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Jamestown is Founded
Jamestown is the first permanent British colony in the new world. Jamestown was founded by the Virginia Company. The colony was susceptible to Native American attacks lead by chief Powhatan. -
The Mayflower Compact is Signed
When the Mayflower compact was signed it created the first laws of the new land. The document was basically a contract that all white, wealthy, landowning men signed agreeing to obey the new laws enacted in the Myflower compact. The contract also pledged allegiance to King James. -
The First Witches are Accused In Salem
Thomas and Edward Putnam, Joseph Hutchinson, and Thomas Preston accuse Tituba, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osborne of practicing witchcraft after several young children get sick, they are later arrested. -
Growing Population
The 1.5 million British outnumber the 70,000 French. The British slowly start to regain taken lands and win against the French. Because there was more British, less people were around to protect the American Indians. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty Of Paris is officially documenting France's loss of power in North America Which gives their previously held power to Britian -
Pontiac's Rebellion
Pontiac's Rebellion was an uprising by a group that surprised and captured most of the British Forts in the Ohio River and the great lakes. The Indians wanted to weaken the British and bring back the French but without being able to capture the three largest fort of the British. No supplier not rebellion. -
Stamp Act is Passed
The Stamp Act is passed which taxes the colonists on all printed materials to pay for the French and Indian War. This is the first time that the British Parliament has imposed a direct tax on the colonists. -
First Continental Congress
The first Continental Congress was a group of delegates representing each of the colonies except Georgia. At the Continental Congress Patrick Henry of Virginia called out "Give me liberty of give me death" he also explained how we are one nation called America with no separations. -
The Coercive Acts are passed
The Coercive Acts were laws that punished the colonists for going against Britain. The colonists later called the acts the Intolerable Acts. These acts made the colonists violent and this act provoked
the colonists anger and the first continental congress -
The Cotton Gin is Invented
Eli Whitney invents the cotton gin, a device that separates cotton seeds from white fiber used to make cloth. This device tremendously reduced the time and increased the demand for slaves to pick more cotton to keep up with the refining. This invention lead to cotton becoming the South's most profitable crop. -
John Adams Becomes President
Adams slightly defeats Thomas Jefferson so Jefferson becomes vice president. Adams receive most of the votes from the southern states. -
France Bribes Adams
France seizes American merchant ships and will not stop unless the US pays France bribes of $250,000 Adams later broke off negotiations with France. This became known as the XYZ Affair -
Alien and Sedition Act
This Act authorized the president to arrest or deport aliens that spoke against the government. This act made speaking against the government or president a punishable offense. -
Jefferson Ties With Burr For The Presidency
In the election of 1800, Thomas Jefferson ties with Aaron Burr but Burr does not become vice president because the house of representatives chose Jefferson over Burr. The reason the house of representatives chose Jefferson is Alexander Hamilton's advice. Hamiltons advice would later get him killed. -
Lousiana Purchase
Thomas Jefferson buys the Louisiana territory from Napoleon for $15,000,000. After the purchase, Jefferson was worried his action were unconstitutional and he was afraid of the reaction of the American people. -
Embargo Act of 1807
Jefferson convinces congress to declare an embargo on Britain and France to hopefully hurt them economically. This embargo hurt American merchants instead of the original target. The Embargo Act was an admitted failure for Jefferson. -
Tariff of 1816
The tariff of 1816 was passed during the presidency of James Madison. The tariff was meant to protect American manufacturers from the cheaper prices of British. The tariff was meant to make American made goods more enticing to buy because of their cheaper prices. -
Missouri Compromise
Henry Clay's plan to admit Maine and Missouri into the Union created a balance between slave states and free states. This solution to a short term problem showed the division that was already forming between the North and the South over slavery, industrialism, and land. -
Monroe Doctine
Monroe's first major foreign policy is sent to European monarchies to inform them that they could no longer interfere with any American republics. The Monroe Doctrine set a precedent that no country could meddle in America's business without being met with opposition. This doctrine also set America on the path of being a major world superpower. -
The Electronic Telegraph is Invented
Samuel Morse invents the first electronic telegraphThe telegraph could send messages almost instantly and it sent messages through wire transporting codes called Morse code. The invention of the telegraph expanded communication and created a sense of unity because people could communicate across the country. -
Tammany Hall
Boss Tweed uses a political machine, Tammany Hall, to control the city. In doing this, he took bribes and corrupted most city officials. Boss Tweed was eventually convicted and lost his infamous empire in New York -
Whiskey Ring
After a group of whiskey distillers believed the government was charging too much taxes, the group was going to scam the government out of their taxes. The group became known as the Whiskey Ring. In 1875, a secret investigation lead to 238 indictments and 110 convictions which ended the Whiskey Ring permanently. -
Specie Resumption Act
This ended the debate between "hard" money that would return too civil war greenbacks and "soft" money that would return to specie currency. This act made the US have a specie currency and reduced the amount of Greenbacks in circulation. The newly formed Greenback Party opposed this act and the party would eventually fall apart -
Munn v. Illinois
After the state of Illinois passed legislation that would allow them to regulate grain, many businesses and workers petitioned against this legislation arguing that the government had to right to interfere in the public sector because of the Fourteenth Amendment and the Commerce Clause. This case allowed the government to crack down on businesses that were breaking the law. -
Edison Reveals His Incandescent Lightbulb
Edison demonstrates his practical design of an incandescent lightbulb in Menlo Park, New Jersey. Edison did not invent the incandescent lightbulb but he adapted an old design to be more practical and widespread. His advancement made the lightbulb popular around the world and changed the way American homes would be lit. Instead of lighting homes with fuel such as kerosene, more and more Americans would switch to electricity. -
The Civil Service Act is Passed
This act was passed in order to create a new system of hiring civil servants. Before the Civil Service Act, government workers were hired and promoted based on their political position, after the Act was passed, government positions were filled with qualified applicants. -
Sherman Anti Trust Act is Passed
The Sherman Anti Trust Act is passed as a response to the monopolization and massive financial growth in America. The politicians at the time believed that the gap between the rich and the poor was becoming to large. It restrained trade and significantly impacted steel and oil industries that were the most profitable at the time. -
People's Party Convention
At this meeting, many open minded people came together to discuss the future of American policies and how the populist party's beliefs should impact the nation. Plans such as the sub-treasury plan, the government ownership of railroads, graduated income tax, government currency, labor rights, and free silver. -
William McKinley Wins the Election
William McKinley beats William Jennings Bryan in the election of 1896. Populists were weary as Bryan as a democrat candidate. The Election of 1896 is known as the first modern political campaign because he spent a considerable amount of money on advertisements similar to todays campaigns. -
Cross Of Gold Speech
At the Democratic National Convention, Williams Jennings Bryan made the "Cross of Gold Speech" to persuade politicians to favor the "the free and unlimited coinage of both silver and gold". He argued against Republicans who said money can only be backed by gold. He ended the speech by saying "you shall not press down on the brow of labor this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify mankind on a cross of Gold" this means that he is arguing that Gold is not the only option and we cannot be burdened -
Wizard of Oz
Frank Baum's Wonderful Wizard Of Oz serves as a political allegory for populism in the United States. Baum believes that populism is a strange concept that has many complex parts the just cause commotion for the US -
Theodore Roosevelt Becomes President
In 1901, Theodore Roosevelt becomes the 26th President Of the United States after President McKinley is assassinated while in office. He becomes known as the "Trustbuster" after his famous reform of trusts in the United States. He also is known for his conservation work as well as his work regulating the meat, medicine, and cosmetic industries. -
Meat Inspection Act Is Passed
After "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair is popularized, the meat industry was placed under a microscope. The investigations revealed that many non-food ingredients were being placed into their food. President Roosevelt called for action and soon congress passed the Meat Inspection Act of 1906 -
The Food And Drug Administration Is Created
Soon after the Meat Inspection Act was created, Roosevelt recognized the need for further regulation of goods consumed by much of the country. This organization reflects the status of the country because it shows that the country has evolved so much that it has the urge to improve all areas of life. -
Panic of 1907
As a result of Roosevelt's trustbusting policy, the Panic of 1907 emerged. Trustbusting caused the markets to lower in value tremendously. Stock prices decreased 25% and unemployment, imports, and immigration dropped significantly. A large help in solving this issue was Rockefeller and Morgan who pledged 15 million dollars to boost the stock market. -
The 16th Amendment is Passed
Similar to his predecessors, Woodrow Wilson had an urge to limit the riches of the elite class. He helped pass the 16 amendment because it created a graduated income tax at an attempt to close the gap between the rich and the middle class by taxing people based on their annual income. -
Children's Bureau Is Created
The children's bureau was created to observe and report on infant mortality, birth-rate, orphanages, juvenile court, child labor, diseases of children, and all legislation regarding the children in the country. This institution is also responsible for almost every part of the country that pertains to the welfare of children. -
Election of 1912
During this election, the three main candidates were Theodore Roosevelt, William Taft, and Woodrow Wilson. Eventually Woodrow Wilson would win because Roosevelt and Taft split the Republican vote. Roosevelt was running for a third term, Taft was running for a second, and Wilson was running for his first term emerging victoriously. -
17th Amendment is Passed
The 17th amendment allowed for the direct election of senators bypassing the electoral college. The direct election of senators gave citizens more power than ever before. The citizens of each state could now directly elect their representatives. This also prevented corrupt officials that could be bribed to give out senatorships. -
Federal Trade Commision Act Is Passed
Under President Wilson, Congress passed this Act into law to regulate trade as well as to keep the American economy fair and free. This was passed as a business reform plan after businesses were being deceitful to consumers within the country. -
Women's Bureau Is Created
The Women's Bureau is an organization responsible for the advancement and the safety of all women. This organization conducted research on behalf of women to properly make laws for the betterment of woman kind at a time when women were just given their freedom to vote.
