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English Stamp Act on American colonies
Enraged colonists nullified the Stamp Act through outright refusal to use the stamps as well as by riots, stamp burning, and intimidation of colonial stamp distributors. -
Townshend Acts
A series of four acts, the Townshend Acts were passed by the British Parliament in an attempt to assert what it considered to be its historic right to exert authority over the colonies through suspension of a recalcitrant representative assembly and through strict provisions for the collection of revenue duties. -
Boston Massacre
In Boston, a small British army detachment that was threatened by mob harassment opened fire and killed five people, an incident soon known as the Boston Massacre. -
Decleration of Independence
After the Congress recommended that colonies form their own governments, the Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson and revised in committee. On July 2 the Congress voted for independence; on July 4 it adopted the Declaration of Independence. -
American Independence
After the British defeat at Yorktown, the land battles in America largely died out. The military verdict in North America was reflected in the preliminary Anglo-American peace treaty of 1782, which was included in the Treaty of Paris of 1783. By its terms, Britain recognized the independence of the United States with generous boundaries, including the Mississippi River on the west. Britain retained Canada but ceded East and West Florida to Spain. -
Napoleon conquers Italy
Napoleon conquers Italy, firmly establishes himself as First Consul in France. In the U.S., federal government moves to Washington, D.C. Robert Owen's social reforms in England. William Herschel discovers infrared rays. Alessandro Volta produces electricity. -
U.S. negotiates Louisiana Purchase from France
U.S. negotiates Louisiana Purchase from France: for $15 million, U.S. doubles its domain, increasing its territory by 827,000 sq mi (2,144,500 sq km), from Mississippi River to Rockies and from Gulf of Mexico to British North America. -
Guatemala, Panama, and Santo Domingo proclaim independence from Spain
Guatemala, Panama, and Santo Domingo proclaim independence from Spain -
Panama Independent from Spain
Panama becomes independent of Spain Panama joins the confederacy of Gran Colombia which consists of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia -
Mexico becomes a republic
Mexico becomes a republic, three years after declaring independence from Spain. Bolívar liberates Peru, becomes its president. -
Spanish Inquisition
In Spain the Inquisition had been ended by the Revolution in 1820 that had overthrown King Ferdinand VII, but with Ferdinand's return it is revived. A Jew is burned at the stake, also a Spanish Quaker schoolmaster who replaced "Hail Mary" with "Praise be to God" in school prayer. It has been described as the last of such executions. -
British and Spanish Slave Trade Agreement
Britain and Spain renew agreement against the slave trade. British sea captains are authorized to arrest suspected Spanish slavers and bring them before mixed commissions established at Sierra Leone and Havana. Vessels carrying specified "equipment articles" (extra mess gear, lumber, foodstuffs) are declared prima-facie to be slavers. -
Founding of The Citadel
SC state Legislature passed an Act to convert the Arsenal at Columbia and the citadel and magazine in and near Charleston, into Military Schools thereby transforming the two state arsenals into the South Carolina Military Academy -
U.S. declares war on Mexico
U.S. declares war on Mexico. California and New Mexico annexed by U.S. -
Revolution in Spain
Revolution in Spain; Queen Isabella deposed, flees to France. In U.S., Fourteenth Amendment giving civil rights to blacks is ratified. Georgia under military government after legislature expels blacks. -
Spanish Reconcentration Policy in Spain
In Cuba, Spain has a "Reconcentration Policy," trying to separate the rural population and the guerrillas. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans have been herded into camps, which are disease-ridden and where malnourishment spreads. A total of 321,934 people will be counted as having perished under the Reconstruction Policy. Hostility by newspapers and the public in the United States against Spain rises sharply. -
Spanish-American War Ends
The Spanish-American War is fought. Spain gives up Cuba, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam to the United States. -
Beginning of Spanish-American War
Spain fails militarily and grants limited autonomy to Cuba. The battleship USS. Maine is sent on a "courtesy" visit to Havana with words of friendship to Spain, which sends a naval ship to New York in exchange. The Maine blows up in Cuba's Havana harbor, killing 266. Spain's government is blamed. Spain denies the charge. President McKinley gives into passions, goes before Congress, asks and receives authority to send troops to Cuba. Spain refuses an ultimatum and the US declares war -
Panama separates from Colombia
Panama splits from Colombia and becomes fully independent
US buys rights to build Panama Canal and controls the waterway for nearly a century
