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The Stock Market Opens
The Stock Market was founded less than fifty years after the founding of America. While beneficial throughout the next hundred years, a market crash just over a hundred years later would be catastrophic to the American economy. -
Seneca Falls Convention
The first women's rights convention, it was held in Seneca, New York, over the course of two days. There they drafted the Seneca Falls Declaration, an apparent duplicate of the Declaration of Independence, now declaring that all men and women were created equal. -
The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
While watching a showing of "Our American Cousin" in Ford's Theatre, Abraham Lincoln is shot in the head by the well-known stage actor, John Wilkes Booth. -
The Thirteenth Amendment
The Thirteenth Amendment is ratified. This action ends slavery in the United States. -
Alaska is Purchased
Secretary of State William H. Seward arranged the purchase of Alaska from Russia for a whopping 7.2 million dollars. Americans were not a big fan and first, often referring to the land as "Sewerd's Folley." -
The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson is impeached by Congress. The trial lasts for 11 weeks. When they voted his fate, he was one short of being kicked out. Afterwards, his presidency was weak. -
The Transcontenental Railroad is Completed
The Transcontenental Railroad is finally completed at Promontory Summet, Utah. A golden spike is driven into the ground to celebrate the occasion. -
Civil Rights Act of 1875
Attempted to give more rights to African Americans, such as the rights to a fair jury and public transportation. However, it was poorly enforced, and no more civil rights acts were attempted for another ninety years. -
The Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is given to the United States of America by France as a symbol of friendship. -
The Battle of Little Bighorn
Also known as Custer's Last Stand, this was the fight in which Lieutenant Colonal George Armstrong Custer and his men were defeated by the Lakota tribe. It shook the country to discover that Custer had been killed by the natives. -
The Dawes Act
The Dawes Act was created in an attempt to integrate Native Americans into American culture. It also took land from the natives and divided it for the use or others. -
Ellis Island is Chosen
The Bureau of Immigration chooses Ellis Island to be an immigration station. It, along with Angel Island, would continue to bring immigrants into the country for many years, albeit slowly and with many restrictions in some cases. -
Wounded Knee Massecre
Over 150 Lakota, including women and children, were killed by the American forces. It marks the essential end of the struggles between Americans and the native tribes. -
Basketball is Invented
James Naismith invents basketball. As you can see by the picture, an actual basket was originally used to score in. -
Ida B. Well's Crusade Against Lynchings
After three of her friends were murdered, Ida spoke out against the crime in her newspaper. After her store was burned down she fled north and continued to work. -
Plessy vs. Ferguson
Started due to a scuffle on a train and an argument about which car Plessy should be allowed in, the final ruling of the Supreme Court was that segregation was legal as long as the facilities were "separate but equal." -
Congress Declares War
Due to the explosion of the U.S.S. Maine, Congress declares war on Spain, who is blamed for the incident. -
End of the Spanish-American War
The Spanish Navy becomes trapped in Manila Bay. After holding out for a short while, they eventually surrender, ending the war. -
The Assassination of William McKinley
Leon Czolgosz shot President McKinley with a gun that was concealed in his wrapped up hand. Following this event, Theodore Roosevelt became president. -
Macy's
The first department store I saw opened. The original Macy's building was nine stories tall. -
Pure Food and Drug Act
This act limited the amount of toxic and addictive substances found in food and over the counter drugs. Prior to this, highly addictive and poisonous substances could be acquired incredibly easily. -
Women's March
A monumental event for women bringing attention to their need for suffrage. The parade, organized by Alice Paul, while originally started out calm, soon descended into violence and madness. It was scheduled alongside President Wilson's arrival in D.C. -
The Sinking of the Lusitania
A german U-Boat off of the coast of Ireland sunk the ship Lusitania, killing over a thousand on board, including 128 Americans. This became a rallying cry for Americans during their slow descision towards war. -
The Zimmerman Note
The British intercepted an encoded telegram from Germany to Mexico. The content of the telegram included Germany's proposal of partnership with Mexico if America joined the war. This prompted America to join the war. -
The Eighteenth Amendment
This Amendment pretty much made the very existence of alcohol in America illegal. It was not very inforced, made drinking seem more rebellious and fun, and led to an upsurge of organized crime. -
America Joins the Great War
At long last, America is prompted to join the war. This would give new supplies and fresh troops to their allies. However, by the time they got everything over to Europe, the war was practically over. -
The Espionage Act
This act aimed to provide support for the military and prevent support of the enemy. All it really did was prohibit freedom of speech, making it illegal to talk badly about the war, military, or government. -
Armistice Day
After years of war, Germany signs an armistice agreement. The Great War is finally over. The surviving soldiers return home to their families and procide into a time period known as the Roaring Twenties. -
The Nineteenth Amendment
Women win the right to the federal vote after many years of work. Prior to this, some women had the right to vote at state level, but not at the governmental level. -
Immigration Quota
A quota is introduced to the number of immigrants allowed into America per set amount of time. This limited the numbers of immigrants coming in. It was stricter on some countries more than others. -
The Scopes Trial
A substitute high school teacher, John T. Scopes, taught evolution to his class while knowing it was illegal. Well known lawyers took place in the trial that would pit evolution against Creation. Scopes was convicted and fined 100 dollars. -
Charles Lindbergh Flies the Atlantic
Charles Lindbergh, a twenty-five year-old american pilot and the first to fly solo across the Atlantic, armed with nothing but his plane, a few sandwiches, and determination, his non-stop flight from New York to Paris earned him well-deserved fame, and some money as well. -
The Jazz Singer
The first movie to feature synchronized music and speech. As the original sound film, it marked the beginning of the decline of silent films. -
Steamboat Willie
The first sound cartoon, Steamboat Willie is considered the debut of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, although they had appeared some months earlier in silent cartoons. -
Black Tuesday
Over 16 million shares were sold in a selling frenzy. Total losses exceeding 26 billion dollars. Bank runs became frequent, and loss in trust in the banks was imminent. -
The Smoot-Hawley Tariff
The Smoot-Hawley Tariff increased tariffs up to 50%. This made a lot of the other countries angry, so they just decided to shun America and not trade with them anymore. -
Revenue Act
The Revenue Act was the largest peacetime income tax increase. Up to 63% of your income could be taken. Obviously people didn't really like this. -
The New Deal is Made
One of Franklin Roosevelt's first major acts in office, the New Deal promised relief, recovery, and reforms. It generally did help people out, but there was only so much it could do. -
The Twenty-First Amendment
After years of work, the eighteenth amendment is repealed, and alcohol is once again welcome in America. Many people were happy about this. -
The Attack on Pearl Harbor
"A date that will live in infamy," as told by Roosevelt. The Japanese attacked because they wanted the Pacific free for themselves while America was busy taking care of Germany. The attack was devastating, but due to some faulty information, not as devastating as it could have been. -
D-Day
Also known as Operation Overlord, over 3 million British, American, and Canadian troops stormed onto Omaha Beach. It was the largest land-sea-air operation in military history. Despite many casualties, the attack was successful. -
V-E Day
V-E day marked the end of the war in Europe. However, America was still battling it out in the Pacific with the Japanese. -
The Bombing of Hiroshima
Paul Tibbets piloted the Enola Gay, the plane that would drop the Little Boy bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. It would still take the bombing of another city for the Japanese to actually surrender. -
V-J Day
V-J day brought the entirety of the war to an end. The war in Europe had already been over for several months, but finally, the war was finished world-wide. -
Sputnik 1 is Launched
The Russians launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite to be placed in a successful orbit around Earth. Seeing the Russians succeed in something made America jealous and seek out a way to get their own stuff into space. -
Alaska Becomes a State
In 1916, it was suggested that Alaska should become a state, but no one really wanted it until after WWII. In 1946, Alaska voted in favor of statehood. Thirteen years later, they officially became a state. -
Hawaii Becomes a State
Hawaii solidified it's identity as part of america during WWII due to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Eighteen years later, it would become the fiftieth state. -
The Worst Day
The Cuban missile crisis has reached its peak. People are starting to panic, preparing for all-out nuclear war. In a few days' time, however, the tensions will ease. -
The Warren Commission is Established
Seven days after the assassination of President Kennedy, the Warren Commission is tasked with investigating the circumstances of his death. Their findings are pinned as controversial and many conspiracy theories exist. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
As the North Vietnamese troops were very effective on the ground, one of the most ways America fought back was by air. The continuous bombing of a North Vietnamese city lasted for approximately three years. -
The Moon Landing
America has beaten Russia to the punch and got some people to the moon. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin are the first humans, and Americans, on the moon. -
The Paris Peace Accord
The Paris Peace Accord didn't stop the war in Vietnam. It did, however, get America out of it. The war would actually end two years later as North Vietnam stormed the South, creating a unified communist country. -
The US Embassy is Abandoned
Even after America left the war in Vietnam, they kept an embassy in the country. With the advance of North Vietnam, however, the embassy is abandoned. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
As the Cold War comes to an end, the Berlin Wall is torn down. Families are reunited after years of being torn apart. Berlin is finally a united city once again.
