-
In 1607, King James I gave permission to the Virginia Company to start an English settlement in North America. They aimed to make money but faced many problems like disease, harsh winters, and conflicts with Native Americans. Many settlers died during the tough times, but eventually, they managed to establish Jamestown, the first permanent English colony.
-
In 1607, King James I gave permission to the Virginia Company to start an English settlement in North America. They aimed to make money but faced many problems like disease, harsh winters, and conflicts with Native Americans. Many settlers died during the tough times, but eventually, they managed to establish Jamestown, the first permanent English colony.
-
Bacon led the first armed rebellion in American history against Governor William Berkley. The colonists were angry that the elite leaders refused to protect them from Native American attacks. They revolted, attacking native tribes and burning down Jamestown. After the rebellion, there was an increase in slave labor to prevent future revolts by indentured servants.
-
The First Great Awakening was a religious revival in the American colonies during the 1730s. Preachers like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield encouraged colonists to renew their faith, focusing on personal salvation and emotional religious experiences. This movement challenged established churches' authority and promoted ideas of equality and individual choice.
-
The French and Indian War began in 1754 as colonists wanted to expand westward into the Ohio River Valley, which was sparsely settled by the French. George Washington's initial attempt to remove the French failed. The war lasted nine years, with British troops and colonists, along with Iroquois allies, battling the French and their Native American allies. The British eventually won, gaining significant territory, but the war's expenses led taxing colonists, making resentment towards Britain.
-
After the French and Indian War, the British government issued a proclamation in 1763 that banned colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains. This was done to reduce conflict with Native Americans by preventing colonists from moving onto their land. However, many colonists resented this restriction because it limited their ability to expand and prosper. The proclamation increased colonial dissatisfaction with British policies and administration.
-
The Stamp Act was the first direct tax imposed by Britain on its American colonies. The act required taxes on all printed materials. The colonists strongly opposed the act because they believed it violated their right as British subjects not to be taxed without representation. Protests and boycotts erupted throughout the colonies. The uproar ultimately forced Britain to repeal the act, marking the colonies' growing resistance to British authority.
-
The Boston Massacre occurred in 1770 when British soldiers fired into a crowd of colonists, killing five people. This event was a result of escalating tensions between the colonists and the British government over issues like taxation and military presence. Paul Revere used the incident as propaganda, depicting the colonists as innocent victims of British brutality, which fueled anti-British sentiments.
-
The Boston Tea Party was a protest by American colonists against the British Tea Act. The act gave the East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the colonies. The colonists, dressed as Native Americans, boarded British ships in Boston Harbor and dumped tea into the water. This act of defiance was a symbol of colonial resistance to British rule and taxation without representation. The British were outraged by the Boston Tea Party.
-
The American Revolutionary War began with battles in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts in 1775. British troops were sent to seize colonial weapons, but they were met by colonial militias. The skirmishes, known as the "shot heard 'round the world," marked the start of open warfare. The colonists showed their determination to fight for their rights and independence.
-
The Declaration of Independence made official the separation of the colonies from Great Britain. It listed complaints against King George III and stated the belief in freedom, equality, and self-government. The Declaration was a strong statement to the world and a call to arms for the colonies. It became one of the most important documents in American history.
-
The Articles of Confederation was the first attempt by the United States to create a new government. The states were afraid of a strong central government, so they created a weak federal government. This meant that the states had a lot of power and could do whatever they wanted without much interference from the federal government.
-
The surrender of British General Cornwallis to George Washington at Yorktown marked the end of the Revolutionary War. The American and French alliance, with crucial assistance from French troops and naval forces, surrounded the British army. Cornwallis's defeat was a setback for Britain that led to peace negotiations with the colonies. Yorktown symbolized the American victory in the fight for independence.
-
The Treaty of Paris, signed in 1783, officially ended the Revolutionary War and acknowledged the United States as a sovereign nation. The treaty granted the U.S. a vast amount of land east of the Mississippi River, resolving disputes over fishing rights and debts. This marked the beginning of the United States' journey as an independent nation.
-
George Washington's presidency set a standard for future presidents. He helped lay the foundation for the future of America. The new Constitution gave the government more power, and Washington quickly put it to use. He helped decide that Washington D.C. would be the capital of the United States. He also worked with his Secretary of the Treasury to create the first national bank. Washington ended the Farmer's Rebellion, setting a precedent that future rebellions could be stopped.
-
The Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the Constitution, was created to protect the rights of the people from the government. It protected basic freedoms such as speech, religion, and assembly. It also protected people accused of crimes from unfair treatment by the government. These rights addressed the concerns of those who feared a strong central government. The Bill of Rights became an important part of American democracy.
-
Before Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, slavery was slowly declining in the United States. The cotton gin made cotton production highly profitable, which increased the South's demand for slave labor. Large plantations were created, and the Southern economy boomed. The South became dependent on cotton and the institution of slavery, which created a clear division between the North and South. This division would last until after Reconstruction.
-
Jefferson, a strict constructionist, was worried that temporary deals like Pinckney's treaty would end and leave farmers without the New Orleans port to ship from. When contacted about the buying of the port, Napoleon responded with a deal where the U.S. could buy all of the Louisiana territories for $15 million, doubling the size of the country. The Constitution was unclear on if a president could make such a large purchase, and Jefferson was so distressed after the purchase that he became ill.
-
The Embargo Act of 1807, pushed by Thomas Jefferson, closed all American ports to punish Britain and France. This act severely damaged the American economy, especially in the North and South. While the public was outraged, the act helped develop the United States into an industrial superpower as factories opened to replace foreign goods.
-
The War of 1812 started when the U.S. declared war on Britain due to trade restrictions, impressment of sailors, and British support for Native American resistance. It showed the weaknesses of the U.S. military but boosted national pride. The U.S. didn't gain territory but strengthened its independence and expanded westward.
-
General Andrew Jackson led American forces to victory over a British force of eight thousand men in the last major battle of the War of 1812. The Battle of New Orleans occurred after the Treaty of Ghent was signed, but news of the treaty had not yet reached the combatants. The victory cemented Jackson's status as a national hero and strengthened American confidence.
-
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state and Maine as a free state. This balanced the power of Congress between slave and free states. The compromise also prohibited slavery in territories north of the 36°30' latitude line. While this agreement temporarily eased tensions between the North and South, it did not resolve the fundamental issue of slavery. In fact, the issue of slavery became even more prominent, ultimately leading to the Civil War.
-
In 1823, President James Monroe declared that the Western Hemisphere was off-limits to European colonization and interference. This policy, known as the Monroe Doctrine, asserted the United States' influence in the Americas, highlighting the nation's growing power in the region. While initially more symbolic, the Monroe Doctrine became a fundamental part of U.S. foreign policy throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. It reflected America's belief in its sovereignty and future growth.
-
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 forced Native American tribes to leave their ancestral lands and move west of the Mississippi River. President Andrew Jackson supported the act, believing it would encourage westward expansion and reduce conflict. The Trail of Tears, a tragic journey where thousands of Native Americans died from disease, exposure, and starvation, occurred under this act.
-
Nat Turner led a violent slave rebellion in Virginia in 1831. He killed dozens of white residents before being suppressed. This event heightened Southern fears of further uprisings and led to more stringent slave laws. Turner was a symbol of resistance to abolitionists, but his actions also pulled the sections further apart. The rebellion put into the spotlight the desperation of enslaved people and how violent the institution of slavery was.
-
In 1831, Nat Turner led a violent slave rebellion in Virginia, resulting in the deaths of many white residents before being suppressed. This event intensified Southern fears of future uprisings and led to stricter slave laws. Turner became a symbol of resistance for abolitionists, but his actions also deepened the divide between the North and South. The rebellion highlighted the extreme desperation of enslaved people and the brutality of the institution of slavery.
You are not authorized to access this page.