American History

  • Period: to

    1600's

    1600 to 1700
  • Jamestown founded

    Jamestown was America’s first permanent English settlement.
  • Important Firsts

    This year marked the first legislative assembly, the arrival of the first enslaved Africans, and the arrival of the first families in Jamestown.
  • Plymouth Colony

    The Pilgrims settled at Plymouth, creating a colony based on religious beliefs.
  • Puritan Migration

    Puritans came to Massachusetts in the first large wave of immigrants, bringing strong religious values and new ideas about community.
  • Anne Hutchinson Banished

    Anne Hutchinson was banished for her religious beliefs and later helped found Rhode Island, which supported religious freedom.
  • King Williams War

    This war began long-lasting conflicts between Native Americans, colonists, the British, and the French.
  • Salem Witch Trials

    The trials show how fear and mass hysteria can cause people to make dangerous and unfair decisions.
  • Period: to

    1700's

    1700 to 1800
  • French and Indian War

    French and Indian War

    This war between Britain and France over land left Britain in serious debt, leading to new taxes on the American colonies
  • Stamp Act

    Stamp Act

    Colonists were taxed without having a say in government, increasing anger toward British rule.
  • Boston Massacre

    Boston Massacre

    Violence between British soldiers and colonists showed how tense and dangerous the conflict had become.
  • Boston Tea Party

    Boston Tea Party

    Colonists protested unfair taxes by destroying British tea, openly challenging British authority.
  • Lexington and Concord

    Lexington and Concord

    Known as “the shot heard round the world,” these battles marked the start of the Revolutionary War.
  • Declaration of Independence Signed

    Declaration of Independence Signed

    The 13 colonies officially declared independence from Great Britain.
  • U.S. Constitution

    U.S. Constitution

    The United States created a new system of government based on laws and shared power.
  • Period: to

    1800's

    1800 to 1900
  • The Louisiana Purchase

    The Louisiana Purchase

    President Thomas Jefferson authorizes purchase of the Louisiana territory from France and almost doubles the size of the United States.
  • The War of 1812

    The War of 1812

    War between Britain and America lasted for two and half years over trade and naval restrictions.
  • “Underground Railroad”

    “Underground Railroad”

    A network of secret routes and safe houses to help slaves escape to freedom in the North.
  • Samuel Morse sends his first telegraph message

    Samuel Morse sends his first telegraph message

    This changes the face of communication for the entire world and allows an information to spread more quickly and easily than ever before
  • Abraham Lincoln elected President

    Abraham Lincoln elected President

    Shortly after his election, the Confederate States secede from the Union, starting the Civil War
  • Abraham Lincoln is elected President

    Abraham Lincoln is elected President

    Abraham Lincoln was from the northern part of the country and wanted to put an end to slavery. The southern states didn't want him president or making laws that would affect them.
  • South Carolina Secedes

    South Carolina Secedes

    South Carolina was the first state to secede, or leave, the United States. They decided to make their own country rather than be part of the USA. Within a few months several other states including Georgia, Mississippi, Texas, Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana would also leave the Union.
  • The Confederation is formed

    The Confederation is formed

    The southern states form their own country called the Confederate States of America. Jefferson Davis is their president.
  • The Civil War Begins

    The Civil War Begins

    Hostilities began when Confederate forces fired upon Fort Sumter, a key fort held by Union troops in South Carolina.
  • Emancipation Proclamation

    Emancipation Proclamation

    President Lincoln issues an executive order freeing slaves.
  • July 1-3 -  Battle of Gettysburg

    July 1-3 - Battle of Gettysburg

    Largest Civil War Battles and turning point of the war, leading to a Union victory.
  • The Battle of Gettysburg

    The Battle of Gettysburg

    A major battle where the North not only wins the battle, but starts to win the Civil War.
  • The Civil War Ends

    The Civil War Ends

    General Robert E. Lee, the leader of the Confederate Army, surrenders to General Ulysses S. Grant at The Appomattox Court House in Virginia.
  • President Lincoln is assassinated

    President Lincoln is assassinated

    Lincoln was assassinated 5 days after the surrender of Robert E. Lee (after the Civil War ended)
  • Period: to

    1900's

    1900 to 2000
  • The Model T is built by Henry Ford

    The Model T is built by Henry Ford

    The Ford Model T matters because it used mass production through the assembly line—pioneered by Henry Ford—to revolutionize American industry and make cars affordable for everyday people.
  • The Stock Market Crashed

    The Stock Market Crashed

    The Stock Market Crash of 1929 matters because it triggered the Great Depression, causing worldwide economic collapse, unemployment, and major changes in government economic policy.
  • Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor

    Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor

    The Attack on Pearl Harbor matters because it led the United States to enter World War II, dramatically shifting the course of the war and global history after the strike on Pearl Harbor.
  • The United States drops two atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki Japan

    The United States drops two atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki Japan

    The Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki matter because they ended World War II and introduced nuclear weapons, permanently changing global warfare and international politics.
  • Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on the bus in Montgomery, Alabama

    Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on the bus in Montgomery, Alabama

    Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat matters because it became a key catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement and the Montgomery Bus Boycott, helping challenge segregation laws in the United States.
  • Man on the Moon!  (Neil Armstrong)

    Man on the Moon! (Neil Armstrong)

    Neil Armstrong walking on the Moon matters because it marked the first human step on another world, proving U.S. space leadership and advancing space exploration.
  • The Berlin Wall is torn down

    The Berlin Wall is torn down

    The Fall of the Berlin Wall matters because it symbolized the end of the Cold War and led to the reunification of East and West Germany, marking a major shift toward the collapse of communist control in Eastern Europe.
  • Period: to

    2000's

    2000 to 2025
  • Bin Laden Hunt Begins

    Bin Laden Hunt Begins

    It led to the U.S. invading Afghanistan and expanding the War on Terror.
  • September 11 Attacks

    September 11 Attacks

    It led to major changes in U.S. security and sparked the War on Terror.
  • Hurricane Katrina Disaster

    Hurricane Katrina Disaster

    It exposed major weaknesses in disaster preparedness and led to reforms in emergency response and infrastructure planning.
  • Rise of Social Media

    Rise of Social Media

    It changed how people communicate, share information, and connect globally, while also raising concerns about privacy and misinformation.
  • Great Recession

    Great Recession

    It caused widespread job losses, housing market collapse, and global economic hardship, leading to major financial reforms.
  • Bin Laden Killed

    Bin Laden Killed

    It marked a major milestone in the War on Terror and symbolized justice for the 9/11 attacks.
  • Smartphone Majority Adoption

    Smartphone Majority Adoption

    It shows how quickly technology became central to daily life, changing communication, learning, and access to information.
  • The Coronavirus Pandemic

    The Coronavirus Pandemic

    It caused a global health crisis that disrupted daily life, economies, and education, and reshaped public health and work habits worldwide.

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