-
Establishment of Jamestown
Jamestown was created as the first permenant settlement in the Colonies. It was located in Virginia, which had soil and land that the Europeans were not used to. They attempted to plant crops and grow but they had little success and began to rely on the native Americans in the area. it was all men in the beginning, and there was an 80% death rate. only the very desperate came because land = opportunity. they eventually realized that tobacco would flourish here and it became the cash crop. -
Mayflower compact
Jamestown had been full of puritans who were not very accepting. many had been separated because of their political views. they left to establish their own settlement, Plymouth and they signed the Mayflower Compact to create their own function of government. it was the first attempt at self-government. it was a disaster and didn't last for long. there were less than 100 people settled here so they were eventually absorbed by Massachusettes, which now had hundreds of thousands, in 1691. -
steam engine
The steam engine is created in England however it is then brought over to the US, and it brings a transportation revolution. previously people walked or rode on horseback to travel, and now new ways of transport were brought along. this allows for all of the westward expansions, helps strengthen the military, and it brings fast communication. it also has benefits for trading. the states no longer feel so far apart anymore. -
The great awakening
Almost everyone is a puritan, and they were big on education, so more people begin to study the bible and learn to read it and interpret it themselves. their puritan ways were dull, dry and distant so new preachers consider new ideas that have been coming from europe. george whitefeild is known by everyone for his preaches about gods love and salvation, as well as jonathan edwards who instead terrified listeners with an angry god. this new idea of religion brings more churches and universities. -
7 years war
After the 7 years war, a war between France and Britain in North America, France is kicked out. Britain gains the land from the appellation mountains to the Mississippi river. the colonies believed that they contributed greatly and they are equal to the British. the British believe that they were cowards and didn't provide the same that they did. they realize they need to make more profits off of the colonies and begin to impose regulations, including no travel past the appellation mountains. -
Intolerable acts
The 7 years was was highly costly for great britain so they decided to source it back through intolerable acts. First comes the sugar act which taxed exports of sugar, which was a huge crop in the south and Caribbean. next, they introduced the quartering act which let any soldier rest in a colonist's house however he wanted. they used this to spy on colonists and take away their privacy. last was the stamp act which came on any legal document you wanted recognized. this created lots of unrest. -
Boston massacre
Hatred boils for the red coats that are living and controlling the colonies. they are continuously being beat up or killed, especially the governors. these attacks are usually led by the sons of liberty who were a group that were violently fighting against British control. guards were posted up in front of the government buildings and ordered not to engage. the crowd gets wild and after some confusion the red coats start shooting. 5 colonists dead. paul revier paints the picture and it spreads. -
Boston tea party
Another riot by the sons of liberty is the Boston tea party. they are drunk and dress as Indians to 'disguise' themselves then go to Boston harbor and throw out all of the tea that had been imported from Britain. this cost 1.8 million in tax revenue. the British were obviously fuming and closed Boston harbor. higher taxes are enacted and trade and commerce are regulated, many people are unemployed and this encourages violence towards the British even more. the people are angrier than ever. -
First continental congress
The intolerable acts have blown the minds of many colonists. they send delegates to the first continental congress to see if they would still like to be a part of the British empire. they wanted concessions to be made for representation and limited taxing authority. the radicals want war but many of the conservatives are too scared to fight. samuel adams creates the middle ground which was the olive branch, asking the king for representation and low taxes. however they do still prepare for war -
Lexington and Concord
Many colonists believe this is not going to be resolved easily, they store weapons at Concord. Someone tips off the redcoats so they come to take it down. The colonists are ready to fight, and Samuel Adams and john Hancock flee. at Lexington the colonists are told to stand down because of how outnumbered they are, many die or flee. at Concord, there are no weapons just 1500 militiamen ready to fight the redcoats. they take the redcoats to Boston after killing 250 of them. the war has begun. -
The second continental congress
The war has fully started and King George has rejected their olive branch petition. All 13 colonies come together in Philidelphia to organize how they will fight this. They also write the declaration of independence and begin forming their own government. Jefferson declares that every man is equal and the same, and they hope to create a government with a strong democracy. They also establish a continental army with generals, create their own currency, and organize a committee for foreign nations -
Publication of Common Sense
Many people were on the fence about joining the revolution around them because there were benefits from still being attached to the British as well as many were scared of the British. thomas Paine publishes common sense after the fighting in Boston. it uses logic, reasoning, and emotions, and it was written in the vernacular so that everyone could understand and read it. the propaganda spread like wildfire and almost everyone owns a copy. he donates all revenue to the war and joins the cause. -
Winter of 1776
The continental army is led by George Washington, who is a well-respected and talented general. however, his army is ill-equipped and has a lack of men. the men are camping outside for the winter of 1776 to keep an eye out for a British camp. many are dying and others are deserting. Washington is losing around 30 men a day. many had extremely low morale until Washington leads them over the Delaware river on Christmas morning. their ambush was a success and they capture many hessian mercenaries. -
Battle of Saratoga
During the war, the continental army was continuously failing and many people doubted them. however, George Washington is a great general and he now outsmarts the British. he knows that the army is planning to meet up and fight together. he diverts 2 of the British armies from making it to the area, and when the 3rd British army gets there he surrounds them and defeats them. this was a turning point for the war because it proved they had a chance, and many more colonists joined the cause. -
Battle of Yorktown
After the win at Saratoga, benjamin franklin convinces the french to join the continental army against the British. they send their army and navy and they help the continental army corner Cornwallis's army at Yorktown. he believed that it was occupied by the British, and had the backup of the British navy however when he led his army there there were no British, just french. the British were cornered and they had to surrender. now all of the British armies had been taken out. -
Treaty of Paris 1783
The British realize there is no way to contain the colonists and they had to accept their independence, especially now that they have been defeated. they sign the treaty of Paris that ends the revolutionary war and declares the colonies the united states of America. they are then granted all of the British lands that are held between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mississippi river. they then begin constructing the united states. -
Constitutional Convention
After the previous government's failure, delegates come together to form another and settle on a constitution. They discussed the Connecticut compromise, which created the house of representatives and the senate. they also settled with a 3/5 compromise for population representation, meaning slaves counted as 3/5 of a person. there were two opposing sides during this meeting, the federalists were the elites, and the antifederalists that were the common people. -
George Washington's presidency
George Washington is sworn in as the first president, with John Adams as his vice president. During his presidency, he establishes many government precedents. He creates the Federal Judiciary courts that range from low courts to supreme courts, he creates the presidential scale which is his departments that help him, the cabinet. he tries to be equal to both federal and antifederalists, although he leans towards the federalist side. he warns the people what would happen with a two party system. -
Hamilton's financial plan
Since the United States is creating a new government, they need to create a financial system. Hamilton proposes a plan that brings the economy together. he believed in state government more than federal, and therefore combines all of the nation's war debts to help everyone pay it off. he also raises the government's revenue through tariffs and taxes. he creates the national bank and eliminates the separate state banks. many of these were controversial. -
The Whiskey Rebellion
The first test of the new government rises, which is the Whiskey rebellion. Many farmers in PA refused to pay federal taxes because they believed it was against their liberties. they create a mob and all come together. since the government now has a standing army, they are able to put them down. they pass the first test as a government. it also enforced the idea that the federal government had the right to impose a tax on everyone, and make them follow it. -
Pickney's treaty
Both the US and Spain laid claim to the Mississippi river, and the Spanish had forts along it that refused to leave. they agreed to sign pickney's treaty to allow the US navigational rights down the river. this allowed them to use the port of new Orleans, which was one of the biggest in the country, and allowed midwest states to easily sell goods. this became the second strongest port economically, after Boston. -
XYZ Affair
The French had been attacking ships that were crossing the Atlantic, so President Adams sends diplomats to France to create peace. instead of sending actual negotiators, France sends 3 nobodies to do it. they demand 250,000 before the Americans could meet up with their prime minister. this was extremely disrespectful and many Americans are angry with Adams for it. it brings his approvals down a lot when they eventually settle and reach peace. after the attacks, Adams also creates the navy. -
Alien and Sedition Acts
Congress was heavily controlled by the federalists, and they wanted to make sure that they could keep that power, so they released the alien and sedition acts. the alien act allowed the president to deport any aliens considered dangerous. the naturalization act increased the number of time immigrants had to live in the US before becoming citizens, and the sedition act made it illegal for newspapers to print any material that is critical of the government. this was used for political advantage. -
The Louisiana Purchase
Napoleon had become a major power in Europe, and although he was the emperor of France and there was no french land in the US, napoleon sold the Louisiana territory to the US for 13 million. the us originally only wanted new Orleans, but napoleon sold it all for a great price. jefferson had a dilemma in deciding if it was constitutional. the purchase doubles the US, and secures new Orleans and the Mississippi river which are major trading hubs and routes. -
Eli Whitney's interchangable parts
Slavery was a huge economy in the US before Eli Whitney's invention but after, everything changed. it is said that Eli Whitney first created interchangeable parts for muskets, but then it was used for the cotton gin. the cotton gin made cotton clean and thin in seconds which would have taken initially hours. this changed cotton forever and exploded slavery, as well as changing technology too. many new inventions began to incorporate the idea of the interchangeable part. -
Embargo of 1807
After many disputes between the UK and France, we finally have a good trading relationship. however they go to war with each other and Jefferson wants to remain neutral because they had previously been attacking ships. he bans all foreign trade so that neither country will cause problems. the embargo is very unpopular through merchants, traders and the business community. it does great damage to the American economy because we can't trade however it does encourage growth in manufacturing. -
the war of 1812
Britain has decided to cause problems with the US again and keeps impressing their sailors, as well as supplying native Americans with weapons and putting them against the US. although the US is a weak, poorly trained military, they go against them because they want to get a reputation as a strong nation. most of the initial battles end with British wins. the war brings a strong sense of nationalism and the US embarks in foreign trade. native Americans are removed from the ohio river valley. -
The overland trail
Many heard that there were huge sources of gold out west, as well as new lands to claim. they got together, mostly in big groups to take the 6 month journey west. most went to California or Oregon. there best chance at surviving was to use the conestoga wagon, which could go over land and water. between 1820 and 1860, 250,000+ made the journey west. of those that attempted, 1 in 10 would die. many created small mining towns or spread out, but a lot were far from other civilization. -
Election of 1824
Many new immigrants had moved in, mostly german and Irish, and half Americans had left the original 13 states. this rising population led to urbanization and an emerging middle class. for this election, four candidates ran and nobody got the majority, bringing the decision to the house of representatives. henry clay drops out since he is head of the house then have a secret meeting with john quincy adams. the next day adams is elected as president. many believe it was a corrupt bargain. -
Election of 1828
John Quincy Adams was not a very popular president and didn't do anything groundbreaking, so in the 1828 election Andrew Jackson was elected. this brought about the reign of "King Mob". After taking office, Jackson fired many government employees and kept switching them out with people of his own. many criticized him for rewarding democrats instead of choosing qualified men. he didn't trust the elites, and was with the plain folk. he believed the common man was capable of uncommon achievements -
The second great awakening
As americans became more educated, they began to feel complacent with their methods of worship, and they didn't like how wealth and rationalism were dominating their culture. this second great awakening made communities more protestant, and brought higher roles for others in Christianity. the second great awakening set the stage for social reform movements, especially abolition and temperance. churches also received an increase in membership -
Indian removal act
Andrew Jackson didn't have a love for native Americans, so as people were attempting to move westward, he declared that they were in the way. they government focused on removing them and placing them after the Mississippi river. this brought pain to many natives because the were taken from the tradition grounds that they had inhabited for centuries. this was just the start to the removal of their culture. -
Nullification crisis
By 1831, the south was still angry about the "tariff of abominations" and threatened to nullify the law. John C. Calhoun from SC believes that the tariff is unconstitutional. Jackson aimed to preserve the union so he fought the nullification. SC said it was oppressive, declared the tariffs null and void, and then threatened to secede. Jackson requested congress to grant him the right to use his military force to comply. henry clay created the compromise tariff to get SC to repeal its ordinance. -
Gag rule
Abolition was becoming increasingly popular, and it was scaring many southerners as it spread to congress. to make sure that slavery stayed, the house of representatives passed a series of laws that prohibited congress from bringing up abolition or any petitions relating to slavery. It stayed in place for the next 8 years. John Quincy Adams rescinded the law in 1844 after swaying many of the republicans to believe it was taking away their freedom of speech. -
Republic of texas
The texas area had originally belonged to the Mexican government however it was not very popular. many Americans moved to the area and took it over which didn't please Mexico. they filed to become their own country, the republic of texas because after they became their own country, they could be annexed into the united states. they didn't bother being acknowledged by the Mexican government because they had the united states's approval. they became a state in 1845. -
The schism
Women had been spreading their opinions even prouder now, and they were fighting for their rights. the schism was a political meeting and women were not allowed to enter the floor, they could only watch. William Lloyd Garrison was a very popular figure whom most had come to see talk, and he was bothered by the sexism. he refused to speak or debate. this changed many women who would speak for abolition and women's rights, to switch to fighting for their rights after this disrespect. -
Mexico American War
After texas had been given to the united states, the border was very undecided. the US believed that they had more land than the Mexican government did. the united states and Mexico went to war to settle that dispute, but the us ended up taking so much of the country that they captured Mexico City. Mexico had lost, and now instead of giving up the land of texas, they had to give up new Mexico and California lands. the us became a fully bicoastal nation. -
Seneca falls convention
The Seneca falls convention was the first convention for women's rights and it was extremely popular. it called for their rights and suffrage and greatly popularized the movement. it was a very successful event because it legitimized their argument and spread the word. it is often called the birthplace of American feminism. the abolitionist Frederick Douglass was there and signed their declaration. -
fugitive slave law
There was an equal balance of free and slave states before California, and nobody could decide how to split it. henry clay proposed the compromise of 1850 to settle the matter. in return for California being a free state, the north had to respect the fugitive state law. this meant that any slave that escaped the south and fled had to be returned, and anyone that protected them would face criminal charges. this put the black community back a lot because many free blacks were put in slavery. -
dredd scott case
Dredd Scott was an enslaved man who moved from a slave state to Illinois which was not. his owner then, years later, decided to move back to slave territory. dredd Scott put it before the courts that since he was previously living in a free state, he was a free man. the courts disagreed and said that he would always be property. they upheld slavery in the US territories, denying the legality of black citizenship in America and declaring the Missouri compromise unconstitutional. -
South attack fort sumter
In 1861, 11 states had succeeded from the united states and became the confederacy. fort Sumter was the last fort that was on the confederacy side, and they demanded that the union surrender it because it was an armory in their land. they refused so the confederacy went through and attacked. a random shot broke out which led to shootings on both sides. this war was the first and marked the beginning of the civil war, ultimately leading to the losses of 620,000 people. -
pacific railway act of 1862
Another way that the government aimed to make the south more profitable was by creating the transcontinental railway. it would spread business and open markets for both sides of the country. the government hired two companies and made them race to complete the tracks. they then owned the land 20 miles squared of every track they placed as well as thousands of dollars. this was also a great job opportunity as well as a new start for many of the lower class. -
homestead act of 1862
even though the united states owned incredible land in the west, there were very few inhibitors and they were mostly native Americans. the government realized they needed more people to move west so they released the homestead act which gave 160 acres to any person that wanted it. all they had to do was live on the land and improve it. this created many opportunities for the lower class and improved the west greatly. it was very successful and made the west a lot more profitable. -
Emancipation proclomation
Even though the union army was undoubtedly superior, they were lacking the wins that they expected and needed. Even though the battle of Antietam was not exactly a win for them, it was good enough for Lincoln to publish the emancipation proclamation. This stated that slavery in all of the confederate states was illegal, and it made it look like the war was about slavery. European countries would not be able to trade with the confederates now that it was clear that they supported slavery. -
Battle of Vicksburg
The previous generals that fought for the union were weak or disloyal, but now that Grant was the leader everything was coming together. As a powerful leader, he strategically won the battle of Vicksburg which gave the union control of the Mississippi river. This split the confederate land in two and made it very difficult for them to transport men and supplies to either side. This played a big part in the Anaconda plan, which was aimed at completely cutting off the confederates. -
Battle of Gettysburg
The battle of Gettysburg became the end of the war for the confederates. Before the battle, general lee was a strong confident leader with a very secure army and there was still a chance that he could take over the north. however this was such a vital union win that it obliterated the Confederate army. it is often described as a turning point in the war, as well as the war with the largest number of casualties. this was the last full-scale invasion of the north. -
wade-davis bill
As the end of the civil war was coming, radical republicans had control of the senate and they were trying to figure out how to let the rebel states back into government. Lincoln proposed a calmer and easier bill, but it was rejected, and then they released the Wade Davis bill that allowed them to come back and get representation if they met the following terms: abolishment of slavery and that 50% of their voters have to pledge allegiance to the union before reunification. -
andrew johnsons presidency
After the assassination of Lincoln, the vice president Andrew Johnson became president and he was an old-fashioned southern jacksonian democrat of pronounced states' rights views. He was not a very popular president, and that eventually led to his impeachment. He attempted to fire an official who was protected under the tenure of office act because the house felt that he had brought the office of president into disgrace. They lost with one vote, so he did get to stay for the remaining 10 months. -
Final virginia campaign
The final campaign of the civil war was in Virginia with Grant's troops coming up around Petersburg. General lee realized that he had lost and that continuing to fight would just be a massacre. he surrendered his 28,000 troops to the union army. It was a peaceful and friendly meeting, showing respect that was between the two generals. Lee was the best general in the south and had the biggest army, so there was no way at all that the confederates could come back after the surrender. -
Indian wars
As the east was becoming more crowded and more people moved out west, there was a lot more tension blowing up between the Natives and the migrants. The Natives were being taken off their land once again and they were being forced to split up. They tried to force them to assimilate with Americans, which was often through cruel ways. Due to the tensions, many Indians got into wars with migrants, and they often lost. The Indians slowly got destroyed and lost their land -
Standard Oil
The discovery of Oil in Texas puts the US above everyone else in wealth, as well as introducing the monopoly. From oil, a small group of men rise to incredible wealth and supply products and jobs as well as put others out of business. They grow rich as workers suffer in poverty and dangerous conditions. They become robber barons or captains of industry. John D. Rockefeller was extremely smart and ruthless and grew to be America's first billionaire. his practices fueled the anti-trust movement. -
The pendleton act
When presidents were elected they had the authority to employ their supporters to well-paying, government jobs through the spoils system. Few party politicians wanted reform because the spoils system benefitted them when they won. The catalyst for change was the assassination of President Garfield. One of his biggest supporters was not given a job, so he killed him. The Pendleton Act was passed into law and requires most federal job seekers to pass a civil service exam, ending the spoils system -
Jacob Riis
The tight living in the urban centers were unbearable and disgusting, but it was often ignored by those with the ability to fix it. to highlight what was happening, jacob riis photographed and wrote about the horrors of tenement housing in 'how the other half lives'. his works really shone a light on the issues and convinced some of the upper class to do something about it and brought it into many discussions. he inspired many housing requirements that made it some part safer living in cities. -
ida b wells anti-lynching campaign
Black people were still being oppressed by white people, and women were still struggling to get their word out. Ida B Wells was important for both causes because she began to investigate the many black lynching cases and get them justice and she fought in many rallies for women. she did not listen to YMCA or the women's suffrage groups because they would put her down because she was black. she was kicked out of Memphis and yet developed worldwide support and spread eye-opening knowledge. -
Free silver monetary policy
The Panic of 1893 was a national economic crisis set off by the collapse of two of the country's largest employers, the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad and the National Cordage Company. A panic erupted in the stock market. The nation had been using a paper currency backed by gold, so certain groups pushed for the U.S. to mint silver coins. The movement called the 'Free Silver' would cause inflation which would hurt banks, financiers, businesses, and industry, but would help farmers and miners -
Cuban independence movement
Cuba is a Spanish territory with a large percentage of inhabitants who desire independence. In addition, there are a number of American citizens who live in and own businesses and property in Cuba. A significant amount of the American-controlled sugar trade goes through Cuba
A series of Cuban revolts take place because of the problems caused by tariffs and are met and brutal and inhumane crackdowns from the Spanish. The u.s. Attempts to intervene, negotiating a peaceful solution. -
The populist party
The populist party rose up in response to high debt, falling farm prices, and high unemployment in the lower classes. The party was popular amongst agrarian workers but sometimes allied itself with labor unions. They were often thought to be a party of radicals and reformers. They tend to be anti-industry, big business, and banking. William Jennings Bryant was their presidential nominee (also the Democratic nominee) and delivered the popular "Cross of Gold" speech. -
Bombing of the Maine
in February 1898 government officials received a stolen letter sent by the Spanish minister in Washington. The letter called president Mckinley a would-be-politician and admitted that Spain had no intentions of honoring a deal with the US aimed at humanitarian relief for the Cuban people. The US anchored the navy battleship,the Maine, in Havana Harbor to protect US citizens. While peacefully anchored on Feb 15 1898 the Maine exploded killing 260 American sailors. The US began to prepare for war -
Cuban independence!
The us navy destroyed Spanish fleets on both fronts, crippling spains ability to fight the war, and stranding its army in cuba with no way to escape and no way to resupply.
The army was less prepared and scrambled to add to the 30,000 men prepared to fight. After a few short brutal battles, 24,000 Spanish soldiers were cut off from their navy and stranded in Cuba, surrendered on July 17th. Spanish forces captured in the Philippines surrendered on august 13th, ending the 4-month war -
Pure food and drug act
Many buisnesses were producing food with the most random things, especially if they were from meat packaging plants. they often included disgusting rats and dirt and were not regulated, as was seen in upton sinclair's book. this act made it so that organic food had to be organic, calories had to be exact, ingredients had to be correct, and medications had to be inspected. the pure food and drug act was the predecessor for the FDA. it protected consumers from digesting unknown drugs -
Model T
Henry Ford introduces the model T in 1908 for $850. Using scientific management and creating a moving assembly line he was able to reduce the time it takes to produce a Model T from 12 hrs. To 90 minutes. This also reduced the priice to only $280. Ford wanted the best and most loyal employees to achieve that end, he offered his workers better wages, shorter hours, and weekends off. He shaped our working schedule today and made cars a common thing and not just available for the wealthy. -
The great migration
With large numbers of white men joining the military, and factories gearing up to support a war effort, African Americans from the south moved north to escape sharecropping and in search of opportunity. They were able to get many urban jobs and less racism. This helped the jobs and economy of the US survive because without them there would be too many openings without workers. this was one of the factors that led to the civil rights movement. roughly 6 million people were moving out of the south -
MANIA starts to build up, WW1 is started
Many countries in Europe begin to build up their military in case of war. Once they see others do it they keep building. Alliances were signed because countries feared the militaries that others were building. Nationalism spreads and people are beginning to have pride in their countries. Imperialism is spreading where other countries are taking ahold of others. And then Archduke Franz Ferdinand is assassinated by the Serbians, and everyone is ready to go to war. The countries join in a domino. -
US is dragged into the war
President Wilson is re-elected on a platform of peace, promising to keep America out of the war. the US declares its neutrality. Germany blockades the allied powers and declares unrestricted submarine warfare. They sink the Litusiania and then 4 unarmed American ships. The Sussex pledge was made but then broken. the US intercepts the Zimmerman note where Germany attempts to trick the US with Mexico and then attack them together. -
War industries board
Wars are expensive and they need almost everything that the US has. The government establishes the world industries board to regulate basically everything. they can manipulate what was being produced, set quotas for some industries, Determine minimum and maximum prices for certain products, and Oversee the distribution of raw materials. It was highly controversial because they took away freedoms and extended immense power, but they did ensure that the military would survive and the US succeed. -
18th and 19th amendment
Women viewed alcohol as the root of social ills like abuse, neglect, unemployment, gambling, prostitution, and disease. The temperance movement was the nationwide attempt to curb and eliminate alcohol use. they were successful at convincing everyone else that it caused everything wrong in the world, and then it became the 18th amendment. and then like dominos, the next amendment was for women's votes. women can then vote in the election next year which switches things around. -
Influenza in the war
In order to better protect against modern weapons, a defensive strategy emerged. The idea behind trenches is that you can’t kill what you can't see. Soldiers in trenches have to expose very little of themselves. They live in close contact with the dead, diseases and rats. While the great war was tragically brutal, a worldwide pandemic of influenza broke out in 1918. Aided by the unsanitary conditions of trench warfare, influenza broke out and killed over 20 million people. -
Wilsons 14 points
All sides want an end to the war, but trench warfare means traditional victory or defeat is impossible. Germany agrees to an armistice, or temporary ceasefire, while a permanent treaty is hammered out. They agree because they believe the treaty will be based on Wilson’s 14 points. It called for preventative action, borders, and the league of Nations. Germany would not feel the blame and would not suffer consequences. the US does not even support the points -
Treaty of versailles
European powers did not like the 14 points, they wanted something that would punish Germany. What they came up with was the Treaty of Versailles. It limited their army, warships, planes and submarines, land, ability to unite, and ability to place troops in the Rhineland. they have to sign the war guilt clause and pay 33 billion in reparations. they create the League of Nations but the US does not join because Congress does not want to lose power to international powers. -
The Red Scare
The great war created a great sense of patriotism. Anyone seen as unpatriotic or standing against American values was ostracized and feared. With the knowledge of the Russian revolution, there is a rising tide of hatred against communism known as the red scare. Fear of spreading communism the government began to respond. Attorney general Mitchell Parmer, encouraged raids that involved mass arrests and deportation of those suspected to be anarchists, communists, and radicals. -
Harlem Renaissance
Many blacks in the south moved north during the great war. The newly established black community saw a flourishing of black artistic expression. instilled in African Americans across the country a new spirit of self-determination and pride, a new social consciousness, and a new commitment to political activism. It instilled in African Americans across the country a new spirit of self-determination and pride, a new social consciousness, and a new commitment to political activism -
Immigration act of 1924
Begging in the red scare, people began to be extremely patrioticThis time was also marked by a rise in anti-immigrant feelings. the immigration act of 1924 limited the number of immigrants who can come to the US to only 2% of the number of people from that country in the US in 1890. (only eastern Europeans) then, immigration from china and japan was banned completely. this led to alienation of many races throughout America, even if they were American born. -
The lost generation
Post war literature sees a dramatic shift. The writers of this era are known as ‘the lost generation’. They embrace the idea of living for a moment and they reject the strict and seemingly rigid social rules. some examples are F scott fitzgerald - the great gatsby, Ernest hemingway- a farewell to arms, and William falkner - the sound and the fury. they didn't know what to do after the war and suffered from depression and implemented into their artworks. -
Rise of the klan
Klan activity not seen since the 1880s begins to rise again. Membership reaches 5 million. Showing how mainstream they are and the support of the government, the KKK marches on Washington in 1926. The group is willing to use violence, intimidation, and political means to achieve its ends. Tacts are aimed at African Americans, Jews, Immigration, and Catholics. Membership is shot down once the violence is truly shown and the leader is uncovered for being a terrible person -
Installment buying
Installment buying, which was buying on credit was becoming one of the genius ideas after the war. people wanted a secure future so they invested their money. Industrial wages were growing but at a much slower pace than corporate wages. Farm incomes decline, depression hits first and hardest in rural areas. the Stock market surges and people begin buying on margin. this cracks the foundations of the US economy and eventually sends it into a great depression. the partying is over. -
Hoover tries to save america
The Stock market crashes so people lose life savings. The Banks close so people lose life savings. Homes/farms were foreclosed on so people could no longer afford to pay mortgage so and people lose life savings. the Unemployment rate hits 3%. everyone experienced Extremely high levels of debt. the bonus army demanded the pay that they had been promised after the war but Hoover got tired of them and burned down their camp. then the dust bowl spread and took good soil. hoover did little to help. -
the dust bowl
Oklahoma, texas, Nebraska, colorado, Kansas, and parts of other states experienced the economic and environmental disaster known as the dust bowl. Overproduction and plowing up grasses for farms to meet the needs of a booming wheat market caused soil exhaustion. then with some drought and strong winds crops were turned to dust, homes were buried, and fields blew away. Food becomes more scarce and many families are forced to abandon farms ‘okies’ and move to California. -
The new deal
FDR is elected in 1932 and he promised programs to address the depression. he focuses on “relief, recovery, and reform”. Created enormous debt spending (Keynesian economics) to consume our way out of the depression. The ‘new deal is aimed at creating new agencies and programs to protect people from economic disaster and provide relief or temporary work. In Roosevelt’s first ‘hundred days’ he acts decisively to increase government spending and creates many programs. -
Federal deposit insurance corporation (FDIC)
Many of the banks had fell under during Hoover and people were terrified to use them. FDR sets up a new financial system with the biggest one being the FDIC. FDR declared a national bank holiday in which all banks were closed and inspected. Only healthy banks were allowed to reopen. Insured individual bank deposits. The aim was to make people more comfortable using them. He also regulated trading practices in stocks and bonds with the Securities and exchange Commission (SEC). -
Hitler becomes chancellor to Germany
Germany suffers from the ideas of the Treaty of Versailles and has 0 power. His popularity soared because of his criticism of the treaty and refusal to adhere to it. he declares that there is an Internal enemy - Jews and an External enemy- the treaty of Versailles. Hitler soon ordered a program of rearming Germany which gave them jobs and an army. he then marches into the Rhineland. he defies every part of the treaty step by step and nobody does anything about it. -
Germany invades Poland
After germany has gone against the treaty of versialles everyday, they look for expansion. they see a threat in polish people and invade them. half of Europe has alliances again, so now britiain and France join. he invades russia too after their non aggression pact. the war has started with Britain, France, Russia on one side and then germany, Italy and japan on the other. france surrenders almost instantly to protect Paris. germany is starting off very successful. -
Pearl Harbor
before pearl harbor, the US was not yet in the war. they aided the allied powers but were not majorly involved. japan woke a sleeping giant by bombing pearl harbor after the US demanded that Japan withdraw from China and Indochina. Japan thought that attacking the US would provide them with an easy win, and a territory with abundant land and resources to rule once they were victorious. The US finally was forced to join world war ii. The US and great britain declared war on Japan. -
D-Day
The leader of the USSR joseph stalin wanted to create an operation that wold be carried out by the allies in western europe in order to reduce the amount of divisions in the USSR’s territory. The allies spent 18 month planning and training for D-Day. it was the largest seaborne invasion in history and was the turning point in world war II. 156,000 troops stormed the french beaches and created another front for the germans to fight. they used land, sea and air to overpower the german troops -
Yalta conference
FDR, Churchill, and Stalin met to discuss the future of europe after the war including the World organization (united nations), Dismemberment of Germany, Russia’s entry into war against japan, putting Poland back. theUN meets for the first time in 1945. germany was split into 4 zones, each one controlled by an allied power. they aimed to bring it back together and fix it whilst also preventing another radical leader like hitler to rize to power there again. -
Start of the cold war
British and soviet troops had jointly occupies iran since 1941 to protect oil reserves from falling into german hands. At the end of the war, the british withdraw their trooops, but the soviets refused to withdraw their forces hoping to force oil concessions from the Iranians. Differences and distrust between the US and the USSR lead to strong tensions. Once the USSR tests their own nuclear weapon, MAD ensures that we will never directly attack one another, but instead use proxies -
Truman doctorine
President truman asked congress for $400 million in aid plus US troops/advisors to help both greece and turkey fight back the communist threat. Almost all of eastern Europe had already to fell to communism and the president's greatest fear is that everyone or America would. it was also known as the policy of containment as they wanted to contain communism in Russia and the east. The support that a country could receive could be economic, political, or military assistance -
Jackie Robinson joins the major leagues
One of the managers in the major leagues supports integration. he has to discover someone that can take the heat from the crowds nonstop and he finds jackie Robinson. he becomes the 1st black player in the major leagues. He was spiked, beaned, threatened, players refused to play with him or against him, & he was refused service while on the road. He never retaliated. His courage, discipline & success was an inspiration to millions. this was the beginning of integration for sports. -
Berlin Blockade
After the war berlin, was divided into four zones: USSR, French, British, and American. the three allies united their zones into one that was best known as west berlin. West berlin was deep inside the communist-controlled part of Germany. the USSR imposed a complete blockade on railway, road, and canal traffic leading to West Berlin from the allied German zone. Stalin wanted to starve the city into submission. Truman sent out airlifts and declared that if one was shot down it meant war. -
Marshall plan
Almost all of europe had been destroyed by WWII and desperately needed reconstruction. If Europe didn't bounce back the US would have no one to trade with and therefore have a weak economy. George Marshall proposes we give them economic assistance to build back up. it aimed to stabilize the region, prevent the spread of communism, and promote economic growth. it was a major success with countries experiencing significant economic growth and political stability. -
NATO
After a year the russians ended the berlin blockade. Then Dean Acheson became the secretary of state in 1949 under Harry Truman. In that post, he developed a policy to contain communist expansion by funneling economic and military aid to democratic nations, and by helping to establish the north Atlantic treaty organization (NATO). Any communist countries, especially the ones in eastern Europe, were not present. they were however allowed to join in the later years. -
The korean war
China was attempting to make korea communist, and the US was prohibiting that. China stayed in the north and US in the south. the south was pushed all the way to the border. The war began to replicate the trench warfare that was seen during WWI. Former General Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected president in Novembr 1952 with a pledge to go to Korea and end the war. After three years of fighting, an armistice was signed ending the Korean war. Korea remained divided at the 38th parallel. -
Life after WWII.
Due to the lack of men in the country and the great depression, the US had little babies. but now that the men were back there was a huge baby boom. the veterans also received the GI bill which gave them access to free college. they all followed strict conformity to make sure that they were not mistaken for communist. the suburbs were created and the common people began to buy their own homes. less people are now living in the cities. television is now also widespread. -
Brown v Topeka Board of Education
Plessy determined that schools could be separate if they were equal, they were not. Black schools often had out of date&low level books and materials, smaller & with fewer services, and less qualified teachers. Linda brown had to walk past a public school to get to the black school which was of course lower quality. Thurgood Marshall represents linda brown in her case to the supreme court. They would win the case overturning plessy. this was one of the first demands for real integration -
Rosa Parks
The communities were looking for the right boycott against segration, and they find innocent rosa parks and the bus company that relies on them. in montgomery alabama, rosa parks challenges the jim crow laws by refusing to give up her seat. She is arrested, and black leaders organize a boycott. 40,000 black people in Montgomery participate in the boycott which lasts 382 days. The bus companies eventually join in fighting the law in order to end the boycott. -
Martin Luther King Jr.
King, a pastor, gets his start as a civil rights leader in the montgomery bus boycotts. In 1957 he helps found the southern christian leadership conference (SCLC) with other black christian leaders. King and the SCLC employ civil disobedience tactics of gandhi which gets television coverage and leads to public sympathy. While protesting in birmingham, alabama martin luther king jr. is arrested
While in jail he writes his famous open letter from a Birmingham jail. It inspires millions -
Cuban missile crisis
The US recieved reports that the russians were keeping their missiles in cuba. they were 50 times as powerful as the ones that were done to japan. JFK had to decide by firing missiles there and creating full out nuclear warfare or creating a naval blockade. he chose the naval blockade. both sides were nervous to actually use their missiles because that meant that there would be assured total destruction on both sides of the world. Khrushchev gave in to the pressure and moved out of cuba -
Space race
The US and the USSR were competing with each other to finally reach out of space. The USSR were typically in the lead at trying to reach the moon. they competed to launch satellites, sending humans in to space, and land on the moon. it had a significant impact on the development of technology and science and it was symbolic of the cold war rivalry between the USSR and the US. In 1969 the US finally wins and puts men on the moon. "That's one small step for man, one huge leap for mankind" -
Watergate
There was a break in to the Democratic National Comittee headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington DC> they placed bugs and tried to find dirt. Nixon himself was not involved in the situation but he attempted to cover it up. He got a lot of blame and was facing impeachment, so he went ahead and resigned. This led to major distrust of the US government during the 1970s and 80s. Although he did solve the Vietnam war it was not enough and therefore he went down as a terrible guy. -
The vietnam war
As a result of the cold war tensions and the US's policy of containment, there were high tensions in Vietnam. the war was highly controversial and resulted in the deaths of millions of people, including civilians. it had a significant impact on American society and politics, leading to protests and socials unrest. Failure in Vietnam was rooted in a misunderstanding of the type of conflict and a failure to adapt. -
The carter administration
Jimmy carter rises up in georgia and serves as a congressman for only one term. he then reaches higher and goes towards the presidency. he was inexperienced, but a good guy, he implemented several policies aimed at improving healthcare, education, and energy. he played a significant role in brokering peace agreements between isreal and egypt. however, he also struggled to keep America up during the recession, Iran hostage crisis and strained relationships with the USSR.