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This is the first permanent English settlement in North America. These protestant settlers moved for financial opportunity and to "purify" the English church. They faced harsh conditions and lots of starvation and disease. This was known as the starving time. These chartered settlements first found success through the planting of tobacco which was becoming increasingly valuable as the world was literally and figuratively getting addicted.
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The friction in the developing new world between global superpowers France and Great Britain resulted in this long and expensive war. These rivals fought for territory all over the world, including America. The British victory in 1763 resulted in a huge gain of land as well as a huge amount of debt. Expanding into the new land caused trouble with the Natives something the English desperately wanted to avoid. The cost of the war also but a new burden on the people of the colonies.
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The British wanted to avoid any trouble with the Native Americans and barred all land west of the Appalachian Mountains. This angered the colonist as many had already begun moving out to the land and had to be forced out by soldiers. Other people were mad that they had fought a war and gained nothing. The colonist feeling short-handed led to friction. The American Attitude starts to develop.
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This was the fist direct tax on the colonies. The tax was meant to help pay for the debt of the French and Indian War. It also helped pay for the soldiers needed to "protect" the colonist from the land west of the Appalachians. A royal stamp was needed on playing cards, legal documents, newspapers, licenses, and more. This tax really targeted merchants, lawyers, and publishers as they dealt with legal documents often.
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Before the battle, the Patriots moved forward to Breed’s hill on the Charleston peninsula. Seeing this, Gen. Thomas Gage knew he had to take action and attack. This attack not only killed 1054 British, but it proved that the British could stand up to the British Army, boosting morale. Although like Bunker Hill was a loss for the Patriots like many to come, it proved that the Patriots had a fight in the American Revolution. This win led to help the W for America.
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The struggle at Valley Forge led Thomas Paine to write Common Sence. This impacted the troops like a motivational speech from a leader. It told the troops that the British were wrong and inspired them to fight and fight hard. This changed the troop's mind set and set them straight to cross the Deleware and defeat the British at Valley Forge. This led to the W at Valley forge.
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Common Sense is a 47-page pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in 1775–1776 advocating independence from Great Britain to people in the Thirteen Colonies. Writing in clear and persuasive prose, Paine collected various moral and political arguments to encourage common people in the Colonies to fight for egalitarian government. It was published anonymously on January 10, 1776, at the beginning of the American Revolution, and became an immediate sensation.
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This document was signed and ratified by all thirteen colonies to stand united and declare independence from the British Crown. It was an explanation to the king why they decided to leave and on July 4th it was approved by congress and published. The main author was Thomas Jefferson but his work was edited and changed by a committee of Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston.
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Desperate for supplies, Washington and his accomplices deceive a daring plan to capture the British supplies and get a W. This was a tremendous success for Washington and helps the Patriots get an advantage in the Battle of Princeton. This proves that Washington is capable and convinces more loyalists and fence-sitters to join the militia. This was starting a movement in W’s for the patriots in future battles. This led to the win at the Battle of Princeton.
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The Americans set up artillery that can see a road that the British have to take to push a fort. This gave Americans an advantage in the battle. This was the biggest turning point in the war and gave more confidence in the Continental Army. This was a turning point after lots of losses. This led to a huge partnership with the French. The French were a huge impact on the war and eventually helped a lot at Yorktown.
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Before Valley Forge, Washington and his troops were stuck in the middle of the winter, causing lots of diseases and casualties. This caused lots of distress among the troops and lots of people deserted the camp. This battle at Valley Forge was monumental for the troops of the Patriotic army. The newspapers were filled with confidence in the troops and caused some fence-sitters to favor the Patriots. This was a huge change in the race of the American Revolution after many loses for America.
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After the win in the Revolutionary war, the Americans needed to install a new government. They wanted a new government as they had thought that the British government was very corrupt. This led to economic disorganization. The Articles of Confederation presented economic limitations making it hard to pay off the debts of the Revolution. This reflects how America really struggled to create economic stability at the birth of its country.
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The British tried to lead the American Army to try to surround them with their powerful Navy. This plan worked as the Americans found the British at Fort Yorktown. However, the French had previously taken out the British Navy. This win granted the W for the Americans in the Revolutionary War. This led to the win and the independence that the Patriots had so desired, setting a new path for the Americans.
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In order to end the long struggle in war away land, the British Parliament agreed to sign the Treaty of Paris. This treaty acknowledged that the British recognized the US as an independent country as well as gave British land east of the Mississippi river and north all the way to British Canada.
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Daniel Shays and multiple other Revolutionary War veterans made a rebellion in Massachusetts as they saw corruption in the Articles of confederation involving unjust economic policies. This led to a decision that the Article of Confederation was inadequate and that they needed to make a new government. Flaws in the government continued to happen throughout the history of the US. This led to the making of the constitution.
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Even though America won the war, it failed to make a successful government with the Articles of Confederation. The Constitutional Compromise created a new government with the Constitution. This was somewhat successful with the government as it led to the federalists vs anti-federalists.
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The government knew that they needed to create a policy about the new states of the nation. This created a great way to control how states grew and also made it illegal to own slaves in these states. The abolishment of slavery started to spread and continue through new states. This led to the Emancipation Proclamation and the Civil War.
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This invention by Eli Whitney in 1794 revived the dying slave industry in the South, prolonging slavery and the planter class, and southern life for many years to come. This enabled slaves to separate seeds from the cotton fiber, allowing cotton to become an extremely profitable product. Cotton became King, leading to all sorts of consequences such as the genesis of the interior slave trade and even the Civil War.
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This was the first instance in the world where power was changing hands peacefully. The world watched to see if the "American Experiment" would work. In the end, Thomas Jefferson became the 3rd President of the United States after defeating John Adams.
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James Madison finds an undelivered letter of appointment to William Marbury. Tomas Jefferson instructs Madison not to deliver the letter and Marbury sues Madison. The court ruled that it was illegal for Madison to withhold the letter and establishes Judicial Review.
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The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition of the territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. In return for fifteen million dollars, or approximately eighteen dollars per square mile, the United States nominally acquired a total of 828,000 sq mi in Middle America. However, France only controlled a small fraction of this area, most of which was inhabited by Native Americans.
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The Embargo Act of 1807 prohibited American ships from trading in foreign ports as an attempt to punish Britain and France for interfering in American trade. But the legislation greatly damaged the American economy and severely decreased American imports and exports. The legislation hit Southern farmers and New England merchants very hard and attracted a significant amount of dissent. But in the long run, it acted similarly to a protectionist tariff and resulted in a boom in local manufacturing.
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The War of 1812 was sparked by British impressment of American sailors and attempts to restrict American trade. The war ended with no clear winner with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent. The war represented a turning point in the Native American struggle to govern themselves. However, the end of the war ushered in an "Era of Good Feelings" which boosted nationalism and encouraged the ideas of American expansionism. It also marked the end of the Federalist Party which was seen as unpatriotic.
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The Trail of Tears was the height of the Indian Removal Act where multiple tribes were forced to give up their lands and move West of the Mississippi. Roughly 1 in 4 Native Americans died during this forced displacement and many more died due to the vastly different new lands. This would set a precedent for valuing profits and lands over Native American peoples that would last for many years to come as Native American reservations were systematically moved and made smaller.
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Bleeding Kansas referred to the violent confrontations between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces in Kansas. It proved that both the free states and slave states were willing to take drastic measures to ensure the expansion of their ideologies to the West. Some historians think that this marked the beginning of the Civil War as it showed that both the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850 were not enough to stop the inevitable conflict between the Northern states and Southern states.
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Abraham Lincoln was the first Republican to be elected as president. He served as a rallying cry for the Southern states who had strongly campaigned against his election and in doing so had got themselves to believe that Lincoln was some kind of radical who would overuse federal power to abolish slavery. His election drove many of the Southern states into a panic and by the time Lincoln took office, eleven states had already seceded from the Union and created the Confederate States of America.
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South Carolina seceding in response to the election of Abraham Lincoln was a shock to all. South Carolina had always been a big proponent of states' rights as could be seen in the Nullification Crisis, but seceding from the Union was treason that could only be met with force. South Carolina's secession served as a precedent that pushed ten other states to secede before Lincoln took office as well. This would mark the inevitably of the Civil War as the Union would fight to preserve its unity.
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The Homestead Act of 1862 offered 160 acres of land to every head of household provided they lived on the property for five years, improved it in some way, and farm the land. This was an attempt by the federal government to make the Western lands productive. This act prompted many Europeans to migrate to the United States after the Civil War and helped make the nation more agriculturally productive than the world had ever seen.
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The Emancipation Proclamation served a variety of goals in the Union's war plan. It broadened the goals of the Union by making slavery an explicit aspect of the war instead of simple unification. This also prevented European countries from providing aid to the Confederacy as it made the war explicitly about slavery. Finally, the Emancipation Proclamation served as an ultimatum where the rebelling states would still be able to keep their slaves if they rejoined the Union in a timely manner.
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The Dawes Act of 1887 was a direct attack on the communal property lifestyle of Native American peoples. It would break parts of Native American reservations into allotments and grant them to any Native American who wanted it. It was an attempt to integrate Native Americans into American society and create "surplus" land that could be sold and used by the federal government. Many American groups thought by helping allot the reservations they could help ease the tensions between their peoples.
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Wanting to thank veterans for their service in WWII, President Roosevelt signed the GI Bill of Rights that offered a variety of benefits to service members. The legislation provided funding for VA hospitals, offered low-interest mortgage loans, and provided free tuition for colleges and trade schools. This legislation allowed for a shift in American society and created a large and substantial middle class that valued education due to hundreds of thousands of veterans to attain higher education. -
To avoid a prolonged ground war in the Pacific, President Truman utilized two atomic bombs dropping them on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The bombs killed a combined 120,000 people. This created a new power dynamic on the world stage and started an international nuclear arms race as other countries developed nuclear weapons programs of their own. This would eventually created a new international balance where nuclear armed countries are motivated to keep peace due to mutually assured destruction". -
In the wake of the Baby Boom the limited supply of housing became apparent. the firm Levitt & sons Inc rose to the occasion using a new building practices to mass-produce a suburb. By only creating a limited number of house designs and offering limited customization options they were able to rapidly create houses and were able to sell them and much lower prices. Levittown is considered to be the father of modern suburbia and acted as the blueprint for future neighborhoods across the country. -
Jackie Robinson was the first African American to enter the major leagues in baseball. He was subjected to lots of hatred during his time. He was spiked, beaned, threatened, and players refused to play with or against him, and he was refused service while on the road. But Robinson never retaliated. His courage, discipline, and success was an inspiration to millions of Americans. His influence helped white citizens to view African Americans in a new light and inspired many African Americans. -
After the Post World War II collapse of the European economy, President Truman fearing the unstable economy would incentivize communism enacted the Marshall Plan to rebuild their capitalist economies. The legislation provided Western Europe with extensive American aid and helped a resurgence of their economies and industrialization. This helped stop the spread of communism and helped to establish foreign markets for American goods helping to boost the American economy and international trade. -
After the USSR implemented the Berlin Blockade as a way of starving West Berlin, the United States in conjunction with the Allies commenced Operation Vittles otherwise known as the Berlin Airlift. The Berlin Airlift served as a major victory for the US in the Cold War as they were able to demonstrate to the world their famous "Yankee ingenuity", thwart Stalin's plans, and pain the USSR as international bullies. In response the US, France, and Britain hardened their resolve on German issues. -
Western Europe was devastated by WW II and was unable to properly defend itself from the looming communist threat. Hoping collective alliances would prevent further expansion by the Soviet Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was created. The heart of the alliance is Article 5 which enshrines collective defense. The alliance helped Western European countries feel safe and secure from the expansion of the Soviet Union which helped them focus on reconstruction and post-war rebuilding. -
Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin rose to prominence in American politics in 1950 when he claimed to have a list of communists within the state department. He used the paranoia of the Cold War and fear of communism to launch a series of trials on innocent American citizens who lost their careers and reputations. These trials created an atmosphere of fear and distrust that infringed on American freedoms guaranteed by the constitution and pushed a sense of conformity in politics and lifestyle. -
The Korean War was a brutal conflict that began when soldiers from the North Korean People's Army invaded South Korea with support from China and the Soviet Union. America's policy at the time was containment of communism so American troops were shipped over to help the plight of the South Korean people. After some back and forth around the 38th parallel, an armistice was eventually created creating the a border at the 38th parallel. Almost 40000 Americans died and more than 100000 were wounded. -
In this milestone decision, the Supreme Court ruled that separating children in public schools on the basis of race was unconstitutional. It signaled the end of legalized racial segregation in the schools of the United States, overruling the "separate but equal" principle set forth in the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson case -
After Japan's defeat in WW II, they promptly withdrew its forces from Vietnam allowing for Ho Chi Minh's communist forces to take over and declare a Democratic Republic of Vietnam. France hoping to regain control backed Emperor Bao in Southern Vietnam. The war was incredibly devastating with 2 million civilians, 1.1 million Viet Cong troops, and 200,000 South Vietnamese soldiers ending up dead. America dropped a devastating 8 million tons of bombs and pledged a staggering amount of resources. -
Inspired by the German Autobahn, President Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1965, also known as the Eisenhower Interstate Act, to economically unite the country and provide greater defensive capabilities. The bill created a 41,000-mile interstate home that allowed for "speedy safe transcontinental travel". The new legislation further solidified American "car culture" allowing for car-owners to live further from work and cities while also being able to travel further for leisure. -
The USSR shot down an American U2 spy plane in Soviet air space and was able to capture its pilot Francis Gary Powers. Confronted with the evidence President Eisenhower admitted to the Soviets that the CIA had been flying spy missions over the USSR for several years. The USSR used the incident to create a vast amount of propaganda and cancel their attendance of the Paris Summit that was being called to discuss the situation in Germany, a possible arms control treaty, and relaxation of tensions. -
With the invention of television, Americans could see broadcasted shows and news by simply tuning into their favorite station. Kennedy seemed to feel more comfortable on the television and was willing to wear makeup unlike Nixon. This allowed Kennedy to pull ahead in popularity and ultimately win the election. Those who watched the debate reported that Kennedy won while those who read the transcript believed that Nixon won which indicated a new era in politics where appearance is significant. -
After Cuba fell to communism on January 1st 1959, President Eisenhower approved a CIA operation to overthrow Castro by training Cuban exiles. President John F Kennedy inherits the planned invasion of Cuba but withdrew American air support so that the United States could maintain deniability. The Cuban exiles landed in the Bay of Pigs and were decimated by Castro's forces. The event was humiliating for JFK who then fired the director of the CIA and attempted to reform his presidential strategy. -
After US intelligence surmised that the Soviet Union planned to install nuclear missiles in Cuba drastic measures were taken. JFK announced a full quarantine of the island halting the flow of military goods. The crisis reached its peak when the USSRS Grozny attempted the run the quarantine line but the ship eventually halted when a US ship fired a shell across its bow. The Soviet ships turned around, further conflict in the region was avoided, and Cuban missile sites were dismantled. -
President Johnson was incredibly ambitious when he entered office hoping to end poverty, reduce crime, abolish inequality, and preserve the environment. To this he promoted a series of policy initiatives that ultimately became known as The Great Society. One of the policy initiatives aimed to improve health security and wellbeing and ultimately established the Medicare and Medicaid programs. This was truly a period of reform with everything from education to the environment getting attention. -
One of the largest and most famous American protests, the March on Washington was spearheaded by MLK and supported by President Kennedy. Drawing some 250,000 people of all backgrounds and ethnicities, the event drew attention to the continuing inequalities faced by African Americans. Many local African American churches and institutions chartered busses to transport people to and from the protest. MLK's "I Have a Dream Speech" fueled further civil rights fervor and legislation from Congress. -
President John F Kennedy the President of the United States, was assassinated in Dallas, Texas while riding in the presidential motorcade. His assassination in large part helped unite a Congress to support legislation that would eventually become the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This also exercised the process by which a vice president would become president of the United States. Johnson extensively documented the process to ensure that the handing off of power would be seen as constitutional. -
After desegregation of public schools, there was a public outcry by white pro-segregation activists. In response President Kennedy petitioned Congress for a comprehensive civil rights bill. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin. This acted as a new benchmark in civil rights legislation and officially ended the application of Jim Crow laws in Southern states that had been upheld by the Supreme Court as constitutional. -
Even after civil rights legislation had been passed, African Americans were facing fierce resistance when attempting to register to vote. To shed light on this, civil rights leaders organized a march from Selma to Montgomery in Alabama. The first march met stiff resistance, the second march was turned around by MLK, and finally the third march made it to Montgomery with escort by the military. This helped drive Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act and secure voting for all Americans. -
Due to a myriad of religious and social values, many states had laws that restricted or outlawed the advertising or sale of contraceptives. The Supreme Court ruled that the Connecticut legislation was unconstitutional as it violated the Due Process Clause. The court further rules that the constitutional right to privacy guarantees married couples the right to purchase and use contraception. This landmark ruling helped pave the way for further reproductive privacy and freedoms that we have today. -
Although landmark federal civil rights legislation had been signed in the previous year, there was stiff resistance at the state and local levels. State and local governments were preventing African Americans from exercising their right to vote through literacy tests, poll taxes, and more unconstitutional practices. To combat these discriminatory voting practices, President Johnson signed the legislation to overcome the state and local legal barriers and provide a legal basis for protections. -
While standing on the balcony outside is room at the Lorraine Motel, MLK is killed in Memphis Tennessee. The bullet stuck him in the jaw and severed his spinal cord. In the months before his death, King was becoming more and more concerned with economic disparities promising that we "will get to the promised land". His death led to a surge of anger amongst African Americans but helped to pace the way for an equal housing bill that would be the last major legislation of the civil rights era. -
Occurred eight years after President John F. Kennedy announced a national goal of landing a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s, the Apollo 11 Moon Landing was a landmark scientific achievement for the United States of America. This event effectively solidified the United States as the winner of the Space Race and the Soviet Union as the loser. This resulted in a major boost in morale for the United States and served as propaganda for the hundreds of million who watched with amazement. -
By the end of the 1960s pollution problems had become undeniable due to advancements in science. Smog was killing New Yorkers, oil spills were devastating the ocean, and auto exhaust was high enough in certain regions that it was causing birth defects. Public pressure forced President Nixon to take action. Nixon proposed and ultimately established the Environmental Protection Agency utilizing a presidential executive order. The main goal of the EPA is to protect human health and the environment. -
The exposing of the Watergate Scandal began when three burglars were arrested in the Democratic National Committee office located in the Watergate complex. The burglars were connected to President Nixon's reelection campaign and were caught wiretapping phones and stealing sensitive documents. Fearful of how it would appear, Nixon covered up the crimes but was ultimately exposed by the Washington Post. Facing massive public pressure, Nixon resigned from the presidency succeeded by Gerald Ford. -
In response to a Texas state law that prevented abortion unless the pregnancy was life-threatening, a plaintiff by the pseudonym of Roe Wade filed a suit against the district attorney of Dallas County. Roe claimed the state laws concerning abortion were unconstitutionally vague and abridged her right to personal privacy. The Supreme Court used the legal precedent set by Griswold v Connecticut and ruled that the Constitution protects a pregnant women's liberty to choose an abortion.
