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English colony at Jamestown Virginia
King James granted a carter for the Virginia Company to send 104 settlers to the Chesapeake Region. The settlers ununsed to work and growing crops improperly, faced disease, starvation, and indian raids. When John Smith left due to injuries, the settlement did even worse and rumors say they resorted to cannibalism. It wasn't until they started growing tobacoo that the settlement found success. -
First Africans brought to North America
In order in production of tobacoo, the first slaves were imported to Jamestown which would start the industry of plantations in America. -
Pilgrims land at Plymouth
Radical puritans aboard to Mayflower land at Plymouth to form a colony. After a grueling winter, nearby indians aid them leading to the Thanksgiving feast. Eventually relations between indians detoriated. Plymouth declined as the more populous MMassachusetts Bay Colony grew. -
Salem Witch Trials
A group of girls claimed to be possessed by the devil and blamed local women of witchcraft. Over a few months, 150 people were tried and 19 were hanged for witchcraft until Setember when public opinion turned on the court system. -
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French and Indian War
Conflicts between the rapidly expanding Americans and French led to a war that the French were winning with support from most indians. The British eventually made a formal delcaration of war borrowing heavily to finance the war but eliminating most threats of American expansion. -
Boston Massacre
An angry mob started attacking British soldiers causing them to fire killing 3 and wounding 8(3 died later). The soldiers were tried and acquitted with only 2 being charged for manslaughter later. Americans used this event to spur others to kick the British out. -
Boston Tea Party
To protest the Tea Act along with other forms of taxes, the Sons of Liberty dressed up as Indians tossed tea out of 3 ships in Boston Harbor. -
The Declaration of Independence
As the war dragged on with Britain increasing its armies, Americans say little chance of reconciliation and became radical enough to want independence. On the famous day still celebrated, the Americans delcated their independence, -
Treaty of Paris
Jay, Adams, and Franklin negotiate with Richard Oswald granting the US more land, fishing rights, and agreed not to persecute loyalists, restore property confiscated, andnot to block creditors collecting debts. -
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Shay's Rebellion
Farmers struggled to buy land due to high taxes and pro-debtor laws. They started a rebellion similar to the American Revolution. It was quickly defeated but the discontent remained and served as the first opposition to American government. -
Constitution Ratified
With the disastrous Shay's rebellion showing the weakness of the Articles of Confederation, the Constitutional Convention was held to create a new government all the states could agree on. After several months, the Constitution was ratified. -
Whiskey Rebellion
To pay off war debts incurred from the American Revolution, Hamilton passed a law taxing alcohol.(whiskey being the most popular) Western farmers protested it refusing to pay leading to a militia needing to be formed to put down an armed rebellion. -
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Lewis & Clark Expedition
With the Louisiana Purchase doubling the area of the US, Lewis and Clark were sent to detail the area for future settlers -
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War of 1812
The US wanted to expand their borders by invading Canada. After suffering multiple humiliating defeat including Washington DC being burned by the British. Eventually the US drove them out inpiring a sense of patriotism. -
Missouri Compromise
In 1819, Missouri applied for statehood threatening the precious balance of slave and free states. In order to allow its statehood, the south agreed not to let any more slave states appear above the 36°30′ latitude line. -
Trail of Tears
Southerners coveted Indian lands despite many of themembracing Western culture and destroyed their lands trying to force them out. The Indian Removal Act allowed moving indians west through peaceful resolution but was ignored and the U.S. Army forced them on a "Trail of Tears' where many died. -
Texan Indepence
In order to colonize Texas, Mexico allowed american settlers in as long as they submitted to Mexican rule. Although loyal at first, the abolition of slavery prompted the mainly American Texas to rebel and eventually join the US as a state. -
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Mexican American War
When Mexico refused to negotiate with the US after the Texan revolution and upon discovering they wished to purchase land, the US forged a casus belli through a "Mexican raid" and took New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, California, Arizona, and Colorado. -
Gold Rush in California
When gold was discovered in 1848 in California, many people travelled over for the hopes of striking rich. California went from a small territory of 1000 people to 100000 by the end of 1849 allowing it statehood. A total of $2 billion was extracted and locations like San Francisco grew to supply miners.
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Compromise of 1850
With the admittal of California once again threatening the balance of free states and slaves states a compromise had to be settled. In return for California and the ban of slave trade in Washington DC, the south got the Fugitive Slave Law. -
Kansas Nebraska Act
In order to ensure a North Transcontinental Railroad, Stephen Douglas wanted to create a state of Nebraska, The South objected so he offered to allow popular soverignty to decide slavery in the states of Kansas and Nebraska causing fights over whether to pick slavery or not. -
Abraham Lincoln elected President
Lincoln gained popularity by arguing to stop the spread of any further slavery. This angered the South causing them to secede upon his election. -
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Civil War
With the seccession of the South to form the Confederate States of America, the US would fight its bloodiest war which would lead to the abolition of slavery.
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Transcontinental Railroad completed
With the formation of California, it became apparent a railroad streching across all of America should be built. After 7 years, a golden spike was used to finish the railroad at Promontory, Utah -
Reconstruction Ends
Radical Repubicans used troops to force the South to adhere to new civil rights laws. However after the controversial election of 1876, Rutherford B. Hayes got presidency in exchange for withdrawing the troops. -
Sources
http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/boston-tea-party-facts
http://www.mountvernon.org/research-collections/digital-encyclopedia/article/whiskey-rebellion/
http://www.history.com/topics/salem-witch-trials
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/massacre.htm
http://historicjamestowne.org/history/history-of-jamestown/
http://www.history.com/topics/plymouth
http://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/declaration-of-independence
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/u-s-constitution-ra -
Sources2
http://www.history.com/topics/missouri-compromise
http://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/trail-of-tears
http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h306.html
https://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/Compromise1850.html
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/10/may-10-1869-first-transcontinental-railroad-completed/?_r=0
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/exhibits/reconstruction/section5/section5_intro.html
http://www.history.com/topics/french-and-indian-war
http://www.ushistory.org/us/15a. -
