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Treaty of Paris
The American Revolution officially comes to an end when representatives of the United States, Great Britain, Spain and France sign the Treaty of Paris in 1783. The signing signified America’s status as a free nation, as Britain formally recognized the independence of its 13 former American colonies. -
Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel “ Uncle Tom’s Cabin” and its relation to the Civil War.
Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin, is published in 1852, and it has a huge impact because of its ability to illustrate slavery's effect on families and to help readers empathize with enslaved characters. -
Kansas- Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act allowed people in the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide for themselves whether or not to allow slavery within their borders. The Act served to repeal the Missouri Compromise of 1820 which prohibited slavery north of latitude 36°30´ -
The Homestead Act.
Signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln, the Homestead Act encouraged Western migration by providing settlers 160 acres of public land. In exchange, homesteaders paid a small filing fee and were required to complete five years of continuous residence before receiving ownership of the land. -
Thomas Edison- the invention of the light bulb.
Edison made the first public demonstration of his incandescent light bulb on December 31, 1879, in Menlo Park. It was during this time that he said: "We will make electricity so cheap that only the rich will burn candles." -
Amendment 16 - Income tax begins.
“The Congress shall have the power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.” -
Amendment 19 - Women's suffrage (women given the right to vote).
“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.” -
The Great Depression
The Great Depression was an economic slump in North America, Europe, and other industrialized areas of the world that began in 1929 and lasted until about 1939. It was the longest and most severe depression ever experienced by the industrialized Western world. -
World War II ( 1939-1945)
The roots of World War II, which eventually pitted Germany, Japan, and Italy (the Axis) against the United States, Great Britain and the Soviet Union (the Allies), lay in the militaristic ideologies and expansionist policies of Nazi Germany, Italy, and Japan. -
Barack Obama becomes the first African-American President-elect.
On November 4th, 2008, Barack Obama was elected President, making him the first African-American President of the United States. His victory in the 2008 election made a powerful statement about how far the country has come on the issue of race.
