1900-1920 LETU History

By Jacob Hocevar

  • The Gold Standard Act is passed

    Affirmed that all American currency has a direct trade value with gold and only gold.

  • Leon Czolgosz shoots President William Mckinley

    He would die on Sep 14

  • Theodore Roosevelt is inaugurated as the 26th President

  • The Philippine-American war ends

    It was a victory for the US in the sense that the most of the revolutionary fighters stopped. Some groups continued to fight, but the war was over. The day before, Congress passed the Philippine Organic Act, which allowed them to set up a democratic government under US authority. They would not be granted full independence until after WWII.

  • The airplane is first built by the Wright Brothers

    The Wright brothers had the first powered flight at Kitty Hawk

  • Hepburn Act is signed and effective

    This act gave the Interstate Commerce Commision more regulatory power of railroad companies, including the power to see their financial reports.

  • Signing of the Pure Food and Drug Act

    Became effective Jan 1 1907. Formed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and regulated the processing of foods and pharmaceuticals. Specifically sought to address the meat packing industry and companies that mislabeled drugs. Sought to prevent harmful additives to food and drugs.

  • The Panic of 1907

    A fall in the stock market caused by an attempt to corner a market led many to take deposits out of banks, leading to many banks running out of available money, further increasing panic. The economic downturn was not super long-lasting, but the banks felt it pretty hard for about a month. Its spread was limited due to J.P. Morgan and other rich bankers lending large sums of money to stop the crisis.

  • William Howard Taft is inaugurated as the 27th President

  • Vice President James S. Sherman dies of Bright's disease

  • The 16th Amendment is ratified

    This amendment allows Congress to raise an income tax without basing it on state populations.

  • Woodrow Wilson is inaugurated as the 28th President

  • The 17th Amendment is ratified

    This amendment converts the election of US Senators to a direct popular vote of the people, bypassing the general assembly or state legislature.

  • The Battle of Bud Bagsak ends fighting of Moro rebellion.

    The Moro fighters were a group that continued to fight after the official end of the Philippine American war in 1902, but they suffered their final defeat at Bud Bagsak.

  • Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand

    This action led directly to the start of World War I when Germany promised support to Austria-Hungary in retaliation to Serbia. (Princip was a Serbian nationalist.)

  • World War I officially starts

    Austria-Hungary attacks Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. This angers Serbia's ally Russia, who mobilizes in less than a week.

  • Germany invades neutral Belgium, declares war on France

    This causes France, Belgium, and Great Britain to join the war.

  • The Lusitania is sunk by a U-boat

    The sinking of this ship, which killed almost 1200 civilians, made many Americans consider whether staying neutral was necessary and solidified American support of the Allies.

  • The Zimmerman Telegram is intercepted and sent to America

    This was a note from Germany to Mexico asking them to go to war with America on the promise of regaining all lands lost or sold to the US. When the US received this, everyone was outraged, and, combined with unrestricted submarine warfare, it led to the US declaration of war.

  • The US joins WWI

    A combination of unrestricted submarine warfare, the Zimmerman note, and Woodrow Wilson's idealism led to the declaration of War on Germany and her allies.

  • The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

    The new Russian government, who just seized power in the Russian revolution, signed a peace treaty with Germany so that they could continue the revolution.

  • Fighting ends in WWI with an armistice

    Fighting officially ends with an armistice signed at 11:11 on 11/11.

  • The Eighteenth Amendment is ratified

    Also known as the prohibition, this amendment outlawed the production, transport, and sale of alcohol starting on Jan 17, 1920.

  • The Treaty of Versailles is signed

    Officially ends WWI, blaming Germany and demanding intense reparations for damages. Its harshness on Germany is a cause of the resentment that led to WWII. It also includes a clause about tuning concert bands (Article 282 Section 22).

  • The 19th Amendment is ratified

    This amendment allows all citizens the right to vote regardless of their sex.