-
Lexington and Concord
Colonial win at the first battle of the American Revolution. "Shot heard around the world" no one knows which side fired the first shot -
Second Continental Congress
Delegates from the 13 colonies met and discussed the war, appointed leaders, made treaties, and adopted the Declaration of Indpependence and the Articles of Confederation. This congress moved the Americans very close to independence. -
Battle at Bunker Hill
Americans defended and lost Breed's hill and Bunker hill during he seige of Boston. Although it was a loss, the Americans managed to kill and injury many British troops and officers and proved to the Americans that they are capable of fighting against an organized army. -
Olive Branch Petition
This petition was meant to end conflict with Britain by stating the the colonies were on Britain's side, but King George III never read the petition. Instead, King George III became angry at the colonists which helped to start the Revolutionary War. -
Common Sense
Thomas Paine's writings influenced the colonists into war against Britain by arguing that they sholdn't be governed by someone who is far away and is currupt. Also his writings were easy for everyone to read and pass around. -
Declaration of Independence
Written by Thomas Jefferson and stated that the colonies were now independent from Britain and now idependent states. -
Battle of Saratoga
The first time the British surrenderred to the Americans and was considered the turning point of the war. France then recognized American's independence and began to aid them in the war. -
Articles of Confederation
Created Nov 15 1777, and ratified in 1781 it was the USA's first constitution that called for a weaker central government and most power to the states. It had many problems including national judicial or executive system, and no national coining policies. -
Battle of Yorktown
It was the last major battle on American soil. Ended with a British surrender to George Washington's troops and virtually ended the war. -
Treaty of Paris 1783
Ended the American Revolution with a treaty between America and Britain along with France, Spain, and theDutch Republic. Territory disputes were given to the USA in it's favor. -
Shay's Rebellion (1786)
Poor, veteran, farmers, burdened by debt stage a rebellion in Massachussets that is quickly put down but reveals the weakness of the Articles of Confederation, paving the way for a stronger centralized government (U.S. Constitution). -
Shay's Rebellion
an uprising by farmers because of economic depression for the need of a stronger central government. -
Constitutional Convention
Convention called to revise the Articles of confederation, and made the Constitution. Virginia Plan- legislative branch to be represented by population. New Jersey Plan- legislative branch to be represented equally among states. Connecticut Plan and Great Compromise- Split the legislative branch into two houses, one that was based on population and one that was equal among states.
3/5 Compromise- each slave was to be counted as ⅗ of a person when it came to population representation -
Northwest Ordinance 1787
It was the first territory of the United States and set the regulations for adding a new state. This area was also made anti-slavery. -
Judiciary Act 1789
landmark statute adopted on September 24, 1789 in the first session of the First United States Congress establishing the U.S. federal judiciary -
Second Great Awakening
A revival in Christian values and a time period when many people joined baptist and methodist churches. The Second Great Awakening was important because it also promoted reform movements such as temperance. -
Whiskey Rebellion
a tax protest in the United States beginning in 1791, during the presidency of George Washington. It proved the possible strength of a central government. -
Chisholm v. Georgia
is considered the first United States Supreme Court case of significance and impact. Given its date, there is little available legal precedent (particularly in American law).[1] It was almost immediately superseded by the Eleventh Amendment. -
XYZ Affair
The XYZ Affair was a political and diplomatic episode in 1797 and 1798, during the administration of John Adams between US and France. Its name derives from the substitution of the letters X, Y and Z for the names of French diplomats in documents released by the Adams administration -
Alien and Sedition Acts
The Alien and Sedition Acts were four bills passed in 1798 by the Federalists in the 5th United States Congress in the aftermath of the French Revolution and during an undeclared naval war with Britain and France. These acts had to do with crime and immigration in America. -
Revolution of 1800
Jefferson’s election marked an era of presidents who were a part of the democratic-republican party instead of the federalist party. -
Marbury v. Madison
Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.su 137 (1803), was a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court formed the basis for the exercize of judicial review in the United States under Article lll of the Constitution. The landmark decision helped define the boundary between the constitutionally seperate executive and judicial branches of the American form of government.
Midnight Judges- represented an effort to solve an issue in the U.S. Supreme Court during the early 19th century -
Louisiana Purchase
Lousiana purchase was the purchase of the Louisiana territory from napoleon in 1803 under jefferson -
Embargo Act
a stop on all international trade in order to pressure England and France to remove strict commercial trading policy’s. -
Nonintercourse Act
Nonintercourse Act (1809) stopped trade in Canada and stricter enforcement of the embargo of 1807. -
Fletcher v. Peck
was a landmark United States Supreme Court decision. The first case in which the Supreme Court ruled a state law unconstitutional, the decision also helped create a growing precedent for the sanctity of legal contracts, and hinted that Native Americans did not hold title to their own lands (an idea fully realized in Johnson v. M'Intosh). -
Macon’s Bill No. 2
Macon’s Bill No. 2 (1810) a substitute for the nonintercourse act in 1810 asking Britain and France to open trade and officially reopening American international trade. -
War of 1812
War of 1812 - The causes of the War of 1812 were a series of economic sanctions taken by the British and French against the U.S. as part of the Napoleonic Wars and American outrage at the British practice of impressment, especially after the Chesapeake incident of 1807. In 1812, with President Madison in office, Congress declared war against the British. -
Treaty of Ghent
Battle of New Orleans - (January 8, 1815) This was the final major battle of the War of 1812. American forces, commanded by Andrew Jackson defeated an invading British Army, who were trying to seize New Orleans and the territory that the United States had acquired with the Louisiana Purchase.
Treaty of Ghent (1814) - (Signed on 24 December 1814) This was the peace treaty that ended the War of 1812 between the U.S. and the U.K. This treaty largely restored relations between the two nations, with -
Election of 1816
James Monroe easily elected president because of falling federalist party. marked thed beginning of the era of good feelings. -
Second Bank of United States
served as the nation's federally authorized central bank[2] during its 20-year charter from February 1817[3] to January 1836. -
Dartmouth College v. Woodward
Trustees of Dartmouth College v. Woodward, 17 U.S. (4 Wheat.) 518 (1819), was a United States Constitution to private corporations. The case arose when the president of Dartmouth College was deposed by its trustees, leading to the New Hampshire legislature attempting to force the college to become a public institution and thereby place the ability to appoint trustees in the hands of the governor. -
McColluch v. Maryland
McCulloch v. Maryland, 17 U.S. 316 (1819), was a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States. The state of Maryland had attempted to impede operation of a branch of the Second Bank of the United States by imposing a tax on all notes of banks not chartered in Maryland. -
Gibbons v. Ogden
Gibbons v Ogden, 22 U.S. 1 (1824), was a decision in which the Supreme Court by the United States held the power to regulate interstate commerce was granted to Congress by the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution. -
Johnson v. McIntosh
is a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court that held that private citizens could not purchase lands from Native Americans. As the facts were recited by Chief Justice John Marshall, the successor in interest to a private purchase from the Piankeshaw attempted to maintain an action of ejectment against the holder of a federal land patent. -
Election of 1824 (currupt bargain)
The election between John Q. Adams and Andrew Jackson went to the House od Representatives for the final decision. John Q. Adams made a deal with Henry Clay, the speaker of the House, to be elected president. -
Election of 1828
It featured a rematch between John Quincy Adams, now incumbent President, and Andrew Jackson, the runner-up in the 1824 election. With no other major candidates, Jackson and his chief ally Martin Van Buren consolidated their bases in the South and New York and easily defeated Adams. The Democratic Party merged its strength from the existing supporters of Jackson and their coalition with the supporters of Crawford (the "Old Republicans") and Vice-President Calhoun. -
Indian Removal Act 1830
was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson on May 28, 1830. The act authorized him to negotiate with the Indians in the Southern United States for their removal to federal territory west of the Mississippi River in exchange for their homelands. -
Nullification Crisis 1832
was a sectional crisis during the presidency of Andrew Jackson created by South Carolina's 1832 Ordinance of Nullification. This ordinance declared by the power of the State that the federal Tariffs of 1828 and 1832 were unconstitutional and therefore null and void within the sovereign boundaries of South Carolina. The controversial and highly protective Tariff of 1828 (known to its detractors as the "Tariff of Abominations") was enacted into law during the presidency of John Quincy Adams. The -
Texas Independence
Texas became its own country before being added to the United States as a slave state in 1845. It caused many disputes over slavery in the US because adding it as a slave state would unbalance the slaverr disputes. -
Webster-Ashburton Treaty
Set the boundary between Maine and New Brunswick,along with other territory disputes with British North American colonies. -
Election of 1844
Polk won election because he believed in manifest destiny, the annexation of Texas, and expansion west. -
Wilmot Proviso
Said that the territories gained from Mexican seccession were to be free states but it never passed. -
Mexican-American War
America offered to pay Mexico for the land of Texas, New Mexico, and California but Mexico refused. US won war and signed treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This was part of President Polk's Manifest destiny expansion. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1848
US paid Mexico $15 million for Texas, New Mexico, and California terrritories. Mexico recognzed the Rio Grande as border of Texas. -
Ostend Manifesto
An attempt to gain Cuba that stated that either US would gain Cuba as a slave state or US would go to war with Spain. Northern States were mad to learn about it seeing that the south was willing to go to war to gain more slave states. -
Gadsden Purchase
US purchased area of Arizona and New Mexico in order to build a railroad for $10 million. -
Panic of 1857
First economic crisis of the world. Northern good values lowered while cotton prices remained high. -
South Carolina secedes
On news of Lincoln's election, South Carolina (site of nullification fight in 1830s) secedes -
Bull Run (Manassas), 1st battle
Gen. McDowell leads 30,000 men against Gen. Johnston's 22,000 Southern troops in an attempt to crush the rebels and go "On to Richmond." South scores victory as Union troops flee back to Washington in disarray. McDowell replaced by Gen. McClellan. -
Emancipation Proclamation
With victory at Antietam, Lincoln announces that on 1/1/63, all slaves in the rebelling states would be free. Does not affect border states. Forces European nations to recognize that choosing sides in the Civil War is to take a stand on slavery -
Antietam
Heavily outnumbered, Lee's troops face McClellan in bloody fighting (bloodiest single day). Over 23,000 casualties (more than all previous American wars combined). Lee retreats to Virginia. Gave Lincoln the victory necessary to issue Emancipation Proclamation. Lincoln gets rid of McClellan for not pursuing Lee. -
Vicksburg
After a long siege, Vicksburg surrenders to Grant. All of Mississippi River is now in Union control -
Gettysburg
Over 165,000 soldiers participate in the largest battle in the Western Hemisphere. After three days of fighting, Lee retreats, leaving 4,000 dead Confederates. Total casualties: 23,000 Union, 28,000 Confederates. Hurt the morale of the South and Lee never attempted another attack on the North. -
Lee surrenders
Battle of Appomattox Court House. Lee, refusing to see his troops suffer any further, surrenders to Grant. Southern troops given generous terms of surrender -
13th Amendment
Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as
punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been
duly convicted, shall exist within the United States or
any place subject to their jurisdiction.
« Congress shall have power to enforce this article by
appropriate legislation. -
Tenure of Office Act
intended to restrict the power of the President of the United States to remove certain office-holders without the approval of the Senate. The law was enacted on March 3, 1867, over the veto of President Andrew Johnson. It purported to deny the president the power to remove any executive officer who had been appointed by the president, without the advice and consent of the Senate, unless the Senate approved the removal during the next full session of Congress. -
Alaska Purchase
Russia sold Alaska territory to US for $7.6 million because Russia feared Britain would go to war with them for the land. -
14th Amendment
- Provide a constitutional guarantee of the rights and security of freed people.
- Insure against neo-Confederate political power.
- Enshrine the national debt while repudiating that of the Confederacy. «Southern states would be punished for denying the right to vote to black citizens! (partnered with 15th)
-
15th Amendment
« The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be
denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on
account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
« The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by
appropriate legislation.
« Women’s rights groups were furious that they were
not granted the vote! -
Panic of 1873
1873-1879. Ø Begun 10 days after Cleveland took office
Ø Railroad over-speculation
1. Several major corps. went bankrupt.
§ Over 16,000 businesses disappeared.
§ Triggered a stock market crash.
§ Over-extended investments.
2. Bank failures followed causing a contraction
of credit [nearly 500 banks closed].
3. By 1895, unemployment reached 3 million.
Ø Americans cried out for relief, but the Govt.
continued its laissez faire policies!! -
The Civil Rights Act of 1875
Crime for any individual to deny full &
equal use of public conveyances and
public places.
« Prohibited discrimination in jury
selection.
« Shortcoming à lacked a strong
enforcement mechanism.
« No new civil rights act was attempted
for 90 years! -
Panama Canal
Was an important part in allowing trade between the Atlantic and Pacific. US gained control although there were many disputes -
Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad Company v. IL:
States can’t
regulate interstate commerce. Leads to the
creation of the Interstate Commerce
Commission (Interstate Commerce Act,
1887) . designed to regulate the railroad industry, particularly its monopolistic practices.[1] The Act required that railroad rates be "reasonable and just," but did not empower the government to fix specific rates. It also required that railroads publicize shipping rates and prohibited short haul or long haul fare discrimination, a form of price discriminatio -
Dawes Act
Adopted by Congress in 1887, authorized the President of the United States to survey Indian tribal land and divide it into allotments for individual Indians. Dawes Act was amended in 1891 and again in 1906 by the Burke Act. Led to the Trail of tears and migrationand death of thousands of NA -
Wounded Knee Massacre
It was a massacre that left some 150 Native Americans dead, in what was the final clash between federal troops and the Sioux. Considered the last brawl between Americans and Indians and was also considered the last of the "free Indians" -
Homestead Steel Strike
culminating in a battle between strikers and private security agents on July 6, 1892. The battle was the second largest and one of the most serious disputes in U.S. labor history second only to the Battle of Blair Mountain. The dispute occurred at the Homestead Steel Works in the town of Homestead, Pennsylvania, between the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers (the AA) and the Carnegie Steel Company. The final result was a major defeat for the union and a setback for efforts to unio -
U.S.S. Maine
US said the U.S.S. Maine was bombed by Spanish to encourage America into the Spanish-American war. Later research said the explosion was accidentle. -
Teller Amendment
Said that the US would not have sovereignity over Cuba, instead the cubans would have control of their own country with US help. -
Spanish-American War
Part of American imperialistic era. US gained Spains oversea territorries such as Cuba, Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam. -
Open Door Policy
Policy that said everyone was allowed to trade with China, which really just gave US its own ability to trade with China. -
Boxer Rebellion
Rebellion in China that was anti-imperialistic. Showed other nations that China was not as weak as originally thought. -
Election of 1900
PResident Mckinnley won for hi pro imperialistic views and win in the Spanish-American war. -
Platt Amendment
Replaced the Teller Amendment and gave US military control in Cuba until Cuba could establish its own. It aslo gave US military bases in Cuba such as Guatanamo Bay. -
Roosevelt Corollary
Stated the US would pay off debts of Latin American countries so European countries would not get involved in the Latin American countries construction. -
Gentlemen’s Agreement
Was an informal agreement between the United States and the Empire of Japan whereby the U.S. would not impose restriction on Japanese immigration, and Japan would not allow further emigration to the U.S. -
Election of 1908
Willaim Howard Taft became president -
Founding of the NAACP
an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Its mission is “to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination”. -
Mexican Civil War (Revolution)
Mexico became a constitutional republic and established the main party of Mexico. -
Election of 1912
The republican party split so the democrtic party had an easy win. Woodrow Wilson became president -
Jones Act
The Jones Act states that all goods carried from United States port to another must be on a ship chartered and owned by American citizens, along with other protections for seamen. The Jones Act also ensures that injured seamen are compensated and cared for by their employers. The Jones Act led to the creation of the Maritime Cabotage Task Force. This agency is responsible for enforcing the regulations established by the Jones Act. -
First Red Scare
It was a widespread fear of Bolshevism and anarchism. Concerns over the effects of radical political agitation in American society and alleged spread in the American labor movement fueled the paranoia that defined the period. -
Red Summer
The Red Summer of 1919 refers to a series of race riots took place between May and October of that year. Although riots occurred in more than thirty cities throughout the United States, the bloodiest events were in Chicago, Washington D.C. and Elaine, Ark. Causes for it were labor shortages, racial strife, and massive migration. -
Harlem Renaissance
It was Centered in the Harlem neighboorhood in NY but spread all throughout America "the new Negro". This was musical and literature spread and led to more black radicalism and opportunities. -
Election of 1932
The election took place in the midst of the Great Depression that had ruined the promises of incumbent President and Republican candidate Herbert Hoover to bring about a new era of prosperity. FDR vote president and began new deal -
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs enacted in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They involved presidential executive orders or laws passed by Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were in response to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call the "3 Rs": Relief, Recovery, and Reform. That is, Relief for the unemployed and poor; Recovery of the economy to normal levels; and Reform of the financial system to prevent a repe -
Attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
in Japan were conducted by the United States during the final stages of World War II in 1945. These two events represent the only use of nuclear weapons in war to date. -
Truman Doctrine
Truman Doctrine- The Truman Doctrine was the American foreign policy in 1947 of providing economic and military aid to Greece and Turkey because they were threatened by communism -
Creation of NATO 1949
NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization - intergovernmental alliance between many countries in the north atlantic. At the time was preventing communist spread -
Fall of China to Communism (1949)
was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang (KMT), or the Chinese Nationalist Party-led Nationalist Government of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China (CPC),[5] for the control of each other's territory which eventually led to two de facto states, the Republic of China (ROC) in Taiwan and the People's Republic of China (PRC) in mainland China both claiming to be the legitimate government of China. The war began in April 1927, amidst the Northern Expedition,[6] and essentiall -
Korean War (1950-1953)
was a war between the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. It was primarily the result of the political division of Korea by an agreement of the victorious Allies at the conclusion of the Pacific War at the end of World War II. The Korean Peninsula was ruled by the Empire of Japan from 1910 until the end of World War II. Following the surrender of the Empire of Japan in September 1945, American administrators divided the peninsula along the 38th parallel, with U.S. mi -
Election of 1952
During this time, Cold War tension between the United States and the Soviet Union was escalating rapidly. In the United States Senate, Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin had become a national figure after chairing congressional investigations into the issue of Communist spies within the U.S. government. Dwight D. Eisenhower elected president
