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Oct 12, 1492
Columbus Lands in the Americas
Although Columbus wasn't the first person to set foot in the Americas, he discovered it for Spain to claim in 1492. On his expedition across the seas with 3 ships he was seeking a direct water route west from Europe to Asia. He failed at this but stumbled upon the Americas. -
Jamestown
Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in the Americas. It was established as "James Fort" on May 14th, 1607. It served as the capital of Virginia from 1616 until 1699. This is a historic landmark in America today with many museums and artifact sights. -
Slavery in the United States
The beginning of slavery in the United States started in 1619 when a Dutch ship landed ashore with 20 African slaves in Jamestown, Virginia, which at the time was a British colony. This is important because it was the start of people bringing slaves into unites states. -
Pilgrims Land
You may have heard of a boat called the Mayflower. In 1620 the Mayflower Pilgrims landed in Plymouth Rock and founded Plymouth Colony. Fears of moving further south with winter approaching forced the 102 travelers aboard the Mayflower to land and settle at Plymouth Rock. This historical site sits in modern day Cape Cod, Massachusetts. -
Slavery In The United States
17th century more settlers turned to slaves as labor source being much cheaper and efficient. This is important because it lead to millions of slaves being brought over on ships to the Americas. -
Slavery In The United States
During the 17th and 18th century it is estimated 7 million black slaves were brought to Americas. This is important because it effects the agricultural economy. -
French/Indian War
The French/Indian war dated from 1754 - 1763. Conflicts between the colonies of British America and those of new France sparked the war. Each side supported by parent countries and American Indian allies. Being outnumbered 60,000 to 2 million the French depended on the Indians. Fighting took place mainly along the frontiers between New France and the British colonies. Beginning with disputes over territory and control of the Allegheny River and Monongahela River. -
French/Indian War Ends
The war ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1763. The war gave Great Britain enormous territorial gains in North America. -
Lexington & Concord
The battles of Lexington & Concord were very signification because they were the first military engagements of the American Revolution War. Building tensions between the American colonies and British authorities lead to the war. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents in American history. It is the statement adopted by the Second Continental Congress meeting at the Pennsylvania State House. The Declaration stated that the 13 American colonies at war with the Kingdom of Great Britain would regard themselves as thirteen independent sovereign states, no longer under British rule. This was the start of the USA. -
Slavery In The United States
During the spike of Slavery in the United States the demand for cotton in England went up. Cotton is grow in the south but is limited due to the tough process of removing seeds from raw cotton. This is important because it lead to the invention of the Cotton Gin. -
Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention was a gathering in Philadelphia, PA for the purpose of writing a new constitution or revising the current one. Delegates for the convention were elected by popular vote. One of the hot takes at the convention was the smaller states wanting the same number of representatives in congress and the bigger states wanted representation based on population. -
Constitutional Convention Ends
On September 17th 1787 the 55 delegates at the convention signed the Constitution of the United States, establishing basic rights for citizens and a national government. -
Slavery In The United States
In 1793 a man named Eli Whitney invented a machine that efficiently remove seeds from raw cotton at much faster seeds that could by hand. This mechanism was called the Cotton Gin. -
Slavery In The United States
By the 18th Century the American South would turn from a large scale production of tobacco to cotton. In result of this the region would be dependent on slave labor. This is important because later the north would ban slavery and south would not ban it. -
Thomas Jefferson Presidency
Jefferson was elected in 1801 and served two terms as the 3rd president of the United states leaving office in 1809. He also served one term as vice president for john Adams in 1797. He was most famous for being one of the Founding Fathers who was the principal author of the declaration of independence. One of his most significant moves as president was the Louisiana Purchase, doubling the size of the nation. -
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the United States acquiring the Louisiana territory from France in 1803. The United states acquired around 827,000 square miles of land in what would be now the middle of the America. Jefferson signed off on this deal for a cost of $15 million. At the time in doubled the size of the US. -
Slavery In The United States
In 1819 the United States was split half and half on slavery. 22 free states and 22 slave states. Raising political tension between states. -
Missouri compromise
During this time there were many states that were slaves states and free states. The Missouri compromise was a push by congress to defuse the political tension triggered by requests to admit Missouri as a slave state. This was a big deal because at the time there was an equal number of slave and free states. -
Jackson Presidency
Jackson served two terms as the 7th president of the United States. Previous to his presidency he was a general in the army and served in both houses of Congress. He is known for founding the Democratic Party and granting the right to every white male to vote. He also negotiated many trade agreements that increased trade substantially. -
Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal act was an act signed by President Jackson in 1830. The law authorized the president to grant unsettled land west of the Mississippi to tribes in exchange for there current land in the borders. As you would expect many tribes did not agree with this as they would have to leave there home land. Some tribes resisted the policy sparking conflicts between the government and Indian tribes. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin is an American novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe. It is significant because it had an effect on the attitudes toward African Americans and Slavery in the US. Also written not many years previous to the civil war. -
Dred Scott v Sandford
The Dred Scott case was a major court decision in 1857 by the Supreme Court on labor laws and constitutional law. It held that the federal government had no power to regulate slavery in federal territories acquired after the creation of the US. Dred Scott was an enslaved man, whos owners moved him to a free territory. He attempted to fight for his freedom using the courts. The courts denied his request are ruled 7 - 2 against him. -
Lincoln Presidency
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States. He had a tough role as he was the president during the civil and held America together by not letting the south secede from the war. Famous for signing the emaciation act Lincoln freed many slaves. Unfortunately Lincoln's presidency was ended early as he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth at ford theater in 1865. -
Attack on Fort Sumter
The attack on Fort Sumter was an attack by the Confederate States Army on Fort Sumter in Charleston. This lead to the surrender of the United States Army and the start of the worst war in American history, the Civil War. -
Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation was a presidential proclamation and executive order issued by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. The proclamation declared that all persons being held as slaves shall be freed. -
Thirteenth Amendment Ratified
The Thirteenth Amendment of the Constitution at the time was one of the biggest events in American history so far. The amendment abolished ALL slavery in the united states. Passed by the house on 1/31/1865 and by the senate on 4/8/1864. -
Surrender at Appomattox
Taking place near Appomattox Court House, Virginia, this battle was the last battle of the Civil War. After General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Confederate army to Union General Ulysses. Grant, bringing an end to the four year American Civil War. -
Lincoln Assassinated
During his first term as president on April 15th, 1865 Lincoln was assassinated by a man of the name of John Wilkes Booth. He was shot in the back of the head while enjoying a show at Fords Theater in Washington, DC. After he assassinated Lincoln he was shot and killed 12 days later. -
Gilded Age
Gilded Age is known as a period of corruption, conspicuous consumption, and uncontrolled capitalism. -
Fifteenth Amendment
Constitutional amendment prohibiting federal and state governments from denying a citizen voting rights because or there "color". Significant step in post civil war progression. -
Chinese Exclusion Act
The Chinese exclusionary act was a federal law signed by president Chester A. Arthur restricting immigration of Chinese laborers into the US. It was the first significant law prohibiting migration into the US. -
Dawes Act
Act in 1887 authorized president to divide Native American tribal land into allotments. Native Americans who accepted allotments and lived
separate from the tribe who be given US citizen ship. -
Progressive Era
Spanning from 1890-1920s the Progressive Era is a period of trying to eliminate problems caused in the previous years and a start to social activism and political change. -
Sherman Anti-Trust Act
During the 1800's there were many big business monopolies that ruled industries. These business practices were seen as unfair and evil. The Sherman Anti-Trust Act was a federal act that outlawed monopolistic business practices and regulated competition among enterprises. -
Pullman Strike
Many Pullman factory workers joined the ARU which lead to the nationwide railroad strike lasting 3 months. The strike was ARU members refusing to run trains containing Pullman cars. This was a turning point for labor laws and unions. -
Plessy v Ferguson
Plessy v Ferguson was a landmark decision by the U.S Supreme Court in 1896. Case can be remember as "separate but equal". It upheld the racial segregation laws for public facilities. The case decided that things such as public bathrooms, water fountains, etc could be segregated but had to be equal in quality. -
Spanish American War
Hostilities between America and Spain grew in the aftermath of the Explosion of the USS Maine in Cuba. War dated from April 21, 1898 to August 13, 1898. This led to US involvement in the Cuban War of independence. The war was resolved with the signing of the Treaty of Paris giving the U.S. Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines. -
Theodore Roosevelt Presidency
Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th president of the United States serving from 1901 - 1909 as the youngest president in history. Roosevelt was know for his conversation movements to protect natural resources and being the first American to be awarded the Nobel peace prize. More importantly he facilitated the construction of the Panama Canal benefiting American military and commercial trade. -
Wilson Presidency
Wilson served in office from March 4, 1913 - March 4, 1921 serving two terms as the 28th president of the United States. Wilson was the president during WWI and created the Versailles treaty's. He was also known for making the Fourteen Points plan and creating the League of Nations. -
WWI Begins
WWI started after the assassinations of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand. It consisted of the Central Powers, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire fighting against France, Russia, Great Britain, Italy, Romania, japan and the united states known as the allied powers. -
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is an artificial waterway that runs 50 miles long through Panama connecting the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean. The United States helped get Panama there independence from Columbia. Then granted control of the Canal to the U.S. for them to build. Being completed in 1914 and first in use August 15th. -
Wilson's 14 Points
Wilson's 14 Points was an address to congress proposing a 14 point plan for world peace. His goal was to set up an association of nations and later these points were taken as the baseline for peace negotiations. Wilson was successful in setting up a League of Nations despite the United States never joining it. -
WWI Ends
Germany surrendered on November 11, 1918, and all nations had agreed to stop fighting while the terms of peace were being arranged. It wasn't until June 28th, 1919, when all countries signed the Treaty of Versailles officially ending the war. -
Eighteenth Amendment
The Eighteenth Amendment was a rather controversial one that not many agreed with. The Amendment prohibited the sale, manufacturing and transportation of intoxicating liquors. This created a lot of problems such as the start of organized crime groups bootleggers and mobs. Later this amendment was changed and alcohol was legal again. -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was the most important treaties of the whole war. The treaty ended war between Germany and the Allied Powers ultimately ending the war. Signed on June 28, 1919 and coming into effect January 10, 1920 -
Harlem Renaissance
Taking place in New York the Harlem Renaissance was a social and artistic explosion spanning through the 1920's. At the time it was known as the "New Negro Movement". This was the point in time Americans started to understand and respect African American culture. -
Prohibition
Prohibition was a nationwide ban on alcohol in the United States last from 1920 to 1933. This lead to the creation of mobs and organized crime. -
Rise of the K.K.K.
The Ku Klux Klan is an American hate group starting in 1865 and significantly growing nationwide in the 1920s. -
Nineteenth Amendment
The Nineteenth Amendment of the Constitution stated that the right to vote shall not be denied base on sex. In Other words this amendment gave women the right to vote in the united states. -
Gitlow v New York
Gitlow v New York was a Supreme Court decision holding that the Fourteenth Amendment had extended certain limitations on federal government power set in the first amendment. Gitlow was charged with violation of the New York Criminal Anarchy Law of 1902. Gitlow encouraged the overthrowing of the government which is against the Anarchy Act. -
Scopes Trial
Commonly known as the Scopes Monkey Trial was a legal case were John T. Scopes, a substitute teacher was teacher evolution. this is a violated of state code and Scopes was found guilty and fined $100. -
Stock Market Crash
The Wall Street Crash of 1919 started on October 24th when stock prices started to drop rapidly until October 29th when the New York Stock Exchange collapsed. This was the Worst crash the United States history. -
Roosevelt 1st Election
Election took place at the end of Great Depression. Franklin D. Roosevelt a democrat won the election. This marked the first of five straight Democratic presidential wins. -
21st Amendment
Constitutional amended that repealed the 18th Amendment (prohibition) -
CCC
Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program from 1933 to 1942. The program was for young unemployed men. The goal was to get the jobs and help them set up for the future. -
FDIC Created
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation is a government corporation providing insurance to depositors in U.S. commercial banks and saving institutions. In other words it kept peoples money safe in the bank. -
Social Security Act
On August 14th, 1935 the Social Security Act marked the start of old age benefits, unemployment insurance and physically disabled. It created pensions and insurance for unemployment. Have to pay into system with taxes, but get benefits later in life. -
FDR Court Packing Scandal
President FDR announces a plan to expand the Supreme Court by adding more judges. This was controversial because it supported his New Deal.
