American History

California Gold Rush

1848

The discovery of gold led the world into a frenzy. Everyone was doing what they could to get to California in hopes to strike it rich. Sadly very few got rich but the journey and time panning for gold probably made for good stories.

Fort Sumter

Apr 12, 1861

The first win for the Confederacy. A battle won with no casualties on either side. Took place in South Carolina. This was also the start of the war.

Homestead Act

1862

The homestead act of 1821 allowed people to go west and claim land. This was to hopefully get people to move west. To no one’s surprise it worked and western expansion was on a roll.

The fall of New Orleans

Apr 1, 1862

In April David Farragut captured New Orleans. By May Benjamin Butler had earned his nickname "The Beast". Shortly after word of what was going on in New Orleans spread. Butler and his men were quickly deemed outlaws by Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy. I couldn’t find a specific date but it happened in April.

Ida B. Wells

Jul 16, 1862

Was born into slavery in 1862. She was freed after the war. Her parents got involved in their local Republican Party.

Battle of Antietam

Sep 17, 1862

This is the single bloodiest day in modern American history with 20,000 casualties in a single day.

The 13th Amendment

Jan 31, 1865

Passed on January 31st, 1865. The 13th amendment made slavery illegal in the US.

Freedman’s Bureau

Mar 3, 1865

Established on march 3rd, 1865 the freedman’s bureau was made to help black people get on their feet after being freed. They provided food, shelter, medical services, land, and clothes to the freed black people.

Grandfather Clause

Jan 1, 1867

If your grandfather had the right to vote so do you. A way of keeping black people from voting while allowing poor illiterate whites to vote. Worked because there’s no arguing who you’re related to.

Transcontinental Railroad

1869

First speedy coast to coast transportation the U.S. had seen. Stretches from Sacramento to Omaha. Helped provide jobs to people from all sorts of industries.

Lady Liberty

1876

Gifted by the French in 1876 Lady Liberty was given to us as a sign of friendship 100 years after the American revolution. Her full name is Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World. The designer is Fredric Augusta Bartholdi.

Compromise of 1877

1877

Made to break the tie in votes in the election of 1876. Gave the republicans the office as long as the democrats got an end to reconstruction. Made Rutherford B. Hayes president. The vote went to congress where the deal was presented.

Plessy V. Ferguson

1896

Homer Plessy sat in the white only car on a train. He said that his constitutional rights were violated. The Supreme Court disagreed and pretty much said segregation is fine as long as it’s equal.

The Maine Gets Attacked

Feb 15, 1898

The USS Maine was “attacked”. This drew us into the Spanish American war. We later found out that it was an explosion in the ship that caused it to sink.

U.S. Declares War on Spain

Apr 25, 1898

Two months after the “attack” on the uss Maine the U.S. declares war on Spain. The U.S. had been thinking about entering the war before the attack but after the Maine they had to enter.

Platt Amendment

1901

The Platt amendment was the grounded for the Cuba-U.S. relations. Made Cuba a territory of the U.S. Was something they wanted.

The Chrysler building

May 27, 1930

The Chrysler building was dubbed the tallest building. This only lasted for a year and the Empire State Building went up in 1931 and took the title of tallest building. Battle for tallest building has been going on since skyscrapers were created.