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The Dead Rabbits Riot
The Dead Rabbits riot was a two-day disturbance in New York City evolving from what was originally a small scale street fight between members of the Dead Rabbits (one of the most notorious Irish gangs in New York City in the mid-19th century) and the Bowery Boys (also a notorious gang) into a citywide gang war. One way this impacted society is by business activities in these areas were minimal due to fear of attacks and thus the economy in the areas deteriorated over time. -
The Ku Klux Klan is Established
The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was a U.S. white supremacist, violent, racist organization/hate group. In the 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan re-emerged with as many as six million members nationwide. The KKK, most significantly, helped redefine what it meant to be patriotic. It also led to sterilization laws in thirty different states. -
John D. Rockerfeller Creates Standard Oil
In 1870, John D. Rockefeller joined the oil business with his brother William, Samuel Andrews, Henry M. Flagler, and Stephen V. Harkness, Their business was named The Standard Oil Company of Ohio. The discovery of oil provided a new source of fuel, and the discovery of the Spindletop geyser in 1901 encouraged huge growth in the industry. Within a year, more than 1,500 companies had been founded and oil became the top fuel of the 20th century and became an important part of the American economy. -
Alexander Graham Bell Patents the Telephone
Alexander Graham Bell successfully received a patent for the telephone and secured the rights to the discovery in 1876. Days later, he made the first ever telephone call to his partner, Thomas Watson. Telephones made it easier for businesses to communicate with each other and It cut down on the amount of time it took to send messages to each other. it also expanded the area that a business could reach. It also increased the efficiency of emergency services which helped save many lives. -
The Great Oklahoma Land Race
The Great Oklahoma Land Race was the first land run into the unassigned Lands of former Indian Territory. It is important to this era because it quickly led to the creation of Oklahoma Territory. -
Ellis Island Opens to Process Immigrants
Referred to as the "gateway to America", Ellis Island was America's largest and most active immigration station. It was important to this era because it allowed for a huge rise in the U.S. economy due to the mass amount of newcomers entering the area ready for jobs. -
The Wizard of Oz is Published
The Wizard of Oz was written by Lyman Frank Baum in 1900, it was a political allegory for the Gilded Age. It helped lift the spirits of the Americans during the Great Depression through symbolism. -
J.P. Morgan Founds U.S. Steel
J.P. Morgan founded U.S. Steel and financed the creation of the Federal Steel Company in 1898, and in 1901 joined the merging with Carnegie Steel Company and other steel companies to form United States Steel Corporation, which was the world's first billion-dollar corporation. -
Teddy Roosevelt Becomes President of the United States
Theodore Roosevelt became the 26th president of the United States upon the assassination of President William McKinley. During his presidency, he did many memorable things such as prioritizing conservation and establishing national parks, forests, and monuments. He established almost 230 million acres of public lands, including 150 national forests, the first 55 federal bird reservation and game preserves, 5 national parks, and the first 18 national monuments. -
Ford Motor Company is Founded
In 1903, Henry Ford and 12 others invested $28,000 and created Ford Motor Company. The first car built by the Company was sold on July 15, 1903. By introducing the moving assembly line, Henry Ford hugely influenced the changing of the way we manufacture not only cars but all types of goods. His innovations also contributed to the post-World War II rise of the middle class, greatly changing the economic landscape of the country. -
Ida Tarbell Publishes Her Article About Standard Oil
Ida Tarbell's book revealed the ruthlessness of Rockefeller
exposed the ploys used by Standard Oil in their efforts to establish dominance in the oil business. -
Angel Island Opens to Process Immigrants
Angel Island, dubbed the "Ellis Island of the West," was an immigration station located in San Fransisco Bay. It served as the point of entry to the United States for Asia. Access to and from the Island was very important because it controlled and enforced the new immigration laws and dealt with the threat of disease from the many new people arriving daily. -
The 17th Amendment is Passed
the 17th Amendment modified Article I, Section 3, of the Constitution by allowing voters to cast direct votes for U.S. senators. Prior to this, senators were chosen by state legislatures, which allowed party bosses too much influence. -
The 16th Amendment is Passed
The 116th Amendment granted Congress the authority to issue an income tax without having to determine it based on population. This made it possible to enact a modern, nationwide income tax, and with time, the income tax would become the federal government's largest source of income. -
The Empire State Building Opens
The Empire State Building was officially built to host corporate business offices (along with being the tallest building in the world, standing at 1,250 feet tall). Since this building came to rise during the Great Depression, it is a symbol of America's rise to global financial power in the 20th century.