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1492
Columbus Stumbles Upon North America
While Christopher Columbus did not discover America, since there was already an indigenous population inhabiting North America, he accidentally found it while looking for the Spice Islands. European expansion into North, Central, and South America resulted, causing the eastern and western hemispheres to collide and the world to become truly global. Link text -
Period: 1492 to
United States' History
This timeline spans from Columbus's encounter of North America to the end of the Reconstruction era. It explains detailed events about the first half of the United States' history. -
The First British Colony is Established
Jamestown was established under the Virginia Company, which was a joint venture which searched for an industry in the Americas. After disease and hunger invaded the 100 original settlers in Jamestown, hardly any hope was left. The tobacco industry, which the settlers learned from the indigenous population of Native Americans already settled there, saved them from the brink of famine and bankruptcy. Link text -
The Proclamation of 1763
After the French and Indian War concluded, Great Britain instituted a proclamation which affected all 13 colonies. King George the Third forbade colonial expansion west of the Appalachian divide. This measure was intended to stop interactions between the colonists and the Native Americans and to stop colonists from gaining access to the farmland which granted Britain economic benefits. Link text -
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was a tax passed by the British government which was created to help pay for the British troops stationed in the colonies and to curb the costs of the French and Indian War. Under this law, every piece of paper in the colonies had to be taxed and stamped. This angered colonists, who argued that since they had no representation in Parliament, they shouldn't be taxed. Link text -
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The American Revolution
The American Revolution was fought by the thirteen colonies in order to gain independence from Great Britain. All of the colonies banded together in the face of a common enemy. It was spurred on by several events which led up to the revolution. Link text -
The Boston Massacre
When 60 colonists threw snowballs filled with rocks at a squad of British soldiers who were enforcing Townshend Acts, the soldiers retaliated with gunfire. Five of the colonists were killed and Thomas Preston, the British officer in charge, was arrested for manslaughter. A man named Paul Revere published a drawing of the event, which he called a 'massacre.' This image spurred on the American Revolution. Link text -
The Ratification of the Constitution
9 out of 13 states were required to ratify the constitution in order for it to become official. The Constitution granted rights to the people and showed the colonies as under a central government. On September 25, 1789, the first Congress of the United States adopted 12 amendments to the U.S. Constitution–the Bill of Rights–and sent them to the states for ratification. Ten of these amendments were ratified in 1791. link text -
Federalism
Federalism is defined as the federal principle or system of government. Federalism in the United States is the constitutional relationship between U.S. state governments and the Federal government of the United States. Federalism was a political solution to the problems with the Articles of Confederation which gave little practical authority to the federal government. link text -
Thomas Jefferson's Election
Thomas Jefferson was an American Founding Father who was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and later served as the third President of the United States from 1801 to 1809. His election in 1801 was controversial, his competitor being Aaron Burr, and ultimately Alexander Hamilton was one of the main influencers towards his election. link text -
Nationalism
Nationalism is defined as patriotic feeling, principles, or efforts. Nationalism was vital to the sustenance of the colonies and their opposition to Great Britain. Nationalism allowed, in part, the colonies to become independent from Britain and maintain a collective identity and unity. The constitution helped to solidify the thirteen colonies and to unify them. It kicked off in 1817 with the declaration of independence. link text -
Rebellions Against Slavery
First Rebellion: Denmark Vessey was repulsed with slavery. His solution? To kill every white in the South. He was captured and hanged in 1822, which was before the plan began.
Second Rebellion: In 1831 Nat Turner, with the aid of anti-slave supporters, killed 75 men, women and children on a rampage.
These rebellions show how good sentiments can turn into dire radical revolts with awful results. link text -
Jacksonian Democracy
Jacksonian Democracy is an idea which is defined as the political movement toward greater democracy for the common man typified by American politician Andrew Jackson and his supporters. It became the nation's dominant political worldview for an entire generation. link text -
The Indian Removal Act
Andrew Jackson passed the Indian Removal Act in 1830 after only being in office for one year. This act authorized the president to grant unsettled lands west of the Mississippi in exchange for Indian lands within existing state borders. This treatment of Native Americans was cruel and led to the Trail of Tears, in which 4,000 Native Americans died after being forced to walk to western lands in the winter. link text -
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is defined as an idea which set about a historical movement to end the African and Indian slave trade and set slaves free. The defenders of slavery included economics, history, religion, legality, social good, and humanitarianism to further their arguments. This belief kicked off in the 1830's with a religious revivalism known as the Second Great Awakening. link text -
Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny is an idea or doctrine that became prevalent during the 19th century. It advocated for the expansion westward by the colonies, and that it was both justified and inevitable. A newspaper editor named John O'Sullivan coined this term in 1845. Ultimately, this nationalistic desire for expansion led to conflicts with other countries and groups of people and culminated in lands that stretched from coast to coast. link text -
The California Gold Rush
When a man named James W. Marshall found flecks of gold in Coloma, California, nearly 300,000 people rushed to California to strike gold and become rich. This was directly after California was acquired from the Mexican Cession in 1848. The swell of population led to conflicts among ethnicities in ethnically and racially discriminatory practices. link text -
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Mexican-American War officially ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Because of this war, America expanded its territory and gained access to Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. In addition, Mexico agreed to take away all of its claims to Texas. This annexation of land drastically changed the course of American History. Link text -
The Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act stated that both Kansas and Nebraska would be allowed to decide whether or not they would allow slavery within their borders by means of popular sovereignty. This Act was opposed by the North, who considered the Missouri Compromise of 1820 to still be in effect. Ultimately, fighting broke out between those who were pro-slavery and antislavery, leading to violence that nicknamed the state 'bleeding Kansas.' link text -
The use of "Black Codes"
The Black Codes were laws that were passed after the Civil War by states in the South. These laws aimed to restrict the freedom of Black people, even after slaves were granted their freedom through the Emancipation Proclamation. These codes show how racism remained nasty and prevalent in the South. Link text -
The American Civil War
The war began in 1861 and ended in 1865. It was a battle between the North (Union) and the South (Confederacy). While the Civil War was a huge factor in the end of slavery, that was not one of the motives of the war. They fought over federal expansion and states' rights versus federal authority. The Union won because of its industrialism and was unquestionably more moral than the South. link text -
Civil War Amendments to the Constitution
The 13th (1865), 14th (1868), and 15th (1870) amendments to the Constitution are commonly called the Civil War Amendments since they were a result of change caused by the Civil War. These amendments essentially gave equal rights to all citizens of the United States regardless of race. The 13th amendment banned slavery as well as involuntary servitude. Link text
