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Period: to
1776-1860
The period of 1776 to 1860 in American history encompasses the American Revolution, the establish of the United States as a nation with the signing of the Constitution, westward expansion, growing economic disparities between the North and South, and the escalating tensions over slavery that ultimately led to the Civil War, with the most significant event being the Declaration of Independence in 1776, marking the start of the fight for American Independence from Great Britain. -
We The People
The Declaration of Independence is a written document that announced the separation of the 13 North American British colonies from Great Britain, because the American colonists felt they had suffered numerous injustices under British rule, including unfair taxation and a lack of self-governance, leading them to believe they needed to declare independence. -
Oak Opening's Apprehension
The Capture of Savannah was a battle between British and American forces. British Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Campbell and his force of between 2,500 and 3,600 troops, which included the 71st Highland regiment, New York Loyalists, and Hessian mercenaries, launched a surprise attack on American forces defending Savannah, Georgia, gaining control of the city and most of Georgia. British lost 7 killed and 17 wounded, while Americans lost 83 killed, 11 wounded, and 453 captured. -
Savage's Old Fields
From May 22- June 18, 1781, Major General Nathanael Greene, with 1,000 patriot troops, staged the longest field siege of the Revolutionary War against 550 loyalists, who were defending Ninety Six. Greene's goal was to capture the vital South Carolina outpost. But in conclusion, Greene was forced to lift the siege after learning that British troops were approaching from Charleston. The Loyalists withdrew, burning the town behind them. -
Fulton's Folly
The steamboat was invented in the United States during the Industrial Revolution to improve transportation and commerce, especially along rivers. Fulton built the first economically viable steamboat, the Clermont, in New York City. After the Clermont, steamboat traffic grew steadily on the Mississippi River and other rivers in the United States. -
Father of His Country
George Washington, standing on the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall Street in New York, took his oath of office as the first President of the United States. George Washington became the first President of the United States because of his immense popularity as a national hero from leading the Continental Army to victory in the American Revolutionary War. His role as President of the Constitutional Convention, and the widespread perception that he was the only person who could lead the country. -
Churka or Charkha
The cotton gin was Eli Whitney's most famous invention. A mechanical invention that separated cotton fibers from seeds, which was easy to grow in the deep south but difficult to process, yet it had a significant impact on the social and economic conditions of the United States. The gin had a rotating cylinder with wire teeth that pulled cotton fibers through small holes, separating the seeds, and a rotating brush removed lint from spikes to prevent jams. -
Idea of Manifest Destiny
The annexation of Texas was a long process that involved years of debate and political opposition. In 1836, a group of US settlers in Mexican Texas declared independence and established the Republic of Texas. The US didn't recognize the Republic of Texas until 1837. Texas was admitted as a slave state, which increased the number of slave states in the US and upset political balance. Overall, Texas was annexed by the United States in 1845 and became the 28th state. -
Anglo-Chinese War
The First Opium War was a conflict between Britain and China that took place from 1839 to 1842. The war was triggered by the Chinese government's efforts to enforce its ban on opium, which included destroying opium stocks owned by the British East India Company and British merchants. In response, the British government sent a naval expedition to force the Chinese government to pay reparations and allow the opium trade. -
Honest Abe
In a four-way contest, the Republican Party ticket of Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin won a national popular plurality, a popular majority in the North where states had already abolished slavery, and a national electoral majority comprising only Northern electoral votes. -
Abandoned Lands
The Freedmen's Bureau was a federal agency that helped formerly enslaved people and impoverished whites transition to freedom and citizenship after the Civil War. The Bureau's purpose was to provide relief, education, and other assistance to help freed people become self-sufficient.