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Oct 11, 1492
Exploration of the New World
Colombus sought a new route to Asia, when he discovered the New World. The exploration of the Americas then led to many Spanish voyages to the New World. The many explorers brought to the inhabitants new and deadly diseases and affected their lives greatly. The discovery of this new land led to the beginning of the formation of the United States of America. -
Founding of Jamestown
The British began to colonize, finding the first English colony in the Americas. Jamestown inhabitants had to establish their own community and industries. The founding of Jamestown began the immigration movement from England to the Americas to lead to more colonies to be established. -
Establishment of 13 Colonies
The continuous immigration to America led to the establishemt of the 13 colonies along the Eastern coastline. They all had governments, economies, and industries. The formation of the 13 colonies was the beginning of organizing a new country. -
French and Indian War
France continuously wanted to obtain land in North America from Great Britain, with Great Britiain relying on the colonists to do the majority of the fighting. The King accumulated great debt through the wars, also relying on the colonists for the income. This resulted in unfair taxation, which led to the colonists to fight for independence. -
Declaration of Independence
The colonies declared themselves independent from England after many unfair taxes and laws were put into Parliament. No representation for the colonists in their country's Parliament also led to the want for independence. America was then independent, allowing them to govern themselves. -
Manifest Destiny
Thomas Jefferson explanded the land owned by America after his election. The Louisiana Purchase fom France almost doubled the size of America. After the War of 1812, America gained Florida from Spain. Manifest Destiny of the 1800s was the beleif that America needed to be explored from the East to West coast, resulting in America's borders being defined. -
War of 1812
The War of 1812 occurred when America decided t could no longer tolerate the British policy of impressment. The victory for America not only encouraged industrial growth within America but also concretely established America as a free and independent nation. -
Construction of Erie Canal
The construction and completion of the Erie Canal assisted the movement of goods, including purchasing and selling. It began a new movement called the Market Revolution, in which the economy, technology, and wokplaces changed. The revolution brought forth free enterprise and entrepreneurs which are both continuously a large part in today's economy. -
Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine was a warning to Europe to avoid affairs in the western hemisphere, and the United States would avoid affairs in Europe. It resulted in the basis of future American foreign poliy. -
Bessemer Process
The Bessemer Process was the beginning of the onslaught of many new technologies, which helped to form the new industrial age. The process allowed businesses to profit and grow, which led to greater employment and the introduction of women into the labor force. -
Dred Scott Case
Dred Scott proposed to the Supreme Court that as his owner took him into free territory of Wisconsin, he was then free. The Supreme Court came to a decision that Scott was, and always would be, property to his owner, as it states in the Fifth Amendment. To free the slaves if they were taken into free territory, would be depriving the owners of their rights, as stated by the Supreme Court. The debate and decision of the case caused a conflict of opinoins, which ultimately led to the Civil War. -
Election of Lincoln as President
The election of Republican leader Abraham Lincoln led to several Southern states to seceed from the Union as they felt they lost representation. The formation of the Confederate States of America left the country divided upon itself, and proved a struggle to thrive without the support or the North and South working together in unison through the Civil War. -
The Homestead Act
Congress passed the Homestead Act, offering 160 acres to those who wanted to own land westward for free. The act began the migration of thousands of people wanting to live west and farm and also problems conflicting with the Native Americans. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War, which stated the slaves held as property in the Confederacy were free. The proclamation was not accepted and used at first, due to it applying to the Confederacy with no enforcment. The Emancipation Proclamation began the movement to fully granting citizenship to slaves. -
Appomattox Surrender
General Lee and General Grant met to make a formal Confederate surrender, ending the war. The ending of the war united the Union once again, allowing the reconstruction period to take place. The government was functioning stronger, the economic gap between the North and South was greater, and the Thirteenth Amendement was put into place. -
Forming of Unions
Unions began to form due to poor work enviroments, low wages, and long hours, to fight for worker's rights. The National Labor Union gained an eight-hour work day in government offices, while The Knights of Labor fought for an eight-hour day and equal pay for women. The rights gained by the unions formed the current rights practiced today. -
The Forteenth Amendment
During Reconstruction, the Forteenth Amendment was passed by Congress, stating African Americans now possessed citizenship. Congress would then readmit Southern states back into the Union with the acceptance and practice of the Fourteenth Amendment. The former slaves were now accepted as citizens in America. -
The Construction of the Transcontinental Railroad
With the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, settlers were able to acheive westward expansion, with the lure of free land, it drew a great number of people to setlle the unsettled plains. It also contributed to the transportation and purchasing of goods. The railroad unified the country, leading to new economies and industries. -
The Seneca Falls "Declaration of Sentiments"
Women gathered in Seneca Falls as a women's rights movement to model their grievances. They were concidered "civilly dead" as they were not granted their natural rights or considered equal in any way to men. The movements made by women for equal rights brought forth women's suffrage and the Nineteenth Amendment. -
The Chinese Exclusion Act
Congress pased the Chinese Exclusion Act, limiting the immigration of Chinese workers to America. It held an exception to tourists and governement officials. Americans felt threatned by the large amounts of Chinese workers taking away their employment. America lost the cheap labor of the Chinese, but the American workers gained higher chances of employment. -
Lynching
African Americans were beginning to be executed illegally by lynching. Citizens took the law into their own hands, feeling threatned by the success of non-whites. Lynching was the one among many types of acts of violence towards blacks and other races. The accumulation of politically and physically opressing non-whites eventually led to the Civil Rights Movement.
