American History Timeline

  • Sugar Act

    Sugar Act
    The colonists taxes on molasses and other sugar products were raised by the British. This act angered the colonists significantly.
  • Currency Act

    Currency Act
    This act stopped colonists from printing paper currency. This event was caused by the government, no new bills could be printed.
  • Stamp Act

    Stamp Act
    This caused colonists to pay taxes on every piece of paper they used.
  • Quartering Act

    Quartering Act
    The colonists had to provide the British soldiers with food and housing. This act enraged the colonists.
  • Declaratory Act

    Declaratory Act
    The parliament could make laws binding the American colonies.
  • Intolerable Acts

    Intolerable Acts
    Punitive laws passed after the Boston Tea Party.
  • Tea Act

    Tea Act
    It gave the India tea company more rights to ship their tea.
  • Townshend Revenue Act

    Townshend Revenue Act
    Taxes were applied on glass, paint, oil, lead, paper, and tea
  • Boston Tea Party

    Boston Tea Party
    The angered colonists snuck onto the British ship and dumped out 342 chests of tea into the ocean.
  • Boston Massacre

    Boston Massacre
    Colonists were protesting by throwing snowballs, sticks, stones at a group of soldiers. The soldiers were angered so they fired back and murdered many colonists.
  • Battles of Lexington and Concord

    Battles of Lexington and Concord
    The first battles of the American revolution.
  • Battle of Bunker Hill (Breeds Hill)

    Battle of Bunker Hill (Breeds Hill)
    The first major battle of the American revolution.
  • The Declaration of Independence

    The Declaration of Independence
    A document signed to establish the American Colonists freedom. After this was signed the colonists had independence.
  • Battle of Trenton

    Battle of Trenton
    General George Washington helps put Americans in control of New Jersey. Americans win victory changed both countries.
  • Battle of Saratoga

    Battle of Saratoga
    The Americans win the first battle and go to fight in Albany. The win encouraged more people to join the Albany war and enhanced their morale.
  • The battle of Valley Forge

    The battle of Valley Forge
    While there was never a battle at Valley Forge, disease killed nearly 2,000 people during the encampment.
  • The battle of Yorktown

    The battle of Yorktown
    This battle helped end the Revolutionary War. After it ended there was peace for 2 years.
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    Abolitionism

    Abolitionism along with other movements led to the Civil War. Abolitionism was the protest and movement to abolish slavery. Abolitionism became a big group of people believing that slavery should be illegal and banned.
  • Treaty of Paris

    Treaty of Paris
    This helped deal with fishing rights. This also Negotiated on Mississippi River.
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    Westward Expansion

    The United States believed in manifest destiny where America thought the land was god given. Americans believed it was their job to expand west, claim the land, bring light and their technology. The land was Indian territory and it had lots of animals. This long journey lasted almost 100 years and many Americans traveled. Many traveled during westward expansion, it was an act of Nationalism, they wanted to expand to make America a better place and to know about the new land.
  • The 3/5 Comprimise

    The 3/5 Comprimise
    The North and South had different opinions on slavery. The south had lots of slaves, the north had lots less. They argued over voting representation, should the slaves count as part of the population? The North didn't want it, but the south wanted them to count for more representation. The North believed in Nationalism and they wanted to abolish slavery to make America better. The South believed in sectionalism and wanted to keep slavery to make the south better, this was an act of sectionalism.
  • Proclamation of 1789

    Proclamation of 1789
    George Washington makes the Thanksgiving proclamation.
    It was to be held on the 26th of November every year. This was the first national holiday to be celebrated.
  • The Whiskey Rebellion

    The Whiskey Rebellion
    Helped establish federal power. Pennsylvania started it to lower taxes on spirits. Shows struggle between states and federal government.
  • States Rights (Amendment 10)

    States Rights (Amendment 10)
    The 9 main amendments don't have a response to everything. Amendment 10 states anything not on the amendments can be decided by the state. This Amendment gives states more power. This let's the states choose if the acts off of the amendments are legal or not in their state. This act is sectionalism because it let's the states choose what they want instead of America.
  • The XYZ Affair

    The XYZ Affair
    America wanted to have a meeting with the British. Three American representatives went to talk to them and they found 3 British diplomats XYZ showed disrespect and joked about it which angered the Americans.
  • The Alien and Sedition Acts

    The Alien and Sedition Acts
    After the XYZ Affair the Americans wanted to show they were serious. The Federal Government created 2 acts the Alien act and the Sedition act. The Alien act was where the President could imprison or deport anyone who was considered dangerous.
  • Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

    Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
    The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions declared the Alien and Sedition acts unconstitutional. The acts made by the Federal Government under the constitution were bad and unfair.
  • The Embargo Act

    The Embargo Act
    The Embargo Act prevented ships and vessels except for battleships from going out into the sea. This act was made so that America wouldn't trade with foreign countries mainly for France and England as a protest to stop destroying our battleships.
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    The Underground Railroad

    The Underground Railroad was an organization to free slaves. The Underground railroad was a group of slaves that escaped leading other escaped slaves to freedom. The Underground Railroad wasn't actually a railroad, but it had trails that were taken to escape many slaves plantations and owners. An estimated one hundred thousand slaves were rescued and led to freedom using the Underground Railroad.
  • The War of 1812

    The War of 1812
    America went to war with the British fighting with the Native Americans as allies. America had to do something after taking 10 years of disrespect. The before the war British were shooting down American ships and kidnapping the people. As a protest Americans cut off trade routes which hurt everybody so they stopped it.
  • Frederick Douglass

    Frederick Douglass
    Frederick Douglass was born around 1818 into slavery. Frederick was a strong advocate and leader. Frederick later became an abolitionist leader. Fredericks family was enslaved and he was separated from his mother from birth.
  • McCulloch v. Maryland

    McCulloch v. Maryland
    How much power should the national government have compared to the others, McCulloch v. Maryland is figuring this out, Also does the constitution allow congress to make a National bank. This argument was over the amount of power different governments.
  • Harriet Tubman

    Harriet Tubman
    Harriet Tubman was an escaped slave. She was known as a conductor of the underground railroad. Harriet brought 70 slaves to freedom and took 13 trips to safety using the underground railroad. Harriet is one of the most famous escaped slaves to ever live. Harriet Tubman was born around 1820.
  • The Missouri Compromise of 1820

    The Missouri Compromise of 1820
    A slave state, Missouri wanted to join the U.S. but if they did the U.S. would be a slave favored country, so the U.S. let Maine, a non slave state join so that it would remain equal. A line placed to show the Compromise across the U.S. The North argued to make it equal because they believed in Nationalism and the South argued to have more slave states because they cared more about their section and wanted it to be better instead of America. This was Nationalism, they were making America better.
  • The Monroe Doctrine

    The Monroe Doctrine
    The Monroe Doctrine prevented America from getting involved with European conflict. This declared that the Western Hemisphere was no longer open to European colonization. The U.S. would view any attempt by European powers to interfere with America as a threat.
  • The Compromise of 1850

    The Compromise of 1850
    California is declared a free state and the fugitive slave act takes place. This was where slaves had to stay with their owners and couldn't wonder to a different state, not even a free one. Slaves couldn't go to California to find gold because of this act. This act represents sectionalism due to the South wanting their slaves to be kept in the South and the slaves couldn't go anywhere but their plantations.
  • Fugitive Slave Law

    Fugitive Slave Law
    The Fugitive Slave Law allowed escaped slaves to be caught and send back to their owner. The Law allowed people to catch these slaves only inside of the U.S. Most slaves ran north where there weren't many slaves and the people of the north didn't like to be required by law to bring slaves back to their owners. Later a law was passed, it was up to the slave catchers to return them instead of the Northern people having to. This is sectionalism because the South only cared for themselves.
  • Emancipation Proclamation

    Emancipation Proclamation
    The Emancipation Proclamation enforced by Abraham Lincoln. This stated all slaves in the states rebelling against the union shall be free. When it was officially signed slavery was abolished. This is Nationalism because president Lincoln cared about America not the Sections.