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Socialism spreads
A movement called socialism spread throughout Europe. Socialism is an economic and political philosophy that favors public, instead of private, control of property and income. -
1st labor union founded
The first national lavor union was founded known as the National Trades union. This was open to workers all over -
Dred Scott v. Sandford
The very controversial slavery case reached the Supreme Court. An enslaved African from Missouri sued for his freedom. He said he should be considered a free slave because between 1834 and 1834 he lived with his master in the free state of Illinois. After many appeals his case reached the supreme court. They voted against Scott. -
Communist Manifesto published
The German philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels expanded on the ideas of socialism in a treatise titled Communist Manifesto. It denounced capitalism and predicted that workers would overturn it. -
Uncle Toms Cabin published
Uncle Tom's Cabin was so influential that years later,when Stowe visited President Lincoln at the White House during the Civil War, Lincoln reportedly greeted her by saying, "So you are the little woman who wrote the book that made this great war." -
Safety Elevator invented
Elisha Otis developed a safety elevator that would not fall if the llifting rope broke. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which divided the Nebraska Territory into Kansas and Nebraska. The voters in each territory would decided if slavery would be allowed by popular sovereignty. -
Attack on Lawrence, Kansas
The southern proslavery forces attacked the free-state town of Lawrence, Kansas. The looted homes, burned down the hotel, and destroyed the presses of The Kansas Free State newspaper. -
Fairmout Park built
Frederick Law Olmsted, a landscape engineer, designed Fairmount park. -
The American Institute of Architecture established
This was the start of architecture emerging as a specialized career. This encoraged special licensing in order to become an architect. -
Lincoln & Douglass debates
They were a series of 7 debates between republican Abraham Lincoln and democrat Stephen Douglas. It was also know as "Honest Abe" v. "The Little Giant". -
Macy's opened
Rowland H. Macy opened a department store in New York in 1858. It became the largest single store in America. -
The Origin of Species published
Charles Darwin published the Origin of Species arguing that animals evolved by a process of "natural selection" and that only the fittest survied to reproduce. -
Lincoln was elected
Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln was elected. The Southern states were outraged that the president could be elected without a single southern vote. -
State Convention
After Lincolns election was confirmed, gathered a group for a meeting in Charleston to discuss the sucession. He declared that the states including the ones who wanted to suceed as one under the "United States of America". -
Fort Sumter
The most important fort of the Union was Fort Sumter which guarded the harbor at Charleston, South Carolina. President Buchanan tried to send troops and supplies to the fort but the Confederate guns began to fire at it. Lincoln had to decide if it would be better the surrender the fort or try to resupply it. -
Confederate State of America
The seven seceeding states established the Confederate States of America. They framed the constitution for the new government. Jefferson Davis was the president. He supported the Compromise of 1850 and thought that the south should be left alone to manage themselves. -
Lincoln was sworn as President
Lincoln was sworn in as President and in his inaugural address he said that he didn't plan to interfere with slavery in the South but he wanted to preserve the Union where it existed. He said he would avoid violence unless the south started it. -
Anacanda Plan
This was the plan the North developed in order to starve the South into submission. This plan involved them seizing the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico so the south could not receive supplies/ shipments. The Anacanda Plan was named after the Anacanda snake who squeezed it's prey to death. -
Habeas Corpus
Some Northerners opposed Lincoln's plan for war, Lincoln suspended the consitutional right of Habeas Corpus. Habeaus Corpus guarantees that no person can be held in court without specific charges being listed. He felt these measures were necessary because they didn't know who was being disloyal to their cause. -
Union Navy expands
The union navy had launched 250 warships and were constructing many more.The naval superity helped the Union block important naval forts. -
1862 Homestead Act passed
THe Homestead Act was an act that along with aid from railroad companies made western farmland inexpensive. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This presidental decree declared that all persons under slavery are free. This did not allow slaves to instantly be free but it encouraged more to run away and join the Union army. -
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg began. -
Freedman's Bureau created
Shortly before the war ended, Congress and Lincoln agreed on the creation of the Freedman's Bureau. This was a federal agency designed to aid free slaves and relieve the South's immediate needs. -
Union wins
In the small Virginia town of Appomattax Court House, Lee surrendered to Grant, giving the Union a victory. -
Lincoln assassinated
Lincoln was assassinated and vice president Andrew Jackson became president. Under Johnson's presidency the 13th Amendment was added to the constitution, which banned slavery. -
Street Life in New York published
Horatio Alger published his first novel, Ragged Dick, or Street Life in New York. This told the story of a poor boy who rose to wealth and fame by working hard. -
14h Amendement Ratified
The 14th Amendment granted full citizenship and rights to those born in the U.S., including African Americans. -
Knights of Labor
Uriah Smith Stephens founded a labor union called Knights of Labor. -
15th Amendment ratified
The 15th amendment guaranteed that no male citizen could be denied the right to vote due to "race, color, or previous condition of servitude. -
Corporations increased
The number of corporations in America increased dramatically. THey were an important part of industrial capitalism, or the economic free-market system centered around industries. -
Yellowstone Park created
The Yellowstone Park in 1872 was one of the first federal responsed to concerns about the environment. -
Congress dissolved the Freedmen's Bureau
After troops slowly left the South, the Freedmen's Bureau was dissolved. -
World newspaper created
Joseph Pulitzer, a Hungarian immigrant who fought in the civil war started the morning paper, the World. -
The Gilded Age published
Novelist Mark Twain satirized American life in this novel. He depicted American society as having a rotten core covered with gold paint. -
Rutherford B. Hayes elected
Republican candidate Hayes was declared winner by a congressional committee. -
Brooklyn Bridge completed
The Brooklyn Bridge is a suspension bridge in which the roadway is suspended by steel cables. The Brooklyn Bridge was the first suspension bridge, crossing over the East River in New York City. At its time it was the longest bridge in the world. -
Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) created
The Interstate Commerce Commission was created to oversee railroad operations. It was the first federal body every set up to monitor American business operations. -
Mass transit's developed
Streetcars powered by overhead electric cables were invented. Then mass transits, public systems that could carry a large number of people, were developed all over the cities. -
Sherman Antitrust Act passed
The Sherman Antitrust Act outlawed any trust that operated "in restraint of trae or commerce among the several states." This was often used in the corporations' favor. -
Wireless Telegraph invented
Guglielmo Marconi invented the wireless telegraph. -
First subway system
The nations first underground subway system was developed in Boston. -
Important Court Case
A court case established that Chinese people born in America were United States citizens and could therefore, come and go freely. -
Corsi arrived in the US
10-year-old Edward Corsi arrived with his family from Italy. -
"Take me out to the game" written
This famous baseball song was written -
Angel Island opened
Immigrants had to pass through Angel Island. It looked very unwelcoming.