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Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in the New World, located in Virginia. Despite struggling early during the period known as The Starving Time, lasting five to six years, the Jamestown Colony was hugely significant in the example it set for other New World expeditions, as it showed that sustaining life was possible there. Desiring religious freedom, their own land, and access to the untapped resources such as tobacco, settlers driven by desperation began to make the voyage. -
The Mayflower Compact, a social contract created in 1620, helped the Plymouth Colony to survive. Being the first attempt at self-government in the New World, it outlined the form and function for effective governments in the future. Drafted by Separatists who wanted a fresh start from the Anglican Church, it continued the idea of law made by the people for the people, key to the ideas of modern American democracy. It gave the idea to many that life without the influence of a king was possible. -
Prominent Enlightenment thinker John Locke outlined the idea that all individuals are equal in the sense that they have certain inalienable natural rights to life liberty and property, later similarly outlined by Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence. Other Enlightenment ideals also outlined the future American government. Its impact shone in the greater necessity for schools and the importance of education; a great surge of literacy in the colonies and an appetite for reading resulted. -
Jonathan Edwards terrified his congregations with the vivid painting of Hell delivered in his Sermon titled "Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God." Out of fear, people flocked to the churches in large numbers, wishing to avoid this Hell described by Edwards. This vivid imagery resulted from The Great Awakening, as sermons began to be based more off of raw emotion to create a passionate relationship with God. This ideology caused the growth of newer denominations, such as Methodists and Baptists. -
The Albany Plan of Union was a rejected plan drafted by Benjamin Franklin which would have created a more centralized and unified government for the Thirteen Colonies. This plan was largely opposed by other members of Congress; however it is very significant as it was the first time that the colonies were perceived as a collective whole. Many strict constructionist minded Colonial government leaders and people feared that the creation of a larger union would curb their territorial authority. -
The Sugar Act was the second in a long series of Acts administered to the Colonies by the British parliament, the first being the Proclamation of 1763. Colonists had been smuggling Molasses, bribing harbor masters and therefore avoiding the tax. The Sugar Act lowered the tax, and England hoped for a reduction in smuggling. Because of their growing resentment of the Crown, they continued to smuggle even though it was more expensive. They wished to be left alone, preparing the US for Independence. -
The British parliament needed to enforce the laws that they had set in place years ago and had neglected, as well as newer laws. To accomplish this, the Quartering Act declared that troops would be dispersed to live among the people. The presence of soldiers in a household meant that people were afraid to express their true opinions; networks of dissidents could be identified by soldiers. Freedom of speech was later incorporated into the Constitution as a result, as well as the 3rd Amendment. -
The Stamp Act taxed all stamps, which were required to officiate documents and certify their legality. This applied to land contracts, birth certificates, passports, work contracts, death contracts, and marriage contracts. This hit harder on the wealthier population, who generally had more influence over society. Because of the common discontent shared between both the upper and lower classes at this point, war with the British became a more and more idealistic response to oppression. -
The Sons of Liberty had been rioting and protesting to no avail, incessantly destroying public property. Five British soldiers were given the task of guarding the British treasury, and when taunting became dangerous, they opened fire into a large crowd of colonists. Although only 5 people died, Paul Revere's famous etch of the occasion was used as propaganda to influence patriotism and hate towards the British across the states. The Boston Tea Party came as an effect, and the battle continues. -
The Sons of Liberty were angry about the Boston Massacre, and they took action, dumping 92,000 pounds of tea into the harbor ending up costing the British $1.8 million in tax revenue. This infuriated the British, causing them to tighten their hold on the colonies. Parliament passed the Coercive Acts as a response, stripping many citizens of their jobs and livelihood. This open rebellious act, while it may have been made in vain, demonstrated what the people were willing to do for independence. -
Retaliation from the British for The Boston Tea Party, the Coercive Acts were so harsh that they were referred to by colonists of Massachusetts as the Intolerable Acts. It closed the port of Boston, outlawed assemblies and took control of the colonial government. The American response was a cry for war from radicals such as Samuel Adams, and reconciliation from conservatives. The Olive Branch Petition resulted, which was rejected by the King, who declared the colonists to be in open rebellion. -
"Common Sense" outlined arguments for independence from Britain and the idea of Natural Rights, which was introduced by John Locke during the Enlightenment. As it was written in the vernacular, it was very accessible to wide audiences, and it spread everywhere, outselling the Bible. The pamphlet was designed to convince people who were on the fence about Independence, and also causing Loyalists to lean towards ideas of Independence. Within one year of its publication, Independence was declared. -
A perfect document in theory, the Declaration of Independence outlined the ideals of the new nation, detailed by Thomas Jefferson and edited by members of the Second Continental Congress. The Declaration actually did not render wide support from the colonists, with only one third of colonists actively wanting independence. While its theoretical perfection was keen, in practice it was not executed to perfection, with women, Blacks, Natives, and Japanese not receiving the benefits of equality. -
Considered the turning point of the Revolutionary War, the colonists pinched the British army and forced them to surrender, beating a legitimate British army for the first time. In addition to a huge morale boost, the Colonial army captured all of the British supplies, creating a chance to have an advantage over the Brits in the future. Benjamin Franklin also used the victory at Saratoga as leverage to recruit the French into battle, giving colonists hope and a real chance at winning the war. -
The Articles of Confederation was a first attempt at government after fully gaining Independence. It was a reflection of the past trauma of the colonies; most of its policies were inversely reflected with policies of Britain. There was no executive, no standing army, no taxing authority, a small federal government, and all power was given to states. The political pendulum would soon swing away from the weak government ideal after Shay's Rebellion shone its light on the weakness of the Articles. -
General Cornwallis planned to lure Washington into a trap by continually retreating until his forces were inside Yorktown and Washington would be forced to stay outside without supplies for a harsh winter. The French Navy had defeated the British fleet and was waiting with another American Army and Cornwallis was forced to surrender. This represented the end of major fighting. The Treaty of Paris resulted, officially ending the war, and a perpetual alliance of friendship with France was struck. -
After the Siege of Yorktown, The Treaty of Paris officially ended the American Revolutionary War. It defined the US border, with the British ceding the Northwest territory to the United States. By making the treaty very favorable for the US, Britain hoped to plant the seed for an alliance and an established trade partner. In addition to the land ceded, the US was given shared control of the Mississippi, as well as debt pardons. The treaty was not perfect, and tensions soon began to build again. -
A second revolution, Shay's rebellion shone a light on the weakness of the Articles of Confederation. Farmers were struggling due to being gone in the army and banks would repossess the farms of these farmers who could not afford to pay their bills. Daniel Shay led a rebellion to take action against their "oppressive" state governments. The Articles were weak, and the government could do nothing. The Constitutional Convention met as a result, as it proved necessary to have a stronger government. -
Hamilton's Financial Plan reshaped the American economy. The plan accomplished the assumption of state war debts, increased revenue via tariffs and taxes, and the creation of a national bank. Strict constructionists argued that a national bank was unconstitutional, while Hamilton and other loose constructionists argued it to be necessary for total prosperity. Jefferson and Hamilton came to an agreement that a national bank would be established in exchange for a permanent capital near Virginia. -
The Bill of Rights set the first ten amendments to the Constitution, some of the most prominent of which being the freedoms of religion, freedom of speech, right to bear arms, and the right to a fair trial. The Bill was encouraged by Antifederalists who feared that without these freedoms, the new government would become corrupt with unchecked power. Federalists were opposed to the Bill, as they were fearful of rebellion. The Connecticut Compromise passed the Bill, with two congressional houses. -
Because of the labor intensity of cotton, it was hardly profitable. Eli Whitney fixed this problem with his cotton gin, making cotton extremely profitable. Cotton was the backbone of the Southern economy for roughly another half century. It also reinvigorated slavery, which had been on the decline. The introduction of its interchangeable parts also made mass production possible, providing new jobs and changing and improving the economies of both the North and South, although in different ways. -
In his farewell address, Washington outlined his advice for the future. He urged the American politicians to suppress their sectional disagreements and act in the best interest of the nation as a whole, as well as to not interfere as much in foreign affairs, and finally endorsing John Adams as the next president. The Farewell address itself was also a precedent set in place by Washington, along with several other governmental precedents, such as a two-term presidency and an inaugural speech. -
Thomas Jefferson defeated John Adams by an electoral vote of seventy-three to sixty-five. The Election of 1800 marked the end of Federalist power and a transition to an antifederalist minded, Jeffersonian America. It was the first time in the history of the world that a country had a transfer of power from one ideological group to another without any violence. It showed other nations how effective democracy was and inspired many other governments to follow suit to avoid any unnecessary conflict. -
When federalists lost the presidency to Jefferson, John Adams filled all of the federal courts with loyal federalists. Upon finding a letter which would grant John Marbury federal judgeship, Jefferson ordered James Madison to not deliver it. Marbury took Madison to court for this, and the court sided with Madison upon finding a part of the Judiciary Act to be unconstitutional. The impact was the Supreme Court's claim to Judicial Review, the right to strike down laws they deemed unconstitutional. -
Worried about the permanency of Pinckey's Treaty and having control of New Orleans and the Mississippi River, Jefferson sent James Monroe to negotiate the purchase of New Orleans. Napoleon offered the entire Louisiana territory for $15 million. As the Constitution said nothing about the acquisition of new territory, the strict-constructionist Jefferson wrestled with the idea, eventually deciding to purchase it, doubling the size of the U.S. and securing New Orleans and access to the Mississippi. -
This ban on trade of all foreign goods is considered Jefferson's only mistake during his presidency. Britain and France were at war again, and in an attempt to remain neutral to preserve the good trading relationships that they already had, he imposed an embargo on trade to all countries. This destroyed the American economy, but it also led to necessary industrialization, allowing the U.S. to be less reliant on foreign manufacturing, opposite of Jefferson's agrarian vision of the economy. -
The Treaty of Ghent had already been signed in Belgium in 1814, and the War of 1812 had been declared over; however, that info had not yet reached the new world. Thus, Andrew Jackson led a diverse army to maul the British (2042 British deaths vs 71 American) in this battle, and he is credited with winning the war. The impact of the war was a sweeping sense of U.S. Nationalism, and respect for the U.S. from other countries as an established superpower. Foreign trade and expansion would come soon. -
The Missouri Compromise was created by Henry Clay, and it delayed a Civil War and creating some peace by admitting Missouri as a slave state, Maine as a free state, and outlawing slavery above the 36º 30' line in the remainder of the Louisiana territory. It allowed for a delicate balance to be maintained between the free states and slave states, and allowed the Senate to be equally divided. The Supreme Court later decided this to be Unconstitutional, which set the stage for a Civil War to start. -
In the Monroe Doctrine, James Monroe outlined the idea that European powers were meant to respect the Western Hemisphere as belonging to the United States and that they should no longer attempt to expand into territory there. He warned them not to interfere with the affairs of the Western Hemisphere, and that the US would not interfere across the pond. It was initially written off by countries such as England and France, but over time it solidified at the cornerstone of American foreign policy. -
Andrew Jackson wanted to reestablish the old Jeffersonian coalition of northern Farmers, artisans, and southern slave owners. To accomplish this, he founded the new Democratic party, and launched the first modern political campaign. Politics shifted to be more local, with mass meetings, parades, and picnics within communities. This was also the first election where common people could vote. Jackson set the Spoils system in place, allowing his avid common followers to have government positions. -
Steam power revolutionized American transportation. The introduction of the steam boat and the canal system allowed for complex trade between different areas much quicker, and they also allowed for ships to travel both down and upstream for the first time. Locomotives, which were large steam engines, also allowed for the transportation of goods and people. The dependable U.S. Postal System and telegraphs were also established, turning the U.S. into a desirable, industrialized immigrant hotspot. -
Andrew Jackson signed Congress's new Indian Removal Act to free up Indian land for white settlement. The Cherokee Nation took this to the Supreme Court, as they deemed themselves to be a foreign nation as opposed to a domestic dependent nation. The Supreme Court agreed and treaties were signed. Jackson ignored the Supreme Court's authority, and tyrannically forced 5 Indian Nations to travel the trail of tears ill-prepared, where only 50% would survive due to both starvation and adverse weather. -
The Annexation of Texas allowed for the US to gain a huge expansion of territory, allowing it to become a true World power. It also led to the largely unnecessary war with Mexico. Breaching the 1819 Treaty with Mexico, there was no real motivation for the war except for greed for more territory. Texas's annexation was very controversial because it probed American politics again on the issue of slavery in regards to Westward expansion. Northern republicans feared this would lead to Civil War. -
Frederick Douglass published "The North Star," a periodical narration of Frederick Douglass for the purpose of denouncing slavery and fighting for the emancipation of women and other oppressed groups. Douglass, who taught himself to read and write, disproved the South's justification of slavery known as the Positive Good. This newspaper as well as "The Liberator," published in 1831, both destabilized the already fragile relationship between the North and South, and was enlightening for many. -
The Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 acted as the starting gun for a widespread movement for women's rights. Resulting in part from the Schism, in which women began to be excluded from abolitionist organizations and began to seek their own political voices, the convention later led to the creation of the National American Women's Suffrage association in 1869. At the Convention the Declaration of Sentiments was written. Modeled after the Declaration of Independence, it put an emphasis on women. -
Ending the war between the US and Mexico, the latter was forced to cede 55% of its territory, including present day California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, most of Arizona and Colorado, and parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming. This solidified the US as a bi-coastal nation and opened up a plethora of economic opportunities in the West. Expansion West also led to the Compromise of 1850, a last-ditch effort by Henry Clay to prevent the Civil War. The discovery of gold prompted more movement West. -
Henry Clay's final compromise before his death, the Compromise of 1850 was a last chance attempt to prevent the Civil War, and it did so for a limited period of time. California entered the Union as a free state, the slave trade was abolished in Washington D.C., strict fugitive slave laws were enacted, and popular sovereignty was put in place for prospective states. When proved ineffective after 10 years, Clay had died and the country fell into chaos. The race for Bleeding Kansas resulted. -
Ultimately considered cultural genocide, the Americanization was an attempt to stamp out all traces of Native culture from Indian children. At the age of six, children were taken from their parents and taken to boarding schools. At these schools, they were given American names, forced to cut their hair, made to speak English, were also forced to attend Christian services, and they were also barred from practicing their tribal traditions. They were returned unrecognizable to their tribes at 16. -
The Supreme Court's decision in the Dred Scott case was that free blacks could never be considered citizens of the U.S. and therefore were barred from federal courts. They decided that neither Congress nor territorial governments had the power to ban slavery and that a ban on slavery in land from the Louisiana purchase was unconstitutional. Further polarizing the American public, and destroying the concept of free states and territories, this decision was dangerous for slaves and freedmen alike. -
Lincoln, an underdog in the election of 1860, ended up winning after the Democratic party split its vote between Douglas and Breckenridge. Lincoln's biggest intention as president was the hold the country together; however, as soon as he was elected, South Carolina seceded from the Union. In many states, Lincoln did not even appear on the ballot; thus, these states and other Democrats were irrationally afraid of Lincoln and his possible intent to end slavery, despite him never stating he would. -
All of the military forts were still operated by the Union, and when Lincoln sent a convoy of food supplies to Fort Sumter the South launched a preemptive attack. The South heavily distrusted Lincoln, and this attack marked the beginning of the Civil War. At the beginning of the war, it appeared that it would be an extremely easy victory for the Union because of their advantages on paper; however, the military expertise of Robert E. Lee proved that victory would be a difficult, lengthy endeavor. -
The West was partially settled at this point, but there was so much 'empty' space, and it was not economically productive. To solve this problem, the Homestead Act gave away 160 acres of land to the head of any household for free given that they occupy, farm, and improved it. This also solved immigration, overpopulation, and sanitation issues in the Northeast. One special thing about the Homestead Act was its availability to anyone regardless of race. However, it did end up displacing Indians. -
The biggest program the U.S. had ever conducted, the Pacific Railway Act aimed to lay tracks across the width of the United States towards the Pacific Ocean. Once finished in 1875, it acted as a time machine, decreasing the length of a coast-to-coast trip from 4 months to only 7 days. The necessity to control railway traffic also led to the concept of time as we know it today. It established many towns across the West, and allowed for an economic boost. It did in part lead to the Indian wars. -
Having already written the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln released it upon the subtle victory at the Battle of Antietam. While Lincoln's goal was to unify the nation, the Emancipation Proclamation allows him to appear diplomatic and rid slavery from the bulk of the South. If states were to rejoin the Union, they would be allowed to continue slavery. This also made it uncomfortable for foreign nations who wanted to buy cotton as it would appear as if they were supporting slavery in the South. -
Commanded by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, the Famous 54th Massachusetts Regiment worked as an example that when given the same opportunities as whites, blacks could perform just as well regardless of race. When put into battle, the 54th did incredibly well. When Black troops and regiments fought in the South, they would free the slaves, which was hugely symbolic for the slaves, showing them what they could accomplish. This was a step in the right direction in terms of ending racism and prejudice. -
Gettysburg had the highest number of casualties of any battle, and was a major turning point in the war. The Battle of Gettysburg shattered Lee's reputation as an invincible and untouchable general. Damaging his army to the extent that he could never push North again, the Union could focus on their offensive pushes south. It was completed by Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, where he outlined the ideals of the Union he had long envisioned, with principles of equality for all, black and white alike. -
The siege of Vicksburg was the culmination of the Anaconda Plan, and capturing Vicksburg would cut off the Western Confederacy from the Eastern, allowing the Union forces to take control of the Mississippi River. This effectively cut off Confederate supply lines and left them without food, weapons, or reinforcements. After a 47 day siege, 30,000 Confederate soldiers were forced to surrender, heavily weakening Lee's forces. Vicksburg cemented Ulysses S. Grant's reputation as competition for Lee. -
The Thirteenth Amendment declared that neither slavery nor involuntarily servitude could exist in the United States any longer. It was passed by the House of Representatives with a vote just over the necessary two-thirds majority. Lincoln never saw the final ratification of the amendment; he was assassinated in April of 1865. Ratification would end the reign of King Cotton in the south; sharecropping would emerge to keep the economy working, and Black codes continued to oppress Southern blacks. -
Amiss the Reconstruction Era, the 14th Amendment declared that all people born in the United States were full citizens, all naturalized people were full citizens all U.S. states were required to protect its citizens fully through laws and the legal process, and it prevented any Confederate leaders from holding federal offices. Its ratification for each state was a requirement for reentry into the Union. Andrew Johnson was very friendly with former Confederate leaders, and went against this. -
The election of 1868 revealed to Republicans that African Americans needed the right to vote, and they quickly pushed the 15th Amendment. It prohibited states from denying suffrage to citizens on a basis of race, color, or previous servitude, but not to women. It was incredibly unpopular in the North among Democrats; however, it was passed because radical republicans were still in control for the time being. Republicans hoped that this would increase their political power overall amid disunity. -
The first MLB game was played in 1871, symbolizing the immense growth the middle class experienced during the Gilded Age. With the introduction of lower class jobs, middle class jobs were inherently created. The middle class lifestyle was heavily idealized and personified "The American Dream" in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Values of the middle class included religion, appearance, and the importance of education. This is the first time education becomes an expectation rather than an option. -
Steel was very expensive to make, but it was used in dozens of industry products such as railroads, ships, buildings and infrastructure. Henry Bessemer created the Bessemer process, which was a much faster and easier way of producing steel. This cut the cost of producing steel significantly, and it fueled a massive boom in the steel industry, with building projects such as new ships being initiated. In 1880, the US became the world's leading producer of steel, a result of Bessemer's process. -
William "Boss" Tweed was the most powerful of many political machine bosses. These machines utilized violence and intimidation to keep control of local and state affairs. The machines actually helped eastern European immigrants to find footing in the new country by helping them to find cheap housing and work. In exchange, they expected to receive the vote of the immigrants. Most immigrants agreed, but those who did not were not received well. Boss Tweed was in complete control of New York City. -
African Americans were still suffering under crushing racism and segregation, but new leaders were beginning to emerge from the Black community. Booker T. Washington made important steps towards progress. He believed that Blacks could elevate themselves through hard work and material prosperity. By internally improving the Black community, Washington believed that the Whites would come to respect them. He created the black trade school known as the Tuskegee institute, giving opportunity to many. -
The Spoils System was still in place in government, and while it worked for politicians and the people who got the jobs, it didn't work for the American people. They wanted a responsive government, and this was not provided by the stagnancy of the spoils system. After president James Garfield was assassinated because of a spoils system-related issue, congress was quick to pass the Pendleton Act, requiring that all below the Cabinet members and the next level under that pass a civil service exam. -
Jacob Riis was one of several Muckrakers, journalists who shone light on the dark and forgotten issues within society. Jacob Riis was a father of photojournalism, and this publication showed the world the terrors and dangers of tenement housing in cities like New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia. Most of the rooms in tenement houses received no natural light and had no escape in case of disaster, with no fresh air. It was described that they were responsible for the deaths of many resident kids. -
The women's suffrage movement began to pick up movement in the West around the 1890s when NAWSA was founded. Those who travelled west under the homestead act or for other reasons would do so in families, and women would have to pull their equal share of the weight. In doing so, they were able to gain the respect of western men. Western states like Wyoming granted women's suffrage as early as 1869 and women continued to fight both in the West and in the East for their right to vote alongside men. -
Andrew Carnegie was one of America's truest rags to riches story. He was a Scottish immigrant who utilized the Bessemer process to build up the nation's largest steel company. He also pioneered the method of vertical integration, and was quite the ruthless competitor. His employees worked for little pay, and was quite the Robber Baron in life, but after selling Carnegie Steel he became a patron of the arts, investing in Carnegie Hall and other universities, and retiring as a captain of industry. -
Plessy v. Ferguson was a U.S. Supreme Court case in 1896 that established the "separate but equal" doctrine, which allowed for racial segregation in public facilities. The case arose after Homer Plessy, a black man, refused to leave a whites-only train car in Louisiana. The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of segregation, claiming that separate facilities did not violate the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection clause. The decision was widely criticized for years until overturned. -
San Juan Hill was heavily fortified, and Roosevelt's rough riders were ready to charge, with Roosevelt leading on foot. When he charged, no one followed him, because he was so hyped up that he forgot to order his men to charge him. He ran back down the hill and tried again, and his riders won the battle, which would essentially win the war for America. This battle made Teddy Roosevelt a household name and an American hero, and paved the way for his successful presidency and gave him confidence. -
The De Lome letter was intercepted by the US government from a Spanish Minister which was very derogatory to the US president, and stated that the Spanish had no intention of honoring their deal regarding the harsh treatment of the Cuban people. Through practices of yellow journalism, William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer were able to furnish a Spanish American War as a result. Although folks might not have agreed with the president's ideals, no other country had the right to criticize. -
The Spanish American war was very short-lived, but it had several lasting effects. Cuba gained its independence, and the United States gained the territories of the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico. In addition to the annexation of Hawaii to keep peace the United States used this war as a way to unseat Spain as one of the biggest national powers. The US Navy was modernized and enlarged because of this war, and more markets became open to the US as a result of the proverbial downfall of Spain. -
Upton Sinclair wrote "The Jungle" to encourage socialist ideals; instead, it shone a light on the abuses and terrible conditions of the meat packing industry. He was very descriptive about the disgusting working conditions and lack of cleanliness and regulations when it came to the ground meat. Theodore Roosevelt read this book and personally came to several meat packing plants to enforce the rules of the Meat Inspection Act. The Meat Inspection Act is still in place today keeping our meat safe. -
Working in tandem with the meat inspection act, the pure food and drug act required that nutritional information had to be published on any food/drug being sold. Drugs were also required to be proved effective without any devastating side effects, and anything which claimed to be organic or anything similar had to be provable, putting an end to blatant lies which were common in the pharmaceutical drug industry at the time. The pure food and drug act was the forerunner to the FDA, in place today. -
The Model T was introduced by Henry Ford in 1908 for $850. Ford made his vehicles cheap enough for his own employees to purchase, which shows his dedication to the American people. He was able to make these vehicles so cheap by revolutionizing the assembly line. This allowed for a decrease in the price of production, and reduced the time necessary to make a model T from 12 hours down to 90 minutes. Henry Ford was a business revolutionary, and he modernized factory work for blue collar workers. -
The NAACP was founded by W.E.B. DuBois, who was also the first black person to earn a doctorate from Harvard University. He disagreed with the ideas of Booker T. Washington, and strongly believed that segregation could not be accepted at any time. He was much more progressive than Washington, and he believed in something known as the Talented Tenth. The top 10% of any group could exceed expectations at a college level in the eyes of DuBois. Of course, this has since been proven wrong today. -
With such a large number of White men joining the military to fight in the war, African Americans from the South were quick to move north to escape sharecropping and seek opportunity out of the jobs that were left behind by the fighting whites. During this time most African Americans still lived in the Deep South, but this was the first major population shift of such a rapid rate to occur in the United States. Now that Blacks were able to live together, they were able to share their own culture. -
Signed by Woodrow Wilson in 1917, this act created the selective service system, which allowed the federal government to temporarily expand the military through conscription. Eventually, it would require all men ages 21-45 to register for military service, though only ages 21-30 were required. At the end of the war, 30% of the soldiers who had fought were volunteers, while 70% came out of the draft. This draft policy is still in place today, which demonstrates the overall impact of this act. -
The US entered the war after a lot of provoking by Germany. In addition to sinking to Lusitania and the breaking of the Sussex pledge, the US intercepted a German letter to Mexico called the Zimmerman Note, in which Germany promised to give Texas back to Mexico in exchange for Mexico attacking the US to keep us occupied while they are fighting for control of Europe. Wilson used this and other pieces of propaganda such as calling it "The War to End All Wars" to win the support of the people. -
The Creel Committee was vital in the success of the nation during World War I. The average person donated about $400 dollars to the war effort and this was largely in part to George Creel. The committee convinced the public to support the war, and the biggest way that this was accomplished was by selling war bonds. People also were convinced to work wartime jobs, and demonizing the enemy was a common way to unite the people in the fight, also inspiring the 75000 four minute men to protect homes. -
Wilson's Fourteen points were a critical set of peacekeeping rules upon which Germany agreed to end fighting during World War One. Included among them was the creation of a League of Nations, which the United States never actually agreed to join. Wilson's fourteen points were never instated in Europe, and this was because while they were the reason peace was agreed on, other European nations wanted to serve justice to Germany. The Treaty of Versailles was eventually agreed upon by Europe. -
Following the Espionage Act of 1917 which prohibited any disloyal speech about the government, the Sedition Act punished anyone who criticized or questioned the government, the war, or any action taken in order to win the war. Over 2000 people were imprisoned for speaking out of line and this was a huge violation of our rights and freedoms under the Bill of Rights. People accepted this out of desperation, but acts like this are unconstitutional and are very dangerous if not recognized to be so. -
After a long culmination of fighting for their rights, the 19th amendment was finally ratified in 1919. While most efforts were peaceful, some more radical women took to methods of civil disobedience as well as hunger strikes to get their point across; it was these young women who were really willing to do what it took to make a difference who really made the difference. While groups like the Headquarters Nation Opposed to Women's Suffrage created setbacks, women never gave up and it payed off. -
Alcohol was viewed as the root of all social ills and upheaval (abuse, neglect, unemployment, etc). Women acted as the vehicle for social change, and organizations such as the Christian Women's Temperance Union and the Anti-Saloon League worked together in church groups and sit ins to advocate about the evils of alcohol. The 18th Amendment was not very successful because it simply caused alcohol to be illegally made and distributed, without being taxed, which was destroying the American economy. -
The European powers wanted to punish Germany more harshly than the United States. Germany had no say in the treaty's points. The treaty limited the German army to 100,000 troops, limited the navy to 6 warships, and did not allow a single submarine or plane. They also were not allowed to unite with other Germanic peoples, or place troops in the Rhineland. They were forced to pay 33 billion dollars in war reparations, and these heavy tolls set the stage for Germany to be the aggressor in WWII. -
The Volstead Act was designed to enforce the 18th Amendment, and it outlawed the manufacturing, sale, distribution, or importation of alcohol nationwide. This opened the door for organized crime, with speakeasies, bootlegging, and NASCAR all rooting out of prohibition and the desire of people not only to get alcohol, but to also deliberately disobey their government. The only exceptions to the act was for medicinal purposes and for communion. The alcohol consumption rates rose after its passing. -
The great war led to a surge in patriotism. Those who stood out from the patriotic norm were ostracized and feared. The fear in place was that immigrants from Eastern Europe were tainted with communist ideology as if it was some kind of disease. This lead to a high level of xenophobia and led to especially increased xenophobia for the Eastern European immigrants; these immigrants were refused from jobs, turned down from renting apartments, and were overall not given a change within societies. -
Harlem was the biggest Black neighborhood in the United States. The Renaissance was fueled by the great migration, and all of the people who lived in Harlem had shared experiences and pain and trauma that united them. This newly established black community saw a flourishing of Black artistic expression and the hardships of the black community were very directly reflected within their art. Journalists, poets, musicians and artists created pride in being Black. The Jazz age was heavily influenced. -
The immigration Act of 1924 limited the number of immigrants from any specific country to only two percent of that country's population according to the 1890 census. They specifically chose the year 1890 because it was before a major wave of immigrants began to come from the East. There was no limit to Western immigration. Western immigrants were more "American" than Eastern ones, and so the American people had no problem with them, but they worried about possible communist people from the East. -
When the teaching of evolution had been banned, one teacher named John Thomas Scopes continued to teach it in order to set up a staged trial. The purpose of this trial was largely for publicity, as well as acting as a test case for secular education. Clarence Darrow acted as the lawyer for the secularists and William Jennings Bryan for theists. The trial had to be held outdoors to accommodate all of the journalists. This trial set the stage for the secular education in the United States today. -
The Stock Market crash was the beginning of a long era of despair in the United States known as the Great Depression. There were other symptoms of the depression, such as bank runs, production stopping in industries of all kinds, workers being fired left and right, and so on. President Hoover opposed direct federal aid as a solution, and he strengthened the banks and hoped that the United States could ride it out, while encouraging the people to seek help from charitable organizations/churches. -
Five western states experience this economic and ecological disaster. The Dust Bowl came about as a result of overproduction and overworking of the soil because of single crop farming. Soil exhaustion and erosion mixed with a drought and very strong winds caused crops to turn to dust and entire fields to be blown away. Not only was this dangerous, but it also ruined the livelihood of countless farmers and their families. The Dust Bowl was the number one ecological disaster of the 20th Century. -
WWI Veterans were promised a bonus for their service but they were not due to receive it until 1945. Under the current circumstances of the Great Depression, they understandably wanted their money now so that they could provide for their families. Thousands of veterans hence marched on Washington, but their request was denied by the senate. Many vets left after that, but those who stayed congregated around the White house and the army expelled and burned their camp, all at the order of Hoover. -
FDR's New Deal was aimed at synthesizing new agencies and programs to protect people from economic disasters and provide relief or temporary work. In his first Hundred Days, FDR decisively decided to increase government spending and created many programs to advance the US. While beloved by the people, FDR's ideas of Keynesian economics did not help the United States in the long run of the depression as it only put the government deeper into debt, creating a vicious, hard to stop cycle of debt. -
The National Industrial Recovery Act, referred to as the NRA, were a set of fair work and competition codes, which were approved, changed and enforced by the president. It guaranteed laborers rights to organize and unionize, and it created a common set of work hours, a minimum wage, and price control to protect workers rights and the rights of consumers and to ensure competition between businesses remained healthy and no monopolies were able to begin. While a good idea, this is unconstitutional. -
The social security act was signed by FDR, and was meant to act as a safety net for all Americans and encourage older Americans to retire. The age of 65 was based on a shorter life span, and was intended to supplement income rather than replace it. The attempt to retire Americans by FDR was a means to create new jobs for the younger generations, but no one retired which caused it to fail. The social security act is still in place today, with two working Americans able to provide for one retiree. -
The attack on Pearl Harbor was famously described as a day which will live in infamy. Japan dealt a seemingly crippling blow to the US Pacific fleet, and began their quest for a Pacific Empire. At this point, the US was forced to join the war, and the sleeping giant had been awakened. On the very next day, the US and Great Britain declared war on Japan, and 3 days later Germany and Italy declared war on the US. This terrible attack united the US people and support for the war was given publicly. -
Executive order 9066 came as a result of the Empire of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and stereotypes of Japanese Americans. Americans questioned the loyalty of their Japanese-American counterparts. The Japanese were forced to sell their homes and businesses and were sent to relocation camps. They had their livelihoods taken away from them and when they were released from the internment camps it was nearly impossible to achieve what they had lost as a result of their forced relocation by the US. -
The Normandy Landings were the largest seaborne invasion in history, with 156,000 troops, 5400 ships in the English channel, 12,000 planes, and 23,000 paratroopers. We took all five beaches, and captured eighty miles of the coast in only two days. This was a huge victory for the Allied powers, and a major turning point in the war. From this point forward, Hitler was not ready and could not match militarily anything that the forces of Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and the United States dealt. -
The GI Bill was the government's way of saving thank you to the veterans who served in WWII. The government paid for the education of veterans, whether that be in college or in trade school, and provided low interest home loans and low interest business loans. The Bill changed the future; for the first time, going to college was more of an expectation than an available option. The GI bill provided the opportunity for veterans to live a middle class lifestyle, leading to a larger middle class. -
After the war, the US population increased by over 30 million. There was one birth every ten seconds. While the baby boom generation did not accomplish much in the grand scheme of things, they did boost the economy simply by existing from day one. Jobs in hospitals, construction, other jobs in medicine, schooling were being created very quickly, and middle class culture began to flourish with the creation of so many new families. Levittowns housed many families as they only cost 8000 dollars. -
The Marshall Plan, created by George Marshall, singlehandedly saved the entire continent of Europe after the damages that all of the involved European countries suffered during World War II. The United States was experiencing a large bout of postwar prosperity, and we felt it right and within our sphere of influence to help European countries who could not afford to repair themselves. In doing so, we created many allies as well as trading partners and the respect of the world as a whole. -
Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case in 1954 that declared segregation in public schools to be unconstitutional. The ruling overturned the "separate but equal" doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson and marked a major victory for the Civil Rights Movement. Brown v. Board of Education paved the way for further legal challenges against segregation and discrimination, and is recognized as a key moment in the fight for racial equality in the United States.
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This was the largest public works project in history, and it created highways that connected every single major city in the United States. It modernized American roadways. Cities that were bypassed by the interstate often grew desolate and failed altogether. Eisenhower played upon the cold war fears of the American people. The interstate could act as an emergency runway; at every major city there is at least one mile of perfectly straight road in the case that evacuation should become necessary. -
U-2 Flights over Cuba confirmed surface to air launch sights of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles. This created a massive threat for the entire nation. In 1962, Russia sent a ship containing the ICBMs to Cuba, and JFK had two choices. He could either order a naval blockade and stop the soviet ships from bringing in the ICBMs and other equipment, or he could order an airstrike on the missile sights and risk all out nuclear war. He chose the former, and the Russian ship turned around and left. -
The March on Washington had over 400,000 people in attendance, and people bussed in from all over the country to hear Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. deliver his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. An amazing thing about this event was the fact that there was not an ounce of violence-only love that was present that day. This felt like the culminating event of the Civil Rights movement, but as they got closer to the finish line the opposition grew bolder. Church bombings in Birmingham followed soon after. -
After countless riots and lynchings President Lyndon B. Johnson was finally moved to action, and signed off upon the Civil Rights Act. This act officially prohibited any discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin. While LBJ did sign the Act into law, he should not be given the credit for this. The credit belongs to people like Dr. King, Rosa Parks, and people who fought and put their lives on the line for the advancement of civil rights and liberties. This was not the end. -
Even after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Blacks were still not satisfied with the lack of voting rights that they were largely given. Protesters marched from Selma to Montgomery to advocate for their right to vote. Signed by Lyndon B. Johnson, the Voting Rights Act banned discrimination in local, state, and national elections as well as polling places, and literacy tests, intimidation, and physical violence were all banned as well. Any state in violation would have their senators thrown out. -
The Watergate scandal was Nixon's attempt to cover up a break-in to the Democratic National Convention. The scandal did not affect Nixon's campaign at all; he still won in a landslide and still had several impressive accomplishments such as Title IX and founding the EPA; however, this scandal began the fuel for distrust of the government that had not been felt in the past. Had Nixon come clean he likely would not have been impeached, but he instead became the only president to resign in history. -
Title IX is a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs or activities that receive federal funding. Its had a significant impact on women's sports by requiring schools to provide equal opportunities for female athletes. Title IX also addresses issues such as sexual harassment and assault on college campuses by requiring schools to take preventative measures and investigate allegations of misconduct. Many see Title IX as a crucial tool in the fight for gender equality.