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Gold was discovered by James W. Marshall in the tailrace of a sawmill he was building for John Sutter in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. This discovery led to a massive influx of fortune-seekers from all over the world to California, transforming its economy and society. -
The Homestead Act and Pacific Railway Act encourage westward migration. The Homestead Act granted land ownership to any adult citizen or person who had filed for citizenship. The Pacific Railway Act provided federal funding and land grants for the construction of a transcontinental railroad, connecting the East Coast to the West Coast, which further encouraged westward migration and settlement.
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This amendment outlawed slavery and forced labor throughout the United States. -
This amendment granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, including former slaves. -
The Transcontinental Railroad was a 1,912-mile continuous railway line that connected the existing eastern U.S. rail network with the Pacific coast rail network. -
This amendment granted African American men the right to vote. -
The Supreme Court decision in Plessy v. Ferguson upholds racial segregation in public facilities, establishing the "separate but equal" doctrine.
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The U.S. enters World War I on the side of the Allies, contributing to their victory.
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This amendment gave women the right to vote. -
The stock market crash triggers the Great Depression, which lasts until the mid-1930s. -
September 2, 1945 - The U.S. enters World War II after the attack on Pearl Harbor and contributes significantly to the Allied victory. -
The U.S. drops atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leading to Japan's surrender and the end of World War II. -
The Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education declares segregation in public schools to be unconstitutional. -
After Rosa Parks was kicked out of her spot on public transportation, the Montgomery Bus Boycott takes place, leading to the desegregation of public transportation in Montgomery, Alabama.
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The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom takes place, with Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. -
The Civil Rights Act is signed into law, prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. -
The Apollo 11 mission lands the first humans on the moon and Neil Armstrong is the first man to walk on the moon. -
The September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon led to the War on Terror and the invasion of Afghanistan. -
The global financial crisis begins, with the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the subsequent Great Recession. -
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, is signed into law, expanding access to healthcare.