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1492
Discovery of America by Columbus
Sponsored by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus sailed his crew to the Americas in three ships: The Pinta, Nina, and Santa Maria. Though he is credited with the discovery of our continent, he met Native Americans who had previously inhabited the land, proving that the "new world" was only new for some. -
Period: 1492 to
U.S. History A
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The Jamestown Settlement Established
First permanent English establishment in North America. Founded in the colony of Virginia. -
The French and Indian War
A worldwide war lasting nine years was fought by France and Great Britain over who would be the stronger power in America. Both sides had colonist and Native American allies. The result was the Treaty of Paris. -
The Boston Tea Party
Dressed as native americans, patriot men raided a British ship and tossed their tea into the harbor, as a protest against "taxation without representation." -
The Battles of Lexington and Concord
The first military engagements of the Revolutionary war. We remain unsure who fired the "shot heard around the world," but it was either a trained British soldier or a scruffy colonist willing to fight for his freedom. -
The Declaration of Independence
Written by Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Robert R Livingston, the Declaration stated the grievances and rights of colonists. It was signed by the attendees of the Second Continental Congress. -
The Battle of Yorktown
British General Cornwallis surrenders to the allied troops of America and France, resulting in the end of the Revolutionary War. The strategy of this monumental victory was led by George Washington. -
The Constitutional Convention
The central government functioning under the Articles of Confederation was weak, leading to the need for this five month meeting in Pennsylvania. After a grueling and heated drafting process, the result was the world-altering Declaration of Independence, which remains the capstone of our government. -
Cotton Gin Invention
Inventor Eli Whitney probably didn't know that his name would go down in history, but his cotton gin, created to speed the process of seed removal from cotton fiber truly changed the world. The time spent on this task was cut exponentially, which was a large part of the industrial revolution in America. -
The Alien and Sedition Acts
Aiming to ensure national security and with a fear that aliens might sympathize with the French, President Adams passed four bills that granted the power of removing immigrants. They also made it harder for immigrants to vote. -
The Louisiana Purchase
Definitely one of the best financial decisions made by the US government was the purchase of 828,000 square miles from France for only 15 million dollars. -
The War of 1812
Despite the lack of creativity in the name, the conflict between the US, UK and their respective allies did not lack action. Ended in the treaty of Ghent and a season of national pride. -
The Missouri Compromise
Attempting to balance power, the compromise was passed admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state. -
Andrew Jackson’s Election
The beginning of contention in political elections, John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson's race for presidency was littered with adhomonym attacks. -
The Trail of Tears
Forced to relocate from their ancestral lands by the Indian Removal Act, Native Americans endured treks so difficult that the name of this event is very fitting. -
Telegraph Invention
Samuel Morse developed and patented the telegraph, a feat that made long-distance communication possible. -
The Panic of 1837
President Jackson's economic policies left the country in a state of hardship and pessimism. Government funds were withdrawn from the bank. This recession lasted until 1843. -
The Mexican-American War
Texas was in a toss-up because of the US annexation, and to make matters worse Mexico denied their succession and wanted to regain the province. Mexican cavalry attacked American soldiers and laid siege to a fort, but the outcome of the war was the Treaty of Guadalupe, which granted the United States much more land in the west. -
The Compromise of 1850
This package of five bills is a compromise because it had benefits for both the northern and southern states. The north gained a new free state, California, and the south received strength in their ability to retrieve fugitive slaves. -
Battle of Fort Sumter
Beginning of the American Civil War. Confederate bombardment of the fort, and Union surrender. -
The Emancipation Proclamation
An executive order of Abraham Lincoln ordered the freedom of slaves in confederate states. Lincoln previously hid abolition behind the front of preserving the union, so the proclamation was an important turn in American history, though it did not free anyone in actuality. -
Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse
The confederates were surrounded and outnumbered after five years of fighting. General Lee said he would rather "die a thousand deaths" than speak to General Grant, but he saved many lives by surrendering. The terms of surrender were very generous, pardoning all rebel soldiers. -
Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination
Stage actor John Wilkes Booth assassinated the president by a shot to the head during a theatrical performance in Washington D.C. -
Reconstruction Amendments Constituted
13th (Dec. 1865) - abolished slavery, made involuntary servitude a crime.
14th (Jul. 1868) - addresses rights of citizens, clarification necessary during reconstructive period.
15th (Feb. 1870) - prohibits denying citizen to vote due to "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." -
Andrew Johnson’s Impeachment
The House of Representatives wrote eleven articles of impeachment against Andrew Johnson. The impeachment vote had been 126 to 47 (17 didn't vote). -
The Organization of Standard Oil Trust
Founded by John D. Rockefeller, and Henry Flager in Ohio, Standard Oil was the largest refinery of its era. Their company was extremely large, but later faced legal issues such as monopoly charges. -
Inventions
Telephone - Alexander Graham Bell, 1876.
Electric Light Bulb - Joseph Swan, Hiram Maxim, Thomas Alva Edison, 1879.
Airplane - Wilbur and Orville Wright, 1903. -
The Pullman and Homestead Strikes
The Homestead strike was a dispute between two major steel companies that setback the unionization of steel companies.
The Pullman strike was a nation-wide strike of railroad workers. It lasted from May to July and was a turning point in US labor laws. -
The Spanish-American War
After an internal explosion on the USS Maine, off of the coast of Havana, Cuba, America got involved in the Cuban War of Independence from Spain. -
Theodore Roosevelt Elected
After William McKinley was assassinated, Teddy brought a new energy to the White House. He had attended Harvard College and one year of Columbia before beginning his public service profession at age 23. He is iconic in his words and actions.
