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The Battles of Lexington and Concord
Thomas Gage ordered his British troops to go to Concord to take their military stores, but the British had to go through a group of 77 minutemen in Lexington Green. The British eventually defeated the minutemen and headed to Concord, where they were met with over 300 Americans and were forced to surrender. This ordeal kicked off the American revolution, as it established the separation between the colonists and the British. -
The Winter at Valley Forge
Washington and his army went through rigorous conditions at Valley Forge during this famous period of time in history. The army quickly used up their basic necessities and became susceptible to disease. Over 2,000 soldiers died in these conditions. Despite this, the event lead to the army growing stronger and more disciplined thanks to Baron von Steuben, who helped train them. -
Benedict Arnold Turns Traitor
After Benedict Arnold committed treason against his country by meeting with British Major Andre, who was a British spy network leader, he became one of the most hated men in America. Benedict Arnold was known to often fight other officers and Congress, it is believed he resented other officers and may have wanted to remain under British rule. -
The Battle of Cowpens
The British came to the south because they assumed that it would be mostly loyalist, but there were more patriots than expected. This was a victory for the Americans and lead to the victory at The Battle of Yorktown. -
The USS Constitution defeats the HMS Guerriere
The USS Constitution defeated a 38-gun British frigate called the HMS Guerriere. This boosted the reputation of the U.S. Navy for years to come and gave hope to the American public. -
The Battle of Baltimore
After the burning of Washington D.C., the British went after Baltimore. The Americans saved Baltimore from being burned. This battle inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner." -
The Battle of New Orleans
It was this last major battle of The War of 1812, in which the Americans lead by General Andrew Jackson fought off the British invasion. The win can be attributed to Andrew Jackson's preparation in the city of New Orleans. He even used trees to clog water routes to keep the British from landing as planned. -
The Election of Andrew Jackson
The election of 1828 brought in an era of political campaigning among presidential elections. Andrew Jackson was supported by the Democratic party and won against John Quincy Adams, who was supported by the National Republican party. Andrew Jackson was the first president to win by directly appealing to the masses. -
The Battle of the Alamo
At the Alamo, Mexican forces killed many Texan rebels. This is where the battle cry "remember the Alamo" came from. -
Mexico loses California, New Mexico, and Arizona
With the fall of Mexico City, the Mexican government decided to sign a treaty called The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This treaty relinquished 55 percent of Mexico's territory to the U.S., including California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, most of Arizona and Colorado, and parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming. -
Abraham Lincoln Elected President
Abraham Lincoln was the first Republican to win the presidential election. This marked the secession of the southern states, as they threatened that if a Republican won the election they would secede. Lincoln would eventually outlaw slavery in America. -
South Carolina Secedes from the United States
After Lincoln was elected as president, South Carolina seceded from the United States. It was stated that the reasoning behind this was the "increasing hostility" towards slave states. -
The First Battle of Bull Run
The South gained a surge of confidence after the confederate won this battle, while the North was shocked at the Union's loss. This battle marked the beginning of the Civil War. -
The Battle of Gettysburg
This battle marked the point where the Civil War began favoring the Union. Confederate General Robert E. Lee's plans to win the war were ended by the confederate's loss in this battle. -
The Treaty at Appomattox Courthouse
The Battle of Appomattox Court house led to the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee to Union General Ulysses S. Grant. This marked the end of the Civil War, and the victory of the Union -
The Sinking of The USS Maine
The USS Maine was blown up by a mine and sank, killing many and leaving most unidentifiable. The Spanish were indirectly blamed for this, causing tension between the US and Spain to rise. -
The Adoption of the Star Spangled Banner as the National Anthem
Francis Scott Key wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner" during The War of 1812 in Baltimore. The song was popular for many years before being made the National Anthem, even being required by the military to be played for ceremonies. -
Battle of the Philippines
Known as "The greatest carrier battle of the war", This battle was between the Japanese and U.S. Navy. The U.S. had a complete victory, which can be attributed to the Japanese not having as much aircraft training as the U.S. soldiers, and the Japanese having inadequate armor protection.