonial force of minutemen and the British met in Lexington where a standoff commenced before the shot heard around the world commenced fighting. This fighting allowed the weapons and revolutionary leaders to escape and continue their fight, a British loss. -
Second Continental Congress
The colonies were in a time of crisis once the revolution began and they needed leadership. Each colony sent delegates so that their interests were included in the movement against the British. This continental congress established the continental army under George Washington and sent the Olive Branch petition for peace with the British. Later signing the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. Important members included Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams. -
Common Sense
This was a work produced by Thomas Paine highlighting why it was necessary for the colonies to declare their indepdence from Britain. Paine’s emotional and persuasive writing reinvigorated many colonists’ fristrations and caused a successful movement for the continental congress to declare independence from great britain under the ideas of human rights and democracy. Paine believed in the government’s role to serve the people and the need for a democratic and republican government. -
Battle of Saratoga
This was fought in upper New York where the British plan was to seperate the colonies into two by taking control of the Hudson River and cutting off the revolutionary New England colonies from the other colonies. A British army was moving south from Canada and was supposed to meet Howe’s army in Saratoga but he instead attacked Philadelphia. Horatio Gates was able to defeat the whole Northern force, a huge victory that helped convince the French to join the war to help the colonies. -
Valley Forge
This was an important time of survival and recuperation for the colonial army during the revolution. The winter was harsh for the colonials as they had to camp outside Philadelphia where farms had been ravaged. Food was scarse, disease rampant, and men were underdressed in the camp. However, they made it through with inspiration from The American Crisis by Thomas Paine. Additionally, training from General von Steuben of Prussia made the colonials a much more elite army by the end of the winter. -
Battle of Yorktown
The British switched tactics by focusing on the South, taking Virginia, and forcing the colonials’ hand into surrendering. They were successful at first with victories in Charleston and rampage in Virginia. General Cornwalis planned to make camp at Yorktown during winter while being protected by his navy on the Chesapeake but Washington swiftly put the town under siege while the French navy beat the British on the coast. Now surrounded, Cornwalis was forced to surrender and the war was over. -
Shay's Rebellion
Shay was a farmer who had fought for the colonials in the revolution and had become poor because he couldn’t farm his land while he was gone and the economy of the new nation was still developing, unable to properly pay debts like salaries to their soldier. Many others faced this problem and they raided the banks taking their land. This highlighted the issues with the articles as the government didn’t have the economy to pay back war bonds nor the army to fight rebellions. -
Northwest Ordinance
The revolution had been successful for the colonials and they were able to take much land the British as well. All the lands east of the Mississippi was granted to the United States to be settled as the colonies wished. Many colonists also wanted to avoid using any systtem of colonialism that the British used. Thus, they created the Northwest Ordinance under the Articles of Confederation to highlight how the Northwest territories would be developed and how they would be incorporated into states. -
Creation of the Constitution
The Constitution replaced the Articles as it established a stronger government where the legislative, executive, and judicial branches worked together to create, enforce, and interpret laws respectively. This stronger government, favored by federalists, was able to create an army, enforce taxes on the states, and have a president to lead the executive branch. Antifederalists argued the federal government was getting too much power compared to state governments which needed to ratify it first. -
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Washington's Presidency
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First Bank of the U.S.
Federalists like Alexander Hamilton believed in a loose interpretation of the Constitution and that there were powers not expressed in it that the federal government had. Antifederalists like Thomas Jefferson believed in a strict interpretation of the Constitution in which the government shouldn't have powers not expressed in the Constitution. One such power was a national bank which Hamilton established and was able to boost the American economy. -
Ratification of the Bill of Rights
Antifederalists argued that the Constitution gave too much power to the federal government without protecting important individual rights. For example, many wanted to protect citizens by granting individuals freedom of speech and press as well as denying the army the right to forcefully occupy citizen's homes. Needing states to ratify the constitution, federalists promised to add a Bill of Rights after ratification. This promise was fulfilled, forming the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. -
Cotton Gin Patented
Eli Witney, and important inventor for the young nation, was the inventor of the cotton gin. The cotton gin helped process cotton as it was a machine that could take the sticky seeds out of cotton with the simple rotation of a lever. This made cotton less labor intensive and cheaper to make. Cotton rose in the South as planters wanted to make huge profits of it, leading to a renewed enforcement of slavery. King cotton would rule the South for decades and cause regional division with the North. -
Whisky Rebellion
This rebellion was the first challenge to the new government under the Constitution. Under the Constitution, federalists like Alexander Hamilton issued taxes and other strong government policies to fund and develop the young nation. Their whisky tax angered many small whisky operations which began revolting against the new economic plan of federalists. Washington's new position as Commander in Chief and army allowed him to intimidate the rebellion, showing the strength of the new government. -
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Adam's Presidency
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XYZ Affair
John Adams took power after Washington who stayed out of European politics, and, as a federalist, wanted to place tariffs and preferred ties with the British over ties with the French. This caused tensions and French vessels began to harass American trading ships. Adams sent diplomats to resolve the problem but the French minister of foreign relations along with agents X, Y, and Z demanded a bribe first. Americans were offended by such a demand and Adam’s reputation was hurt by the event. -
Alien and Sedition Acts
After the XYZ affair, Adams took matters into his own hands to win reelection. The antifederalists who were against him published negative media about him and consisted of many naturalized citizens. He enacted policies that would let him ban any press that was negative of him and naturalization became harder for immigrants. He could also deport any immigrant he deemed dangerous. Henry Clay and Jefferson opposed this with the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions threatening nullification. -
Election of 1800
The election was extremely important as it was a peaceful transition of power from Adams, a federalist, and Jefferson, an antifederalist, the first of its kind. Adams had become unpopular and Jefferson won the election with his more agrarian vision of the U.S. compared to the Federalists' vision of industry. Federalists lost their platform after the election but continued to affect the government with Adams' midnight appointees and the long career of Chief Justice, John Marshall. -
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Jefferson's Presidency
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Marbury v. Madison
Marbury was one of Adams' midnight appointees who didn't receive his appointment and he sued when he found out he wouldn't be appointed with Jefferson in charge. This case went to the Supreme Court whose role in the government hadn't been well established thus far. In this case, the Supreme Court established judicial review in which they could declare acts of Congress unconstitutional. They ruled against Marbury's appointment and contributed to the checks and balances the other branches have. -
Louisiana Purchase
Jefferson's agrarian policy demanded land to farm on and methods to transport its goods. The U.S. was dependent on the Mississippi River and the port of New Orleans which they bordered to the east of but owned by the French who controlled land west of it. Jefferson attempted to buy the port of New Orleans but the French only offered to sale the whole Louisiana territory for a higher price. Jefferson agreed, against his weak government ideals, and sent Lewis and Clark to explore the new land. -
War of 1812
America's relations with Britain worsened as British sailors impressed American seamen, forcing them to work for them. Additionally, America wanted to expand north into the British colony of Canada and fight against their Indian allies out west. War hawks convinced Congress to declare war on Britain which led to massive war costs and the burning of Washington. The Treaty of Ghent in 1814 had no side winning as previous relations were reestablished. However, Indians no longer had British support. -
Industrializing America and Lowell System
With the market revolution, industry grew in America. Many factories powered popped up in the North, producing textiles with cotton from the south. Innovations like interchangeable parts by Eli Witney and mass production were essential to this industrialization and machines were built and repaired with these parts. Some factories followed the Lowell system where women took jobs in factories and often lived in quarters given by their employer. This gave them economic freedom through wages. -
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Era of Good Feeling
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Market Revolution
After the end of the War of 1812, American business was able to expand due to the American System by Henry Clay. Tariffs taxed cheaper imported goods from European companies allowing domestic business and industry to compete. Additionally, a Second National Bank was able to fund domestic business through federal subsidies. Additionally, infrastructure like canals and roads was encouraged by the government allowing for faster and cheaper traveling. America became more industrially independent. -
Missouri Compromise
Tensions about slavery increased with Missouri's appeal to become a state. Missouri wanted to be a slave state which would give the South an advantage in Congress, thus the North blocked the movement. To prevent a quarrel, Henry Clay developed this compromise in which any future states below the 36th parallel would be slave states and those north of it would be free states. To bring balance to congress, Missouri would be admitted as a slave state and Maine as a free state. -
Election of 1824
After a series of democrat-republican presidents in the era of good feelings, the election of 1824 brought political dilemmas back to America. Andrew Jackson had formed a solid base of poor whites by convincing state governments to extend voting rights to all white men. Together they formed the Democratic Party. However, they were beaten by John Quincy Adams after the “corrupt bargain” where Henry Clay promoted him as Speaker of the House for a congressional election. -
Steam Power and the First Steam Engine
Power was essential for the industrializing North, steam engines replaced traditional water mills that required flowing water. Steam boats were able to travel up and down rivers and steam engines were able to power factories. However, most impressive was the locomotive which provided fast transportation on the railroad to both cargo and passengers. Railroads were able to decrease travel times and cost and the telegraph lines built beside tracks provided fast communication as well. -
Jackson's Presidency
Jackson became president as the leader of the mob, the common people. He believed that the government should have a minimal role in people’s lives. He also created the spoils system, benefiting his fellow democrats and, as a Westerner, was tough on Indians. Additionally, he believed in a laissez-faire economy so he closed the Second National Bank to reduce government power there. This crippled the economy during Van Buren’s presidency in the Panic of 1837. The Whig Party was made to oppose him. -
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Jackson's Presidency
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Indian Removal Act
To encourage migration out west Indians were relocated from their homes, leaving space for Whites to settle. Jackson’s goal was to clear all land east of the Mississippi and relocate the Indians west of the river to reservations in Oklahoma. In processes like the Trail of Tears, Indians were forced to do long and deadly treks out west by the U.S. Army because of unfair contracts. Worcester v. Georgia did help establish indian groups as nations but was ignored by Jacksonians. -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
Slaves constantly tried to escape the South by sneaking out with the underground railroad, winning their freedom legally whenever possible, but also violently through slave revolts. Nat Turner was a slave preacher and led an insurrection against his masters and other planters. His force was able to kill his white masters and they continued their revolt in other plantations. However, the white population was able to suppress the revolution like many others and many slaves were further suppressed. -
Nullification Crisis
After John Quincy Adams was elected, he mostly only established the Tariff of 1828 as he wanted to gain popularity with industrialized states in the Northwest. However, southern states needed free trade with Europeans as they could buy their cheap products while selling their cotton. Once Jackson came into power, South Carolina nullified the “Tariff of Abominations” and would forcefully secede if attacked. Jackson’s army and Henry Clay’s compromise tariff helped solve the issue. -
Charles Finney's Revivals
This was at the time of the Second Great Awakening. Charles Finney was an evangelist who promoted revivals in which people were cleared of sin by congregations of other evangelists. Evangelists believed that they had to improve society through the church such as spreading their messages of abolitionism, temperance, and women’s rights. Churches targeted women so that they would spread their message as the heart of the home. Transcendentalists and utopias also emerged during this time. -
Texas Revolution
Mexico had become an independent country but needed people to move into its Texas territory. It asked for Americans to move into the land as not enough Mexicans moved in. Though it was successful in making Texas productive and safer, many Americans ignored the conditions they had to meet to move in such as becoming Catholic and being good Mexican citizens. Mexico became more strict on the settlers, causing an independence movement in Texas. After the Alamo, the Texans were successful. -
Mexican -American War
Texas was able to win their fight against Mexico as they allowed the US to annex them whom Mexico didn’t want to fight. However, a decision couldn’t be made on the proper border between Mexico and Texas and fighting broke out. American forces quickly went on the attack, coming in from the North, making a sea invasion of Veracruz from the east, and invading the Mexican territory of California. Within 2 years the war was over with an American victory. America then replaced the Mexican government. -
California Gold Rush
Gold was found in California and a wave of American citizens went to find their own riches. Though the gold was quickly taken by mining operations and other individuals, thousands kept pouring in up to 1850. Many poor and humiliated Americans decided to stay in the territory. Additionally, many immigrants also came to California hoping for their own riches but they faced lots of racism instead. Mexicans still living in the region saw their land be taken too by the settlers. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The new Mexican government established after the Mexican-American War was forced to sign a peace treaty. Manifest Destiny compelled some Americans to want to take all of Mexico. However, many argued that it would also mean taking all of its problems like criminals and economic deficiencies. Thus, America only took the Southwest territories north of the Colorado River and the Rio Grande. After the Mexican government was forced to sign the treaty, America added to its West coastline assets. -
Seneca Falls Convention
Organized by Elizabeth Stanton and Lucretia Mott, they wanted to unify women’s groups to focus on fighting for their own rights. In the Declaration of Sentiments, the women declared their goal to achieve equality with their male counterparts and list the injustices that existed between the two, based on the Declaration of Independence. This event marks women’s unfortunate but necessary shift of focus from abolitionism to their own suffrage under leaders like Susan B. Anthony. -
Compromise of 1850
With the influx of people in California, it was ready to become a state. However, lay above and below the 36th parallel established by the Missouri Compromise and it wanted to become a free state. Southerners blocked this movement as doing so would give the North an advantage in Congress, worrisome for slaveholders. Thus, Henry Clay proposed California be entered but also establish popular sovereignty where states vote on slavery, the Fugitive Slave Act, and ban the slave trade in DC. -
Bleeding Kansas
Attempting to build a railroad west, the Nebraska-Kansas Act was established. Kansas now had an opportunity to become a state and vote if slavery should be allowed or not. The majority of the state was anti-slavery but after Missouri pro-slavery ruffians harassed Kansas towns and prevented some from voting, Kansas became a slave state. Tensions and violence spurred because of the opposition of both sides. This violence between the two sides showed the inevitability of civil war. -
Dred Scott Decision
Slavery became the main topic of politics during the 1850s such as in the Dred Scott decision. Scott was a slave who was brought to a free state by his master. He argued that being in a free state, he was now free. However, when taken to the Supreme Court, the court ruled against him under Chief Justice Taney, selected by Jackson long before. This decision essentially established that there were no truly free states which angered many anti-slavery Northerners and figures like Frederick Douglas. -
John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry
John Brown took arms during Bleeding Kansas and began terrorizing pro-slavery settlements in the territory, killing even women and children. He then went into hiding and began his plan of a slave revolt down South. He planned on taking over the armory at Harpers Ferry and securing weapons for his rebellion. Then he would go south and start recruiting and arming any slave that wanted to join him against slavery. He was unsuccessful but showed the ever-growing violence about slavery. -
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Cvil War
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Start of the Civil War
Abraham Lincoln was elected in the election of 1860. This was to the dismay of southern states as a Republican had won, big on anti-slavery, since the democrats had been split on slavery. This despite Lincoln’s insistence he wouldn’t abolish it. In the winter of 1860 to 1861, several slave states began seceding including Virginia, on the doorstep of Washington D.C. and with Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri considering it too. The war finally started when Fort Sumter was fired upon. -
Homestead Act
Lincoln also signed this act which gave plots of land to Americans if they completed tasks such as moving in, making improvements, and farming the land. This made it appealing to many Americans as cities were overcrowded and people were poor. However, a wave of settlers to the West also developed more tension with the Indians living there. Once again, Whites were taking their lands, and the reformers also to their children to reeducate. The west profited from mining, farming, and ranching. -
Emancipation Proclamation
The war hadn’t been going as the North had hoped as the South was able to defend against any attack on their capital due to better tactics from General Lee, despite the North's advantage in numbers and resources. Lincoln needed a Northern victory to announce the proclamation due to the controversy it would cause as it would free the slaves from southern states. The best he got was a draw at the Battle of Antietam. This made slavery as one of the official causes of the war for the north. -
End of the Civil War
The Union won the Civil War after battles like Vicksburg which completed the anaconda plan, squeezing the life out of the south through a blockade. Additionally, Gettysburg prevented Lee’s army from getting to Washington D.C. and forcing a union surrender. Grant’s and Sherman’s tactics of total war helped them in Vicksburg and ending the war by making the south run out of supplies. Lee was made to surrender after being surrounded in Appatamox, Virginia by Grant, ending the war. -
Lincoln is Assassinated
Shortly after the war’s end, Lincoln met his demise by the south-sympathizing John Boothe. Radical Republicans in Congress saw this as an opportunity to pass their strict reconstruction policies on the South as Andrew Johnson replaced Lincoln. However, Johnson kept vetoing their policies, in favor of a more lenient plan, frustrating the radicals. After they gained a majority in Congress, the radicals were able to override Johnson’s vetoes and were even able to impeach him, taking his power. -
Transcontinental Railroad Finishes Construction
Lincoln passed the Pacific Railroad Act in 1862 so that two railway companies would construct a railroad from the west of the country to the east of the country by meeting in the middle. This caused competition between the two to build more railroad as they were paid money and land per mile of railroad they constructed. Once finished, this railroad cut the time of traveling coast to coast from months by the Oregon Trail and such to a couple of weeks, reducing prices too. -
Women's Suffrage in Utah
The expansion west was beneficial for women as many western states granted their women voting rights. For example, Mormon women in Utah were allowed to vote due to a lack of male Mormon voters and the determination of the Mormon Church to keep power in Utah. Women’s suffrage was also achieved in Wyoming, the first state to give these rights, and then Colorado. Figures like Susan B. Anthony contacted women in Utah to form alliances for women’s suffrage nationwide. -
New Amendments
Radical Republicans quickly took advantage of their dominance in Congress during Reconstruction. They kept their power by having a military occupation of the South to keep peace and establish republican governments in the South. They were also able to add amendments like the 13th which abolished slavery, the 14th which gave all people born in the US citizenship, and the 15th which guaranteed voting rights to all people. All the amendments guaranteed freedmen's rights for decades to come. -
Compromise of 1877
The end of the reconstruction era came with the events of the election of 1776. Democrats had regained power in southern politics and government and seemingly all successfully united for the Democrat candidate. Suspecting misdoing, a recount was demanded in 3 states and, surprisingly, the Republicans won all 3 and the elections. Republican Rutherford B. Hayes was given the presidency but the North also took its troops and its influence on the South. This made freedmen vulnerable in the south.