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Period: 1492 to
U.S. History
This timeline is about U.S. history.
It will describe about the 20 events and ideas that I learned in the VHS class. -
Jamestown Colony Established
This was the first time the British arrived in the New World, and Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement. They hoped for another success of searching gold like in South Africa, but there were only little gold found and the settlers experienced the "starving time". https://www.ushistory.org/us/2c.asp -
The first African Americans arrived in Jamestown
In late August 1619, Africans kidnapped by the Portuguese (but then stolen by White Lion, an English warship) arrived in Jamestown, and was bought by the British colonists. During this time, slavery didn't exist in Virginia as an institution, but it gradually evolved legal. https://www.nps.gov/jame/learn/historyculture/african-americans-at-jamestown.htm -
The French and Indian War
The French and Indian War (also known as Seven Years' War) was a conflict between Britain and France, which lasted from 1754 to 1763. At first, the French was winning because they had support of the Native Indians and also had better supplies. But the British won in the end because William Pitt poured in huge funds, and the Treaty of Paris ended the war.
The impact of this war leads to the American Revolution.
https://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/french-and-indian-war -
American Identity
In 1770s, a French settler Michel Guillaume de Crèvecoeur was stunned with the huge diversity in the American colonies; English, Welsh, German, French, Irish, Scots-Irish, Swedish, Native American, and African descents. America became a melting pot, and soon, the cultures from different countries began to blend. This made Americans distinct from the English.
https://www.ushistory.org/us/7f.asp -
Republicanism
Republicanism is defined as a set of ideas that guides the politics and shape the government. It started to spread in America from 1775, and it influenced the thoughts and action that the founders took during the American Revolution, and after that as well.
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=2&psid=3236 -
The Declaration of Independence Published
In U.S. history, the Declaration of Independence is a document that was approved by the Continental Congress, which declared the separation of the 13 North American British colonies from the British Empire. This declaration has provided an inspiring start on working toward equality. So, 4th of July, the day on which the Declaration of Independence was adopted, has always been celebrated as Independence Day in the United States.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Declaration-of-Independence -
The Article of Confederation drafted
As a first national constitution, the Articles of Confederation were drafted and adopted by the Continental Congress. However, it only lasted for about 10 years because the Article created a weak central government by limiting them, and leaving the state governments with most of the power. This eventually leads to the Constitutional Convention.
https://guides.loc.gov/articles-of-confederation
https://www.ushistory.org/us/14b.asp -
Federalism
Federalism refers to the idea that the governmental power and control rests in both national and state governments. It is just like how James Madison explained that the U.S. government is “neither wholly national nor wholly federal” in the Federalist Papers.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/federalism -
The Louisiana Purchase
In 1803, the western half of the Mississippi River basin was purchased by the United States from France. This purchase more than doubled the size of the United States at that time, and it not only strengthened the country, but also provided energy to the westward expansion, which later led to a great success.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Louisiana-Purchase -
The War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a conflict fought once again between the United States and Britain with the Native Indians. The Americans were not happy with the British for numerous reasons, like the violation of the U.S. maritime rights. The signing of the Treaty of Ghent ended the war in 1815. Although the treaty didn't change anything, the outcome of the war boosted national self-confidence.
https://www.britannica.com/event/War-of-1812
https://www.ushistory.org/us/21f.asp -
The United States Presidential Election of 1828
In 1828, Andrew Jackson won the U.S. presidential election by defeating John Quincy Adams. With Jackson’s election, a complete new era of American politics began; changes in economy, geography, and religion had the nation reshaped in basic ways. The Jacksonian democracy had the best and worst qualities of American society, and his presidency wasn’t without its controversies even though he was popular and successful.
https://www.ushistory.org/us/23f.asp -
The Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was a network of African American people as well as White people, offering aid and shelters to slaves who escaped from the South for their freedom. The Underground Railroad operated at night, and “conductors” guided the fugitive slaves to “stations”, which refer to safe hiding places. Harriet Tubman was the most famous conductor of the Underground Railroad.
https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/underground-railroad -
Nat Turner's Slave Rebellion
Nat Turner and other 70 slaves organized by him murdered about a total of 75 men, women and children, by going from plantation to plantation. Although they were captured soon afterwards and were hanged, this shocking incident led to huge fear among slaveholders. So as a result, the South tightened their slave codes and increased slave patrols, which made it harder for slaves to escape to the Northern States or Canada to gain freedom.
https://www.ushistory.org/us/27e.asp -
Transcendentalism
Transcendentalism describes the idea that both men and women equally have the knowledge about themselves. This knowledge comes through instinct and imagination. A person who accepts these ideas as a way of understanding life relationships, and not as religious beliefs, is called a transcendentalist.
https://www.ushistory.org/us/26f.asp -
Manifest Destiny
In 1845, John O'Sullivan (a newspaper editor) created this term "manifest destiny" to describe the idea that U.S. is given the right to expand its boundaries across the entire North American continent, by god. This idea was believed by many settlers and had huge impacts on Westward Expansion.
https://www.ushistory.org/us/29.asp -
The Mexican-American War
In May 1846, a war started between the United States and Mexico, because America was motivated by the idea of “manifest destiny” and wanted to expand its territory across the Continent. This war, known as the Mexican-American War, was eventually concluded by the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. The United States won the victory and received the Texan territory, New Mexico territory and California. But Mexico had half of its territory taken away. https://www.ushistory.org/us/29d.asp -
Abraham Lincoln becomes the president
Abraham Lincoln became the 16th president of the United States on March 4, 1861. However, his election caused the southern states to withdraw from the Union and declare themselves as the Confederate States of America and then the American Civil War broke out. Lincoln was a man who made great advancements: he supported the union that opposed slavery, preserved the union during the Civil War, and took action to reunite the United States.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Abraham-Lincoln -
The American Civil War
The American Civil War (the War Between the States) was a war that lasted for 4 years between the U.S. and the 11 Southern states that seceded from the Union. The war began with rebels opening fire on Fort Sumter. This war was the bloodiest and destructive war in U.S. history, with many civilians and over 640,000 soldiers killed.
https://www.ushistory.org/us/33.asp
https://www.britannica.com/event/American-Civil-War/The-military-background-of-the-war -
The Reconstruction Era
The Reconstruction Era refers to the period (1865-77) of rebuilding the United States after the Civil War. This reconstruction had many struggles and negative outcomes, but it abolished slavery in all states and territories, and African Americans were finally given the rights to vote and own land. However, freedom didn't mean equality and many were still economically disadvantaged. Also, violent white-supremacy groups like the KKK were born at this time.
https://www.ushistory.org/us/35.asp -
The Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson became the first U.S. President to be impeached. In total, 11 articles of impeachment were brought against Johnson: 9 related to Johnson's removal of Stanton, and 2 charged him with disgracing congress. However, he was able to serve out his term, because his opponents failed to get ⅔ of the votes to convict him.
https://www.ushistory.org/us/35c.asp
