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Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in North America. Located in Virginia, Jamestown was named after King James I. Though the colony was riddled with disease and famine, the settlement in North America opened the gates to further inhabitation by the English people. Also, the growing of tobacco gave reason for further settlement in North America. Though rocky at first, Jamestown proved that there was money to be made in the new land. -
The Mayflower, a British ship, landed in what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts. The Mayflower was full of Puritans, or what we know as Pilgrims. Seeking religious freedom from the Church of England, the Pilgrims came to America in order to worship the way they intended. Before leaving on the trip, the group signed the Mayflower Compact, which was a form of governing for the new society. The Pilgrims coming to America proved that it was a land of possible opportunity and freedom. -
The increasing amount of migrants caused conflict with the Native people. This caused attacks on the English people with Opechancanough not willing to create a treaty. In 1622, a surprise attack by Opechancanough killed 347 English. This was almost one-third of their population. The English fought back by seizing food and fields. This created a war that lasted for a decade. This war represented the first major conflict between the Indians and the soon to be Americans.
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The steam engine was invented by Thomas Savery and James Watt. The steam engine powers mechanical equipment using steam. The steam engine impacted transportation greatly, allowing for creations such as the steam boat. The steam boat allowed people to travel against the stream of a river, which made transporting goods a lot easier. This boosted the economy in America and made many jobs much easier. -
The war was a victory for Britain, defeating France, and causing a large change in territory in North America. France was forced to cede its North American land east of the Mississippi to great Britain, while also being forced to cede its land west of the Mississippi to Spain. These countries gaining land from this War would establish where and how early settlers would live in North America, and also gave Britain great control of the colony. -
The British put a boundary line in the Appalachian Mountains that the colonists could not settle past. This control from the British angered the Colonists, who felt like they were being controlled so Britain could keep them under their thumb. Despite this proclamation, some colonists chose to rebel by settling past this line. This proclamation showed an early sign of Britain's intent on controlling to colonies. Though this was not oppressive like a tax act, it was still unnecessary control. -
The Stamp Act was the first tax act put on the colonies in order for Britain to gain revenue to station an army in the colonies. This required colonists to pay a tax on all printed paper they used. This included items such as newspaper, playing cards, and dice. This tax angered the colonists, who had to pay while people in Britain did not have to pay. This was the start of taxation without representation, which was one of the main points in American independence. -
The Boston Massacre was the killing of several Patriots who were protesting the inhabitation of British soldiers in their city. Protestors were throwing snowballs and rocks at British soldiers, causing them to open fire. This event, though not entirely the fault of the soldiers, provided the Colonists with a reason to come together against British rule. This was used to help create a larger desire for independence for the colonies. -
With the Colonists being tired of the unfair tax being placed on their goods, especially tea, they decided to plan a protest against the British. A group known as the Sons of Liberty dumped hundreds of chests of tea into the Boston Harbor while being dressed as Indians. This form of protest made tensions high between the colonists and the British. With no one being injured, this protest was purely economical. -
The Intolerable Acts were put in place to punish the colonists after the Boston Tea Party. They closed the port of Boston, outlawed assemblies and took total control of colonial government, and made it so royal officials accused of a crime were tried in England. Royal officers being tried in England meant they were most likely not going to be held accountable for their actions in the colonies. These acts by the British made colonial life miserable and further pushed revolution. -
The first battles of the Revolutionary War. The battle started in Lexington with the "shot heard around the world", and soon the British started to retreat. This ended in an American victory, with the colonists being able to push Britain back into Boston. This battle convinced many colonists that this was a war worth fighting, and that we could fight back against British rule. Though we had won this battle, the war for independence would still be long and treacherous. -
Every colony was represented, with all 13 colonies having brought delegates. Taking place in Philadelphia, this meeting was presided over by John Hancock. The revolution was discussed, with the Conservatives wanting reconciliation and the Radicals fighting for revolution. The two parties eventually agreed to send the Olive Branch petition, but it was rejected by King George and he declared the colonies in open rebellion. This showed that peace was not always an option for the colonies. -
Fifty-six delegates of the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence stating the colonies as free and independent from Britain's rule. This came after much mistreatment from the British, and the colonies wanted to be self-governed. This is considered the greatest breakup letter of all time. The declaration was not received well by the British, who thought they had done a lot for the colonies. This showed that the relationship between the colonies and Britain could not be fixed. -
The battle of Saratoga represents a turning point in the war. British General John Burgoyne and his army plans to move south where he will meet up with two other British armies and face the continentals. The other two British armies are not there, and Burgoyne is quickly surrounded and forced to surrender along with his whole army. This battle persuaded the French to help assist America in their war for independence. Without France, we would not have won the Revolutionary War. -
After a grueling campaign through the southern colonies, General Cornwallis retreated to the coast of Yorktown, Virginia, for the winter and the protection of the Royal Navy. However, Cornwallis was not aware that the French Navy had defeated the British fleet at the Battle of the Capes in September, so when Cornwallis arrived at Yorktown, he found the French Navy at his back and the American Army before him. This defeat for the British ended fighting in the Revolutionary War. -
The constitution was created in cooperation of state legislatures in order to obtain representation from all states. The constitution established the national government in America and guaranteed basic rights for American citizens. The constitution was important in creating a boundary between the people of the country and the government. It gave a clear view of who had power over what and what they were to do with that power. -
George Washington was inaugurated as president with no election having happened. John Adams became the Vice President. As a president, Washington established may precedents. Washington stepped down after 3 terms, something we see as common today. Also, Washington established a cabinet with four departments. On top of that, the Supreme Court was established under Washington's presidency. George Washington displayed a presidency that was not power hungry, which was important to our nation. -
The cotton gin allowed people to remove the seeds from cotton more efficiently. This made it so cotton was more profitable and required less manual labor. This increased the prevalence of slavery in the South, and also boosted the Southern economy. Before the cotton gin was invented, slavery was decreasing in America. This trend turned around though, and was an unintentional result of the cotton gin's creation. -
In order to repair relations with the French, Adams sent diplomats to negotiate a treaty. The French demand a “gift” (bribe) of $250,000 before they would negotiate. America, angry about the French slight, refuse to pay. Adams avoids war with France by negotiating peace. Because of this, Adams creates the US Navy to protect American trade routes, merchant ships, and defend the coast. Though the XYZ affair was embarrassing for the nation, it opened our eyes to the necessity of a strong military. -
The Alien and Sedition Acts were a series of Laws passed by President Adams that made it possible to deport any alien considered dangerous. Also, it made it illegal for newspapers to print any material that is critical of the president or congress. The Naturalization Act then increased the amount of time immigrants had to live in the U.S. before they could become citizens. These rules put in place by the President were disrespectful to the public who already were weary due to Britain's rule. -
The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions states that since the Constitution was a ‘pact’ between the states and the federal government, if the government did something to break apart that ‘pact’ (the Alien and Sedition Acts) the states could decide that those laws were void in their state (nullification). This gave states power to fight against any wrong doing by the federal government. This was the end of federalist power. -
The election of 1800 marked the end of the Federalist era and the beginning of the Jeffersonian era. The change in political ideology made this election known as "The Revolution of 1800". Jefferson was the first President inaugurated in the new capital city of Washington D.C. In an attempt to hold onto the Judicial branch, Adams, on his last day in office, fills all federal courts with loyal federalists. -
Jefferson feared that the U.S. would not be able to access the Mississippi River without ownership of New Orleans, so Jefferson sent Monroe to negotiate for the purchase of New Orleans for $3 million. Napoleon was not interested unless the U.S. purchased the entire Louisiana Territory for $15 million. Jefferson took this offer despite the the dilemma of the constitutionality of acquiring new land. This purchase doubled the size of our country and only cost us 4 cents per acre. -
Marbury sued Madison because he was not being served his commission for the justice of the peace for D.C. The Supreme Court sides with Madison and refuses to grant Marbury the position based on the fact that 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. The creation of Judicial review would help in decisions later on in the country. -
Great Britain and France were at war again, and we finally have a descent trading relationship with both of them, so Jefferson wants to remain neutral. So, he imposes an embargo (ban) on all foreign trade. This was unpopular among merchants, traders, and the business community. This also does great damage to the American economy, but encourages the growth of domestic manufacturing. This showed that we needed foreign trade in order to keep our economy thriving. -
During the War of 1812, the British marched into Washington D.C. and set fire to the capital building. There was a brief fight within the city, but after America surrenders, nearly all government buildings were razed. Dolly Madison became a national hero because she saved the portrait of George Washington from the capital building. This event represented a low point in our nation where fighting took place with Britain even after we earned independence. -
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 the poem called “The Defense of Ft. McHenry” it eventually becomes a song “The Star Spangled Banner”. The Star Spangled banner is still a patriotic song to this day, and represents victory through adversity. The song embodies America, and is still remembered to this day. -
The Missouri Compromise allowed Missouri to join the Union as a slave state and for Maine to join the Union as a free state. This stopped the north's attempt to halt the expansion of slavery in the nation. Balance was maintained through the addition of one free state and one slave state. The compromise also stated that all new states that were north of Missouri were to be free states. This agreement was important because it helped maintain balance through a difficult scenario for the country. -
The election was between Henry Clay, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, and William H. Crawford. In this election no candidate received a majority of the electoral votes. This mean the vote went to the House of Representatives. Henry Clay, being the speaker of the house, drops out of the race. Adams and and Clay meet privately, and afterwards, Clay publicly supports Adams and the House elects Adams as president. Adams then appoints Clay to be the Secretary of State. -
President Andrew Jackson granted Indians land west of the Mississippi in exchange for Indian land that existed within current states. This forced the Indians to move to unfamiliar land. The journey was hard on a lot of Indians, who were forced to walk and be exposed to the elements. This act by Andrew Jackson highlighted our mistreatment of the Indians in an attempt to expand our nation. -
Invented by McCormick Co., the reaper revolutionizes the way we harvest wheat and other grains. The machine quickly did the work of many men. This made agriculture more efficient and profitable. This had a great impact on American agriculture, making it far more profitable and less tedious. Because the reaper was efficient, it put men out of work because their jobs were no longer needed. -
In 1831, still angry about the “Tariff of Abominations”, the South threatened to nullify the law. Calhoun believed the tariff is unconstitutional because it favors the North and thinks that states should declare the law null and void. Jackson believed in preserving the Union and fought nullification. He recommended to Congress to reduce the Tariff of 1828, so they passed a lower tariff in 1832. South Carolina, still unhappy, threatened to secede, but Jackson claimed that was treasonous. -
Texas was under the control of Mexico and gained independence in 1836. Around this time, they applied to be annexed into the United States, but were rejected. Eventually, the annexation was approved in 1845. This annexation was responsible for the start of the Mexican-American War, along with dispute over the ownership of the land between the Rio Grande and the Nueces River. Though America expanded with the annexation of Texas, it caused us to go to war with a bordering country.
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The Compromise of 1850 allowed California to enter the Union as a free state. Also, the slave trade was outlawed in Washington D.C. Strict fugitive slave laws were enacted nationwide, and territories applying for statehood will now be governed by the concept of Popular Sovereignty. Though the South and the North both benefited from this compromise, the North most likely gained more. With the capital outlawing slavery, the public was most likely to second guess their view on the matter. -
The Dred Scott case declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional by saying that a former slave that lived in a free state was not a citizen. This was against what was commonly thought in America, and was shocking to the country. The case stated that African Americans could not and could never be citizens of the country. This public display of inconsistency in thinking was one of the main factors in the Civil War. -
This election ended with Abraham Lincoln becoming our 16th president, beating out John C. Breckinridge of the Democratic party. This election carried lots of weight, with the South being enraged because it was known that Lincoln wanted to abolish slavery. This election would show the true divisions in our country that would eventually lead to the Civil War. Without Lincoln winning this election, slavery most likely would have continued to be present in America. -
President Lincoln created the Homestead Act of 1862 to encourage people to move out west. Lincoln promised families 160 acres and individuals 80 acres to move out west, live on the land, and improve it. All the land owners had to do was pay a small registration fee. This encouraged westward expansion and the demand of improving the land made it so progress was made within the county. -
With more people starting to settle in the West, the country felt the need to create a railroad to connect the entire nation. The government hired Union Pacific and Central Pacific to build the railroad, and offered them money and land to do so. The railroad spanned from Omaha, Nebraska to Sacramento, California. The task seemed impossible, similar to putting a man on the moon. With the railroad being built, westward expansion became much easier for Americans. -
The battle ended as a victory for the Union army. The Union created a siege on Vicksburg due to unsuccessful attacks. This made those within the city suffer from a lack of goods and rations. Also, the Confederates were constantly being attacked by Union barrages. The Union gained control of the Mississippi river, which was huge for transportation of goods and troops. This victory happened close to Gettysburg, which further bolstered the Union's success. -
The Battle of Gettysburg was a significant victory for the Union. The battle was a huge boost for morale in the Union Army. On top of that, it stopped any further invasion of the South in the North. General Lee was forced to retreat to the South in order to regain supplies and soldiers, which halted his offensive campaign. The Confederacy lost 28,000 men, their army was dwindled by more than one third. Though the Union lost 23,000 men, their superior numbers made the loss less significant. -
The battle of Appomattox was one of the last battles fought in the Civil War. With the Confederacy losing, Lee decides to surrender his army in order to stop further damage to the south. Lee surrenders at the Appomattox Court House. Due to the war, cities were torn into rubble and economic life was at a halt. Banks and business had failed and the South was still defiant. Though the surrender may have ended the fighting, there was still rebuilding to be done in America. -
The 13th amendment ended slavery in the United States. Though this is commonly thought to have been done by the Emancipation Proclamation, it was actually the doing of the 13th amendment. This was America's nail in the coffin to slavery, though it was still met with resistance from the South. The 13th amendment was important because it stopped the Confederate states from achieving what they wanted in succession. With the ratification of the amendment, the country moved in the right direction. -
America agreed to buy Alaska from Russia for 7.2 million dollars. This was the idea of William Henry Seward, and many people thought it was a mistake. Because of this, it was referred to as "Seward's Folly". The purchase of Alaska ended up being a good idea, though. American expansion was important for the growth of our country, and buying Alaska increased the size of our country by 586,000 square miles. -
Johnson was constantly having his vetoes overrode by the Republican Congress. On top of that, he was very lenient to former Confederate states, wanting to give them immediate citizenship. Johnson removed Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. Because of all of this, the House impeached Johnson, but the Senate fell one vote short. Johnson may not have been impeached, but he was now powerless with congress being against him. -
The 14th amendment stated that all people born in the US are US citizens, and that all people that were naturalized were full citizens. Also, former confederates could not hold office and US states were required to protect US citizens. If a state denied people voting rights, they lost representation in congress. This was a huge step in our country, especially with the black population. Though blacks still faced persecution in the South, they were starting to earn some government protection. -
The unpopularity of the 15th amendment made the Radical Republicans lose the super majority they once had. Johnson failed to win the Democratic nomination, with Seymour winning the bid. Grant ended up winning the presidency. This was due to his popularity as a war general in the Civil War. Grant helped in bringing the country back together. He worked on reunification and reconstruction of our nation. -
The 15th amendment stated that states had no right to stop anyone from voting despite their race, color, or previous condition of servitude. This amendment was pushed through congress quickly by the Republicans. The 15th Amendment was very unpopular in the North and won the Democratic party much needed northern support. Despite this, this was the right direction in equality for our country. With both the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments being ratified, the country was becoming more accepting. -
The election was between Democrat Sam Tilden and Republican Rutherford B. Hayes. Sam Tilden Wins, but the North questions the validity of the results. After a recount, South Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana all go to Hayes. This creates anger in the South. Because of this, the Compromise of 1877 was put in place. Hayes becomes president, but the North had to pull all of their troops out of the South. This was the end of the Reconstruction Era, allowing the South to go back to their old ways. -
The USS Maine was a naval ship that blew up in the Havana Harbor, killing 268 men. Despite blowing up due to internal combustion, the blame was put on Spain, which sparked the Spanish American War. This was used by American journalism to describe the Spanish as barbaric, and was used by the media to get public support for the war. Though the war did not end badly for America, the unfair blame being put on Spain most likely changed a generation's view on the nation. -
Because of nationalism gained by the Spanish-American War, President McKinley pushed for the annexation of Hawaii. In 1898, Hawaii officially became a territory of the United States. With Hawaii, we gained a refueling station at Pearl Harbor, and sugar plantations. The annexation of Hawaii proved to be an example of the United States expansion being beneficial. -
The Gilded Age was a time period in American history in which he saw extremally large economic growth. This was more prevalent in the northern and western parts of America. With new creations in technology, industry became bigger and people became more wealthy. People with wealth started to exploit those who did not have wealth. Many people needed to work, and those people were often subjected to conditions that were poor. -
the Jungle, by Upton Sinclair, exposes the poor conditions that immigrants have to work in within Chicago. Initially published to help push socialism, The Jungle became famous for exposing the horrors of the meat pacing industry. People reading the book became so appalled that they became physically sick, and this inspired action to be taken by the government to assure that our food and drugs were inspected and clean. -
The 1912 presidential election saw Woodrow Wilson defeat Theodore Roosevelt by a large margin. This election result could have been due to the split within the Republican party, by Roosevelt only getting the support of the Progressive Republican's. Wilson was a large supporter of neutrality for America, which many people supported. Eventually, Wilson went back on his promise when America entered World War I. -
The Panama Canal saved boat drivers time by connecting the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. This solved the problem of Americans needing to move ships from the east to the west quickly. America commenced the building of the canal, and in doing so they gained more power as a country. With being able to move goods quickly and more efficiently, the Panama Canal had a large positive impact on the American economy. -
The Zimmermann Telegraph was a secret telegraph between Mexico and Germany. Within the telegraph, Germany promised Mexico to give them financial aid if they joined in on the side of Germany in the event of a Germany-American conflict. This secret message, along with the submarine warfare by the Germans, were the main reasons America got involved in World War 1. This message being decoded also go the American public to support going to war. -
The Espionage Act of 1917 was enacted by the United States government right after America entered World War I. This law made it a crime to interfere with America's military during a time of war, or to assist the enemy's military in any way or form. This law took away the fear of spies hurting our nation's chance of winning the war, but also took away some of our individual rights. This brought the predicament of the importance of quality of life in the time of war. -
The Spanish Flu was a deadly virus that killed over 675,000 Americans. The virus killed the second most amount of people ever, behind the bubonic plague.25% of Americans caught the Spanish Flu. To combat the virus, some cities shut down for a short period of time. With not treatment for the virus, those who got sick had to hope their body was string enough to fight the sickness. The Spanish Flu showed that we were still susceptible to illness despite medical advancements. -
The Sedition Act was a highly controversial act that made it illegal to speak out against the nation's actions in the time of war. This was mainly in response to the people who thought we should remain peaceful, but everyone was effected by it. People had their freedom of speech removed on this particular topic, which angered many people. The act was eventually repealed in 1920, but the principle left a poor taste in peoples' mouths. -
The Treaty of Versailles ended World War I. The treaty is seen as highly controversial, though. Germany was forced to take all the responsibility for what happened in the war, which economically crippled them. This would end up leaving Germany in a vulnerable state. This would be taken advantage of by the Nazi party, which would use the anger of Germany's people to their advantage. To add to Germany's vulnerable state, they were also forced to have a reduced military. -
Alcohol was blamed as the root of many problems within society in the early 1900s. Many people believed that domestic violence and other forms of crimes were due to the consumption of alcohol. To combat these problems, America banned the manufacturing and eventually the consumption of alcohol. This ban came with much defiance. People started to bootleg alcohol, and speakeasies became common among the American public. These forms of defiance showed the significance of alcohol in our culture. -
The 19th Amendment took away state's rights to deny voting on the basis of sex. This allowed women to vote. The 19th amendment was a huge turning point in the Woman's Suffrage movement. Though women still faced discrimination in other parts of their life, having the right to vote gave them an opportunity to create an America they wanted to live in. On top of that, women being able to vote changed the political landscape for different ideologies. -
In response to the large amount of immigrants entering the United States from Southern and Eastern Europe, America created the Emergency Quota Act. This act made it so no more than 3% of a country's population could immigrate into America in a given year. This act stopped large surges of different populations from entering our country at once, and created more balance in the people admitted through immigration requests. -
The 1924 presidential election saw Calvin Coolidge defeat John W. Davis. Coolidge won with a large margin, winning both the popular vote and the electoral vote. Coolidge looked to shrunk the federal government's rule and looked over a strong economy. Coolidge is often remembered for doing nothing, but that may have been needed at the time. The Roaring 20's were in full swing, so the American people didn't need anyone interfering with their lives. -
The 1928 presidential election saw Herbert Hoover defeat Al Smith. Hoover became the last Republican to win the presidency until 1952. Hoover became the frontrunner for the Republican party after President Coolidge refused to seek reelection. Hoover would go on to have a controversial presidency. Hoover believed that the federal government should not interfere with economics, so he did very little to battle the economic depression. -
The Great Depression was a worldwide economic crisis that started in 1929 and did not end until 1933. During this time, we saw the global gross-domestic product decrease by 26.7%. At its worst, we saw unemployment reach 24.9%. The cause of this depression was the stock market crash of 1929, along with bank failures. Many people lost trust with banks as a result of the Great Depression due to people losing their money as banks went under. This mentality wa carried by a whole generation. -
A drought in the Midwest brought a natural phenomena we came to know as the Dust Bowl. For a period of time, the topsoil on our land would blow easily with the wind due to wind erosion. This also came at a time of economic depression, which made the effects worse. This soil being blown away negatively effected our country's ability to produce crops, which had a negative effect on our economy. The Dust Bowl also exposed our poor agriculture practices. -
The 1932 presidential election saw Franklin D. Roosevelt defeat former president Herbert Hoover. FDR won by an astounding amount, winning 472 electoral votes. This result was most likely due to the unpopularity of Herbert Hoover's first term. Many thought that Hoover did nothing to combat the depression the nation was going through, and FDR gave the country hope. This election was proof that no action is usually worse than risky action. -
With America in the middle of the great depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt looked to find solutions to the problems at hand. The New Deal had three r's: relief, recovery, and reform. The New Deal looked to control certain economic nuances, such as the price of items and the wages people were payed. On top of that, public work programs were created. The New Deal established the precedent of the federal government assisting in economic and social affairs. -
The Social Security Act allowed older citizens of the United States to live life more comfortably. The act established a system of federal old-age benefits, along with benefits for blind people and crippled people. The act was very polarizing, with many people praising it for helping those who are less fortunate or compromised. On the other hand, people saw the act as having communist ideology. People thought that distributing wealth was against our capitalist culture. -
The 1936 presidential election saw president Franklin D. Roosevelt win his second term over Alf Landon. FDR won in a landslide, with Landon only winning 8 electoral votes. Many people were in support of FDR because of his constant action in an attempt to combat the Great Depression. Many people thought the New Deal brought hope, and granting FDR another term would allow him to create an ever bigger impact. -
The 1940 presidential election saw Franklin D. Roosevelt defeat Wendell Willkie. This was FDR's third term, which marked the first time a United States president had been elected for a third term. FDR did not want to be elected for a third term, but with events in Europe worsening, he decided to run again. FDR won the vote mainly due to his constant action in the face of the depression. FDR was willing to try and try again to help the American public, which people liked. -
At eight in the morning, the American military base Pearl Harbor, located in Honolulu, was surprise attacked by the Japanese army. Japan did this in an attempt to stop America from interfering with its planned military action, but it actually got America involved in the war. With 2,404 Americans dead as a result of the attack, America was understandably angry. This event caused the American public to support the nation going to war. -
D-Day is the largest seaborn invasion of all time, and is often remembered by the scaring images of the soldiers exiting the boats to get to the beech. The allied forces landed on the Omaha Beach in France, and were met by many German soldiers. Though D-Day was a turning point for the Allies, with Nazi Germany surrendering less than a year after the invasion, the amount of lives lost and the sheer bloodshed makes the moment a loss for both sides. -
The 1944 presidential election saw Franklin D. Roosevelt defeat Thomas E. Dewey to win his fourth term in the White House. With no other president ever serving more than two terms, FDR getting elected to his fourth term was nothing less than unusual. People still supported FDR due to America doing well in WWII, though. People were comfortable with keeping a president that was keeping the nation afloat in this time of hardship, thus FDR got reelected. -
Germany under Adolf Hitler was starting to crumple. Hitler's plans of world domination were failing due to mistakes such as an attempted invasion of Russia and American involvement within the conflict. With enemy troops closing in on his bunker, Hitler chose to shoot himself instead of surrendering to enemy troops. This was a major turning point in the war for the Allies. With Hitler being one of the main perpetrators of conflict, his death was a significant victory for America and their allies. -
The Japanese were willing to fight America even when they were losing numbers at an alarming rate, so America needed an extreme measure to assure fighting would end. America chose to drop an atomic bomb on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing over 100,000 people. Though America warned the Japanese about the consequences of continuing to fight, the damage was still devastating and many innocent people lost their lives. This event was a result of controversy among many people worldwide. -
Jackie Robinson became the first African-American player in Major League Baseball's history. he did so competing for the Brooklyn Dodgers. While Robinson's integration into baseball was met with some pushback and heckling by fans, the barrier being broken was a huge step for the civil rights movement. More and more African Americans would join the Major Leagues, further showing African American's importance in society. -
The Marshall Plan was an American-funded plan that gave financial aid in order to help fix the economies of countries in Europe. This happened after World War II, when America was afraid that countries in poor economic states would be at risk to falling to bad leadership like Nazi Germany did. This plan brought European industrialization back to life, and most likely stopped any further damage within the continent. -
The 1948 Presidential election saw Harry S. Truman defeat Thomas E. Dewey. Truman had rose to the top of the Democratic party due to the death of FDR. Truman had a outgoing campaign that attracted mostly the white Southerners. Dewey, on the other hand, was more subdued, and he rarely critiqued Truman to the public. Many people believed that Dewy would win the election, but Truman defied the odds and came out on top. This continued the Democratic party's hold on the presidency. -
In 1949, China eventually fell to communism under the Chinese Revolution. This event impacted America and China's relationship. America wanted to stop the spread of communism, so America cut diplomatic ties with China after the transition. A major country like China falling to communism showed that the ideology was picking up popularity, and America may have to start treating it as a "threat". -
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was created by America and many European nations in order provide security against the threat of the Soviet Union. This was the first peacetime alliance America had ever entered outside of the Western hemisphere. NATO still exists to this day, and provides security for all nations involved, even the smaller nations that would be unable to defend themselves adequately on their own. This alliance shows the threat the Soviets were seen as at the time. -
Senator Joseph McCarthy rose to prominence when he accused a large number of government officials of being under the Communist party. This led to a public outrage, and was a large contributor for the Red Scare across the country. People felt as though they could not trust their own neighbors for the fear they might be hidden communists. Though McCarthy may have had some truth in his statements, his numbers were most likely false. -
The Korean War was seen as the first military act taken in the Cold War. The communist North Korea invaded the capitalist South Korea with the assistance of China. America, looking to stop the spread of communism, joined the war on the side of South Korea. The war eventually ended in an armistice, with North and South Korea eventually agreeing to quit fighting. This war was one of many attempts by the American military to stop the spread of communism. -
The 22nd Amendment made it so a president could not serve longer than two consecutive four-year terms. This amendment was pushed by Republicans who did not want Franklin D. Roosevelt's three term presidency to be repeated. Though George Washington had established the precedent of a president only serving two terms, the 22nd Amendment ended any further possibility of a president ignoring this precedent -
The Brown v. Board of Education came to unanimous ruling that there would not longer be racial segregation by any public schools within America. This ruling was important because up to this point schools were allowed to segregate by color, they were "Separate but Equal". This was a huge milestone for African Americans within America, mainly due to them receiving a second-class education at all-black schools. All-black schools often lacked materials and resources. -
On December 1st, 1965, Rosa Parks refused to give her seat up on the bus to a white person. In doing this, Rosa Parks was arrested, which caused outrage within the Civil Rights movement. This eventually led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which saw people refuse to ride the bus due to the racial segregation within public transport. This peaceful action would be a large symbol for the civil rights movement, showing violence does not need to occur for change to be made. -
The Explorer 1 was the first satellite launched by the United States into orbit. The satellite ended up making over 58,000 orbits of the earth before it re-entered the atmosphere and was destroyed. Getting a satellite into space was a huge step for the American space program. With the Soviet Union already having crafts in orbit, the Explorer 1 was America's first response to the Cold War's space race. -
Under Dwight Eisenhower, in 1959, Alaska was officially signed in as a state. Alaska was already purchased from the Russian government at this point, and the purchase was seen as a great investment. America gained valuable resources from Alaska, and announcing it as a state established our position as a country in the western part of the world. Alaska greatly increased the size of our nation, and was also a treasure trove for gold. -
Ruby Bridges was the first African-American child to attend the all-white William Frantz Elementary School. This event was met with a lot of backlash by the local people. The south was slow to adapt to many of the Civil Rights laws passed, and often times they acted as though they did not exist. Ruby Bridges desegregating an all-white school down south showed that progress could be made in even the most racist parts of the nation. -
The Bay of Pigs was a failed invasion of Cuba that was performed by Cuban exiles. This mission was funded and put forth by the American government. The plan failed due to the exiles being put under heavy fire immediately by Cuban forces. This failed mission was humiliating for the American government, who created a plan that was almost certain to fail. The Bay of Pigs invasion also further increased tension between America and Cuba. -
America spy planes spotted the Soviet Union union creating nuclear missile sites within Cuba. This was seen as a threat by America, who was worried that the Soviet Union was building these sites so they could deploy the bombs in America. To help end this crisis, John F. Kennedy agreed to dismantle the missile sites he had in Turkey. This crisis made the American public fear communism even more, and created a general hatred for the Soviet Union. -
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." This line is the most famous line from MLK's "I have a Dream" speech, and it encapsulates the message perfectly. MLK's speech had a large impact on the public. With the speech being spoken in front of many people, as well as being heavily broadcasted and well written, the speech delivered an impactful and important message. -
While riding in a presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas, President John F. Kennedy was shot in the head by Lee Harvey Oswald. Oswald was later shot dead by Jack Ruby while in police custody. This event shocked the nation, with the event also being captured on film. The death of the president scared many people, with some fearing that the events of the Cold War may be connected to it. Conspiracy theories started to come about related to the incident. -
The Civil Rights act of 1964 prohibited discrimination due to race, sex, religion, or color. This was a huge accomplishment for the Civil Rights movement, which got a lot closer to achieving equality with this act. This act stopped segregation within public places, and banned employment discrimination. This gave people of color access to better resources and jobs, which in turn gave our society a plethora of new productive workers. -
On March 8th, 1965, America entered the Vietnam war. The war was heavily criticized by the public, with many people believing we were putting our soldiers' lives at risk for a problem that wasn't worthy of a war. America was fearful that Communism would spread into Southern Vietnam, and also start to spread into different parts of Asia. This hyper-fixation on the spread of Communism was considered a waste of time by many, which made this war unpopular. -
On April 4th, 1968, Martin Luther King was shot by James Earl Ray while staying in a motel. The death of Martin Luther King shocked the country, and brought the nation into a period of grieving. People were shocked that a man who promoted non-violent methods was killed with violence. This tragic event helped bolster the Civil Rights movement. The killing of a man for wanting equality proved the country had to be fixed in some way. -
This election saw Republican nominee and former vice president Richard Nixon defeat the Democratic nominee Hubert Humphrey. This election saw president Lyndon B. Johnson lose the Democratic nomination. Though the popular vote was close, Nixon won the electoral vote by over 100. This was the first presidential election to take place since the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed. President Nixon would go on to have one of the most infamous stints as president the country has seen. -
American astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first ever man to step foot on the moon. This accomplishment secured America's victory in the Space Race. America had been battling the Soviet Union in the space race for a significant amount of time, and Americans patriotically backed our country's battle against the communist country. While the battle was to see which country would put the first man on the moon, many people saw it as Capitalism vs. Communism. -
The Watergate Scandal was an attempted cover up by the Nixon Administration to try and hide the break in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters. This scandal involved both burglary and illegal wiretapping. The attempted cover up eventually lead to resignation of President Nixon. Nixon was a popular president up to this point, but he had lost trust in the eye of the public. On top of that, he faced consequences that included impeachment, which was avoided through resignation. -
The Berlin Wall represented communism within Europe. The wall separated the communist West Germany from the capitalist East Germany. The Berlin Wall falling united the nation, and ended the Iron Curtain. The Berlin Wall falling also represented the ending of Communism within eastern and Central Europe. With America spending so long trying to combat communism and promote capitalism, the Berlin Wall falling was a huge win for the country.
