-
In light of the freeing of African Americans as slaves because of the Thirteenth Amendment and the restoration of civil rights to enslaved Americans, the government needed a process to reintegrate them into society. The Freedmen's Bureau was established to assist in this process by establishing schools, hospitals, and other welfare institutions to help newly freed Americans integrate into America. -
President Abraham Lincoln was shot and killed by John Wilkes Booth on April 14th, 1865. With his death, leadership was passed to Andrew Johnson, and it impacted Reconstruction efforts and weakened federal protection for newly freed African Americans. -
The passing of the Thirteenth Amendment marked the end of slavery in the United States of America. This amendment freed nearly four million Americans and laid the foundation for future civil rights.
-
The Ku Klux Klan (KKK), which is now an American mascot of African American discrimination, was formed in response to African Americans receiving equal rights as white Americans. The KKK's primary mission was to suppress African American rights through intimidation and violence so that they could halt pro-Reconstruction efforts, in which they were largely successful.
-
The Civil Rights Act of 1866 was enacted to grant and protect the rights of newly freed African Americans. It was also passed to halt discriminatory practices known as "Black Codes" despite Andrew Johnson's attempt to veto it.
-
The passage of the Fourteenth Amendment stemmed from the belief that some Americans would reject African Americans as free people. This amendment, passed by the United States Congress, ensured that African Americans had equal rights with white Americans under the law, despite President Andrew Johnson's attempt to reject it. -
The Fifteenth Amendment was passed to enable African American males to have the same opportunity to vote and participate in government as white male Americans. This Amendment boosted newly freed African American participation in governmental processes but failed to account for laws like future discriminatory practices, such as Jim Crow laws, in the future.
-
The Compromise of 1877 refers to the withdrawal of federal troops to resolve the disputed 1876 presidential election. This compromise marked the end of Reconstruction and the opportunity for Redeemers to impose new Jim Crow Laws in the South. -
The Haymarket Square Riot in Chicago occurred after an escalation of a protest demanding an 8-hour workday. It weakened the labor union efforts to promote more humane working practices. -
The Interstate Commerce Act was passed to prevent railroad monopolies from charging unfair freight rates. It marked the first significant United States federal regulatory intervention in big business. -
This event marked the end of the American and Indian wars in South Dakota, where the United States 7th Cavalry Regiment faced off against the Lakota tribe, formerly led by their leader, Sitting Bull. The massacre occurred because of the tribes "Ghost Dance," which provoked the United States into rounding up all of the Lakota people and killing them indiscriminately. -
With the emergence of yellow journalism in American publishing companies and rising tensions with Spain, the sinking of the USS Maine in the Havana Harbor marked not only the start of the Spanish-American War but the start of a new type of journalism. -
The Shirtwaist Factory Fire in New York City brought attention to the problems that led to the tragic event. Unsafe factory conditions and practices that led to this unfortunate event and the loss of nearly one hundred and fifty people brought attention to the idea of major workplace reform. -
The Zimmermann Telegram was a telegram sent from Germany to Mexico, decoded by the British, that tempted Mexico to join the war effort on the German side and to fight Americans if they entered the war. This was arguably the most significant reason that America became involved in World War I. -
Black Tuesday was the date the stock market crashed, leading to widespread financial ruin in the United States of America, and marked the beginning of the Great Depression. It was primarily attributed to overspeculation and a lack of banking regulation, which President Franklin Delano Roosevelt implemented afterwards. -
The Social Security Act was enacted to provide economic security for the elderly and unemployed in America. It created a long-term social security and welfare infrastructure. -
The surprise attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor marked the start of America's involvement in World War II. This event unified many Americans during World War II and helped them support the war effort. -
In protest of racial segregation in public spaces, the Montgomery bus boycott mainly started with Rosa Parks, who was famously known for not giving up her bus seat to a white person. She was later arrested for her refusal, but this event launched the Montgomery bus boycott, which had a significant impact on the civil rights movement that helped end bus segregation in America. -
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident was an incident that revolved mainly around the American allegations that the communist North Vietnamese attacked U.S. Ships in international waters. This led to the Tonkin Resolution, which granted the president more power over the military and the war in Vietnam.
-
The Watergate Break-in was an event caused by Nixon's reelection team to attempt to steal Democratic information from the Watergate Complex located in Washington, DC. This caused Nixon to resign as President and undermined American trust in government.