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Jamestown
Many settlers came to America in hopes of escaping religious persecution, and gaining freedom. Jamestown was the first permanent settlement in America. They created the Jamestown company which gave them an opportunity to make money. Their main item was Tabaco as a cash crop. They did not thrive though, they had a high disease rate, and a 5 year starving period. At the time, 80% of the people who settled in Jamestown would die. -
The Albany Congress
After many more people had settled in the US, and started to thrive, some people wanted to unify the country and leave Britain. The scientific revolution, the enlightenment, and the great awakening created free thinking among the people which led to the Albany Congress. They wanted to form an alliance with natives and unify the country. It was outvoted but it planted seeds of ideas of unity. These creators would later be known as the founding fathers. -
Proclamation of 1763
After the French and Indian war, the British gained more land. The proclamation line was a British made boundary marked in the Appalachian mountains. The proclamation declared that colonist couldn't settle on the land that was acquired in the war. The colonists were furious because they fought in the war and wanted to expand. They felt it was the British trying to keep them under strict control and not letting them have freedom. -
Boston Massacre
The British had taken action against the colonists and imposed multiple tariffs, as well as the Stamp Act, Quartering Act, Townshend act and more. The colonists were angered at this and they started publishing speeches, rioting, boycotting, and publishing articles in newspapers. One day, British soldiers came against a group of patriots. They started throwing snowballs and rocks, etc... at the British. A British soldier ended up firing their gun. In the end of the feud, 5 colonists were killed. -
Boston Tea Party
Colonists were angry with Britain for being taxed without representation. In response a group of Patriots dressed up at native Americans and dumped hundreds of chests of tea into the Boston Harbor. This was the first major defiance the colonists took against Britain since the Boston Massacre -
The Coercive Acts/ Intolerable Acts
The British were furious over the Boston Tea Party. They decided to strike back. They imposed the Coercive Acts on the colonists. This closed the port of Boston, outlawed assembly, and took control of the colonial government. It also stated that royal officials accused of a crime would be tried in England. The Quartering Act was enforced and high taxes were enacted. Trade and commerce were also heavily regulated by the British soldiers. -
First Continental Congress
Delegates from 12 of the 13 states all met together. They were tired of the intolerable acts imposed by Britain and they wanted to come up with a solution. The delegates agreed that they would stay a part of the British empire if they got representation and the taxes were limited. They would later publish the Olive Branch petition which pledged their loyalty to Britain under the circumstances that they follow the compromises they had come up with. -
Lexington and Concord
Colonists had been preparing for a revolution and were storing weapons and equipment in Concord, MA. British got word of this and started their march to Concord to seize them. Colonial spies saw them and raised alarm throughout the country. A shot was fired (nobody knows who fired it, shot heard round the world) and then British opened fire, killing 17 Militia men while the rest fled. The militia men had gotten to the Amory first, and were able to hide all weapons. The Revolution had begun. -
Second Continental Congress
After the shots at Lexington and Concord the colonists were furious. The people had started to want freedom and again and so they had the second continental congress. They established a continental army and appointed a general to lead them. They began printing paper currency. They established government offices for policies. They also organized a committee to deal with foreign nations. -
Olive Branch Petition
America wanted reconciliation with Britain. They were tired of the fighting and harsh rules to live under. It was America's last attempt to avoid more conflict with Britain. They petition pledged their allegiance to Britain, but gave conditions for their freedom as British citizens. They wanted to try everything they could to prevent a full blown war. King George the III ignored this petition. Americans were now done and war was the only option. -
Thomas Paine Publishes Common Sense
In the midst of all the fighting, Thomas Paine published his book "Common Sense". He stated to Americans that there was an opportunity to change their world. They could make their own government where people were free and governed themselves. His Pamphlet attracted public support of the revolution. It pressured the rebellions' leaders to declare independence, although some people wanted to stay with Britain. Eventually this led to America declaring Independence from Britain. -
Battle of Saratoga
The Americans had lost countless battles against the British during the war so far. The battle of Saratoga was the first win on Americas side. They had been trying to convince the French to help them fight in the war. They knew they wouldn't win without help. After they secured the win and Saratoga, the French agreed to recognize Americas independence as well as provide military assistance in the war. -
Treaty of Paris
After fighting for many years the US finally got their land and their independence. The treaty was signed and it ended the seven years war. The British had spent a lot of money during this war which aided in there agreement to end it. The US was granted the British Land between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mississippi River. America was now an independent country. Now they had to figure out how to run their country they fought hard to get. -
Great Compromise
During the Constitutional Convention, New Jersey had made a plan that would be in favor of the smaller states saying that all sates would have equal representation. The Virginia plan supported large states and said that representation would be based on State Population. The Great Compromise was made in response. It created the House of Representatives and the Senate. This way they had equal representation in the senate, and populational representation in the House. -
First Presidency
After going back and fourth on how to govern their own country, America decided that they would have a leader, but still have ample representation and power. The first president to be elected was general George Washington. John Adams was his vice-president. He established a federal court system with the Supreme court, and lower state levels of courts. He also established the presidential cabinet of advisory which would help the president with their duties. -
Bill of Rights
After being under the harsh rule of Britain for many years and now being free, America was excited to govern themselves. They created the Bill of rights which established the first 10 amendments on the US Constitution. It granted them things like freedom of speech, assembly, religion and more. It granted them basic human rights that they did not have under the control of Britain. There would later be many more amendments to shape America and how they lived. -
Cotton Gin was Invented
The cotton gin was created by Eli Whitney in order to make cotton production faster. It removed seeds from cotton fiber through a machine. Previously they would be hand picked out and it would take a long time. This would change the the course of the south drastically over the next years. With cotton now being more profitable, slavery flourished in the areas where cotton could be grown easily. -
John Adams Presidency
At the beginning of Adams' presidency he created the XYZ affair where he sent diplomats to France to form a treaty. The French ignored that but Adams avoided war by negotiating with Napoleon. The Alien and Sedition Acts allowed the president to deport any immigrant or "alien", and ban newspapers from critical posts about the president. Kentucky and Virginia decided that these acts were null and void in there states though. This would increase the popularity of nullification for years to come. -
Jefferson's Elected
Jefferson won the election of 1800 and began the Jefferson era. His victory signifies the change in political ideals. It is known as the revolution of 1800. He was the first president inaugurated in the new capitol of America. He wanted peace and equality. HE supported heavy state government and he was an advocate of an agrarian lifestyle. -
Marbury vs. Madison
Before Adams left office he filled all federal courts with federalists before he left office. James Maddison found a letter granting John Marbury federal judgeship. The courts sided with Madison and refused to grant Marbury the position based on a law created by Washington. The supreme court then claims the right of "Judicial review" which allowed them to declare whether or not a law was unconstitutional and strike them down. -
Louisiana Purchase
Jefferson was worried that the US would lose New Orleans and Mississippi River, so he sent James Monroe to buy New Orleans for $3 million dollars. Napoleon offers the entire Louisiana territory for $15 million dollars. Jefferson struggled with this due to being a strict constructionist. He put aside his personal views to do what he believed was right for the country and purchased it. It doubles the size of the US and then commissions Lewis and Clark to explore the land and begin trading. -
Embargo of 1807
Britain and France were at war again. With the US finally having a good trading relationship he wanted to remain neutral between them. He imposes a ban on all foreign trade. It was unpopular among merchants, and traders predominantly. It damaged the economy greatly through the years. However, it encourages growth of domestic manufacturing which will boost the economy in the future. -
War of 1812
The British navy was stealing American ships and impressing the sailors. The US wanted to prove the Britain that the revolution wasn't just luck, that they won it fairly. Their military was poorly led and they had a small navy compared to Britain. During the battle of Thames the native Americans British were defeated by Americans. Tecumseh's death ended the resisted in the Ohio river valley. -
British Burn the Capital / Star Spangled Banner
In August of 1814 the British invaded the capitol. After the brief fight the city surrenders and almost all government building were razed. Americans rallied to the war effort after the capitol was burnt. The fight at fort henry took place and Francis Scott Key witnessed it. He wrote the Star Spangled Banner after watching the battle and it become our national anthem. -
American System
After the Embargo Act of 1807, and war of 1812 further encouraged US factories to manufacture their own goods. The idea of the American system was introduced. Henry Clay proposed it. It supported a strong bank that provides easy and abundant credit. It also made protective tariffs to spur manufacturing. It led to the creation of stronger railroads, canals, and other transportation systems. This led into the transportation and technological revolution. -
Tariff of Abominations
John Q. Adams introduced the Tariff debate of 1828, also known as the tariff of abominations. People saw Adams' vision of a mighty nation as a threat to personal freedoms. The North tended to favor this tariff because it made foreign goods more expensive which means people would buy more American goods which would profit northern industries. The south was angry because European countries were retaliating by buying less southern cotton which made the southern economy suffer. -
Election of 1828
Jackson wanted to recreate the Jeffersonian ideals of agrarian life. He created a national committee that oversaw local and state party units. He created the first ever political campaign. Politics became more localized and public support of your candidate became popular. Jackson fired many Government officials and hired his supporters in reward for supporting him and helping him win the election. This was known was the Spoils System. There would later be a law to counteract this unfair system. -
Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal act started from the Cherokee Nation Vs. Georgia debate. The act granted the president the authority to grant lands west of the Mississippi in exchange for Indian lands within existing borders. Many of the natives resisted during the relocation but some tribes went peacefully to avoid conflict. This led to the trail of tears where thousands of Indians lost their lives on the relocation trip west. -
Abolitionism Takes Off / The Liberator Published
Abolitionism was an emerging opinion mostly in the north. In 1831 William Lloyd Garrison published the liberator. This paper reached thousands of people. He was focused on the moral conflictions with slavery. At first he was just opposed to slavery and at this point he became the major leader in the abolition movement. William Lloyd garrison would later have many children that would continue his life works and change the world in positive ways. -
Nullification Crisis
Citizens were still angry about the tariff of Abominations and said that it was unconstitutional. Jackson passed a lower tariff but South Carolina still wasn't pleased. They declared both tariffs null and void and said they would succeed if force was used. Jackson asked Congress for permission to use military force. Henry Clay proposed another tariff that would lower over the course of 10 years. Jackson and South Carolina both agreed and South Carolina repealed it's ordinance in 1823. -
Panic of 1837
The US was going through a financial crisis. Profits, and wages went drastically down. It triggered a multi-year economic depression The total capitol help by the American Bank dropped by about 40%. The price of cotton dropped by 50%. Manufactured good and farmed goods were selling for significantly less. With the lower prices people were losing jobs and barely being able to survive with the money they were making. The US peoples were in a state of panic for roughly a 4 year period. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the war between Mexico and America. After the dispute over Texas and the wars Mexico and America were left at ends. When the treaty was signed to end the war it stated that America would gain New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and California. Texas also became a part of the US. America now had gained the pacific coast and owned land from the Atlantic to the pacific. This would later contribute the building of the continental railroad. -
Compromise of 1850
The north and the south both wanted different terms on how a state would be entered into America. Henry Clay proposes another comprise which was called the comprise of 1850. Missouri wanted statehood but they wanted slavery. They decided California would be entered as free state and salve trade would be abolished in D.C. But, fugitive laws would be enacted throughout the country ad territories applying for statehood would be governed by popular sovereignty. -
Bleeding Kansas Begins
Kansas was set to be entered as the next state. South and North both tried efforts to get it to be entered on their side. Kansas ends up winning the pro-slavery vote. Abolitions made their own state constitution. Fighting and violence outraged for 5 years during this time. John Brown slaughtered several pro-slavery families in Kansas. This creates more tension than ever between the north and the south. -
Succession after Lincoln's win
Lincoln never publicly expressed his support of abolitionism but everyone knew he was for it. After his win, the south was scared at what that would mean for slavery. South Carolina was the first to succeed from the states. The southern states slowly followed. Lincoln offered for them to come back to the states but they did not. This started the civil war and full division between the Union and the confederacy. -
Attack on Fort Sumter
Lincoln was worried about his troops at Fort Sumter once the southern states had started succeeding. The attack on Fort Sumter marked the beginning of the war. Union troops were outnumbered and the confederates attacked with more supplies and readiness. The attack on Sumter enraged Lincoln and the war began. This marked the first attack on the union from the confederate states after succession. -
Battle of Bull Run
The battle of Bull Run was a brief fight with a small amount of causalities. Confederate soldiers arrived via railroad. McDowell ordered more artillery and infantry. But, the confederates started to break the union. The union had no reinforcements show up. They rapidly deteriorated. This was the first official battle of the Civil War. It only made the south more confident in their next battles to come. -
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam was the single bloodiest day in American history. There were around 23,000 causalities in just one day. The union provided a powerful attack on Lee's left flank. The confederates held the ground though. The union has more casualties than the confederacy did. The battle was a draw from a military perspective, but the Union claimed the victory as their own. Lincoln then delivered the emancipation proclamation that would forever change the course of the civil war. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln came out with the emancipation proclamation after the victory at Antietam. It stated that the border states would be able to keep slavery in an attempt to keep them on the side of the union. Slavery in the south was abolished. Lincoln said the south could join and keep their slaves, or continue fighting and slavery would be abolished. Blacks were allowed into the army now as well. Many black troops helped free black slaves in battles in the south. -
Battle of Vicksburg
Grants Army trapped the confederate army and the city they were in at the time. The unions occupation of this town was vital in their win of this battle. They captured the Mississippi Capitol. There was significant casualties to the confederate side compared to the union side. Pemberton surrendered to grant on July 4th and the Union now controlled the entire Mississippi river. The confederacy was split in half now. -
10% Plan
The plan states that pardons could be given to confederates who made an oath to the union and the constitution. It stated that any state can be readmitted when the 10% of voters swore oaths of loyalty to the union. The states had to form new state constitutions that would ban and outlaw slavery in their states to be readmitted. Many people thought this was too lenient at 10% but thought other requirements were satisfactory. -
Wade-Davis Bill
They felt that the 10% plan was too lenient regarding the war. The new requirement stated that 50% of voters had to swear to loyalty before they could be readmitted as a state. It also states that only non-confederates were allowed to vote. Lincoln refused to sign this bill, and then got assassinated shortly after. Johnson then took over the presidency. -
Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman was the second man to General Grant. He led 60,000 soldiers through the south. He burned the houses and barns of people who tried to fight back. They destroyed Atlanta and commenced total war. Sherman's' troops split into 2 and took 2 paths destroying every planation and killing livestock along the way. They burned their way trough the south further destroying the only moral they had left. The total brutal and destructive war left the south unable to fight to their best abilities. -
Congress Takes Over
Johnson had changed the 10% plan and made it significantly more lenient. He declared that the south had met all the requirements needed to rejoin the union. Congress was disgusted with this proposal. The republican's dominated in Congress and could eventually override his veto. Congress over took everything and basically overridden everything they didn't like that Johnson proposed. -
Johnson's Impeachment
Congress passed the tenure of office act which meant that congress had to approve firing people. Johnson fired secretary of war Edwin Stanton without the congressional approval. The house adopted the articles of impeachment and impeached Johnson. They fell short in the senate by 1 vote. Johnson had no political power at this point. He was the first president to get impeached. -
Battle of Little Big Horn
Tensions between the Americans and the Sioux Indians were rising after gold had been discovered on the land the natives occupied. Many tribes didn't move when they were told to, and Custer and his army were dispatched to take care of it. Custer's forces were outnumbers though and quickly defeated. This was known as his last stand and they began violent attacks on the natives after this battle. -
Election of 1876
The democrats' had gained power now but they were still behind the republicans. Grant served 2 terms as president. The election was between Tilden and Hayes. Tilden won 100% of the southern vote which raised question and a recount was put in place. The south was furious about this. After much negotiation and talking between congress, they decided that Hayes won the presidency. Military rule over the south was ended after this. -
The Dawes Act
The Dawes act was very similar to the homestead act, except this time it was for the native Americans. It offered 160 acres of land to each native American family that would move. Many natives did take advantage of this. The whites believed this was helping the native Americans by enrolling them in Americanized activities to "make them better". In reality this was an attack on their culture, and many tribes were split up and diminished. -
The De Lomé Letter
Cuba was very important too America and Spain was posing a threat to them. Cuba wanted their independence. In an attempt to solve this, America helped Cuba and Spain come up with a contract saying that Cuba would sty as long as Spain loosened their reigns on them. Spain later sent the De Lomé Letter which states that they were ignoring their agreement with Cuba. They called president McKinley stupid and a "would be". The letter was published in many newspapers and America was furious at Spain. -
Spanish American War
The U.S.S Maine was an American ship that exploded on February 15, 1898. Americans were sure Spain was the culprit but Spain denied it. The US navy destroyed Spanish fleets and they cut off 24,000 Spanish soldier from their navy and they surrendered. The "rough riders" significantly contributed to the taking of Spanish on the land. America gained Midway, Alaska, Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam. They later annexed Hawaii. America had won the war and established itself as a major world power. -
Platt Amendment
The Platt Amendment outlined the role of the US in the Caribbean and Cuba. This limited Cuba's rights to to make treaties with other nations. It stated that all treaties with Cuba had to be approved by the US Senate. It also stated that the US had the right to interfere is order was to be lost in Cuba. In turn, it made Cuba a protectorate of the United states. Cubans disliked this because they believed it gave too much power to the US, and not enough to them as a free country. -
Antiquities Act
The antiquities act was the first act to legal protection of cultural and natural resources of interest on federal lands. It was signed into law by Teddy Roosevelt. It was mostly targeted at stopping theft and destruction of Native lands and artifacts. It was also put in place to protect the natural beauties that Roosevelt believed was out there. It led to the creation of national parks and, the protection of national lands. -
Pure Food and Drug Act
Upton Sinclair wrote a book called the Jungle. It was originally written as a way to promote socialism. In reality, it highlighted the horror's of the eat packing industry. Theodore Roosevelt decided to check up on this. He concluded that the horrors were indeed true and he then made the pure food and drug act. This act prohibited the sale of misbranded and impure food or drugs in interstate commerce. It required testing of food, and random checks in the plants to ensure food and drug purity. -
Model T
Henry Ford released the Model T in 1908. He released this new car at the price of $850 dollars. The price was later dropped to $280 dollars. This caused many more Americans to be able to afford and buy a car. This meant many more drivers were out on the roads and people were able to get to their workplaces faster. Ford practiced economy of sale. He would produce more product which allowed him to sell the cars to reduced pricing. -
NAACP Founded
The NAACP stands for the national association for the advancement of colored people. It was formed as an attempt to advance justice for African American peoples. The group included significant figures such as W.E.B Dubois, and Ida B. Wells. Their mission was to ensure political, educational, and economic equal rights. This lead to the creation of many similar organizations such as CORE and SNCC. -
17th Amendment
Originally there would be 2 senators from each state inducted for 6 year terms. This was ratified in 1913. It was ratified in the attempt for a direct democracy. This allowed voters to cast direct votes for US senators. It forever changed the way that senators would be elected. -
Lusitania Sunk
The Germans had been using submarine warfare and sinking ships without warning. The US was angered when the USS Lusitania sunk which killed 2000 people and 128 Americans. This disaster set of a chain of events. The US warned Germany that if they kept doing this, it would mean war. Germany agreed to stop the warfare, but they resumed after they were under less watch. 4 more US ships were attacked which drove a wedge further with the US. -
Espionage Act
This act made it illegal to interfere with or attempt to undermine any efforts of the national defense. It also made it illegal to assists war efforts of enemies of the US. No information regarding the military's could be shared without repercussions. -
Zimmerman Telegram
The Zimmerman telegram was a secret telegram that Germany was trying to deliver to Mexico. Germany was seeking alliance with Mexico in fear that America would join Germany's opponents. Germany thought that if America had problems on their soil they wouldn't attack them. The telegram was intercepted though. The telegram made its way to the US and the US declared it an act of war. The US entered war with allies 2 months later. -
Sedition Act
The sedition act was an extension of the espionage act of 1917. It was to cover a broader range of offenses that would effect the war effort. It prohibited critical speech of the war or the democracy. People were not allowed speak of or publish something critical of the war. Tis infringed on the first amendment by taking away peoples freedom of speech. It would impose harsh penalties on anyone found guilty of interfering. -
18th Amendment
Prohibition was taking a drastic leap in popularity. People like Carri A. Nation and Andrew Volstead. The 18th amendment was later put in place. It prohibited the manufacturing, sale, or transportation of liquor. Many people didn't like this because they liked their liquor. This lead to the creation of secret bars called Speak easies and illegal alcohol production called Bootlegging. The 18th amendment was eventually ratified because American people wanted to continue drinking. -
Treaty of Versailles
Germany had been defeated but reused to surrender but they were willing to surrender under Wilsons 14 points. France and Britain wanted Germany to be punished though. The treaty of Versailles made Germany responsible for the war and made them pay for the war damages. Their military was significantly cut down and they were forbidden to join Austria. Germany didn't have the will to fight back so they signed the treaty. The anger this treaty caused Germany would later be the leading cause of WW2. -
19th Amendment
The women's suffrage movement had been picking up pace as civil rights was gaining popularity. Susan B. Anthony was a major contributor to this. The 19th amendment was ratified in August of 1920. This law stated that the citizens of the US shall not be denied the right to vote by the US or any state on the basis of sex. While the amendment was being thought over it was called periodically the Susan B. Anthony Amendment. Women now had the right to vote which was a large step. -
Immigration Act
Communism in Europe and Asia was at a high. The US was panicked which caused the Red Scare. There was a rise in anti-immigrant feelings. They believed that some immigrants were trying to bring communism to the US. This lead to the immigration act being put in place. It limited the amount of immigrants that would be allowed entry into the US. The quota only gave visas to 2% of immigrants during this time. Immigrants from Asia were the most targeted group of immigrants. -
KKK March on Washington
The KKK was at its peak in popularity at the time. There were about 5 million reported Klan members. They targeted Jews, blacks, immigrants, and really any non-white non-Christian person. On August 8th, 1926, more than 30,000 KKK members marched on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington. The Klan members were unmasked and non of them were arrested at this march. The government could not prove that the acts of violence going around were the Klan and so Klan activity kept increasing. -
Sacco and Vanzetti
Americas animosity towards immigrants was very prevalent at the time. Sacco and Vanzetti were immigrants who moved here from Italy. They were charged with the murder of an employee and an armed robbery. They were sentenced to death. There was no real evidence that they had done anything they were accused of. After their deaths, it sparked debate throughout civil rights. Many people were now questioning the treatment of immigrants in the US. -
Stock Market Crash
The economy had boomed but there were cracks in the foundation. Much of the rest of the world was already in an economic depression. Farm debt was increasing and credit being used to foreclosure was at a high. Companies were taking invested money and spending it elsewhere. The stock market was full of speculation, and fluctuation which led to it's crash. This lead to high unemployment rates and bank reforms later in the 20's and 30's. -
Election of FDR
America had been suffering in the depression under president Hoover for a while. Not many people liked Hoover. FDR promised that he would address the depression. FDR wins the election and introduces a Relief, Recovery and Reform plan. In his first 100 days he increases government spending and creates many programs which in turn create many more jobs for people. His original plan to consume their way out of the depression didn't work, but he was still loved by the people. -
Hitler as Chancellor
President Hindenburg named Adolf Hitler as the new Chancellor. He rose in fame very fast. Hitler's emergence marked a turning point for Germany. There was little influence that Hindenburg or Von Papen had. Hitler was angry at America, France and Britain for the treaty of Versailles among other things. This eventually led to the emergence into WW2 with Hitler's rise to power. -
Order 8802
In early 1941 millions of jobs were being created. FDR signed in executive order 8802. This order banned all discriminatory employment practices by federal agencies and all union companies. This was a huge step for black Americans. Workplaces could not hire something on basis of race anymore so many blacks were able to find jobs. This was a big push into the civil rights movement. -
Pearl Harbor
In an effort to expand, Japan invades Manchuria nd Indo China, but the US has economic interest in those areas. The US demands that they withdrawal forces from those areas. Japan refuses and the US stopped selling them oil. On December 7th, Japan attacks a base in Pearl harbor. The attack came in 2 waves catching the US off guard. The US lost many planes ships and men that day. The following day, FDR announced that we were now at war with Japan. This begins WW2. -
Order 9906
After the attack on Pearl Harbor the US was on edge. FDR then signed order 9906 into effect. It authorized the evacuation of all people deemed to be a threat to relocate further in the center of the US. Hundreds of thousands of Japanese and Asian-American families were forced to leave their homes and live in inurnment camps. They weren't allowed to bring many things and it was a very hard change for them. They were unfairly deemed dangerous because of their race. -
D-Day
D-day was the largest Seabourn invasion in history. Allied forces had 156,000 troops and nearly 5,400 ships. They were supported by 12,000 planes. The night before, 23,000 paratroopers landed behind enemy lines to secure bridges and possible escapes. Higgins boats were used to get the soldiers onto the beach. They stormed the beech in the early morning. Troops spent 18 months training for this 1 day. within 7 days of the raid, they controlled 80 miles of land beyond the beech. -
GI Bill
The GI bill was the governments way of saying thank to to their soldiers. The GI bill paid for education for soldiers. This could include college or trade school. It also gave low interest loans on homes for soldiers. This way they could settle down with their families. It also provided low interest business loans. Many soldiers after college started their own business and this helped them get started. It also instituted VA hospitals. This bill still helps countless soldiers today. -
Germany Surrenders
Dwight D. Eisenhower commanded a complete surrender of all German forces. Everyone knew at this point that Germany was defeated. After Hitler's death, the German forces were greatly effected. Germany ended up surrendering unconditionally at Reims. With Germany surrendered, America could withdrawal their forces from Europe. This put more pressure on Japan to surrender as well, which would be Americas next move. -
Japan Surrenders
By the summer of 45' the surrender of Japan was inevitable. Their navy and air force were destroyed. In July the first atomic bomb was dropped to coerce them to surrender. Japan "paid no attention", so a second bomb was dropped. In August Japan had announced they would accept the Potsdam declaration. After the needed signing and preparation took place, japan finally surrendered unconditionally. This ended WW2. -
United Nations Created
The main point of the United nations is to maintain international peace and security. They wanted to develop good relationships with other countries for national defense and security. It would be a way of harmonizing multiple nations. Having good relationships would also boost economic trade which would in turn help out the economies of the countries involved with the United Nations. -
Levittown
The company Levitt and sons create a new type of neighborhood. These new homes would only cost $8000 dollars. This made the American dream of home ownerships a high possibility to most Americans. It allowed families to move out of crowded apartments in the city to the suburbs. The houses in the neighborhoods were very similar which caused production to be easier and faster. These Levittown's went up across the US. -
Hollywood 10
HUAC was created to investigate alleged disloyalty and rebel activities against the US. McCarthyism was popular during this time of communism scare. He stated many government officials and well known people were for the communistic agenda. 10 well known actors were called before HUAC. They refused to answer certain questions they were asked. They were put in prison for a while and later blacklisted by Hollywood. -
Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson was the 1st black player in the major leagues. His coach berated him with degrading comments when he came in to see if Jackie could handle what he was going to experience. He was spiked, beaten, and many teams refused to play them because Jackie was on the team. People also didn't allow them service on the road. Jackie never retaliated no matter how much he endured. He became an inspiration to millions. This marks the first big event in the civil right movement. -
Truman Doctrine
Greece and Turkey were facing difficulties. They were facing communist revolts and they asked for help from the US. Truman asks the government for $400 million dollars to help Greece and Turkey Fight back. It was intended to stop the spread of communism. This doctrine and the help to Turkey and Greece promoted the idea to help all countries threatened by soviet forces. This lead to the Marshall Plan being put in place. -
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was put in place to rehabilitate 17 European countries in order to create stable conditions for their governments to not fall to communism. They were going to modernize industrial equipment, and create sound currencies and national budgets. They were helping to rebuild roads, plants, schools, and more. This was in an attempt to protect these countries from communism, help from the war, and show them how well capitalism works. -
Blockade on Berlin
The USSR had the west half of Germany. The worse part was that Berlin (the capital) was in West Germany. Berlin got split into east and west. The USSR created a blockade around berlin. No supplies were going to be allowed to enter west berlin. Stalin wanted to starve them into submission. Stalin said he would start a war if the blockade was destroyed. American wanted to do something about this which lead to the Vittles operation. -
Operation Vittles
After Stalin has said he would start war is the blockade was destroyed, America knew they had to do something to help the citizens of berlin. They started using planes to fly over West Berlin. They were dropping off supplies they needed. They would drop off food, fuel, consumer goods, clothes, and more. They were able to get away with this for a little while because they technically were not breaking the blockade. -
Washington Treaty
The Washington Treaty is also known as the North Atlantic Treaty. The treaty was signed on April 4th, therefore creating what we know today as NATO. Collectives defense was the main point of the articles in the treaty. It commits members of NATO to protect each other in solidarity and alliance. It stated that if a nation under the treaty was attacked, the other nations would help out, and in turn if those other nations were attacked, the previously attacked nation would help. -
Armistice
Korea had split into 2 parts. North Korea was occupied by communism while the south half was not. North Korea pushes South Korea to Pusan in the far bottom corner. The United forces went over to help South Korea. They were able to push the north back with impressive distance. After Eisenhower was elected, he gets them to sign an armistice. It stops the war and creates a line which would divide North and South Korea which is still the border today. -
Brown v Board
Plessy vs Ferguson was a previous Supreme court case that established "separate but equal". Schools black students attended were indeed not equal though. They had out of date, lower level materials in fewer amounts. The teachers were also less qualified. Thurgood Marshall represented Linda Brown in this case. They won and it overturned the Plessy vs Ferguson case. Marshall then became the first black supreme court justice. This means schools would be integrated now and it would be equal. -
Emmitt Till
14 year old Emmitt Till traveled to Mississippi to visit family. While he was visiting, he was kidnapped beaten and shot. This all happened because he allegedly whistled at a white woman. Emmitt was beaten so badly you couldn't recognize him. 2 men were arrested for his murder. They were acquitted by a white judge though and they walked free. They later bragged about what they and done in a magazine. His murder was seen a tuning point for the next phase of the civil rights movement. -
Rosa Parks
Busses were even segregated during this time. Blacks had to sit at the back of the bus. Rosa parks decided to challenge these unfair Jim Crow Laws. She got on a bus and sat in the front. She then refused to give up her seat to a white man who asked for it. She was arrested and black leaders organized bus boycotts that lasted over a year. MLK Jr. was one of these leaders in the boycotts. This lead the bus companies to eventually allow blacks to busses wherever due to the money they were losing. -
Eisenhower Interstate Highway Act
Eisenhower produced the Interstate Highway Act. It was the largest public works project in history. It focused on updating and modernize roadways while building new ones as well. Previously we had the railways while connected our bicoastal country. This connects the country even further. The building of these roads played on Cold War fears so evacuation was made easier and there were stretches that could be used for emergency evacuations. Cities who were surrounded by the interstate flourished. -
Lunch Counter Sit-ins
In Greensboro, North Carolina, 4 black college boys sat down at a segregated lunch counter in a wools worth store. They demanded to be served. They were denied service, but they refused to leave the counter. They inspired many other to do the same. Lunch counter sit ins were happening all over the US. 6 months after the boys first appearance, they came back to the store and sat at the same seats. They were then served shortly after sitting down. -
Ruby Bridges
in 1960, Ruby Bridges is the first black student to attend a white school in the south. She has to be escorted to and from school because of all the protesters. Federal Marshalls were ordered to take her to school and take her home. People yelled as she walked to school. They also threw food at the young Ruby. Many teachers left school and parents pulled their kids to because they didn't want a black child there. This started the integration of schools everywhere. -
Freedom Rides
A law had been put in place that stated that establishments within a certain distance away from the interstate could not show any discriminatory practices. In the summer, over 1000 college students tested this by riding through the south on busses, stopping at establishments as they ride to ensure integration. Several riders were viciously attacked and 1 bus was set on fire and evacuated. The freedom rides significantly moved the civil rights forward because of integration. -
U2 Missile
A US U-2 spy plane was shot down as it was flying over the soviet union. The Pilot was captured and put on trial. These pilots were specially trained that if they were going down, to destroy the plane with them in it. Gary didn't listed to this. He ended up talking about why he was spying and what it was for. Nikola Khrushchev used this to cancel a planned East-West conference in Paris, France. Gary was eventually allowed to return tp the US. -
Church Bombing
The 16th street Baptist church in Birmingham was a popular spot for civil rights meetings. The church was bombed one night. 4 young black girls were killed in the bombing. There was an unscheduled children's choir practice so the young girls were in the church when it was bombed. The girls dying resulted in 2 more deaths of young blacks. It was an attack made my KKK members. The lost lives and racial targeting spurred action though the south and protests were held. -
Civil Rights Act
A major event in the ending of the civil rights movement was when president Johnson signs into law the Civil Rights Act. This act prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. This meant discrimination was officially illegal. This was a major things black leaders were fighting for. They were started to be treated as equals. It was no where near perfect yet, but it was a major improvement in their lives. -
Voting Rights Act
Previously blacks weren't allowed to vote. If they tried to they would be denied. Sometimes they would be given literacy tests and asked obscure questions that they couldn't pass. On August 6th, the voting rights acts was signed into law. It outlawed the discriminatory voting practices adopted in the south. It banned literacy tests. Everyone, if they were a citizen, would have the right to vote. They couldn't be denied for race, religion, sex, or any other reason. -
Selma to Montgomery
600 people attempted to march from Selma to Montgomery Alabama. The marches were brutally attacked. These attacks become known as bloody Sunday. A 2nd attempt was made where 2,500 marchers were turned away by police on the Pettus bridge. A third and final attempt was made where 25,000 marchers, protected by over 2000 troops, successfully marched to Montgomery. The march greatly reduced the disparity between black and white voters and it allowed more blacks into politics. -
MLK assassinated
On April 4th, Martin Luther King Jr, one of the most influential civil rights activists) was assassinated. His assassination led to widespread anger among black Americans. There was a national mourning period for a very cared for man. That helped the equal housing bill be sped up which was the last significant legislative achievement during the civil rights movement. -
War Powers Act
The French has colonized Vietnam. The US entered to keep out communism. Unfortunately the north Vietnam leader became communist. The US claimed Vietnam attacked one of our ships and then we were at "war" with them. In response the US bombed north Vietnam. We later turned the war over to Vietnam and it simmered down. The War powers act was later enacted. It checked the power of the president by requiring approval from congress to send troops into combat.
