Moments in American History

By AlexisGodlove

  • Dred Scott Decision

    Dred Scott Decision
    A landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that African people brought into the United States and held as slaves were not protected by the Constitution and were not U.S. citizens. Dred Scott was born a slave in Virginia.

  • Lincoln Assassination

    Lincoln Assassination
    Took place on Good Friday at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C.
    Abraham was shot by John Wilkes Booth, a well-known stage actor. Lincoln died the next morning.

  • McCarthy Hearings

    McCarthy Hearings
    A series of hearings held by the US Senate's Subcommittee on Investigations between April 1954 and June 1954. They were held for the purpose of investigating conflicting accusations between the US Army and Senator Joseph McCarthy.

  • Brown v. BOE

    Brown v. BOE
    Brown v. Board of EducationA US court case. The Court declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students. This was a major victory of the civil rights movement.

  • Gideon v. Wainwright

    Gideon v. Wainwright
    A landmark case in US Supreme Court where they unanimously ruled that state courts are required under the 14th Amendment to provide counsel in criminal cases for defendants who are unable to afford to pay their own attorneys, extending the identical requirement made on the federal government under the 6th Amendment.

  • Civil Rights Act 1964

    Civil Rights Act 1964
    It was illegal to force segregation in schools, workplaces, and housing. Racial discrimination was decreasing.

  • Medicare

    Medicare
    National social insurance program that gives health insurance for Americans 65 years old and older and younger people with disabilities. It spreads financial risk associated with illness across society to protect everyone.

  • Watergate Affair

    Watergate Affair
    A political scandal that happened as a result of the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. Led to the resignation of Richard Nixon.

  • Clinton Impeachment

    Clinton Impeachment
    Bill Clinton, the 42nd president, was impeached by the House of Representatives on two charges, one of perjury and one of obstruction of justice.

  • 9/11 attacks

    9/11 attacks
    19 terrorists from the Islamic group al-Qaeda hijacked four passenger jets. They flew 2 of those planes into the North and South towers of the World Trade Center complex in New York City. Both towers collapsed within two hours. The 3rd plane was flown into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. The 4th plane was suppose to hit the capital building in Washington, D.C. but passengers on the plane tried taking control and they crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. About 3,000 people died.