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1492
Christopher Columbus finds the new world
Christopher Columbus, upon his ship, the Santa Maria, was sailing west in search of an alternative trading route with Asian countries for Spain when ran into land in central America. Columbus was the first European to come across North America and unlocked seemingly infinite opportunity for Europe. This discovery gave Europe access to bountiful resources such as lumber and miles of great farming land. It also unlocked a darker industry, the slave trade. It also led to Columbian exchange. -
Jamestown
Named after king James 1, Jamestown was established as the first permanent town in the New World. It was located in Virginia and had a relatively small population. The European settlers were not prepared for American conditions and Jamestown suffered very high casualties during the winters. Jamestown suffered through bad relationships with natives as well as disease. Eventually, the settlers realized they could grow lots of tobacco in Virginia's soil which made the colony more valuable. -
First importation of slaves to the America
In 1619 the first African slaves were shipped to Virginia. This kicked off an immensely controversial industry that would later lead to civil war in America and much more. Virginia started using slave labor to help with farming and as farming became more profitable, slavery became more engrained in America and America became more reliant on slavery. -
Plymouth
The Plymouth Colony was established by pilgrims trying to escape the religious oppression of the Anglican church. They traveled to the New World on the ship called the Mayflower, and fittingly, made the first attempt at a government and law, known as the Mayflower compact. The Mayflower Compact wasn't very successful, but it was the thought of self-governance that counted. The location of Plymouth made it easier for agriculture. -
Pequot War
The Pequot tribe was edging in too close to colonies for comfort. On top of this, they were controlling the fur trade with the Dutch, which the English wanted to capitalize on. During the war, the English settlers pushed back the Pequot and killed many of them. They were advantaged by technology, and the Natives were disadvantaged by their lack of immunity to European diseases. This war resulted in Puritans and settlers controlling the previously disputed land and many dead Native Americans. -
Bacon's rebellion
Nathaniel Bacon led Virginia settlers against Colonial Governor William Berkeley since he denied Bacon's request to remove Native Americans from Virginia. Bacon's army consisted of people from all classes and races. They set Jamestown aflame, chasing Berkeley, and were only stopped by merchant ships from England. This rebellion showed that there needed to be a standing militia to deal with uprisings like Bacon's rebellion. -
Salem Witch trials
During the Salem witch trials, over 200 people were accused of witchcraft, 20 of which were executed. People in this time didn't have many scientific explanations for strange occurrences and used religion to explain them instead. This led to religious extremity and a major stray from objectivity in the courts. The Salem witch trials would haunt the growing country -
Great awakening
People were beginning to grow more and more distant from the church. The great awakening revived religion and spirituality bringing much more emotion into religion. Preachers like George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards dominated the great awakening by either scaring or praising people out of sin. This religious movement focused on making people feel more of a personal relationship with god and religion. This movement impacted art and literature of this time and reassigned morals to the colonies. -
Invention of the Lightning Rod
Benjamin Franklin was a renaissance man. He was flying a kite with a key on it to prove the link between lightning and electricity. He figured out that lightning caused an electrical shock and that it targeted higher metal conductors in its strikes. This led Franklin to his invention of the lightning rod. The lightning rod is placed above something that shouldn't take a lightning bolt strike and it attracts and absorbs the shock, protecting what would have otherwise been hit. -
Start of the French and Indian war
There was tension growing between the French, and their colonies in the new world, and the British, and their colonies in the new world. They disagreed over boundaries and ownerships of certain rivers and lands. This tension led to the French and Indian war, or the Seven years war. Native Americans participated in this war, different tribes supporting either side. This war highlighted George Washington's generaling proficiency and would also prove to be very fatal with over 1 million deaths. -
The Sugar act
After the French and Indian war, the British were in a very financially weak point. In an attempt to recover some of their lost fortune they decided to implement a sugar tax in the colonies. This tax included many things not just sugar. This greatly restricted colonists to only buying imported goods, which also just filled up England's pockets. The colonies thought they'd done good in the war and would be praised by England, but the sugar act was one of the final straws to revolution. -
Stamp Act
Another way England tried to recover from their financial losses in the French and Indian war was through the Stamp Act. This act implemented a tax on anything legal through the means of a stamp. This was outrageous to the Patriots, on top of other taxes they were now paying even more to get a stamp. This act further severed the mutually beneficial relationship the colonies were hoping for. They started to see that the only party benefitting was England and it began to anger them. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre occurred when some colonists were throwing snowballs at redcoats and eventually someone opened fire and colonists were killed. The colonists used this event as a source for propaganda, painting the British soldiers as evil. Propaganda like this helped get the patriots riled up and led to them wanting to have a revolution. It is thought that some details of the illustration were embellished and exaggerated in favor of the Patriots. The illustration spread like a wildfire. -
Boston tea party
Some of the sons of liberty got fed up with taxation without representation. As a protest to the tea tax, these sons of liberty dressed up in poor Native American costumes and raided a British ship in the Boston harbor, throwing over hundreds of barrels of tea. The amount of tea thrown over was worth around one and a half million dollars when converted to today. This showed Britain that the colonies could be a pest and led to Britain trying to tame them. -
The shot heard round the world
Up until 1775, the revolution was just an idea. The shot at Lexington and Concord, while no one knew from which party it was fired, set off the American revolution. It proved to both the Patriots and the British that they were willing to kill for their country. This wasn't the first time one of Britain's colonies had tried to revolt, but it was the first time Britain had to take it seriously. This shot initiated the war that would result in America's independence. -
Declaration of Independence
The colonies had been through enough of Britain's unfair taxing and invasiveness, and decided to finally declare independence. The colonies were already ready to wage war against England but this official statement raised moral and won foreign allies. Written by Thomas Jefferson, and signed by many other founding fathers, this document was the first serious threat to Britain that the revolt was really happening. -
Common Sense
Common sense was a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that talked about England's oppressive rule and how it was unfair. The printing press allowed for this pamphlet to spread very fast and build a rebellious fire throughout the colonies. Originally published anonymously, this pamphlet was the first plain in text writing against England. It proved bravery and encouraged other colonists to rebel against Britain. -
Treaty of Paris (1783)
This document was signed in Paris by King George III and the United States' John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay. It officially ended the Revolutionary War and gave the United States independence. It also gave lost of land to the United States, the Northwest Territory, which was claimed and taken care of in the later Northwest Ordinance. This started off the United States' life of independence as well as expanding their territory and making right some problems caused by the war. -
George Washington is elected
George Washington was the first and arguably most influential president. After carrying the colonies to victory in the Revolutionary War, Washington was elected unanimously. He not only served as a great president but set many important precedents that would succeed him. These precedents included only taking two terms, having an inaugural speech, and trying not to involve political parties. Many of his ideas for the future of the country would be realized. -
First cotton mill
Looking like a factory, a cotton mill was a building full of machinery used to cure cotton. It produced products like wool and clothing. Cotton mills started to pop up kicking off the industrial revolution. These cotton mills opened up lots of jobs for middle and low class people. They also expanded the cotton industry. Cotton mills didn't have very great working conditions and the jobs in them didn't pay very well, which led to strikes and protest. These didn't affect the industry very much. -
Whiskey Rebellion
Due to issues with distilling rum and transporting beer, whiskey became a very sought after resource. The tax affected all distilled alcohol, but since most people were affected by the whiskey tax, it was mainly known as that. Farmers somewhat tried to boycott the whiskey tax by distilling their own. Some protesters even used more violent tactics such as attacking tax collectors. Washington used his militia to settle down the rebellion and prove the government could take down uprisings. -
Bill of Rights
The constitution had held the country together fine for what it was. James Madison thought he would write the first 10 amendments and include them in the Bill of Rights. These 10 amendments described American rights and liberties we live by today. The Bill of Rights would shape what the United States stood for. This was one of the most important governing documents in American History. -
Invention of the Cotton Gin
Eli Whitney invented the Cotton Gin and patented it in 1794. The Cotton Gin allowed for raw cotton to be cured and turned into product much faster. This made the cotton industry explode bringing much wealth to the cotton farming economy. As cotton farmers got richer, however, their need for slaves increased. This invention indirectly expanded slavery as well as economy. The Cotton Gin was a tremendous wealth booster for the south especially. -
Marbury vs Madison
William Marbury and James Madison had an altercation about a commission. Marbury involved the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court forced Madison to pay him the commission. The results of the decision weren't all that important, but the fact that the Supreme Court overruled a misbehavior and corrected it according to the constitution proved that the Supreme Court had such power and that the constitution was a functioning law. These establishments were very important to the governments respect. -
Lewis and Clark Expedition
Thomas Jefferson wanted to know what he'd gotten from the Louisiana purchase, so he sent Lewis and Clark and their party west to explore and document the uncharted land. They traveled the new territory creating maps of landmarks and rivers, bringing back samples of unknown plants, and meeting new Native American tribes. This expedition was important to the United States because it told them what kind of resources and opportunity was in their future and allowed them to move west with knowledge. -
Louisiana Purchase
Over in Europe, Napoleon was trying to fight England. He didn't really want the Louisiana territory anymore and needed quick funds for his war effort. Napoleon decided to sell the Louisiana territory to Jefferson for only 15 million dollars. This was extremely cheap for this much land and opened up infinite opportunities for the United States. This allowed for westward expansion, control of the Mississippi river, and plenty more. This was one of the greatest deals ever. -
The Embargo Act
During the Napoleonic wars, Britain and France were paranoid about the United States giving war resources to their enemy (each other) and so they were searching many American ships. To counteract these bothersome searches, the Embargo Act restricted trade in foreign ports. This made imports and exports plummet and hurt the economy. Over time, however, the United States recovered and the Embargo Act ended up increasing domestic industry. -
War of 1812
After the Embargo act of 1807, a replacement, the Non-Intercourse Act was implemented. This act eased up on the Embargo Act's rules, opening up trade to anyone except France and England. The United States were getting fed up with dealing with France and Britain's fight. During this time, Britain was supplying Native Americans with weapons and telling them to be hostile to Americans. This led to the war of 1812 between the US and England where the US proved that their last victory wasn't a fluke. -
Monroe Doctrine
After victories in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, the United States was beginning to get more confident. They wanted to be left alone so they could develop into a great country and thought if Europe kept poking its head in their business, this plan would be difficult. The Monroe Doctrine states that the US would stay uninvolved in European matters as long as Europe stayed out of US matters. It also prohibited further colonization of America by Europe. -
Indian Removal Act
There were Native Americans living in and around some colonies. Andrew Jackson approved the Indian removal act, which forced all of these Native Americans to move out to designated areas. Many natives died on their emigration along the trail of tears, not to mention lost their homes and much culture in the land they were forced to leave. This, unfortunately was only the beginning of the United States' disrespect and dehumanization towards the Native Americans. -
Nullification crisis
South Carolina didn't like the tariffs they had to deal with and decided that within their state, they would just not exist. This wasn't going to fly with the federal government and the Supreme court had to shut the idea down. This brought up the debate of where the power should be, in the states, or in the capitol. The resolution proved that the federal government would have at least enough power to enforce tariffs on the states. -
Invention of the Telegraph
Samuel Morse created the telegraph which sent messages through telegrams with dots and dashes that represented letters in the alphabet. This was known as Morse code. The telegraph could communicate at longer distances and became very popular and vital to fast communication. The invention of this device made the world smaller and paired well with the invention of the locomotive. -
Mexican American War
Mexico was trying to populate the area that is now Texas. To do so, they were inviting anyone to move there and giving away lots of land. As seen many times before, when there is land up for grabs, flooding migration follows. Americans who came had to give up their American citizenship, but many remained loyal. The Mexican government made some changes and the ex Americans fought the Mexican American War for Texas. It ended with Mexico's border receding to the Rio Grande river. -
Seneca Falls convention
The Seneca Falls convention was the first women's rights convention in the united states and kickstarted the women's suffrage movement. The goal of this convention was to gain social, civil, and religious rights for women. This was an important point for suffragettes (many of which were abolitionists) and set them on track for making social change. Many protests and over seventy years later, women got the right to vote. -
Gold Rush begins
Some construction workers were building out west when they uncovered flakes of gold. They tried to keep it a secret, but soon the whole country found out and rushed west in hopes of striking it rich. These folks were known as the forty niners, because they moved west in 1849 and many were too late. This led to poverty among many failed forty niners but it at least populated the west. It also grew the mining industry and provided some jobs. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom's Cabin was a novel that went against slavery. This novel's popularity rose throughout the United States and contributed to the abolitionist cause during a time where slavery was a growing debate. This book would become the best selling novel and inspire abolitionist thoughts in many Americans. When Lincoln met the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, he said "So this is the little lady who started this great war", which said a lot about her influence. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
President Douglas wanted to add new states to the land in the Nebraska territory. To achieve this goal, he needed the vote of the south as well as the north. In an attempt to cater to the southern voters, Douglas made the Kansas-Nebraska act, which allowed the new states to decide for themselves whether they will allow slavery. This idea was supposed to appeal to both abolitionists and slavery supporters, but just made the slavery debate even more intense. -
Secession of the Confederacy
The southern states had decided, despite Lincoln's efforts to find a middle ground, that policies required in the United States were unacceptable. Too much of the south's wealth and power came from slavery, so rather than give it up, they seceded from the Union. This led to the Civil war, which proved extremely bloody and completely changed the country. Jefferson Davis was the leader of the Confederacy that broke away from Lincoln's Union. -
Invention of the Repeating rifle
Up until the invention of the repeating rifle (or spencer rifle) , a great soldier could barely get three or four shots off in a minute. This made for long and ineffective battles, although much safer in comparison to future battles. The repeating rifle allowed for much faster and more accurate shooting. Once the Union and the Confederacy got ahold of this technology, it made the Civil War very bloody, even making the Civil War the bloodiest war for Americans. -
Battle of Fort Sumter
After the Confederacy seceded, Abraham Lincoln had been trying to negotiate with them to get them to rejoin the Union. Up until the Battle of Fort Sumter, these negotiations had been peaceful. Conflicts at Fort Sumter led to a battle, and although the Union lost, their effort proved that they would fight the Confederacy. This battle started off the Civil War and proved to the North that the Confederates were a force to be reckoned with. -
Homestead Act
The United States wanted to expand west and utilize all of the open land it owned. To get people to move out there, land was given away with the price of living on it and farming on it or making it productive somehow. Those desperate enough left their homes in the east (as well as Civil War tensions) to start a new life on a homestead. This act worked well for populating the west and making it productive. It gave many people a great opportunity. It also lead to the deculturalization of Natives. -
The Emancipation Proclamation
Up until the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln had been trying to mend the Union and somehow include the Confederacy. The Emancipation Proclamation, made it clear that the war was for freedom and ending slavery. This shift was inspirational and urged the war effort and made steps towards official emancipation. Technically, this only applied to southern states and not slave states in the west still loyal to the union, but it was the idea that the war's motive had switched that was the message. -
13th Amendment
After the Civil War, the 13th Amendment was written, which abolished slavery. This meant the south had to stop enslaving people to farm and work for them. This was also a major step towards equal rights. The south had built a life around slavery, however, and wouldn't easily let it go, which led to alternatives, such as sharecropping, which weren't much better. Still, it was a huge step in the right direction. -
Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
In an attempt to revive the Confederacy's spirit, John Wilkes Booth and two other men set out to kill Lincoln, William Seward, and Andrew Johnson. Lincoln's assassination was the only successful one, taking place during a play at Ford's theatre. Lincoln's assassination not only set a fear in all future presidents' minds, but also left the country sad and in the hands of Johnson. Johnson was a southern man and was in charge of reconstruction, possibly carrying it out worse than Lincoln would've. -
14th and 15th Amendments
After the abolition of slavery, black people were still being discriminated heavily. The 14th and 15th amendments tried to do something about this. The 14th amendment said that everyone born in the US is a citizen and their rights are protected. The 15th said that black men could vote. These two changes, included with the abolition of slavery were enormous steps towards civil rights and equal treatment from where these matters stood before the Civil War. -
Completion of the Transcontinental Railroad
Two railroad companies had been payed to lay track across the country. When they finally met in the middle, which happened much faster than expected due to a sweet incentive, America got much smaller. Resources from all over the country became accessible, people could move much more efficiently, and most importantly, the United States could ship out of both the West and East coasts now. The transcontinental railroad was the greatest achievement for the country's future at the time. -
Foundation of the Standard Oil Company
In the 1800s, there wasn't much regulation on the economy in terms of business laws. Oil was a very plentiful and useful resource throughout America. John D. Rockefeller saw these two ideas and took advantage of them. He created an oil company the continued to grown bigger and bigger until it was THE oil company, a monopoly. While this created many jobs for Americans, it also created a man so rich he'd never be able to spend all of his money. -
The Battle of Little Bighorn
Also known as Custer's last stand, the battle of Little Bighorn was the largest battle in the Great Sioux war. Custer's army had been trying to kill natives and he thought he'd pushed back a small group and cornered them, but it turned out to be a trap. Many more Natives than expected were waiting and they won the battle. These Natives were defending their land and the US army attacking them was trying to get them off of it. -
Dawes Act
Native Americans had been pushed west in the trail of tears. They had been given territory and told that it was reserved and protected. As the United States grew larger and larger, they wanted to move west. As usual, the best way to move people somewhere is to give out land. The Dawes act allowed the government to divide up and give away Native American lands. This act destroyed lots of Native American culture and got a lot of white people to move west. -
Plessy vs Ferguson
Plessy was one eights black and was therefore denied his seat on a train. He tried to challenge this restriction in the Plessy vs Ferguson case. The ruling of this case resulted in a separate but equal policy, meaning nothing can be restricted based on race, but it can be separated. This led to things like black and white water fountains or black and white schools. This was known in the south as the Jim Crow era and continued racism. -
Theodore Roosevelt becomes president
President William McKinley was assassinated, directly making Theodore Roosevelt president. Known as one of the most influential presidents of all time, Theodore Roosevelt implemented many social, economic, and environmental changes. He established many national protected parks and set the precedent that others do the same. He also brought the idea of big stick diplomacy. -
The coal strike of 1902
The United Mine Workers of America led a strike, demanding better pay, as well as improved working conditions. The country was heavily reliant on coal, so this strike was highly dangerous and highly effective. Theodore Roosevelt was able to step into the situation as a middle man and diffuse the situation by creating a compromise. This showed other industries that they could unionize and force issues. It also established Theodore Roosevelt as a man who meant business. -
The Wright Brothers fly
Two brothers, who started off running a bike shop, decided one day to fly. They worked on prototypes and tested their flyers on a hill, trying to glide down. These brothers, from Kittyhawk North Carolina, got their contraption to stay airborne for 12 seconds, being the first Americans to fly under control. This invention led to many advancements eventually ending up with airplanes. The impact of flight was that the world shrunk in a way, with everything being just a flight away. -
Pure Food and Drug Act
One of Theodore Roosevelt's achievements was the passing of the Pure Food and Drug Act. This act was intended to protect people from dangerous or misleading food and drug products. Before this, food and drug sale was much more unregulated, and manufacturers could get away with selling harmful products and lying about it. It also established the FDA, which enforced health guidelines. This act led to an increase in American health and created an everlasting impact on the industry. -
Model T created
Henry Ford looked at the market of automobiles and saw an opportunity. He realized that the production could be made more efficient and affordable. He designed the model T, which was a replicated car with all the same parts. This allowed for mass production. This cut costs dramatically and cars went from being a luxury to being an everyday item. Ford created many jobs and changed the country. With everyone having a car, the country spread out much more and people could travel. -
Start of the Great Migration
The Great Migration was a result of African Americans seeking opportunity and escaping discrimination. Millions of African Americans moved north. This led to an increase in diversity throughout the country and a decrease in racism. While it still existed, the Great Migration was an important step in overcoming the tragic past of the country. -
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
The fire was a tragic event that killed 146 workers, many of which were immigrants and women. It brought attention to unsafe working conditions and lack of regulations in not only the triangle shirtwaist factory, but also many others like it around the country. The tragedy helped influence the creation of new laws and safety precautions to protect workers across all kinds of working environments. -
Revenue Act of 1913
The Revenue Act of 1913 was Woodrow Wilson's attempt at improving the economy. He lowered tariffs, allowing for more overseas business and reestablished the US as a global economic power. The act also created income tax for the upper class. This combination of edits to the economy led to countless revisions and debate throughout the country's life surrounding income tax and similar issues introduced by this Act. -
Creation of the Panama Canal
The construction of the Panama canal was a remarkable feat of engineering that involved digging difficult terrain. The canal had a great impact on trade and military operations since it eliminated the need to travel all the way around South America when traveling by boat. The creation of the canal was controversial since the United States supported Panama's independence from Colombia in order to gain the favor of Panama. Theodore Roosevelt thought this would increase America's influence. -
U.S. joins WW1
The U.S. had decided to maintain neutrality in foreign affairs and focus on its own development. A combination of things, such as the interception of the Zimmerman telegram and the sinking of U.S. ships, however, made the U.S. declare war. The U.S. helped the Allied powers, sending troops and resources that helped beat the central powers. -
Palmer Raids
The Palmer Raids were a result of the Red Scare. The government's department of justice, led by Palmer, went on investigations in attempt to catch communists and anarchists. These raids were often focused on minorities and especially immigrants, leading to controversy. The victims claimed a breaching of civil liberties. These raids created a sense of distrust in the American people, and only contributed to the Red Scare, rather than quell it. The Red scare had the country seeming crazy. -
19th amendment
The 19th amendment started prohibition by banning alcohol. This change had been coming for a while, since many families were suffering to the "devil" that was alcohol. This ended up backfiring, however, because alcohol consumption actually rose during this time and ended up just funding organized crime. This amendment was later overturned and lives in infamy as an example of what will happen when unpopular amendments are created, whether they are for the good of the people or not. -
The 19th Amendment is created
This Amendment gave women the right to vote. The women's suffrage movement had been going on trying to gain this right. It was a major step toward gender equality and showed America's development as a country towards equality. It gave women a say in the country they lived in, a liberty that used to only be held by men, it gave them a large sense of independence. -
Beginning of Harlem Renaissance
The Great Migration brought many African Americans north. Settling in northern cities was very common for these groups. Harlem was the largest and most influential of these enclaves, based in Manhattan. These enclaves created lots of African American culture through a shared tragic background. The music genres of Jazz and the Blues originated from the Harlem Renaissance. The development of black culture continued through the roaring twenty's. -
The Roaring Twenties begin
A combination of cultural and economic development combined to create a golden decade. The economy was looking better than ever, constantly going up. Women contradicted traditional gender roles, Jazz became popular, and unemployment was extremely low. The country seemed to be in a great place in the postwar time, happy to be at peace after the Great War. The US was floating on a bubble. -
Immigration Act of 1924
The Immigration act of 1924 signed by Lyndon B. Johnson set restrictions on who could immigrate to the United States. It completely stopped Asians from coming to America and made it very difficult for other countries. There was a limit set on the amount of allowed immigrants. This contrasts the idea of America being a cultural melting pot and caused controversy about allowing more immigrants in later. The idea was to focus on Americans and grow as a nation without losing jobs etc. to immigrants. -
Scopes Monkey Trial
The Scopes Monkey Trial was a legal case about, John T. Scopes, was accused of violating Tennessee's Butler Act, by teaching about evolution in highschool. Scopes still got in trouble but he brought attention to a debate over science. People didn't like talking about evolution because it contradicted religion. Scopes trial led to advances in public education on science. -
Stock Market Crash of 1929
In 1929 the stock market crashed. This was the first time the economy wasn't going up and many people lost lots of money. The country had been sitting on an economic bubble and it burst, sending the country into the great depression. Leading up to the crash, everything was going up and people were borrowing money that wasn't really there and as soon as something went bad, it all collapsed and people couldn't pull out what wasn't really there. The banks failed. -
Start of the dust bowl
In the plains of the West, farming hadn't yet adapted. Using the same farming techniques as farmers did in the East, western farmers deteriorated the ground, turning the ground into a big layer of dust. When drought came along with strong winds, this dust became violent and unpredictable. Houses were buried by dust and people couldn't help breathing it in. This led to the development of better farming techniques to preserve the land. -
Pearl Harbor
The U.S. again wanted to keep the war out of their home land. They couldn't help it, however, when Japan sent planes and submarines to attack Pearl Harbor. The U.S. felt completely safe and didn't see the attack coming at all. It killed many Americans and angered the country into declaring war. This attack also revived Theodore Roosevelt's big stick diplomacy in foreign affairs. -
Japanese Internment
The Pearl Harbor attack led to an anti Japanese sentiment among many Americans. The government created internment camps in America and relocated many Japanese Americans, many of which were even born in America and had never seen Japan. This was a violation of civil liberties and hypocritical of the U.S. The Japanese Americans sent to these camps often lost everything they had earned. -
D-Day
The Allies had been forced back across the English Channel and had to find a way back into Europe's mainland. The only point of entrance was through the water, so they prepared to push through the Atlantic wall. They used many creative strategies and preformed an all out invasion on the beaches of Normandy. Soldiers knew the only way to survive was to push through the Nazis and it made them fight hard. It was a very bloody battle, but was successful in turning the tides of the war. -
G.I. Bill
The G.I. Bill granted veterans a free college education. This created a huge spike in education in the US. It created an educated generation. A smarter country created many new opportunities including the continuation of education for generations that followed. This boosted the economy and created an increase in the College industry. Later it caused the issue of a college education being a necessity for many professional jobs while not everyone got free college or could afford it raising debate. -
Atomic bombs dropped
After Hitler died and Germany surrendered, the war in Europe was over. The US still continued to fight with Japan in the Atlantic, however. Throughout the recent years, the US had been working on the Manhattan Project, developing nuclear weaponry. Japan was refusing to surrender and Truman decided the only way to end the war was to drop atomic bombs. Two were dropped, wiping out the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing countless Japanese people. This weapon also changed the world forever. -
Truman doctrine
Right after WW2 ended, the Cold War began. Harry Truman wanted to stop the spread of communism and the Soviet Union wanted the opposite. The Soviets took the Truman doctrine, which was the US's declaration that they would help countries plagued by authoritarian governments, as a declaration of the cold war. They had to take Truman seriously because he was the only man to ever actually use nuclear bombs. -
Creation Levittowns
The creation of the suburbs was led by Abraham Levitt. He took the idea from the model T that reproduction of a product would be more cost effective if none of the products were unique. He decided to make a house that he could copy and paste. This led to many people moving to the suburbs, since they provided a safe nice place to live around neighbors that could be trusted. It also made housing much more affordable and accessible for various classes. -
Marshall plan
WW2 caused lots of loss and destruction in Europe. The US, being across the ocean, didn't suffer much loss in infrastructure and architecture. Europe was in shambles and as a good ally, the US helped European countries out financially, building good relationships and strengthening their allies against communism. -
Start of the Korean war
The Soviets were spreading communism throughout Asia. The US knew if they made it all the way down the Korean peninsula, there was a good chance they would take over all of the Atlantic islands too, leaving no buffer between them and the US. The US came into South Korea to provide support to the Koreans wanting to resist the Soviet Union. -
Brown v. Board of Education
The Fourteenth Amendment promised the state couldn't deny rights to some people but not others. Separate but equal came from this amendment. This civil rights case selected a case to bring to the supreme court, proving a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. The goal of this was to desegregate schools, since black schools were arguably in worse condition, therefore not equal to white schools. Brown v. Board of Education set the precedent that would help desegregate schools. -
Montgomery bus boycott
Mongomery was a place with extreme segregation. Civil rights leaders like MLK decided it would be a good place to set up a protest. Rosa Parks got on the bus and sat in a "white seat" and refused to move, getting arrested and setting off the boycott. Black people all over stopped riding the bus until Buses were desegregated. This forced the bus companies to change because black people made up a majority of their customers. This was another small win in the larger Civil rights movement. -
Sputnik reaches orbit
Sputnik being successfully launched into space set off the space race between the US and the Soviet Union. This was in the middle of the Cold War and struck fear in many Americans. They were afraid the Soviet satellite could spy on them or even send nuclear weapons down from space. The US had to quickly shift funding to NASA to keep up with the Soviet Union and ensure space safety to Americans. -
Little rock nine
After legally desegregating schools, many schools in the south refused to change their policy. Since they were now backed by the law, Civil Rights activists sent children to these schools to force the adjustment to desegregation on them. These children were faced by extreme racism and were gated from the school until the military had to escort them in. Even then, they had a difficult schooling experience, but it set the precedent for other black children to receive an equal education. -
Cuban missile crisis
Russia saw an opportunity to put pressure on the US by working with Fidel Castro in Cuba and beginning to put nuclear missiles in Cuba, much closer to the US than was comfortable. Kennedy handled the crisis by secretly meeting with advisors without giving up that he knew about the missiles. Then he came to a deal with Cuba to destroy the missile sites and deweaponize. -
Assassination of President Kennedy
John F. Kennedy was shot during a parade. Kennedy was seen as a symbol of hope to the American people and he was very loved. His assassination hurt American morale and led to an increase in presidential security. The assassin was shot short after Kennedy, so the motivation remains a mystery, however, Kennedy's death helped unite the government which led to the passing of the Civil Rights act. -
Civil rights act
The civil rights act of 1964 put a ban on discrimination based on gender, race, and religion. This was a large step for movements like the Civil rights movement and for women's rights and helpful for marginalized religious groups. While these groups would still have a long way until equality, they took a great victory with the civil rights act. It continued rolling the ball for these causes. MLK played a role in getting it passed by Lyndon Johnson. -
Gulf of Tonkin incedent
US troops had been stationed in Vietnam to support the Vietnamese against communism. They were being peaceful until one of their ships was sunk, setting off the US involvement in the Vietnam War. This was very controversial because Americans didn't even want to fight the Vietnam War and it caused many unnecessary American casualties. -
Medicare and Medicaid act
The Medicare and Medicaid Act brought healthcare to a much more accessible level. It was a government funded health insurance program for the less wealthy and elderly. The effects of this act include an increase in overall health in America, a boost in the economy of the healthcare industry, and an overall increased life expectancy for Americans. Americans having access to healthcare made it an even better place to live. This would also lead to controversy over taxes in the future. -
Voting Rights Act
Although women and African Americans were allowed to vote, it was often made difficult through voting requirements. The requirements were targeted at classes and groups that they didn't want to be able to vote. This was a workaround for the law that enabled continued discrimination. It took away independence and freedom from these groups and was unfair. After the change, unfair and targeted voting restrictions were prohibited. -
Pentagon Papers exposed
The Pentagon Papers becoming public revealed to the American public that the Vietnam War was much worse than they had been made aware. People already had doubts about the US involvement, and many people had stakes in the war, since lots of people were drafted unwantedly, and these doubts were amplified when they found out the full scope of the war. To make matters even worse, it was evident that the government was actively trying to hide these facts from the public and it made more hate the war. -
Tet offensive
The Tet Offensive was a variety of attacks on South Vietnam by North Vietnam. This large scale military operation caused many deaths and destruction to the infrastructure of South Vietnam. North Vietnam failed in their goals of starting riots in South Vietnam, but they were still able to send the message that the war was serious and they were willing to destroy cities over it. It caused political conflict back in the US. -
Assassination of MLK
Martin Luther King Jr. was the face of the civil rights movement and had helped with countless protests and speeches. He was assassinated in Memphis Tennessee. The Civil rights movement carried on without him but always held him as one of the most influential leaders of his time. His death angered many people in support of the Civil rights movement but they mostly maintained their nonviolent composure. -
Moon Landing
The US and the Soviet Union had been in the space race for a while and President Kennedy promised his fellow Americans that he would beat Russia to the moon. NASA's effort achieved this goal, putting men on the moon, as well as an American flag. This, in many Americans' eyes, ended the space race in their decisive victory. The funding towards the space race also influenced further exploration of space by the US. -
Watergate Scandal
Members of the Nixon administration were caught stealing and breaking into the opposing party's office to help Nixon win reelection. As it turns out, Nixon would've won either way and this robbery was unnecessary. The scandal was emphasized by Nixon's repeated abuses of power as president in an attempt to cover up the crime. He had said he didn't know about the plans and could have just moved on, but Nixon made matters much worse by attempting to cover it up. -
Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade was a supreme court case surrounding the legality of abortion. The result was the legalization of abortion, claiming it was a pregnant woman's liberty to abort the pregnancy. This led to an influx of debate that continues today. This supreme court case is one of the most controversial cases in history, causing protests and campaigns as well as violence and distress all over. -
Iran hostage crisis
Fifty-two American citizens were held in the embassy as hostages when Iranian college students took it over. Jimmy Carter attempted for hundreds of days to handle the situation, but was unsuccessful the Iranians didn't like him. Ronald Reagan came in meaning business and freed the hostages after 444 days. This crisis made Jimmy Carter look like a bad president and made Americans very anxious since 52 citizens just like them were at risk of death. -
The Three Mile Island nuclear accident
The Three Mile Island nuclear accident in Pennsylvania was one of the largest scale nuclear accidents. It tainted the American perception of Nuclear power, displaying to the citizens how dangerous it could be. No one died as a cause of this incident, however, it still led to an increase in the safety regulation of nuclear power and a decline in public opinion of the nuclear power movement. -
Reaganomics
Reaganomics was the set of economic policies implemented by Ronald Reagan. It aimed to fix the economy reduce government regulation, lower taxes, and stimulate economic growth in various places. The policies contributed to growing income inequality and cost the country itself quite a bit. Reaganomics represented a shift in economic policy and changed the direction of American politics surrounding economics in the future. -
The Challenger spaceship disaster
The Challenger, full of 7 passengers, some teachers even, tried to launch and exploded, killing everyone inside. Up to this point, space exploration had been very glorified and had seemingly low risk. The explosion led to a two year pause on the challenger program. It also led to countless safety improvements and tainted the American idea of space programs and made many question the government's spending. This was remedied with many safety improvements. -
Afghanistan war starts
The 9/11 attacks on the US triggered a retaliation in the form of a war on Afghanistan. The US also wanted to help liberate the people of Afghanistan under the control of a ruthless Taliban regime. The Taliban made living conditions in Afghanistan brutal. George Bush responded to the attacks with the war on terrorism which included sending US military to the middle east. This war continued through my generation's childhood and affects the US's foreign affairs. -
9/11
On September 11th, 2001, a terrorist group hijacked various planes and crashed them into US infrastructure, killing thousands of innocent US citizens. This tragedy sparked a burning nationalism in all Americans, which unfortunately led to an uprising in anti Arab sentiment in the US. It also set off the war on terrorism and changed national security forever, adding lots of national security. 9/11 is now commemorated as one of the nation's greatest tragedies, drawing respect and remorse all over.