-
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence declares a complete break with Britian and its King and claims the powers of an independent country. It was the first formal statement by a nation's people asserting their right to choose their own government. -
Presidential Election of 1789
In the first presidential election, George Washington was unanimously elected president of the United States. George Washington was elected for the first of his two terms as President of the United States, and John Adams became the first Vice President of the United States. -
The Whiskey Rebellion
An uprising of Western Pennsylvania farmers that took place in response to Alexander Hamilton's excise tax on whiskey. The rebellion was the first time the new U.S. government used military force to establish authority within a state. -
Louisiana Purchase
Louisiana Purchase was the purchase of imperial rights to the western half of the Mississippi River basin from France by the United States in 1803. The United States paid France $15 million for the Louisiana Territory. -
War of 1812
The War of 1812 began with the United States' declaration of war against Great Britain on June 18, 1812. It sparked primarily due to British attempts to restrict U.S. trade and their impressment of American sailors. -
The Star-Spangled Banner
Written by Francis Scott Key after he witnessed the American flag flying over Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812. It officially became the U.S. national anthem in 1931. -
The Missouri Compromise
Signed by President James Monroe, the U.S. Congress admitted Missouri to the Union as a state that allowed slavery, and Maine as a free state. It also banned slavery from the remaining Louisiana Purchase lands located north of the 36º 30' parallel. This maintained a delicate balance between free and slave states. -
The Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal Act was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson that relocated Indigenous people which became known as the "Trail of Tears." This act removed Native Americans from their ancestral lands east of the Mississippi River to the unsettled lands west of the River. -
California gold rush
It began in 1848 when gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill, drawing thousands of people to California in search of gold. This mass migration transformed California's economy and population, leading to California's admission to the Union as a state in 1850 -
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The treaty resulted in Mexico giving up 55% of its territory to the United States. Mexico also gave up all claims to Texas and recognized the Rio Grande as the border between the two countries. It brought an official end to the Mexican-American War in favor of the United States.