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Industrialization and Reform
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The Idea of a Transcontinental Railroad - Homesteaders and the Transcontinental Railroad
In 1845, Asa Whitney proposed a Transcontinental Railroad. A Transcontinental Railroad is a railroad across the continent. Asa Whitney requested permission from Congress to build the railroad and he asked for public land. Congress could not agree were the line should run, so the railroad was not built. This event affected American history by giving ideas to others on how to build a railroad so there would be no problems. -
The Homestead Act - Homesteaders and the Transcontinental Railroad
In 1862, The Homestead Act was passed. This act granted 160 acres of public land to settlers for a small filling fee. The act also required settlers to meet strict conditions to keep their land. These settlers were called a specific name which was, Homesteaders. This event affected American history by encouraging western migration and becoming a US citizen (which the settlers has to be, or in the process of being to receive the title to the land). -
Pullman Car - New American Industries
Before 1865, if you traveled for a long distance or went on an overnight train, then you had to sleep on your seat (a wooden bench). As you can guess this wasn't very comfortable. In 1865, George Pullman started a company to build a new type of rail car, one that people could more comfortably sleep in. This car had fold down beds making long trips more enjoyable. This event affected American history by giving people another pro as to why they should travel in turn, booming the railway stations. -
The Alaska Purchase - Expanding Borders
In 1868, the United States bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million, or about two cents per acre. The opponents said that it was too cold and too far away to be useful. Supporters said that Alaska had valuable resources, and the United States needed to keep growing. This event affected American history by ending Russia's presence in North America and ensuring the U.S. access to the Pacific northern rim. -
The Telephone - Technology and Society in the Industrial Age
If you had a family member all the way across the country and wanted to tell them something quickly you had no way to do so. It was not until 1876, that the first telephone was invented by a man named Alexander Graham Bell. This invention allowed instant communication through speech. This was not the intended purpose though, it was originally meant to help the deaf. This event affected American history by giving a basic design, allowing for the telephone to get smaller and more portable. -
Refrigerator Car - New American Industries
Trains did not only carry passengers, they also carried food. Foods can spoil quickly so Americans needed a way to be able to preserve it. This is when in 1877, a businessman named Gustavus Swift invented and began to use refrigerator cars. Theses railway cars were built to keep its contents cool. This event affected American history by making it safe to send meats and other foods that would need to be kept cold over long distances. -
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Expansion, Immigration, and Urbanization
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Imperialism and the Great War
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The Standard Oil Trust: Horizontal Integration - Trusts and Big Business
In 1882, Rockefeller and his partners created The Standard Oil Trust, a "corporation of corporations". This included oil wells, pipelines, rail lines, and tank cars. They owned/controlled more than 90% of the oil-refining capacity in the United States. This event affected American history by increasing efficiency in the railroads and refineries but it did get shut down by the Supreme Court who ruled that the Trust was an illegal monopoly. -
Chinese Immigration - New Immigration
In 1882, The Chinese Exclusion Act was formed which restricted immigration. Immigrants before this act came to California, called the "Gold Mountain." Many of these immigrants worked on the railroads which were not the highest paying jobs around. This event affected American history by giving those of Chinese race a harder life in the United States. This is because it banned new Chinese workers from entering the US for ten years. It also kept immigrants already in the US from becoming citizens. -
Populist Running for National Office - The Populist Party
In 1892, the first People's Party candidates ran in a national election. James B. Weaver lost the presidential run to Democratic candidate Grover Cleveland. Weaver won four states and received more then one million votes (so you can guess how many Cleveland got). This event affected American history by helping the Populist Party realize (in 1896) that they had to ally themselves with candidates from the major parties. In the end they choose Democrat William Jennings Bryan as their candidate. -
Cross of Gold - The Populist Party
In 1896, there was a speech given by Bryan at the Democratic National Convention. Bryan blamed the wealthy for supporting the gold standard. He also said that this practice harmed ordinary workers. This event affect American history by convincing more people to support silver currency and it was also one of the most influential political speeches ever given. -
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Progressivism and Reform
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Child Labor - A Worker's Life
In 1900, more than 2 million children had factory jobs. This was because there was no law that prevented adolescents from working in factories. The factory owners could pay children less money and make them work longer hours in dangerous conditions. This event affected American history by giving a reason to create the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) that protected children from child labor. -
Platt Amendment - The Spanish-American War
In 1901, a demand/amendment was sent to Cuba called the Platt Amendment. This limited Cuba's ability to make treaties and required Cuba to allow US military bases. These demands also gave the United States the right to intervene in Cuba. This event affected American history by attempting to protect Cuba's independence from foreign intervention as well as permitting extensive U.S. involvement in Cuban international and domestic affairs. -
The Effects of The Jungle - The Muckrakers
In 1906, Congress passed a law called "The Meat Inspection Act". This act addressed the problems described in "The Jungle" written by Upton Sinclair. The act said that only healthy livestock could be used for food. It also created standards of cleanliness. This event affected American history by telling people how to handle to food and how the animals should be handled beforehand. It also helped a lot of people say away from food poisonings and getting sick. -
Pure Food and Drug Act - The Muckrakers
In 1906, Congress passes a law called "The Pure Food and Drug Act". This act banned food and drugs that contained harmful ingredients. It also made it illegal to sell spoiled food or poisonous drugs. The act called for government inspections and it required accurate labels. This event affected American history by making sure people knew exactly what was going into their medications as well as making sure that legislation were actually being followed. This helped make our food safe today. -
Settlement Houses - Urban and Social Reforms
BY 1910, more then 400 settlement houses had opened across the nation. These houses served as social centers. They offered classes in cooking, dress making, English, and American government. They also had health care, child care, as well as art and recreational opportunities. This event affected American history by giving aid/support, changing the culture of a person or group by introducing the traits of another culture, and absorbing into a different culture ("Americanization"). -
Mary Antin - New Immigration
Mary Antin was born June 13, 1881 and died May 15, 1949 (aged 67). Antin was a Russian Jew who immigrated to the United States. She left for American after her families business failed. She also accepted the challenge new language quickly and worked to gain an education. This event affect American history by making her an author, writing about the immigration experience. One of her notable works would be "The Promised Land" that she wrote in 1912. -
The Influence of Income Tax - Prohibition
Before income taxes were used, the federal government depended on liquor taxes for funding. This made many leaders reluctant to support Prohibition. In 1913, the 16th Amendment was ratified. This event affected American history by imposing a graduate income tax, giving the government an alternative source of income, and making politicians more willing to ban alcohol. -
America in 1914 - Neutrality and the War in Europe
While Europe headed to war, America was busy handling other issues. These issues could include recovering from economic problems, building economic ties with Latin America, and trading with nations on both sides of the war. This event affected American history by helping the US stay neutral while continuing to engage in commerce and shipping with European countries. -
The Panama Canal - Expanding Borders
In 1914, the Panama Canal was completed and opened. It was 50 miles long, was used by about 1,000 ships in its first year of operation, and it is celebrated as one of the greatest construction projects in history. This event affected American history by giving a boost to the US economy as well as by making traveling by boat much easier. -
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Interwar Years
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The League of Nations - Wilson and the War
In 1920, the League of Nations was established. This was created with a covenant, there were 42 original member nations, the headquarters were in Geneva, Switzerland, and the United States did not join. This event affected American history by leading to the United Nations which began in 1945. It had 51 founding nations including the United States and the headquarters were located in New York City. -
The Wall Street Crash - Society in the 1920s
The 1920s had been a decade of glitz and glamor for many, characterized by prosperity and growth; In 1929, this would all end. In October of 1929 there was the Wall Street Crash (stock market). The stock market crash of 1929 was the worst economic disaster in history to date. This event affect American history by causing mass homelessness, job loss across the nation, as well as building and car production/building fell hard (around 80% to 92%). -
The End of Prohibition - Prohibition
In 1933, Prohibition finally ended. The twenty-first amendment repealed the Eighteenth Amendment. This is because Prohibition caused corruption and crime, speakeasies to open and sell alcohol illegally, as well as it leading to higher homicide rates. This event affected American history by making alcohol legal again in the United States. -
The Social Security Act of 1935 - The New Deal
In 1935, a Social Security Act was set up to fund all retired Americans. This is able to happen because all working Americans and their employers pay a tax to fund Social Security. This event affected American history by paying retiaries based on what they contributed to the fund when they were working. It also helped form the Social Security system we have today. -
Zora Neale Hurston - The Great Migration
Zora Neale Hurston grew up in Eatonville, FL which was an all black town. She collected African and African American folk tales. This made her an expert in the African American culture. This event affected American history by making her a famous author. In 1937, she wrote "Their Eyes Were Watching God" which is a notable mention. -
Wounded Knee - American Indians on a Closing Frontier
In 1973, American Indians staged a protest at Wounded Knee. These Indians took Wounded Knee by force. They wanted the US government to change tribal leaders, review treaties and treatment of American Indians. Federal marshals surrounded the protest and the negotiations lasted 71 days. This event affected American history by signaling the end of the Ghost Dance movement (a religious movement started by Plains tribes in the late 1800s).
