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Cotton Gin invented
The modern mechanical cotton gin was invented in the United States of America, by Eli Whitney. It was an important invention because it dramatically reduced the amount of time it took to separate cotton seeds from cotton fiber. -
XYZ Affair
The XYZ Affair was a diplomatic event that strained relations between France and the United States, and led to an undeclared naval war called the Quasi-War. It took place from March of 1798 to 1800. -
Louisiana Purchase
After it was bought from the French, it doubled the size of the United States. It was bought for a low price and it allowed the Americans to spread out west and expand the United States. It added to the agricultural power of the United States as well. The amount of slaves in the states also increased since we had all that extra land. -
Adams-Onis Treaty
The Adams-Onis Treaty was important because it settled border disputes between Spain and the United States. Spain gave East Florida to the United States and the United States gave up Texas and $5 million dollars of U.S. citizen claims against Spain. -
Missorui Compromise
It was a compromise on whether to allow slavery in the new territory of Missouri that pleased neither side and led to violence. It started the wheel's in motion for the Civil War. -
Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine directed a clear warning towards all foreign countries basically telling them to leave the US alone and to stop settling within the country's borders. -
Indian Removal Act/ Trail of Tears
All Native Americans were forcibly removed from their homes and relocated to reservations in Oklahoma. Many died along the way and they were buried the best they could along the roads, this is why this event was called the "Trail of Tears". They were crying for their lost loved ones and because they could not be buried in the tradition of the tribe on sacred land. -
Texas Claims Independence
The Texans gained their independence from Mexico. Independence allowed the Anglo Texans to to control a vast territory and the many Mexicans and Native Americans who lived there. Independence was only a first step for the Texans. They ultimately wanted and succeeded in joining the U.S. as a slave holding state. -
The Battle of the Alamo
It was a battle of idealistic volunteers against the 'oppressive' Mexican government. Most battles were between nations, or armies representing political interests, but the Alamo was seen by Americans as something more. -
Trail of Tears
As part of Andrew Jackson's Indian removal policy, the Cherokee nation was forced to give up its lands east of the Mississippi River and to migrate to an area in present-day Oklahoma. The Cherokee people called this journey the "Trail of Tears," because of its devastating effects. -
Texas annexed to U.S
The annexation of Texas amassed a large amount of land for the United States, but caused tensions between the United States and Mexico when finalized. Prior to annexation, Texas created disputes between Mexico and the United States. Texas gained independence from Mexico in 1836 and officially became part of the United States in 1845 under the leadership of President John Tyler, much to the dismay of Mexico. -
Mexican-American War
It resulted in a major territorial gain for the US (the Mexican Cession in 1848) that completed its expansion from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast.It meant an increase of US territory (California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico, as well as parts of Wyoming, Colorado, Oklahoma and Kansas) at the expense of Mexico. -
Agreement of 49th Parallel
On June 15, 1846, Britain and the United States sign the Treaty of Oregon establishing the 49th parallel as the primary international boundary in the Pacific Northwest. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American War and established the Rio Grande as the boundary between the US and Mexico, thereby giving territorial claims to the US of what is now Texas, California, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, etc. -
California becomes a state
Though it had only been a part of the United States for less than two years, California becomes the 31st state in the union (without ever even having been a territory) on this day in 1850. -
Gadsden Purchase
This purchase was made to obtain a strip on land over which to build a trans-continental railroad to connect the rest of the US with California. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
It allowed the people who lived in kansas and nebraska to vote whether or not they wanted to allow slavery there. Slavery won the election, but people got mad and said that it was a fraud… so the election took place again, but the same thing happened...So, kansas and nebraska were not admitted as states. Later Anti-slavery people outnumbered pro-slavery people, so the election took place again, and slavery was illegal, and kansas and nebraska were admitted as states.
