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California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush led to major economic boom in California, leading to rise of towns, cities and calls for statehood. It also led to the rise of many vices, such as prostitution and lawlessness -
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
This law was part of the compromise of 1850, and forced anyone knowing about or being in possession of a fugitive(runaway) slave to turn them in to the authorities in all parts of the country. The law was heavily opposed in the North and many disregarded it as they smuggled fugitive slaves into freedom in Canada -
Commodore Perry secures Japan as trade partner
America Sent a small Naval Armada to Japan under Commodore Perry to open trade with them. He successful convinced the Japanese to sign the Treaty of Kanagawa and open them to western traders -
Dred Scott vs Stanford
Dred Scott was a black slave who had lived with his master in free territory. Twisting this into a complex political case, the Supreme Court ruled that Scott was a slave and still owned by his master. This did not help the rising tension in the late 1850s over slavery -
Panic of 1857
An economic crash in 1857 that further deepened divides caused by inflation of currency in California and over growing of grain -
Secession of South Carolina
After years of rising tension , South Carolina finally voted to secede on the basis of Northern aggression against their right to hold slaves -
The 14th Amendment
This Amendment was ratified in order to counter restrictions but on African American citizens. The Amendment basically defined national citizenship and forbade states from restricting basic rights of all citizens. -
The 15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment was passed in order to secure to right for every male(at the time) to vote no matter their background or previous servitude. Many southern polls got around this by issuing unfair "voting eligibility tests" that were hard for the mostly illiterate black population -
End of Reconstruction
Ending in 1877, Reconstruction has lasting effects on the South. It created temporary empowerment for African Americans, along with laying foundations for the civil rights movement 80-100 years later. However, once the occupying Northern troops left the South, and era of Jim Crow laws and state segregation against Blacks and other minorities began -
Chinese Exclusion Act
This Act, passed by Congress and renewed every 10 years until 1943, excluded Chinese immigrants from the naturalization process and forbade current Chinese citizens from leaving the country. This act was typical of Gilded Age racism. -
Creation of Time Zones
The standardization of time zones was done to help improve the schedule of the ever growing railroad network snaking across the United States. Railroads hauled passengers and cargo across the nation quickly and effectively, along with being the lifeblood of the new massive industries arising, transporting their product and materials needed to make the product -
Haymarket Square Riot
The Haymarket Square riot started as a peaceful demonstration by a labor union but cascaded into a riot when someone threw a bomb at police attempting to contain the protesters. 6 people were executed for the attack, but their guilt is debated. The most important effect of the riot was how it presented labour unions. It panned them as anarchists who only wanted to commit terrorism and thus anyone who joined agreed with their actions. This basically shut down support for labor union. -
How the Other Half Lives
This photographic novel by Jacob Riis documented the horrid living conditions that many poor immigrants/factory workers lived in. It shocked the upper class upon release and was a major boost to the Progressive movement, a political movement dedicated to improving the quality of life of ordinary Americans -
Sherman Anti-Trust Act
This bill was passed to help regulate the massive trusts that were dominating the American business landscape at the time. The bill targeted both the good and bad trusts, and only focused on size. It did not really have an immediate effect until it started to be enforced in the 1910s -
Cuban Declaration of Independence
Cuba issued a declaration of independence, which was significant to America because American interests were heavy in Cuba. America offered to buy Cuba was rejected and the explosion aboard the USS Maine and the subsequent Spanish American War marked the official beginning of American intervention in Cuba -
Spanish American War
A war fought between America and Spain in which Spain lost and ceded large amounts of territory to America. This war emboldened American Imperialists and solidified America as an imperial power. -
Election of Theodore Roosevelt
Teddy Roosevelt was a avid outdoors-man, who devoted much if his presidency to cleaning up American Politics and preserving the environment. T.R. helped bust the grip of trusts over the American economy and had a very aggressive approach to overseas diplomacy. His mantra was "speak softly and carry a big stick" and would often use the American navy to persuade other powers into complying with American interests. -
Boxer Rebellion
A revolt by Chinese extremists in which they attacked the international finical district in Beijing, resulting in and international military campaign including armies of nations like America, Britain, The German Empire, France and other major imperial powers. After victory was achieved, the fate of China was sealed, as it was to remain subjugated by foreign powers until the 1930s. -
Election of William Howard Taft
Chosen as to be the successor to Teddy Roosevelt, Taft did continue to bust trusts and protect the environment, but a series of public blunders led to Roosevelt resenting him and beginning to divide the Republican Party. Taft's policy towards foreign relations was much more focused on funding nations that potentially economically befitted America -
Taft-Roosevelt Split
Due to rising tensions between Taft and Roosevelt, the Republican party fractured and lost the election of 1912 to Woodrow Wilson -
Volstead Act
A strengthening of the 18th Amendment, this bill was vetoed by Wilson but his veto was overruled by Congress. This bill banned all forms of alcohol despite hopes it would only ban hard liquor -
Immigration Act of 1924
This law was primarily aimed at "preserving" American "racial homogeneity" by restricting the immigration of Europeans and other nationalities. -
Charles Lindbergh Crosses the Atlantic
This important moment marks progress in human attempts of flight and also signals the death of railroads -
Black Tuesday Cripples the Economy!
On October 24, 1929 after months of fake profits and prices ballooning out of control, the stock market crashed as people lost millions. Hopefully the nation will recover from this tragedy. -
Hoover Damn Commissioned!
The Hoover Damn was commissioned today in an attempt to provide jobs and income to poverty stricken families in the area -
Dust Bowl Ravages Midwest!
For years now Midwestern farmers have experienced issues farming in their land, but recently dust storms have been decimating what little these farmers have left for crops and destroying their lives, leading to many leaving. However, those who staid had ailments relating to their inhalation of dust -
AAA
Established to help farmers turn in their crops to subsidies, with the hopes of preventing overproducing -
Roosevelt Brings About Sweeping Reforms in "New Deal"
In his first "Fireside Chat", our new president unveiled a series of reforms meant to help Relieve, Recover and Reform our great nation from our recent economic slump. He promises to help us all recover and hopes to leave lasting reforms on our nation -
Tennessee Valley Authority
Charted in 1933, this company tried to help distribute aid and jobs to the poverty stricken Tennessee Valley -
Banking Act
Imposed various Baking reforms with the hope of restoring public and investor confidence in banks along with preventing bank failure again -
1952 Presidential Election
A presidential election that saw candidate Dwight Eisenhower be victorious. Eisenhower was relatively uninterested in civil rights and more interested in foreign policy, ultimately destroying communism. -
1960 Presidential Election
This presidential election saw John F. Kennedy run against Richard Nixon. JFK was young and Catholic, and thus not really trusted by voters in the Bible Belt. However, he won votes in the North from minorities and youth -
Cuban Missile Crisis
This was the closest that humanity has come to nuclear war. The Soviets, angered by American nuclear missiles in Turkey, attempted to place missiles in communist Cuba. America would not stand for this, and thus each nation increased their shows of force and tension by naval blockades, spy planes and threats of missile launches and invasion. Eventually a deal was reached, in which the Soviets would publicly remove their missiles from Cuba and the Americans would secretly remove theirs from Turkey -
Feminine Mystique
This book, published by Betty Friedman in 1963, is credited with starting the modern feminism movement, which sought to bring women's social status to be equal to men -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Passed by Lyndon Johnson, this act banned ALL segregation in public areas, jobs and strengthened the federal governments powers to enforce desegregation -
Six Day War
A swift conflict in which Israel beat Egypt and controlled large portions of the Sinai Peninsula, before giving them it back up after a treaty. The fallout of this conflict helped to heavily increase tensions in an increasingly volatile Middle East -
Cambodianizing the War
On April 29, 1970, American troops entered Cambodia, assisting the South Vietnamese in clearing out the enemy. This sparked massive student protests, one of them occurring at Kent State University. At Kent state, National Guardsmen opened fire into a crowd of protesters. This event became a rallying point for protesters around the country -
Watergate
Political Scandal in which five of Richard Nixon's men broke in and stole secrets about the Democratic Presidential Campaign. Instead of telling the truth, Nixon tried to cover it up. When the scandal came to light after the smoking gun tape was published, it ended Nixon's presidency and destroyed trust between the American public and the government. -
Roe v. Wade
Landmark Supreme Court case in which all laws concerning abortions were nullified and abortion was justified constitutionally; being declared protected by the constitutional right of privacy -
Proposition 13
Major tax cuts in California spurred by the new conservative movement, which preached against New Deal and Great Society Programs. Proposition 13 slashed government services and taxes, its effects being felt in other state capitols and in Washington D.C. Ronald Reagan used a program like this to win the presidency in 1980. -
Equal Rights Amendment
A proposed amendment that stated" Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the U.S. or by and State an account of sex." This amendment basically would outlaw institutionalized sexism in America and was passed by Congress, ratified by 28 states but was unfortunately killed by anti feminist conservatives like Phyllis Schlafly, stating it would destroy family values -
Americans with Disabilities Act
Landmark political decision that prevented the segregation of over 43 million Americans that had physical disabilities. This bill was part of Bush's efforts to reform American Society to be "kinder and gentler" -
Operation Desert Storm
U.N. operation that sought to secure Kuwait and put and end to Saddam Hussein's Iraq. With a swift victory, President Bush stopped the invasion short of toppling Saddam in order to prevent heavy casualties.