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Battle of Lexington and Concord
The battles took place in Boston, Massachusetts. British Soldiers were ordered by General Gage to destroy the militia. Militiamen heard about the plan and sent riders around the sea. As British were approaching concord they were outnumbered by the militia. British retreated to a hill up north and fired to high at the militia, the militia fired back. The British were to outnumbered so they retreated back to concord. These were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. -
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Battle of Saratoga
The battles took place in Stillwater and Saratoga County, NY. The battles were led by Generals Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold (Americans) and General John Burgoyne (British). A British army was trying to take New England, the colonist wanted to defend New England from British, causing this battle. Several days later General Burgoyne called his troops and told them they were surrendering. This was American Victory. -
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Battle of Yorktown
Battle took place in Yorktown, Virginia. Was the last battle of the American Revolutionary war. The battle was led by George Washington(Americans) &General Lord Charles Cornwallis(British). The British were camping out out by Yorktown,Washington wanted to take back the fort from British so he took his army to Yorktown. With the help of France, Washington army was able to trap redcoats in Yorktown. Cornwallis was outnumbered & decided to surrendered to the Americans. This was a American Victory. -
Northwest Ordiance
Confederation Congress passed the Ordinance. It created a system of gov. for the Northwest Territory & created a method of how new states from the territory could admit to the union & apply for statehood. Each territory had to appoint a governor, a secretary, & 3 judges. When there were 5,000 male residents in the territory, they could elect a legislature & a delegate to Congress. Last step required that at least 6,000 free inhabitants(non-slaves) live in the territory. Completed steps=statehood -
Alien and Sedition Acts
Federal congress passed 4 laws known as the Alien and Sedition Acts.The acts were signed into law by president John Adams. The alien act limited immigration. The sedition act limited the freedom of speech. -
Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
The Virginia Resolution authored by James Madison and Kentucky Resolution authored by Thomas Jefferson were passed by the legislatures of Kentucky and Virginia. These resolutions nullified the Alien and Sedition Acts. They felt the Acts were unconstitutional. This was important to US history because it nullified the Alien and Sedition acts. -
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana purchase was a land deal between the US and France which the US acquired 827,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River. President Thomas Jefferson Purchased the land from France for $15 million. He had doubts about the constitutionality of the federal gov. purchasing land but he did it anyway. He sent Lewis and Clark to explore the Purchase and to find a Northwest Passage. However, they failed at finding the Passage but instead, they discovered the Oregon Territory. -
Marbury v. Madison
This was a case that est. the principle of Judicial review.Stated that the Supreme court has the authority to interpret the constitution, specifically,in this case to overturn a law passed by congress.John Adams attempted to appoint William Marbury as a Justice of the Peace, but failed to complete the formal appt before his presidency was terminated. Mad at the suspension of appt.,Marbury brought the case to the Supreme Court but the final decision belonged to the new President,Thomas Jefferson. -
Missouri Compromise
Missouri wanted to become a state but issues on rather the state should be a slave state or free state arose. Congress passed a bill granting Missouri statehood as a slave state under the condition that slavery was to be forever prohibited in the rest of the Louisiana Purchase north of the 36th parallel. The purpose was to keep a balance between the number of slave states and the number of free states in the Union (balance of power). -
Monroe Doctrine
President James Madison passed this doctrine to warn European countries not to recolonize Latin American. The threat was dependent on the British Navy. The involvement of the US in Latin American affairs would led to resentment between the two regions. Presidents Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson went on to the use the Monroe Doctrine in the future. -
Nullification Crisis
The Nullification Crisis was caused by the federal gov. passing a high protective tariff which angered the South.The nullification crisis was a theory that states have the right to declare a federal law (or tax) null and void if it harms that state. John C. Calhoun attempt to nullify the tariff stating South Carolina wouldn't pay. A compromise was set, which lowered the tariff but forced South Caroline by threat to pay the tariff. -
Texas Annexation
When Mexico outlawed slavery, Texas revolted for their independence, but Mexico refused to recognize Texas independence. Texas remained a independent republic for more than a decade while the slavery issue was ironing out. The US said no to the petitions of the annexation because of border disputes with Mexico & the balance of power. Texas was annexed by Congress after Polk was elected. Texas Admitted into the Union as the 28th state. This was important to US history because land was acquired. -
Oregon Treaty
In search of the Northwest Passage, Lewis and Clark discovered the Oregon Territory. The territory was joined occupied by the Americans, the British, & the Spanish. Conflict between the American and the British led to negotiations of a British-American border. 54'40 of fight, a slogan created by James Polk were headlined of American newspapers supporting war with British over the territory. Negotiations led to the Oregon Treaty which granted US control South of the 49th parallel & avoided war. -
Mexican Cession
Mexico interpreted the Annexation of Texas as a hostile act & fired at Americans, Polk saw this as a act of war =Mexican-American war. Mexico ceded to the U.S. in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo after the Mexican–American War. This was the peace treaty that ended the war. This cession completed Manifest Destiny by giving Americans control of land from the Atlantic to Pacific. This was important to US history because they won land and the war ended. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was a package of 5 separate bills passed by United States Congress. This Introduced the principle of Popular Sovereignty to decide the slave question. California was admitted as a free state under this Compromise. Other Mexican Cession states would be decided by the people. Sale of slaves but not slavery was prohibited in Washington D.C. Lastly, the Fugitive Slave law act was put into place which required Northerners to return run away slave to their owners in the South. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Senator Stephen Douglas introduced this bill which allowed people in the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide for themselves whether or not to allow slavery within their borders (popular sovereignty).This act repealed the Missouri Compromise. Kansas was admitted as a free state in January 1861. The conflicts that arose from this bill, led to the period of violence known as Bleeding Kansas. -
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Bleeding Kansas
"Bleeding Kansas" was used to describe the period of violence during the settling of the Kansas territory, in which 56 people died. This "war" was fought between pro slavery & antislavery over the slavery question,rather the state would enter as a slave state or free state. Rumors spread through the South that Northerners were descending on Kansas,so thousands of armed Southerners, mostly from Missouri, poured over the line to vote for a pro slavery congressional delegate.They won all elections. -
Battle of Fort Sumter
This battle was the bombardment of Fort Sumter near Charleston, South Carolina by the Confederate States Army. Confederate forces fired on the Union held Garrison. Major Anderson, the garrison commander, surrendered the fort on April 13th and was evacuated the next day. This was a Confederate victory. Also, this was the start of the American Civil war. -
Battle of Bull Run
This was the first major battle of the American Civil war. The battle took place at Bull Creek outside Manassas,Virginia. This was a battle between General Irvin McDowell (Union) and General Thomas T. Jackson (Confederacy). Each side had about 18,000 poorly trained and poorly led troops in their first battle. It was a Confederate victory. -
Battle of Antietam
The battle took place in Antietam Creek, Sharpsburg, Maryland. The Confederacy invaded Union forces, resulting in this battle. This was a battle between General George McClellan (Union) and General Robert E. Lee (Confederacy). Antietam was the bloodiest single-day of the war. 23,000 soldiers lay dead or wounded. Because of heavy losses at the battle, Lee's Confederate army was forced to retreat back to Virginia. The battle was a Tactical draw. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Abraham Lincoln used his authority as commander in chief to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. This proclamation declared that only slaves in union states were to be freed forever. It also, strengthened the moral cause of allowing African Americans to fight in the War on the union side. Although, 0 slaves were freed this was important to US history because it led the way of abolishing slavery. Slaves were also giving the chance to fight in the war. -
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Battle of Vicksburg
This battle took place in Vicksburg, Mississippi. This was battle between Ulysses S, Grant (Union) and General John Pemberton (Confederacy). Grant lays a siege against Vicksburg, this blockade would weaken the confederacy. The surrender of Vicksburg, and Port Hudson, split the confederacy in two at the Mississippi River. This was a Union Victory. -
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Battle of Gettyburg
This battle took place in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This was a battle between General Gorge G. Meade (Union) and Robert E. Lee (Confederacy). Lee set off to Pennsylvania to take some of the Union ground, resulting in the battle. Gettysburg was the costliest land battle of the American Civil war. Lee retreat to Virginia. Nearly 1/2 of his fighting force was dead or wounded. This was a Union Victory. -
Gettysburg Address
This was a speech delivered by Abraham Lincoln. He visits the Gettysburg battlefield to dedicate a cemetery for the soldiers killed in the Battle Of Gettysburg during the American Civil War. Lincoln gave this speech to make it clear that their noble sacrifice was ultimately made for a worthy cause. He describes the Civil war as a struggle to fulfill the Declaration of Independence and preserve a nation "dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal". -
13th Amendment
The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution abolished slavery. This Amendment declared that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." It was passed by the Senate on April 8, 1864, and by the House on January 31, 1865. This was important to US history because it abolished slavery in ALL states. -
14th Amendment
This amendment declared Birthright citizenship, which was also granted to former slave who had been freed after the Civil war. Declared equal protection. meaning a state must treat an individual in the same manners as other, no matter what. and Lastly this amendment punish confederates. This was important to US History because African American started to get their rights. -
15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment was passed by congress. This Granted African American men the right to vote. It stated that right of citizens of the US to vote should not be denied by the US or by any state because of race, color, or "previous condition of servitude". This was important to US history because now black men were able to vote. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
This was a case of the U.S. Supreme Court decision establishing the principle of separate but equal. This case arise from a incident in 1892, when Homer Plessy refused to sit in a car for blacks. The decision had a vote of 7 to 1. Plessy’s argued that his constitutional rights were violated, the Supreme Court rejected and ruled that a law that “implies merely a legal distinction” between whites and blacks was not unconstitutional. This case was overturned by Brown v. Broad in 1954.