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The founding of Jamestown was America's first permanent English colony in Virginia. They named their first colony after their King, James I. They picked this site for Jamestown because the site was surrounded by water on three sides. This meant it was easy to defend against possible Spanish attacks. The water was also deep enough that the English could tie their ships at the shoreline.
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First African Slaves
Slavery in America started in 1619, when a Dutch ship brought 20 African slaves into Jamestown, Virginia. Throughout the 17th century, North America started to turned to African slaves as a cheaper, more plentiful source of labor. -
The Mayflower Compact was a document signed by the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower ship in 1620 before they landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts. It established a basic framework for self-governance and outlined principles of majority rule and cooperation among the settlers. The Compact is considered an early precursor to the concept of democratic governance in the United States.
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Massachusetts Bay Colony is one of the original English settlements in present-day Massachusetts, founded in 1628 and settled in 1630 by a group of about 1,000 Puritan refugees from England.
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First Navigation Act Passed
The Navigation Acts were a series of laws designed to restrict England’s carrying trade to English ships in the 17th and 18th centuries. Their efforts were to put the theory of mercantilism (the economic theory that trade generates wealth and is stimulated by the accumulation of profitable balances) into actual practice. In 1651 the First Navigation Act was passed. -
King Philip's War, which occurred in 1675-1676, was a violent and destructive conflict between Native American tribes and English settlers in New England, primarily over land disputes and cultural differences, resulting in significant casualties and far-reaching consequences for the region.
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Bacon's Rebellion was an armed rebellion in 1676 by Virginia settlers led by Nathaniel Bacon against the rule of Governor William Berkeley. Bacon's Rebellion can be attributed to the declining of tobacco prices, an increasing and restricted English market, and the rising prices from English manufactured goods (mercantilism) that caused problems for the Virginians.
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The Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution (“The Bloodless Revolution") involved the overthrow of King James II, who was replaced by his daughter Mary and her Dutch husband, William of Orange. The motives for the revolution were both political and religious. This Revolution took place in England from 1688-1689. -
King William's War, which took place from 1689 to 1697, was one of the early colonial conflicts in North America. It was part of a larger war in Europe known as the Nine Years' War. The war primarily involved English colonists and their Native American allies against French colonists and their Native American allies in the northern regions of North America. King William's War resulted in territorial shifts and increased tension between the English and French colonies in North America.
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Salem Witch Trials
The Salem witch trials occurred in colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693. Over 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft and 20 were killed. A "witchcraft craze" even rippled through Europe. -
The War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714) was a European conflict triggered by the death of the Spanish king without a clear heir. The war aimed to prevent the unification of Spain and France under a single monarch, as it would upset the balance of power in Europe. The war ended with the Treaty of Utrecht, which had consequences, including the transfer of territories and the establishment of the Bourbon dynasty in Spain. This war reshaped the political map of Europe.
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The French and Indian War (1754-1763) was a North American conflict between Great Britain and France, with Native American involvement. It was part of the broader Seven Years' War and ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1763, resulting in territorial changes and setting the stage for the American Revolution.
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The Seven Years' War (1756-1763) was a global conflict involving major European powers, including Britain and France. It was primarily fought in North America and Europe. The war resulted from colonial, territorial, and imperial disputes. Its conclusion, with the Treaty of Paris in 1763, led to significant territorial changes, including Britain gaining Canada and various territories in India. This war had a profound impact on the colonial and global balance of power.
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The Industrial Revolution began when agricultural societies became more industrialized and urban. The railroad, the cotton gin, electricity, and other inventions permanently changed society.
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James Watt was a Scottish inventor, mechanical engineer, and chemist who improved the steam engine with his Watt steam engine in 1776. This made a huge impact to the changes brought by the Industrial Revolution in both Great Britain and the rest of the world.
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The Boston Massacre was a riot that occurred on March 5, 1770. It took place on King Street in Boston. It began as a street brawl between American colonists and a British soldier. It quickly escalated to a bloody slaughter. The conflict energized anti-Britain sentiment and paved the way for the American Revolution.
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The Boston Tea Party was a protest that occurred on December 16, 1773, at Griffin’s Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts. The American colonists were very frustrated and angry at Britain for imposing “taxation without representation,” therefore they dumped 342 chests of British tea into the harbor. This event was the first major act of opposition to British rule over the colonists.
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The American Revolution (1775-1783) was a war for independence fought by the American colonies against British rule. It resulted in the United States gaining its independence and establishing a new nation based on democratic principles, with the adoption of the U.S. Constitution in 1787.
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The Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence. It was written by Jefferson in Philadelphia on July 4, a date now celebrated as the birth of American independence.
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The French Revolution (1789-1799) was a major period of political and social upheaval in France. It began with widespread discontent and calls for reform, leading to the overthrow of the monarchy, the Reign of Terror, and ultimately the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. The Revolution had far-reaching consequences, including the spread of democratic ideas and the end of the old feudal system in France.
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Thomas Jefferson was elected as the third U.S. President in 1800, defeating the incumbent John Adams. His victory marked a shift in political power and a transition to Democratic-Republican leadership.
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The Treaty of Mortefontaine, signed in 1800, ended hostilities between the United States and France during the Quasi-War. It resolved issues related to trade and the XYZ Affair, restored friendly relations, and recognized U.S. sovereignty. This treaty marked a significant diplomatic achievement and helped improve U.S.-French relations.
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The War of 1812 (1812-1815) was a conflict between the United States and Britain, with various Native American groups involved. It was rooted in disputes over trade, maritime rights, and British support for Native American resistance. The war had no clear victor, but it ended with the Treaty of Ghent in 1814, maintaining pre-war borders and leading to improved U.S.-British relations. It's also known for the Battle of New Orleans and the writing of the "Star-Spangled Banner."
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In 1812, the U.S. Congress declared war on Britain. The primary reasons included British interference with American trade, impressment of American sailors, and disputes over territorial boundaries. The resulting War of 1812 had mixed outcomes and ultimately ended in a peace treaty in 1814, restoring the status quo.
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British forces stormed into the Chesapeake Bay and burned multiple government buildings including the Capitol building, and the White House. The British forces pulled their forces only because they had achieved their war goals and were moving down to New Orleans to capture it as well.
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Spanish minister Do Luis de Onis and U.S. Secretary of State John Quincy Adams came together to sign the document that would transfer control of Florida to the U.S. The Florida Peace Treaty was created to hand over the last Spanish-American colony to the U.S. because of numerous boundary disputes. The U.S. gave Spain $5 million to cede Florida into the newly formed nation.
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President James Monroe gave his annual presidential speech warning European powers not to interfere in the western hemisphere or else the U.S. would step in and stop them. This speech stood against what George Washington wanted for the country. He wanted the country to stay out of foreign affairs and keep to themselves, however, the Monroe Doctrine declared the U.S. as the policing force of the Western hemisphere.
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The U.S.-Mexican War lasted from 1846-1848 and was the first U.S. conflict fought on foreign soil. It was a war that was disputing the independence of Texas and the border of the Rio Grande. At the end of the war, Mexico lost about a third of its territory to the expansion-minded U.S., who claimed nearly all of present-day California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico.
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Abraham Lincoln was elected as the 16th president of the U.S. When entering office Abraham Lincoln was tasked with dealing with an incredibly divided nation dealing with the issue of states' rights about slavery. Lincoln received only 40 percent of the popular vote, however, he still handily defeated the three other candidates. Lincoln was formally a Whig representative to Congress and gained popularity after his series of public speeches that addressed many political issues of the time.
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The tension between the Northern and Southern states over states' rights and slavery finally got to the point where war broke out. The election of Abraham Lincoln caused 7 southern states to leave the Union and create the Confederate States of America. 4 more states soon joined these rebel states.
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Lincoln's Speech at Gettysburg was done in order to address the war that was occurring. He wanted to dedicate the field to the fallen soldiers on both sides, and he wanted the soldiers to know what they were fighting for. He claimed that they were fighting to see if the new nation, and nations that had declared their freedoms from the European countries, could in fact survive without the aid of their previous owners.
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On the day of completion, the presidents of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads meet in Promontory, Utah. The last spike of the railroad was ceremoniously placed to connect the two railroad lines together. This railroad made it possible to travel from the eastern side of the continent to the western side by utilizing nearly 2000 miles of railroad track. The work began in 1866 after many plans had been made and the Pacific Railroad Act(1862) was passed.