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The Battles of Lexington and Concord
The American War of Independence began on April 19, 1775, with the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which included the infamous "shot heard round the world" (1775-83). It influenced many Americans to take up arms and support the cause of independence, which was politically disastrous for the British. -
The Winter at Valley Forge
The winter camp of the Continental Army under General George Washington in 1777–1778 was located in Valley Forge during the American Revolutionary War. -
The Battle of Cowpens
Brilliant American victory over a British force on South Carolina's northern border during the American Revolution that hampered Lord Cornwallis's attempt to attack North Carolina. The estimated number of British casualties was 600, compared to only 72 for the Americans. -
The USS Constitution defeats the HMS Guerriere
On August 19, 1812, the 38-gun British frigate HMS Guerriere was commanded by Captain James Richard Dacres. USS Constitution confronted it and beat it. Despite being relatively insignificant in terms of strategy for the War of 1812, the surprising victory gave the American people a much-needed morale boost. -
The Battle of Baltimore
On September 13, 1814, a sea and land combat known as the Battle of Baltimore took place. Invasion attempts by land and sea were repelled by American forces in Baltimore, Maryland, a port city. At the Battle of North Point, the participants initially came into contact. -
The Battle of New Orleans
The British Army, led by Major General Sir Edward Pakenham, and the American Army, led by Brevet Major General Andrew Jackson, engaged in the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815, about five miles southeast of New Orleans' French Quarter in what is now the neighborhood of Chalmette, Louisiana. -
The Election of Andrew Jackson
Jackson triumphed in a resounding electoral college victory. Jackson outperformed Clay (49), Floyd (11), and Wirt (7) by a wide majority after receiving 219 electoral votes. -
The Battle of the Alamo
A group of Texan (or Texian) volunteers commanded by George Collinsworth and Benjamin Milam defeated the Mexican garrison at the Alamo in December 1835, during the early stages of Texas' battle for independence from Mexico, and took possession of San Antonio. -
Abraham Lincoln Elected President
Abraham Lincoln is elected the 16th president of the United States over a deeply divided Democratic Party, becoming the first Republican to win the presidency. -
South Carolina secedes from the United States
On December 20, 1860, South Carolina became the first state to leave the federal Union. Abraham Lincoln's win in the 1860 presidential election led to calls for disunion throughout the slave-owning South. -
The First Battle of Bull Run
There were roughly 3,000 Union deaths in the First Battle of Bull Run (known as First Manassas in the South), compared to 1,750 for the Confederates. Its outcome stunned northerners who had anticipated a speedy, crushing win and gave jubilant southerners false hope that they too could achieve a decisive victory. -
The Battle of Gettysburg
During the American Civil War, on July 1–3, 1863, Union and Confederate soldiers engaged in combat in and around the Pennsylvanian town of Gettysburg. The combat, which is frequently referred to be the turning point of the war, resulted in the most fatalities in the whole conflict. -
The sinking of the USS Maine
266 of the 354 crew members on board the battleship U.S.S. Maine were killed when it was sunk in the harbor of Havana, Cuba, on February 15, 1898, by an explosion of unknown origin. The sinking of Maine stoked American animosity toward Spain, which ultimately resulted in a naval blockade of Cuba and a declaration of war. -
The Adoption of the Star Spangled Banner as the National Anthem
In 1916, the song was declared the "national anthem" de facto by President Woodrow Wilson, who did not, however, codify this decision. Congress was given "House Resolution 14" in 1929, designating "The Star-Spangled Banner" as the official anthem of the United States.