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Underground Railroad
The Underground Railrodad was a secret route including safe houses that were used by black slaves in the United States to esscape to free states and Canada. It started in the late 1820's and the early 1830's. -
Mechanical Reaper was Invented
The mechanical reaper was invented by Robert Hall McCormick in 1831 and later his son improved the design in 1834. The Reaper was used to reap, bind, cut, and thresh new crops. The Reaper could get more done in one hour than 20 hours of farm labor. -
Trail of Tears
The Native American Cherokee Indians were the last of the Indian Tribes to be moved. The Indians were forced to move because of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. They moved from their homelands of Georgia to the new terriorty in present day Oklahoma. During this grueling trip about 4,000 of the 15,000 Cherokee Indians died. -
Oregon Trail
One of the largest groups to make the journey westward on the Oregon Trail arrive in Sacramento, California. A total of 48 wagons made their way to California. -
Liberty Laws
In 1843 personal Liberty Laws under which state officials are forbidden to assist in the capture of fugitive slaves were passed. It was first passed by Massachusetts and eight other states. -
Potato Famine
In 1845 the Potato Famine brought great numbers of Irish Immigrants. The potato famine was a period of mass starvation from 1845-1852. Approximately 1 million people died during the potato famine and another million emigrated from Ireland. -
President Polk
In 1846 President Polk requested Congress to declare war with Mexico. On May 11, 1846, Congress declared the U.S at war with Mexico. -
Abe Lincoln Speech
A new congressman, Abraham Lincoln, made a speech opposing the Mexican War. Abraham Lincoln was elected as a Whig to the 30th Congress. He served one term (March 4, 1847 - March 3, 1849) and did not seek renomination in 1848. He opposed the Mexican War and during the very beginning of his term he gave a speech to congress wanting to know the exact spot where the hostilities had begun with Mexico. The speech earned him the nickname of "Spotty Lincoln" in Congress. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The exchange of $15 million and the settling $3.25 million in American claims for some 500,000 square miles of Mexican territory with the Western and Southwestern parts of the United States, the Mexican War ended. This was called the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. -
Women's Rights Convention
Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cody Stanton organized the first American Women's Rights Convention from July 12 - 20, 1848. It was held in Seneca Falls, New York and during the convention the Declaration of Sentiments was signed by 68 women and 32 men. The Declaration of Sentiments modeled the U.S. Declaration of Independence and demanded that the rights of women were to be acknowledged and respected by society.
