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Jamestown
Jamestown located in what is now known as Virgina, was the first permanent English settlement in North America. Protestant settlers moved here in search of financial and religious opportunity. Many deaths arose in Jamestown because of harsh conditions such as starvation and disease. One of the things that made Jamestown successful was its ability to grow tabacco. Tabacco at the time was highly sought after by the rest of the world. -
The Founding of Plymouth
Different from Jamestown, the population of Plymouth, Massachusetts was comprimised of large migratory family groups from Britain. Puritans and Pilgrims came in search of relgious freedom, relief from oppression from mainland, and land opportunity. Even back then people were looking for land because they knew of the benefits it could have for a family. Many other American developments that would come, would be based off plymouth and the new ideas were greatly echoed. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Bacon's Rebellion was an armed rebellion held by Virginia settlers. It was led by and named after Nathaniel Bacon against Colonial Governor William Berkeley after Berkeley refused Bacon's request to drive Native Americans out of Virginia. Shortly after Bacon's death, Berkeley regained control and even hanged most of the leaders of the rebellion. A total of 23 people were hanged for their involvement in the rebellion. -
The Great Awakening
The Great Awakening the event that gave people a voice. Colonist started to hear other preach out and challenge religious ideas that had been set in stone for a long time. People like George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards were two of the big names that challenged ideas. They gave courage to other colonist and people for once started to believe that they could speak up and make a change in how things were being gone about. -
The Battle of Jumonville Glen
The battle was so important because it is considered by many experts to be the opening battle in the French and Indian war. This battle is also the first time that George Washington would get combat action. The French and Indian War would prove to be so important because without it history could have turned out much different. Many even say the French and Indian war made the revolutionary war inevitable. -
The Albany Plan
The Albany Plan was an idea by Benjamin Franklin to form a unified form of government within the colonies. The government would be huge because it would go beyond statehood and connect the whole country. It would control trade, Indian policy, and army. While the idea was eventually rejected, it would be the first time we see a suggestion of this type of government. This suggested form of government is very similar to what is still in place to this day. -
The Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 was a way for the British to make sure the colonist were not encroaching on native americans land. All the lands west of the appalachain mountains were off limits to the colonist. This angered a lot of them because many had already started moving west and were turned back by soliders. The colonist also thought that they deserved something for fighting in the war. This would start the development of the attutide the colonist have towards the British. -
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was the first direct tax put on the colonies by the British. The tax money was to go to help with the debt they suffered from the French and Indian War. The tax was effective on playing cards, legal documents, newspaper, and even some licenses. The tax was extremely unpopular by the colonist, especially those like lawyers, publishers, and merchants who this tax effected the most. The stamp act was the first of many taxes and acts that would anger the colonist. -
The Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts were a series of measures put on the colonies by the British. It taxed a multitude of goods that were being imported into the colonies. The colonist were not happy about these rules and felt as if the British was abusing their power. Especially without giving the colonist any representation in parliament. Outrage was the effect and many colonist went onto protest. The Sons and Daughters of Liberty were created as a result of these British actions. -
The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a scandal in Boston Massachusets in which soliders shot at a crowd of people that were harrassing the soliders verbally and physically. At this time, colonist were not happy with British policies and took it out on the soliders that had been placed in the colonies. The scandal led to more joining the anti-British sentiment and paved the way for the American revolution. Only 5 out of the hundreds were killed, but it was the memoried that carried on with the colonist. -
The Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a political protest by the colonist, which were angry at the British for "taxation without representation". The colonist took a stand by dumping over 300 chest of tea into the waters of Boston Massachusetts, Griffin's Warf. The tea that was dumped was imported by the British East India Company, and was set to make the British a lot of money. After the fact, the British punished the colonist for this act by setting in place the Intolerable Acts. -
The Shot Heard Round the World
The shot heard around the world was the beginning of the revolutionary war and the start of the battle at Lexington and Concord. This battle went on to be a great one in which it foreshadowed many things to come in the war. For the north, it was a wake up call. The south was fighting for their lives and they were not going to give in easily. It also gave the south a little pride and showed many southerners that there was a chance and they had something to be hopeful for. -
Common Sense
Common Sense was one of the first times we really saw change motivated by published works. Thomas Paine united colonist through this work that he published. It was at this time that colonist were split on the idea of independance and the meter needed to be swayed one way or another. Paine saw this as an opportunity and wrote/published common sense which highlighted reasons for why we needed to push for independance. Paine believed that his reasons actually just "common sense". -
The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was in simple terms, the founding document of the United States. It was unanimously agreed upon and signed by all 13 states. It was an explanation to the king of why they wanted to leave, on July 4th it was approved by congress. Thomas Jefferson was the main author however others such as Ben Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston also helped form it. It is still considered to this day as one of the most important documents in American history. -
The Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation, created in 1777, was the first written document that would establish functions for the national government in the new country of the US. The flaws of this document however were quickly exposed. The Articles of Confederation gave the states a lot of power and did not uphold much central government power in the country. Becuase of this, they were unable to maintain an army or tax citizens to raise money. It was quickly ratified on Feb 2, 1781. -
Winter at Valley Forge
Considered the worst six months of a soldiers life. Valley Forge was the thrid of eight winter encampments for the Continental Amry. Commanded by George Washington during the American Revolutionary War. This was a very low point for the continental army. Soldiers were not motivated to fight and they were struggling to even stay alive. Becuase of the hard conditions, it took even more from Washington to rally his troops. Many would die from stravation, frostbite, and illness. -
The Surrender at Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown, and eventually the surrender at Yorktown would go on to be some of the most pivitol moments in the Revolutionary War. George Washington had just recieved word that the French were sending their powerful crew to help support the colonist. By working with the French, Washington was able to surround the British, overwhelming them and forcing them into surrender. This would end the mainland fighting of the revolutionary war and many belive it was the point of no return. -
The Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris officially ended the American Revolutionary War between the American colonies and Great Britain. This was the treaty that would formally recognize the US as an independant nation. This was just the beginning for the US however. They now had to go through all the rigours of developing and starting up a new country. Amry, government, and economic issues were all things that would have to be worked out. -
The Shays Rebellion
The Shays Rebellion was a series of violent attacks on government buildings. These mostly occurred in Massachusetts and were in response to the taxes that were being placed onto individuals and their trades. The Shays Rebellion was also a huge test to the Articles of Confederation. This revealed many of the issues that needed to be fixed in the American government. -
3/5th Compromise
The 3/5th compromise was a process that was agreed upon to count slaves as part of the population for representation in Congress. Southern states wanted slaves to be counted because they would give them more representation in congress. The North did not want it, because it would lean the power and population in benefit of the south. They ended up agreeing upon the 3/5th Compromise, which would count 3 out of 5 slaves towards a states population when accounting for representation and taxation. -
Election of George Washington
After ratifing the Constitution, the country needed to elect a leader. George Washington was a popular name because of his war efforts and involvements in the creation of the country. He was selected by the Electoral college and set the standart for how one should lead our country. Washington served two terms, gave the first inaugural speech, and established the presidential cabinet. Presidents to follow were able to use Washington as a guide of how to act and lead. -
The Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights was mainly pushed by Antifederalist at the time. They saw flaws in the constitution and wrote the "Bill of Rights" which would lay out the first 10 ammendments in the US constitution. These are some of the most important rights we posses to this day including "Freedom of Speech" and "Freedom of Religion". The Bill of Rights was ratified on December 15, 1791 by three-forths of the state legislatures. -
Cotton Gin
Cotton was what the South depended onfor their economy, it was a very valuable crop that they could sell to almost anyone. However, producing it was not easy and required a lot of man labor. Eli Whitney saw the potential for a machine and created the cotton gin to help with cleaning cotton. He belived that creating this would reduce slave labor in the south. However, it only increased the amount of work slaves needed to do because cotton was even more vauable and the machines needed to be ran. -
The Whiskey Rebellion
The Whiskey Rebellion was a extremely violent tax protest. During the rebellion, farmers refused to pay taxes that were put on whiskey until the amry would enforce anything. These farmers, and many others, were testing the newly enforced constituion. The rebellion ended when the US amry went to put down the rebellion. They were able to enforce the constituion and the new laws that the US had put in place. Unlike the Shays Rebellion, the US was able to prevail through the Whiskey Rebellion. -
Marbury v. Madison
The Marbury v. Madison case changed the power of the surpreme court. The court ended up siding with Madison. The added the fact that the surpreme court was able to nullify any law that was deemed to go against the constitution. This gave much more power to the surpreme court and gave them powers that are still in place today. It also gives credibilty to the constitution. It enchances the chances that the constitution will be upheld. -
The Louisiana Purchase
Doubling the size of the US, president Thomas Jefferson purchases a mass amount of land from Napoleon. All this land costed him $15 mill, a steal at the time. This would allow the US to go on and explore more lands using people such as Lewis and Clark. Jefferson struggled to make the decison to purchase however because the consitition did not directly give the president that power. He ended up doing it because it was best for the country. Example of strict vs loose constructionism. -
Steamboat Invention
The creation of the steamboat added a huge part to transportation in the US. People were starting to learn how to navigate the rivers and steamboats because a huge part of that. Steamboats connected people from city to city and allowed for trade and the moving of goods to become much more accessible. Steamboats changed the way that waters were used, but more importantly, it lead to the creation of trains which completely changed the way of transportation in the US. -
The Embargo Act of 1807
The Embargo Act was Jeffersons way to try and prevent war and set the US apart. The act closed US ports to all exports and restricted imports from Britain. It was Jeffersons response to the interference the British and French had been having in the Napoleonic wars. In the long run it would come to be a great thing for the US. It forced the US to generate their own products and industrialized the country. It blosetered the economy and set the US apart from other foreign markets. -
The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was another plan came up with by Henry Clay that would balance the slave and free states. It let Missouri go as a slave state and Maine as a free state. This kept the balance of powers equal in the senate. It also outlawed slavery in the states above the 36* 30' latitude line in the remainder of the Louisiana Purchase. It worked very well for awhile till the Dred Scott case revealed flaws. -
The Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine was a big statement for the US. It stated that the US would not intervene in European affairs, but likewise it would not tolerate further Europeans colonization in the Americas or European interference in the governments of the American hemisphere. It had a huge impact because of how it effected the US's connections and relationships with foreign countries. -
The Corrupt Bargain
The election of 1824 ended in neither canidates having majority votes. This sent the decision over to the house of rep. where Henry Clay, the speaker of the house, meets with presidential candiate John Q. Adams in private. No one knows what happened during this meeting, but after Henry Clay and the house of rep. showed support for Adams and gave him the spot. Clay was then given the secretary of state by Adams. This angered Jackson and his supporters because they saw it as a corrupt bargain. -
The Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal Act is one of the things president Andrew Jackson is most know for to this day. The act moved natives from southern territories to new western lands. Jackson thought it was help western expansion, however, it was very deadly for many. Natives had to move over 5000 miles and almost none were prepared for a move like this. Families and even whole tripes were wipped out. More than 4000 people died because of the forced removal by Jackson. -
McCormick Reaper
The McCormick Reaper changed the outlook of farming and agriculture. The machine was used by farmers to harvest crops mechanically. The reaper replaced the manual cutting of crops with scythes. This would make farming more profitable and take less labor and effort. This was one of the earliest inventions in the agriculture industry, but it would spark ideas for people to go on to create more and more tools to make farming profitable and efficient. -
Texan Independence
After the slaughter of the Texans at the Almo, a new Texan army, led by Sam Houston, defeated a Mexican force in revenge. This would lead to Santa Anna abandoning Texas, and Texas recieving independence. Then, they asked for annexation by the US, which was accepted. There would stll be disputes over the boarder and land control between Texas and Mexico. These disputes would ramp up and would eventually lead to the Mexican American War. -
The Alamo
Texas had declared its independance from Mexico in 1836. General Santa Anna marched to surpress the insurrection. The Alamo turned fortress where American men fought till the end outnumbered 10:1. Many noticable figured died fighting such as David Crockett and James Bowie. Deaths like these outraged the American people and led many to support the Texan Independance cause. The phrase "Remember the Alamo" comes from this battle and was used to remember those who had died fighting. -
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
This Treaty was very essential as it ended the war between the United States and Mexico. It's results would be the present day border between the US and Mexico. The Treaty would give the US territories such as present day California, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, and parts of other present day states. The cost was $15 million from the US. Worth it for the US however, because it doubled the size of the country. -
The Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad had some of its most active time in the 1850s. It was established by abolitionist who wanted to see slavery ended. It was a safeway that slaves could travel on until they reached a place in the North that would keep them out of harms way. It became so active in the 1850s because cotton was becoming more and more popular. Plantation owners wanted to produce more cotton and therefore required their slaves to work longer hours under harsher conditions. -
The Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act was passed by Congress in 1850 as a part of the Compromise of 1850 to combine Southern and Northern interest around slavery. The Act stated "slaves shall be returned to their lawful owners, even if they were found in a free state." It also put the federal government responsible for finding and returning slaves that had escaped. Many Northerners were not a fan of this because it required them to assist southerners in finding and bringing back escaped slaves. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin is an anit-slavery novel that was written in 1850 by Harriet Beecher Stowe. The novel sold 300,000 copies within three months and was considered to have been read by everyone. So widley read that when President Lincoln met Stowe in 1862 he said "so this is the little lady who made this big war." Stowe has stated that she was inspired to write the book after encountering fugative slaved people in the underground railway system and wanting to tell their story. -
The Dred Scott Case
A black man was suing for his freedom because he had been a slave whos owner moved to a free state and brought him with him. He was essentially a slave in a free state. The Supreme court ruled 7-2 that he was to remain a slave and the would not gain any rights as a free man. This meant that there was essentially no such thing as a free state and established that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional. -
The Battle of Bull Run
The Battle of Bull run was the first major battle in the civil war. It revealed to all that the war would not be a one day affair. The underestimated south was able to get a win and it was a huge wake up call for the north. The north had thought they were going to be able to walk all over the south and end things very soon. They quickly realized however that this would not be the case. This battle showed people that the war would be legit. -
The Homestead Act
The Homestead Act was signed by Lincoln in the midst of a civil war. He signed this hoping to make the west productive and release pressure from so many people living in the northeast port cties. The Act gave pretty much anyone 160 acres of western land for free under a few circumstances. They had to farm it for 5 years, live on the land, and improve the land. Millions jumped on this offer and ended up being a great way to solve a couple problems the US had. -
The Pacific Railroad Act
People were motivated to head west because of the Homestead act, but the Pacific Railroad act really made things move. This would become the nations first transcontinental rail line. It would offer jobs to many because of the many needed men it took to build the railway. Funding the railroad was a major problem for the US. They only paid 15% in cash and the rest was paid in land that was given to the companies that worked on the building of the railroads. -
The Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation was put into act by Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the US. While it did not accomplish what most people think, it did have a major impact in the outcome of the civil war. It proclaimed that all slaves in confederate states would be freed. However, this made almost no impact because union government had no authority to make change in the secceding confederacy. It did however change the reason for war and steer allies away from joining the confederady. -
The Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg was THE major turining point in the civil war. It was a crucial win for the union that stopped the confederates advancement into the union. More than 1/3rd of Lee's men were killed in the battle and it crushed the moral of the confederate. Prior to Gettysburg, the confederate army got some momentum with the winning of the battle at Chancellorsville. This made the Battle of Gettysburg even more of an important win for the union. -
13th Amendment
The 13th Amendment was ratified on Dec 6, 1865 and officially made slavery illegal in all states. This was the direct outcome of the civil war. African Americans could no longer be held as slaves and were freed to live their lives as people and not property. While this was a great accomplishment for the country, many things would have to be figured out after it. Such as how would all these former slaves work their way into the working US economy and how would the south survive without slavery. -
KKK Established
A group of Confederate Verterans, wanting to show their white surpremacy, formed an organization called the Ku Klux Klan, aka the KKK. This group most targeted African Americans, Jews, Lations, and Asians. They felt as if African Americans had been given too many freedoms and they felt it was necessary to "put them back in their place." Many tried to shut down the group but it was tough because of their never giving up attitude. -
14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment granted citizenship to all people born or naturalized in the US. This included former enslaved people and provided "equal protection of the laws". I belive that this is one of the most underrated amendments and people need to realize just how important it is. It was one of three amendments passed in the reconstruction era to abolish slavery and establish civil and legal rights for all the peoples of the US. -
15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment was the one that put everything together. It stated that "the rights of citizens of the US to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the US or any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude". This brought the whole country together by giving blacks and former slaves the right to vote. This amendment was unpopular for many and even cost the radical republicans their reputation and seat of power. -
The Pendleton Act
The Pendleton Act is still very important to this day because it dicates the way that we appoint and award federal government jobs. It stated that federal government jobs be awarded on the basis of merit and that the government employees be selected through competitive exams. The act also made it unlawful to fire or demote for political reasons emplyoees who were covered by the law. This was seen by many as a huge thing done to stop civil injustices. -
Founding of NAWSA (sem 2)
The National American Woman Suffrage Association, NAWSA, was an organization formed to advocate in favor of womans suffrage in the US. It was created by the merging of two existing organizations, the NWSA and the AWSA. This organization pushed for womans rights for years and years and was eventually rewarded when the 19th ammendment was passed almost 30 years later on Aug 18, 1920. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
The Supreme Court case of Plessy v. Ferguson was a landmark decision in which the US surpreme court ruled that racial segregation laws did not violate the constitution. It was stated that as long as facilities for each race were equal, which became known as ¨seperate but equal¨. This case emerged from an incident where Homer Plessy was ordered to move from his first class car into the colored car. This decision would not be repealed until 1954. -
Williams v. Mississippi
Henry Williams was angered by Mississippis voting laws that were discriminatory towards blacks. The voting laws at the time in Mississippi consisted of literacy tests, poll taxes, and even grandfather cause. The court unanimously went against Williams in a 9-0 decision. They agreed that these voting policies put in place by the state of Mississippi were constitutional. Jim Crow would live on in the south for decades to come, depriving blacks of any chance to vote. -
Start of Spanish-American War
This was featured a long period of armed battles and conflict between Spain and the United States. Conflict began following the explosion of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor in Cuba. This would lead to the US intervening in Cuba's battle for independence. This war would lead to the US accusation of land in Western Pacific and Latin America. -
US Steel
J.P. Morgan formed US Steel and turned it into one of the biggest businesses that the US had. He combined Andrew Carnegies steel company, Elbert H. Garys steel company, and William Henrys steel company to create the largest steel production in the world. It would turn out to be a big boost in the US economy and it would lead the US into being the largest productors of steel in the world. It became something that other contries depended on the US for. -
Tenement House Law
Tenement houses started popping up left and right in the center of big cities because immigrants were looking for cheap places to live that were close to their work. Most of these builings were built very poorly, often cramped, and always dangerous. The reformers in the Progressive Era pushed for the creation of this law which would mandate indoor toliets, interior courtyards, and fire escapes for all newly built tenement houses. -
US Forest Service
President Roosevelt had a thing for the outdoors and was the first US president who put a real emphasis on protecting and preserving our lands. During his time, he established over 150 national parks. The Forest Service was eventually established after much urging from Roosevelt. He would set the stage and lay the foundation for many to come along after him and keep preserving our parks. -
Establishment of the FDA
Theodore Roosevelt signs the FDA into official law. The FDA played/and still plays a major role in keeping citizens safe with the job of ensuring that all medicines and foods are safe. This made the country much safer and made receiving medicines and treatment a much safer option than before. The FDA still continues to protect us to this day. FDA=Food and Drug Administration -
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, was the deadliest industrial disaster in the history of the city and one of the most deadly in the history of the US. Panicked workers tried to escapse, but had been locked in to prevent theft. Many were forced with the decision to jump to their death or burn to their death. The tragedy spurred outrage from the public and soon new saftey laws were enforced in factories. -
Fords Assembly Line
Mass production in the 19th century gave Henry Ford the idea to use an assembly line to make production even more efficient. It allowed for a car to be produced in 1 hour and 33 minutes, instead of the 12 hours it used to take. Other companies took note of the assembly line and production across the country boomed, and even lowed the cost of goods so that ordinary people could begin to afford what was known as ¨luxury items¨. -
US Enters WWI
The US declared war on Germany ally Austria-Hungary on Dec 7, 1917. Germany's resumption of submarine attacks on passenger and merchant ships was the biggest reason for Wilson to lead the US into WWI. Notable events such as the Zimmerman Telegram and unrestricted submarine warfare was the point of no return. The US was being targeted and needed to make a stand. -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles officially ended WWI. The treaty was very controversial, and no liked by all. It forced Germany to take all of the blame for the war, and crippled their economy. This would lead to the downfall of Germany, which was eventually easily taken advantage of by the Nazi party. Many consider this ending to WWI very unsuccessful and even believe that it lead to the wars that would follow. -
Start of Prohibition
The passing of the 18th Ammendment started prohibtion and caused the whole country to go dry over night. This ammendment made illegal the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcohol. This ammendment was mainly pushed by women and was seen as a big win for them at the time. In many ways however, it backfired on them. The ammendment just caused more illegal drinking and people sneaking around the production and transportation of alcohol. -
Indian Citizenship Act
The Indian Citizenship Act gave indigenous peoples the right to legally become a US citizen. One big reason for the enactment of this act was to reward the thousands of Native Americans who had served in the military during WWI. While this act did not give them all the rights as everyone else, it allowed for the start of equality and gave the indigenous people a feeling that they were welcomed as a US citizen. -
Stock Market Crash on Black Monday
Black Monday was the day that the stock market crashed, it would put to end what was known as the "roaring 20s". The Dow Jones Industrial average declined nearly 13% on this very day. The following day, the market dropped almost 12%. This downward slide continued for a few years until Dow closed at 41.22, the lowest value of the 20th century. It would take almost 30 years before the line would return to "normal". -
Dust Bowl
The Dust Bowl was a period of severe dust storms that greatly damaged the ecology and agriculture of the American and Canadian praries. Natural factors and manmade factors both played a role in the creation of these dust bowls. Agriculture would change because of it, and new policies would be put in place. People had to completly enclose their house to protect themselves from all of the dust. Regular rainfall in the years to follow would eventually help stop all the dust bowls, but it took time. -
Hitler gains power
Adolf Hitler had became the chancellor of Germany. He was put into this position of power after Germany had been in a rough economic spot for many years and Hitler seemed to give them a chance to get back on track. He united German speaking contries and would exterminate ¨undesierables¨. He was the impetus for both the genocidal Holocaust and the brutal fighting in WWII. The US would join WWII, nine years later after the attack on Pearl Harbor. -
Repeal of Prohibition
The twenty first ammendment was passed and overturned the eighteenth ammendment. This now made it legal for alcohol production, transportation, and consumption. This was the best case scenario becuase it would lower the number of illegal productions that had been going on under the radar. This made many Americans happy as they felt a sense of freedom being given back to them. The idea of prohibition would not be put in place again. -
Social Security Act of 1935
The Social Security Act was singed into place by president Roosevelt. In addition to several provisions for general welfare, the act created a social insurance program designed to pay retired workers at the age of 65 a continuing income. This law was a part of Roosevelts new deal domestic plan. Not only did it help the elderly and retired, but it also benefited the disabled and unemployed in America. -
Invasion of Poland
The invasion on Poland was a joint attack by Nazi Germany, Slovak Republic, and the Soviet Union. This would mark the beginning of WWII, which the US would eventually enter after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This invasion was effective becuase they were able to get on either side of Poland and squeeze them from both sides. This interaction became so important because it lead to WWII, which would shape the way the world looks. -
Executive Order 8802
This executive order was put into place by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to prohibit racial discrimination in the nations defense industry. This order was put in place to appease the civil rights leaders and make legal action of what they had been hoping for. While it wasn´t a law, it was the first federal action to promote equal opportunity and prohibit employment discrimination in the US. It would be another step in the right direction for the civil rights movement. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The Attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise attack by the Japanese Navy. They struck a US Naval base in Honolulu Hawaii. It put the whole country in shock and on edge. Everyone was preparing and fearful of another attack that might come. At the time, the US was a neutral country. The attack led to the US, formally entering WWII the next day. America had to stand up for itself and protect its country and citizens. -
D-Day
The Normandy Landings on D-Day was one of the most remembered events for the landing operations and the assiosiated airborn operations. It brought together the land, sea, and air forces in what became the largest invasion force in human history. D-Day was so important becuase it was seen as the turning point of WWII and it marked the turn of the tide for the control maintained by Nazi Germany. -
G.I. Bill of Rights
Signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the G.I. Bill of Rights provided WWII veterans with funds for college education, unemployment insurance, and housing. This would prove to be a great selling point for the US military. It also shaped the future of college education. Many more people started to go to college and used this as their way to pay for it. The G.I. Bill of Rights is still avaliable to US military veterans today. -
Atomic Bombing
The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the detonation of two atomic bombs over the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The first bomb was dropped on Aug 6, and the second was dropped on Aug 9. Trumans decision to use nuclear weapons was becuase he wanted to bring the war to speedy end, he also was done messing around and wanted to show their power to the Soviet. To this day, this was the only use of nuclear warefare. -
Start of the Baby Boom
Following the end of WWII, many soliders were coming back home to wives and families. Since everyone was reunited and the depression was over, it seemed to be a great time to start a family. Many thought the same way and this led to many babies and the largest generation ever. This major increase in babies caused major change in the economy. There was more need for schools, suburb homes, daycares, ect. This generation would go on to be one of the most influencial generations ever. -
Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers
Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play in Major League Baseballs modern era. He was ridiculed, thrown at, spikes, crused, and threatened by fans, other players, and even teamates. Jakie had to keep his composure just to stay in the league and show that not all blacks were messed up. He would go on to have a very sucessful baseball career and prove to many young black folks that they belonged in baseball and in white society. -
The Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was a plan put into place by America to provide foriegn aid to Western Europe. The US trasferred over $13 billion in economic recovery programs to Western European economies after WWII. The plan came from secertary of state, George Marshall. This would prove to gain valuable allies for the US and would remove trade barriers between the US and Western Europe. -
NATO
NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, was created by America and many European countries in order to provide security against the looming threat of the Soviet Union. This military alliance would stengthen each country and give them powerful allies across the world. This was the first peacetime alliance America has ever entered outside of the Western Hemisphere. NATO has changed some, but is still in existance today. -
Brown v. Board
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, was one of the more influencial decisions that the Surpreme Court has ever made. The court unanimously sided with Brown, 9-0. This decision ended the legalized racial segergation of schools in the US. This overuled the ¨seperate but equal¨ decision that came from the Plessy v. Ferguson case in 1896. This was a big step in the right direction for the civil rights movement. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a civil rights protest during which African Americans refused to to ride city busses in Montgomery, AL to protest the segregated seating. This was a foundational event in the civil rights movement. The boycott was sparked by the Rosa Parks arrest which happened in Dec 1955. The 13 month protest ended in the surpreme court ruling that segregation on buses is unconstitutional. -
Interstate Highway Act
The largest public works project in history, changed and modernized Americas roadways. It connected major cities through roadway and made travel and the transportation of goods much easier. President Eisenhower, who inacted it, also made sure that it could serve as emergency runway in case of an enemy destorying air fields. This act also made US companies more competitive in the world market because of the ease of distribution. -
Founding of SCLC
The Southern Christian Leadership Confrence (SCLC), was founded in Atlanta Gerogia and was a civil rights organization that played a major role in turing the tide for African Americans. Civil rights activist, Martin Luthur King Jr, was the first president of the SCLC and chose to lead peacefully and did not have any intentions of bringing violence into the equation. The SCLC worked great and was able to unite a large group of people over one cause. -
Little Rock 9
The ¨Little Rock 9¨ was a group of 9 African American students enrolled in Little Rock Central High School. They were centre of the struggle for integrating and desegregating public schools. They were always getting harrassed and at first were even stopped at the front door and sent home. They eventually were all able to get their high school education and they gave hope to many for desegregaing public schools. -
Freedom Rides
The Freedom Rides were started by student activists from the Congress of Racial Equality, CORE, who challenged segregation on interstate busses and bus terminals by riding on them into the segregated southern states. What made the Freedom Riders so special is that it consisted of both whites and blacks who wanted to make a stand in the civil rights movement. They were met with brutal violence and faced much adversity but they kept pushing and standing up for what they believed in. -
March on Washington
The March on Washington started in Selma and went around 25 miles to Alabamas capital in Montgomery. Over 25,000 protesters were protected by over 2,000 troops and successfully marched into the capitol on Aug 28, 1963. At the capital, Martin Luther King Jr would deliver his famous ¨I have a Dream¨ speech. This would be a pivitol event in the civil rights movement and led to voting rights being changed for blacks. -
JFK Assassination
President John F Kennedy was assasinated in Dallas Texas while riding in a Presidential motorcade through Dealy Plaza. This shocked all the American people as they were not sure if this was an attack on America and if more was to follow. Between the time of the shooting and his death, there was confusion all across the US. It was a very unnerving time to be a US citizen as there were so many questions that still needed to be answered. -
US enters Vietnam War
The US eventually entered the Vietnam war with the goal to stop the spread of communism. The spread of communism had caused north and south Vietnam to split and South Vietnam was fighting for its independance against communism. The US sided with them as they had made it clear that stoping the spread of communism was their main goal. Foreign policies, economic interests, national fears, and geographical strategies also played a major role in the US deciding to enter the war. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Signed into law by President LBJ, the law banned discrimination in local, state, and national elections and polling places. It would also ban literacy tests, intimidation, and physical violence at polling places. This was a direct result of the March on Washington and secured blacks fair voting rights that they had been pursuing. There would still be complications but, the laws were on the side of the blacks for once. -
MLK Jr. Assassination
Martin Luther King Jr. was shot dead standing on his balcony outside his second-floor room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis Tennessee. After people heard the news, riots broke out everywhere. King was one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement all the way up until his death. James Earl Ray eventually confessed to the crime and was sentenced with 99 years in prison. -
Apollo 11
Apollo 11 was the American spaceflight that first landed humans on the moon. Commander Neil Armstrong and lunar module pilot Buzz Aldirn landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle. Apollo 11 fullfilled a goal set by President John F. Kennedy to send American astronauts to the surface of the moon and then return them safely, before the end of the decade. -
Landed on the Moon
Apollo 11 was the spacecraft that was landed on the moon by Commander Neil Amrstrong and lunar modual pilot Buzz Aldrin. This was a minor part of the cold war and a huge part in the space race. This was a sign of strength by the government and it impressed a large number of people. Many see this as one of the most memorable events in American history becuase of the landmark achievement that was made. It also opened up a whole lot of new opportunites that did not exist before. -
The Watergate Scandal
The Watergate Scandal was a major political scandal in the US envolving former President Richard Nixon. Nixon was accused of attempts to cover up actions of breaking into the Democratic National Committee HQ. He did this to find out what his opponets were up to and wanted to get an advantage over them for an upcoming election. This scandal would eventually lead to Nixons resignation. Nixon resigned that way they would stop investigating and find out the whole truth. -
Roe v. Wade
A landmark decision of the US surpreme court in which the court ruled that the US constitution protects a pregnant womans right to have an abortion without excessive government restrictions. There is still controversy over this today as abortion sparks much controvery. Recently, in 2022, the Surpreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade becuase they were ¨egregiously wrong¨. -
End of the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War came to an end after the communist North Vietnam seized control of the South Vietnam and the country was unified as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam the following year. President Richard Nixon was the one who officially pulled the US troops from Vietnam. While the war was not a victory for the US and South Vietnam, for many Americans, they were glad to see an end finally come to the long lasting war. -
Iran Hostage Crisis
The Iran Hostage Crisis was a diplomatic standoff between the US and Iran. Iranian militants stromed the US embassy and took 52 Americans captive. This terrorist act triggered the profound crisis for President Carter that lasted over 400 days. Negotiations were eventually made and the 52 Americans were released. Many Americans saw Carters inability to resolve the crisis as a sign of weakness and his attempt to win reelection was hurt because of it. -
Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster
The Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, killing all seven crew members that were aboard. The spacecraft disintegrated 46,000 ft above the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida. A faulty seal caused one of the solid rocket boosters to ignite the external fuel tank. This would teach up many important lessons and as a result we would integrate many new saftey policies. -
OJ Simpson Trial
The OJ Simpson Trial was one of the most remembered court cases in history. People rememeber it for how long it went on for and all of the chaos that went on surrounding it. The international publicity that went on from this made it the ¨trial of the century¨. From the car chase to the closing of the trial, it was considered one of the most entertaining court cases to follow and see the outcome of. -
Columbine High School Massacre
This school shooting and attempted bombing occurred at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado. The prepetrators murdered 12 students and one teacher. The damages were very extensive and it took a long time to both rebuild to school and lift people back up after the tradgedy. This is considered to be the first high school massacre and it raised much chaos. People started to veiw it as a real threat and took school saftey more seriously from now on. We still deal with this saftey issue. -
Attacks of 9/11
On the morning of Sep 1st, four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks were carried out by Al-Qaeda against the US. Four planes were hijacked, two crashed into the twin towers, one crashed into the pentagon, and one was taken back over by passengers and crashed into a field. These attacks caused panic amoungt Americans as no one knew if more attacks were coming and what the reasoning behind the attacks was.