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1492
Christopher Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue
Christopher Columbus left Spain in 1492 to start his voyage to the towards the New World near the Bahamas. Columbus is not the first to reach the New World, but his voyage led to the establishment and influence of European cultures in the New World. -
1492
Colombian Exchange
The development of a trade system between the Europe and the New World after Columbus's voyage and the development of settlements. Various types of resources such as, food, plants, animals, and also diseases were exchanged between the Americas and Europe. -
May 4, 1493
Doctrine of Discovery
The Doctrine of Discovery is a doctrine created by European Christians that granted the exploration and conquering of the New World. This allowed Christians to travel the New World and take possession of native land for Europe with or without force and justify these actions. -
Jun 7, 1494
Treaty of Tordesillas
The Treaty of Tordesillas settled the created disputes between Portugal and Spain over the land being discovered in the New World within the Atlantic Ocean. Land to the west of would belong to Spain and land to the east would belong to Portugal. -
Apr 22, 1512
Encomienda System
The Encomienda System would grant Spaniards the ability to gain land and resources in exchange to convert natives to Christianity. This created a temporary slave system as Spaniards would force Native Americans into labor and rob them of their land. -
1522
Portuguese and Spanish Exploration
Conquistadors brought diseases that rapidly infected and killed native populations they encountered. Among these smallpox, influenza, and typhus. -
1525
The Beginning of the Atlantic Slave Trade
Africans were captured and imported across the Atlantic into the New World as slaves as planters and harvester were need for plantations. These plantations were the economic center of the Americas at this time and cash crops such as sugar and tobacco were being grown. -
1550
The Triangular Trade
A three part exchange between Europe, Africa, and New World then back to Europe. Europe would manufacture goods which were traded for slaves within Africa that were then sent to the New World in exchange for raw resources. -
Jamestown Established
Jamestown was the first permanent British settlement within the North of New World when 105 colonists landed near James River, Virginia. Disease and sickness plagued the settlers but the settlement managed to pull through the hardships and began to farm tobacco. -
BEAVER WARS
Conflicts arose between tribes in which the Iroquois fought to maintain dominance in the fur trade against the French. This conflict continued for 20 years between the Iroquois tribes, allies, and the French until an official statement was declared to end the miniature war. -
Navigation Acts
Brought mercantilism to American colonies by allowing only English or colonial trade within the colonies, American products could only be sold in England, everything sold in the colonies had to be regulated through England, and the colonies could not import or export products. This was applied in efforts to fully control the economy of the colonies and benefit Europe. -
Great Awakening
The first cultural movement to unite the Thirteen Colonies as preaching would call for revival of religion. Growth from religions such as Methodist and Baptist. -
Seven Years War (French and Indian War)
The French and Indian War was caused by conflicts between Britain over land and economic expansions. The war was ultimately won by Britain putting them into debt and granting the most control over the New World. -
Townshend Act
Taxes on goods such as paper, glass, and tea to repay debt from Seven Year War. Similar to the Navigation Acts, taxes on items imported from Britain caused controversy withing the colonies. -
Boston Massacre
British soldiers shot and killed unarmed civilians when approached by an angry mob. This event caused tension and shed light on the situation between British soldiers and the settlers. -
The American Revolution
Caused from growing tensions between the thirteen colonies and the colonial British government. Organizations like the Sons of Liberty ultimately pushed the revolution into gear as the colonies fought for freedom. -
The Declaration of Independence
Document written by Thomas Jefferson that declared independence from Britain and the formation of the new nation: the United States of America. Accused King George III of opposing the American colonies and taking advantage of the civilians. -
Articles of Confederation
First attempt to how US government was to be run. Weak government, no official currency, issues with taxation, no executive or judicial branch. -
Shays's Rebellion
Rebellion in which an army of angry farmers led by Daniel Shays forcibly restrained the state court from foreclosing mortgages on their farms, This rebellion tested the Articles of Confederations and called for a stronger central government. -
The Constitution
The foundation of the country's national government which gives control to the government and protects the states rights. This document was created to fix what was wrong with the Articles of Confederation. -
The Whiskey Rebellion
Farmers in Pennsylvania rebelled against taxes placed on whiskey but a small militia led by Washington ended the rebellion. This event proved that the Constitution is more successful than the Articles of Confederation by being able to maintain conflicts towards government. -
Washington's Farwell Adress
Washington retired from office in order to pass on the power of presidency to another and stressed that the US should stay away from permanent alliances and should stay neutral with foreign countries. -
Tariff of 1816
Imposed high tax on foreign goods in order to protect American industry in result of the war of 1812. This was also known as the Dallas Tariff and was the first tariff imposed by Congress. -
Missouri Compromise
Missouri was allowed to own slaves but Maine was not. Slavery would be prohibited everywhere above the 36°30' line in order to balance slave states and non slave states. -
The Second Great Awakening
Protestant religious revival during the early 19th century and involvement of Baptist and Methodist preachers increased. This awakening would also shed light onto temperance movement which will grow within the future. -
The Monroe Doctrine
This was the policy of opposing European colonization or nonintervention of Europe in America. Overall, this document was passed to protect the imperialistic role that America has. -
Andrew Jackson Elected
Andrew Jackson was depicted as a man of the people, which ultimately wins the election. Jackson was a democrat and a "union man" who supported limited government. -
Nullification Crisis
As sectionalism grew, the crisis created by South Carolina's 1832 Ordinance of Nullification declared that the federal Tariff of 1828 and the federal Tariff of 1832 were unconstitutional and refused to follow these laws within South Carolina. These tariffs effected the South negatively and benefited the North as they both had different economies. -
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie became known as one of the wealthiest businessmen of the 19th century due to his business, the Carnegie Steel Company,which revolutionized steel production within the United States. Carnegie used multiple methods that made manufacturing steel easier, faster and more productive in which it would build America's buildings, bridges, and railroads. -
John Pierpont Morgan
J.P. Morgan gained the control over multiple financially failing railroad companies and expanded his railroad business throughout America. Morgan gained control of an estimated one-sixth of America’s rail lines and helped expand railroads throughout America. -
John D. Rockefeller
John D. Rockefeller became one of the world’s wealthiest men through his interest in oil. Rockefeller established Standard Oil, which controlled 90 percent of American refineries and pipelines. -
“The War Between the States”
The Civil War was fought between the United States of America (the North) and the Confederate States of America (the South). The Confederate States of America consisted of southern states that left the Union in order to protect the institution of slavery from being abolished by the North. -
The Beginning: Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter was under Union control within the South, which caught the attention of Confederate General Beauregard who demanded the fort to surrender. On April 12, 1861 the Confederate Army began to invaded the fort which prompted the first conflict of the American Civil War. -
Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation was an executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln that allowed African Americans to fight in the Union Army. This increased the fighting power of the Union and also weakened the Confederate States. -
Gettysburg Address
A speech by Lincoln following the battle at Gettysburg. The speech focused on the sacrifice that must be brought upon the Union to preserve the peace and harmony later on. -
The Reconstruction Era
Abraham Lincoln started to reconstruct the South as the Civil War was near to an end. As the south was defeated, reconstruction of cities and public damage began immediately. -
Greenback Labor Party
Political party devoted to improving the conditions of laborers and the fight against inflation. The greenback party brought into Congress and had millions of supporters. -
Pullman Strike
Workers joined for a nonviolent strike in which brought about a shut down of western railroads. The strike brought attention to the poor wages of the Pullman workers and was ended by the president due to the interference with the mailing system. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
The result of the Plessy v. Ferguson case was the infamous term "separate but equal" which increased the justification of Jim Crow laws in the South and led to increased discrimination against African Americans -
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt's greatest influences were in the preservation of the environment as he helped add government support to national forests, reserved lands for public use, and fostered great irrigation projects such as the Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Park. -
World War I
Began after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and other smaller influences. Germany, Bulgaria, the Ottoman Empire, and Austria-Hungary, were known as the Central Powers, and Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Romania, Japan and the United States know as the Allies. -
The Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was the explosion of African American culture and arts in the Harlem, New York that resulted from migration of African Americans from the South to the North. African American culture, literature, music, stage performance and art were all being developed and expressed during this period. -
Al Capone
Infamous leader of the Chicago mafia during the Prohibition era who profited off of the black market. Alphonse Gabriel Capone, was an American mobster, crime boss and businessman. -
The Great Depression
The economic crisis in the United States and other countries due to the stock-market crash and continuing through most of the 1930s. This brought poverty to the United States, unemployment was high, and consumer spending and investment dropped, causing steep declines in industrial output. -
The Dust Bowl
Region of the Great Plains that experienced a drought due to loose topsoil from over farming and erosion. The Dust Bowl would force migration West and affect all of the United States. -
The New Deal
A series of programs created by Franklin Roosevelt to combat economic depression. Programs for social insurance and support of government spending were used to heal the economy. -
Brown v. Board of Education
The Supreme Court determined that segregation in public
schools was unconstitutional. This would eliminate the Plessy v. Ferguson conclusion that “separate but
equal” was justifiable. -
Sputnik
The launch of Sputnik became the official start to the "Space Race" between the U.S. and the Soviet as the United States were embarrassed and behind on scientific development. This created the National Aeronautic Space Administration or NASA to push the space race on behalf of America. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The United States discovers pictures of nuclear missiles belonging to the Soviet in Cuba. This brought a rise in tension due to how close the communist influence were to the U.S. and lead to quick planning against Cuba. -
The Berlin Wall
Khrushchev began construction of a wall around West Berlin to prevent the escape of East Berliners to West Berlin. In 1961 the Berlin Wall physically separated communist East Berlin with capitalist West Berlin. -
March on Washington
March on Washington was a non-violent protest for Jobs and Freedom, it was held by civil rights leaders to protest racial discrimination. In front of the Lincoln Memorial,
Martin Luther King delivered his famous “I Have A
Dream Speech”. -
Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was fatally shot at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. He was rushed to St. Joseph's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead later that evening. -
The Watergate Scandle
A break-in at the Democratic National Committee offices in the Watergate complex in Washington was carried out under the direction of White House employees and President Nixon. -
Richard Nixon Resigns
Richard Nixon was the first ever president to ever resign from office after being found guilty of the Watergate Scandal. Workers from Nixon's campaign were caught in the attempt of the break in and trying to steal the Democrats' actions for the election. -
The Fall of The Berlin wall
As the Cold War began to come to an end, East and West tension improved. Around midnight of November 9th, 1989 the German Democratic Republic, announced that they were free to cross the country's borders. -
Soviet Union Collpse
Soviet Union is dissolved into 15 individual republics including Russia, the Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. The collapse signified the end of the over 50 year standoff between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. -
President Clinton's Impeachment
President Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky, an intern working at the White House, had many sexual encounters in the White House. Bill Clinton was the second president in American history to be impeached. -
September 11th, 2001
Islamist terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners where 2 of the 4 planes were set to crashed into the World Trade Centers in New York. The 3rd plane crashed into the Pentagon and the 4th plane that was targeted towards the capital but was overrun by the passengers and crashed into a field. -
Invasion of Iraq
President Bush warned that the U.S. was going to war with Iraq due to multiple threats of Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction connected to terrorism. -
The First African American President
Barack Obama of Illinois was elected as the 44th president of the United States of America. Democratic president Barack Obama was the first ever African American president to ever be elected into office.
