-
California Gold Rush
Starting in Sacramento in early 1848, the California Gold Rush most prominently toke place in San Fransisco. Thousands of people came by land and by sea when they heard of the gold discovered in California. Many came to become miners for the hope to find gold to make them rich. in 1852, over $2 billion worth of gold was found. -
Compromise of 1850
A compromise to solve conflict between the north and the south regarding territory and slaves. Main points of the compromise of 1850 were the fugitive slave act (the north was required to send escaped slaves back to their owners in the south) and California being added to the Union as a free state (made the balance between the free states and the slave states uneven by one). -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
This act allowed people that lived within the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide whether or not they would want to be added to theUnion as a free state or a slave state. This act updated the compromise of 1820 which had drawn a line where everything above the line was a free state and everything below a slave state. Both these states would've been free states if not for the Kansas-Nebraska act. -
The Financial Crash of 1857
The financial crash of 1857 was a panic in the United States caused by the declining economy. During this time unemployment and hunger meetings were widespread. The slogan "Bread or Death" came about during this time. -
Lincoln Versus Douglas Debate
This series of seven debates toke place from August to October between Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln. Both were running in the Illinois state election of 1858. They discussed the conflict of slavery as well as state rights. -
The Electoral Upheaval of 1860
Lincoln won the election of 1860 but did not come close to winning the electoral vote. More than half the country voted for a different candidate and 10 states didn't even allow Lincoln on their ballots. After the election there was constant controversy whether or not the election was legitimate or not. South Carolina, who was the most angry about the election, decided to secede from the Union. -
Pacific Railroad Act
A series of acts from congress to promote the building of the Pacific Railroads also known as the transcontinental railroad. This was a railroad and telegraph line from Omaha to Sacramento. It was signed by Abraham Lincoln and finished May 10, 1869. -
Reconstruction Act
This act laid out the outline for putting the southern states back into the Union (aka. Radical Reconstruction). The acts were: the South was divided into five military districts and governed by military governors. All males were permitted to participate in constitutional conventions that formed the new governments in each state. New state constitutions were required to provide voting rights for all men. States were required to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment in order to be rejoin the Union. -
The Hyes-TIlden Standoff
The Republicans chose Rutherford Hayes as their presidential candidate for the election of 1876. The Democrats chose Samuel J. Tilden. Tilden won the popular vote, but he was 1 vote shy from winning in the Electoral College (184 of 185). 20 electoral votes were in dispute that would ultimately decide the race. Controversy arose over which candidate should be awarded the disputed electoral votes. -
The Compromise of 1877
The Compromise of 1877 was a informal and unwritten deal that settled the very controversial 1876 U.S. presidential election. It resulted in the United States federal government pulling the last troops out of the South, and formally ended the Reconstruction Era. Rutherford Hayes was put into office which upset the northern democrats greatly. -
Revolution of Railroads
The railroad encouraged the industrialization of the U.S. in the post-Civil War years. It created an enormous domestic market for American materials and manufactured goods. Railroad companies also encouraged immigration. Until the 1880s, every town in America had its own local time. To keep schedules and avoid wrecks, the major rail lines thought of the idea to divide America into 4 times zones. Most towns accepted the new time method. -
The American Federation of Labor Is Born
The American Federation of Labor was formed to organize skilled workers into national unions consisting of others in the same trade. Their purpose was not political, but was more focused on shorter hours, higher wages, and better working conditions. -
National American Women Suffrage Association Founded
The Association was formed from two prior organizations; the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) and the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA). The re-born suffrage movement and other women's organization excluded black women.
Ida B. Wells helped launch the black women's club movement, which led to the establishment of the National Association of Colored Women in 1896. -
The Confused Invasion
Shortly after the outbreak of the war, the Spanish government sent a fleet of warships to Cuba, led by Admiral Cervera. He was blockaded in the Santiago harbor in Cuba by American ships.
The advancing American army caused the Spanish fleet to retreat from the Santiago harbor. Admiral Cervera's fleet was entirely destroyed on July 3, 1898. General Nelson A. Miles met little resistance when he took over Puerto Rico. -
Mckinley Becomes President
President McKinley was the Republican presidential nominee for the election of 1900 because he had led the country through a war, acquired rich real estate, established the gold standard, and brought prosperity to the nation. McKinley and the Republican Party supported the gold standard and imperialism. -
Building the Panama Canal
The Americans wanted to build a canal through the Central American isthmus to allow ships to quickly cross from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Because of friendly relations with Britain, Britain signed the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty in 1901, which allowed the U.S. to build and fortify the canal. After the Panamanians revolt,
the construction of the Panama Canal began in 1904, and it was completed in 1914 at a cost of $400 million. -
Roosevelt on the World Stage
Japan went to war with Russia in 1904 after Russia failed to withdraw troops from Manchuria and Korea. Roosevelt brokered a peace agreement in 1905 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The Japanese received no compensation for their losses and the southern half of Sakhalin. Because of the treaty, friendship with Russia waned and Japan became a rival with America in Asia. -
The "Roosevelt Panic" of 1907
Theodore Roosevelt was re-elected as president in 1904. President Roosevelt made it known that he would not run for a 3rd term.
The panic of 1907 was a short economic downturn that resulted in financial reforms. Congress passed the Aldrich-Vreeland Act in 1908, which authorized national banks to issue emergency currency in the event of a currency shortage. -
Root-Takahira Agreement
In 1906, San Francisco's school board segregated the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean students to make room for white students.
President Roosevelt stepped in and persuaded the Californians to repeal the segregation. The Japanese agreed to stop the flow of immigrants to the United States.
In 1908, the Root-Takahira agreement was reached with Japan. The U.S. and Japan pledged themselves to respect each other's territorial possessions. -
Creation of Automobiles
The automobile industry started an industrial revolution in the 1920s. It created a new system based on assembly-line and mass-production methods. Detroit became the motorcar capital of the world. Henry Ford created the Model T. By 1930, more than 20 million Model Ts were being driven in the country. -
First Radio Broadcasts
In the 1920s, the first voice-carrying radio broadcasts were transmitted. Automobiles drew Americans away from the home, but the radio brought them back. The radio made significant educational and cultural contributions. -
The Criminal Case of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti
The two men were convicted in 1921 of the murder of a Massachusetts paymaster and his guard. Although given a trial, the jury and judge were prejudiced against the men because they were Italians, atheists, anarchists, and draft dodgers. Despite criticism from liberals and radicals all over the world, the men were electrocuted in 1927. -
Cause of the Great Depression: American Economic Policy With Europe
Congress passed the Tariff Act of 1930, better known as the Smoot-Hawley Tariff. The tariff imposed near-record tax rates on a wide range of imported goods. A number of American trading partners retaliated by imposing tariffs on U.S.-made goods. As a result, world trade fell by two-thirds between 1929 and 1934. -
Cause of the Great Depression: Stock-Market Crash
Stock Market Crash led to the market losing 12 percent of its value and wiping out $14 billion of investments. Two months later, stockholders had lost more than $40 billion dollars. -
Cause of the Great Depression: Bank Failures
Nearly 700 banks failed after the stock market crash and more than 3,000 collapsed in 1930. When banks failed people lost their money. Others panicked and desperately withdrew their money, forcing more banks to close. By the end of the decade, more than 9,000 banks had failed. Surviving companies were unwilling to lend money. -
Cause of the Great Depression: Environmental Destruction
A years-long drought coupled with poor farming practices led to the Dust Bowl in the southern plains of America. Massive dust storms destroyed towns, killed crops and livestock, sickened people and caused millions in damage. Thousands fled the region as the economy collapsed. -
Works Progress Administration
The largest New Deal agency, created by Roosevelt, which employed millions of people to carry out public works projects such as constructing buildings and roads. -
Social Security Act
Established a system of benefits for elderly workers, benefits for victims of accidents or work related injuries, and the unemployed. -
Fair Labor Standard Act
Set labor regulations such as minimum wages (40 cents an hour), overtime pay requirements (if more than 40 hours a week), and child labor limitations (No workers under 16) -
Servicemen's Readjustment Act
Made money available to send former WWII soldiers to school. This bill raised educational levels and stimulated the construction industry; this helped to create the economic expansion that started in the late 1940s. -
The Postwar Baby Boom
In the 15 years after 1945, the birth rate in the United States exploded as the "baby boom" took place. More than 50 million babies were born by the end of the 1950s. By 1973, the birth rates had dropped below the point necessary to maintain existing population figures. -
National Security Act
The National Security Act of 1947 was a major restructuring of the United States government's military and intelligence agencies following World War II. -
Alliance for Progress
President Kennedy signed the Alliance for Progress, which was essentially the Marshall Plan for Latin America. Its primary goal was to help the Latin American countries close the gap between the rich and the poor, thus quieting communist politicians. Results were disappointing as America's money did not impact Latin America's social problems. -
Cuba's Bay of Pigs Attack
1,200 American-supported Cuban exiles landed at Cuba's Bay of Pigs. This was an attempt by America to overthrow the Castro regime. President Kennedy was against the direct intervention of the overthrow of Castro, so he did not provide sufficient support for the exiles. Hence, the invasion failed after the exiles were forced to surrender. -
March on Washington
In August 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. led 200,000 black and white demonstrators on a peaceful "March on Washington" in support of the proposed new civil rights legislation.This is where Martin Luther King Jr, gave his famous "I have a dream speech". -
President Kennedy Killed
President Kennedy was shot and killed as he was riding in an open limousine in Dallas, Texas. The alleged gunman was Lee Harvey Oswald. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn into office, retaining most of Kennedy's cabinet. -
Philadelphia Plan of 1969
Nixon's Philadelphia Plan of 1969 required construction-trade unions to establish quotas for hiring black employees. This plan changed the definition of "affirmative action" to include preferable treatment on groups, not individuals. -
The Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) provided a program for the conservation of threatened and endangered plants and animals and the habitats in which they are found. Alongside the Clean Air Act, it aimed at protecting and preserving the environment. -
Cease Fire Agreement
Nixon ordered a two-week bombing campaign of North Vietnam in an attempt to force the North Vietnamese to the peace table.
On January 23, 1973, North Vietnamese negotiators agreed to a cease-fire agreement. This agreement was really just a disguised American retreat. -
Creation of the "Moral Majority"
In 1979, Reverend Jerry Falwell founded a political organization called the Moral Majority. He preached against sexual permissiveness, abortion, feminism, and the spread of gay rights. The organization became an aggressive political advocate of conservative causes. -
Black Monday
On "Black Monday," October 19, 1987, the stock market dropped 508 points, which was the largest one-day decline in history.
The crash began in Hong Kong and spread west to Europe, hitting the United States after other markets had already sustained significant declines. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
President Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, prohibiting discrimination against citizens with physical or mental disabilities.