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Jamestown Settlement
Following the Anglo-Spanish War, King James established the Virginia Company as the first permanent English settlement in America to recreate Spain's achievements. The inexperienced and unprepared settlers were too preoccupied with wealth and settled in swampy circumstances on Chesapeake Bay. Only 60 of the 200 original settlers survived the "starving times" caused by the severe winters, widespread illness, and hostility with the Powhatans. -
1st Slaves arrive in Jamestown
John Rolfe's development of a sweeter tobacco breed brought prosperity to Jamestown. It was labor-intensive, and a sizable workforce was required for the colony to turn a profit. Although indentured servants provided nearly all of the labor, African enslavement was an alternative. Although they weren't the main source of unpaid labor until the late 1600s, the introduction of the first slaves marked the beginning of a brutal system that would divide the country and persist for nearly 250 years. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Nathanial Bacon led the first armed uprising in American history, known as Bacon's Rebellion, against William Berkley, the governor of Colonial Virginia. Outraged colonists took matters into their own hands and organized a revolt fighting native tribes before destroying Virginia's capital, Jamestown, as the elite authorities refused to defend farmers from the Indians. Slave labor increased after it was stopped due to the concern that indentured servants would rebel. -
Jonathan Edwards Preaches "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"
The colonies' religious practices became complacent after the Enlightenment. During the Great Awakening, "new light" preachers like George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards ignited a religious revival. They traveled evangelizing, and Edwards did it by delivering stirring, passionate sermons in which he portrayed God as enraged by the colonies' lack of religious observance. The colonies grew closer together as a result, but religion became a more contentious topic. -
The French and Indian War
Colonel George Washington was assigned to drive the French out of the Ohio River Valley because of the colonists' desire to expand westward and the lack of French habitation. Washington lost the war because it was outnumbered. The Iroquois, British soldiers, and colonists fought the French and their Indian allies for nine years. Large tracts of land were won and given to the British, but the colonists were taxed as a result of the enormous debt, which infuriated the British. -
The Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 declared that colonists would not receive royal protection when they crossed the Appalachian Mountains putting an end to the British policy of laissez-faire. The act infuriated the colonists because they had given their lives and sacrificed during the French and Indian War to obtain the western territory, as they thought it useless. The decision that would lead to the Revolution was the first instance of the crown attempting to exert control over the colonies in decades. -
Boston Tea Party
In 1773, the Sons of Liberty protested the Tea Act with the Boston Tea Party. They boarded three tea vessels owned by the British East India Company while dressed as Native Americans. The corporation lost nearly 2 million dollars in today's moneywhen they emptied all of the tea from the boats. The British Parliament passed the IntolerableActs afterward in order to punish the colonies. In particular, they penalized Boston by shutting down the port until the tea's price was paid. -
The First Continental Congress
Delegates from all 13 colonies except Georgiamet to debate how the colonies would proceed after the Intolerable Acts were passed. They had to make the choice as they felt their rights were being violated. The Declaration of Rights, published by the Congress, declared their commitment to the British monarchy. Nevertheless, they insisted that the Intolerable Acts be repealed and that the colonies be represented in the parliament. There would be a boycott of British products until it was lifted. -
The Second Continental Congress
Shortly after the war's opening shots were fired at Lexington and Concord, the Second Continental Congress met to consider the conflict. George Washington wasappointed to bethe leader of the Continental Army, which was founded by radicals in Congress. As the last hope for peace between the colonies and Britain, some conservatives pushed for the creation of the Olive Branch Petition. With the Continental Congress leading the colonies, the war started after the British rejected the petition. -
The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence, which was mostly drafted by Thomas Jefferson, declared the founding of a new American nation. The documentcomplained that King George III lacked the authority to rule the colonies. With its incorporation of natural rights and a government based on a social compact, it defined the natural rightsof the new country, which were modeled after those of John Locke. However, as that would have to come from conflict, the document did not create a new nation. -
The Thee Fifths Compromise
Delegates from the North and South engaged in heated discussions on how slaves would be treated in terms of representation and taxation. The South wanted slaves to be represented to give them more power. James Madison created the 3/5ths Compromise, where each Black person would be considered three-fifths of a person for purposes of representation. This Compromise gave the South significant authority over Congress until the Civil War and allowed them to treat Africans as sub-human. -
Articles of Confederation are Removed
The first attempt at creating a constitution was the Articles of Confederation. It was extremely weak due to the fear of another monarchy. The federal government was unable to impose taxes on the states, control commerce, or raise an army. Key flaws in the document were brought to light by Shay's Rebellion, and attempts to draft the current Constitution were launched. The Articles' termination marked the beginning of the American government's eventual success. -
The Election of George Washington
Washington's presidency would serve as a model for all future US presidents. He helped by laying the foundation for America's future. Washington acted quickly to implement the new Constitution's increased federal authority. He would work with his secretary of treasury to establish the first national bank and assist in deciding that Washington D.C. would serve as the future capital. He also stopped the Farmer's Rebellion, setting a precedent for putting an end to such uprisings in the future. -
The Judiciary Act
The Judiciary Act established the Judiciary branch in the United States government. The Supreme Court and other lower courts were involved to assist in addressing the growing number of disputes about businesses and individuals' rights. Although it established the Attorney General and the checks and balances in the U.S. government, the Supreme Court would not have actual authority until Marbury v. Madison (1803). The courts would have had far less authority in the absence of this measure. -
The Cotton Gin is Invented
Before Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, slavery in the United States was gradually disappearing. By itself, it greatly increased the profitability of cotton production, which in turn boosted the need for slave labor in the South. As slaves and the Southern economy flourished, large plantations were established. A distinct economic divide between the North and South would persist until after Reconstruction as a result of the South's reliance on cotton and the institution of slavery. -
The Second Great Awakening and The Cane Ridge Revival
The Cane Ridge Revival, a six-day gathering that sparked the Second Great Awakening and drew over 10,000 people, was a pioneer of frontier camp meetings. The Second Great Awakening expanded to bring about national change with the aid of individuals like Lyman Beecher. Both the acceptance of women in society and their sphere of influence were expanded. This camp gathering led to the beginning of the women's rights movement, the expansion of public education, and early indications of abolition. -
Marbury V. Madison
After James Madison failed to deliver his judicial commission to William Marbury, Marbury took Madison to court. Madison's failure to deliver the commission was declared unlawful by the court, but Marbury was not appointed as a judge because the court also declared that the Judiciary Act of 1789's statute permitting Marbury to appeal to the Supreme Court was invalid. By asserting its judicial review authority, the Supreme Court was able to veto laws that were found to be unconstitutional. -
The Louisiana Purchase
As a strictconstructionist, Jefferson was concerned that short-term agreements like Pinckney's treaty would expire and deprive farmers of the port of New Orleans. In response to this, Napoleon offered the United States a proposal in which the country would double its size by purchasing all of the Louisiana territories for $15 million. The Constitution was ambiguous about the president's authority to make such a big purchase, and Jefferson was so distraught over it that he fell ill. -
The Embargo of 1807
In order to punish the British and French, Thomas Jefferson pushed for the Embargo Act of 1807, which prohibited all American ports from importing or exporting goods. It had a short-term negative impact on the American economy, hurting numerous port cities in the North and the South, which was highly dependent on cotton exports. Although the measure angered the public, factories had to open to replace imported manufactured products, which helped the US become an industrial powerhouse. -
The Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans was a major American victory over the British, though took place after the War of 1812 as the Treaty of Ghent had already been signed. Leading the American forces, many of whom were locals from the area, Andrew Jackson erected fortifications to thwart the British invasion. Amazing American patriotism, admiration for Andrew Jackson, the "era of good feelings," and the belief that America had the right to expand westward were all brought about by the battle's conclusion. -
McCulloch V. Maryland
The Supreme Court ruled in McCulloch v. Maryland that states couldn't tax the federal government and the federal government had the constitutional authority to establish federal banks. This ruling gave the federal government more authority over the states, deviating from a strict construction interpretation. The Supreme Court further extended its authority to the federal government in Gibbons v. Ogden (1824), stating that, per the Constitution's Commerce Clause, federal law trumped state law. -
The Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine, created by James Monroe, said that European nations should refrain from attempting more military operations, colonization, or other forms of interference in the Western Hemisphere. It created two "spheres of influence", the Western and Eastern Hemispheres, where the US would serve as a nation of aid and protection in the West while remaining out of the European East's affairs. The United States, a new country, set a precedent for the world that would last for a century. -
The First Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio line, which was only 13 miles long, signaled the beginning of a significant shift in American society and the economy. Rail ignited the industrial revolution by making it possible to move people and products more quickly than ever before. Around rail, factories were constructed to produce large quantities of goods. Additionally, the ability to move grain by train allowed farmers to sell a lot more, which in turn allowed Western expansion to thrive. -
The Tariff of 1828
The Tariff of Abominations, as it would be known in the South, was passed to strengthen the economies of the North and West, but it significantly increased the price of imports, making life in the South more costly. The "Nullification Crisis" therefore began when South Carolina's John C. Calhoun proclaimed the tariff to be void in the Ordinance of Nullification of 1832. The Compromise Tariff of 1833 resolved the tariff dispute, but the concept of nullification paved the way for secession. -
The Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal Act, which Andrew Johnson passed in response to calls from many in the West and South for the removal of Native American tribes, allowed the president to relocate Native Americans to territory on the other side of the Mississippi River. Several native tribes were compelled to relocate westward for months at a period, and approximately one in four of them perished or were slain in the process. This migration is also known as the Trail of Tears.