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The Battles of Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the beginning of the American fight for independence. The famous "shot heard 'round the world," was politically devastating for the British and encouraged many Americans to support the struggle for independence. -
The Winter at Valley Forge
The Winter at Valley Force was a six-month encampment of General George Washington's Continental Army at Valley Forge. It was a major turning point in the American Revolutionary War. Regular freezing and thawing and snowfall and rain, with shortages of clothing and shoes, made living conditions extremely difficult. Valley Forge was significant not only for reshaping Washington’s army, but for the dedication, endurance, and resilience shown by the Americans. -
Benedict Arnold turns traitor
Benedict Arnold turned his back on his country in a secret meeting with a top British official, marking him the most famous traitor in American history. -
The Battle of Cowpens
The Battle of Cowpens was a strategic American victory during the American Revolution over a British force in South Carolina. It was a rare win for American forces and it slowed British efforts to invade North Carolina. It became known as the turning point of the war and led to the victory at Yorktown. -
The Battle of Baltimore
The Battle of Baltimore was a battle in which American forces fought back against sea and land invasions off the port city of Baltimore, Maryland, which effectively ended the British invasion. This battle also inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem that would eventually become The Star-Spangled Banner, our National Anthem. -
The Battle of New Orleans
The United States achieved its greatest land victory of the War of 1812 at New Orleans. This American victory forced the British to recognize United States claims to Louisiana and West Florida, and to ratify the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the war. The Battle of New Orleans also marked the state's incorporation into the Union. -
The Election of Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was elected by popular vote. His election reintroduced the two-party system and was the first "president of the people." In 1830, he signed the Indian Removal Act. -
The Battle of the Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo was a battle that took place during the Texas Revolution. Every soldier in the fort was killed and the only survivors were women and children, and those who had been enslaved by the Texans at the fort. As a result of the devastating loss for the American settlers, the Alamo became a symbol of resistance. -
Mexico loses California, New Mexico, and Arizona
This treaty ended the war between the United States and Mexico. By its terms, Mexico ceded 55 percent of its territory including present-day states of California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, most of Arizona and Colorado, and parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming. -
South Carolina secedes from the United States
When Abraham Lincoln was elected president, the South Carolina legislature perceived it as a threat. They voted to remove the state of South Carolina from the union. The secession of South Carolina precipitated the outbreak of the American Civil War. -
South Carolina secedes from the United States
South Carolina was the first state to secede from the United States. The secession of South Carolina marked the beginning of the American Civil War. -
Abraham Lincoln Elected President
Prior to Abraham Lincoln, The United States became increasingly divided over the debate about slavery. He issued the Emancipation Proclamation which gave slaves the opportunity to live freely in the United States. -
The First Battle of Bull Run
Bull Run was the first full-scale battle of the Civil War. It was the first of two engagements fought at a small stream named Bull Run near Manassas in northern Virginia. Federal forces attempted to attack Confederate positions from the side by crossing Bull Run. The end result of the battle was a Confederate victory and Federal forces retreating. -
The Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg was a war fought by Union and Confederate forces during the Civil War. The battle included the largest number of casualties of the entire war and is described as the war's turning point. -
The Treaty at Appomattox Courthouse
The Appomattox Court site is significant for its association with the final battle of the Civil War and the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee to General Ulysses S. Grant. Grant and Lee met in the parlor of a house in Appomattox Court House to discuss the surrender of the Army. This marks the beginning of the country's transition to peace and reconciliation following the years of Civil War. -
The sinking of the USS Maine
In February of 1898, an explosion (of unknown origin) sank the battleship USS Maine in the Havana, Cuba harbor. It killed 266 of the 354 crew members. The sinking of the Maine incited the United States' hatred against Spain, eventually leading to a declaration of war. -
The Adoption of the Star Spangled Banner as the National Anthem
The Star Spangled Banner was adopted as the National Anthem in 1931. The words are from a poem that was written by Francis Scott Key in 1814 after he was relieved that the United States had made it through the British attack. -
Battle of the Philippines
The Japanese Army overran all of the Philippines during this. The Battle of the Philippines was a major naval battle of World War II that eliminated the Imperial Japanese Navy's ability to conduct large-scale carrier actions.