American History Timeline 1754 - 1877

  • Political Cartoon

    Political Cartoon

    Who- Benjamin Franklin, The Gazette
    What- The first political cartoon was printed in Pennsylvania
    Where- Pennsylvania
    Why- The event caught my eye because it was the first time printing was used for a political agenda in this manor
    How- Ben Franklin created it to show the importance of colonial unity during the French and Indian War
  • Church Founded

    Church Founded

    Who- What comes to be Peurto Rico, Don Juan de Aponte and Don Juan de Silva
    What- The Church of Our Lady of Candlemas of Mayagüez was founded. Peurto Rico would later be used by the US on several occasions
    Where- Peurto Rico
    Why- The church leads to the founding of Peurto Rico
    How- The church was built for the Roman Catholic Church on land donated by Don Juan de Aponte and Don Juan de Silva
  • The Stamp Act

    The Stamp Act

    Who- British Parliament and the American colonies
    What- The Stamp Act was put into place on the colonies
    Where- Great Britain and the American colonies
    Why- The Stamp Act angered colonists and is one of the reasons that fueled the American Revolution
    How- The British Parliament came together and imposed the tax upon the colonists purely for the need of money
  • California Capital

    California Capital

    Who- Father Junípero Serra
    What- Monterey, California is established
    Where- California, USA
    Why- It was fascinating that it was under the flag of Spain and Mexico
    How- Father Junípero Serra established Monterey as the capital of California.
  • American Revolution

    American Revolution

    Who- The colonies and Great Britain
    What- The American Revolution begins with the shot heard round the world
    Where-Lexington, Massachusetts
    Why- This was a big part in American history, allowing us to be free from Great Britain in the end
    How- The Confederates fired a shot that started the war
  • Abolishing Slavery

    Abolishing Slavery

    Who- Pennsylvania
    What- Pennsylvania becomes the first state to abolish slavery (for newborns)
    Where- Pennsylvania
    Why- This was a big step in the right direction to getting rid of slavery as a whole
    How- Pennsylvania's state government came together and created An Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery which allowed newborns to be free
  • English Channel by Air

    English Channel by Air

    Who- Jean-Pierre Blanchard and John Jeffries
    What- The two men, John being American, were the first to cross the English Channel by air by using a balloon
    Where- France and England
    Why- This was a great feat for the balloon since it was an air device
    How- Jean and John crossed the English Channel in a balloon. They almost crashed into the channel because of extraneous supplies, but they made it across.
  • Patents

    Patents

    Who- The US government, George Washington
    What- The US patent system was formed to protect people's ideas
    Where- The United States
    Why- This was a big deal to inventors and helped put the world of inventing in the US together
    How- George Washington signed a bill that gave inventors rights to their creations
  • College

    College

    Who/Where- California
    What- The University of California opened its doors becoming the first public university in the US.
    Why- I chose this because it showed the way to public education and really broke the standard
    How- North Carolina Governor David Lowry Swain helped push for the school and keep it running in the early days
  • Louisiana Purchase

    Louisiana Purchase

    Who- Monroe and Livingston
    What- The Louisiana Purchase was bought from Napoleon
    Where- France
    Why- It greatly expanded the US to help create the US we have today
    How- Napoleon's army was being decimated by yellow fever so he decided to give up his plans and offered the purchase. Monroe and Livingston accepted but overstepped their instructions from President Jefferson
  • Pacific Ocean

    Pacific Ocean

    Who- Lewis and Clark
    What- Lewis and Clark spot the Pacific Ocean
    Where- West coast US
    Why- This helped map and establish the space of the US for future expansion
    How- Lewis and Clark went on their voyage across the US mapping it out and came upon the Pacific Ocean
  • West Florida

    West Florida

    Who- The US government
    What- Western Florida was annexed to the US
    Where- The US
    Why- This added to the size of the United States, increasing capacity
    How- The US government convinced the West Florida government, who was against it, to be annexed
  • Treaty of Ghent

    Treaty of Ghent

    Who- The USA and the UK of Great Britain
    What- The Treaty of Ghent was signed ending the War of 1812
    Where- Ghent, United Netherlands
    Why- This ended a major war in US history and allowed for us to move forward
    How- The US and UK came together in Ghent and agreed on the Treaty. Both sides signed and the war was over
  • Land Act

    Land Act

    Who- The US government
    What- The Land Act of 1820 was put into place reducing the price of land in the west
    Where- Western US
    Why- This encouraged more people to settle in the west creating an expanding US
    How- A plan was made to get people to move out west and it was the Land Act of 1820. It was approved and put into place to lower land prices
  • Erie Canal

    Erie Canal

    Who- Jesse Hawlins and Governor Clinton
    What- The Erie Canal finally opened from Albany, New York to Lake Erie
    Where- The Great Lakes and New York
    Why- I chose this because it was a huge feat and greatly increased trading and shipping
    How- Jesse convinced Clinton to get in on it and help with the cost. They hoped for federal help but it didn't come so they did it themselves
  • Removal Act

    Removal Act

    Who- President Andrew Jackson
    What- The Indian Removal Act was signed into law
    Where- The US
    Why- I chose this because the Indians were forced out after having lived in the Americas for so long
    How- President Jackson signed the act into law forcing the Indians into lands out west that were unsettled
  • Bank Robbery

    Bank Robbery

    Who- James Honeyman and William J. Murray
    What- They committed the first reported bank robbery and made off with $245,000
    Where- The Bank of New York
    Why- I chose this because it was the first time it was ever reported and they made off with a lot of cash
    How- The robbers used a set of fake keys to get to the money
  • Sewing Machine

    Sewing Machine

    Who- Elias Howe
    What- He patented the first practical sewing machine
    Where- New York, US
    Why- I chose this because it started a sewing machine patent war
    How- Elias got his plan patented and went to New York. He saw many cheap imitations so he strengthened his patent
  • Fugitive Slave Act

    Fugitive Slave Act

    Who- Millard Filmore and US congress
    What- The Fugitive Slave Act was signed and put into law. Allowing slave owners to take back escaped slaves from the North
    Where- The US
    Why- This was during a hard time in the US and this only worsened the tension
    How- President Millard Filmore signed the act and put it into law
  • Abraham Lincoln

    Abraham Lincoln

    Who- Abraham Lincoln and John W. Boothe
    What- President Lincoln was assassinated by Boothe during a play
    Where- Ford's Theatre, Washington DC
    Why- I chose this because the assassination of Lincoln was a huge upset to the country and was not the last time an assassination on a president happened
    How- Boothe was an actor so he easily got into the theatre. There are many theories on where the body guard was, but Boothe snuck up behind Lincoln and shot him

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