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1492
Columbian exchange
Exchange of goods, ideas, diseases, and people between the Americas, Africa, and Europe. Each region was significantly impacted as a result of trade and contact. -
1492
Age Of Discovery
Historical period between the 15th and 18th century during which europeans made contact and sought to explore and colonize the "new world" -
1500
Great Plains and Great Basin
Located un the central/western portion of the U.S. A lack of neutral resources led Natives to live a nomadic lifestyle in these regions. -
1512
Encomienda System
Spanish system of granting land to colonist in the new world. Exploited natives and resources. Eventually natives were being replaced with African American slave labor. -
1562
Bering Strait
The ancient land bridge where Native Americans traveled from Russia to America between 20,000 and 40,000 years ago. Separated by 60 miles of water -
1570
Small Pox
A disease that spread by Europeans in the Americas. It led to the death of millions of Native Americans in North and South America. -
Indentured Servitude
In return for a free passage, people promised labor typically for 7 years. Oftentimes upon their freedom they received a small piece of property. -
Maize
Corn. Cultivated in present-day Mexico and spread to the SW portion of the U.S. Native Americans societies were built around maize. -
Mayflower Compact
An agreement to form a majoritarian government in Plymouth. Signed by aboard the Mayflower. Created a foundation for self-government in the colony. -
King Philip's war
A war between the Native American tribes of New England and British colonists. The war was a result of tension caused by encroaching settlers. The war ends in Indian resistance in New England. -
Salem Witch Trials
An outbreak of witchcraft accusations In a Puritan village marked by an atmosphere of fear. Encroaching settlers had no Puritanical viewpoints. -
Boston Massacre
British soldiers fired into a crowd of colonist who were teasing and taunting them. 5 colonist were killed, including Crispus Attucks, a sailor of African and Native American ancestry. This even was used as a propaganda to call fro war against England in the colonies. -
Great Awakening
Religious movement characterized by emotional preaching. The first cultural movement to unite the 13 colonies, associated with the democratizing of religion. -
Stono Rebellion
Sometimes called Cato's rebellion. Occurred in South Carolina in 1739, one of the largest slave rebellion in the mainland colonies. -
Quakers
Settled in Pennsylvania and led by William Penn. They attempted to treat the Native Americans more fairly than other colonies. -
Seven Years War
Also called the French and Indian war. French and Natives vs. England and Colonies. England wins and gains control of the Ohio River Valley. -
Stamp Act
It was an act meant to help pay fro the British army in America. It placed a tax on all legal documents, newspapers, etc. It inspired a large spread of resistance, eventually repealed and replaced with the Declaratory Act. -
Common Sense
A pamphlet by Thomas Paine, published in 1776. The book was a called for the separation of colonies from Britain. -
Saratoga
A battle that took place in New York where the Continental Army defeated the British. It proved to be the turning point of the war. This battle ultimately had France to openly support the colonies with military forces in addition to the supplies and money already being sent. -
Anti-Federalist
People against the federalist in 1787. They disagreed with the constitution because they believed people's rights were being taken away without a bill of rights. They also didn't agree with annual elections and the non-existence of god in the government. -
Alexander Hamilton
Great political leader. Youngest and brightest of federalist known as the "founding father of national debt". From New York became a major general, and military genius. Established a plan for the economy that went into affect 1790, including a tariff that passed in 1789. And a plan for a national bank which was approved in 1791. -
Cotton Gin
a machine which could separate cotton from it's seeds. This invention made cotton more profitable for the southern economy. This increased production of cotton after it development by Eli Whitney signaled the exponential increase in slavery until it's abolition after the civil war. -
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana purchase doubled the size of the U.S. It opened up land for expansion, and during this time Jefferson changed his interpretation from strict to loose on this issue. -
Era of Good Feelings
A name for president Monroe's two terms. This was a period of strong nationalism, economic growth, and territorial expansion. Since the Federalist Party dissolved after the war of 1812, there was only one political party and no partisan conflicts. -
Corrupt Bargain of 1824
In the election of 1824, none of the candidates were able to secure a majority of the electoral vote, thereby putting the outcome in the hands of the House of Representatives, which elected John Quincy Adams. Adams then made Clay his Secretary of State. -
Spoils System
a system of employing and promoting civil servants who are friends and supporters of the group in power. This practice of rewarding supporters with government jobs. -
Transcendentalism
This literature is an "American spin" on Romanticism. Its a group of new ideas in literature, religion, culture, and philosophy that emerged in New England in the early to the mid 19th century. It also began as a reaction against industrial life from the market revolution. -
Mexican-American War
War fought with Mexico after the Annexation of Texas, "All of Mexico" slogan called for conquering all of Mexico. Ultimately U.S gained the Mexico Cessions from the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hildago. -
Cornerstone Speech
A speech delivered by confederate Vice President, Alexander Stephens in savannah, GA. It would lay out the confederate causes for the American Civil War, and defended slavery. -
Bull Run
This was the location of the first battle of the Civil War. Prior to this battle, both the Union and the Confederates were expecting a short war. After the battle only the south was bent on a "90 day war" -
Emancipation Proclamation
The emancipation proclamation changed the purpose if the civil war. It allowed African Americans to fight in the union army, it also kept Europe from aiding the south. -
Vicksburg
Grant besieged the city from may 18 to July 4, 1863 until it surrendered, giving command of the Mississippi River to the Union. Final major military action in the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War -
Gettysburg Address
Speech given by Lincoln following the battle(Gettysburg ), took place during the dedication of the cementer at Gettysburg and emphasized the sacrifice of the fallen as a means to preserve the union. One of the best known speeches in American history. -
Battle for Atlanta
Culminating battle in the Sherman's Atlanta Campaign, followed by Shermans march to sea during which union troops moved south from Atlanta destroying railroads and other important infrastructures. -
Second Inaugural Address
Beginning of Reconstruction Era, was meant to help heal and restore the country after four years of the civil war. A talk about rebuilding of a split nation. -
Transcontinental Railroad
Completed in 1869 at Promontory, Utah. This railroad linked the eastern railroad system with California's railroad system, revolutionizing transportation in the west. -
Battle of Little Bighorn
1876, colonel George A. Custer and 260 of his men were killed by Sioux Indians led by sitting bull at his battle in southern Montana. "Custer's Last Stand" became enshrined in American mythology as a symbol of the brutality of the Indian wars, although there is substantial evidence that Custer acted recklessly in attacking the large Indian encampment. -
Jim Crow laws
Laws that were designed to enforce segregation of Black Americans from White Americans. -
Chinese Exclusion
The Chinese exclusion act denied any additional Chinese laborers to enter the country while allowing students and merchants to immigrate. American workers felt threatened by the job of competition. -
Homestead Strike
Steelworker near Pittsburgh that was against the Carnegie Steel Company. 10 workers were killed in a riot when "scab" labor was brought into force to put an end to the strike. -
Pullman Strike
A nonviolent strike which brought about a shutdown of Western railroads. The strike took place against Pullman Palace Car in Chicago, because of the poor wages of the Pullman workers. It was ended by the president due to the interference with the mail system, and brought a bad image upon unions. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Established the doctrine of "separate but equal" upheld Jim Crow laws in the south. This led to an increase of discrimination against African Americans, late overturned by brown v. board. -
Yellow Journalism
journalism that exploits, distorts, or exaggerates the news to create sensations and attract readers. William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer published sensational stories to promote the Spanish- American war and villianzie the Spanish . -
Hollywood
Centered in Hollywood, CA. Because a big business in the 1920's. Stars like Greta Garbo and Rudolf Valentino were idolized. -
The Jungle
Work by Upton Sinclair pointed out the abuse of the meat packing industry. The book led to the passage of the 1906 meat inspection act. Also all context of food and drug packages must be labeled. -
19th amendment
Amendment to the U.S constitution extended the right to vote to women in federal and state elections -
New deal
A series of federal programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations. Roosevelt Roosevelt offered initiatives, for his series to end the depression. He promised these programs would help different segments of the economy recover by addressing specific needs and weaknesses. -
Lend-Lease Act
9 months before the Pearl Harbor incident, congress passed the lend-lease act and amended the Neutrality acts so that the United States cold lend military equipment and supplies to any nation the president said was vital to the defense of the United States. Signed by president Roosevelt, during World War II. -
Pearl Harbor
In December 7, 1941 a surprise attack on the United States military base in Hawaii was bombed by Japan. This event was the brining of the United States into world war II. -
Women in War Industry
since men were away fighting in WWII and someone had to work in war industry jobs (making tanks, weapons, etc.), women left their positions in the home to work in the war industry and support WWII. -
D-Day
A code name for "operation overload", the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France, on June 6, 1944. It remains the largest ambitious (water to land) assault in history with over 156,000 men crossing the English Channel in 6,939 vessels. From the French beaches, American and British forces pushed east to Germany. this marked a victory for the allies in Europe. -
Cold War Begins
The cold war begins and last 45 years. It's a war of tension between the United States(NATO allied) and the Soviet Union(satellite states). It was caused by military expansion. -
First Levittown
William Levitt began building the largest housing project in history, building about 17,000 homes for 82,000 people. First home project was made in Long island, New York. -
Truman Doctrine
President Harry Truman announced the Truman Doctrine as a foreign policy to prevent communism from spreading to politically unstable countries. This doctrine would let the United States provide aid(political, military, and economic assistance). -
Berlin Airlift
As a result of the soviet blockade people of west berlin were left without food, clothing, and medical supplies. Because truman didn’t want to cause WWIII he ordered an airlift in 1948 that supplies food and fuel to citizens of west Berlin when Russians closed off land access. -
War on provery act
The war on proverty act was a social-welfare introduced in the 1960s. It was created by U.S president Lyndon B johnson to provide better social services to the poor and elderly. -
Equal Rights Amendment
Constitutional amendment passed by congress in 1972 but never ratified. Designed to guarantee equal rights for all citizens regardless of sex. -
Roe vs. Wade
A landmark decision issued in 1973 by the US supreme court that ruled that there is fundamental rights to privacy. This issued the constitutionality of laws that criminalize or restricted women’s access to an abortion. -
North American Free Trade Agreement
NAFTA, came into effect creating one of the worlds largest free trade zones and laying the foundations for strong economic growth. A free trade area between Canada, Mexico, and the United States since 1993. -
World wide web
Founder Tim Berners-Lee, a British scientist invented the world wide web in 1989. Later developed and is now a global system linked, hypertext documents known as web pages. -
9/11
The date of major terroist attacks on the United States. Islamic extremist hijacked four planes that were flying above the U.S two of them hit the twin towers of the world trade center in new york. Another crashed into the pentagon, the top military building in the capital city, washington DC. -
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was one of the five deadliest hurricanes to ever hit the United states about 1,833 people died and millions were left homeless. It was a brutal natural disaster along the Gulf Coast and New Orleans. -
TARP
Troubled Asset Relief Program; is a program of the United States Government to purchase toxic assets from financial institutions to strengthen its financial sector (to big to fail). Signed into law by president George Bush. -
2008 election
The 56th quadrennial presidential election held on november 4,2008. This event is historic in nature due to high voter turn out of youth and minority groups as well as resulting in election of the first African American president, Barack Obama. -
Affordable Care Act
A health care reform act passed during president Obama’s administration. Its main goals was to expand access to health insurance, to protect patients against ruling actions by insurance companies, and reduce costs.
