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Jamestown Settlement
To establish a settlement, 104 English men and boys traveled to North America in 1607. They decided to establish in Jamestown, Virginia, which bears their king James I's name, on May 13. It eventually turned into the first long-term English settlement in North America. -
The Headright System
A settlement strategy created in North America during the colonial era was the headright system. A gift of land, typically fifty acres, was distributed to settlers throughout the thirteen colonies under the headright system. Although it began in Virginia Colony, the headright method was also utilized in the remaining thirteen colonies -
Mayflower
The colonists had been granted permission by the British Crown to settle in Virginia thus the ship was sailing there. These pilgrims, or separatists as they were often known, arrived in Plymouth. The Mayflower Compacts, the nation's first self-governance document, were created there and included laws and restriction. The group's rigid beliefs, however, made it difficult for them to draw in new followers and settlers, and they were ultimately eclipsed and absorbed by the Puritans. -
Anne Hutchinson
As a religious reformer and Puritan spiritual guide, Anne Hutchinson played a significant role in the Antinomian Controversy that shook the fledgling Massachusetts Bay Colony. She thought a woman could teach the Bible and read it. She was deported from Massachusetts for holding ¨extreme¨ theological views that supported personal revelation over the function of the clergy and were deemed dangerous because they were nonconformist. She ultimately fled to Rhode Island with her family -
Navigation Acts
In 1651, the first Navigation Act was enacted. These laws were created by Parliament with the goal of increasing the British Empire's self-sufficiency by limiting colonial trade to England and reducing reliance on imports. This extensive body of English legislation produced, supported, and governed English shipping, trade, and commerce with other nations that had their own colonies. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Virginian colonists engaged in an armed uprising known as Bacon's Rebellion between 1676 and 1677. After Governor William Berkeley rejected Nathaniel Bacon's proposal to expel Native Americans from Virginia, Bacon joined the revolt against Berkeley. Berkeley was chased from Jamestown and the settlement was finally set on fire by thousands of Virginians of all classes (including those who were indentured servants) and races who rose out in rebellion against him. -
Salem Witch Trials
Between February 1692 and May 1693, a series of hearings and trials for those accused of witchcraft took place in colonial Massachusetts. There were more than 200 accusations. Thirty individuals were found guilty, and 19 of them were hanged. In the spring of 1692, a group of young girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, alleged that they were under the devil's sway and accused several local women of practicing witchcraft. This sparked the infamous Salem witch trials. -
Molasses Act
To shield English planters in the Caribbean from French and Dutch competition, the British Parliament passes the Molasses Act, which imposes substantial charges (six pence per gallon) on molasses, rum, and sugar imported from non-British territories. One of the major industries in New England was rum distilling. The measure, according to American colonists, would increase the cost of rum made in New England, which would interfere with the area's ability to export. -
Proclamation of 1763
There can be no expansion beyond the Appalachian Mountains due to the Proclamation of 1763. The colonists believed they made a significant contribution to the French and Indian War effort, that the West would be opened up to them, and that they would be treated on an equal footing with Britain. However, the colonists were viewed by Britain as being weak and serving the empire. -
Boston Massacre
An altercation between British soldiers and colonists resulted in the Boston Massacre. The soldiers were being agitated by the patriotic throng, who were hurling snowball and rocks at them. Five Americans were killed when British soldiers opened fire in response to an unexplained directive. Paul Revere's illustration of the events dramatized this event. The Boston Massacre is a example of how propaganda spread in the wake of an incident can have more of an impact than what actually occurred. -
Boston Tea Party
The Sons of Liberty staged the Boston Tea Party, an American political and commercial protest, on December 16, 1773, in Boston, Massachusetts. The Tea Act of May 10, 1773, which exempted the British East India Company from all duties outside those imposed by the Townshend Acts and permitted it to sell tea from China in the American colonies, was the objective. The Townshend Act's levies were opposed by the Sons of Liberty because they were an infringement on their rights. -
Intolerable Acts
Following the Boston Tea Party in 1774, the British Parliament passed a number of harsh measures known as The Intolerable Acts. The measures were intended to retaliate against the colonists of Massachusetts for their obstinacy during the Tea Party protests against the Tea Act, a tax bill passed by Parliament in May 1773. These laws were known as the Coercive Acts in Great Britain. They were a crucial development that resulted in the American Revolutionary War breaking out in April 1775. -
The Second Continental Congress
All 13 colonies sent representatives to the second continental congress in Philadelphia one month after the revolution got underway. Two factions rapidly emerged in the proceedings. The Olive Branch Petition was sent by conservatives who wanted to mend relations with Britain. And the radicals, who sought backing for the uprising. In response to the colonies' open rebellion, King George rejects the Olive Branch. -
Common Sense
In his 47-page treatise Common Sense, Thomas Paine argued for the Thirteen Colonies' independence from Great Britain in 1775–1776. Paine compiled different moral and political reasons in his writing, which was clear and powerful, to inspire regular people in the Colonies to strive for egalitarian government. At the start of the American Revolution, on January 10, 1776 it was published anonymously and quickly went viral. -
Declaration of Independence
The Second Continental Congress met at Pennsylvania State House, later known as Independence Hall, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 4, 1776, and adopted The United States Declaration of Independence, officially The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America. These three key concepts were included in the Declaration of Independence: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness are among the Unalienable Rights that all people possess. -
Battle of Saratoga
The American Revolutionary War's Saratoga campaign came to a decisive conclusion with the Battles of Saratoga, which took place between September 19 and October 7, 1777. With the intention of capturing Albany, New York, British General John Burgoyne led an invading army of 7,200–8,000 soldiers southward from Canada in the Champlain Valley. He hoped to meet another British force coming north from New York City and another British force marching east from Lake Ontario. -
Cornwallis surrenders
General Cornwallis withdrew to the Virginia shore after a taxing campaign through the southern provinces. He was in a tight spot since he was unaware that the French Navy had routed the British navy. He gave up once the British position came under attack from the Americans and French. The Revolutionary War was effectively over as a result of this. According to legend, their band played "The World Turned Upside Down" as they submitted. -
3/5 Compromise
In this compromise, delegates from the North and the South agreed that three-fifths of the slave population would be taken into account when calculating taxes and representation in the House of Representatives. Delegates from the north demanded that population be determined using the free population. However, the South desired that the slaves be included in their population in order to increase their representation in the House. This compromise exemplifies the South's hypocrisy. -
George Washington is inaugurated
Washington (Virginia) takes office as the nation's first president in 1789, and Massachusetts' John Adams is appointed to serve as his vice president. Washington established precedents that would be followed for years to come. The first presidential cabinet was established in 1789, the judicial system was established, Hamilton's financial plan, the Whiskey Rebellion, the French Revolution, and Pickney's Treaty all occurred during Washington's administration. -
Bill of Rights
The rights guaranteed by the Constitution worried a lot of people. In order to assure citizens that their rights were safeguarded, the Bill of Rights was added. The first ten amendments to the Constitution are also referred to as the Bill of Rights. These amendments protect fundamental liberties and rights, including the well-known freedoms of religion and speech, the right to keep and bear arms, jury trials, and other well-known American liberties. -
The Cotton Gin
Eli Whitney created the cotton gin. The cotton gin separates the cotton fiber from the seeds. This innovation alters the trajectory of the South and increases the profitability of cotton. Slavery and free labor had been on the decline prior to this discovery, but thanks to it, cotton is now extremely profitable and the employment of African slaves has skyrocketed. As a result, the South becomes totally dependent on their system of using slaves as free labor. -
Alien and Sedition Acts
These Acts were passed by President Adams. The Alien Act allowed the president to deport any alien considered dangerous. The Sedition Act made it illegal for newspapers to print any material that is critical of the president or congress. Additionally, the naturalization act increased the amount of time immigrants had to live in the US before they could become citizens. Adams passed these laws so he could control the public and he hoped that if immigrants could not vote he would win re-election. -
Marbury v. Madison
James Madison, a member of Jefferson's cabinet finds the letter granting John Marbury a federal judgeship. Jefferson orders Madison not to deliver it. Marbury sues in order to get the position he feels is his. The Supreme Court sides with Madison and refuses to grant Marbury the position because they find part of the Judiciary Act unconstitutional and void. In doing so, the Supreme Court claims the right of "Judicial Review" or the right to declare laws unconstitutional and strike them down. -
Louisiana Purchase
Thomas Jefferson paid Napoleon $27 million in total for the Louisiana Territory, which included the land that made up the western Mississippi basin. Then, President Thomas Jefferson gave Lewis and Clark the order to cross the continent, explore the uncharted territory, and establish contact with the native people there. They were told to observe the topography and biodiversity of the area and to possibly negotiate with the local Native Americans. -
Embargo Act
This act was a law passed by the US Congress and signed by the President Thomas Jefferson. It was a nonviolent resistance to British and French molestation of US merchant ships. It prohibited American ships from trading in all foreign ports. While this act hurt trade, it spurred domestic manufacturing. With the growth of the cotton gin in the South, textile factories sprung up to spin the cotton into fabric. The sewing machine, invented by Elias Howe, contributed to this industry. -
The Battle of New Orleans
The War of 1812 came to an end with this conflict. The Treaty of Ghent was signed a month prior to this conflict, but word had not yet reached America, leading many to believe this was the decisive battle that ended the war. The American forces in this conflict are a multicultural mishmash of seasoned soldiers and fighters. Andrew Jackson is in charge of the forces in New Orleans. Because of his acts, Jackson will be remembered as a national hero and will be credited with ending the war. -
Panic of 1819
The Panic of 1819 was a financial crisis in the United States that was sparked by a collapse in the price of public lands and a drop in the price of cotton. The crisis led to a wave of bank failures and a contraction in credit, which resulted in a severe economic downturn. It was the first major financial crisis in American history and is considered one of the contributing factors to the development of a central bank in the United States. -
Election of 1824
The Election of 1824 was a highly contentious and controversial election in which four candidates competed for the presidency. Andrew won the most electoral votes, leading to the election being decided by the House of Representatives. John Quincy Adams was ultimately declared the winner, and Jackson and his supporters accused Adams and Henry Clay, of making a "corrupt bargain" to secure Adams' victory. The outcome of the election sparked outrage and led to the formation of the Democratic Party. -
Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 was a law passed by the United States government that authorized the forced removal of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States. The law led to the deaths of thousands of Native Americans, particularly during the forced relocation known as the Trail of Tears. The Act and its implementation have been widely criticized as a significant injustice against Native American peoples. -
William Lloyd Garrison
William Lloyd Garrison was an American abolitionist, journalist, and social reformer. In 1831, he began publishing "The Liberator," a weekly newspaper dedicated to the abolition of slavery. The newspaper quickly gained popularity and played a significant role in the abolitionist movement in the United States. Garrison used the newspaper to speak out against slavery and to advocate for the rights of African Americans. -
Ordinance of Nullification
The Ordinance of Nullification was a measure passed by South Carolina in 1832 that declared a federal tariff null and void within the state and asserted the state's right to nullify any federal law deemed unconstitutional. It sparked the Nullification Crisis, a showdown between the state and federal government that was ultimately resolved through compromise. The Ordinance was a significant moment in the buildup to the American Civil War. -
McCormick Reaper is invented
The McCormick Reaper was a piece of farming equipment invented by Cyrus McCormick in 1831. It was a horse-drawn machine that could harvest crops efficiently and quickly, significantly increasing productivity on farms. The McCormick Reaper revolutionized agriculture and played a significant role in the growth of the United States as a major agricultural power. It was also an important step in the mechanization of farming, paving the way for further technological advancements in the field. -
Battle of the Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo was a pivotal conflict in the Texas Revolution, which was a fight for independence from Mexico. The battle took place in 1836 at the Alamo Mission in San Antonio, Texas. A small group of Texan rebels, led by William B. Travis, were outnumbered and outgunned by a larger Mexican army led by General Antonio López de Santa Anna. Despite their bravery, the Texans were ultimately unable to hold off the Mexican forces and were killed in the fighting. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was a set of laws passed by the United States Congress in an attempt to ease tensions over slavery between the North and South. It included the Fugitive Slave Act, which required the return of runaway slaves to their owners, and the admission of California as a free state. However, the compromise ultimately failed to address the deeper issues of slavery and contributed to the buildup to the American Civil War. -
Invasion of Lawrence, Kansas
The Invasion of Lawrence, Kansas was a military action carried out by pro-slavery forces in 1856 during the Bleeding Kansas crisis. A group of around 400 men attacked the town of Lawrence, a center of abolitionist activity, and destroy several buildings, including the office of the "Free State Hotel," a newspaper that supported abolition. The Invasion was a violent escalation of the conflict between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces in Kansas. -
Dred Scott v. Sanford
Dred Scott v. Sanford was a landmark Supreme Court case in which Dred Scott, a slave, sued for his freedom on the grounds that he had lived in free states and territories. In a 7-2 decision, the Court ruled against Scott, stating that he was not a citizen and therefore had no right to sue. The decision also declared that the Missouri Compromise, which prohibited slavery in certain territories, was unconstitutional. -
Homestead Act
The Homestead Act was a federal law passed in 1862 that granted 160 acres of land to any adult citizen or intended citizen who was willing to develop and improve the land. The act was intended to encourage western expansion and to provide land to people who might not otherwise have been able to afford it. The Homestead Act played a significant role in the settling of the western United States and in the expansion of the American agricultural industry. -
Emancipation Proclamation is issued
The Emancipation Proclamation was a presidential proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 during the American Civil War It was a significant moment in the abolitionist movement and a step towards the eventual end of slavery in the United States. The Emancipation Proclamation was followed by the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which abolished slavery throughout the United States. -
Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction
Lincoln believed that a hostile environment prevented the country from becoming united again. Therefore, according to his 10% plan, pardons would be granted to any Confederate leader who took an oath in support of the Union and Constitution and agreed to emancipation. Any state may also reapply if at least 10% of its citizens have taken allegiance vows. New state constitutions that forbade slavery had to be drafted by the states as well. -
Wade-Davis Bill
Lincoln's 10% plan was deemed to be too generous toward the Southern rebels by the majority of Republicans in Congress at the time, many of whom were radicals. This Bill advocated requiring vows of allegiance to the Union from 50% of a state's electorate. Only non-confederates were additionally permitted to vote and hold political positions. Lincoln argued that it was too difficult to sign, but he was assassinated in 1865. -
Freedmen's Bureau is established
To assist released black people in adjusting to life in freedom, the Freedmen's Bureau was established. They accomplished this through opening schools, settling labor disputes, obtaining financing, assisting with the acquisition of land, and offering legal assistance. Later, it was eliminated in 1872 as a result of pressure from white Southerners. Despite their efforts, they were unable to significantly advance racial equality, largely because of the conflict between Congress and the President. -
14th Amendment
According to the fourteenth amendment, everyone born in the US is a full citizen, as are all those who have naturalized (finished the immigration/citizenship process). All US states are obligated to provide full legal and legislative protection for US residents. Federal or state offices were no longer open to former Confederate leaders. Last but not least, a state would lose its congressional representation if it denied its citizens the ability to vote. -
Andrew Johnson is Impeached
In order to defend some Radical Republicans in Andrew Johnson's cabinet, Congress approved the Tenure of Office Act, which prohibited the president from removing some military officials without congressional consent. Johnson nevertheless went ahead and fired Edwin Stanton, the secretary of war. Johnson was accused of doing this by the House, and the Senate nearly removed him from office but failed by one vote. President Johnson was now formally without authority. -
National Woman Suffrage Association is founded
The fight for a federal suffrage amendment was taken up by the National Woman Suffrage Association, which was led by Elizabeth Stanton and Susan B. Anthony and primarily focused on women's rights. Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony were notable leaders. In the case Minor v. Happersett, the top court determined that citizenship did not confer voting rights. A setback for women's suffrage since it implied that legislators could choose to deny women the right to vote. -
Knights of Labor are founded
The Knights of Labor, under the direction of Terrence Powderly, welcomed people of all races, genders, and skill levels. This coalition of workers supported specific political parties and pushed for an 8-hour workday in order to abolish the wage system and establish a co-operative economy of worker-owned businesses. Additionally, they opposed child labor. These workers served as an illustration of how numerous labor unions developed as a result of decades of subpar pay and working conditions. -
Brooklyn Bridge is built
In the US, growing urbanization, industrialization, and population increase all contributed to the building of the Brooklyn Bridge. The "New Immigrant" was increasing the population. They largely settled in New York, therefore better transit was required. Large populations of employees and factories were encouraged by industrialization. Due to the congested nature of industrial cities, workers had to live close to their places of employment. The Brooklyn Bridge contributes to that accessibility. -
15th Amendment
Republicans pushed the 15th Amendment through Congress straight away after realizing that African Americans deserved the right to vote during the Election of 1868. No state was allowed to deny a citizen the right to vote due to their "race, color, or prior condition of slavery," according to this law. The fact that the 15th Amendment was wildly unpopular in the North also gave the Democratic party much-needed support in the region. -
Election of 1876
Polls showed that in this "election crisis," Tilden received a unanimous South vote. A recount was started once the validity was questioned. Following the recount, Hayes won in all three states. An electoral committee made up of 5 democrats, 5 republicans, and 5 supreme court justices was established because the Constitution did not provide for this kind of crisis. After secret talks, Hayes is elected president, ending military control over the South. The Reconstruction era has come to an end. -
Thomas Edison invents the first long-lasting lightbulb
One of history's most important inventors is Thomas Edison. Not merely the lightbulb, as is popularly believed, but the first long-lasting lightbulb is credited to him. He made use of electricity to capture audio and video. His adoption of the concept of mass production makes him the first innovator. His ideas have had a profound impact on many others, including Nicola Tesla, who enhanced his electric power system to make it considerably safer and more dependable. -
'How the Other Half Lives' is published
Jacob Riis, a sleuth journalist, releases "How the Other Half Lives" during the Progressive Era. His artwork portrayed the appalling living situations of folks in tenement homes and subpar living situations. The overcrowded, hazardous, and disease-ridden tenement dwellings were subpar apartment buildings. The enormity of the US's poverty was hidden from view by the middle and upper classes until Jacob Riis' efforts exposed it and sparked reform.