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Oregon Dispute
The Oregon Dispute was important because it gave the United States more land west and gave them a border between Canada and the United States. -
Annexation of Texas
The annexation of Texas was important because it gave the United States new land in the south region and a border from Mexico which would be beneficial in future wars. -
Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny was important for the United States because it was the fight and "destiny" that the United States had to move westward. This was the movement that led people to most west and expand the United States coast to coast. -
Oregon Territory Treaty
This treaty was important because it showed the United States' determination and fight to expand westward. It added to the idea that the United States was ready for expansion. -
Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso was important because it assured the people moving west that they wouldn't have to deal with the issue of slavery. It prohibited the expansion of slavery into any territory that was acquired from Mexico. -
Mormon Trek Ends
The Mormon Trek was a movement for religious freedom. It was important because they moved west to benefit expansion and ended up settling in Utah. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was the treaty that gave the United States the land of Mexico and recognized the Rio Grande as America's southern boundary. This gave the United States more land and a stricter boundary between countries. -
Seneca Falls Convention`
The Seneca Falls Convention was important because it was organized by women to discuss the social, religious and civil conditions of women. It was the start of women's rights and hope for freedom for women. -
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush was important because it boosted industrial and agricultural development in California and boosted the desire to expand westward. It created a state in a very short time with a good economy. -
Compromise of 1850
The compromise of 1850 allowed the United States to expand its land and accept California into the United States. This expansion benefited the United States in economic ways and natural ways. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin was significant in that it highlighted the dangers and concerns of slavery. This was crucial in laying the groundwork to the Civil War and the eventual freedom of slaves. -
Kansas- Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed the Missouri Compromise and allowed the residents of Kansas and Nebraska to decide for themselves their position on slavery. -
Bleeding Kansas
Bleeding Kansas was important because it was a violent civil issue brought by the position of slavery in Kansas. Kansas admitted to the Union as a free state and made many people angry. -
Sumner-Brooks Affair
The Sumner-Brooks Affair was a violent act on the Massachusetts senator by the representative of South Carolina. The stem of the issue was brought by the nations divide around slavery. -
Dred Scott Decision
The Dred-Scott Decision was the decision that a slave who resided in a state prohibiting slavery was unable to be entitled to their freedom. -
John Brown's Raid in Harper's Ferry
The raid on Harpers Ferry was a raid against the federal army in Harpers Ferry, Virginia. The raid was to start an armed slave revolt and destroy slavery in its entirety. -
Lincoln Elected
The election of Lincoln was said to be the primary reason for the Civil War. The divide amongst the United States was shown throughout the election and Lincoln was determined to free slaves which didn't sit right with the South. -
South Carolina secedes
The significance behind the secession of South Carolina was that it was the first state to call and leave the Union. This led to the creation of the confederacy for the two sides of the Civil War. -
Crittenden Compromise
The Crittenden Compromise was an unsuccessful proposal that would have made it impossible for any future congressmen to end slavery. This was a failure because it went against the idea of change and amendments, this idea was too radical. -
Fort Sumter
The significance behind Fort Sumter was the it was one of the first engagements of the Civil War. This battle was the first surrender by the Union and gave the rebels a leg up in the upcoming battles. -
Homestead Act
The Homestead Acts was one of the biggest acts for westward expansion. It granted almost any man or woman a fair chance to own 160 acres of land if they uprooted and moved west. -
Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation was the beginning of complete abolition of slavery. It changed the ideal behind the Civil War to protecting the Union and the abolition of slavery. -
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg was a battle that stopped the Confederate from invading the North. It was a huge victory for the Union, and created a moral boost for the Union soldiers. -
Copperheads
The copperheads were significant because they were the Democrats in the Union that wanted peace and were one of the first groups to oppose the Civil War. -
Battle of Vicksburg
The Battle of Vicksburg was a huge victory for the Union. It gave the Union control of the Mississippi River and created a mark for the turning point of the Civil War. -
Shermans March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea was important because it was supposed to scare the people of Georgia into abandonment of the Confederacy. The 60,000 soldiers that marched light towns on fire and didn't stop until they got to Savannah, Georgia. -
Transcontinental Railroad Act
The Transcontinental Railroad was important because it led to the completion of the railroad. This railroad gave the United States much more ease when traveling across the continent. -
Indian Massacre at Sand Creek
The Indian Massacre showed the violence behind westward expansion. They were moving into land that was already occupied but believed they had the power to take it because they had the weapons. -
Colorado
The creation of Colorado and joining of the Union was important because it was the US's eight largest land mass. The state of Colorado provided natural resources new to the United States. -
Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse
The surrender was important because it led to the Confederacy surrendering to the Union and ending the Civil War. -
Black Codes
The Black Codes were laws that governed the free slaves and prevented them from equal pay, and freedom. -
Freedman's Bureau
The Freedman's Bureau gave food, housing, medical aid and legal assistance to the freed slaves. It also gave the slaves opportunity for land prior to the end of the Civil War. -
Reconstruction Acts (Military)
The reconstruction acts of the military were passed to divide the South into five military districts led by former Union generals in order to be reflowed back into the Union. -
Andrew Johnson Impeached
The impeachment of Andrew Johnson was significant because it was the fear that a leader of the new Union was breaking laws. His trial was important because it showed his intentions and that they were biased. -
Knights of Labor Founded
The Knights of Labor was the first national labour organization. It was founded to protect its members from employers. -
Standard Oil Founded
The founding of the Standard Oil was significant because it was created to be the largest oil refinery in the world. He controlled all the competition and ran a monopoly so that there was only one place for people to buy their oil. -
Tweed Ring Exposed
The Tweed Ring was important because it was the control that Sweeney and Tweed took over the NYC government. Their efforts were to defraud taxpayers and control the entire government of NYC. -
Ku Klux Klan Act
The importance of the Ku Klux Klan Act are that it made state officials liable for depriving anyone of their rights in the federal court. The acts enforced the 14th amendment. -
Credit Mobilier Exposed
The Credit Mobilier scandal was the issue of illegal manipulation of contractions by a finance and construction company that were involved in building the Union Pacific Railroad. It symbolized the corruption of the United States prior to the Civil War. -
Battle of Little Big Horn
The Battle of Little Big Horn was the victory by the Native Americans in the Indian War. It created an image for the Indians as dangerous and wild. -
Rutherford B. Hayes Elected
The election of Rutherford B. Hayes was controversial because it was seen as the end of reconstruction. The election was full of controversy because it was seen as bias and the most disputed election. -
Bland- Allison Act
The Bland-Allison Act was important because it passed although President Hayes vetoed it. The act was to inflate US currency and provide aid to farmers. -
Tuskegee Institute (Booker T. Washington)
The Tuskegee Institute was important because it was the first higher education institute for African Americans. They benefited from this learning although Washington received backlash for the institute. -
Chinese Exclusion Act
The Chinese Exclusion Act is significant because is was the first law of this kind that restricted immigration to the United States. The United States' west coast was becoming very populated and they were suffering declining wages and losing economic profits to the immigrants. -
Social Darwinism
The idea behind social darwinism is the survival of the fittest. This was significant because it gave racism, social inequality and imperialism a light for the times. -
American Federation of Labor (Samuel Gompers)
The American Federation of Labor was significant because it was established so that members would receive benefits. These benefits included higher wages, shorter hours and better conditions for the employees. -
Dawes Severalty Act
The Dawes Severalty Act was signed to divide tribal land to be owned solely by the Native Americans. This is significant because it highlighted the tribes need to assimilate and live alongside the new people moving into land near them. -
Hull House (Jane Addams)
The Hull House was created by a group of women who would provide services for people such as the poor. This was significant because it would help the immigrants to learn about American culture and life in order to do better financially and socially in America. -
Sherman Anti-Trust Act
The Sherman Anti-Trust Act was the first act that outlawed monopolistic business practices. This was important because many companies had begun to monopolize such as Standard Oil Company. These companies were charging high prices for a product that was only available by them. -
How the Other Half Lives (Jacob Riis)
The photojournalism of "How the Other Half Lives" highlighted the harsh and almost sickening conditions that people lived in in the slums of NYC. This was significant because it led to people wanting to clean up the slums and cities in order to have a more successful, sanitary life. -
Battle of Wounded Knee
The Battle of Wounded Knee was a massacre where US Army soldiers slaughtered numerous Sioux members. The significance of this was that it was a battle that was fought because the tribes resilience to assimilating with the white settlers. -
Populist Party Organized
The populist party was a group that was trying to create a coalition between farmers and urban laborers. This was significant because it was one of the first political groups that would unite the south and the west different styles of employment. -
Homestead Steel Strike
The Homestead Steel Strike had a goal of bargaining for lower wages and less harsh hours. This strike led to unionization of employees and understanding of fair work. -
Pullman Strike
The Pullman Strike was important because it was to fight for the laborers of the American Railway Union. These workers had been laid off and wages had been lowered due to the depression. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
The case of Plessy v. Ferguson was significant because it led to the "separate but equal" doctrine. This stated that whites and blacks would have their own schools, water fountains, train cars but were unable to share such things. -
Yellow Journalism
Yellow Journalism was the idea of modern day journalism which was not just stating facts but rather more tabloids. This was significant because it changed the way that people see modern day journalism. -
Spanish American War
The Spanish American War was significant because it was the war where America annexed the independent state of Hawaii and took position as a Pacific power. -
Teller Amendment
The Teller Amendment was important because it was the amendment where Cuba was declared independent of Spain. It also assured that the United States would leave the control of the island to the people that live there. -
Open Door Policy in China
The Open Door Policy in China was important because it gave China the right to trade freely with other countries. This was important because it allowed trade with China who would become one of the major traders with the United States. -
Platt Amendment
The Platt Amendment allowed the US interference into Cuban affairs. This was important because it allowed them to build naval bases such as Guantanamo Bay. -
Big Stick Diplomacy
The idea behind Big Stick Diplomacy was that it would show America's power without using force. This was important because it showed other countries that the United States can be a superpower without violence. -
Theodore Roosevelt becomes president (Starts Progressive Era)
The importance of Theodore Roosevelts election is that he began the Progressive Era which lead to many movements. These movements include the breaking of trusts, regulation of railroads and pure food and drugs. -
Ford Motor Company Founded
The Ford Motor Company created more for America than just a car. This company created cars that the working class can afford and created the assembly line which would change production forever. -
Roosevelt Corollary to Monroe Doctrine
The Roosevelt Corollary was set to ensure that Europe didn't interfere with Western problems but that the United States would help the Western Hemisphere. This would benefit the United States financially and in becoming a super power in the hemisphere. -
Niagara Movement (W.E.B. Du Bois)
The Niagara Movement was a group of people that wanted political, social and civil rights for African Americans. This was one of the first movements to ensure that African-Americans would begin to get the same rights as the rest of Americans and finely be free. -
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair was an expose that showed the truly horrifying reality that comes with working in the meat-packing industry. This was important because it led to new federal food safety laws. -
Pure Food and Drug Act
The Pure Food and Drug Act was a way to provide inspections of meat products to check the quality. This was important because there was no regulation of the quality of food that a person would sell or buy. -
Meat Inspection Act
The Meat Inspection Act was important because it prohibited the sale of misbranded livestock. This protected people because it ensured that the products they were putting in their body were safe to be consumed. -
NAACP Formed
The NAACP was formed to protect the well-being of all people. It was important because it was a group against race-based discrimination and aimed for equality of all rights. -
Dollar Diplomacy
The Dollar Diplomacy was a form of government that would ensure American foreign policy with the goal to minimize threat and violence. It used its economic power to create alliances and ensure foreign policies were upheld. -
Bull Moose Party Formed
The Bull Moose Party was a group that was priorly known as the progressive party. Their goal was to increase federal regulations and protect the ordinary person. -
Clayton Anti-Trust Act
The Clayton Anti-Trust Act was established to protect businesses along with employees. This act aimed to define unethical businesses and ensure rights of labor. -
U.S. Neutrality Proclaimed
The Proclamation of Neutrality was announced to declare that the United States was neutral in conflicts between France and Great Britain. It was significant because it assured that any American providing assistance to any country at war would deal with legal actions. -
Birth of a Nation by D.W. Griffith
The film, Birth of a Nation, was about an enslaved man who led a slave rebellion. This film highlighted the racism and cruelty that occurred in slavery towns. -
Sussex Pledge
The Sussex Pledge was made by German to the United States. It was a pledge that they would not torpedo passenger ships, only merchant ships that are armed. -
Keating-Own Act (Federal Child Labor Law)
The Keating- Own Child Labor Act was passed to protect against children underage working in factories. This law made it so that these products made in such factories should not be sold or cross state border in hopes to protect the children and ensure safety in factories. -
US Declared war on Germany
The significance behind this is that it was the beginning of US involvement in World War I. It is also important because the causation of their involvement was that Germany failed to hold their side of policies made in place to prevent the US involvement. -
Bolshevik Revolution (How it impacted the US)
The Bolshevik Revolution was important because it was the rise of Marxian socialism in Russia. These new idea affected the world because it paved the way for communism in Russia. -
Wilson's Fourteen Points
The Fourteen Points were principles for peace that would be used to negotiate the end of World War I. These principles included war aims and peace terms that required no secret agreements between countries, open diplomacy and free trade amongst countries who accept the peace. -
Worldwide Influenza Epidemic
The influenza epidemic was devastating to the world. It was significant because it killed between 20-40 million people. -
League of Nations debated in US
The League of Nations was significant because the goals were to include disarmament, preventing war, settling disputes and improving global welfare.