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Page Act
The immigration act restricted the entry of convicted criminals, Asian workers brought involuntarily, and women brought for prostitution (aimed primarily at Chinese women). It marked the end to open borders. -
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Alexander G. Bell patent
Bell received a patent for his method of transmitting sound which led to the invention of the telephone. -
The Centennial Exposition
The first official World's Fair in the U.S. It was held in Philadelphia, PA to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It was open to visitors May 10, 1876 - November 10, 1876 -
Republican National Convention
Rutherford B. Hayes, Governor of Ohio, won the Presidential Nomination by a narrow margin on the seventh ballot. -
Battle of Little Bighorn
Also known as Custer's Last Stand, the battle between the U.S. Army and Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne warriors broke out after the Native Americans missed their deadline to move to a reservation following the discovery of gold on Indian lands. This was the worst U.S. Army defeat in the Plains Indian War. -
Chief Joseph surrenders
Chief Joseph formally surrendered after four months of battles with the U.S. Army following the breaking of an original treaty by the U.S. -
Presidential Election
One of the most disputed elections in U.S. history. Democrat Samuel Tiden won the popular vote and Republican Rutherford Hayes led the electoral vote. 20 electoral votes were left unresolved. Controversy over who should receive the votes led to the Compromise of 1877. -
Munn v Illinois
(exact date unknown) In this ruling the Supreme Court upheld the power of the state to regulate private business, like the railroads, that serve the public's interest. -
Compromise of 1877
An informal deal to settle the disputed Presidential election of 1876, in which Republican Rutherford B. Hayes would be awarded the 20 electoral votes in question and in return the Republicans agreed to withdraw federal troops from the South, ending Reconstruction. -
Rutherford B. Hayes Inauguration
Rutherford B. Hayes became the 19th President of the United States -
Crazy Horse surrenders
The Oglala Sioux Chief led over 1,000 Native Americans to the Red Cloud reservation near Ft. Robinson. -
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877
Also called the Great Upheaval, workers struck in West Virginia after the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad cut their wages for the third time in a year. Workers in many other cities and states joined the strike. When local and state militias couldn't break the strike the President called in the military. The strike was broken after 45 days and the loss of nearly 100 lives. -
Phonograph patent
While trying to improve the telegraph transmitter Albert Edison discovered a noise made by the paper tape moving through the machine sounded like words. He experimented with a stylus on a tinfoil cylinder and spoke the words, "Mary had a little lamb", which the cylinder recorded. Historians aren't sure of the date that happened but know Edison filed for a patent for the phonograph on this date. -
Patent filed for light bulb
Edison filed a patent application for "Improvement In Electric Lights" after research into the development of a practical incandescent lamp. -
Edison Electric Light Company Opens
In return for the control of Edison's patents the company provided financial support for his experiments. -
First public demonstration of incandescent light bulb
Edison demonstrated his invention at Menlo Park, New Jersey -
Ex Parte Virginia
The Supreme Court ruled that the rights of African American's to serve on juries in state courts could be enforced. -
Presidential Election
The first Presidential election where people in every state were able to vote. It also had the smallest popular vote victory ever recorded as the Republican and Democrat candidates faced candidates from the Greenback Party and two others. -
Garfield becomes President
James A. Garfield is inaugurated as the 20th President of the United States. He was the first president to view the Inaugural Parade from a stand built in front of the White House. -
The American Red Cross founded
Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross after a trip to Europe where she learned about the global Red Cross. The organization responded to disaster relief efforts, aided the military in the Spanish-American War, and is still aiding both military and civilians today. -
President Garfield is shot
Garfield was shot by Charles Guiteau who was disgruntled that he hadn't been given a government position in return for a speech he wrote concerning the candidates in the election, but never read publicly. Garfield survived the attack initially. -
Tuskegee Institute founded
Founded in a one room shanty in Alabama with 30 students and 1 teacher, Booker T. Washington, the Tuskegee Normal School for Colored Teachers opened its doors. -
Sitting Bull surrenders
After fleeing to Canada following the Battle of Little Bighorn the Sioux leader and his people were starving so they returned to the U.S. and surrendered. -
President Garfield dies
79 days after the assassination attempt President Garfield died from a ruptured splenic artery aneursym. He had been in poor health since the shooting and had had many ups and downs in his recovery. -
Chester A. Arthur takes office
President Arthur becomes the 21st president the day after President Garfield dies. -
Chinese Exclusion Act
This was the only law that excluded a person from immigrating to the U.S. based on a specific nationality. -
Immigration Act of 1882
The act denied admission to people who could not financial support themselves, people with mental illness, paupers, and convicted criminals. It is considered to be the first general immigration law. -
Pendleton Civil Service Act
Legislation designed to stop the appointment of federal employees based on party affiliations and friendships by guaranteeing the right of citizens to compete for the jobs regardless of their race, religion, politics, or national origin. -
Civil Rights
The Supreme Court grouped five civil rights cases into one ruling that ultimately overturned the Civil Rights Act of 1875 by declaring the 14th Amendment doesn't apply to private businesses, making way for "separate but equal" policies. -
Standard Time Zones
To decrease confusion the railroads implemented the use of 4 standard time zones to replace the country's 300+ local solar times. -
Presidential Election
The first election of a Democrat as President since before the Civil War. -
Grover Cleveland takes office
The first Democratic President since 1856. -
The Great Southwest Railroad Strike
Over 200,000 railroad workers, in five states, struck against the Union Pacific and Missouri Pacific Railroads after an employee was fired for attending a union meeting on company time. After many cases of violence the strike was called off on May 4, 1886. -
Haymarket Riot
After the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions called for a national strike on May 1 to demand an 8 hour work day the strike in Chicago's Haymarket Square turned violent when a bomb, thrown at police, exploded killing eight people. This was a major setback for the organized labor movement as public opinion shifted away from sympathy for the workers. -
Statue of Liberty dedicate
A gift from France, the statue was dedicated by President Grover Cleveland -
Interstate Commerce Act
Created an Interstate Commerce Commission to oversee the railroad industry, making it the first industry subject to federal regulation. -
Dawes Act
Also known as the General Allotment Act or the Dawes Severalty Act of 1887. This act gave the president the power to divide Native American Tribal Land into allotments for individual Native Americans. By accepting the allotments and living separately from the tribe they would be granted citizenship. -
Benjamin Harris takes office
The 23rd President of the United States, Benjamin Harris was the last Civil War General to hold the office. -
Oklahoma Land Rush
Two million acres of Unassigned Lands waited for approximately 50,000 settlers to stake a claim up to 160 acres. If they lived on the land and made improvement the government would grant them the title to the land. -
National American Woman Sufferage Association founded
Created through the merging of the National Woman Sufferage Association and the American Woman Sufferage Association. Played a major role in the passage of the 19th Amendment. -
Sherman Anti-Trust Act
The first federal law to prohibit activities that restrict interstate commerce and competition in the marketplace. -
McKinley Tariff
Designed to protect U. S. Industries from foreign competition by raising the average duty on imported goods to almost fifty percent. -
Wounded Knee Massacre
More than 250 innocent Native Americans were killed by U.S. troops. This brought sustained, armed resistance by the Indians in the West to an end. -
Populist Party founded
An agricultural based political movement that worked to improve conditions for farmers and farm workers. -
New Orleans Lynchings
Recorded as the largest mass lynching in U.S. history. Eleven Italian American men were accused of murdering the city's police chief. When several were acquitted and others were awaiting trial an angry mob of thousands took matters into their own hands. -
Ellis Island opens
Located in Upper New York, it served as an immigration station until 1954. -
Homestead Strike
Began on July 1st following a lock-out of workers at the Homestead Steel Works days earlier. A riot broke out on July 6th and the town was eventually put under martial law. This strike resulted in defeat for the strikers and a major setback for the unionization of steel workers. -
Panic of 1893
The Stock Market fell in response to the Reading Railroad going into receivership. The financial crisis deepened and Europe entered its own depression. The depression lasted four years. -
Grover Cleveland takes office
The only President of the United States to be elected to a second term after leaving the office for several years. He became the 24th President, as well as the 22nd. -
Colorado Women gain the right to vote
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Pullman Strike
National railroad strike, May 11 - July 20. Workers struck after a 25% wage cut and the firing of about 2,000 workers in order to preserve the Pullman company's profits. For the first time an injunction was used to break the strike. -
Shiloh National Park
Established to preserve the Shiloh Battlegrounds, site of the first major Civil War battle in the Western Theater. -
Frederick Douglass dies
Ex-slave, influential civil rights activist, abolitionist, and presidential adviser. -
1st patent for automobile
Granted to George Selden for an "improved road engine"; included its use in a four-wheeled car. -
Plessy v Ferguson
Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation in public places as long as facilities were of equal quality. -
William McKinley takes office
William McKinley inaugurated as the 25th President of the United States. -
Battleship Maine explodes
The battleship sank in Havana Harbor during the Cuban revolt against Spain. -
Spanish American War
A 10 week war fought in the Caribbean and Pacific resulting in a decisive U.S. Naval victory. This was a turning-point in America's policies concerning intervention, as it sided with Cuba as she fought for independence. -
Treaty of Paris 1898
Treaty between Spain and the U.S. to end the Spanish-American War. Spain ceded Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the U.S. and relinquished all claims to Cuba. -
Open Door Policy
Secretary of State John Hay sent a note to the major European powers concerning open and equal trade with China. He proposed creating equal access to trade and investment in China be open to all countries. -
Gold Standard Act Ratified
Established gold as the only standard for redeeming paper money and stopped the exchange of silver for gold.