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The Great Awakening
This was a time of religious recognition. People started to understand the importance of personal connections with God. George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards led The Great Awakening. -
French and Indian War
This went under other names but the most famous was the Seven Years' War, this was a war between the British and the French with the Native Americans helping on either side. The British won and started to increase taxation on American colonies. -
American Revolution
This was a war with the British to gain independence. The most notable battles fought were the Battles of Lexington and Concord, crossing the Delaware, and the siege of Yorktown. -
Declaration of Independence
This was a formal contract stating the Thirteen American Colonies were now independent states, getting away from British ruling and taxing. -
Articles of Confederation
The first original constitution of the United States was relatively weak considering the emphasis on a weak central government with minimal power. This led to a lack of cohesion with the states. -
Constitutional Convention
This was an event where a large amount of delegates met up to discuss the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. This meeting caused them to draft the U.S. Constitution. -
Ratification of the Constitution
This was the process by which the states approved the U.S. Constitution. This in turn made a stronger centralized government. -
Louisiana Purchase
President Thomas Jefferson got a hold of the vast territory out west that the French were currently holding. This doubled the size of the United States and opened the door for Westward expansion. -
War of 1812
This was once again a conflict with Britain. This was mostly known for the burning of Washington D.C. and the Battle of New Orleans. This war was ended by the Treaty of Ghent which in turn went back to pre-war borders. -
Monroe Doctrine
This was President James Monroe's new foreign policy he created. This warns European powers against any intervention in the western area of America. -
Trail of Tears
The forceful relocation of Native American tribes. This moved them from their ancestral lands in the Southeast. This was a brutal event with many killed and proved to be a significant hardship. -
Mexican-American War
This was a conflict over land, leading to us acquiring California and Texas. This started debates about the expansion of slavery. -
Seneca Falls Convention
This was the first of many women's rights conventions. This is also where the Declaration of Sentiments was established. This event started the massive women's suffrage movement. -
Compromise of 1850
This was a set of certain legislative measures put in place to hopefully balance the fight over slave and free states. This included the Fugitive Slave Act which made California a free state. -
Emancipation Proclamation
This was President Abraham Lincoln's order to free any slaves being held in Confederate-held states. He wanted to shift the focus of the Civil War toward ending slavery. -
Gettysburg Address
President Abraham Lincoln's speech that was said at the Gettysburg National Cemetery, pointed out the principles of equality and democracy. -
Reconstruction Era
This was the period after the Civil War that aimed to rebuild the South and address the issues of freed slaves, with racial tension at an all-time high the Jim Crow Laws were introduced. -
Transcontinental Railroad Completion
This was the first Transcontinental Railroad connecting the east to the west. This absolutely revolutionized transportation in the United States. -
Spanish-American War
This was a conflict for Cuba's independence. The United States ended up with a few territories because of this war. This also showed the United States as a global power. -
Women's Suffrage Movement
This was a series of events advocating for women's right to vote. This was given to them in the 19th amendment made in 1920. This marked a very important moment in the women's rights movement.