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120 men from mainland Britain landed in what became known as Jamestown, Virginia with hopes of finding precious materials. They instead found a harsh winter, food insecurity, and hostile natives. John Smith organized the men telling them they could either work or die. Named after James I, Jamestown's colonization became profitable when tobacco, a cash crop that grew well in its soil, was discovered. It was the first British colony in North America and set the stage for all that was to come. -
The headright system was introduced as a way to attract European settlers to the colonies. With these grants given by the Virginia Company, a person who settled in Virginia, or who paid for the transportation of another person who settled in Virginia, was entitled to 50 acres of land for each immigrant. This oversaw the boom of plantation systems, the beginning of indentured servitude, and the eventual transition into the British struggles for new American land and the power that came with it. -
In 1619, the Virginia Company, which funded the Jamestown Colony, voted to allow the settlers to form an assembly, the first of its kind in the colonies. The House of Burgess was later added to form a bicameral parliament. White men with property could elect these representatives. The royal family still retained their last residency, but the establishment of parliament was an important step in autonomy. It created an independent attitude that eventually would lead the colonies to revolution. -
A transatlantic economy was formed between the powers of Europe and their colonies. As this trade increased, so did demand for commodities such as Virginia tobacco. Tobacco at that point did not yet exist in England but had become prominent. Seeing the need for more workers, Portuguese slave traders brought 20 enslaved Africans to the colony as "indentured servants." This trade expanded into slavery and became known as the Transatlantic Slave Trade, marking the beginning of american slavery. -
While Jamestown was founded for profit, Massachusetts Bay was founded for moral reasons, largely to separate from the Anglican Church, with many finding it corrupt. Amongst the people who came from Britain were Puritans (Separatists) and pilgrims. They wanted to create a settlement where they could practice their religion freely. They instituted a theocratic government with strict moral rules for all citizens. These new ideals were echoed in nearly every American development event to follow. -
These were parliamentary acts aimed at promoting the self-sufficiency of England by limiting colonial trade and reducing the colonies’ dependence on foreign imports. The 1651 act required goods to be carried on English ships, and the 1660 acts said the colonies could only export sugar and tobacco to Britain and important European commodities only from British ports. The acts were ignored by planters and merchants, reflecting the civil disobedience that swept Britain almost a century later. -
The Dutch began to settle what is now New York City in 1626 and named it New Amsterdam. Although strategically important as a port city, it was home to only about 9,000 people in its heyday. The British fought a series of naval battles from 1652 to 1674 to conquer the colony. Charles II gave the country to his brother, the Duke of York, from which it got its present name of New York. The city would become a major port, population center, and cultural hub for the United States. -
In 1676, Virginia was highly stratified by class. The lower classes wanted to go west where land was cheap and abundant. Bacon led these people into a violent rebellion against Governor Berkeley and other leaders. This was the first rebellion in the colonies that frontiersmen took part in. In response, the Virginia slave codes of 1705 passed, tightening the caste of slavery to attempt to separate the two races from later revolts. This would not be the end of class tensions in the South. -
This was a work of political philosophy that was anonymously published by English enlightenment philosopher, John Locke. Before the Age of Enlightenment, it was commonly believed that God gave rulership to monarchs, so it was blasphemy to question their authority. Locke argued that contrasts are the foundation of government. Citizens should have the right to influence government policy. In the eyes of the colonists, his ideas directly undermined the authority of the British monarchy. -
The Salem witch trials were a series of trials, prosecutions and executions of innocent people accused of practicing witchcraft. Over 200 people were accused of witchcraft and imprisoned. Out of the 200, thirty people were found guilty, 19 of whom were executed by hanging. This was a combined result of church politics, family feuds, and hysterical children. Salem's witch trials are a defining example of intolerance and injustice in American history. -
Walpole was a corrupt politician who gave high salaries and jobs to his supporters. To the colonists, his appointment as leader of the House of Commons undermined the legitimacy of the British government. His salutary neglect policy led the settlers to create more colonial assemblies and other institutions of self-government. Under him, regulations were loosely enforced and colonists became used to conducting their own affairs, increasing the colony's sensitivity to upcoming taxes and tariffs. -
The Molasses Act, made products like molasses, sugar, rum, etc. be taxed if they came from a non-British source. The act was passed to increase the flow of money to the British Crown by making the colonists buy their sugar and molasses from the British Caribbean plantations. The act was one of the first of many mercantilist taxes placed on the new American colonies. The Molasses Act laid a foundation for what would become a series of parliamentary taxes leading to the Revolution. -
The Ohio company was a land speculation company made to promote trade with groups of natives and to secure English control of the Ohio River valley by organizing the settlement of Virginians to the Ohio Country, however Governor Dinwiddle used it more to benefit himself and his friends, upsetting the colonists. The company had a land grant from Britain and a treaty with natives, however, the area was also claimed by France, and the conflict provoked the outbreak of the French and Indian War. -
Friction between France and Great Britain resulted in this extremely long and expensive war. While it originally started in Europe over the Austrian Succession, much of the war was fought in the American colonies. The war ended with the Treaty of Paris. The war resulted in a great gain of land, but also a huge amount of debt, putting a new burden on the colonies. Expansion into the new land was problematic as well, it caused trouble with the Natives, something the English wanted to avoid. -
The British, wanting to avoid any trouble with the Native Americans, made the Proclamation of 1763. This made it illegal for any colonists to live or travel west of the Appalachian mountains. This upset many colonists who thought they deserved to live in the land they fought for. Many had already begun moving out to the land and were forced out by soldiers. The colonists felt scammed, beginning the development of The American Attitude. -
This was the fist direct tax on the colonies, requiring any official legal document, newspaper, or commercial document to have a stamp. Stamps were heavily taxed, significantly raising the prices of many paper goods. The tax was meant to help pay for the debt of the 7 Years War and the soldiers needed to "protect" the colonists from the land west of the Appalachians. The act was supposed to mostly affect the rich as they were the ones buying the most paper goods, but it upset all the colonists. -
After the passing of the Molasses act, many colonists began to smuggle in foreign goods to avoid the tax. The Sugar Act was created to prevent the smuggling by actually lowering the tax the Molasses Act had put in place. Despite this,many colonists were still very upset that there was a tax at all, so many colonists continued to use smuggled foreign goods. This act was the first in a long line of acts that taxed the colonies to try and recoup the losses from the seven years war. -
The Townshend Acts taxed items like paint, paper, glass, lead and tea. The taxes were to fund the British governments in the colonies and increase British loyalty because of the new funding to the government. However, as these increasing taxes kept being placed on the colonies without any representation, they began to rebel and protest against them. This act, and the others before it, began the American ideas of freedom, independence, and representation that have stuck with us to today. -
The Boston Massacre produced the first 5 deaths of the revolutionary war. It started when a mob of colonists began harassing an officer, who called for reinforcements. There was a standstill between the mob, throwing snowballs and chunks of ice, and the British Army. Someone yelled fire, and a round of shots killed 5 people in the mob. The massacre was used in lots of pro patriot propaganda to push for freedom and united many colonists against Britain. -
The Boston Tea Party was a protest against the tax on tea that was introduced during the Townshend Acts. The protest was run by a group of colonists that were against British rule in the colonies, the Sons of Liberty. At night, they raided a British ship and threw around a million dollars worth of tea and other goods overboard. The Sons of Liberty hoped this would make the British crown back down, it instead did the opposite. The British were outraged and tightened control on the colonies. -
The first official meeting of all of the colonies. Each state, except Georgia, sent a delegate to Philadelphia to discuss British rule over the colonies, and American rights under British rule. After delegating for a month, the Congress issued a Declaration of Rights. It restated the colonies' loyalty to Britain but disputed its right to tax without representation. They also created a plan to boycott British goods to avoid the taxes that were being put on them and to stop funding the government. -
The shot heard 'round the world, was shot at the battles at Lexington and Concord marking the start of the American Revolution. The British knew of the rebellion and sent the Army to go to a weapons reserve to stop the rebellion before it happened. The rebel militia intercepted the British troops at Lexington and Concord. Surprisingly, the colonists came out victorious. This win could be seen as foreshadowing for America’s eventual victory in the overall fight for independence. -
The Declaration of Independence was the last resort of the Second Continental Congress after the Olive Branch Petition failed. Written by Thomas Jefferson and ratified by the Congress after a vote of nine to two, the declaration was not the start of the Revolutionary War, but it was the point where the ideals of freedom, liberty, democracy, took root. Every nation was watching to see if it was possible for the US to truly achieve what it was not fighting for. No longer rights, but independence. -
The Battle of Saratoga, known as the turning point of the war for the Americans, led to the French agreeing to help the revolution. A British troop, led by Gen. Burgoyne, was trying to meet up with other troops to cut off the Northeast. The plan would have been successful if not for a few logistical problems, and the overconfidence of General Howe, leading to the US victory over Burgoyne’s troop at Saratoga. The victory showed Britain how expensive the war would be and boosted US morale. -
The Articles of Confederation was the first version of the constitution we have today. The goal was to create a kind of unity between the states to make one country. But, none of the states wanted to give up their individual power. Because of this, the Articles failed due to the fear of a strong central government which made it weak during crises, such as the Whiskey Rebellion. However articles do show the start of a push toward the idea of the United States as one unified entity. -
The Treaty of Paris in 1783 was the treaty that ended the Revolutionary War. After the Battle of Yorktown, the British Parliament had already agreed to end the war, and so the treaty was officially signed by King George III and the US representatives, giving a large amount of Britain's holdings in America to the US. The treaty indebted us to France for helping us in our revolution and forced Britain to recognize the US as a nation, encouraging other nations to do the same. -
The Northwest Ordinance was centered on the Northwest Territory. It provided a specific method for new states to join the Union, it provided a goal population that the territory would have to hit, before it could apply for statehood. The Northwest Ordinance also set out a Bill of Rights guaranteed within the territory, and laid out the relationship with Native Americans giving them land to live on, but saying colonists could live there as well. -
The cotton gin was one of the most influential machines invented. Until its invention, it was difficult to get all the seeds out of cotton, making it unprofitable, so tobacco was grown on most plantations instead. But after Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, cotton became extremely profitable and South began to grow it, prolonging slavery and the planter class in Southern life. Cotton became king, causing consequences, such as the domestic slave trade and the emergence of the civil war. -
A group of angry farmers took up arms to protest the new, outrageously high, "whiskey tax.” It was the first tax imposed on domestic products by the newly formed federal government. The rebellion was quickly brought down by George Washington and 12,000 men without any casualties. It showed that the new government had the will and the power to put down rebellions. Opposition to the whiskey tax and the rebellion itself built support for the Republican party. -
This was the first time a party’s power was transferred democratically. Jefferson won the election and became President, even with Adams making one last grab at keeping Federalist power. All things considered, the transfer of power was peaceful and successful. This showed that violence and uprisings were unnecessary for change in America. It also set another standard for the future to not resist the loss of power and showed that the US would truly be a democratic state. -
On the eve of Jefferson's inauguration, Adams and the Federalists created a number of new courts and filled them with Federalist judges to hold power. A letter to Marbury, one of the judges, was found by Madison and delivered to Jefferson. Jefferson told Madison not to deliver the letter, and Marbury sued Madison, stating that he was eligible for the commission. Marbury eventually won, and the Supreme Court created the idea of judicial review. This is an essential idea for today's government. -
This was the largest land acquisition ever made by the US. Jefferson sent Madison to make a deal with Napoleon of France, hoping to secure the Mississippi River. Napoleon then offered the entire territory for $15 million, a deal Jefferson couldn’t refuse. However, buying it went against Jefferson’s anti federalist philosophy, restricting presidential power. In the end he bought it, laying the foundation for westward expansion and US imperialism, and opening up a whole world of growth for the US. -
With the Napoleonic Wars, Thomas Jefferson had to choose between refusing trade with England or with France. Both decisions risked war with the other. Cue Jefferson’s Embargo Act. This act denied US trade with foreign powers. It succeeded in avoiding war with the superpowers, but due to complex smuggling operations, unpopularity in New England, and general damage to the American economy, it failed in almost every other way. Because of this, Jefferson left the presidency feeling like a failure. -
This was the last battle of the War of 1812, since the war ended prior to the battle. The American forces, led by Andrew Jackson, intended to prevent the British invasion of NOLA. Using a trench wall around one area they attacked. Only the best shots actually fired while the rest reloaded the guns. The battle was an American victory and an embarrassing British defeat. The victory shoots Jackson into popularity and boosts the country's morale leading to a surge in American pride and nationalism. -
The Monroe Doctrine was a US policy on European affairs in the Western Hemisphere. Created by James Monroe, the Monroe Doctrine sought to protect US influence in the Caribbean and Latin America. In lame mens terms, it stated that Europe should stay out of North and South America, or else. The "or else" philosophy long dominated the US foreign policy and formed the basis of imperialism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. -
The Tariff of Abominations was passed under John Quincy Adams with its goal to industrialize the Northern and Western economies by making the country more reliant on their goods. It was a high import tariff on manufactured goods that hurt the Southern economy and made it very expensive to live in the South. This divided the northern and southern states even further. South Carolina nullified the tariff and threatened to secede, foreshadowing the later civil war. -
The spoils system, introduced by Andrew Jackson after his inauguration in 1829, provided government jobs based on a person's political association rather than their actual capabilities. This system highly encouraged people to join political parties with the promise of better jobs being handed to them, but also made the government inefficient and corrupt due to inexperienced and unqualified people being hired due to a political party they randomly chose, likely without any knowledge of its views. -
Gave the President the power to forcefully relocate native tribes from their territory, letting the land instead be settled by white Americans. Most tribes abided by the act, and the mass relocation resulted in The Trail of Tears, displacing almost 60,000 native Americans. However, a few tribes, like the Seminoles, resisted moving and some even managed to stay on their native lands. This began to show the conflict between the settlers’ push westward and the natives the land was being taken from. -
The Tariff of 1833 was created to pacify southern rage in response to the Tariff of Abominations. South Carolina nullified the TOA, began the nullification crisis and made the federal government feel it was losing power to govern the states. Cue the Tariff of 1833, which dictated that the import taxes that had been instituted by the TOA, would gradually decrease over the next decade. Luckily, this contented the southern states, but it joined one of many close calls leading up to the civil war. -
In hopes to increase productivity in the region, Mexico’s state of Texas opened its borders to anyone who wanted to live there assuming they became catholic and revoked their US citizenship. Texans start hating the Mexican government and so they try to leave, eventually, with leaders like Davy Crockett helping the cause and leading to the battle. The Alamo was defended by Texans and Americans, all of which were killed in the battle. The result was the beginning of the American Mexican war. -
This treaty saw the end of the Mexican-American War and secured the US-Mexico border as the Rio Grande. America won the area that later became the states of California, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. This lead to another fight on the new states being free or slave. These states helped make the US a transcontinental nation and pushed forth America’s expansive nature, allowing for things in the future like the transcontinental railroad and trade with nations in Asia as well as Europe. -
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was created to save the union from infighting. The Act repealed the Missouri Compromise, created two new territories, outlawed the slave trade in Washington DC, and allowed the states acquired through the Mexican-American War to choose to be free or slave based on popular sovereignty. On paper, popular sovereignty seemed like a great idea, but it led to Bleeding Kansas, a violent uprising where as pro-slavery activists flooded into territories to sway the vote. -
The Attack on Fort Sumter was the first major battle of the Civil War. After South Carolina seceded from the union, Fort Sumter in South Carolina, was still occupied by Union soldiers. The confederates told the union to retract their men, but they refused, causing the confederates to open fire. The battle was over relatively quickly, as the union troops had no way to reinforce themselves. This battle was not relevant to the outcome of the war, but it was important because it was the first war. -
The Union was struggling with the Civil War, but Lincoln wanted to make a railroad spanning the US, so he created this act, establishing the creation of the Transcontinental Railroad. Two companies split the job, starting on either side of the country and racing to the middle to get the most track laid. Lincoln said the TCR needed to be complete by the end of 1875, or all the land must be forfeited. It was completed by 1869, an impossible feat that made both sides of the massive US accessible. -
Lincoln found the right time to announce the Emancipation Proclamation after the union “win” at Antietam. This officially declared the war to be about slavery, making foreign powers aiding the south look hypocritical and morally corrupt. The Proclamation freed all slaves in rebelling land and led border states to do the same. In a dying effort by Lincoln to attempt to appeal to the confederacy to come back, any slaves in states that returned to the union or were reconquered would remain slaves. -
Even though some minor battles were fought here and there, the Surrender at Appomattox pretty much marked the end of the Civil War. After losing at the Battle of the Wilderness, Lee and his troop head to Appomattox to gather essential supplies. One troop is sent by Grant to stall Lee and another to Appomattox to surround Lee. With no way out, Lee surrenders to save his men. Lee surrendered his sword effectively ending the Civil War. Lee’s men were all pardoned and allowed to walk away free. -
The National Woman's Suffrage Association was led by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton and was the more “dangerous” and controversial of the suffrage movements. The other suffrage movement, the American Woman Suffrage Association, only seeked the right to vote. But the NWSA wanted the ability to legally divorce their spouse and wanted a legal right to education. The main goal was to change the idea of a woman's role in society from a homemaker, to a legitimate person, equal to a man. -
The 15 Amendment was another amendment created to help protect black people in the South. The Amendment states that no law can limit any man's right to vote. Obviously, It was very popular with freedmen. However, it created lots of controversy within the suffragist movement, that believed it would be easy to grant women, along with blacks, the right to vote through this Amendment. The men in power at this time did not agree with this and it stayed that way for more than over 30 years. -
The Battle of Little Bighorn the Sioux Indians and US forces. The battle marked the largest Native American victory and worst US defeat in the American-Indian Wars. Custer trailed the Sioux army for a while and bragged that he could wipe them out, but he was surprised by their numbers and was destroyed in battle. The loss of Custer and his men confirmed the image many white Americans had of natives being wild and bloodthirsty and fueled Anti-Native American feelings in the states. -
The Carlisle Indian School was one of the first and most famous of the Indian boarding schools, like many others, the entire idea of the school was “kill the Indian, save the man”. Native American children were taken from their homes, forced to speak only English, wear “white” clothes, and cut their hair. Once these children “graduated”, they were returned home completely different people, not “belonging” in the white world, but also totally isolated from their native culture. -
American innovation played a key role in the Second Industrial Revolution. Between 1860 and 1890, the patent office granted over 400,000 patents. Thanks to the light bulb, the electric power industry expanded rapidly, leading to the development of machines far more efficient than steam-powered models, and laying the groundwork for the industrialization of America. As a result, working hours and nightlife were also affected because the cities now had electric lights. -
American innovation played a key role in the Second Industrial Revolution. Between 1860 and 1890, the patent office granted over 400,000 patents. Thanks to the light bulb, the electric power industry expanded rapidly, leading to the development of machines far more efficient than steam-powered models, and laying the groundwork for the industrialization of America. As a result, working hours and nightlife were also affected because the cities now had electric lights.
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Passed in response to pressure from reformers who wanted to integrate Native Americans to white culture, the Dawes Act was similar to the Homestead Act as it gave natives 160 acres of land if they farmed it. The goal was to assimilate Native Americans into white culture quickly. The act stripped tribes of their land and broke up communities, which was the intention as it fractured the tribes and made them easier to move to reservations, however it didn’t succeed in assimilation. -
Passed in response to pressure from reformers who wanted to integrate Native Americans to white culture, the Dawes Act was similar to the Homestead Act as it gave natives 160 acres of land if they farmed it. The goal was to assimilate Native Americans into white culture quickly. The act stripped tribes of their land and broke up communities, which was the intention as it fractured the tribes and made them easier to move to reservations, however it didn’t succeed in assimilation.
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The "Cross of Gold'' speech was delivered by William Jennings Bryan, who was a former representative of Nebraska. He spoke at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, advocating bimetallism. Bimetallism is a system of unrestricted circulation of two metals in a fixed ratio as currency. This was advocated for the lower classes who could not afford the expensive gold dollars, and he believed that this new system would bring prosperity to the country. -
The "Cross of Gold'' speech was delivered by William Jennings Bryan, who was a former representative of Nebraska. He spoke at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, advocating bimetallism. Bimetallism is a system of unrestricted circulation of two metals in a fixed ratio as currency. This was advocated for the lower classes who could not afford the expensive gold dollars, and he believed that this new system would bring prosperity to the country.
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Founded by Jane Adams, Hull House was Chicago's largest and most well known settlement house. Settlement homes were community buildings that provided basic needs to the homeless, needy, and/or immigrants who came to the US with little to nothing. Hull House provided English classes, health and nutrition education, childcare for working mothers, and social activities to help immigrants adjust to the American lifestyle. This is just one example of the social reform movement of the time. -
Founded by Jane Adams, Hull House was Chicago's largest and most well known settlement house. Settlement homes were community buildings that provided basic needs to the homeless, needy, and/or immigrants who came to the US with little to nothing. Hull House provided English classes, health and nutrition education, childcare for working mothers, and social activities to help immigrants adjust to the American lifestyle. This is just one example of the social reform movement of the time.
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Jacob Riis, a photographer, author, and famous muckraker, published "How the Other Half Lives", a pioneering work of photojournalism that highlighted the horrors of overcrowded, dangerous, and disease spreading, tenement housing and the NYC slums. The book eventually reached the middle/upper classes, especially women who helped push for building codes and regulations for building conditions. The book was a hit, and paved the way for future muckraking journalism. -
Jacob Riis, a photographer, author, and famous muckraker, published "How the Other Half Lives", a pioneering work of photojournalism that highlighted the horrors of overcrowded, dangerous, and disease spreading, tenement housing and the NYC slums. The book eventually reached the middle/upper classes, especially women who helped push for building codes and regulations for building conditions. The book was a hit, and paved the way for future muckraking journalism.
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The National Woman's Suffrage Association was formed in 1890 by merging two organizations as the women's movement was gaining momentum during the early Progressive Era. They rallied, marched, protested, and worked to further their causes. They were met with resistance and the emergence of rival groups. However the women's suffrage movement still continued to grow, and eventually the 19th Amendment was signed, giving women the right to vote. -
The National Woman's Suffrage Association was formed in 1890 by merging two organizations as the women's movement was gaining momentum during the early Progressive Era. They rallied, marched, protested, and worked to further their causes. They were met with resistance and the emergence of rival groups. However the women's suffrage movement still continued to grow, and eventually the 19th Amendment was signed, giving women the right to vote.
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The 14th Amendment supposedly guaranteed equal rights to all US citizens, but it was not truly carried out due to racist attitudes, especially in the South. An example of this racism would be Homer Pressy, a 1/8 black man from New Orleans. He was ordered to transfer from the first-class carriage he had paid for, to a 'coloured' car. He refused and was arrested. The case went to the Supreme Court, and it was ruled that racism was legal, voicing the Jim Crow-era’s “separate but equal” ideology. -
The 14th Amendment supposedly guaranteed equal rights to all US citizens, but it was not truly carried out due to racist attitudes, especially in the South. An example of this racism would be Homer Pressy, a 1/8 black man from New Orleans. He was ordered to transfer from the first-class carriage he had paid for, to a 'coloured' car. He refused and was arrested. The case went to the Supreme Court, and it was ruled that racism was legal, voicing the Jim Crow-era’s “separate but equal” ideology.
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The USS Maine was a US battleship stationed near Cuba to make Spain stop shutting down Cuban protests. One night it mysteriously exploded, and the frenzy of war and empire ensued with an all-time high with yellow journalists like William Hearst, the American populace used the phrase "Remember the Maine! To hell with Spain!", leading quickly to a war in which at its end, Spain ceded Puerto Rico, Cuba, Guam, and the Philippines, to the US. This added to the US’s growth into a major world power. -
The USS Maine was a US battleship stationed near Cuba to make Spain stop shutting down Cuban protests. One night it mysteriously exploded, and the frenzy of war and empire ensued with an all-time high with yellow journalists like William Hearst, the American populace used the phrase "Remember the Maine! To hell with Spain!", leading quickly to a war in which at its end, Spain ceded Puerto Rico, Cuba, Guam, and the Philippines, to the US. This added to the US’s growth into a major world power.
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President McKinley was assassinated by Leon Czolgosz, a Polish-American anarchist who saw McKinley as a symbol of oppression and believed it was his duty as an anarchist to kill him. The assassination ushered in the Progressive Era, beginning with President Teddy Roosevelt. Under McKinley, the Republican Party was very accepting of big business, but Teddy Roosevelt brought an era of social and political change that terrified the Republican party, afraid Roosevelt would become uncontrollable. -
President McKinley was assassinated by Leon Czolgosz, a Polish-American anarchist who saw McKinley as a symbol of oppression and believed it was his duty as an anarchist to kill him. The assassination ushered in the Progressive Era, beginning with President Teddy Roosevelt. Under McKinley, the Republican Party was very accepting of big business, but Teddy Roosevelt brought an era of social and political change that terrified the Republican party, afraid Roosevelt would become uncontrollable.
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The Lone Wolf versus Hitchcock case was brought against the U.S. government by Chief Lone Wolf of the Kiowa Tribe, alleging that Native American tribes under the Medicine Lodge Treaty were defrauded of their land by acts of Congress in violation of the treaty. The Supreme Court ruled that the government did not have to follow the treaty or any treaties between them and the natives and could do as it pleases. This eliminated the few rights Native Americans had. -
The Lone Wolf versus Hitchcock case was brought against the U.S. government by Chief Lone Wolf of the Kiowa Tribe, alleging that Native American tribes under the Medicine Lodge Treaty were defrauded of their land by acts of Congress in violation of the treaty. The Supreme Court ruled that the government did not have to follow the treaty or any treaties between them and the natives and could do as it pleases. This eliminated the few rights Native Americans had.
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Roosevelt's Corollary was a speech in which he declared that European intervention in the Western Hemisphere was over. This allowed Latin American countries to know that the United States would intervene to maintain peace and stability in the region. The conclusion was that not only were the nations of the Western Hemisphere not open to colonization by the European powers, but that the United States will take a responsibility to maintain order and protect life and property in these nations. -
Roosevelt's Corollary was a speech in which he declared that European intervention in the Western Hemisphere was over. This allowed Latin American countries to know that the United States would intervene to maintain peace and stability in the region. The conclusion was that not only were the nations of the Western Hemisphere not open to colonization by the European powers, but that the United States will take a responsibility to maintain order and protect life and property in these nations.
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Written mainly to promote communism and demonstrate the terrible working conditions and the brutality of the workplace. The most influential part of the Jungle is the descriptions of the abuses and horrid conditions in the meatpacking industry. The book reached Theo Roosevelt, who was outraged and personally went to check if the book was true. Soon after, the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act were passed, (later the FDA) making sure food was safe, it still exists today. -
Written mainly to promote communism and demonstrate the terrible working conditions and the brutality of the workplace. The most influential part of the Jungle is the descriptions of the abuses and horrid conditions in the meatpacking industry. The book reached Theo Roosevelt, who was outraged and personally went to check if the book was true. Soon after, the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act were passed, (later the FDA) making sure food was safe, it still exists today.
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Henry Ford creates “everyman's car,” the Model T. It was first released at the price of $850, fell to the price of $280 as a result of the economy and Ford's new revolutionary assembly line. This created the age of affordable personal transportation but, as people were buying cars, fridges, and new time-saving inventions, they were buying on credit. This led to many being in debt and ultimately banks collapsing and thus the Great Depression. -
Henry Ford creates “everyman's car,” the Model T. It was first released at the price of $850, fell to the price of $280 as a result of the economy and Ford's new revolutionary assembly line. This created the age of affordable personal transportation but, as people were buying cars, fridges, and new time-saving inventions, they were buying on credit. This led to many being in debt and ultimately banks collapsing and thus the Great Depression.
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The NAACP is America's oldest and largest civil rights organization. It was started in NYC by an early civil rights activist, W.E.B. DuBois. He believed the black community had to stand its ground no matter what violence ensued. DuBois founded the NAACP to support his ideas. The organization provided scholarships, lobbied Congress, appeared in court, and more to support the black community. As the civil rights movement continued to gain traction, it became increasingly more important. -
A telegram proposing a military alliance between Germany and Mexico if the United States entered the war, is intercepted. It states how Germany promises Mexico its lands back from the Mexico Succession if Mexico fights the US. The US takes this as an act of war and thus joins WWI for the Allies. The US had already suffered through Germany's use of unrestricted submarine warfare and had economic ties with GB, so the telegram was just the last straw. The US was crucial in the allies winning WWI. -
The ratification of the 18th amendment began prohibition, which banned the production and transportation of alcohol, thinking it would end sin. But it backfired in many ways. Illegal bars, home-brewed liquor, and gangs flourished during Prohibition, when the sale and manufacture of alcoholic beverages was banned. Many started drinking illegally, and consumption in America increased. This also led to the rise of organized crime, where bootleggers would make fortunes from smuggling alcohol. -
The National Woman's Suffrage Association used rallies, marches, articles, debates, and more to help craft and pass the 19th Amendment and advance its goals. Suffragists used World War I to help those in need. They were extreme patriots and thought that if they could show their devotion and importance to their country, their country would see and reward it, and the plan worked. These things helped influence anti-suffragists, and amendment quickly passed through the house. -
Once signed by Germany and the Allies, the treaty officially ended WWI. The treaty was negotiated between the big four: Lloyd George of England, Vittorio Emanuele Orlando of Italy, Georges Clemenceau of France and Woodrow Wilson of America. The treaty required Germany to pay monetary reparations, disarm, lose territory, and abandon its overseas colonies. The US Senate refused to ratify the treaty and instead approved the ratification of separate peace treaties with Germany, Austria and Hungary. -
After more than 150 years of struggle, the women's suffrage movement reached its peak with the passage of the 19th Amendment. It gave women the right to vote nationwide, which was a major change from previous state-established rules. WW1 sparked a change as women joined the workforce and proved their patriotism and love for their country. This made the fears of women voting subside for the most part, leading to the ratification of the 19th amendment. -
As nationalism and nativism grew among Americans, most Protestant Americans opposed the Catholic views of many of the immigrants who arrived. Many also feared that these immigrants held anarchist and socialist ideas. To stop more southern and eastern European immigrants from coming, this act was signed, enacting a quota providing immigration visas to two percent of the total number of people of each nationality in the United States as of the 1890 national census. -
The Scopes Monkey Trial highlighted generational and regional differences that became increasingly apparent in the 1920s. People living in urban areas had different lifestyles and beliefs than the other half of the people living in the countryside. As a result, Tennessee passed a law banning the teaching of evolution in schools. But one teacher, John Scopes, taught it anyway and was sued by the state. He was found guilty, but the trial became famous and sparked massive debate. -
The US economy prospered in the 1920s, but prosperity came with a lot of debt, or credit. Banks lent out for people to buy stocks on margin. This worked well for a while until one bank went bankrupt due to over-lending, and soon the whole system collapsed in just a month, leading to the stock market crash followed by the Great Depression of the 1930s. During this crisis, Hoover refused to provide financial assistance.This poor decision-making later led to Roosevelt's easy victory. -
In the midst of the Great Depression, Americans became increasingly angry and much of their discontent was blamed on President Hoover. This was especially true for World War I veterans, who were mostly unemployed. They planned a march in Washington to demand early cash redemption of their service bonus certificates. It was rejected by the Senate, but some veterans stayed in tents in Washington until Hoover ordered the army to kick them out, definitely not improving his popularity as president. -
The election was an easy win for FDR because of Hoover's terrible reputation who believed the economy would fix itself based on the idea of the invisible hand. Hoover and FDR shared similar political beliefs, but FDR took a radically different approach at fixing things. FDR targeted unemployment in the first 100 days and increased spending to get the country out of recession. His New Deal policies employed millions of Americans and were instrumental in ending the Great Depression. -
In 1932, when Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected as the new president of the United States, and the country was in turmoil, he had a plan to pull us out of the Great Depression. The New Deal was a series of federal programs created to stop the decline of the nation. They put people back to work, helped banks recapitalize, and restored economic health to the country. The deal saved countless lives and demonstrated the strength of the FDR administration. -
The WPA was created during the Great Depression by Executive Order 7034 and the ERA. Its goal was to reduce unemployment, especially with the younger generation, as many thought it would keep them out of trouble, and it worked. In its 8 years of existence, the WPA provided jobs to over 8 million Americans. Tasks included repairing roads, building bridges and more. The WPA pulled people out of the soup lines and gave them purpose. It was hard work, but it lifted the spirits of the country. -
The SSA was created to find job opportunities for young people by shifting older generations out of jobs. It pioneered the concept of formal retirement, where people were provided with a fixed income upon retirement once 65 or older. Once these jobs were open, young people could fill in. It worked as incentive for older people to retire and young people to find jobs. Social Security still exists today, but the program has grown significantly and is no longer as efficient as it once was. -
In the months following his sweeping re-election victory, FDR became concerned that the conservative Supreme Court might declare all his New Deal programs unconstitutional, so FDR asked Congress to allow him to appoint additional justices to the Court. This would essentially allow him to push through any bill without worrying about it coming under fire for being unconstitutional. Both Congress and the public rejected his court-packing scheme and the judicial branch stayed the same. -
The attack on Pearl Harbor brought the US into WWII. A Japanese surprise attack killed more than 2,400 Americans, and wounded another 1,000 at a US naval base near Hawaii. The attack was in retaliation for US pressure on Japan to end its military expansion in the Pacific. After the attack, FDR delivered his " This date will live in infamy" speech urging Congress to declare war on Japan and the Axis powers. Congress quickly complied. US entry into the war was essential to Allied victory. -
As WWII drew to a close, governments began making plans to compensate soldiers for their service and lost time. The GI Bill paid for college/trade school costs, provided free health care at veterans hospitals, gave low-interest mortgages and provided low-interest business loans, and it transformed both education and business as many successful companies emerged from the opportunity. The act had a monumental impact, signaling the country's emphasis on prosperity, suburbanization, and education. -
The Marshall Plan was a form of containment to stop the spread of communism into the free world. The idea of the plan was to prevent European nations recovering from WW2, from devolving into poor conditions that would make them more susceptible to communism. Overall, this plan dedicated billions to recovering nations, to help rebuild factories, infrastructure, and more. Although Eastern bloc countries under Stalin's influence rejected help, the strength of capitalism was clearly demonstrated -
NATO consisted of ten west European countries, the US, and Canada. It was created to create a collective security system, trade, and diplomacy. An armed attack on one country would be an armed attack on all the countries. NATO was such a powerful force that Eastern European countries formed an alliance called the Warsaw pact. This showed the deep divisions during the Cold War. While NATO may not have directly stopped a war it brought members closer together in the fight against communism. -
With the Red Scare in full swing, the American public feared Soviet spies and covert operatives infiltrating the government. Senator Joseph McCarthy used that fear in his speech, announcing that he had a list of over 200 communists working for the State Department, prompting more national security concerns and more investigation. This began McCarthyism, where hundreds of civil servants were imprisoned on claims of current or past communist sympathy, a major breach of constitutional rights. -
After Japan's surrender in World War II, South Korea was divided with communists taking control of the north and the south being in the US sphere. In 1950, the North suddenly launched a surprise attack on the South, taking much of its land. The US intervened and pushed the North back into China. But the Chinese sent troops to aid North Korea, pushing the front lines back to where the war began. The exchange remained a stalemate, so Eisenhower traveled to South Korea to sign an armistice. -
In the 50s, schools were segregated under the idea of "separate but equal." But schools were not equal. Black schools had outdated books, unqualified teachers, and worse resources. Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP wanted to fight this and found their case with Brown v BoE. They used the story to convince the Supreme Court that schools were not equal, overturning Plessy v Ferguson and beginning the school desegregation process across the country. A major victory for the civil rights movement. -
The Highway Interstate Act was used to update and modernize America's roadways and connect the nation. However, it was the largest public project in history, and it took time to convince the public of its necessity. Eisenhower used the horrors of the Cold War to do this. He said it would serve as an emergency escape if the country were bombed, convincing the public. Overall, the law made business travel easier, connecting the US in a manner similar to the transcontinental railroad. -
Photographs taken by US spy planes revealed soviet missile bases in Cuba built to attack the US. A low-altitude flight confirms this, starting the closest the world has been to nuclear war. At this point, JFK had three options: do nothing, order airstrikes on missile sites and risk war or order a naval blockade. He chooses the blockade. The two-week stalemate ends with the Soviet Union surrendering and Cuba's leader removed. This "contains" communism and protects the United States from attack. -
The March on Washington saw more than 250,000 people from across the country travel to the capital to march to the Lincoln Memorial. There, Martin Luther King delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. People were moved by the size of the march, the diversity of faces, and the passion for the cause. This inspired JFK to push for civil rights legislation, and the following year LBJ signed his 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin. -
The assassinations of prominent and influential public figures Martin Luther King Jr. and President Kennedy brought the country to a standstill. MLK was shot dead on his hotel balcony while attending a protest and Kennedy was killed at one of his speeches. MLK's death led to the Equal Housing Act, signed into law by Reagan in 1983. One would think that the deaths of these leaders would bring the civil rights movement to a stop, but LBJ continued on with it. -
The Mỹ Lai Massacre was one of the most horrific acts of violence that happened during the Vietnam War. A group of US soldiers brutally murdered most of the women, children and elders in the Mỹ Lai village, all of whom were unarmed. More than 500 people were slaughtered, including young girls and women who were raped and mutilated before being killed. US Army officers covered up the massacre for a year before it was reported to the American media, sparking a storm of international outrage. -
The Stonewall Inn was one of NYCs most popular gay bars. Across the state, homosexuality was a crime, opening the door to raids and police brutality, with many gay establishments. As the raids continued at the Stonewall Inn and other gay bars, the gay community became increasingly intolerant, leading to riots. The riots were followed by days of demonstrations in New York that sparked the formation of the Gay Liberation Front and other gay, lesbian and bisexual civil rights groups. -
The moon landing was a revolutionary moment not only in scientific achievement, but also in the context of the Cold War. In 1961, JFK challenged NASA to land a man on the moon before the end of the decade. Russia already beat the US for the first human in space, so landing a man on the moon was the next challenge, and a matter of national pride. The US used this achievement to tell the world that US capitalism was superior to Russian communism, standing the test of time throughout the Cold War. -
In order to give himself a political advantage, Nixon ordered a search of the Democratic Headquarters in DC. He bugged rooms and communications, and stole documents. When the news got out, an investigative committee was formed. Even with all of the evidence against him, Nixon continued to deny any wrongdoing. The scandal dominated Nixon’s career and led to his resignation. He received a pardon by Gerald Ford which was controversial and added to distrust of the government. -
Roe vs. Wade was a monumental and controversial court case in which a Texan woman brought abortion rulings to the Supreme Court. The court deemed that anti-abortion legislation was unconstitutional and abortions were legal. Democrats thought Roe v. Wade allowed women to have control over their lives and bodies, but on the other hand, the ruling angered conservatives and religious leaders that believed women having abortions was unholy and a decline in America's traditional ‘family’ values. -
An embargo was imposed on Western countries by the United States after the Six Day War in the Middle East. The embargo created an oil-free America that brought US manufacturing, transportation and recreation to a halt. The crisis was the first US economic standstill since World War II. The crisis resulted in shorter working hours, fewer operations, and less heating and driving, all revealing the West's dependency on the East for fuel. -
The Middle East was facing instability and conflict, making trade between the region and the United States difficult. This was a problem because the US sourced most of its oil from the Middle East. To prevent trouble from escalating, Jimmy Carter invited both Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to a retreat to discuss the issues. Ultimately, after much discussion, he was able to create a framework for Middle East peace and a treaty between Egypt and Israel. -
The Three Mile Island accident was one of the most serious accidents in the history of US commercial nuclear power plants. It was a partial meltdown in Unit 2 of the Three Mile Island reactor in Pennsylvania. While no deaths occurred, the area was still exposed to radiation, causing vomiting, diarrhea, and hair loss, as well as deaths of livestock, farms and wild animals, and damage to crops. Looking back at the incident, many specialists even believe that the entire incident was preventable. -
The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster was a fatal accident in the US space program that occurred on January 28, 1986, when a booster engine failed causing the Shuttle Challenger to break apart just 73 seconds after launch. Christa McAuliffe, was one of the members onboard, she would have been the first teacher in space. This catastrophe brought many NASA programs to a halt in various ways over the years that followed due to newly instated, over-the-top safety precautions. -
The Columbine High School Massacre was a shooting and attempted bombing at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado. The shooters, 12th graders Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, killed 12 classmates, 1 teachers and injured 21 others all within 20 minutes.The scale of the shootings stunned the country and sparked debate about how tragedies like this can be prevented, with more schools across the country investing in private security and metal detectors. -
On 9-11-2001, 19 people from the Islamic extremist group Al Qaeda hijacked four planes and carried out attacks against major buildings across the United States. Two of the planes hit the World Trade Center in New York City, one hit the Pentagon, just outside Washington, D.C., and a fourth failed to find its target and crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. In the end, the 9/11 terrorist attacks killed nearly 3,000 people and ignited a major US counter-terrorism initiative.