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Gold Rush
When James W. Marshall discovered gold in California in early 1848, it sparked a great interest in the, at the time, unsettled west. With hopes of attaining newfound wealth Americans flocked to California to join in the rush. Have it not been for the migration that ensued after gold was discovered, it is safe to say that the nations development would have been substantially different. -
The Homestead Act
As Americans flocked to the west in search of gold and the government struggled with the decision as to what to do with the countries newly aquired land, The Homestead Act was passed which encouraged western development. The act stipulated that any man who beared arms for the US would be entitled to 160 acres of land. -
Transcontinental Railroad
When the first Transcontinental Railroad was linked in 1869 it symbolized a new direction in which the nation would take. The Central Pacific Railroad and Union Pacific Railroad joined resources to secure a never before seen potential for travel amidst the states. Doing so, the once rural and fronteir like west was able to start a major development which put it, today, on par with many if not all flurishing east coast cities. -
Then invention of the Telephone
Alexander Graham Bell said the first words ever spoken over an electric telephone, "Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you." Bell was the first to develop commercially practical telephones. -
The Invention Of The Light Bulb
Thomas A. Edisson was the first to invent commercially practical incandescent light. Edison created the electirc light bulb (incandescent lamp). This incandescent (electric) bulb revolutionized the world. -
Germ Theory
The acceptance of the germ theory of disease led to the discovery of diseases not necessarily came from the exposure to germs. These improvements in medical knowledge and trainin, along with improvement of sanitation and public health, did much to reduce infection and mortality in most American communities. -
The Settlement House Movement: Hull House
The Hull House opened by a social worker Jane Addams in 1889 in Chicago. This was a community center that helped immigrant families adapt to the language and customs of their new country, the United States. It also offered cultural events, classes, child care, emplyment assistance, and health care clinics. It became a model for more than 400 similar institutions throughout the nation. -
The Panic of 1893
This was the beginning of a financial crisis in the country. Businesses went bankrupt. Many people lost their jobs and had no money at all. -
Spanish-American War
The main issue why the United States went into war with Spain was to fight for Cuban independence. The outcome of the war was the 1898 Treaty of Paris—which was favorable to the U.S.—followed by temporary American control of Cuba and indefinite colonial authority over Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines. -
NAACP
The National Associatio for the Advancement of Colored people organization led the drive for equal rights. -
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire
The triangle shirtwaist fire marked history. It caused the death of more than 140 men and women. This disaster in New York inspired progressives to fight for safety in the workplace. -
Public Health Service
The federal goverment created the Public Health Service. It helped to prevent diseases such as tuberculosis, anemia, and carbon dioxide poisoning. It's goal was to create common health standards for all factories. Despite not acchieving it's goal later on it was a bigstep for the creation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. -
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The Great War
Trench WarfareThe Great War Began in August 1914 when Austria Hungary invaded the tiny Balkan nation of Serbia. Within weeks the conflict grew engaging most of the major nations of Europe. The United states formally entereed the war in April 1917. The war lasted until November 1918, causing 40 million casualties. The immediate cause of the war was the June 28, 1914 assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungari.The war was ended by several treaties, most notably the Treaty of Versaille -
The Paris Peace Conference
Woodrow Wilson enters Paris gretted by the largest crowd in the history of France. Where he discusses the posible threat of communisim in eastern Europe, and the need for a regulation of peace. At this conference was the historical creation of a permanent international organization to oversee world affairs, and prevent future wars, allies called the League of Nations. -
Women's Suffrage Movement: the Nineteenth Amendment
The Women Suffrage began throughout the late nineteenth century. The two main leaders of this act were Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. AnthonySuffreagists. In 1920, finally, suffragists won ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, which guaranteed voting rights to women throughout the nation. -
Post War Recesion
After World War 1 prices rose at an average of more than 15% a year and towards the end of the 1920's inflation began killing the market for consumer goods causing buisness to go bankrupt and nearly 5 million americans losiing jobs -
Prohibition
the 18th amendment of alcohol became widley overlooked, people began to violate the law and aqcuire alchohol as if the law had never been there at all. -
Birth Control
Birth Control was founded by Margaret Sanger it was not yet released but it was widely known to be possible -
Dawes Plan Adopted
In 1924, <a href='http://education.yahoo.com/reference/encyclopedia/entry/DawesPla' >Dawes Plan</a> was passed. The Dawes Plan proposed that American banks and corporations would lend large amounts of money to Germany to pay reparation to France and Great Britain who would then repay the U.S. government -
Scopes trial
A 24 year old biology teacher in the town of Dayton, John T. Scopes, agreed to have himself arrested for defying the law on teaching about evolution in public schools. Was found guilty for for deliberatly violating the law, but was released of all other charges because of his lawer Clarence Darrow's maneuvering of realigions fundamentals. -
The Great Depression
The longest depression America has ever been in. Right after World War 1 the markets expereince a huge crash, also a lot of the prosperity of America had depended on a few basic industries, and once they crashed it cause a snowball affect of the U.S income. Lastly because of the war a lot of the international trade was ruined.the deppression lasted for 10 years. -
Dust Bowl
One of the worst droughts in the history of the nations, a natural disater in the great plains. Stretched north from texas into the dakotas, the drought continued for a decade turning fertile lands into virtual deserts. -
Escapisim
A period in time where people began to listen to the radio and watch movies to escape from the deppresion and the constant reminding of America's current state of economy and living. -
The Election of Roosevelt
After the considered failure of Herbert Hoover, Franklin Delanor Roosevelt became America's new president. A handsome charming young man with a immennse amount of zeal for the progression of the American people. Although strikien with polio his ideas made him stronger than ever and was well trusted among the nation. -
The New Deal
The New Deal which was started by President Rooselvelt which focused on pulling America out of the Great Depression which was extremly Succesful. -
Holocaust Begins
Hitler Becomes Feuhrer and the Holocaust begins. The Holocaust was a movement led by Hitler to exterminate the Jewish people. The unwillingness of the United States and other countries to aid the Jewish people during the Holocaust has been called a moral failure. The U.S.A. were aware of the unspeakable crimes, Hitler was inflicting on the Jews in the concentration and death camps. -
The Second New Deal
Roosevelt Launches the secon new deal in response to the growing plistical pressures and to the continuing economic crisis. -
The Black Cabninet
Elanor Roosevelt makes sure blacks arent left out of the new deal. Presidnet Roosevlet also appoints some to be incharge or African american affairs , change the direction of black voters all over. -
Munich Agreement Signed
The Munich Agreeement. This was an agreement between Germany, Great Britain, France and Italy that allowed Germany to take possession of the Sudetenland in Western Czechoslavakia. Czechoslavakia was opposed to this occupation and was prepared to fight to protect their country, but no country would come to its aid. -
Technology Explosion
Researchers produce the first commercial viable TV. By 1950, color TV had been developed. In 1951, the first "I Love Lucy" show aired on TV. Almost every home in the US had a TV set.
Remington Rand produced the first computer named the Univac. It was used to predict the 1952 election results on TV. The US also hadd major success in the development of rockets, missiles and hydrogen bombs. -
Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor
Japan's Attack on Pearl Harbor was a move by Japan to immobilize the American Fleet in the Pacific so that Japan could be able to seize British and Dutch possessions in the Pacific. -
President Approves R&D funding for Manhattan Project
The President approves funding proposal for the Manhattan Project. The Manhattan Project was a continuation of a prior research and development project for atomic weapons. The army took control and reorganized the project in 1942. The government secretly poured billions of dollars into finding a way to create an atomic bomb. -
The Potsdam Conference
On July 16, 1945 the leaders of the victorious allied nations met in Postdam, Germany to discuss and determine what would be done with the conquered regions, and who would pay reparations. Perhaps most important, Germany was serparated into three regions. This act began to strain US diplomatic ties with the USSR and was the first stepping stone to the Cold War. -
US Drops Atomic Bomb on Japan
1945: US drops atomic bomb on Japan. Under the leadership of President Truman, the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 and on Nagasaki on August 8, 1945. The atomic bomb ended World War II in the Pacific but it killed as many as 180,000 Japanese people. -
The Marshall Plan
In a speech at Harvard University, Secretary of State George Marshall delivered his plan on how the US was to aid Eurpoe in the reconstruction after decades of war. In this plan Marshall assured the world that the countries controlled by the US would see substantial funding and economic growth. This plan left the countries under Soviet control to continue to remain unrepaired and added to the growing tensions between the US and USSR. -
The Birth of Rock and Roll
Birth of Rock and Roll Rock ‘n’ roll is a style of music derived from the blues and jazz which emerged in the early 1950’s. Black singers and musicians including Chuck Berry, Ella Fitzgerald, B.B. King, and Little Richard became famous through this music. They were popular with both black and white audiences. -
Civil Rights Movement
The open battle for racial equality and the rise of African Americans' protests came to a head in the 1950's. Rosa Parks, a local civil rights leader, was arrested for not relinquishing her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. A boycott of the bus company was led by Martin Luther King, Jr., and was a success. The Supreme Court ruled that segregation in public transpoortation is illegal. This was a step forward in the Civil Rights Movement. -
Korean War
The Korean War was a feud between the Republic of Korea, which proclaimed the south, and the People's Democratic Republic of Korea, which was in the north. After tensions between the two countries rose, the north invaded the south sparking a full out war. The United States condemmed the attack and aided the south with millitary support. The north was push baked , where then the Chinese millitary came to its aid. Overall, this war continued to worsen troubled global diplomatic relations. -
US Launches Explorer I
In 1958, the U.S. launched it’s first satellite, Explorer 1 , and that same year established The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). -
Counterculture Movement
In the second half of the decade, young people began to revolt against the conservative norms of the time, as well as remove themselves from mainstream liberalism, in particular the high level of materialism which was so common during the era. This movement would consume many youth outlook on the government and would contribute to numerous protest, cultural advances, and change the american perception on youth. -
The rise of feminism
After a controversial book released by Betty Friedan, entiteled Feminine Mystique, women across the country began to protest and question the female place in society. The topic of Womens Liberation became a household topic, and would bring the issue of inequality to the nations awareness. This movement was the first step to a struggle that would last for decades. -
John F. Kennedy Assassinated
JFK Is Assassinated. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963. He was a Catholic, which could have hindered him in his attempt to become president, but because of his dynamic personality and charisma he easily won the hearts of American voters. He came from a wealthy family, and he was young and handsome with an attractive wife and two small children. The American public related to and loved him. -
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. In August of 1964, President Johnson announced that American destroyers had been attacked in international waters in the Gulf of Tonkin. (Later the accuracy of this report was questioned.) As a result of the reported attack, Congress passed “The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution” giving the president the power to take all necessary steps to protect our forces. This provided an opportunity for the -
Vietnam War Ends
The end of the Vietnam War marked the end of an era where the US government suffered embarrassment, defeat, and poor decision making. After billions of dollars lost, thousands of casulties, and a damaged reputation, the US withdrew its final troops from Vietnam on August 15, 1973.
