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Battle of Little Bighorn
Defeat of the American army led by Colonel Custer against the Sioux Indians. The Americans had violated the treaty between them and were encroaching on native land. This was a crushing defeat for the American army, for they were overpowered by native forces. -
Great Railroad Strike of 1877
During the strike, railroad workers struck, stopping railroad traffic. The railroad was the nation's moneymaker. Causing $40 million in damage, the strikers were eventually defeated but left an impact, with more strikes to come and launched the thought of labor movements. -
The Light Bulb
Thomas Edison patented one of the most revolutionary items to this day. Even though in modern days it is not seen as highly valued, the light bulb changed life forever. The light bulb, though small, would emit quite a bit of light and would be used decades to come. -
Edison and Electricity
Thomas Edison had started 330 plants that powered tens of thousands of lamps across the area. He also convinced city officials to start central power plants that would run electricity lines. This would impact the country for decades to come because now cities and buildings would receive electricity ran by the city. -
Haymarket Square
In 1886, several workers from McCormick Reaper Works were protesting when police killed some of the workers trying to break up the protest. The next day at Haymarket Square, a bomb exploded and killed a few policemen which triggered them to fire into the crowd which killed four of the protesters. Because of this event one labor union, the American Federation of Labor, was formed. -
Dawes Allotment Act
The Dawes Allotment Act allowed for Native American families to receive land back. There were several ways to receive land and each family was allowed 160 acres. -
Grover Cleveland Elected as President
On March 4, Grover Cleveland started his term for president. During this time he would reduce tariffs on goods. Cleveland was president during the railroad strikes and felt he would deal with them with as much force as he deemed necessary. -
Founding of Women's Associations
During the 1890s, several women's associations and federations were formed. These were formed to show the desire for woman's rights, especially women's suffrage. Organizations like the General Federation of Women and the National Association of Colored Women were used to push out a message for women and their rights. -
Spanish and Philippine Wars
The Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War were the beginning of intervention from the United States. These wars displayed the United States as the "international police". This time marked the beginning of the United States getting involved with foreign affairs to fight for the rights of man. -
Open Door Policy
In 1899, the Open Door Policy was passed. This allowed for United States citizens and traders to have access to Chinese markets. The trade between the United States and China became very prominent and was very beneficial for both nations. Even until modern days, the United States and China are heavily dependent on each other for trade.