-
Period: to
Pequot War
-
Period: to
The Enlightenment
-
Period: to
King Philip’s War
-
Period: to
First Great Awakening
-
Period: to
French and Indian War
-
Period: to
American Revolution
-
Lexington and Concord
Known as the battle with the “shot heard round the world”, this brief skirmish is considered the start of the fight for American Independence. It actually started with a warning from Paul Revere & William Dawes that alerted the Minutemen that the British were coming. The British succeeded in destroying some American supplies but their destruction resorted in 250 British casualties (& humiliation from being shot by such “amatur” fighters). -
Second Continental Congress
As the second meeting of Continental Congress in Philadelphia, delegates managed the war effort. They moved towards the decision for independence and eventually adopted the Declaration of Independence. They were the temporary government of the future United States. -
Battle at Bunker Hill
As a true battle that actually occurred on Breed’s Hill, this skirmish was between the militia of Massachusetts and a British force that overtook the hill. The Americans still considered this a victory as sorts though as the British suffered over a thousand casualties. -
Olive Branch Petition
Not all colonists independence, they simply wanted change in their relationship with the King. This caused the delegates of the Second Continental Congress to send a petition to King George III that pledged their loyalty and requested for the King to work with Parliament to secure peace and protection of colonial rights. Instead of peace, this angered the King and caused him to pass Parliament’s Prohibitory Act (August 1775) which declared the colonies in rebellion. -
Common Sense
Thomas Paine’s pamphlet, Common Sense, argued for the colonies to become independent, breaking all ties with Britain. His reasoning was that it was contrary to common sense for a large continent to be ruled by a small, distant island and for people to pledge allegiance to a king whose government was corrupt and whose laws were unreasonable. This pamphlet impacted the public opinion and got even the average colonist wanting to fight. -
Declaration of Independence
Jefferson & four other delegates formed a committee to construct a statement to support Richard Henry Lee’s resolution calling for independence. This document listed specific grievances against King George III and basic principles that justified revolution. -
Battle of Saratoga
As the turning point of the American Revolution, this battle was between General Burgoyne’s British troops and American troops led by Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold. As a surprising victory, this surrender led to the much more important diplomatic outcome of France openly joining the fight on the American side (France had previously secretly aided the Americans). France believed their aid would weaken their rival Great Britain and ultimately this helped colonists in greatly. -
Articles of Confederation
As the first constitution of the United States, this instituted a weak national government that was later replaced by the Constitution. -
Battle of Yorktown
As the last major battle of the Revolution, Washington's army (with support from French forces) forced the surrender of the British army commanded by General Charles Cornwallis. -
Treaty of Paris 1783
As the treaty that ended the war the Treaty of Paris stated;
- Britain would recognize the existence of the United States as an independent nation.
- The Mississippi River would be the western boundary of that nation.
- Americans would have fishing rights off the coast of Canada.
- Americans would pay debts owed to British merchants and honor Loyalist claims for property confiscated during the war. -
Shay's Rebellion
As a debt-ridden farmer rebellion (paid in whiskey), led by Captain Daniel Shays in Massachusetts, Shay’s Rebellion was easily started and showed weakness in the Articles of Confederation. -
Shays’ Rebellion
Captain Daniel Shays, a Massachusetts farmer and Revolutionary War veteran, led other farmers in an uprising against high state taxes, imprisonment for debt, and lack of paper money. The rebel farmers stopped the collection of taxes and forced the closing of debtors’ courts. -
Constitutional Convention
Initially called to revise the Articles of Confederation, this Philadelphia convention led to the creation of the US Constitution. -
Northwest Ordinance 1787
As one of the only accomplishments of the Articles of Confederation, the Northwest Ordinance set rules for creating new states (for the territory between the Great Lake and the Ohio River). This granted limited self-government to the developing territory and prohibited slavery in that region. -
Judiciary Act 1789
This act created the federal-court system (a federal district court in each state). -
Second Great Awakening
As a Protestant revival movement, this is said to be a “reaction against skepticism, deism and rational Christianity”. It led followers to believe that everyone could be saved through revivals, repentance and conversion. -
Chisholm v. Georgia
Two citizens of South Carolina brought suit against Georgia to recover British-owned property which had been confiscated by Georgia during the Revolutionary War. State officials refused to appear in court and vigorously denied the Court's jurisdiction. The Court's decision provoked widespread criticism, and two days later the Eleventh Amendment was proposed in Congress. -
Whiskey Rebellion
As a farmer rebellion against an excise tax on Whiskey, the Whiskey Rebellion showed just how strong the government had grown under the US Constitution (in contrast to Shay’s Rebellion). -
XYZ Affair
In an effort to negotiate issues threatening war, Americans were sent to meet the French foreign minister Talleyrand. Instead, they were sent 3 officials (named X, Y & Z) that demanded a $250,000 bribe to meet Talleyrand. -
Alien and Sedition Acts
Naturalization Act, which increased the waiting period for an immigrant to become a citizen from 5 to 14 years
Alien Act, which empowered the president to arrest and deport dangerous aliens
Alien Enemy Act, which allowed for the arrest and deportation of citizens of countries at war with the US
The first 3 were created in response to the XYZ Affair
Sedition Act, which made it illegal to publish defamatory statements about the federal government or its officials. This was created to stifle Democr -
Revolution of 1800
Jefferson’s name of the 1800 election because of the change from Federalists to Jeffersonians. -
Marbury v. Madison
Case where Chief Justice John Marshall first asserted the Supreme Court’s right to interpret the US Constitution (Judicial Review). -
Louisiana Purchase
Made by Jefferson, this purchase of the Louisiana territory from France doubled the size of the US. -
Embargo Act 1807
Issued by Jefferson, this act forbade American trading ships from leaving the US with the intention of forcing Britain & France to change their policies towards neutral vessels by depriving them of American trade. -
Nonintercourse Act
This law was created to replace the Embargo Act and allowed Americans to trade with all nations except Britain & France -
Fletcher v. Peck
A state had tried to revoke a land grant on the grounds that it had been obtained by corruption. The Court ruled that a state cannot arbitrarily interfere with a person's property rights. Since the land grant was a legal contract, it could not be repealed, even if corruption was involved. -
Macon’s Bill No. 2
This bill offered to resume trade with any nation that lifted neutral trading restrictions but forbade trade with Britain & France. Because France changed their restrictions, US trade with France resumed. -
War of 1812
A war between the US & Britain because they were trying to interfere with US trade with France -
Period: to
War of 1812
-
Treaty of Ghent
As the treaty that ended the War of 1812, the Treaty of Ghent agreed to halt fighting, returned all conquered territory and recognized the border between Canada & the US. It failed to address issues that initiated the war. -
Johnson v. McIntosh
Under Marshall, this case established that NA tribes had the rights to tribal lands that preceded all other American law; only the fed. gov. could take land from the tribes. -
Gibbons v. Ogden
As a result of NY trying to grant a monopoly on waterborne trade between NY & NJ, Judge Marshall reminded NY that the Constitution gives Congress along the control of interstate commerce (major blow to state’s right -
Election of 1824 (corrupt bargain)
In the election with the two main runners, Henry Clay & Andrew Jackson, the neither candidate obtained enough electoral votes. The vote was taken to the House and as Henry Clay was Speaker of the House, he made the corrupt bargain with John Quincy Adams which had Adams sway to vote in Clay’s favor. In return, Adams would be made Clay’s Secretary of State. -
Texas Independence
Started by the differences of the Texans and Mexicans living in Texas, the conflict was started by the final straw; Mexico’s outlawing of slavery. After battling Mexico for their independence, Texans finally beat Santa Anna and gained their independence. -
Webster-Ashburton Treaty
The “battle of the maps” or the Aroostook War, was resolved by the Webster-Ashburton treaty, negotiated between Lord Alexander Ashburton and US Secretary of State, Daniel Webster, that split the disputed land between the two territories. This also resolved the boundary of the Minnesota territory. -
Election of 1844
Democrat James K. Polk vs. Whig Henry Clay based on foreign policy; Polk favored annexing TX while Clay opposed. Polk supported U.S Manifest Destiny while Clay opposed expansionism. -
Wilmot Proviso
During the 1st year of the war, David Wilmot of Pennsylvania proposed a bill to be amended to forbid slavery in any of the new territories acquired from Mexico. It ultimately passed the House twice but was defeated in the Senate. -
Mexican-American War
Caused by the U.S annexation of Texas (Mexico still claimed TX even after the Texas Revolution), this conflict was eventually ended by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in which the U.S gained the California and New Mexico territories for $15 million and marked the Rio Grande as the border. This led to controversy over U.S expansion and the new slave state. -
Period: to
Mexican - American War
-
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1848
Negotiated in Mexico by Nicholas Trist, this treaty provided the following;
- Mexico would recognize the Rio Grande as the southern border of Texas.
- The United States would take possession of the former Mexican provinces of California and New Mexico—the Mexican Cession. For these territories, the United States would pay $15 million and assume the claims of American citizens against Mexico. -
Gadsden Purchase
President Pierce succeeded in adding land to the American Southwest. This land purchase from Mexico included thousands of acres of semi desert land (present-day New Mexico & Arizona) for $10 million. -
Ostend Manifesto
A document that was written with the intent of purchasing Cuba from Spain and the underlying warning that the U.S would declare war in case of refusal. As the U.S had always had an interest in this territory, “the Ostend Manifesto proposed a shift in foreign policy, justifying the use of force to seize Cuba in the name of national security”. -
Panic of 1857
The mid century economic boom ended with the the Panic of 1857. Prices dropped tremendously, for midwestern farmers especially, and unemployment increased in the North. The South was less affected (cotton prices remained high) and this led Southerners to believe that their plantation economy was superior and that continued union with the northern economy was not needed. -
Civil War
1861 - 1865, A war between the “North” and “South” of the United States that had the goal of saving the Union, NOT abolishing slavery. -
Period: to
Civil War
A war between the “North” and “South” of the United States that had the goal of saving the Union, NOT abolishing slavery. -
Antietam
As the bloodiest single day battle in the Civil War, with 23,000 casualties, Antietam was the first major battle on Union soil. -
Emancipation Proclamation of 1863
1863, Used as a military war strategy, by Lincoln, the Emancipation Proclamation technically “abolished” slavery in the South. This led to some African American Union soldiers but since the South thought themselves a separate country, this document never truly freed the slaves and instead simply pissed off the South even more. -
Period: to
Reconstruction Era
A failure, Lincoln designed Reconstruction to not punish but to reunite the country. His requirements: Southern state constitutions had to declare secession null & void, abolish slavery, & cancel all war debts. The Congressional Reconstruction Plan, designed by Radical Republicans, punished the South and keep white democrats out of power. States had to ratify the 14th & 15th amendments and the South was occupied by the military. Reconstruction ended with the Compromise of 1877. -
Gettysburg
As the bloodiest battle in the Civil War, Gettysburg resulted in 51,000 casualties and was the turning point of the war. Union Major General George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac defeated attacks by Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, ending Lee's invasion of the North. This was also where Pickett’s Charge happened. In this uphill battle, Confederates charged up at Union and caused great losses to the Confederates, which they never recovered from. -
NYC Draft Riots
July 13-16, 1863, Led by lower-class workers and many immigrants, these violent revolts were in response to the newly passed draft laws made for the ongonoing Civil War. These poor workers couldn’t buy themselves out of fighting and possibly dying in the war like the rich upper-class could. -
Massacre at Fort Pillow, TN
Even after the surrender of the Union troops, following the battle, Nathan Bedford Forrest’s (First Grand Wizard of KKK) men slaughtered 262 African American Union soldiers and 295 white Union soldiers. This is considered one of the bleakest moments in American military history. -
Sherman’s “March to the Sea”
Led by Major General William Tecumseh Sherman. In this march through Georgia he and his brutal soldiers destroyed/burned everything in sight (industry, infrastructure, civilian property, etc) which meant the destruction of the South and its ability to wage war. As the slaves were freed by his soldiers, they were promised 40 acres & a mule to fight. -
Election of 1864
In the 20th U.S presidential election of Lincoln (R) vs. McClellan (D), Lincoln won reelection in a “landslide” victory. None of the 11 Southern states voted in this process though as it was during the Civil War. The Democratic party was split as Moderate Peace Democrats proposed to negotiate peace and ensure Union victory but Radical Peace Democrats (called Copperheads - snakes) opposed Civil War and wanted immediate peace. -
Surrender at Appomattox
Robert E. Lee surrenders his Confederate army to the Union army which ended the Civil War. -
Assassination of Lincoln
5 days after the surrender at Appomattox, while watching a play in the theatre, Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth (famous acting family). He was the first president to be assassinated. Booth fled but was allegedly shot 12 days later (there is speculation that he survived). 4 people were executed for treason (involved, conspiring) and this was the 1st time they killed a women (might be innocent). Ex: like brad pitt killed obama -
13th Ammendment
The first of the Reconstruction amendments after the Civil War: Freed the slaves. -
Alaska Purchase
Alaska had be disputed between Russia & Great Britain for years and since the threat of British takeover was a economic burden, Russia was seeking buyers. Secretary of State, William H. Seward purchased the vast Alaska territory for $7.2 million and while it wasn’t appreciated then, “Seward’s Folly” or “Seward’s Icebox” would later become a valuable purchase. -
14th Amendment
The second Reconstruction amendment: Gave African Americans citizenship. -
Gilded Age
1870s - 1890s; This was a time period that appeared good from the upper-class’s point of view, despite the corrupt politics & growing gap between the rich & poor. -
Period: to
Gilded Age
1870s - 1890s; This was a time period that appeared good from the upper-class’s point of view, despite the corrupt politics & growing gap between the rich & poor. -
15th Amendment
The third Reconstruction amendment: Gave African Americans voting rights. -
Compromise of 1877
An unwritten, informal agreement that would put Hayes in the white house if he:
- Removed of all federal troops from the southern states.
- Appointed of at least one southern Democrat into Hayes's Administration.
- Completed construction of a second transcontinental railroad in the South called the Texas and Pacific.
- Had legislation enacted to help industrialize the South. -
Dawes Act
As part of the process of assimilation, native Indian lands were surveyed and divided up by the president and given out to individual NA. -
How the Other Half Lives
A Danish immigrant, Jacob Riis was a photojournalist whose images revealed the terrible conditions in the immigrant tenement housing of the big cities during the late 1880s and started the basis of muckracking. The publication was written in 1890. -
Sherman Anti-Trust Act
Although not effectively enforced when originally created (passed by Benjamin Harrison), this act banned the formation of and limited certain trusts and monopolies and required the government to investigate any trusts, companies or organizations that were suspected of violating this law. Teddy Roosevelt was the president that actually utilized this later on. -
Wounded Knee Massacre
As the last battle of the American Indian Wars, this bloody skirmish started with the troops disarmament of the group of NA. Some versions tell that Black Coyote refused to hand over his gun and in the struggle a shot was fired. Following this single shot the troops fired and killed 150 NA and pursued and killed the ones who fled. The total death count was 300 men, women and children NA and a few troops. -
Homestead Strike
It was one of the most violent strikes in U.S. history. It was against the Homestead Steel Works, which was part of the Carnegie Steel Company, in Pennsylvania in retaliation against wage cuts. The riot was ultimately put down by Pinkerton Police and the state militia, and the violence further damaged the image of unions. -
Pullman Strike
This was a nonviolent strike which brought about a shutdown of western railroads, which took place against the Pullman Palace Car Company in Chicago in the summer of 1894, because of the poor wages of the Pullman workers. It was ended by the president due to the interference with the mail system, and brought a bad image upon unions. -
Spanish-American War
Caused by U.S intervention in the Cuban War of Independence, American public opinion of the “Spanish atrocities” happening in Cuba (spread by Yellow Journalism) and the sinking of the U.S.S Maine, this conflict was won by the U.S along with Cuban and Philippine forces. Ended by the 1898 Treaty of Paris, the U.S had temporary control of Cuba and gained Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines (collapse of the Spanish empire). -
U.S.S. Maine
Anchored in the harbor of Havana, Cuba, the U.S.S Maine battleship suddenly exploded and killed 260 Americans on board. Yellow journalism caused Spain to be accused of deliberately causing this but later experts concluded that the explosion was probably an accident. -
Period: to
Spanish American War
-
Open Door Policy
Because the US (John Hay specifically) noticed Russia, Japan, Great Britain, France and Germany had “spheres of influence” in China (these shut out competition), and the US wanted trading rights too, they sent out a new policy. Called the “Open Door” policy, Hay dispatched a “diplomatic note” asking all the nations holding “spheres of influence” in China to approve the concept of equal trading rights for all nations. This was not a generally liked idea but since there were no outright rejections -
Boxer Rebellion
Because of the rise of nationalism and xenophobia (hatred and fear of foreigners) A secret society of Chinese nationalists, the Society of Harmonious Fists (Boxers) attacked foreign settlements and murdered dozens of Christian missionaries. US troops intervened and marched into Beijing, suppressing the rebellion. China was forced to pay a huge sum in indemnities, further weakening the imperial regime. -
Founding of the NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People formed with the mission “to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination”. NAACP was probably formed in response to the Race Riot of 1908 which showed the demonstrated for a civil rights organization. Founders included: W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells, Archibald Grimké, Henry Moscowitz, Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villard, Wil -
Period: to
WWI
-
First Red Scare
Following WWI and the Bolshevik revolution in Russia, Americans came out of the war full of nationalism. This led to paranoia of rebellion and xenophobia that meant many suspicious acts or organized groups being taken as threats. This caused search and seizures, arrests, interrogations and many deportations of “radicals”. -
Period: to
Prohibition
-
Harlem Renaissance
Also known as the “New Negro Movement”, the Harlem Renaissance was a cultural revival and celebration of the “New Negro”. It was centered in Harlem, NYC and led to advancements in literature, music and art (Jazz). -
Period: to
Harlem Renaissance
-
Period: to
The Great Depression
-
New Deal
As a series of programs, by FDR, the New Deal (both the 1st & 2nd) were created with the purpose of improving economic and social conditions. The 3 R's, Relief, Recovery & Reform were the main ideas behind all the programs. -
Period: to
WWII
-
Attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
In response to Japan’s refusal to surrender, towards the end of WWII, two atomic bombs (developed by the Manhattan project) were dropped and are the only two atomic bombings in current history. -
Truman Doctrine (associate ‘containment’)
President Truman’s policies to provide economic and military aid to countries threatened by Communism (Containment). -
Period: to
Cold War
-
Period: to
McCarthy Era
-
Creation of NATO 1949
This alliance of nations (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was created in case of war and stated that all the countries included would come together and support and protect each other. -
Fall of China to Communism (1949)
Under Chairman Mao, China falls to Communism and implements programs such as the Great Leap Forward which had citizens destroy any “old” traditions and culture items. -
Korean War (1950-1953)
As a conflict that started with the North Koreans’ invasion of South Korea, this was a conflict that involved the UN. The UN (US showed the most support) and sided with the South while China allied themselves with North Korea. -
Period: to
Korean War
-
Election of 1952
As the election that made Dwight D. Eisenhower president, this election was based on the issues of the brewing Cold War tensions, the previous Korean War stalemate, the McCarthy Era and the newly Communist China. -
Red Summer
Another name for the race riots of the summer where most of the time whites attacked blacks. The AA fought back a few times like in Chicago but those are held the most fatalities.
