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Lousiana Purchase
The English-speaking people of the United States only had a small amount of land in 1800. The French, on the other hand, had Louisiana, which was relatively much larger. Since the French needed to raise more money, President Jefferson struck a deal and bought Louisiana from them. This was known as the Louisiana Purchase. -
Erie Canal
In this year, work began on a long waterway, called the Erie Canal, that effectively linked the Great Lakes and Northwestern Territories to New York. -
Photography
THe first photograph was taken by Joesph Nicephore Niepce -
Indian Removal Act
In the area that lay to the eastern side of the Mississippi River, there lived many Native Americans. The 1830, the Indian Removal Act was passed so that the U.S. president could force the Natives to move, thus allowing U.S. citizens to settle there. -
Trail of Tears
The Trail of Tears was the process of relocating several Native American tribes from their homes. It was a very difficult journey for them and thousands of them died while battling natural elements that they were not prepared to cope with. -
Texas Rebellion
For many years there had been much struggle between Mexicans and Americans in the Texas region. Finally, they erupted into a large battle called the Texas Rebellion, with the American army defeating a large part of the Mexican army in the Battle of San Jacinto. -
The telegraph
Created by Samuel Morse. A communication device. -
Oregon Treaty
The British and American people had several disagreements over who should have the Oregon County. Eventually they signed the Oregon Treaty that defined which areas of the land would officially belong to each party. -
California Gold Rush
With American settlers newly transplanted in California, a wave of gold fever hit when a man called John Sutter accidentally discovered nuggets of gold on his land. -
The Type Writer
Invented by Christopher Sholes. Inproved the effectiveness of office work. Also created more jobs for women. -
Transcontinental Railroad
It was a momentous occasion with the first railroad to run across the width of the United States was completed! It provided transport for people from the east coast to the west coast and was certainly much faster than travelling by wagon or horseback. This was known as the Transcontinental Railroad. -
Battle of Little Big Horn
A great battle between Native Americans and American settlers occurred in this year, known as the Battle of Little Bighorn. Led by the famous Indian chief, Sitting Bull, and several others, the Natives managed to defeat the Americans. -
Telephone
Invented by Alexander Graham Bell. Inproved the effectiveness of office work. Also created more jobs for women. -
The Great Strike of 1877
Rail way workers went on strike after their second wage cut in two months -
The Light Bulb
Patented bt Thomas Edison. This was the first major step in the growth of electricity. By 1890 electricity ran many machines in factories. -
The Haymarket Affair
People gathered in Chicago's Haymarket Square to protest police brutality -
Sherman Antitrust Act
Made it illeagal to forn a trust which interfeared with free trade between states and other countries -
Spanish-American War breaks out; Puerto Rico, Spain, and th ePhilippines taken from Spain
The Spanish-American war was started over control of Puerto Rico and the Phillipines. THey fought it out and the Americans ended up with control of the two lands. -
Annexation of Hawaii
Acting without authority, John L Stevens recognized the new government and proclaimed Hawaii to be under US protection on February 1, 1893. -
Annexation of the Philippines
Americans questioned whether it was proper to annex a foreign territory and rule its government and its people. Businesspeople wanted the islands to serve as a trading post for goods from Asia as well as a place for merchant ships to refuel. Some other supporter believed that the United States would bring democracy to the Philippines. Others held that US rule of the islands was necessary to keep out European powers. Opponents of annexation responded that by denying the Philippines independence. -
The Boxer Rebellion
in the spring of 1900 the Boxers attacked Western missionaries and traders in northern China, killing more than 200 people. This uprising was supported by some Chinese government officials. The Boxers laid siege to the large, walled-in foreign settlement in Beijing, China’s capital. Foreign countries responded by sending troops to China. In August, after an eight-week siege, the international force rescued the foreigners. -
Panama Canal
We helped what is now Panama break off from Colombia, and we got the Canal land as the benefit. The Canal was essential for the expansion of US interests, cutting time off from going around the tip of South America. While the Canal provided jobs and cash for the country of Panama, it also created a government open to corruption (remember Manuel Noriega) and not all the US payments went to social welfare in the country. We returned the Panama Canal 25 years ago, and we now pay like everyone else. -
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
deadliest industrial disaster in the history of the city of New York. Because the managers had locked the doors to the stairwells and exits – a common practice at the time to prevent pilferage and unauthorized breaks– many of the workers who could not escape the burning building jumped from the eighth, ninth, and tenth floors to the streets below. The fire led to legislation requiring improved factory safety standards and helped spur the growth of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Un -
Statehood for Arizona
Arizona was finally admitted as the 48th state, marking the completion of the contiguous 48 states. -
Sixteenth Amendment
The 16th Amendment was orginally proposed in 1909, but not ratified until 1913. It called for a national tax that was based on one's income. -
Seventeenth Amendment
The Seventeenth Amendment was passed on May 13, 1912 and ratified in 1913. It said that voters could elect their senators directly. -
Labor Reform
fewer working hours, higher wages, and better sanitary sandards for skilled workers -
Eighteenth Amendment
The Eighteenth Amendment was passed by Congress in 1917 and was ratified in 1919 by the states. The Amendment prohibited manufacture, selling, and importing alcohol. Progressives supported this law because they believed that abolishing saloons and alcohol, there would be less social issues. -
Nineteenth Amendment
The Amendment gave women the full right to vote
