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1492
Arrival of Columbus to America
Columbus arrived to America is search of a shorter route to Asia but instead found the New World. This prompted the Columbian exchange which was the exchange of good, ideas, and diseases between the New and old World. -
1494
Treaty of Tordesillas
This was a treaty to divide up the Western Hemisphere of America. Since Spain and Portugal both wanted to colonize America, they agreed upon lands that could be divided up between them -
1565
St. Augustine
Spain was the earliest to colonize North America.They colonized modern-day Florida and named it St. Augustine. -
African Chattel Slavery Emerged
In the English Colonies, the English people started to rely on slavery. This caused the African chattel to emerge because they had lots of land and there was never a mix of races in Great Britain. -
Virginia House of Burgesses
This was the first representative assembly. Although it was not very representative of most of the population, it was a step towards a democratic government. -
Mayflower Compact
When the Puritans were travelling to America they established the Mayflower compact. This was the first document of self-government, which was made due to the oppressive ways of Great Britain. -
Pequot's War
This is when the English wanted to break up the Dutch- Pequot War. The Pequot Tribe decided to fight back. -
Navigation Acts
This is where early conflicts with England start to arise. English made it so only trade with England was allowed. -
Pueblo's Revolution
Uprising of the Native American population against Spain. They had an uprising due to the Spanish trying to convert them to Catholicism and being violent towards them. -
Great Awakening
This is when people started to have separate beliefs from the main church. People such as Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield emerged. -
Pontiac's Rebellion
This war was started by a loose confederation of American Indian tribes. They did this due to a dissatisfaction with British policy near the Great Lakes region. -
Paxton Boys attack on Pennsylvania Indians
57 settlers attacked and killed the Susquehannock Indians of Pennsylvania. They had accused these Susquehannock Indians of scalping and pillaging. -
Sons of Liberty Created
The Sons of Liberty were created to preserve the rights of American colonists and to fight taxation by the British government. Their motto was "no taxation without representation". -
Boston Massacre
Colonist were upset with British policies and rebelled. This resulted in British soldiers killing 5 people. -
Boston Tea Party
This was a political protest in Boston, Massachusetts. A group of colonists were outraged by the taxes put in place by Great Britain and dumped chests of British tea into the harbor. -
Intolerable Acts
These were laws that the British placed after the tea party to punish the actions of the colonists. These included the Boston Port Act, The Massachusetts Government Act, the Quartering Act, Administration of Justice Act, and the Quebec Act. -
Declaration of Independence
After a long time of fighting Great Britain for Independence, America finally won. This document declared their independence from Great Britain. -
Articles of Confederation
This was an agreement between the 13 colonies of America. It stated that the colonies either join together and become a nation, or they would die. -
Shays' Rebellion
An uprising in Massachusetts that was led by Daniel Shays. The point of this uprising was to prevent the trial and imprisonment of debt ridden citizen. -
Constitutional Convention
This was a convention to decide how America would be governed by replacing the Articles of Confederation with the Constitution. There were many compromised that were made during the convention. -
Federalist papers published
These were documents that ratified the U.S. constitution. These papers were written in the hopes that the people of New York would want to ratify the constitution in the upcoming convention. -
Inauguration of George Washington
This marked a very important time in America, as it was the first inauguration of a president. George Washington was very important to America as he set many precedent from the years to come. -
Bill of Rights Ratified
This Bill of Rights included the first 10 amendments of the US. This was added to the Constitution because the anti-federalists believed that this was necessary to safeguard individual liberty. -
Jay's Treaty
This treaty was made with the purpose of solving the unresolved issues regarding Great Britain after the Revolutionary War. This treaty maintained peace between the two nations -
Alien and Sedition Acts
These were laws passed by the Federalist Congress in 1798. They included powers to deport foreigners and made it harder for immigrants to vot -
Louisiana Purchase
Jefferson doubled the size of the United States with the Louisiana Purchase. This also heavily encouraged westward expansion. -
Embargo Act
A law passed by the United States Congress which was signed by Thomas Jefferson. This prohibited American ships from trading in all foreign ports. -
Non- Intercourse Act
This replaced the Embargo Act of 1807. The Non-Intercourse Act lifted all embargoes on American shipping except for those bound fir British and French ports. -
Hartford Convention
A series of meetings in Hartford, Connecticut. This included the New England Federalist party meeting to discuss their grievances concerning the war of 1812. -
Era of Good Feelings Began
The Era of Good Feelings marked a time of political history where the national purpose and desire for unity thrived among Americans. Despite all of the nationalism at the time, sectionalism was still increasing. -
Rush- Bagot Treaty
Disarmament was a treaty between the U.S. and the U.K. limiting naval armaments. The area this was regarding was the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain after the war of 1812. -
Panic of 1819
The first financial crises in the United States. This was followed by a collapse in the American economy that continued until 1821. -
Adams-Onis Treaty
This was a treaty between the United States and Spain during 1819. It ceded Florida to the U.S and defined the boundary between the U.S. and new Spain. -
Missouri Compromise
A United States federal legislation that admitted Main to the United States as a free state, while Missouri would be a slave state. This was made to maintain the balance between the North and the South. -
Monroe Doctrine
An United States policy that opposed European colonialism in the Americas. This was made to keep Europe of of American affairs. -
Corrupt Bargain (John Quincy Adams)
Q.A was the first minority vote president. The other contenders for the presidency included Henry Clay and William Crawford. -
Tariff of Abominations
These were tariffs made to protect Northern industries. South Carolina did not agree with this as they considered it to be unconstitutional. -
Indian Removal Act
Andrew Jackson signed this into law. It authorized the president to negotiate with southern Native American tribes for their removal to federal territory west of the Mississippi river. -
Beginning of Nullification Crises
Sectional political crises that took place during the presidency of Andrew Jackson. It involved a confrontation between the state of South Carolina and the federal government. -
Black Hawk War
A brief conflict between the United Sates and Native Americans. The Native Americans were led by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. -
Worcester v Geogia
A landmark case in which the supreme court vacated the conviction of Samuel Worcester. It also held that the Georgia criminal statute that prohibited non- Native Americans from being present on Native American lands without a license from the state was unconstitutional. -
Creation of Whig Party
The Whig Party was a political party that was active in the middle of the 19th century. The Whigs opposed President Andrew Jackson, pulling together former members of the National Republican Party, the Anti- Masonic Party, and disaffected Democrats. -
Beginning Trail of Tears
Tribes such as the Cherokee were forcefully removed from their land and had to move east of the Mississippi River. Many fatalities occurred during the process. -
Election of James Polk
James Polk was elected to be president in 1845. He defeated Henry Clay in a close contest turning the controversial issue of slavery and the annexation of the Republic of Texas. -
Annexation of Texas
Texas was admitted to the Union as the 28th state in 1845. The Republic of Texas declared independence from the Republic of Mexico in 1836. -
Wilmot Proviso
An unsuccessful proposal to ban all slavery in the new land acquired from Mexico in the Mexican-American War. -
Mexican-American War
A war between Mexico and America that spanned from 1846-1847. It was initiated by the United States, and their victory caused Mexico to lose half of their territory. -
Free Soil Party was created
The free soil party was created in 1848 and lasted until 1854. This party was a political party that believed that slavery should no longer be able to spread. -
Seneca Falls Convention
This was the first women's rights convention. It was advertised as "a convention to discuss social, civil, and religious condition and rights of women". -
Compromise of 1850
A package of 5 separate bills passed by the United States that defused political confrontation between slave and free states on the status of territories acquired in the Mexican American war. -
Publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin
A significant anti-slavery novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. This novel encouraged many people to stand against slavery. -
Kansas- Nebraska Act
An act passed that allowed the citizens of Kansas and Nebraska to choose whether or not to allow slavery in their borders. It repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820. -
Bleeding Kansas
This was also known as the Border War. Bleeding Kansas was a series of violent civil confrontations in the U.S. between 1854-1861 which emerged from a political and ideological debate over the legality of slavery in the proposed state of Kansas. -
Election of 1860
The presidential election in which Abraham Lincoln was elected as president. This caused states, such as South Carolina, to secede as they believed he was an abolitionist. -
Dred Scott Case
Dred Scott v. Stanford was a major court case that took place in 1860. The supreme court ruled that Scott was still a slave and had no right to file suit in a United States court as he was not a citizen. -
Fort Sumter
This is where the Civil War officially began and it was the south's decision for war. -
Emancipation Proclamation
A proclamation issued by Lincoln that states, "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free." -
Gettysburg Address
A speech delivered by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. This took subtle aim at the ideology of white supremacy that laid behind slavery. -
Reconstruction Acts of 1867
These were acts that placed the south under military occupation. -
The Grange
A group of farmers that worked for the improvement of farmers. This was the first "national" organization of the farmers and eventually led to the Populist Party. -
Knights of Labor
Labor unions started to form due to the tough conditions of the working class. One of the ones that were formed was called the Knights of Labor and they allowed all working people (women, African Americans, immigrants, etc.) into the union. -
Standard Oil Company found
John D. Rockefeller dominated the oil industry with his Standard Oil Company. This eventually led to him monopolizing oil and becoming extremely wealthy. -
Crédit Mobilier Scandal
Union Pacific Railroad members formed the Crédit Mobilier construction company and secretly made their own profit, and distributed shares of its stock to Republican Congressmen and the Vice President. This scandal was revealed to the public and they views this as proof of corruption during the Gilded age. -
Invention of Telephone
Alexander Graham Bell discovered how to transmit vocal sounds telegraphically. This allowed people to communicate from long distances. -
Compromise of 1877
This compromise ended the reconstruction era. This compromise settled the disrupted election of 1876 and pulled federal troops out of state politics in the south. -
Invention of Light Bulb
The great inventor, Thomas Edison, invented the light bulb. This allowed for longer work hours, which sped up production time. It also raised the average sleep time. -
Booker T. Washington becomes head of Tuskegee Institute
Booker T. Washington was a civil rights activists who fought discrimination with knowledge. He created the Tuskegee Institute to teach black students to "accommodate" to the southern white racism by gaining an education and self-respect. -
Dawes Act
A movement to reform Indian policy led to the US deciding to assimilate Indians to white culture rather than forcibly contain and kill Indians. -
Sherman Antitrust Act
The government passed an act to prohibit the big companies from monopolizing goods because it hurt the lower, working classes. -
Populist's Party
This party came from the Farmers' Alliance and it was for poor, indebted farmers. -
Plessy v Ferguson
Louisiana passed a law segregating railroad cars, which was protested and brought to court by Homer Plessy. The court decided that this did not violate the 14th amendment as long as everything was "separate but equal". -
Spanish American War
An armed conflict between Spain and the United States.This began due to the explosion of the USS Maine and yellow journalism. -
USS Maine sunk
The USS Maine was suddenly blown up in Havana harbor killing 260 people on board. Spain was accused by yellow journalists. -
Treaty of Paris
This treaty recognized Cuban independence and the U.S. purchase of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. -
US Becomes a World Power
The US victory gave a sense of pride to US citizens and made the south connect more to the union. France, Great Britain, and other European powers recognized the United States as a first-class power with a strong navy and the willingness to take active roles in international affairs. -
Start of Philippine-American War
Due to controversy over the treaty of Paris, the Filipinos thought the United Sates were violating their own Declaration of Independence as annexing the Philippines would deprive them of their "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". -
Open Door Policy
A United States policy that would allow for a system of trade in China open to all countries equally. -
Hawaiian Territory
Hawaiian islands became U.S. territory and overtime progressed as a state. This helped the United States in expansion of land and gave them more power. -
Boxer Rebellion
Chinese nationalists attacked foreign settlements and killed plenty of Christian missionaries. To keep American lives and property safe, U.S. troops invaded and forced the Boxer rebellion down. -
Roosevelt becomes president
Roosevelt was an American statesman, politician, conservationist, naturalist and writer who served as the 26th president. -
Platt Amendment
This amendment included seven conditions for withdrawal of United States troops remaining in Cuba by the end of the Spanish-American war. Cuba had to sign a treaty accepting these seven conditions. -
Big Stick Diplomacy
Vice President Roosevelt succeeded into office when McKinley was fatally shot. He believed in this foreign policy, where his motto was, "speak softly and carry a big stick." -
Insular Cases
Philippines questioned whether the U.S. constitution applied to the territories that were under U.S. control. Anti-Imperialist argued they did, but Imperialists argued that they did not, and the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Imperialists.Rights were eventually given by Congress. -
Russo-Japanese War
Imperialist rivalry between Russia and Japan led to war. To end the war. Roosevelt arranged for a diplomatic conference between the representatives of each nation. Japan blamed the US for not getting what they wanted from China. -
Panama Canal
As a result of the Spanish-American War, the new American empire reached from Puerto Rico in the Caribbean to the Philippines in the Pacific. -
Panama Revolution
Roosevelt was eager to start the development of a canal through the terrain pot the isthmus of Panama. He supported a revolt in Panama, where the U.S. backed, which caused the rebellion succeeding immediately with little bloodshed. -
The Fourteen Points
Wilson drafted the fourteen points as a way to achieve war aims. Most of the points relate to territorial questions regarding France, but the overall point was a world peace organization. -
Red Scare
After the war many people feared communism. With Russia being a communist country and the anti-German hysteria, people were scared of communism. -
18th Amendment
The only amendment to have been repealed from the Constitution. Established the prohibition of alcoholic beverages in the U.S. by declaring the production, transport, and sale of alcohol illegal. -
Treaty of Versailles
A peace treaty created by the 'Big Four' and allied forces. The treaty resulted in Germany paying for all the damages done in the war and the creation of the League of Nations. -
19th Amendment
Granted women the right to vote and prohibit states from denying the right to vote based on sex. This was made possible after the Women's Suffrage Movement. -
Teapot Dome Scandal
This event is when the Secretary of Interior secretly released naval oil reserves in various private companies. -
The great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald emphasized the American dream that you can do anything you put your mind to in his novel The Great Gatsby. This was the peak of the roaring twenties. -
Stock Market Crash
This is when the stock market completely crashed, leaving many people in debt. Some credit this for starting the Great Depression. -
The Jazz Age
This was the time period starting in 1918 and ending in 1929 that involved the new generation of Americans enjoying jazz music. -
Federal Emergency Relief Administration
This organization was brought about to literally hand out grants to different areas to aid in things such as soup kitchens. -
Civil Works Administration
This organization was designed to create new jobs for the unemployed. -
America first committee launched
Speakers like Charles Lindbergh traveled the country to warn Americans of getting involved in a second Europe conflict. -
Lend-Lease Act
Ended Cash and Carry Act, allowed British to obtain US arms needed on credit. -
Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, was bombed by Japan, it killed 2,400 Americans killed. This caused America to enter WWII -
Atomic Bomb dropped on Hiroshima
An American B-29 bomber dropped the world's first deployed atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. This is very controversial as many people died and it wasn't completely necessary.