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US History 1877-2011
This timeline contains information about important events that have happened in the United States of America since 1877. There will be 15 events and 5 major ideas that occurred in American History in this timeline. -
Martinsburg Strike
The Baltimore and Railroad Company leaders reduced the workers' salaries twice within 8 months, ordering a 10% pay cut. To fight back, the workers rounded up the at the train station and blocked any trains from leaving. The Mayor and local police were unable to resolve this problem, and eventually, federal troops had to get involved. Although this was just a small local strike, it spread into a mass strike of workers everywhere. Source -
Chinese Exclusion Act
This act banned Chinese immigrants from coming to the United States from 1882 to 1943. As there were millions of newcomers, not everyone was happy. Although they provided factory owners with cheap labor, they were competition to other labor workers. Others were unhappy because of the racial and genetic differences. Eventually, this act was passed. This was the first of the acts that barred specific groups of people from entering the country. Source -
Spanish-American War
Two causes of this war were the explosion of an American battleship, thought to be executed by Spain, and America wanting to free some of the territories that were under Spanish rule. Both America and Spain were unprepared when going into war. America won the Battle of Manila Bay, but lost the battle in Cuba. The Treaty of Paris ended the war, awarding U.S. with Guam, Puerto Rico, and Philippines, Cuba with independence, and Spain with $20 million. Source -
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Imperialism
Imperialism is when a nation spreads its influence and power over other countries and territories. Reasons for the United States to imperialize were to get raw goods, to get strategic military locations in case of war, and nationalism. America imperialized several nations including Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, Cuba, Panama Canal Zone, Hawaii, Samoa, Virgin Islands, and many more. American Imperialism started under William McKinley's presidency. Source -
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Americanization
Americanization, the U.S. influence on the rest of the world, really begun around the early 1900s or late 1800s when the U.S. became an imperial power. Since then, it has imperialized many nations and has spread its culture and influence to them, though not always gently. In the 1990s, with the use of the internet, American influence spread wider and faster by introducing to the world their entertainment, technology, and lifestyle. Source -
World War I
The war was between the Allies and the Central Powers. The U.S. stayed neutral until the Germans sank Lusitania and the U.S. found out about the Zimmermann Telegram, the U.S. joined the Allies. The U.S. government used propaganda to gain the nation's support for the total war. All Americans contributed to the war effort by rationing food and resources and fighting in the war. America aided the Allies' victory greatly, especially at the Western Front. Source -
Sinking of the Lusitania
Up until this point, the U.S. was not very invested in the Great War. This changed when the Lusitania, carrying 128 Americans and over 4 millions rounds of ammunition, was sunk by a German U-boat. Americans had been warned that traveling on ships carrying contraband would get them attacked. Although the British had broken the rules, America was mad at Germany for killing Americans. This, along with the Zimmermann Telegram, led America into WWI. Source -
The Harlem Renaissance
1920s- The Harlem Renaissance was the celebration of African American culture in America. It began when African Americans tried to escape racism in the South by migrating to the North. Although the racism did not end, they settled in towns like Harlem, NY where they expressed their cultural pride through writing, acting, and music. Jazz, improvisation, and writers and actors like Langston Hughes, Paul Robeson, and many more were introduced to America.Source -
The Great Depression
The decade-long Great Depression came with the stock market crash in 1929. Banks closed when stock market investors were unable to pay back loans and installment plans, taking families' life savings with them. This caused nationwide panic, poverty, unemployment, and more. When Franklin D. Roosevelt became president, he restored the nation's economy (though not completely) with the New Deal, his laws and acts that aided people and banks financially. Source -
FDR's First Term and the New Deal
As poverty and unemployment were taking over, people looked to Roosevelt for answers. He came up with the New Deal, a series of programs and acts that helped Americans get back up on their feet. Some programs gave money to families and banks, others gave jobs and work. Although most of these acts were temporary, they were the solutions needed at the time. The New Deal provided relief and recovery for America, bringing it out of the Great Depression. Source -
World War II
(1939-1945) World War II was between the Allies and the Axis Powers. The U.S. physically joined WWII after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Fighting both the Nazis and Japan, America "fueled two wars simultaneously". Stalingrad and El Alamein were positive turning points for the Allies. U.S. weakened Japan by nuclear bombing two Japanese cities. Before the Allies won, 400,000 Americans died and an overall 12 million people died of the terrible Holocaust. Source -
Pearl Harbor Attack
Before this, U.S. was still unsure of going into WWII. The Japanese empire felt threatened by the U.S. so it attacked the Pearl Harbor American naval base to "cripple the American ability to respond" and "capture the Philippines and American Island holdings". This did not work out for the Japanese as U.S. quickly repaired. This event was a major cause of U.S. entering WWII and Japanese internment camps because "almost 3,000 Americans were killed". Source -
Nuclear Bombings of Japan
The U.S., the first to use nuclear technology, bombs Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing tens of thousands of innocent Japanese citizens. The effects of these atomic bombings are still felt in Japan today as people continue to die from the exposure to radiation. People still wonder whether President Truman's decision to drop the bombs were justified for ending so many innocent lives, though it did end WWII and possibly save lives of more soldiers. Source -
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Anticommunism
Anticommunism was the cause of the 45-year long Cold War between mainly US (a democratic and capitalist nation) and USSR. Communism, ideally, is the equal distribution of wealth. The U.S.S.R was trying to spread its communist influence into mainly Europe and Asia while the U.S. attempted to contain it. The two leading powers did not fight directly, but rather helped other countries fight. Ex. U.S. helped South Korea and USSR helped North Korea. Source -
Civil Rights Movement
(1950s-60s) Racial inequality has been present in the US since the beginning. For African Americans, the Civil War did not end segregation or injustice. The Jim Crow laws allowed for unequal laws based on race. The Civil Rights Movement was a nonviolent fight for equal rights made up of "marches, boycotts sit-ins, and freedom rides" to eliminate segregation. This resulted in the removal of all legal segregation but some social discrimination remained. Source -
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Equality
Discrimination of minorities has always been present. In the 50s and 60s, blacks fought for equal rights through the Civil Rights Movement and Black Power Movement. The Feminist Movement and American Indian Movement sprang up in the 60s and 70s. Unfair social norms and gender roles had been present from the start but with these new fights for equality, changes began to occur. Equality, what everyone deserves, was something people began to fight for.Source -
Vietnam War
(1955-1975) This was "the second-longest war in United States history". This war cost U.S. billions of dollars and "nearly 60,000 American lives". America aided South Vietnam against the communist North. The "lack of public support" greatly "influenced the failure of the United States in Vietnam" as more people began to think it wasn't worth it. This was the first major loss for the U.S., and ended with no success as all of Vietnam became communist. Source -
Signing of Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty
President Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev (US and USSR) signed this treaty to put the nuclear stir to rest. With both sides well into nuclear technology and tensions from the Cold War, a nuclear war was a possibility. At first, Reagan's spent trillions of dollars on US nuclear defense and drove the USSR to do the same, but when leadership changed in the USSR, Reagan used the opportunity to propose this treaty, which brought decades of nuclear peace.Source -
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Globalization
Globalization, the process of unifying the world's economy and integrating societies and cultures through communication and trade, was greatly impacted by the US in multiple ways. The US-invented Internet became the new medium through which big corporations were able to increase their influence to an international level, and people were able to communicate with others across the world. The NAFTA "ended economic barriers with Canada and Mexico." Source -
Clinton-Lewinsky Scandal
This was a sex scandal between President Clinton and a White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. Clinton had many scandals but this one lead him to becoming the second impeached president (though he stayed in office). Hillary Clinton's support of her husband is what kept the public on Clinton's side. It is still debated whether impeachment was the correct punishment for his misbehavior. This was an important event as it almost ended Clinton's presidency. Source
