-
French-Indian War
Between 1754 and 1763, there was an event called the French and Indian War. The British won a lot of land in North America, but there were disagreements about what to do with it and how to pay for the war. These disagreements made the American colonists unhappy, eventually leading to the American Revolution. -
Proclamation of 1763
In 1763, the British government established a boundary in the Appalachian Mountains called the Proclamation Line. This line was created to prevent American colonists from settling on land received from the French after the French and Indian War. The Proclamation Line was put into effect on October 7, 1763. -
Boston Massacre
In March 1769, a violent fight broke out on the streets of Boston between a group of colonists and British soldiers. The incident resulted in the death of several colonists and sparked a movement to enrage public anger through speeches and writings. -
Boston Tea Party
On the night of the event, a group of 30 to 130 men, some of them dressed as Mohawk warriors, got on three ships and spent three hours dumping all 342 chests of tea into the water. This was done by the Sons of Liberty, who identified with freedom from Great Britain. -
Shot Heard Around The World
The phrase "shot heard round the world" refers to the first shot fired at the battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. This event marked the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. Eventually leading to the creation of the United States. -
Second Continental Congress
George Washington was appointed the commander in chief of the army by the Second Continental Congress in May 1775. The Congress later approved the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and created the Articles of Confederation in 1781. These articles granted certain powers to the Congress. The Second Continental Congress assumed the normal functions of a government, appointing ambassadors, issuing paper currency, and raising the Continental Army. -
Articles of Confederation
It reflects the fears we had as a country. 1. It is named The United States of America. 2. No executive, no one person to lead us. This shows we were scared of one person having too much power. 3. No standing army. This reflected we didn't like the abuse of the military. 4. No federal taxing authority. This reflected how we hated being taxed and should only be at the state level. 5. Powerful states but weak federal government. This reflects a fear of the national government. 6. Becoming a state. -
Battle of Saratoga
The battle of Saratoga represents a turning point in the war. British General John Burgoyne and his army planned to move south, where he would meet up with two other British armies and face the Continentals. The other British armies are not there because they got stuck in a swamp, and Burgoyne is quickly surrounded and forced to surrender along with his whole army. That is something no one has been able to do. We leveled the playing field, gathered resources, and helped. -
The Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris 1783 officially ended the Revolutionary War. This was two years after the battle of Yorktown where Cornwallis surrendered. The newly created United States of America was granted all British lands between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mississippi River and north to British Canada. -
Northwest Ordinance
The Northwest Ordinance was passed under the Articles of Confederation on July 13, 1787. This says that the Northwest Territory can become a state as soon as they have 60,000 people, a governor, and borders. This gives them the right to vote and a spot in Congress. Also, they have to outlaw slavery. So, they must follow laws and pay taxes without a vote until they become a State. -
The Bill of Rights
This document outlines the rights of Americans with regard to their government. It gives individuals certain freedoms, such as the right to speak, publish, and practice their religion. It also sets rules for a fair legal process and gives ultimate authority to the people or the states for any powers not given to the Federal Government. This was created by the Anti - Federalist Party because they believed the national government had too much power over the people. -
Judiciary Act
The Judiciary Act of 1789 is a law that created the lower federal courts and other functions of the federal judiciary. The Constitution says that the judicial power of the United States must be in one Supreme Court and in other courts that Congress decides to create. -
Whiskey Rebellion
Farmers refused to pay the tax until the American Army enforced it. This upholds the power of the new federal government. There were two ways to pay whiskey tax: per gallon or one charge, and you could make an unlimited amount. People are angry because it seems like the big distributors are being favored. -
Pinckeys Treaty
We didn't own the Mississippi River, although we needed it to sell our goods. Spain gave America the right to freely travel on the Mississippi and use the port of New Orleans. This treaty was the gateway to the rest of the world. Jefferson feared this because it was only temporary, and our relationship could go sour, and a deal could go ignored. -
Marbury v. Madison
The Supreme Court sides with Madison and refuses to grant Murbury the position based on the fact they find part of the Judiciary Act unconstitutional and therefore void. In doing so, the Supreme Court claims the right of "Judicial Review" or the right to declare laws unconstitutional and strike them down. -
Embargo of 1807
Great Britain and France are at war again. We finally have a decent trading relationship with both of them, so Jefferson wants to remain neutral. He imposed an embargo on all foreign trade. The embargo act is unpopular among merchants, traders, and business companies. It does significant damage to the American economy. It does, however, encourage the growth of domestic manufacturing. -
Battle of Thames
The Battle of Thames happened on October 5, 1813. It went on during the War of 1812. American forces in Canada defeated the British and Indian troops. During this battle, Tecumseh died. With Tecumseh's death, it ended the Indian resistance in the Ohio River Valley. Tecumseh and the profit were the ones that united the Indians. -
The Star Spangled Banner
Francis Scott Key, a prisoner on a British barge, witnessed the British bombardment of Fort McHenry near Baltimore for 12 hours. In the morning, he observed that the American flag still flew over the fort and wrote a poem called "The Defence of Ft. McHenry." he put it to a popular tune, becoming our national anthem. Americans rally to the war effort after the Capital is burned. -
The Hartford Convention
Several New England states that the war is lost and talk about becoming another country. They called themself the peace doves. They didn't know the war was over, and we were negotiating peace. The Treaty of Ghent was signed on December 24, the war was over, and everything returned to its original possession. -
The Battle of New Orleans
Before news of the Treaty, the British went to New Orleans for battle. Andrew Jackson was in charge, and he put together a team of different soldiers. Andrew Jackson made a trap of a ditch 10ft deep and a hill 20 ft high. Since the British could only come one way from the bay, they walked straight into the trap. Americans won 71 deaths to 2,042. -
The Election of 1824
The election of 1824 was between Adams, Jackson, Clay, and Clawton. In the election, no candidate received the majority of the electoral votes. Amendment 12 says the vote goes to the House of Representatives. Henry Clay is the house speaker, so he drops out of the race to avoid a bad reputation. Adams and Clay meet privately, and then Clay says he supports Adam and is elected president. Three days later, Clay was appointed secretary of state. Jackson supporters claim it was a Corrupt Bargain. -
The Election of 1828
Jackson wanted to recreate the old Jeffersonian condition of southern enslavers, northern farmers and artisans, and farmers with small land holdings. This was the first modern political campaign. The politics become local. There were mass meetings and parades. Mudsliding was done on both sides. The making of newspapers and speeches happened. We got rid of property restrictions for voting. Jackson won 178 to Adam's 83. -
The Spoils System
After taking office, Jackson fired many government employees. He dismissed more than 200 employees. He called it rotation in power. He hired his longest supporters. Critics accused him of rewarding Democrats instead of choosing qualified men. Jackson felt ordinary Americans could fill government jobs instead of just the wealthy—the Spoils system practice of rewarding supporters with government jobs. -
Tariff of Abominations
In 1828, a new tax was introduced that raised prices on imported goods in order to give American manufacturers an advantage over foreign competition. Some people in the South thought that this tax only benefited manufacturers in the North and hurt their own interests. They called it the Tariff of Abominations. -
Indian Removal Act
In 1830, the Indian Removal Act was created. A majority of Congress passed the act. Cherokee Nation v. GA stated that they were domestic-dependent men. Worcester v. GA decides we signed a treaty with the Native Americans, and we can't force them out of the land. Andrew Jackson said Joh Marshall had made his decision; now let him enforce it. So, he ignored it. This started the Trail of tears. -
Nullification Crisis
It was about taxes on imported goods, also known as tariffs. Southern states, especially South Carolina, didn't agree with these tariffs and believed that they were unconstitutional. They argued that they had to right to Null and void these tariffs. They stated that the state would secede if the federal government used force to make them comply. The government claimed secession would be treason. They defended the federal government's power to impose tariffs and chastised South Carolina. -
Force Bill
Jackson asked Congress to grant him the ability to use military force to compel South Carolina to accept and follow the law. This was called the force bill. Meanwhile, Henry Clay proposed another tariff in Congress that would reduce tariffs significantly over the next ten years: the compromise tariff. Both of these passed in 1833, and South Carolina repealed its ordinance. -
Bank War
Jackson voted the charter to the second national bank. He withdrew all the money from the bank and put it into Pet Banks, which caused massive inflation. It also caused the Panic of 1837, with half of the backs closed and twenty-five percent of people unemployed. -
Mexican - American War
The Mexican-American war happened in the State of Texas. Mexico was not willing to recognize Texas. The idea of Westward expansion drove America. The war lasted for two years. As a result, Mexico lost more than half of its territory to America. The Mexican government was paid $15 million, the same sum issued to France for the Louisiana Territory. -
Treaty of Guadulupe
In 1848, the United States and Mexico signed a treaty to end their war. As per the treaty, Mexico gave up 55% of its land, including California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, most of Arizona and Colorado, and parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming, to the United States. -
Comprise of 1850
California wanted to be a free state, but southern senators were against it because it would unbalance the slave vote in the Senate. California enters as a free state. The slave trade was abolished in Washington, D.C. Strict fugitive state laws were enacted nationwide. Territories applying for statehood will now be governed by the concept of popular sovereignty. -
Bleeding Kansas
Bleeding Kansas was a period of violent political conflict in the United States from 1854 to 1861, characterized by confrontations between anti-slavery and pro-slavery forces. The conflict centered on the question of whether the Kansas Territory would be admitted to the Union as a free state or a slave state. The violence included raids, lynchings, and battles between pro-slavery "Border Ruffians" and anti-slavery "Free-Staters." -
Lincolns election
Lincoln won the Election of 1860. He won the Electoral College with less than 40 percent of the popular vote. Most states that voted were in the north, plus California and Oregon. After his election, the South started to secede. He was starting at South Carolina. The South saw Lincoln as a threat to slavery as he had too much power and was viewed as a Northerner who wanted to abolish slavery. -
Battle of Manasses - Bull Run
The First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas in the South, resulted in around 3,000 Union deaths and 1,750 Confederate deaths. This battle had an impact on both Northerners and Southerners. Northerners who had expected a quick victory were left disappointed while Southerners had a sense of hope that they could get a quick victory. -
South Secedes
The southern states separated from the United States to protect their rights, the practice of slavery, and disagreements over taxes. They thought that a Republican government would end slavery, not respect their liberties, and create tax laws. This started with South Carolina and spread throughout the whole South, putting Lincoln in a sticky situation. -
Morrill Land Grant Act
To facilitate access to higher education across the country. The government granted federal land within each state for the expressed purpose of developing colleges and universities. Including Purdue, Ohio State, Michigan State, Cornell, Texas A&M, LSU, Alabama, and Auburn. -
Pacific Railway Act of 1862
Connecting the East and West coasts via railroads enables coast-to-coast trade within the U.S., and global trade with the United States plays a crucial role. For every mile of track laid, they would receive 16 million in plains, 32 million in foothills, and 48 million in mountains. There were two companies that were chosen to work, and would compete with each other. If not completed by 1872, they would receive nothing. They also got land as they worked along the tracks. -
Battle of Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh was know has the bloodest battle in the war. It was the first war in which Grant used his anaconda plan. The battle ended with a United States (Union) victory over Confederate forces in Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee. Confederate Commander General Albert Sidney Johnston was killed in the Battle. This marked the beginning of the Union's rise to victory. -
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam took place on the east coast. It was one of the deadliest wars in the civil war. It proved to the Union that they were able to win the war. This battle gave Lincoln the confidence to publish the Emancipation Proclamation. It was one of the critical turning points in the Civil war. -
Emancipation Proclamation
While many think the Emancipation stated that Lincoln was ending slavery, that was not the real reason for it. It was an announcement meant to all the other countries. Meaning if they would trade with the South, they would be in support of slavery. This caused other countries to not be able to trade with them. That cut off the South's main source of income. -
Vicksburg Campaign
Grant sent Vicksburg to devastate the South. Vicksburg split his troops in two and had them 10 miles apart. They then continued to burn 5 feet on either side. They then marched around 180 miles for 54 days. This devasted the South, destroying most of their farms and towns. -
Battle of Gettsburg
The Battle of Gettysburg was a significant victory for the Union Army. It marked the end of Confederate General Robert E. Lee's second attempt to invade the North and bring the Civil War to a quick end. The Confederate States of America had hoped to become an independent nation, but the defeat at Gettysburg shattered that dream. -
Freedmen's Bureau
This was created to help newly freed blacks transition to a life of freedom. They did this by starting schools. They would also help negotiate labor contracts. They would secure loans and help find and purchase land. Finally, they would try to provide legal aid. -
13th Amendment
The 13th Amendment was added to the US Constitution on December 6, 1865. It made slavery and forced labor illegal, except for people who have been convicted of a crime. This was a big win for civil rights and equality in America. -
14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment extends citizenship to all people born on U.S. Soil. This includes the former blacks and immigrant children born here. All citizens would also have equal protection under the law, regardless of race. The 14th Amendment was ratified on July 9, 1868. -
Johnson's Impeachment
Congress passed the Tenure of Office Act, meaning the president could not remove some military officials without congressional approval to protect some radical Republicans in Johnson's cabinet. John went ahead and released the Secretary of War. The House then impeached him, but the Senate fell one vote short to remove him. John was now officially powerless. -
15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment meant that anyone ofof any race could vote. This was very unpopular with the public. Even though slavery was outlawed by now, we were nowhere close to equal. People believed that they were too uneducated to vote. It also cost the Radical Republicans the majority in Congress. -
Sharecropping
Freedmen farm the land, but they don't get paid; they don't have to pay rent, but at harvest, they have to pay land owners a percentage of the crops or the money. Economic slavery also could be poor whites. They would have to sign a contract. The landowner makes sure that the sharecropper would most likely be in debt. -
Civil Rights Act
Grant was way ahead of his time for equality. Congress and Grant signed the Civil Rights Act of 1875. The act banned discrimination in public accommodations. However, once Grant was out of office, this act was not enforced. When the military occupation ended it was never brought back. -
Reservation System
More significant numbers of white settlers moving into the western lands meant more pressure on Native Americans. The Native Americans feel that their ancestral homeland and burial grounds are being threatened and encroached upon by a wave of white settlers who are wasteful. The government forced Indians onto reservations. They freed up more land for white settlers. They also moved these reservations as they found valuable items on the ground. -
Dawes Act
Native Americans can claim individual homesteads of 160 acres to own and farm. This is championed as an olive branch to the Native American tribes. The land was taken for the Indian reservations. All land not claimed by individuals would then be opened to white settlers. Some saw the act as a great opportunity being given to Native people, but the native didn't -
Plessy v. Ferguson
In 1898, the United States Supreme Court ruled in a 7-1 vote that the "separate but not equal" accommodations on railroad cars conformed to the Fourteenth Amendment's guarantee of equal protection. That decision was used to justify segregating all public facilities, including schools. Most school districts, ignoring Plessy's equal requirements, neglected their black schools. This ruling was held until 1954 when, in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, the Supreme Court ruled unequal. -
De lome Letter
This was written by the Spanish Ambassador to the United States and criticized American President William McKinley by calling him weak and concerned only with gaining the favor of the crowd. This angered many Americans when the letter was intercepted and published in American papers. This shaped America by helping generate public support for a war with Spain over the issue of independence for the Spanish colony of Cuba. -
Elkins act
This act prohibits railroad companies from giving rebates to businesses that ship large quantities of goods and giving power to those businesses to artificially lower shipping prices. This forbade the railroad industry practice of offering rebates for large-volume shippers. This shaped America because railroads had a stronger mechanism to protect their collusive prices and corporate trusts were weakened in their ability to gain shipping discounts. -
Pure Food and Drug Act
The Pure Food and Drug Act was enacted by the US Congress in 1906 to ensure that foods and drugs sold to the public were pure and safe. It required manufacturers to label their products accurately and avoid using harmful or addictive ingredients. This paved the way for the modern Food and Drug Administration which regulates the safety and efficacy of foods, drugs, and medical devices in the US today. -
NAACP is founded
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded on February 12, 1909, in New York City by a group of both black and white people who sought to eliminate racial discrimination and segregation. The organization played a crucial role in the civil rights movement and continues to fight for social justice and equality today. -
Standard Oil
The Standard Oil decision was a landmark case in American antitrust law. In 1911, the US Supreme Court broke up the Standard Oil Company into smaller, independent companies, ruling that it was in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act, which prohibits monopolies that restrict trade. The case set a precedent for government regulation of monopolies and has had a lasting impact on American business and antitrust law. -
Zimmerman Telegram
The Zimmerman Telegram was a secret communication sent in 1917 from Germany to Mexico proposing that Mexico should join the Central Powers and in return, would be given financial support and assistance in regaining Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona from the United States. The message was intercepted by British intelligence and shared with the US government, playing a significant role in turning public opinion against Germany and leading to the US decision to enter World War I. -
18th Amendment
The 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified in 1919, prohibiting the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol. The amendment was a result of the temperance movement, which sought to reduce the consumption of alcohol in the country. The prohibition era lasted from 1920 to 1933, but it was largely unsuccessful in achieving its goals and led to the rise of organized crime and bootlegging. The 18th Amendment was repealed in 1933 by the 21st Amendment. -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles meant the end of WWI. Finally, Europe (and America) was at peace. The Treaty of Versailles was very harsh on the Central Powers, especially the Germans, and wrecked their economies, militaries, and morale. Looking back, it was likely too harsh, and if the treaty had been more fair, then WWII might've never happend. -
National Origins Act
The National Origins Act was an immigration act that established quotas for how many people could immigrate from Asia, Eastern Europe, and Southern Europe. Only 2% of each respective nationality's American population in the 1890 census was allowed to immigrate. This law was very racist, targeted, and discriminatory. It defined American immigration policy for almost three decades. -
Stock Market Crash Begins
After a decade of rising consumer culture, and rising debt, the American economy was in trouble. People knew it was on shaky ground, but people never could've guessed how devastating the crash could be. The Stock Market Crash led to Great Depression, and as the name implies, it was a depressing time in America, on all fronts. The Depression is still the worst economic crisis in American history, and Black Monday and Tuesday are still the 2nd and 3rd worst days for the Dow Jones. -
Bonus Army
After WWI, Congress promised soldiers a bonus in 1945. They chose this because by 1945, most soldiers would need it more, due to families. But, in the 1930s, the soldiers wanted the bonus sooner, due to major economic hardship. So, they protested in Washington D.C., but they were shot down by both politicians and military leaders. Multiple veterans died or were injured during protests. -
Social Security Act
The Social Security Act is a law that was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935. The act created a social insurance program designed to provide benefits to retired workers and their dependents. The program also provides benefits to disabled workers and the families of deceased workers. The Social Security Act has been amended several times over the years to expand the types of benefits offered and to increase funding for the program -
Pearl Harbor
Just before 8am, the Japanese Navy surprise-attacked the American Pearl Harbor Naval Base. This was a devastating blow to our Pacific Fleet, and thousands of people died. While America would likely have eventually joined the war (as stated in the Four Freedoms speech), Pearl Harbor greatly accelerated our entry, and the very next day (Dec. 8), we declared war on Japan. On the 11th, we declared war on Germany and Italy after they declared war on us. -
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was an experimental military project that eventually developed the nuclear bomb. The project thrusted the world into the Atomic Age, and also set the stage for the cold war. The project also led to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which eventually led to the end of WWII. The Project itself consisted of a team led by physicist Robert Oppenheimer, some of the smartest physicists and chemists in the world at the time were working on that project. -
GI Bill
By mid-1944, it was clear that the Allies were picking up steam, and were becoming very successful in all fronts. So, Congress started to prepare for the soldiers' return home. The GI Bill provided servicemen with a free college or trade school education, an opportunity that most people never had at the time. Additionally, it provided home and small business loans, and had some other benefits. These all combined to boost our post-war economy, and ensure success in the late 40s and 50s. -
D-Day
D-Day was the Allied invasion of Normandy, France, and it was absolutely massive. Almost 350,000 soldiers or naval servicemen were involved. The operation had 5 different landing sites - the American Utah and Omaha, the British Gold and Sword, and the Canadian Juno. The invasion was very deadly, but also very successful, and led to the liberation of France, and eventually, the liberation of Europe and the fall of Nazi Germany. -
United Nations
After WWII, the world needed a way to keep the peace. So, countries around the world came together and established the United Nations, to establish order, justice, unity, peace, and cooperation. The idea of such an organization had been though of for a long time, and existed with the League of Nations, but the UN was larger, and had more power. After conferences in Moscow, Tehran, Yalta, San Francisco, and more, the UN was founded when a majority of its member states ratified it. -
US bombs Hiroshima and Nagasaki
This decision was hard for America but it really brought the war with Japan to a speedy end and spare American lives. This impacted America because they saved American troops from being killed and it led to a quicker end to the war. The second objective was to demonstrate the new weapon of mass destruction to the Soviet Union. -
Containment
Containment was an American foreign policy that tried to accept the existence of Communism, while trying its very best to make sure that it doesn't spread. This was our foreign policy from 1945-1991, with some small breaks in between. Communism only theoretically succeeds when all countries are communist, so the U.S. made sure that that never happened, by supporting proxy wars, and installing capitalist democracies (and dictatorships). -
Hollywood 10
The Hollywood Ten were a group of ten screenwriters and directors who were blacklisted in the 1940s for their alleged ties to Communism. They were called to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) and refused to answer questions about their political beliefs, citing their First Amendment rights. As a result, they were found in contempt of Congress and sentenced to prison. -
First Levittown
These were built after World War II for returning veterans and their new families, the communities offered attractive alternatives to cramped central city locations and apartments. This impacted America by being one of the first to introduce the idea of a pre-planned, mass-produced uniform suburban community. The suburban community rapidly grew and expanded by almost 50 percent. -
The Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was a program of economic aid for the rebuilding of Europe after World War II. It was proposed by U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall in a speech at Harvard University in June 1947, and was officially known as the European Recovery Program. The plan provided over $13 billion of aid to Western European countries, including Germany, France, and Italy, with the goal of promoting economic growth and stability in the region. -
NATO
NATO stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 North American and European countries. The organization was founded in 1949 with the goal of providing collective defense against potential security threats. NATO member countries are committed to mutual defense, meaning that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all members and will be met with a collective response. -
Brown v. Board
Brown v. Board of Education was a Supreme Court case in which the Court declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students to be unconstitutional. A group of African American parents on behalf of their children, who were forced to attend inferior "separate but equal" schools. The Court ruled in 1954 that segregation in public education was inherently unequal and violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. -
Montgomery Bus Boycotts Begin
After Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat, the local community was outraged. So, they staged a massive bus boycott, for over a year. Instead of riding the bus, people walked, rode bikes, and carpooled. Finally, they succeded when the bus company relented, because they simply weren't profitable without Black riders. -
Murder of Emmett Till
Emmett Till was a 14-year-old African American boy who was brutally murdered in Mississippi in 1955, after being accused of offending a white woman in her family's grocery store. The two white men who were charged with Till's murder were acquitted by an all-white jury, but later admitted to the crime in a magazine interview. Till's death remains a powerful symbol of the ongoing struggle for racial justice in the United States. -
National Interstate and Defense Highways Act
After Eisenhower went to Germany and saw the Autobahn, he knew we needed something like it. An interstate system was very efficient at transporting goods and people very quickly. Additionally, at the time, it was huge for the economy, and was the largest public works project in history. The interstate has proven to be a great success, and transformed the way we work, live, and travel. -
Launch of Sputnik
While America ended up finishing the Space Race, the Soviets had a lot of key victories. The launching of Sputnik, the first satellite, was one of their first ones. While it didn't do much, and didn't last long, Sputnik launched a cultural revolution, and made the Space Race culturally and politically relevant. People wanted their country to win, for both practical reasons, like science and defense, and reasons like pride and patriotism. -
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee is Founded
The SNCC was a student-led civil rights group. The SNCC organized regular marches, speeches, rallies, meetings, and events, all for and by students who simply wanted to be involved civil rights. It was successful, at least for a while. They also organized voter registration events, and sit-ins. They also played a large part in keeping the Freedom Rides going, even after setbacks. -
Gary Powers Capture
He was an American pilot whose plane was shot down while flying a reconnaissance mission in Soviet Union airspace in 1960, causing an international incident. This impacted America because the Soviet's had someone they could try and gain information from. He tried to limit the information he shared with the KGB to that which could be determined from the remains of his plane's wreckage. -
Election of 1960
This was the first election that TV had a major impact on the final result. John F. Kennedy, was elected president in 1960, defeating Vice President Richard Nixon. Though he clearly won the electoral vote, Kennedy's received only 118,000 more votes than Nixon in this close election. After 1960, TV became extremely important in elections. This impacted American politics by being an election that was influenced by TV. -
Ruby Bridges
Ruby Bridges went to school at the age of 6 and advanced the cause of the civil rights when she became the first African American student to integrate an elementary school in the South. Her bravery impacted America because she helped pave way for action to start happening in the south. She ultimately helped reform education to where it is now; no more white and African American schools just one school all together. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was a failed invasion of Cuba. The Americans tried to invade, and overthrow Fidel Castro, but it was a colossal failure. The U.S. dramatically underestimated Castro's military and popularity, and didn't properly prepare. Additionally, there simply weren't enough American soldiers. Aside from the embarrassment of the failure, the invasion worsened Soviet-American and Cuban-American at the height of the Cold War. -
Freedom rides
This was a series of political protests against segregation by Blacks and whites who rode buses together through the American South. This impacted America because it challenged segregation on interstate buses and bus terminals. The Riders were successful in convincing the Federal Government to enforce federal law for the integration of interstate travel. -
Cuban missile crisis
After the failed invasion, things were tense. The U.S. noticed that the Soviet Union had missiles in Cuba, and that they were growing rapidly. Any of those missiles could reach a vast majority of the U.S. The U.S. decided to initiate a blockade of offensive weapons on Cuba, which was obviously not well received. The world was on edge that nuclear war could break out at any time. Finally, after days of tense negotiations, the USSR agreed to remove their missiles, if we removed ours from Turkey. -
16th St. Baptist Church bombing
A bomb exploded before Sunday morning services at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. This was a church with a predominantly Black congregation that also served as a meeting place for civil rights leaders. This impacted America because it marked a turning point in the United States during the civil rights movement and also contributed to support for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by Congress. -
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark act. It was, by far, the largest civil rights act in American history. It prohibited discrimination of any kind based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. It required equal education, housing, employment, public accommodations, and voter registration laws. This law was controversial at the time, but it was an absolutely massive step forward, and ensured legal equality. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was important because it gave President Johnson the ability to use military force in Southeast Asia without actually declaring war. After this resolution, the U.S. rapidly escalated its involvement in the Vietnam War. The Gulf of Tonkin event was highly complex, and involved France, Vietnam, and the Soviet Union. It became a large crisis, which turned into a war. -
U2 missile
These photos proved that the Soviet Union was building secret sites for nuclear-tipped missiles. After the photographic had been confirmed, President Kennedy organized a secret meeting of senior advisors at the White House. This impacted America because they now discovered that the soviet was suppling Cuba with missiles and it led to the Cuban Missile Crisis. -
Berlin wall
The Berlin Wall was a guarded concrete barrier that physically divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989. It was erected by the German Democratic Republic to prevent its citizens from fleeing to the West. The wall, which surrounded West Berlin, was heavily guarded and extended 96 miles. Its demolition in 1989 marked the end of the Cold War and the beginning of the reunification of Germany. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder was an absolutely massive bombing campaign against North Vietnam. The Americans wanted to destroy North Vietnam and wanted to ensure that they couldn't win or succeed. They wanted to cut off all progress and travel and wanted to make the north uninhabitable for both the military, and the residents. Eventually, the U.S. canceled Rolling Thunder after the Vietnamese started fighting back with Soviet help. -
Medicare and Medicaid Act
The Medicare Act, also known as the Social Security Amendments of 1965, is a federal law that established the Medicare program in the United States. The program provides health insurance coverage to people who are 65 years old or older, as well as to people with certain disabilities. The Medicare Act has been amended several times over the years to expand coverage and improve the program. Today, Medicare is a vital program that provides health care coverage to millions of Americans. -
MLK assassination
This led to an outpouring of anger among Black Americans. It impacted America because there was a period of national mourning that helped speed the way for an equal housing bill that would be the last significant legislative achievement of the civil rights era. This also led to a wave of civil disturbance which swept the United States following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. -
Founding of EPA
People had been concerned about the climate for a while, and it wasn't going away. There were toxic cars, toxic factories, and toxic plastics everywhere. So, Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency. While much of the EPA wasn't new, it was the first time that everything had been organized under one agency. The EPA has been imperative in the clean-up of the environment, and without it, we wouldn't have nearly as much clean energy or electric/fuel-saving cars. -
Title IX
Title IX is a federal civil rights law in the United States that prohibits sex discrimination in education and any programs or activities that receive federal funding. The law covers all aspects of education, including admissions, athletics, curriculum, and sexual harassment. It was enacted in 1972 as part of the Education Amendments and has since been instrumental in promoting gender equity in education and athletics. -
Watergate
Watergate was one of the largest American crises ever. The scandal broke out when burglars entered the Watergate Hotel, the home of the DNC, to search for documents and wiretap phones. While these burglars were connected to the Nixon Campaign, he didn't order them to be there. The real scandal happened when the Nixon Administration tried its very best until the very end to cover up its involvement. The coverup went against all evidence. In the end, lots of trust was lost in the government. -
Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade was a landmark case that guaranteed a pregnant woman's right to have an abortion. The ruling was highly controversial, and still is, and was contested constantly by the Religious Right. The ruling was highly celebrated by feminists, and many Americans who simply thought that "my body, my choice" made a lot of sense. The ruling was recently overturned last summer, to a great amount of controversy. -
Energy Crisis
The 1973 Oil Crisis happened when OAPEC declared an embargo, causing massive gas shortages, and high gas prices. The embargo happened due to a crisis in Israel-Palestine, and put the car-centric, American way of life on pause. Along with EPA regulations, the energy crisis caused a massive rethinking on fuel economy, and made foreign imports such as Toyota, Honda, Volkswagen, and Nissan very popular due to their efficient nature. -
Iran Hostage Crisis
The Iran hostage crisis was a diplomatic issue between the U.S. and Iran. Iran was holding Americans hostage due to the takeover of the American Embassy by members of the Iranian Revolution. Americans hated it, and though it was blackmail. Iranians loved it, and thought it represented their hate of the U.S. In the end, the hostages were freed on the first day of Reagan's administration. -
The Soviet-American detente
The Soviet-American detente was a period in time in which relations were normalized, and almost friendly. Key arms-limitation agreements, such as SALT I and SALT II, were signed, and were imperative to the de-escalation of the Cold War. The Detente was unfortunately short-lived, after the Soviet intervention of Afghanistan, and the American boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Relations weren't normalized again until near the end of the USSR.