timeline

Magna Carta signed

Jun 15, 1215

http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/magna-carta.htmThe Magna Carta is a very important document that King John was forced into signing.To avoid a civil war he signed it and it has influenced many other important documents.In America the Constitution and the bill of rights were influenced by this document.

Mayflower Compact signed

Nov 11, 1620

http://www.allabouthistory.org/mayflower-compact.htm The Mayflower compact was written to provide a temparary government forr the pilgims. It provided them with equal laws. All 41 men who werre abord the Myflower signed this document.

Formation of the New England Confederation

May 13, 1643

http://www.colonialwarsct.org/1643.htm The colonies that were involed in this confedericy were Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Haven, and Plymouth. It was established not only for trade and other things but because they feared attack from other nations or groups of people. It was weak.

albany plan of union announced

Jun 24, 1754

http://www.constitution.org/bcp/albany.htm In 1754 a group of delegates of the northern states met in where else but Albany, New York.The plan of Union was drafted by Benjamin Franklin.

The French and Indian War begins

Oct 22, 1754

http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=498 The French Indian war was also known as the final Colonial War. Took place in Europe. There isn't really an exact date. It was started within the New World.

Treaty of Paris

Feb 10, 1763

http://www.ushistory.org/us/8d.asp
The American Revolution ended with this treaty. France lost land and it was given to the British. This included Quebec. Spain also had some land given to them like Louisiana

Royal Proclamation

Oct 7, 1763

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/proc63.htm
The colonies did not like the royal proclamation. In this proclamation it stated that the colonies were no longer able to expand. They were only allowed to stay on the Eastern seabord.

Sugar Act

Apr 5, 1764

http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312848/suact.htm
The sugar act was put in place due to the fact that England wanted more money to secure the colonies. This clearly was not going to sit well with the colonies.

Stamp Act

Mar 22, 1765

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/stampact.htm
The stamp act put a tax on all paper products. Britain put a tax on the paper products becauce they wanted to show that they still had authority over the colonies.

Stamp Act Congress

Oct 20, 1765

http://www.ushistory.org/us/10a.asphttp://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/sac65.htm
There are two different links here. One is to the actual document and the other is for what it actually was. Colonists said "no taxiation without representation."

The Townshend acts

Jun 15, 1767

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/townshend.htm
These acts were proposed by a man named Townsend. This was a tax on glass, paint, oil, lead,paper and tea. The colonists did not like this taxation.

Boston Massacre

Mar 5, 1770

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/massacre.htm
The colonists threw snowballs at the British soldiers. This then led to the shot heard around the world. Still to this day no one can really determine who actually fired the first shot.

The Boston Tea Party

Dec 16, 1773

http://www.boston-tea-party.org/
The tea act is what lead to the Boston Tea Party. Britian wanted the colonies to buy their tea that came at a smaller price then the actual tea that they were buying. But the colonists wanted to separate from Britian and they did not like them at all so they dressed up as Indians and threw the tea overboard into the harbor.

Congress meets for the 1st time

Sep 5, 1774

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/congress.htm Congress met for the first time in Carpender's Hall. All of the people who were there were elected by the people.

First Contental Congress

Sep 5, 1774

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/congress.htm
The objective of the group was not really that clear. They all agreed that they no longer wanted the King.

Patrick Henery

Mar 23, 1775

http://www.history.org/almanack/life/politics/giveme.cfm
On March 23, 1775 Patrick Henery say his famouse quote of "give me liberty or give me death." During this time Washington said that the colonies were in a state of rebellion.

Midnight Ride of Paul Revere

Apr 18, 1775

http://www.paulreverehouse.org/ride/real.html
Paul Revere rode into Lexington and concord on his house to warn Samual Adams and John Hancock that the read coats were comming. He unfortunatally was captured by the red coats.

Battles of Lexington and Concord

Apr 19, 1775

http://www.theamericanrevolution.org/battledetail.aspx?battle=1
Thsi was one of the first battles fought For the American Revolution. The Britsh troops goals were to capture and distroy military supplies

Second Continental Congress meets

May 5, 1775

http://www.ushistory.org/us/10e.asp When the Second Contenintal congress met they created the olive branch petition. In this peition it said that the colonies wanted a peacful resolution with England.

Battle of Bunker Hill

Jun 16, 1775

http://www.ushistory.org/us/11d.asp
At the beginning of the Battle of Bunker hill the American Soldiers went to Breeds Hill insted. The British woke up one moring and there they were.

Fort Ticonderoga

Oct 22, 1775

http://www.historiclakes.org/Ticonderoga/Ticonderoga.html
Fort Ticonderoga was also called Fort Carillon by the French. It is the spot where America had its first major victory in the Revolutionary war.

"Comon Sense" was published

Jan 10, 1776

http://www.ushistory.org/paine/commonsense/
This document was written by Thomas Paine. It stated that the colonies should break away from England.

British evacuate Boston

Mar 17, 1776

http://www.massmoments.org/moment.cfm?mid=83
Washington had placed cannons on Dorchester heights facing the capital. The British knew that they were going to loose if they didn't evacuate from the capital so they left.

Washington captures Trenton

Mar 19, 1776

http://www.wpi.edu/academics/military/abswash.html
In order to capture Trenton he made a military campaign. They crossed the Delawere River...in March... and captured Trenton.

Declaration of independence announced

Jul 8, 1776

http://www.ushistory.org/gop/tour_indhall.htm
The decleration was signed on July 4th, 1776. It however was not annouced until July, 8th. It was written by Thomas Jefferson.

The Crisis is published

Dec 23, 1776

http://www.ushistory.org/paine/crisis/index.htm
The Crisis was written by the same man who worte Common sense. Thomas Paine. In it Paine talks about times that are trying mens souls.

Benedict Arnold Plans found out

Sep 25, 1777

http://www.ushistory.org/valleyforge/served/arnold.html
Benedict Arnold betrayed America. He was angry at congress and began to look o become a British soldier, and betray America.

British were defeted at Saratoga

Oct 17, 1777

http://www.ushistory.org/us/11g.asp
The battle of Saratoga was considered the turning point of the American Revolution. The British lost. During this there were Hessians and British soldiers.

Winter at Vally Forge, PA

Dec 22, 1777

http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312848/valleyforge.htm
Vally forge was a camp where Washingtons troops stayed from December of 1777 to June 1778. There was extem hunger during this time and the weather was freezing.

John Paul Jones defeats the Serapis

Sep 23, 1779

http://www.marinersmuseum.org/sites/micro/usnavy/03/03c.htm
During this time John Paul Jones and other privet boats men sailed around looking for treasures to steal. France was now on America's side.

Articals of Confederation signed

Mar 11, 1781

http://www.ushistory.org/gov/2b.asp The articals of confederation was written in 1776 but wasn't radified until 1781. This document created a weak central government and gave most of the power to the states.

Cornwallis Surrenders

Oct 19, 1781

http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/chronicle_yorktown1781.html
This was in Yorktown. In this newspaper artical it says that he surrendered his British troops to french and american troops.

Newburgh Conspiracy

Mar 11, 1783

http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/war-for-independence/resources/george-washington-and-newburgh-conspiracy-1783 An annoyonmis letter came and said that the army wanted to be paied. They said in the letter if they didn't get paid than they would not fight aginst Britan and would lay down there arms.

Treaty of Paris signed (1783)

Sep 3, 1783

http://www.ushistory.org/us/11i.asp The treaty of Paris was the end of the American Revelution. During this time the people such as Ben Franklin and John Adam met with the British. In this treaty the British recoginized America as an independent nation(but only as far as the Mississippi river).

Spain closes Mississippi river

Feb 25, 1784

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/_Topics/history/_Texts/WHISAF/5*.html In 1784 Spain closed the Mississippi River thinking that it wouldbe agood way to try and get farmers tojoin Spanish America. They knew the U.S wasn't strong enough to do much at the time so they closed the mouth of the river. Man named Floridablanca idea.

Land Ordinance of 1785

May 20, 1785

http://www.tngenweb.org/tnland/seven-ranges/ The Land Ordinance of 1785 was all about a law that congress passed that allowed parts in the Northwest Territory to be sold. The idea during this time waas to sell mile squre portions.

Ordinance of religious Freedom

Jan 16, 1786

http://www.vahistorical.org/onthisday/11686.htm The Ordinance of religious freedom was written by Thomas Jefferson. In it it stated that no one in virginia would be prosicuted for their religion. Very imporant document.

Annapolis Convention

Sep 13, 1786

http://theamericanrevolution.org/EventDetail.aspx?event=45 During the Annapolis Convention delegates from 5 states came to talk about problems with trade barrors and other thing such as that.

Shay's Rebellion

Dec 19, 1786

http://shaysrebellion.stcc.edu/ Shays rebellion began in august and the went through to the year of 1786. A group of farmers gathered up. They didn't like how they had to pay in a certain gold coin, that frankly they didn't even really have. They than went and marched all around and went to the courts and threatened to close them down. All in all it proved that Congress wasn't that strong because they couldn't do anything to stop it.

Constitutional Convention opens

May 14, 1787

http://teachingamericanhistory.org/convention/ The Constitution was signed during this time. It was signed in the same place as the Decleration of independence.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Jul 13, 1787

http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/turningpoints/tp-009/ The Northwest Ordinance of 1776 stated that any new nations added would have equal rights as the origional states. It also outlawed slavery from the northwest states. It established a government for the new nations added aswell.

The Great Compromise

Jul 16, 1787

http://billofrightsinstitute.org/resources/educator-resources/americapedia/americapedia-constitution/connecticut-compromise/ The Great Compromise is also known as the Connecticut Compromise. It put together the Virginia plan and the New Jersey Plan together. Also it allowed the 3/5 compromise which counted every 5 slaves as 3 people, no vote though.

Constitution sent to the states for ratification

Sep 17, 1787

http://teachingamericanhistory.org/ratification/ During this time the federilists and the anti fedderlists debated. In the end a bill of rights was created. I'm not quite sure the exact date but that is the correct year. Rhold Island was the last to sign it on May 29 1789.

Anti-federalist articals appear.

Oct 5, 1787

http://teachingamericanhistory.org/fed-antifed/timeline-essantifed.html Oct. 5th was when the first artical came out. It talks about the constitution and wether or not youe essintal liberties are secure under the constitution.

Federalists Papers apper

Oct 27, 1787

http://teachingamericanhistory.org/fed-antifed/timeline-essfed.html The articals first appeared on Oct. 27 1787. During the artical they talk about how America has the oppertunity to make an important decision. Talks about the things the constitution gives you for example one of them is the true principls of the republican government.

Delaware ratifies

Dec 7, 1787

http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/creating-new-government/timeline-terms/delaware-ratified-constitution Delaware was the first state to ratify the constitution. Link doesn't have much information on it but out of all the states Delaware was the first and Rhold Island was the last. Final vote was 30-0.

Massachusetts ratifies Constitution

Feb 6, 1788

http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/creating-new-government/timeline-terms/massachusetts-ratified-constitution During this time Massachusetts was a little on the fence. But eventually they joined all the other states in ratifing it.

New Hampshire ratifies Constitution

Jun 21, 1788

https://www.nyhistory.org/web/crossroads/convention.htmlNew Hampshire becomes the last needed state to ratify the constitution. Because they ratified it then became law.

George Washington becomes president

Apr 30, 1789

http://gwpapers.virginia.edu/documents/presidential/electoral.html On this day George Washington became the first priesidant of the United States of Ameria.

Bill of Rights sent to the states for ratification

Sep 25, 1789

http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/winter09/rights.cfmThe first 10 ammendments of the constitution became known as the Bill of rights. There were originally 12 but the first 2 were not ratified.

Bill Of Rights ratified

Dec 15, 1791

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/billofrightsintro.html The bill of rights was finnally ratifed on that day. This document defined peoples rights due to the new government.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions written

Jan 2, 1798

http://www.constitution.org/cons/virg1798.htm
The Virginia resolution was written in 1798, the Kentucky Resolution was written in 1799. Thomas Jeffersosn helped to create the Virginia Resolution and he created some parts of the Kentucky resolution.

Hartford Convention meets during War of 1812

Oct 7, 1814

http://www.teachushistory.org/war-1812-hartford-convention/overview/introduction-students
New England was unhappy about the war of 1812 and refused to raise money for it. They began to question the gov had.They called up a meeting in Oct. 1814. Some people wanted the US constitution to be rewritten. Others wanted the presidants to alternate states. All Virginia except John Adams.

Missouri Compromise

Mar 3, 1820

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part3/3h511.html
The Missuri compromise was passed in 1820 but the idea was around the time of 1819. This comproise allowed Missuri into the union as a slave state but there was to be no slavery north of the 36 parallel. Also Maine now became a free state and was no longer part of Massachusetts.

Tariff of Abolitonists passed

Apr 22, 1828

http://www.apstudynotes.org/us-history/topics/nullification-crisis-/
This tariff was created because Andrew Jakson thought that he would not be able to win the election without it.

South Carolina tries to nullify

Nov 24, 1832

http://www.ushistory.org/us/24c.asp
Nullify means to deprive something of value. South Carolina tried to nullify the tariff propsed by Henery Clay.

Abolition of Slavery Act 1833

Dec 2, 1833

http://www.cfr.org/human-rights/british-slavery-abolition-act-1833/p27124
This was the abolition of slavery in England. This meant that in Britain Canada and other places it was illigal to own another person.

Texas declares independence from Mexico

Mar 2, 1836

http://www.pocanticohills.org/amprogress/texas_for_kids.htm
Mexico allowed for people to settle in Texas. Eventually Texas wanted to break away from Mexico and become independent and a part of the US.

James Polk Elected

Nov 5, 1844

http://millercenter.org/president/polk/essays/biography/3
He was not a very well known canadate. Was presidant during the Mexican war.

Mexican War

Apr 25, 1846

http://wars.findthedata.org/q/24/2017/When-was-the-Mexican-American-War and
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qdm02
This war began over territory issues. It beagan on April 25, 1846 and it wnded in Febuary 2, 1848.

Wilmot Proviso

Aug 8, 1846

http://www.ushistory.org/us/30a.asp
The date that I used was when he introduced new legislation that said no form of slavery shall ever exsist in states that were won in the Mexican War.

Fugitive Slave Law enacted

Feb 12, 1850

http://www.nationalcenter.org/FugitiveSlaveAct.html This law was a result of the compromise of 1850. It said that all slaves that were found that were runaway slaves that anyone who found them would have to bring them back to their owner. If they didn't do this then they would be finned and sent to jail.

Califorina enters the Union

Sep 9, 1850

http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist5/caladmit.html
California was allowed to enter the Union as a free state due to Henry Clay's compromise.

Publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin

Mar 20, 1852

http://specialcollections.vassar.edu/exhibits/stowe/essay2.html
This book was read all over the world. It told the story of a slave and it explained many problems that they had to faCE. It was an anti-slavery book and many abolitionists used it to show people just how bad slavery was.

Kansas Nebraska Act passed

Jan 2, 1854

http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=28
and
http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=1476
Proposed by Stephen Douglass. Allowed Kansas and Nebraska to decide by popular soveranity to decide wheather they wanted slavery or not.. led to bleeding Kansas though.

Border Ruffians attack Lawrence

May 21, 1856

http://www.ushistory.org/us/31c.asp
The reason that the Border Riffians attacked Lawerence was becasue of the fact that Lawerence was free. They were anti-slavery. Over 800 soldiers rode in to arrest people in lawerence who were anti slavery and the people of lawerence didn't resist. This resulted in looting and burning of houses and the Free State hotel. The rupublicans tries to get Kansas into the union and the democrats wanted it slave.

Charles Sumner attacked

May 22, 1856

http://www.massmoments.org/moment.cfm?mid=151
Charles Sumner was a member of Congress and was known for speaking out about slavery. He was a strong abolitionist and during aa speech he gave he talked about a Mr. Andrew Butler. He said some things that got this man very angry and this led to him being beaten with a cane by Preston Brooks.

Pottawatomie Creek

May 24, 1856

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/hns/kansas/jbrown.html
This creek is important because it is where John Brown and his people went to three houses and killed people who were pro-slavery. Many people died during this and the ways they were killed were not a pleasnt sight.

Formation of the Republician Party

Jun 17, 1856

http://www.ushistory.org/gop/origins.htm
The republican party was formed due to the Kansas Nebraska Act. The country was divided due to the 36° 30' parallel, already. Because of these events Northeners feared that the southerners would settle above the parallel so the Republican party was then formed.

Dred Scott decision announced

Mar 2, 1857

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4h2933.html
This desision was that no blacks could ever become a citizen of the US. It also announced that the Missuri Compromise was unconstitutional.

Lecompton Constitution passed

Dec 2, 1857

http://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/constitution-hall/11759
This document was pro slavery. Some people wanted to admit Kansas as a slave state but Stephen Douglass would not pass it.Eventually Kansas was admitted as a free state.

Lincoln-Douglass Debates

Jan 20, 1858

http://www.illinoiscivilwar.org/debates.html
There were many debates between these two presidental canadates. In many of them Lincoln pused Douglass into a corner that would be hard to get out of. Lincoln was against slavery. Douglass was not clear in his campaining wheather or not he was pro or anti slavery, he never told the voters.

Raid at Harper's Farry

Oct 16, 1859

http://www.civilwar.org/150th-anniversary/john-browns-harpers-ferry.html
and
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2940.html Brown wanted local black slaves to join his supporters. In the end of this Brown was captured and many of his men were killed and wounded.

Formation of constitutional union party

Feb 13, 1860

http://www.historians.org/projects/SecessionEditorials/Editorials/AugustaDChronicle_02_13_60.htm
It included delegates from 20states. Amung them was a Mr. John Bell. The image here is of him.

Election of 1860

Apr 2, 1860

http://www.ushistory.org/us/32d.asp
This election was between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglass. Lincoln was a strong abolitionist and was against slavery. He thought that the slaves were real people too and that they deserived to have natural rights.

Democrats split in 1860

Sep 5, 1860

http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=2121
I'm not sure on the exact date that they split but it is in 1860. This is the year when the democratic party splits.

Abraham Lincoln's plan for Reconstruction

Dec 8, 1863

http://library.thinkquest.org/J0112391/reconstruction.htm
Lincoln's plan for reconstruction allowed for a pardon to people from the confederate states who swore to the Union and the Constitution there were some people this rule didn't apply to.

Wade- Davis Bill Recieves Veto

Feb 11, 1864

http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=37
Stated that 50 percent of a states white men had to take a loyalty oath in order to be in the Union again. Lincoln choe not to sign it which was a Pocket Veto.

Lincoln is reelected president

Nov 8, 1864

http://www.abrahamlincolnsclassroom.org/Library/newsletter.asp?ID=112&CRLI=160
The Northeners voted for Lincoln to have another term. No one had been re-elected since Andrew Jackson.

Formation of the Freedman's of the Freedman's Bureau

Mar 17, 1865

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=2&psid=3096
This protected former slaves rights and provided them with education.

Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

Apr 14, 1865

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/alhtml/alrintr.html
Lincoln was shot at the theater and died the next day. John Wilkes Booth was the one who killed him. He was there seeing "our American Cousin" Booth shot him at the funniest line in the play..

President Andrew Johnson Announce Plans for Reconstruction

May 11, 1865

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=2&psid=3096
Anyone who was from the confederate states and took an oath was forgiven he was a southerner and he went easy on the southern states. This made him unpopular.

Black Codes created in Mississippi

Jul 13, 1865

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/experience/legal/docs6.html
Black Codes were designed to restrict African American Rights in the south. These things restricted what they were able to do they were the same as Jim Crow laws almost.

Ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment

Dec 10, 1865

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=2&psid=3096
This amendment abolished slavery. All the states voted for it in december.

Ku Klux Klan created

Dec 24, 1865

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/grant-kkk/
They were a group of people who were unhappy that African Americans had gotten so many rights. This group was created in 1865.

Civil Rights Act (1866) Enacted

Apr 9, 1866

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/reconstruction/activism/ps_1866.htmlhttp://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=2&psid=3096
Gave men of any race, color... the same rights as white men.

Reconstruction Acts Enacted

Mar 2, 1867

http://historyengine.richmond.edu/episodes/view/1431
The President at the time, Andrew Johnson, had vetoed the acts but even though he had done so it was still passed. He viewed it as unconstitutional. He believed that it didn't protect the peoples right to life and property.

Ulysses S. Grant elected President

Apr 17, 1868

http://millercenter.org/president/grant/essays/biography/3
He was the 18th president of the United States. During the civil war he was in charge of the army for the union and he was there when the war ended and Lee surrendered to Grant.

President Andrew Johnson Impeached

Apr 24, 1868

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/grant-impeachment/
He passed a law that he had to approve firings or enlistments. He won his court case by one vote.

Ratification o the Fourteenth Amendment

Jul 28, 1868

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stories_events_14th.html
Said that every citizen of the United States included the newly freed slaves.

Ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment

Feb 3, 1870

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/grant-fifteenth/
Gave African Americans the right to vote

Hiram Revels elected to senate

Feb 25, 1870

http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/First_African_American_Senator.htm
Hiram Revels was the first African American elected to the senate.

Enforcement Act of 1870

Apr 20, 1871

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stories_events_enforce.html
This Act banned the use of terror force or bribery to prevent people from voting because of their race.

Freedman's Bureau Abolished

Jun 28, 1872

http://historyengine.richmond.edu/episodes/view/1548
Was first bought in on March 3rd, 1865 but it was abolished on June 28th, 1872.

Civil Rights Act (1875) passed

Mar 1, 1875

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/reconstruction/activism/ps_1875.html
Protected all American Citizens regardless of rac color...

Last National Troops Leave South Carolina

Feb 13, 1877

http://sc150civilwar.palmettohistory.org/edu/crisis/SecessionSC1860.htmI'm going to say that after the end of the civil war people started to leave. I cannot find any information about this topic at all.

Rutherford B. Hayes elected President

Mar 3, 1877

http://www.rbhayes.org/hayes/president/ and http://millercenter.org/president/hayes

He was the 19th president of the United States of America.
He secreatly took the oath of office on March 3rd because of "tension" from the election. He saw the end of Reconstruction.

"Jim Crow" enters the American cultural language

Jan 13, 1880

http://www.nps.gov/malu/forteachers/jim_crow_laws.htm
"Jim Crow" Laws were laws that allowed for the segragtion of public schools, public places and transportation.

Civil Rights Act Overturned (1883)

Oct 22, 1883

http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/robert_ingersoll/civil_rights.html
The people felt that the civil rights act was unconstitutional and they overturned it because it was unconstitutional.

Florida Requires Segragation in places of public Accommodation

Apr 13, 1892

http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/freedom/1865-1917/essays/segregation.htm
This was similar to Jim Crow Laws. Everyone was seperate but equal. This meant that African Americans and white people were seperate but everything that white people had the African Americans had the same thing but they were seperate. There were seperate everything, bathrooms, train cars...

Case of Plessey vs. Ferguson

Jun 7, 1892

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stories_events_plessy.html
Homor Plessey was a man who sat in the "white" car in Louisiana.
when he was told he had to sit in the "colored" car. The date above was the day that he was placed in jail.