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10,000 BCE
First Inhabitants
The first inhabitants of North America come from Asia (Siberia). They established many tribes and spread across North and South America. -
1492
Christopher Columbus came to America
Christopher Columbus opened the door to European exploration and exploitation of North and South America. -
Jamestown
Jamestown was the first permanent and successful English settlement. They were able to practice self-government with little interference from England. Tobacco was a large reason why it became a profitable settlement. Many indentured servants signed contracts to come to America to work the fields. Also, slaves were kidnapped and brought to America against their will to work for the large southern plantations. -
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Thirteen colonies
From the 1600’s to the mid-1700s England established thirteen colonies in North America. -
Pilgrims
The Pilgrims sailed across the Atlantic Ocean on the Mayflower to establish the beginning of what eventually would become known as the Massachusetts Bay Colony. One thing to keep in mind is that many of the American colonies were founded by people trying to escape religious persecution in England. They too were allowed to practice self-government. -
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War was fought over the disputed land in the Ohio River Valley. American colonies aided by England and some Native American tribes fought the French and a large collection of Native American tribes. England poured in lots of money to supply the Americans and to send a vast number of troops. -
Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 prohibited the American colonists from crossing the Appalachian Mountains and moving to the land that they were fighting to acquire. King George III didn’t want Americans to create more tension with the French and Native Americans there. The problem was that the land was the main reason the colonists were willing to fight in the war and there were many colonists already living there before the war even started. -
The Sugar Act
The Sugar Act. The British Parliament, desiring revenue, passed the first law specifically aimed at raising colonial money for the Crown. This act was far from sweet in the eyes of the American colonists. The act increased duties on non-British goods shipped to the colonies. This was followed by many more taxes that the colonists didn’t feel they needed to pay, since they had no representatives in the British Parliament. Their motto became “No Taxation Without Representation” -
The Sons of Liberty
A group called the Sons of Liberty formed in Boston and soon spread throughout the colonies. During one protest in Boston, a fight broke out and five colonists were shot and killed. This incident in the American colonies became known as the Boston Massacre. -
The Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was an act of protest by a group of patriots. The British saw this as an act of sabotage and decided the colonists should be punished. The Intolerable Acts were put in place, which closed Boston’s harbor and banned representative assemblies from meeting. The laws caused the colonies to become more united against the British. Many colonies sent supplies to help Boston and more colonists throughout the 13 colonies joined up with the Sons of Liberty. -
"The Shot Heard Round The World"
“The Shot Heard Round The World” British soldiers in Massachusetts were ordered to disarm the American rebels and arrest their leaders. The American Revolutionary War began with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. -
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Revolutionary War
The American Revolution was principally caused by colonial opposition to British attempts to impose greater control over the colonies and to make them repay the crown for its defense of them during the French and Indian War -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was approved by the Second Continental Congress on July 4. “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. That they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, which among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” -
Battle of Trenton
The Battle of Trenton was a turning point in the American Revolution because, after numerous costly defeats, the Continental Army managed to win this battle. George Washington was the leader of this military force and was fighting one of the most well-funded militaries on the planet at the time. -
Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga was a major turning point in the American Revolution, because after the American victory the French decided to join the war. -
Battle of Monmouth
The Americans claimed victory because they occupied the battlefield after the British left. This greatly increased American morale and strengthened Washington's position as commander of the army. -
The Battle of Cowpens
The Battle of Cowpens was a strategically ingenious American victory during the American Revolution over a British force in South Carolina on January 17, 1781. It was a rare win for American forces, and it slowed British efforts to invade North Carolina -
Battle of the Chesapeake
The Battle of the Capes occurred around the mouth of Chesapeake Bay in 1781. The naval battle occurred between the French and the British navies. Even though the battle lasted two hours, it played a significant role in the Siege of Yorktown's success, ultimately leading to the United States' independence. -
Battle of Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown, which was the final major battle of the American Revolution, was won by the Americans. Washington, Hamilton, Lafayette, and Laurens all aided in this victory as well as a large French force. This victory was followed by the Treaty of Paris which officially ended the war. -
Constitutional Convention
Known as the Constitutional Convention, at this meeting it was decided that the best solution to the young country's problems was to set aside the Articles of Confederation and write a new constitution. -
The U.S. Constitution
The U.S. Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation. The new government established a stronger federal government with the power to levy taxes, regulate trade, print money, and maintain a standing army. It has three branches of government - legislative (Congress), executive (President), and judicial (Supreme Court). The first person to serve as president of the United States was George Washington. -
The Bill of Rights
Three-fourths of the states had ratified 10 amendments to the Constitution. These are now known as The Bill of Rights. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Constitution’s Fugitive Slave Clause guaranteed a right for a slaveholder to recover an escaped slave. The subsequent Act, "An Act respecting fugitives from justice, and persons escaping from the service of their masters", created the legal mechanism by which that could be accomplished. -
Whiskey Rebellion
As the new country began finding its feet, U.S. President George Washington sent troops to western Pennsylvania in 1794 to quell the Whiskey Rebellion, an uprising by citizens who refused to pay a liquor tax that had been imposed by Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton to raise money for the national debt and to assert the power of the national government. -
The Louisiana Purchase
Louisiana Purchase, the western half of the Mississippi River basin was purchased from France by the United States; at less than three cents per acre for 828,000 square miles, it was the greatest land bargain in U.S. history. The purchase doubled the size of the United States, greatly strengthened the country materially and strategically, provided a powerful impetus to westward expansion, and confirmed the doctrine of implied powers of the federal Constitution.