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American History

  • Period: to

    1600s

  • 1607: Jamestown Founded

    The first permanent English settlement in North America was established in Virginia, marking the beginning of sustained English colonization.
  • 1619: First Africans in Virginia

    English privateers brought captive Africans to Point Comfort, Virginia, beginning the institution of slavery in the English colonies.
  • 1620: Mayflower Compact & Plymouth Colony

    Pilgrims landed at Cape Cod, signing the Mayflower Compact, an early agreement for self-governance, and establishing Plymouth Colony.
  • 1624-1626: New Amsterdam & Royal Virginia

    The Dutch established New Amsterdam (later New York) in 1624/1626, while Virginia became a royal colony after its charter was revoked, centralizing English control.
  • 1630s: Massachusetts Bay Colony & Harvard Founded

    Puritans founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony, with Boston becoming a significant Puritan center, and Harvard University (1636) became America's first institution of higher learning.
  • 1675-1676: King Philip's War

    A devastating war between New England colonists and Native American tribes (led by Metacom/King Philip), resulting in massive casualties and shifting power dynamics.
  • 1692: Salem Witch Trials

    Mass hysteria led to accusations, trials, and executions for witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts, revealing deep societal anxieties and religious tensions.
  • Period: to

    1700s

  • Benjamin Franklin is born,

    Becoming a key figure in American intellectual and political life.
  • Albany Plan of Union

    The Albany Plan of Union is proposed as an early attempt to unify the colonies.
  • Stamped Act

    The British Parliament passed the Stamp Act, sparking major colonial resistance.
  • Boston Tea Party

    He Boston Tea Party occurs, a direct protest against British tax policies.
  • The Declaration of Independence

    The Boston Tea Party occurs, a direct protest against British tax policies.
  • Treaty of Paris

    Treaty of Paris is signed, formally ending the Revolutionary War and recognizing U.S. independence.
  • Constitutional Convention

    The Constitutional Convention meets in Philadelphia to draft the U.S. Constitution.
  • Period: to

    1800s

  • 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

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

    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

    Shortly after his election, the Confederate States secede from the Union, starting the Civil War
  • 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 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 southern states form their own country called the Confederate States of America. Jefferson Davis is their president.
  • The Civil War Begins

    hostilities began when Confederate forces fired upon Fort Sumter, a key fort held by Union troops in South Carolina.
  • Battle of Gettysburg

    Largest Civil War Battles and turning point of the war, leading to a Union victory.
  • Emancipation Proclamation

    President Lincoln issues an executive order freeing slaves
  • The Battle of Gettysburg

    A major battle where the North not only wins the battle, but starts to win the Civil War.
  • President Lincoln is assassinated

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

    1900s

  • 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 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

    he 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 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 ' refusal 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)

    Neil Armstrong's 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 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.
  • September 11 Attacks

    It led to major changes in U.S. security and sparked the War on Terror.
  • Bin Laden Hunt Begins

    It led to the U.S. invading Afghanistan and expanding the War on Terror.
  • Rise of Social Media

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

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

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

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