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Jun 15, 1215
Signing of the Magna Carta
Magna CartaThe Magna Carta was a document written by English citizens that outlined the basic rights of the English citizens, limited the king's power, and allowed the formation of a powerful parliament. King John of England was forced to sign this document. He was an extremely power-hungry King and the citizens wanted to limit this power. This demonstrated that the power of a leader could be limited by a written document. -
Signing of the Mayflower Compact
Mayflower CompactThe Mayflower Compact was basically the first attempt to keep order in the new world, the United States. The Mayflower's passengers knew that earlier settlers had failed due to a lack of government. There would be questioning of authority and many more disagreements to come without a basic structure of laws or government. Therefore, the passengers wrote up the Mayflower Compact to keep some sort of oerder in the new world and all 41 adult male passengers signed the compact. -
Formation of the New England Confederation
New England ConfederationThe New England Confederation was formed to guarantee the territory of each colony in New England. It also drew up a bare bone government in which voting and representation was practiced. -
French and Indian War Begins
French and Indian WarThe French and Indian War was over French land in America, west to the British colonies. The British won, but King George III decided that the Native Americans living on this land are now his subjects and doesn't allow the colonists to move west of the Appalacian Mountains. -
Albany PLan of Union Announced
Albany Plan of UnionThe Alabany Plan of Union was an attempt to join the colonies together. Benjamin Franklin wrote this plan to try to join the colonies together and win the French and Indian war. -
Treaty of Paris (1763)
Treaty of ParisThe Treaty of Paris ended the French and Indian war. The French lost Canada and all their land east of the Mississippi to Great Britain. Spain controlled all the land that wasn't controlled by Great Britian. -
Royal Proclamation (1763)
Royal ProclamationThe Royal Proclamation was put into place to prevent the colonists from creating tension with the French and Native Americans west of the Appalachian Mountains. The French refused to give up their trade routes to the colonists so to avoid another war, the Proclamation made any settlement beyond the mountains illegal. -
Sugar Act
Sugar ActThe Sugar Act made the colonists mad by having the British put a tax on sugar and other important products. The British did this so they could make more money to provide security to the colonies, but the colonies were loosing a lot of their money. As a result, they started to Boycott buying British goods in hope to lower the prices and bought mostly goods made in the colonies. -
Stamp Act
Stamp ActThe British Parliament passed the Stamp Act to raise money to protect the American frontier near the Appalachian Mountains. Taxes were put on all paper products (newspapers, licences...) and Colonists were angry because they believed in "no taxation without representation" and that England was trying to raise money in the colonies without the approval by the colonial legislatures. -
Stamp Act Congress
Stamp Act CongressThe Stamp Act Congress was held on October 19, 1765 in New York for the colonists to share their disagreements towards the Stamp Act the British Parliament had passed. The Congress was attended by twenty seven representatives from the thirteen colonies. -
Townshend Acts
Townshend ActsIn 1767, Charles Townshend had a series of acts passed by the British Parliament after the repel of the Stamp Act. They were designed to collect revenue from the colonists in America by putting custom duties on imports of glass, tea, lead, paints, and paper. Boston merchants began to boycott English goods soa decrease in British trade repealed these acts. -
Boston Massacre
Boston MassacreThe Boston Massacre was a street fight between a mob of patriots and some British soldierws. The mob was throwing snowballs, stones, and sticks at the British Soldiers. The soldiers however retaliated and several colonists were injured and killed. -
Boston Tea Party
Boston Tea PartyIn protest of the tax King George III put on tea, a group of Boston Patriots disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded three English ships and threw the tea into the Boston Harbor. By the time this was over, 342 chests of tea were floating in the harbor. -
Congress Meets for the First Time
First meeting of CongressThe first meeting of Congress was held in Carpentar's Hall in Philadelphia. All the colonies were present except for Georgia and each one had delegates elected by the people, the colonial legislatures, or the comittees of correspondance. The main focus at the meeting was combining the colonies as a nation. -
First Continental Congress
First Continental CongressThe First Continental Congress was called in the American colonies as a response to the Intolerable Acts. 12 out of the 13 colonies sent representatives to the Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia to compose a list of grievances they held against Great Britain. They also came up with the plan to boycott British goods until the Intolerable Acts was repealed. -
Patrick Henry "Give Me Liberty"
Patrick Henry SpeechWhen the Second Virginia Convention was held in March of 1775, delegate Patrick Henry gave his famous "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" speech presenting reasons to raise a militia and put Virginia in a form of defense to avoid interference with Lieutenant- Governor Dunmore and his Royal Marines. -
Paul Revere's Midnight Ride
Revere's Midnight RideOn the night of the 18th, Paul Revere was to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams that the British were coming. When two lanterns were hung from the church steeple he new the British were coming by sea. He rode into the night along with William Dawes and Samuel Prescott warning the people that the british were coming. Revere, although told to be the hero of the night he wasn't as successful as his partners, but they all warned many patriots. -
Battles of Lexington & Concord
Lexington & ConcordThe Battles of Lexington and Concord were two battles that started the American Revolution. The British were headed off to Concord to steal the colonists ammunition as well as capture Sam Adams and John Hancock. However, the Minutemen militia was prepared after being warned by Paul Revere the night before that they attacked the British along the way. Nobody knows who fired the first shot, but it was "the shot heard around the world." -
Second Continental Congress
Second Continental CongressThe Second Continental Congress met back at the State House in Philadelphia with the Battle of Lexington and Concord in their memories. Still trying to drive the British out of Boston, the Second Continental Congress established the Continental Army and elected George Washington as Commander in Chief. -
Fort Ticonderoga
Fort TiconderogaOn May 10, 1775, Benedict Arnold of Massachusetts joined Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys of Vermont in a dawn attack on the fort, surprising and capturing the sleeping British garrison. Although it was a small-scale conflict, the Battle of Fort Ticonderoga was the first American victory of the Revolutionary War, and would give the Continental Army much-needed artillery to be used in future battles. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
Battle of Bunker HillThe Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on Breed's Hill very soon after Washington became Commander-in-Chief. After Lexington and Concord, the patriots controlled the hills surrounding Boston. Spies had warned them however that the British were coming yet again to attack Bunker Hill so the patriots sent 1600 men up to Breed's Hill where they held off two British charges, but retreated on the third -
"Common Sense" Published
Common Sense PublishedWritten by Thomas Paine, the "Common Sense" challenged the authority of British government and royal monarchy. This was the first work to openly ask for Independence from Great Britain. -
British Evacuate Boston
British Evacuate BostonAfter their loss at Bunker hill,the British needed reinforcements. With the artillery brought over from Fort Ticonderoga, the Americans positioned the cannons on top of Dorchester Heights facing British ships in the Boston Harbor. When the British General saw the cannons, he had his troops board their ships and evacuate Boston. -
Declaration of Independence
Declaration of IndependenceOn July 2, 1776, Congress voted for the Declaration of Independence. Two days later, it was announced to the people. -
"The Crisis" Published
The CrisisThomas Paine's "The American Crisis" described the beginnings of the American Revolution. Paine communicated the ideas of common revolution to farmers as well as inspired the army. -
Washington Captures Trenton
Washington Captures TrentonOn Christmas night, Washington and his army crossed the frozen Delaware River to the outskirts of Trenton, New Jersey. They encountered an unprepared Hessian force of which they pulled away a victory in hardley any time. They gained some much needed guns and ammunition along the way as well. -
British Defeated at Saratoga
SaratogaThe first major victory for the Americans, the British surrendered at Saratoga when the Continental Army surrounded their forces at Saratoga forcing them to surrender. -
Winter at Valley Forge, PA
Winter at Valley ForgeIn the winter of 1777 to 1778, George Washington and his army struggled to survive at Valley Forge, living in tents that barely protected them from the cold, sharing clothing because many were without shoes and warm clothes. In February of 1778 however, the men finished building huts to live in, where they could then keep theirselves warm by a fire. They spent the winter training and the training soon payed off. -
John Paul Jones Defeats the Serapis
Jones Defeats SerapisOn this date in 1779, the U.S.S Bohhomme Richard faced the H.M.S Serapis. John Paul Jones commanded the Bohhomme Richard and engaged in a fight against the 44 gun frigate Serapis, a far more powerful British ship. Jones defeated them however, capturing 500 British seamen. -
Benedict Arnold Plans Found Out
Benedicts PlansDuring the Revolution, Arnold had asked to command West Point on the Hudson River, If the British sailed up the Hudson, they could easily cut into the colonies. The Americans built a chain across the Hudson connecting W. Side and Constitutional Island. However, Arnold felt unappreciated by the Continental Army that he weakened W. Point by sending a spy to tell the British details of their plan. When the spy was captured, he escaped to the British. -
Articles of Confederation Signed
http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/articles.html</a>The Articles of Confederation was the first attempt to create a constitution. The Articles created a weak central government and left most of the power with the state governments. It eventually became clear that a stronger central government would be necessary.
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Cornwallis Surrenders
With Washington coming by land and French ships blocking the bay, the British had no way to escape or get supplies in Yorktown. As a result, Cornwallis surrendered his troops. -
Newburgh Conspiracy
Newburgh ConspiracyThe Newburgh Conspiracy was caused by unfinished business from the war. Officers from the war wanted their food, pay, clothing, and other things they hadn't recieved. A letter was sent threatening to abondoned the army if the requirements were not met and it was unsigned. This mystery authory turned out to be Colonel Warner Stewart. -
Treaty of Paris (1783) Signed
Treaty of ParisThis treaty was between the American colonies and Great Britain. The treaty ended the Revolutionary War and formally recognized the United States as an independent nation. This treaty was negotiated and signed in Paris. -
Spain Closes Mississippi River
[Spain closes Mississippi River](http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/_Topics/history/_Texts/WHISAF/5*.html)Spain closed the Mississippi River because they wanted to keep gaining land and the west and to the south and they didn't want other people to take this land. Th colonies that belonged to Spain around the river brought in a good income, so Spain wanted to keep gaing land in those regions and close it off to others. -
Land Ordinance of 1785
Land Ordinance of 1785This was a law passed by congress in 1785 that allowed the selling of land in the newer western territory. This ordinance also made education more of a requirement than an option. -
Ordinance of Religious Freedom
Ordinance of Religious FreedomThis was originally the Virginia Statute for religious freedom and written by Thomas Jefferson. This was first passed by the Virginia General Assembly before becoming the basis for the first amendment of the Constitution. The ordinate helped perpetuate "free exercise" of religion. -
Shays' Rebellion
Shays' RebellionThis rebellion was led by Daniel Shays, a former Revolutionary War captain who had become a farmer in Massachusetts. A new law was passed in MA forcing farmers to pay their taxes in silver or gold. When the farmers couldn't pay in with these materials their farms would get taken away from them. A group of farmers occupied the Springfield armory and threatened state courts until the militia took care of them. This demonstrated a high degree of internal conflict. -
Annapolis Convention
Annapolis ConventionTwelve delegates from five states held the Annapolis Convention who called a Constitutional Convention. The delegates weren't happy with the limited nummber of states represented. The only accomplishment of the meeting was a report rquesting more states be represented at a larger meeting. -
Constitutional Convention Opens
Constitutional ConventionThe Constitutional Convention was located at th state house in Philadelphia. For four months, 55 delegates from several different states, worked to shape our constitution. -
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Northwest Ordinance of 1787The Northwest Ordinance allowed the United States to expand into previously forbidden areas. This ordinance helped better education, civil liberties, and even helped the freedom of slaves. The original founder of this plan was Thomas Jefferson. -
The Great Compromis Agreed To
The Great CompromiseThe Great Compromise was a proposal that combined the two dominant proposals and satisfied all of the states. This proposal stated that Congress would have to houses, the house of representatives and the senate. Also, each state would have 2 senators and a specified number of representatives according to their population. -
Constitution Sent to the States for Ratification
Ratifying the ConstitutionAfter reading the Constitution out loud on September 20th, they called for state ratifying conventions by Confederation of Congress. In order for the Constitution to be passed, 9 of the 13 states had to approve the it. All 13 states approved the Constitution, thus beginning the government we know today. -
Federalist Papers Appear
Federalist PapersThe federalist papers were supporting the ratification of the Constitution. The three leading Federalists were Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. These men wrote around 85 papers to encourage the ratification of the Constitution. -
Anti-Federalist Articles Appear
Anti-FederalistsAnti-Federalist Papers began popping up in newspapers all around the United States in November, less than two months after the ratification of the Constitution. They papers were usually anonymous, but there were suspected authors such as Richard Henry Lee. In the articles, the Anti-Federalist would tell of their dislike of the constitution and how they were concerned with certian topics among it. -
Delaware Ratifies
Delaware Ratifies ConstitutionDelaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution. All of the 30 elected delegates agreed to ratify the Constitution. -
Massachusetts Ratifies the Constitution
Massachusetts RatifiesThe Massachusetts convention met in the old state house to address the matter of the Constitution. On the 6th of February, Massachusetts ratified the constitution by an extremely close vote of 187 to 168! -
New Hampshire Ratifies the Constitution
New Hampshire Ratifies ConstitutionNew Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution. Therefore, New Hampshire is responsible for putting the Constitution in action. New Hampshire included what they disagreed with in the Constitution. They felt that a citizen should not be disarmed unless actively rebelling. -
George Washington Elected President
George Washington Elected as PresidentGeorge Washington was the first president elected in the United States. He recieved 100% of the vote, which has never occured again. He gave his oath on the 30th of April on the bacony of Federal Hall in New York. He continued to serve for two terms. -
Bill of Rights Sent to the States for Ratification
Bill of Rights Sent for RatificationOn this day, Congress sent out the Bill of Rights to br ratified by the states. There were 12 ammendments in the Bill of Rights and each one had to be ratified seperately. Three fourths of the states had to ratify each ammendment in order for it to be passed. -
Bill of Rights Ratified
Ratification of the Bill of RightsThe Bill of Rights is extremely important because without it, this country could've had a government that is too powerful and citizens who get no say. The first the two ammendments of the twelve were not ratified by three fourths of the states, therefore the creation of the first ten ammendments. -
Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions Written
resolutionsThese resolutions argued that the states had the right to declare any unconstitutional acts of Congress that weren't authorized by the Constitution. These resolutions were written by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Not only did they argue for the states' rights, but also for the strictness of the Constitution. -
The Hartford Convention Meet During War of 1812
Hartford ConventionThe Hartford convention met throughout 1814 and 1815 during the war of 1812. New England Federalists met to discuss their grievances concerning the ongoing War of 1812 and the political problems arising from the federal government's increasing power. -
Missouri Compromise
Missouri CompromisIn an attempt to keep the balance of power in Congress between slave and free states, the Missouri Compromise was passed in 1820 admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state. Furthermore, with the exception of Missouri, this law prohibited slavery in any territory north of the 36° 30´ latitude line. -
Tariff of Abominations Passed
Tariff of AbominationsThe Tariff of Abominations sought to protect New England manufacturing interests and western agricultural products from competition with foreign imports. The resulting tax on foreign goods however severly devalued the southern cotton exports. -
South Carolina Tries to Nullify
SC nullifiesThe southern states were furious with the Tariff of Abominations because they felt it only benefitted the industrial north. John C. Calhoun, vice president, felt he had to support his homeland, SC. According to Calhoun, the federal government only existed at the will of the states. If a state found a federal law unconstitutional, it would have the right to "nullify" that law within its borders. Calhoun said a state could declare a national law void. -
Abolition of Slavery Act
Abolition of slavery actThis was an act in Britain to end slavery, which was many years earlier than when America started to campaign against slavery. This ended the slave trade for Britain and was controversial, but still preceded any actions of the U.S. against slavery. -
Civil Rights Act Overturned (1883)
Civil Rights Act OverturnedThe Civil Rights Act was overturned because it was proved to be unconstitutional based on the 14th Amendment. because it regulated individuals rather than states -
Texas Declares Independence From Mexico
Texas declares independence from MexicoGeorge C. Childress presented a resolution calling for independence, and the chairman of the convention appointed Childress to head a committee of five to draft a declaration of independence. In the early morning hours of March 2, the convention voted unanimously to accept the resolution. After fifty-eight members signed the document, Texas became the Republic of Texas. It was soon added to the U.S. after the Mexican War. -
James Polk Elected
Polk electedJames Polk was elected as president in 1844 under the democratic party. When he accepted the party's nomination for the presidency, Polk was not very well-known, therefore it came as a surprise when he beat Henry Clay. Pol was president during the Mexican war and gained all that new land including Texas and California. -
Mexican War
Mexican WarThe Mexican war was the war between Mexico and the United States over who would control Texas. After the Lousiana Purchase, the western boundaries of the United States had stretched farther west than they had ever been. -
Wilmont Proviso
Wilmont ProvisoThis proposal brought forward by Pennsylvania Congressman David Wilmot said that none of the Mexican aquired territory would be allowed to permit slavery. This proviso became the Compromise of 1850. -
California Enters the Union
California enters unionCalfornia was admitted to the United States after the Mexican War under the terms of the Treaty of Guadaloupe Hidalgo. California entered the union as a free state, upsetting the balance of free and slave states in the U.S. -
Fugitive Slave Law Enacted
Fugitive slave lawThe Fugitive Slave Law was passed under the Compromise of 1850. The law briefly stated that all slaves must be returned to their masters upon capture. The law also forced all citizens, even in the north, with the help of capturing runaway slaves. -
Publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's CabinThe story of Uncle Tom's Cabin began as newspaper articles for an abolitionist newspaper. The book was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, who came from an abolitionist family. The book was a reaction to the recent fugitive slave law. The book opened peoples' eyes to the horrors of slavery. Many people say she truly started the war because the book caused such a big reaction. -
Formation of Republican Party
The United States Republican Party formed in 1854 to combat the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which threatened to extend slavery into the territories. It had very little presence in the south until a few years later when it gained several former whigs and democrats. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act Passed
Kansas-Nebraska actThis act was proposed by Senetor Stephen Douglas. He introtuced a bill that proposed splitting the land west of the Mississippi River in two, Kansas and Nebraska, and promising each area popular sovereignty. Abolitionists didn't like this because according to the Compromise of 1820 slavery was not allowed in that territory. After the act was passed in May, both abolitionists and pro-slavery men rushed into the area to win try and win the vote. -
"Border Ruffians" Attack Lawrence
Sack or LawrenceOn the morning of May 21, 1856 an armed force of as many as 800 men descended upon the newly formed town of Lawrence in the Territory of Kansas and proceeded to systematically destroy it. These men were given the nickname "Border Ruffians" because they crossed the border into Kansas to fight for slavery. -
Charles Sumner Attacked
Sumner AttckedOn May 19th of 1856, Charles Sumner, Senator of Massachusetts, delivered a fiery speech condemning those who proposed extending slavery into the Kansas territory. Many of his attacks were aimed at senators from the south including Andrew Butler of South Carolina. Three days later, Preston Brookes, a representative of SC and a relative of Butler walked into the senate and repeatedly beat Sumner with his cane until it broke and calmly walked out. Sumner didn't return to the senate for three years. -
Pottawatomie Creek
Pottawatomie CreekOn the night of May 24, 1856, John Brown and his company of Free State volunteers murdered five men settled along the Pottawatomie Creek in southeastern Kansas. The victims were prominently associated with the pro-slavery Law and Order Party, but were not themselves slave owners. This assault occurred three days after Border Ruffians destroyed Lawrence, and two days after Sumner was attcked. The murders occured at 3 different houses. -
Dred Scott Decision Announced
Dred ScottDred Scott was a slave who sued his owner for his and his family's freedom. His owner borught him to a free state and he argued once free, always free. After winning the case in Missouri, the case was brought to Supreme Court. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, declared that all blacks, slaves as well as free, were not and could never become citizens of the United States. The court also declared the 1820 Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, thus permiting slavery in all of the country's territory. -
Lecompton Constitution Passed
Lecompton ConstitutionThe constitution gave a slaveholder more rights over their slave. It also stopped slaves from being deported to Kansas. By having this document it meant that your state was a slave state. -
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
Lincoln-Douglas DebatesThese were a series of debates between Aberham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas in seven of the nine Congrssional Districts in Illinois. The men were fighting for a seat in the senate and although Lincoln may have lost, it got him known an helped him win the presidency. -
Raid at Harper's Ferry
Harper's FerryOn October 16, Brown set out for Harpers Ferry with 21 men, 5 blacks and 16 whites, reaching the town at 4am. They cut telegraph wires, then made their assault. First they captured the federal armory and arsernal. They then captured Hall's Rifle Works, a supplier of weapons to the government. Brown and his men rounded up 60 prominent citizens of the town and held them as hostages, hoping that their slaves would join the fight. No slaves came forth. 10 were killed, 7 taken prisoner, and 5 escaped -
Formation of Constitutional Union Party
Constitutional Union PartyThe Constitutional Union Party was a short lived political party formed chiefly of the remnants of the American Party and the old-line southern wing of the Whig Party, organized for the election of 1860. Persuaded that the agitation over the slavery question could lead only to the disruption of the Union, its founders presented no platform other than a vague appeal for adherence to the Constitution, the Union, and the laws of the United States. -
Democrats Split in 1860
Democrats SplitDuring the election in 1860, the democrats were split over the issue of slavery.Generally there was the North who believed that slavery's expansion should be stopped and the South who believed it should be allowed. So, the party split into the Nothern Democrats and Southern Democrats. -
Election of 1860
Election1860There was four candidates running in the 1860 election. The republican candidate was Abragam Lincoln who was against slavery. Agaisnt him ran Stephen Douglas, the northern democrat who had the idea of popular soverienty. John bell also ran for the Constitutional Union party. He never mentioned the issue of slavery and wanted to kepp the union togather. John Beckenrige was the southern democrat who wanted to keep slavery. Lincoln won. -
Abraham Lincoln Announces Plans for Reconstruction
Licoln ReconstructionLincoln's guiding principles in reconstruction ignored all possible calls for punishing the South. His plan included taking an oath of loyalty to US and a pledge to obey all federal laws pertaining to slavery. -
Wade-Davis Bill Receives Pocket Veto
Wade-Davis Bill VetoThe Wade-Davis Bill was a bill proposed for Reconstruction of the South written by Radical Republicans Benjamin Wade of Ohio and Henry Winter Davis of Maryland. The bill made re-admittance to the Union for former Confederate states to take the Ironclad Oath and was passed by both houses of Congress but pocket vetoed by Lincoln and never took effect. -
Lincoln Re-Elected President
Lincoln's Re-ElectionThe US Presidential Election of 1864 was between Republican nominee Lincolm and Democratic canidate George Mcllelan. On November 8, Lincoln won by nearly 400,000 popular votes. -
Formation of the Freedman's Bureau
Freedman's BureauCongress created the Freedmen's Bureau as part of early Reconstruction. The original duty of this was to aide in the transition of blacks from slaves to free men and women and to encourage them to gain employment. -
Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
Abe Lincoln AssassinationOn the evening of April 14th, Lincoln was attending the comedy, "Our American Cousin" when James Wilkes Booth dropped the pistol and waved a dagger killing Mr. Lincoln. -
Black Codes Created in Mississippi
Black CodesThe Black Codes were laws in the US that limited the civil rights and liberties of blacks. These laws were issued to control the labor, migration, and other activities of newly-freed slaves. -
President Andrew Johnson Announces Plans for Reconstruction
Andrew Johnson Reconstruction PlansJohnson announced his plan for Reconstruction in May. It called for general amnesty and restoration of property (except for slaves) to all Southeners who will swear loyalty to the Union. -
Ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment
Thirteenth AmendmentThe Thirteenth Ammendment outlawed slavery and involuntary servitude except as a punishment for a crime. -
Klu Klux Klan Created
Klu Klux KlanThe KKK advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacu, white nationalism, and anit-immigration. It was expressed through terrorism and was classified as a hate group. Members wore masks robes and hats to be outlandish and terrifying as well as to hide their identities. -
Civil Rights Act (1866) Enacted
Civil Rights ActThe Civil Rights Act protected the civil rights of African-Americans and was vetoed twice by President Andrew Johnson but overcame the veto by a 2/3 majority in each house. -
Reconstruction Acts Enacted
Reconstruction ActsThe Reconstruction Act was "An act to provide for the more efficient government of the Rebel States". These Acts were created for former Confederate States to be readmitted into the Union and included the creation of five military districts in the South, required that each state draft a new constitution, required ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment and more. -
President Andrew Johnson Impeached
Impeachment of JohnsonAndrew Johnson was impeached after he bereached the Tenure of Office Act by removing Edwin Stanton (Security of War) from office. The Tenure of Office Act stated that a presidnent couldn't dimiss appointed officials without the consent of Congress. -
Ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment
Fourteenth AmendmentThe Fourteenth Amendment granted citizenship to "all persons born or naturalized in the United States" and forbidded anyone to deny any person of "life, liberty or property without due process of law." This amendment was rejected by most of the south but ratified by the required 3/4 of the states. -
Ulysses S. Grant Elected President
U.S. Grant ElectedAs President, Grant led the Radical Republicans in their effort to eliminate Condederate nationalism and slavery. He effectively destroyed the KKK. -
Hiram Revels Elected to Senate
Hiram Revels SenateHiram Revels was the first person of color to serve in the U.S Senate and in the U.S Congress. He represented Mississippi in 1870 and 1871 during Reconstruction. -
Ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment
Fifteenth AmendmentThe 15th Amendment of the Constitution granted African American men the right to vote by saying the "right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged... on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." -
Klu Klux Klan Act Enacted
Klu Klux Klan ActThe Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871 gave those deprived of their civil rights the oppurtunity to sure in federal court and authorized the presiden to suspend the writ of habeus corpus in order to break the KKK. -
Freedman's Bureau Abolished
Freedman's Bureau AbolishedFreedmen's Bureau was the least liked tool of Reconstruction. After providing government assistance to refugees of the Civil War, it was handed over to the war department and then issued an order of discontinuing it by the Secretary of War. -
Civil Rights Act (1875) Passed
Civil Rights Act The Civil Rights Act guarenteed African Americans equal treatment in public accomodations, public transportation, and prohibited exclusion from jury service. -
"Jim Crow" Enters the American Cultural Language
Jim CrowBetween 1876 and 1965, the Jim Crow laws were enacted as state and local laws mandating segregration. The separation led to conditions that were inferior to African- Americans than those provided for white Americans, including social, economic, and educational disadvantages. -
Rutherford B. Hayes Elected President
Hayes ElectedHayes was the nineteenthPresident of the United States and oversaw the end of Reconstruction. During his election, his opponent Samuel Tilden had won the popular vote and had 184 electoral votes to Hayes 165, but lost to Hayes after 20 uncounted, disputed electoral votes were handed to Hayes. -
Last National Troops Leave South Carolina
Last Troops Leave SCThe last troops left the South after a compromise was reached that would stop federal government from governing the south. -
Florida Requires Segregation in Places of Public Accommodation
Florida SegregationFlorida was the first of all the states to require segregation in places of public accomodation. They did this by having racial separation in the juries and literary tests and poll taxes all interfering with their ability to vote. -
Case of Plessy v. Ferguson
Plessy v. FergusonAfter Louisiana passed the Separate Car Act, Homer Plessy decided to test the law knowing that while he was born a free man, under Lousiana Law he was classified as black and required to sit in the "colored" car. In this case, Plessy argued that the state law denied him rights under the 13th and 14th amendments and he was sentenced a 25 dollar fine and a writ of prohibition.
