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Jamestown settlement is established
Around one hundred English men arrived in North America and decided to settle in Jamestown, Virginia. It was the first permanent English settlement in North America. Many of the settlers came for financial opportunity but died from starvation and disease. This new settlement set the stage for future settlements and colonies. -
The pilgrims land in Plymouth
After a sixty six day voyage across the Atlantic, the pilgrims arrived in Plymouth on the Mayflower. They got to work exploring the land and trying to start a colony, but they were faced with a harsh environment, many did not survive. -
James Winthrop gives City on a Hill sermon
James Winthrop gave his famous sermon "City on a Hill" to Massachusetts Bay colonists aboard a ship heading to settle in Boston. His main points in the speech were about how this new colony would be different. He encouraged his colonists to honor their duties to God. -
Rhode Island Colony is Founded
Roger Williams, who was exiled from the Massachusetts Bay colony for his radical religious view, founded the Rhode Island colony on the ideas of religious liberty and separation of church and state. Williams worked with Anne Hutchinson to form this new religious colony. Founding Fathers admired the ideas of Roger Williams and his idea on the separation of church and state, and used that as they formed the government for our country. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Bacon's rebellion started as a dispute between Native Americans and settlers over being denied a grab for native lands. This dispute quickly turned violent. Let by Nathaniel Bacon, he rebelled against Governor Sir William Berkeley, leading raids, attacking tribes, and gaining more men to help him in these attacks. Bacon then attacked Jamestown, burning most of it to the ground. -
John Locke writes about "natural rights"
In the Enlightenment Era, John Locke was a very influential philosopher who came up with the idea that life, liberty, and property were natural rights every human should have. He believed that the most basic human law of nature is preservation of mankind. This inspired many of the colonists to start thinking for themselves and fighting for what they wanted. Thomas Jefferson later used John Locke's natural rights ideas in the Declaration of Independence. -
Jonathan Edwards gave his sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
Jonathan Edwards, a very powerful preacher from the First Great Awakening. He gave his sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" to his congregation in Massachusetts, and then later in Connecticut. He focused on the idea that all humans were sinners and needed to ask forgiveness from God. He talked about equality in the eyes of God, and those who followed him, encouraging more to join in the religious revival. -
The Albany Congress began
Benjamin Franklin asked for delegates from all the colonies. He wanted to form alliances with Native Americans and to unify all the colonies. He knew that we were stronger together than we are individually. With this knowledge he came up with the Albany Plan which was a plan for union of the colonies that ultimately failed. It did plant the idea that we are stronger together and it was the first time leaders were brought together to discus the possibility of a new country. . -
Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 was issued by King George III and it stated that the colonists could not move past the Appalachian mountains. The British wanted the colonists in a smaller area so they could be a closer eye on them. This made the colonists very angry because they felt they deserved more land and freedom after their contribution to the Seven Years War. They were told if they went, they would have no protection of the king, however many went anyways, further angering the King. -
Parliament passed the Sugar Act
The Sugar Act took the place of the Sugar and Molasses Act which was about to expire. This act lowered the sugar tax in an attempt to stop smuggling. They made the sugar tax the same as the smuggling price, but colonists didn't want to support Britain, so they continued to smuggle sugar. -
Stamp Act is passed
The Stamp Act was the first of many acts passed by British Parliament on the colonists. This act affected everyone, but especially the middle and upper classes who had more of a need for official papers. With this act, every document needed to have a stamp on it in order for it to be legal. This meant almost every piece of paper now had a tax on it. This act encouraged a group of men to form The Sons of Liberty, a mob of people who would partake in violent acts as a form of retaliation. -
Quartering Act passes
Parliament passed the Quartering Act which forced American colonists to house and feed British soldiers. This meant that the colonists now had no privacy and it negatively affected their finances, on top of the many new acts Parliament was passing. There was so much resentment towards this new act, later on the Third Amendment was written, not allowing something like the quartering act to happen in peacetime. -
The Boston Massacre
What began as a snowball fight between colonists and British soldiers turned into a deadly fight. Colonists were throwing snowballs at the British soldiers who were told not to fire back. Somewhere in the fight, someone yelled fire and the soldiers began to fire at the colonists. Five colonists were killed, and many believe those were the first deaths of the Revolutionary War. -
The Boston Tea Party
The colonists were angry at the taxes on their products, especially tea. The colonists felt that Britain imposed "taxation without representation" on them. In an attempt to fight back against the taxes, colonists mainly the Sons of Liberty, dressed as Native Americans and boarded the ships carrying the tea. They then dumped 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor. -
Second Continental Congress
A month after Lexington and Concord, all thirteen colonies sent delegates to the Second Continental Congress. There were two factions, the Conservatives and the Radicals. The Conservatives wanted to reconcile with Great Britain but the Radicals wanted a revolution and independence. The Radicals decided to first try to reconcile with Britain, but they said if that didn't work, then they would fight. -
The Battles of Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first battles of the Revolutionary War. British troops marched from Boston to Concord to seize colonists' guns. Paul Revere and two other men got word of this and rode ahead of the British on horseback to warn colonists the British were coming. The colonists militiamen lined up to face the British. No one knows who fired the first shot, but when it was heard, the fighting broke out. -
Crossing of the Delaware
George Washington ignored the rules of war and led the Continental Army across the Delaware River on Christmas Eve. They surprised the Hessians who were defending Trenton, who quickly became surrounded by the Continental Army. The victory of capturing the Hessian troops boosted the American colonists spirits. -
Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga was a major turning point in the war. British General John Burgoyne and his army planned to meet with two other British armies to face the Continental army. The other two British armies did not show up and Burgoyne was quickly surrounded and forced to surrender. The British had never surrendered before and the Continental army captured five thousand British troops and their weapons which greatly leveled the playing field. -
The Battle of Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown was the last major battle of the Revolutionary War. British General Cornwallis set a trap to lure Washington and his troops in. Cornwallis didn't know that the French Navy had defeated the British, so when he arrived at Yorktown he found the French Navy at his back and the US army in front of him. -
Cornwallis Surrendered
As the British band played "The World Turned Upside Down", British General Cornwallis surrendered American General George Washington. This followed the Battle of Yorktown, the last major battle of the Revolutionary War. Cornwallis himself actually wasn't there in person to surrender because he was sick. Instead, General Charles O'Hara carried Cornwallis' sword to Washington. There were a few smaller battles after this surrender because news of it hadn't reached everyone. -
Treaty of Paris Signed
The Treaty of Paris was signed by US and British representatives on September 3, 1883. It ended the Revolutionary War, and the colonists were now officially free from British control and were now Americans. The Treaty of Paris gave the United States access to the Mississippi River, the Atlantic Ocean, and the land in-between. There were officially 13 different states and no more British control. -
Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention consisted of two parties; The Federalists led by Alexander Hamilton and the Anti-Federalists led by Thomas Jefferson. Delegates from every state were sent (except Rhode Island), and they quickly got rid of the Articles of Confederation. The convention lasted for three months and in the course of that time, they debate over how states would share power equally but also taking into account size. The Constitution was eventually created and still stands to this day. -
Alien and Sedition Acts
The Alien and Sedition Acts were a series of laws passed in 1789 by President John Adams. The Alien Act allows the president to deport any alien that is considered dangerous. The Sedition Act made it illegal for newspapers to print any material that is critical of the President or Congress. If you printed something critical in a newspaper, you could end up in jail or being fined. -
George Washington is Elected President
There was no Presidential Election for Washington, everyone just agreed that he would be the best choice. Washington came out of retirement after the Revolutionary War to serve as president, and he served both terms. John Adams was his Vice President. Being the first president meant that Washington set a lot of the governmental precedents. He created the Presidential Cabinet and helped establish the US court system. -
Federal Judiciary Act of 1789
This act was passed by Congress during Washington's first year as president. It created an independent federal court system with the Supreme Court, circuit courts and district courts. The first members of the Supreme Court included a chief justice along with five associate judges. Washington appointed John Jay as Chief Justice. The Federal Court System has undergone very few changes since it was first established. -
Pinckney's Treaty
Pinckney's Treaty was an agreement between the United States and Spain. George Washington sent Thomas Pinckney to negotiate a deal with Spain. The treaty gave Americans the right to freely travel on the Mississippi River and use the port of New Orleans. Both sides also agreed to try and keep Native American's who lived along the river form attacking each other. -
The Louisiana Purchase
Jefferson was aware that treaties can be broken and he began to worry that the US could loose New Orleans and access to the Mississippi River. Jefferson sent James Monroe to negotiate a deal with Napoleon for New Orleans. Jefferson was a strict constructionist and struggled to make this decision because of the constitutionality of this deal. Jefferson decided to buy the whole Louisiana territory, and sent Louis and Clark out to explore it. -
Marbury V. Madison
James Madison found a letter granting John Marbury a federal judgeship and Jefferson ordered Madison not to deliver it. Marbury sued in order to get the position he felt he deserved and tried to make it so that Madison had to deliver the letter. This case went to the Supreme Court who ended up siding with Madison. The Supreme Court claimed the right to judicial review which gives the Court to declare laws unconstitutional and strike them down. -
The War of 1812
The US discovers that the British are giving weapons and training Native Americans within the United Sates borders. We wanted to prove that the win of the Revolutionary War wasn't just luck and that we could defeat the British again. The US military at the time was poorly trained and our military was no match for the British. The war ended on December 24, 1814 with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent. -
Trail of Tears
The Trail of Tears was a part of the Indian Removal Act, passed by President Andrew Jackson. Although the Supreme Court didn't approve, many people in Congress did. Jackson used military force to relocate 125,000 Native Americans from different tribes, over 5,000 miles onto reservations. Native Americans were forced along the trail with guns and soldiers pushing them along. Many suffered from starvation, dysentery, whooping cough, and cholera, and over 3,000 died on the trail. -
The Nullification Ordinance
North Carolina did not agree with the tariffs of 1828 and 1832, so they passed the Nullification Ordinance in 1832. This declared the the tariffs of 1828 and 1832 null and void. They stated that they would secede if the federal government forced them to comply with their tariffs. If they seceded that would be treason and the Supreme Court chastised South Carolina for violating a federal law because no state can declare any law null and void. -
Battle at the Alamo
Near the beginning of Texas' war for independence, a group of about 200 Texans occupied the Alamo. On February 23, 1836, thousands of Mexican forces began to siege the fort. The Texans were outnumbered 1 to 10. Even when they got down to 15 Texans let they still refused to surrender. Every Texan in the Alamo died. Davy Crocket, a US Senator was among those who died. His death helped Texas gain more supporters. The US decided to help Texas only if Texas became an annexed territory. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
After Polk sends soldiers to the undisputed territory and his soldiers were killed, American troops were sent to Mexico and sieged Mexico City. To end the war, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed and Mexico gave 55% of its territory to the United States. Texas is now a part of the United States and the border between Texas and Mexico. The US also got New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California which gave us the Pacific coast. -
Seneca Falls Convention
Elizabeth Stanton and Lucretia Mott started the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848. They worked on encouraging women, sharing tactics, ideas, and next steps to take, they met Susan B. Anthony. This is what really kicked off the Woman's Suffrage Movement. They later established a National American Women's Suffrage Association which had a chapter in every major city. The fight for woman's rights slowed down due to the Civil War. -
The Compromise of 1850
As a solution to the disagreement over if California would be a slave for free state, Henry Clay proposed the Compromise of 1850. In this compromise California would enter as a free state. Slave trade would be outlawed in Washington, DC. There would be a nation wide fugitive slave law where runway slaves must be returned to their owners, and if you are a paid employee of the states, you are bound by law to inform of any runaway slaves and those helping aid slaves. -
John Brown at Harper's Ferry Raid
John Brown, an American abolitionist who was also a murderer of slaveholders, had many followers who moved to Harpers Ferry, Virginia. This is where the US governments armory was. Brown and his followers planned to break into the armory, take the guns, march South and stop at plantations along the way, killing the white family and freeing the slaves. They successfully got into the armory but the townspeople heard of his plan and barricaded him in. Brown was captured and sentenced to death. -
The Anaconda Plan
General Winfield Scott came up with a plan to cut off the South from all trade. The United States Navy would surround the Southern Coast. They focused on blocking the biggest ports, in places in Virginia, Charleston, South Carolina, Savannah, Georgia, and New Orleans. They also blocked the Mississippi River. This plan stopped 90% of the Souths trade and diplomacy. The prices in the South greatly increased and it became very difficult for Southerners to buy basic needs. -
First Shots Fired at Fort Sumter
The first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Ft. Sumter was targeted because it was full of US troops. The South attacks and kills or takes the troops as prisoners. The Senate and House of Representatives got smaller because the South leaders left to form the Confederate States of America. -
Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction
Lincoln's Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction, also known as the 10% Plan, was a plan to reconstruct and reunite the country after the Civil War. It would pardon any Confederate leader who swore an oath to the union and constitution and agreed to emancipation. Any state would be readmitted to the Union once at least 10% of its voters had sworn an oath of loyalty. States also had to form a new state constitution that outlawed slavery. -
Dred Scott Supreme Court Case
Dred Scott was a slave that sued for his freedom along with his wife. Roger Taney was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at the time and said that black people have no rights that the white people are bound to respect. Even though the Scotts were living in free territory, the Supreme Court said they weren't citizens and they were deemed to have no rights. Eventually this case was overturned and Dred Scott died a free man. -
Freedman's Bureau Established
President Lincoln signed a bill creating the Freedman's Bureau which helped ease the transition freed slaves from slavery to freedom. They did this by starting schools, negotiating labor contracts, securing loans, helping find and purchase them land, and providing legal aid. Although this was a good idea, freedmen had a hard time trusting white people. This bill was also too short lived. In 1866 Congress tried to extend this bill and give it new legal powers but Pres. Johnson vetoed it. -
Lee Surrenders
Robert E. Lee and 28,000 Confederate troops marched to Appomattox Court House in Virginia to surrender to Union General Ulysses S. Grant. This ended the Civil War, but started the long road to reconstructing the nation. Grant wrote out the terms of surrender and all troops were to return to their private property, the horses would be used for spring planting, officers could keep their guns, and Lee's army would be given Union rations. -
Reconstruction Acts of 1867
Although President Johnson had vetoed these acts, the Radical Republicans in Congress had the ride to override the presidents veto, The Reconstruction Acts of 1867 stripped Southern states of their political powers and divided them into 5 military districts. These districts were under supervision of the US Army, and made sure the South was complying. If a Southern State wanted to rejoin the Union, they had to ratify the 14th Amendment and give all men the right to vote. -
Johnson's Impeachment
Congress had recently passed the Tenure of Office Act, which meant the President could not remove military officials without Congressional approval. Even though President Johnson was aware of this new act, he proceeded to remove the Secretary of War. The House was able to get all the votes to impeach Johnson, but the Senate fell one vote short. However, after this Johnson was embarrassed, his name was tarnished, and he was essentially powerless. -
The 14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment stated that all people born in the US were full citizens. All people that were naturalized were full citizens. All US states were required to protect US citizens to the fullest extent of the law. Former confederate leaders could no longer hold state or federal offices. If a state denied people their voting rights they lost representation in Congress. -
15th Amendment
Radical Republicans realized that African Americans needed the right to vote so they pushed the 15th Amendment through Congress. This amendment prohibited any state from denying any the citizen the right to vote, no matter of their skin color, race, or previous slavery. This amendment was very unpopular in the North and many switched to support the Democratic party. The Radical Republicans lost the super majority but they did so by doing the right thing. -
The Battle of Little Bighorn
George Custer led his army to the Sioux nation to attack the Sioux. Word of this attack spread quickly among the Native Americans. Sitting Bull got the women and children to safety while Crazy Horse had gone with many others to face the army. Custer's army became separated, they were not able to regroup and were quickly overcome. All of Custer's Army was killed. This was a big win for Native Americans, but they were saw as more dangerous by the US. -
Haymarket Riot
A rally in Haymarket Square, Chicago, was formed to protest the Chicago police killing and injuring multiple laborers during a previous strike. Over 2,000 people attended the protest, and while it was peaceful for most of it, near the end it turned violent when the Chicago police arrived. Someone then threw a bomb at the police, resulting in the police and members of the protest opening gunfire, injuring many and killing 7 police officers and one civilian. The city was then divided. -
The Dawes Act
The Dawes Act, passed by President Cleveland, was like the Homestead Act but for Native Americans. The US government offered 160 acres to each Native American family, and 80 acres to individuals who left their reservation. Many white people saw this as very generous and saw it as an opportunity for Native Americans to own their own land and make money. The government saw this as a way to break tribal ties and gain access to Native lands. This was an attack on their culture and tradition. -
The De Lome Letter
As the tensions between Spain and the US and Cuba rose, the White House intercepted a letter from Spain and in it they admitted Spain had no intentions of honoring a deal with the US. They also called President McKinley a "would be politician". The White House thought they could cover this up, but one of the top journalist also got a copy of the letter and published it. American's were very angry after hearing their president being mocked. -
President McKinley Declares War on Spain
The US Naval ship, the USS Maine was blown up in the middle of the night in Havana Harbor, Cuba. It killed 260 American sailors and the US was convinced that Spain had blown it up. After the death of the American men, President McKinley declared war against Spain and set off to fight. The US had recently built up their Navy, and used this to their advantage by destroying Spanish fleets. Later it was discovered that the USS Maine blew up from a fire. -
The Battle of San Juan
The Battle of San Juan was the deciding battle for the Spanish American War. Theodore Roosevelts Calvary Army, "The Rough Riders" led troops to victory. First they took Kettle Hill, with Roosevelt leading in the front on a horse. After this victory, they soon took San Juan Hill forcing the Spanish to retreat into Santiago where the US would siege in the coming days. Because of the advancement made at the Battle of San Juan Hill, and the Spanish fleet being destroyed, the Spanish surrendered. -
Portsmouth Treaty is Signed
The Portsmouth Treaty was created by President Theodore Roosevelt to formally end the Russo-Japanese war of 1904 to 1905. Negotiations were made for this treaty in August and then the treaty was signed the following month by both Russia and Japan. It stated that Japan had control of Korea and most of South Manchuria. Russia's power in that region was then restricted. President Roosevelt was later given the Nobel Peace Prize for his participation in creating the treaty. -
Upton Sinclair publishes "The Jungle"
In an effort to support socialism, Upton Sinclair published "The Jungle". The book shone light on the abuses, dangerous, and unsanitary conditions of the meat packing industry. When President Theodore Roosevelt heard of this muckraking story, he then became aware, as did many other Americans of the reality of meat packing factories. He then passes the Meat Industry Inspection Act of 1904 and the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, as a way to regulate safety and cleanliness in these factories. -
The Pure Food and Drug Act is signed
After the abuses and dirty conditions of the food manufacturing plants were exposed due to the work of muckrakers, Theodore Roosevelt passed the Pure Food and Drug Act. This new act prohibited the transporting of foods that did not meet the new requirements to be approved as safe. Food and drugs had to now meet certain standards and all ingredients were required to be printed on the label. Ingredients that had other reasons to be added to the food were prohibited. This act later became the FDA. -
NAACP Founded
W.E.B. DuBois along with other activists founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1909, making it the oldest and biggest civil rights organization. This organization was founded in part to respond to racial riots, specifically the Springfield race riot of 1908. The NAACP works to achieve ending racism in areas like education, criminal justice, and the economy. They are able to achieve these goals through the judicial system, lobbying, and peaceful protests. -
Lewis Hines Publishes Pictures of Child Labor
The growth of big businesses and industry in the Progressive Era, had unintended effects including an increase in child labor. Instead of attending school and playing in parks, children works long hours in dangerous, hot, and dirty work environments, and were often hired because they could be paid less and their size. Photographer Lewis Hines traveled around big cities, taking pictures of the children and the dangerous conditions they were working in, bringing light to the abuse. -
The Children's Bureau is Created
Thanks to the work of muckrakers, the abuse of child labor and child welfare was brought to light. President Taft signed this bill to create the first federal agency whose main focus was improving the lives of children. Although child labor did not become illegal until the late 1930's, the Children's Bureau worked to better protect children's working conditions, advocate for children's education, and investigate abused and neglected children. -
Henry Ford Created the First Moving Assembly Line
Henry Ford created the Model T car which cost $850 and took 12 hrs to make. It was too expensive for the average American, so Ford used scientific management and created the first moving assembly line. This reduced the time to make the car down to 90 mins and the cost down to $280. Ford worked hard to provide his workers with better wages, shorter hours, and weekends off, setting an example for other companies. The ability to make this car so fast and cheap allowed other industries to boom. -
The Sinking of the Lusitania
World War 1 was seen by the US as the war "over there". The US had not been largely effected by it until a German U-Boat torpedoed and hit the Lusitania, a luxury steamship carrying 2,000 innocents civilians including 128 Americans. All passengers died, angering the United States who had been neutral. Relations between the US and Germany were now strained, and the US demanded that Germany must stop unrestricted submarine warfare. Germany did not stick to this for long and later sunk 4 US ships. -
US Declares War On Germany
After the sinking of the Lusitania, relations between Germany and the United States became strained. Germany later broke their promise of stopping unrestricted warfare. Four more US ships were torpedoed. Germany feared the US entering the war on the Allies side, so Germany tried to form an alliance with Mexico, so they would start a war on the Southern border of the US. This message (Zimmerman Telegram) was intercepted, seen as an act of war, resulting in the US declaring war on Germany. -
18th Amendment is Ratified
As women took more of a moral lead, groups like the Women's Christian Temperance Union were established to fight for prohibition in the United States. These women had seen the negative effects alcohol could have on people, especially men, who went broke, got sick, and even died due to alcoholism. After lots of rallying and writing letters, the manufacturing, sale, or transportation of alcohol. However, after alcohol became prohibited, the consumption of it became higher than ever before. -
The 19th Amendment is Ratified
After decades of fighting for the right to vote, women were finally granted this right after the 19th Amendment was passed. Women's suffrage groups including National American Women's Suffrage Association, which had over 1000 branches rallied, wrote letters, held debates, and lobbied to fight for this right. Some women were even jailed for civil disobedience at these events. After women gained the right to vote, they soon fought for the temperance movement and created Anti-Salon Leagues. -
Treaty of Versailles is Signed
After an armistice was signed by Germany and the Allies on November 11, 1918, the Treaty of Versailles was created and signed. President Woodrow Wilson created the Fourteen Points, which outlined an idealist version of the world after WW1, not placing blame on Germany, however the Treaty of Versailles was much harsher on Germany and was the leading factor to WW2. Germany was not included in making this Treaty, and the United States felt it was too harsh and did not sign it. -
Sacco and Vanzetti Trial
Italian immigrants, Sacco and Vanzetti were anarchists and put on trial for the murder of a shoe store paymaster, guard, and stealing $15,000. Witnesses described the murderers as two Italian men and police later arrested Sacco and Vanzetti. Both men had no criminal history and there was a major lack of evidence in the case. Despite these main points, the fear of anarchists and Italian immigrants at the time was extremely high, and in the end both men were executed. -
Immigration Act of 1924
After the start of WW1, immigration into the United States was greatly limited. New immigrants were never fully welcomed by US citizens, but became even less welcomed when the war began. Many European immigrants were feared and put through literacy tests. The Immigration Act of 1924 allowed only two percent of immigrants from each nationality were granted visas, based off of the 1890 census. It also made it illegal for any Asian immigrant to be granted entry. -
Scopes Monkey Trial
In Dayton, Tennessee the teaching of evolution had been made illegal months before a high school science teacher was charged with a violation of this law. The teacher had planned to be arrested to bring light to the law, and it brought many reporters to this small town. The case tested religion in schools and the constitutionality of it. The prosecutor asked for the jury to declare the teacher guilty in hopes the case would be appealed. In 1927, the case was overturned by the Supreme Court. -
The KKK Marches on Washington
During the 1920's the Ku Klux Klan members rose to 5 million people. The KKK was in all states and used violence, intimidation, and political means to reach an end goal. African Americans, Asians, Jews, immigrants, and Catholics were all targeted, but African Americans faced the most violence and hatred. In September, 1926, thousands of KKK members marched through the streets of Washington. This caused great fear because it was apparent that even members of government supported them. -
The Stock Market Crashed
The booming economy of the 1920's caused many to be distracted from the cracks in the economy's foundation. Farm debt rose quickly and the stock market prices began to plummet as more people tried to sell their stocks to get out of debt. Banks had little federal oversight and often gave out large amounts of money without knowing if those who they lent to would be able to pay them back. On Oct 28, 1929, the market closed resulting in people loosing life saving and began the Great Depression. -
Bonus Army Camp is Attacked
WW1 veterans had been promised a bonus for their service in the war, however the government thought it would be best to give them this money in 1945 when they would need it more. When the Great Depression hit, the veterans needed the money right then. Thousands of them marched on Washington demanding the money, but they were denied. Some camped out in front of the White House and eventually Pres. Hoover called the military to evict them. They burned the camp and many veterans were injured. -
Emergency Relief Appropriation Act is passed
In April of 1935, Congress passed the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act which funded the millions of employees for the Works Progress Administration. This agency employed 8 million citizens with jobs including building bridges, reservoirs, sewage, and schools. Within this act, Congress granted Pres. Roosevelt a $200 billion fund which added an enormous amount to the country's debt. As a result taxes were raised to help over the cost. -
Black Sunday
The Dust Bowl was the #1 ecological disaster in the US of the 20th century. The dustbowl was unintentionally manmade due to overproduction of crops, plowed up sod, and soil exhaustion. Strong winds and a major drought resulting in the loose dry soil being blown up into the air and carried for miles. On April 14, 1935 the worst dust storm to occur during the dustbowl took place. Winds traveling at speeds of 60 mph carrying tons of dirt across the great plains, and became known as Black Sunday. -
Social Security Act is Established
In 1935, President Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act to provide security for older individuals. This Act meant that a percentage would be taken out of the working generations paycheck and put into a social security account that would be given to the elderly when they turned 65 as a supplement for income. People who had once been reluctant to retire, now had an incentive to. This Act have faced many challenges and parts of it have been debated over the years. -
The Miracle at Dunkirk
As Hitler grew in power and invaded Poland, Great Britain declared war on Germany. In May of 1940, Hitler invaded France and the Netherlands pushing thousands of Allied troops to the beach of Dunkirk. The Germans had cut off all communication and transports from these troops leaving them stranded. British military attempted to evacuate troops from the beach, but the ships were too big. A call was sent out for all boats, military and personal to help evacuate the soldiers. -
Germany Breaks their Non-aggression Pact with Russia
In August of 1939, Germany and Russia sign a non-aggression pact that stated if Germany invaded Poland, Russia should not worry about being invaded, and Germany would even give Russia part of Poland. This keep tensions low between the two countries until June of 1941 when Hitler broke this pact and attacked Russia. Russia then declared war on Germany. This left Germany to fight a two front war, against the British Allies and Russia, resulting in Germany having to split focus and forces. -
Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor
When Japan attempted to expand their empire into parts of China, Korea, and surrounding islands, the US who had economic ties in those countries, pushed Japan to withdraw. When they refused to withdraw the US placed an embargo on oil, which Japan saw as an act of war. On a Dec Sunday morning, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in a sneak attack. around 2,400 Americans died and 1178 were wounded. This crippled the US Navy, and on Dec 8, FDR announced we were now at war and joined the side of the allies. -
Executive Order 9066 is established
After Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, there was a rising fear in the US of Japanese Americans. President FDR signed Executive Order 9066, which sent all Japanese Americans on the West Coast to internment camps, even those who had citizenship. They could only bring a few items and had to sell the majority of what they owned. The camps were in remote places, often very cramped, and housed thousands of families. Looking back this was extremely controversial and not a proud moment in US history. -
D-Day
After the US joined WW2 on the side of the Allies, they spent 18 months planning and training for D-Day, the largest seaborne invasion in history. The US, Great Britain, and Canada all had to coordinate for the invasion of the 5 beaches of Normandy. The Allied forces had 156,000 troops supported by 5,400 ships, 12,000 planes, and 23,000 airborne troops who had landed the day before. This was a win or die situation for the Allied troops and after 7 days, they controlled 80 miles of the coast. -
G.I. Bill of Rights is established
After WW1 and the issues with the bonus check, a new bill was created to thank and help veterans readjust to life. The G.I. Bill of rights paid for education, provided low interest home and business loans, and established hospitals specifically for veterans. All veterans were given these benefits but segregation made it so that not all African American veterans benefited as much as they could have. It is still around today and also acts as an incentive to join the military. -
Yalta Conference
FDR, Churchill, and Stalin met to discuss Europe's future after WW2 and Russia's entry into the war against Japan. They decided that Germany would be divided into 4 sections, for Russia, US, British, and French. France's leader was not at the conference but Stalin agreed France could have part of Germany, but only if it came out of the US or British parts. They also discussed how Russia joined the US fighting Japan because Stalin was petty that the Allies took to a while to fight in Europe. -
US drops the atomic bomb on Hiroshima
The US became the first country to ever use an atomic bomb on another country. Sending US troops to fight the war in Japan would result in mass American causalities. Pres. Truman and his advisors decided to tell Japan to surrender or we would drop an atomic bomb. We warned Japan multiple times, but after refusing to listen, we dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. They still refused to surrender, so 3 days later we dropped another bomb. They then finally surrendered ending the war. -
The Truman Doctrine is Signed
The Soviet Union had "cast an iron curtain" across the majority of Eastern Europe. The US could not directly fight against the Soviets but they could send money and supplies. Greece and Turkey were at risk of falling to Communism and in order to support them in fighting to keep their freedom, Pres. Truman asked Congress for $400 million in aid, along with US troops and advisors to prepare them. The US felt it was our job to help these countries stand up for themselves, and they never fell. -
Jackie Robinson becomes the first African American player in the Major Leagues
Jackie Robinson broke barriers in sports and for African American's in general when he became the first African American to play in the baseball Major Leagues. He was told he could not react to hate he would receive because he was the face of many African American's. Kids looked up to him and were inspired by him, and these children then grew up to fight for Civil Rights. Robinson would try and desegregate every gas station, restaurant, and hotel him and his crew stopped at on ways to games. -
The Marshall Plan is signed
US Secretary of State, George C. Marshall believed that the US should do whatever they can to help Germany rebuild their country and return to normal economic health of the world. If we didn't, then it could fall back on us. The Marshall Plan was directed against hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos. The plan was to rebuild infrastructure, schools, hospitals, and industries, and get rid of reminders of WW2. The US acted as scaffolding as the countries rebuilt themselves. -
The Berlin Airlift (Operation Vittles)
Stalin wanted control of all of Berlin, so he imposed a complete blockade on all traffic that went from West Germany to West Berlin, attempting to starve West Berlin into submission. Pres. Truman decided that we would not leave the citizens of West Berlin behind and decided to use an airlift to supply the city. Fuel, food, and consumer goods were dropped from the sky with parachutes. Pres. Truman made it clear that if any planes were shot down it meant war. This continued for 11 months. -
NATO is established
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was established in 1949 and consisted of 10 Western European countries, the US, and Canada, but has grown significantly since then. NATO was formed as a collective security system where "an armed attack on one or more nation in Europe or North America is considered an attack on all" Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first Supreme Commander of this military peacetime alliance, which Stalin viewed as a threat and then made his own version, the Warsaw Pact. -
China intervened with the Korean War
North Korea fell to China's communism however South Korea remained capitalist, North Korea then attacked South Korea the US helped SK. Troops were given specific orders to not step foot or shoot into China, from North Korea's Northern border but without warning or being provoked, 100,000 Chinese troops entered the war. US General McArthur wanted to drop 50 nuclear bombs on China for entering, but was then asked to resign. After the war, the Korean border was almost the same as before the war. -
Brown V. Topeka Board of Education
The Supreme Court had previously ruled that schools could be segregated but equal, however there wasn't enough regulations in place to ensure that the schools would be equal. A young black student, Linda Brown had to travel a long way to go to a segregated, less fortunate school. When she was not allowed to enroll in a closer, white school, her case was brought before the Supreme Court. Represented by Thurgood Marshall, they would win. The Court now said school had to be integrated. -
The Interstate Highway Act is signed
Pres. Eisenhower created the US' largest public works program, the Interstate Highway Act. It established 41,000 miles of interstate highways spanning across the country. This would make traveling easier, faster, and safer. Because it needed the support of all states, Eisenhower played on the Cold War fears and said the interstates would make evacuation easier if necessary. He also created the roads, so that for every 10 miles, 1 mile had to be completely flat to act as an emergency runway. -
Little Rock Nine Arrive at Central High School in Little Rock, AR
After Brown V. Board, schools were legally required to integrate, however there was a strong push against it in Southern schools. Black students feared going to these schools because of the hate they would get. 9 students were chosen and taken to school by an NAACP representative. Their entry to the school was continuously blocked by the AR Governor and National Guard. When Eisenhower heard of what was happening, he ordered the 101st Airborne Division to escort the children to and from school. -
Russia Launches Sputnik
In October 1957 Russia launched Sputnik, the first satellite to orbit Earth. This made American's even more nervous and continued to heighten their Cold War fears. Soon after Sputnik's launch, the US got their first object into orbit, but this added to the tension of who would make the next big space advancement. While Sputnik orbited Earth, it would cause people tv's and radios to beep, heightening the fear that Russia was using this satellite as a way to spy on Americans. -
Freedom Rides
In the summer of 1961, over 1000 students of all races began riding busses throughout the South to test out the new laws that made segregation on busses and trains illegal. In Birmingham, AL the Commissioner of Public Health, Eugene Connor was aware of the mobs waiting at the bus station to attack the riders, and intentionally arrived with police 15 minutes late. In this time, the mobs attacked the riders, breaking glass, throwing in makeshift bombs, and sending many to the hospital. -
Kennedy imposed a Naval blockade on Russian ships to Cuba
When US intelligence flew over Cuba, it was discovered that they were building ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) launch sites. Cuba was allied with Russia, and we realized that Russia was going to supply them with the ICBMs and they were in the process of shipping them to Cuba. Kennedy had to make the decision of how to respond to the ships and how to best protect the US. He chose to impose a Naval blockade on the Russian ships, and eventually they turned around with the ICBMS. -
President John F. Kennedy is assassinated
During a motorcade through the city of Dallas, TX, President John F. Kennedy, who was accompanied by his wife and the Governor of Texas, was assassinated in public and on live television. The Governor of Texas was also shot and sustained severe injuries but survived. When JFK's Vice President left the hospital, he was sworn into office, on Air Force 1. The assassination being so public shocked the nation, and some of the optimism and innocence of the nation had diminished after this tragedy. -
Civil Rights Act is passed
After Kennedy's assassination, Johnson took his place in office, carrying out Civil Rights ideas that Kennedy had previously proposed. In summer on 1964, Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which gave African Americans a greater sense of security in public places against discrimination. This act prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, and origin in all public places including the workplace. It paved the way for further Civil Rights Acts, but the fight wasn't over. -
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Attempting to contain communism in Vietnam, US troops were stationed there when one of our ships was attacked. Pres. Johnson saw this as an act of war and went to congress who signed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. This gave Johnson financial oversite and the ability to use the military where he saw best fit to "repel armed attacks against the US" and "prevent further aggression". This put the US in the middle of the Vietnam war and later led to the signing of the War Powers Act of 1973. -
Civil Rights march from Selma to Montgomery (Bloody Sunday)
Civil Rights activists lead a group of peaceful protestors on a 54 mile, 5 day march from Selma to Montgomery, protesting for African American voting rights. The march turned violent, when protestors were attacked by local AL authorities and white mobs. Marchers attempted again to reach the capital but turned around at Pettus Bridge when MLK got a bad feeling. Finally on the third attempt of the march led by MLK and protected by 2,000 troops, over 40,000 protestors made it to Montgomery. -
Middle Eastern States place an oil embargo on the US
In 1973, Arab states attacked Israel, with support from the Soviet Union. In response the US helped resupply Israel to help them fight back. In response to the support the US gave Israel, the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries placed an embargo on all oil shipments to the US. This caused a massive oil and energy crisis throughout the US. Gas prices rose $9 per barrel, and Americans turned to Japanese cars to reduce fuel intake. This shock led to new energy reforms being made. -
Alexander Butterfield exposed the White House Tapes
During the trial of the Watergate break in and espionage in the 1972 election, Nixon's former deputy assistant Alexander Butterfield exposed the White House Tapes, a series of recordings from the White House with evidence incriminating Nixon and other officials having knowledge and attempting to cover up the break in. Although Nixon wasn't initially involved in the break in, he found out about it and failed to report it, attempting to cover it up, leading to his resignation from office. -
Ronald Reagan is elected President
Ronald Reagan was elected and served 2 terms. After a series of unpopular/problematic presidents, Ronald Reagan won the 1980 election in a landslide. The US economy had faced high inflation rates and interest rates which had risen to nearly 20%. On the domestic side of this presidency, Reagan cut taxes and pushed to reduce military spending, allowing the US economy to recover. His foreign agenda he negotiated a nuclear arms reduction agreement bringing the US closer to the end of the Cold War.
