-
The Battles of Lexington and Concord
Massachusetts colonists defied British authority, outnumbered and outfought the Redcoats, and embarked on a lengthy war to earn their independence -
The Winter at Valley Forge
The weather during this was horrible, it wasn't the coldest but the inconsistent weather and the shortage of clothing caused many sicknesses and death along the way. -
Benedict Arnold turns traitor
Revolutionary War hero Benedict Arnold turned his back on his country in a secret meeting with a top British official. -
The Battle of Cowpens
This battle lasted an hour and was a complete victory for the Americans, 110 British soldiers 40 of which were officers were killed and 500 were taken prisoner. Only 12 of Morgan's men were killed. -
The USS Constitution defeats the HMS Guerriere
After losing the masts and being badly damaged, the British ship surrendered. Guerriere was too badly damaged to salvage and was burned the following day -
The Battle of Baltimore
American forces repulsed sea and land invasions off the port city of Baltimore, Maryland. -
The Battle of New Orleans
American troops defeated the poorly executed British on New Orleans, in roughly 30 minutes. Although the British had a large advantage in training. Americans suffered 250 casualties as the British suffered 2,000. -
The Election of Andrew Jackson
The election marked the rise of Jacksonian Democracy and the transition from the First Party System to the Second Party System. -
The Battle of the Alamo
This battle lasted roughly 90 minutes. It was a battle between the Mexican and Texan forces at a fort called the Alamo in San Antonio. Many Mexican soldiers crowded around a small force of around 180 Texan rebels who held out in the fort for two weeks. -
Mexico loses California, New Mexico, and Arizona
The treaty ended the war between the United States and Mexico. By its terms, Mexico ceded 55 percent of its territory, including the present-day states of California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, most of Arizona and Colorado, and parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming. -
Abraham Lincoln Elected President
The election motivated seven Southern states, all voting for Breckinridge, to secede before the inauguration in March. He won every county in New England and most of the remaining counties in the North, but he won just two of the 996 Southern counties. -
South Carolina secedes from the United States
South Carolina became the first state to secede from the federal Union, when Abraham Lincoln, a known opponent of slavery was elected president the South Carolina legislature perceived a threat. -
The First Battle of Bull Run
During this battle, McDowell's army of 28,450 suffered 460 killed and 1,124 wounded, with over 1,300 listed as missing or captured. Beauregard and Johnston's 32,230 Confederates lost 387 killed and 1,582 wounded, with just 13 reported missing or captured, near Manassas in northern Virginia. -
The Battle of Gettysburg
Repulsed by Union rifle and artillery fire, at great loss to the Confederate army. Lee led his army on a torturous retreat back to Virginia. Between 46,000 and 51,000 soldiers from both armies were casualties in the three-day battle, the most costly in US history. -
The Treaty at Appomattox Courthouse
Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to Union General Ulysses S. Grant. -
The sinking of the USS Maine
Maine sank when gunpowder magazines exploded. Nearly three-quarters of the battleship's crew died as a result of the explosion. Some also think that Spain might be the cause of the sinking. -
Battle of the Philippines (Spanish American War, not World War II)
Fighting broke out between American forces and Filipino nationalists led by Emilio Aguinaldo who sought independence rather than a change in colonial rulers. -
The Adoption of the Star Spangled Banner as the National Anthem
President Herbert Hoover signed a Public Law, making it the official national anthem.