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Massacre At Mystic
Massacre At Mystic was also known as the Pequot Massacre. This massacre occurred when Connecticut colonists stumbled upon Native Indian land. It started out as the Settlers and the Natives trying to coexist which didn't work out and the Settlers ended up attacking and killing the Pequot tribe because they felt like they needed to conquer the land and in order to do that they had to conquer the people. -
The Scalp Act
The Scalp Act was enacted by Governor Robert Morris. Anyone who brought in the scalp of a male Indian above age 12 would be rewarded $150. For Indian females above the age of 12 or males under the age of 12 they would get paid $130. This act turned all Native American Indian tribes against the legislature. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party took place because American Colonists were fed up with the way they were being treated by Britain. They were angry with Britain for imposing "taxation without representation", meaning the colonists were being taxed by Britain without being represented in parliament. As an act of defiance against Britain, the colonists dumped 342 chests of British tea into the harbor. This was the first act of defiance by the colonists, which inevitably lead up to the American Revolution. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American Revolution. The British had set out to capture American leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock in Lexington, and to destroy American weapons and ammunition in Concord. The battle in Lexington was when the famous "shot heard around the world" was fired. For the Colonists, 49 were killed, 39 were wounded, and 5 were missing. These battles showed King George that his tyranny would not be tolerated. -
Signing of the Declaration of Independence
The declaration of Independence was signed in the Pennsylvania State House. At that time many were weary of signing because they thought of it as "their own death warrants". It's important that this document was signed because it contains the goals of our nation. It also contains complaints of the colonists against the British king, King George III. It explains why the colonists wanted to be free of British rule, and can be described as a "break up letter" for Britain. -
The Winter at Valley Forge
Th Winter at Valley Forge in 1777 was a severely cold winter, and was a great trial fo the American army of around 11,000 soldiers stationed at the Valley Forge station. Hundreds of the men died from disease, but all the soldiers fought their best through it with their loyalty to the Patriot cause and to General George Washington who stayed with his men. This event was important because eventually they had to stop fighting due to the winter weather and lack of supplies. -
The Winter at Valley Forge
The Winter at Valley Forge was a 6 month encampment of General George Washington's Continental Army at Valley Forge through the winter of 177-1778. This was important because it was a major turning point in the American Revolutionary War an all those men showed loyalty and determination. There were 11,000 troops station in Valley Forge, but unfortunately hundreds died from disease. -
Benedict Arnold turns traitor
On September 21, 1780, during the American Revolution, American General Benedict Arnold met with British Major John Andre to discuss handing over West Point to the British, in return for the promise of a large sum of money and a high position in the British army. Benedict was caught and went from an American hero to a traitor, which is what he's now most known for. -
The Battle of Cowpens
The Battle of Cowpens was an American victory in a battle with British force in the northern border of South Carolina which slowed the invasion into North Carolina. The casualties from the British side were estimated at about 600 soldiers, while American forces only lost 72 soldiers. This war was a turning point in the Revolutionary War, forcing the British army to retreat and giving the Americans confidence that they could win the war. -
Battle of Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown is also commonly called the Siege of Yorktown. The battle lasted from September 28th, 1781 through October 19th, 1781. The American soldiers trapped the British on a peninsula in Yorktown, Virginia and forced them to surrender. This battle is important because it was the last major battle of the American Revolution. -
The 3/5ths Compromise
The Three-fifths Compromise was an agreement reached over wether slaves would count for a sate's population. Three out of every five slaves in a state would count towards the population of that state. Delegates from states with a large population of slaves argued that slaves should be considered people to determine amount of seats in the House of Representatives and how much each state would pay in taxes. -
Articles of Confederation are Ratified
The Articles of Confederation were ratified because most delegates realized they were a flawed compromise and thought that by ratifying them a better government could be formed. It's important that The Articles of Confederation were ratified because without the ratification of these documents our current government may have never been formed and our government ay be more dysfunctional or unfair and not based around the people as a nation, as it is today. -
The Constitution is Ratified
The United States were governed by the Articles of confederation until the Constitution was ratified. The constitution was ratified because there were many flaws including the government not being able to tax, all states having only one vote no matter the size or population of the state, and lack of judicial court. It's important that the constitution was ratified because now our government is more fair and balanced than it may have been without the ratification of the Constitution. -
Presidential Inauguration of George Washington
The first inauguration was held on the balcony of Federal Hall in New York City. This was an important event because it marked the beginning of the new operations under the 1787 Constitution. The inauguration was held nearly two months after the beginning of George Washington's first 4 year term as president of the United States. -
Washington's Farewell Address
Washington's Farewell Address is a letter he wrote at the end of his second term of presidency before retiring. In his letter, Washington asked Americans to set aside their differences and not become so divided by their strong political beliefs. This letter is important because George Washington specifically mentioned Americans not being controlled by their emotions to stay as united as possible and in this century our country is extremely divided by political beliefs. -
The Death of George Washington
George Washington died in a 21 hour period. He died in his home after a brief illness and losing about 40 percent of him blood. Modern medics still don't know exactly what caused his death, but they have narrowed it down to a many likely theories. Washington's last words were spoken at around 10 pm on December 14th, and were "I am just going! Have me decently buried; and do not let my body be put into the vault less than three days after I am dead. Do you understand me?...Tis well!”. -
Election Day, 1800
This event is sometimes referred to as the "Revolution of 1800". It was held from October 31 through December 3, 1800. This was the first election where both political parties actually campaigned and ran candidates. This was an important colonial period because it was because of the election of 1800 that the 12th amendment was passed, which made the electoral college simpler. -
Marbury VS Madison
Marbury VS Madison was a major landmark of a supreme court case. This case established the power of the federal courts to declare executive and legislative acts as unconstitutional. This was an important event because after this happened, American courts were able to justify certain laws as violation to the constitution. -
Slave Trade Ends in the United States
Slave trade in the U.S. ended on January 1, 1808, but some illegal enslaving still occurred for about the next 50 years. The Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves came out in 1807. January 1st of 1808 was the earliest date permitted by the U.S. Constitution. -
Battle of Tippecanoe
The Battle of Tippecanoe was a battle between a U.S. expeditionary force and Shawnee Indians in Battle Ground, Indiana. This war was won by the U.S. forces and resulted in expansion through Native American Indian land. -
The USS Constitution defeats the HMS Guerriere
USS Constitution vs HMS Guerriere was a battle between the two ships during the War of 1812. Although the American ship was larger and more heavily armed, Captain James Richard Dacres engaged. Guerriere was dismasted and reduced to a sinking condition, resulting in American victory. -
The Battle of Baltimore
The Battle of Baltimore was a land/sea battle fought between the American colonists and the British. The successful defense of Baltimore City helped end the war of 1812, which is why this battle was significant. Without this war we also might not have the "Star Spangled Banner" because it was part of a really important chain of wars that inspired the poem. -
The Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans is referred to by many historians as the greatest American land victory of the war. On January 8, 1815, the British marched against New Orleans, hoping that by capturing the city they could separate Louisiana from the rest of the United States. Some of the redcoats began to flee so American troops fired up a storm that felled more than half the British army. This even was also the last armed engagement between the United States and Britain. -
The Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was an effort to preserve the balance in congress between slave and free states. The compromise admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state. -
The Election of Andrew Jackson
The election of Andrew Jackson lasted from October 10th through December 2nd in 1828. This was a featured rematch of the 1824 election where John Quincy Adams defeated Andrew Jackson. Even though Jackson had originally received more popular and electoral votes, Adams won by gaining more electoral votes through the House of Representatives. -
Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal Act was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson. This act allowed The President to grant lands west of the Mississippi in exchange for Indian lands within existing state borders. -
Trail of Tears
The Trail of Tears was part of the Indian Removal Act. Indians were forced out of their land, and while some went peacefully, others did not. On the Trail of Tears 160,00 Native American Indians from the Cherokee tribe were forced to march through over 1,200 miles of rugged land. Over 4,000 of these Indians died from disease, famine, and warfare. -
Nat Turner Rebillion
Nat Turner was a slave who led a rebellion of enslaved Virginians in 1831. This rebellion caused a massacre of about 200 of black people. The rebels killed between 55 and 65 people, at least 51 of them being white. -
The Battle of the Alamo
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The Battle of the Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo was a hugely important event for Texas in 1836. Santa Anna had been taken prisoner and came to terms with Houston to end the war. This battle was important because when Texas won the war, they won their freedom from Mexico. Without this war Texas might not have won their independence and may not be a part of our country today. -
Mexico Loses California, New Mexico, and Arizona
On February 2, 1848, a treaty was signed that ended the war between America and Mexico. In the treaty Mexico had to surrender over half of their land to America (55 percent, to be exact) which includes parts of what is now Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Nevada, and Utah. Although America had to give up $15 million, they gained a lot of land that is still a big part of modern day America. -
The Fugitive Slave Act
This act required slaves to be returned to their owners even if they were in a free state. It also made the government responsible for finding, returning, and trying escaped slaves. Many states enacted laws that nullified it's effect. -
Dred Scott Decision
The Dred Scott Decision was was case in Missouri in 1846-1857. It was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court. This decision denied the legality of black citizenship in the United States and declared the Missouri Compromise to be unconstitutional. -
The Dead Rabbits Riot
The Dead Rabbits Riot was a civil disturbance lasting 2 days. It took place in New York City after a small street fight took place between members of the Dead Rabbits and the Bowery Boys. This eventually turned into a city-wide gang war. There was a total of 8 deaths and somewhere between 30 and 100 people injured. -
South Carolina secedes from the United States
South Carolina was the first to secede from the federal Union. South Carolina was even one of the founding member states of the Confederacy in February of 1861. This is an important event because the secession from the Union of the United States precipitated the American Revolution. -
Abraham Lincoln Elected President
Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16th president off the United States over a deeply divided Democratic Party, becoming the first Republican to win the presidency. Lincoln received only 40 percent of the popular vote but handily defeated the three other candidates: Southern Democrat John C. Breckinridge, Constitutional Union candidate John Bell, and Northern Democrat Stephen Douglas, a U.S. senator for Illinois. -
The First Battle of Bull Run
The First Battle of Bull Run was also known as the Battle of First Manassas. This battle was the first major battle of the American Civil War. The battle was fought in Prince William County, Virginia. The war began when about 35,000 union troops marched the Capital building in Washington D.C. to fight the Confederate force, which consisted of about 20,000 troops. Although the Union outnumbered the Confederates, the Confederate troops won the war. -
Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. This proclamation declared that all slaves were to be free. There were, however, limitations. This proclamation only applied to the states that had seceded from the United States, meaning slavery was still legal in the loyal borders. -
The Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg was a war fought between the Confederates and the Union in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and was a turning point in the Civil War. This war stopped Confederate momentum in the east. The second day's battle was both the largest, and the most expensive of the tree days it was fought. In this war there were also female soldiers fighting on both sides of the battle. -
13th Amendment
The 13th amendment to the United States Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in all U.S. states and territories. This amendment was passed on January 31, 1865. This is a very important amendment because now (most) people see each other as equals no matter their race or beliefs, and that it is wrong to enslave people. -
The Treaty at Appomattox Court House
This treaty is historically significant because it was associated with the final battle of the Civil War. On April 9, 1865 General Robert E. Lee of the Army of North Virginia surrendered to the Union Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant, which signaled the end of the Nation's largest war. The treaty was signed in the McLean House in the village of Appomattox Court House. Shortly after, a new nation was born. -
The Ku Klux Klan is Established
The Ku Klux Klan is an American white supremacist/terrorist hate group. They primarily target African Americans, Jews, immigrants, homosexuals, Catholics, Muslims, and Atheists. The first branch of the Ku Klux Klan was founded by a group containing many former confederate veterans. This first branch was formed in Pulaski, Tennessee in 1865. -
14th Amendment
The 14th amendment granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, including former slaves, and guaranteed all citizens equal protection of the laws. This is important because it made everyone more equal and was a turning point in slavery because it officialized black people having more rights. -
John D. Rockefeller Creates Standard Oil
In 1870 Rockefeller created standard oil when he built his first oil refinery near Cleveland Ohio. By 1882 he basically had a monopoly over the oil business in the United States. Today, Rockefeller would be worth approximately $400 billion, which is about 3 times more than today's richest person in the world, Jeff Bezos. -
Alexander Graham Bell Patents the Telephone
On March 7, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell patented his new revolutionary invention, the telephone. This invention has changed communication in such an important way. Alexander's wife and mother were both deaf, so he had a personal connection with sound technology. He made the first long distance telephone call on August 10, 1876. The call reached around 6 miles, but was only one way. October 9th of 1876 was the first two way phone call using outdoor wires. The telephone was widely used by 1880. -
Battle of Little Bighorn
The Battle of Little Bighorn is also commonly referred to as Custer's Last Stand. During this battle, Native American groups led by Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull defeated the U.S. Army troops led by Col. George Armstrong Custer. This is important because this was the worst U.S. Army defeat in the long Plains Indian War, and was just one of many bloody battles between the settlers and the Native Americans. -
Abraham Lincoln Elected President
Although Lincoln only received 40% of the popular vote he still beat the three other candidates. During lincoln's presidency slavery was active, Lincoln was against against slavery. -
The Great Oklahoma Land Race
The Great Oklahoma Land Race was a race in Oklahoma between about 50,000 people. This event is also referred to as the Oklahoma Land Rush because this was the first unassigned land run into new territory that was formerly Indian territory. The race was really 50,000 people lined up at the start racing to gain a piece of the 2 million acres of the new land. -
Battle of Wounded Knee
The Wounded Knee Massacre was the slaughter of approximately 150-300 Lakota Indians by U.S. Army troops in southwestern South Dakota. This massacre was the climax of the U.S. Army's efforts to repress the Plains Indians. -
Ellis Island Opens
Ellis Island was once the busiest immigration inspection stations in the United States. Ellis Island was established on January 1st, 1892 and closed November 12, 1954. Nearly 12 million immigrants were processed at Ellis Island. It's located in Upper New York Bay. -
The sinking of the USS Maine
In 1898, an explosion of an unknown cause sank the battleship U.S.S. Maine in the Cuba harbor. The explosion killed 266 of the 354 people that were on the ship. It was Inquired that the ship was blown up by a mine. The American public had little doubt that Spain was responsible for this and called for a declaration of war. -
The Wizard of Oz (Book) is Published
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a fictional children's book that was published in 1900. The publishing of this book resulted in a musical version in 1902. There is also an American silent fantasy film of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz that came out in 1910. This book is historically significant because it was considered a political allegory for American politics at the turn of the 20th century. -
J.P. Morgan Founds U.S. Steel
J.P Morgan formed U.S. Steel on March 2, 1901. U.S. Steel was once the largest steel producer and largest corporation in the world. Today it would be worth about $43.6 billion. J.P Morgan also acquired Andrew Carnegie's steel company and merged it with seven other steel companies, two of which he owned. -
Teddy Roosevelt Becomes President of the United States
Theodore Roosevelt took office as Vice President in 1901. The following September he took office as the 26th United States President at age 42 after President McKinley was assassinated. Teddy Roosevelt left office March 4, 1909. On January 6, 1919 Roosevelt unexpectedly passed in his sleep from a heart attack at the age of 60. -
Ford Motor Company is Founded
On June 16 in 1903, Ford Motor Company was founded in Detroit, Michigan by Henry Ford. This company is an American multinational automobile manufacturer that currently has about 12 different models of cars. Ford also sells luxury cars brand named Lincoln Luxury. Ford makes cars, SUVs, sports cars, trucks, vans, and hybrid vehicles. While Henry Ford did not invent the first automobile, he did invent a car he called Model A. This was the Ford company's first car, invented in 1903. -
Ida Tarbell Publishes Her Article About Standard Oil
In 1904 Ida Tarbell published her book over the history of the standard oil company. She wrote about how it is a business monopoly and uses unfair practices. Her book was also published as a series of articles in McClure's Magazine from 1902-1904 because her book was such a big hit. -
The 16th Amendment is Passed
This amendment gave the government the right to impose a Federal income tax without apportioning it among the states and without regard to the census. While it's important that we have an income tax this amendment needed to be simplified and made a little more fair, which is why this amendment was ratified February 3rd, 1913. We still have income tax today, but it was made a little more fair and based off how much money you make, which is important because it's how our government affords things. -
Angel Island Opens
Angel Island was an immigrant processing center that opened in January of 1910. It is an island located in San Fransisco Bay. The immigration station closed on November 5th, 1940. -
The 17th Amendment is Passed
The 17th Amendment made it so that there was a direct election of senators instead of voting by state legislature. This amendment was passed because it eliminated all political corruption. This amendment also gave senators more power in office and gave each state more senators. Without this amendment we might not have such a stable and fair voting system in the United States. -
Sacco and Vanzetti arrested for armed robbery and murder
Italian anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were executed for murder on April 15, 1920, when a paymaster for a shoe company in Massachusetts was shot and killed along with his guard. Sacco and Vanzetti lied to the police when arrested. They denied associating with anarchist Buda and denied visiting the garage. The Sacco and Vanzetti case is widely regarded as a miscarriage of justice in American legal history because it was never really proven wether they were guilty or not. -
KDKA goes on the air from Pittsburgh
KDA in Pittsburg was the first radio station. KDKA went on the air in the evening of Nov. 2, 1920, with a broadcast of the returns of the Harding-Cox presidential election.The success of the KDKA broadcast and of the musical programs that were initiated thereafter motivated others to install similar stations; a total of eight were operating in the United States by the end of 1921. -
Teapot Dome Scandal
The Tea Pot Dome Scandal was one of the most extreme examples of government corruption in United States history. The Teapot Dome Scandal involved Secretary of the Interior Albert Fall, who accepted large sums of money and valuable gifts from private oil companies. In exchange, Fall allowed the companies to control government oil reserves in Elk Hills, California, and Teapot Dome, Wyoming. Fall became the first presidential cabinet member to go to prison. -
1st Miss American Pageant
Margaret Gorman was the winner of the 1921 “Inter-City Beauty” contest and the first Miss America. In the decades just prior to the pageant’s creation, there was a marked transformation around women’s roles in society with expanding social, political and cultural activity for women. A new image for women was created. The modern woman exercised and was encouraged to eat right. -
J.Edgar Hoover Becomes Head of the FBI
J. Hoover first became involved in law enforcement as a special assistant to the attorney general, overseeing the mass roundups and deportations of suspected communists during the Red Scare abuses of the late 1910s. He was appointed director of the Bureau of Investigation (the FBI's predecessor) in 1924 and was instrumental in founding the FBI in 1935, where he remained director for another 37 years until his death in 1972 at the age of 77. -
1st Winter Olympics Held
The first winter olympics were held on January 25th in 1924 at Chamonix in the French Alps. the International Olympic Committee gave its patronage to a Winter Sports Week. The event attracted 10,004 paying spectators. -
The Great Gatsby published by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, near New York City. The novel is a first-person narrative of Nick Carraway's interactions with mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and Gatsby's obsession to reunite with his former lover, Daisy Buchanan. -
Mein Kampf is Published
Volume One of Adolf Hitler’s philosophical autobiography, Mein Kampf, was published in July of 1925. It was a blueprint of his agenda for a Third Reich. Hitler began composing his tome while sitting in Landsberg prison, convicted of treason for his role in the infamous Beer Hall Putsch in which he and his minions attempted to stage a coup and grasp control of the government in Bavaria. -
Scopes Monkey Trial
The Scopes Monkey Trial, was an American legal case in July 1925 when a high school teacher, John T. Scopes, was accused of violating Tennessee's Butler Act, which made it unlawful to teach human evolution in any state funded school. The trial was staged in order to attract publicity to the small town of Dayton, Tennessee, where it was held. Scopes was unsure whether he had ever actually taught evolution, but he incriminated himself deliberately so the case could have a defendant. -
Charles Lindberg completes solo flight across the Atlantic
On May 21, 1927, Charles A. Lindbergh completed the first solo, nonstop transatlantic flight in history, flying his Spirit of St. Louis from Long Island, New York, to Paris, France. In 1919 New York hotel owner Raymond Orteig offered a $25,000 prize for the completion of the first nonstop flight between New York and Paris. Early in 1927, Charles Lindbergh obtained the backing of nine St. Louis investors to compete for the prize. -
The Jazz Singer debuts (1st movie with sound)
The Jazz Singer, the first commercially successful full-length feature film with sound, debuts at the Blue Mouse Theater at 1421 5th Avenue in Seattle.The movie uses Warner Brothers' Vitaphone sound-on-disc technology to reproduce the musical score and sporadic episodes of synchronized speech. The Jazz Singer was the first feature-length movie with spoken dialogue. -
St. Valentine's Day Massacre
The Saint Valentine's Day Massacre was the 1929 murder of seven members and associates of Chicago's North Side Gang that occurred on Saint Valentine's Day. The men were lined up against a wall at Lincoln Park and shot by four unknown assailants, two of whom were dressed as police officers. The incident resulted from the struggle to control organized crime in the city during Prohibition between the Irish North Siders and their Italian South Side Gang rivals. -
Stock Market Crash Begins Great Depression
Stock prices began to decline in September and early October 1929, and on October 18 the fall began. Investment companies and leading bankers attempted to stabilize the market by buying up great blocks of stock, producing a moderate rally on Friday.The stock market crash signaled the beginning of the Great Depression. By 1933, unemployment was at 25 percent and more than 5,000 banks had gone out of business. -
Black Tuesday (Stock Market Crash)
The Wall Street Crash of 1929 was also known as the Great Crash. It was a major American stock market crash that occurred in the autumn of 1929. It started in September and ended late in October. Black Monday was followed by Black Tuesday in which stock prices collapsed completely and 16,410,030 shares were traded on the New York Stock Exchange in a single day. -
The Dust Bowl Begins
The Dust Bowl was a period of severe dust storms that greatly damaged the ecology and agriculture of the American and Canadian prairies during the 1930s; severe drought and a failure to apply dry land farming methods to prevent the aeolian processes (wind erosion) caused the phenomenon. The dust bowl was caused by farmers poorly managing their crop rotations, causing the ground to dry up and turn into dust. The drought that helped cause the dust bowl lasted seven years, from 1933 to 1940. -
The Adoption of the Star Spangled Banner as the National Anthem
The Adoption of the Star Spangled Banner as the National Anthem was a bill that was passed by the senate in 1931. President Herbert Hoover was the current president at the time who signed the bill, making it official. They lyrics were written by Francis Scott Key in 1814, and the music was written by John Stafford Smith in 1773. -
The Empire State Building Opens
The Empire State Building is a 102 story skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The Empire State Building was intended to be the first 100+ story building. Construction began on March 17, 1930, and was completed in 1 year and 45 days. The height of this building is 1,454 feet to the tip. -
Franklin Roosevelt is Elected President (1st Time)
Roosevelt assumed the presidency at age 42 after McKinley was assassinated in September 1901. He remains the youngest person to become President of the United States. Roosevelt defeated Republican incumbent Herbert Hoover in a landslide. Franklin Roosevelt was also the only president to be elected 4 times in a row. -
Adolf Hitler Becomes Chancellor of Germany
President Paul von Hindenburg named Adolf Hitler, leader or führer of the National Socialist German Workers Party (or Nazi Party), as chancellor of Germany. Hitler’s emergence as chancellor on January 30, 1933, marked a crucial turning point for Germany and, ultimately, for the world. His plan, embraced by much of the German population, was to do away with politics and make Germany a powerful, unified one-party state. -
CCC is Created
Roosevelt established the Civilian Conservation Corps, or CCC, with an executive order on April 5, 1933. The CCC was part of his New Deal legislation, combating high unemployment during the Great Depression by putting hundreds of thousands of young men to work on environmental conservation projects. The CCC made valuable contributions to forest management, flood control, conservation projects, and the development of state and national parks, forests, and historic sites. -
WPA is Created
President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the WPA with an executive order on May 6, 1935. It was part of his New Deal plan to lift the country out of the Great Depression by reforming the financial system and restoring the economy to pre-Depression levels. The Works Progress Administration was an American New Deal agency, employing millions of job-seekers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads. -
J.J. Braddock Wins Heavyweight Boxing Title
Braddock won the Heavyweight Championship of the World as the 10-to-1 underdog in what was called "the greatest fistic upset since the defeat of John L. Sullivan by Jim Corbett" at Madison Square Garden Bowl. He outpointed Max Baer in 15 rounds at the Long Island City Bowl in New York City. Braddock called it a career in 1938 after defeating England's Tommy Farr. He spent most of the rest of his life operating heavy equipment for a New Jersey contractor. -
Olympic Games in Berlin
The Berlin Games were the 10th occurrence of the modern Olympic Games. The 1936 Olympics were held in a tense, politically charged atmosphere. The Nazi Party had risen to power in 1933, two years after Berlin was awarded the Games, and its racist policies led to international debate about a boycott of the Games. Berlin had been selected to host the 1936 Olympic Games before the Nazis came to power. The Nazi regime hoped to portray Germany as a tolerant and hospitable nation. -
Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht was a pogrom against Jews carried out by the Nazi Party's Sturmabteilung paramilitary forces along with civilians throughout Nazi Germany. The German authorities looked on without intervening. Nazis in Germany torched synagogues, vandalized Jewish homes, schools and businesses and killed close to 100 Jews. In the aftermath of Kristallnacht, also called the “Night of Broken Glass,” some 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent to Nazi concentration camps. -
Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives Program
The Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives program under the Civil Affairs and Military Government Sections of the Allied armies was established in 1943 to help protect cultural property in war areas during and after World War II. Together the Monuments Men worked to protect monuments and other cultural treasures from the destruction of World War II. -
Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives Program
The Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives program under the Civil Affairs and Military Government Sections of the Allied armies was established in 1943 to help protect cultural property in war areas during and after World War II. Together the Monuments Men worked to protect monuments and other cultural treasures from the destruction of World War II. -
Grapes of Wrath is Published
The Grapes of Wrath is an American realist novel written by John Steinbeck and published in 1939. The book won the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and it was cited prominently when Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1962.The Grapes of Wrath is frequently read in American high school and college literature classes due to its historical context and enduring legacy. -
Germany Invades Poland
The attack on Denmark was a breach of the non-aggression pact Denmark had signed with Germany less than a year earlier. The initial plan was to push Denmark to accept that German land, naval and air forces could use Danish bases, but Adolf Hitler subsequently demanded that both Norway and Denmark be invaded. France and Britain declared war, and Germany and the Soviet Union sent their troops into eastern Poland as a result. -
Wizard of Oz Premiers in Movie Theaters
When a tornado rips through Kansas, Dorothy and her dog, Toto, are whisked away in their house to the magical land of Oz. They follow the Yellow Brick Road toward the Emerald City to meet the Wizard, and en route they meet a Scarecrow that needs a brain, a Tin Man missing a heart, and a Cowardly Lion who wants courage. The wizard asks the group to bring him the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West to earn his help. This movie premiered in
Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. -
The Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain was also known as the Air Battle for England. It was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy defended the United Kingdom against large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany's air force, the Luftwaffe. Germany bombed Great Britain in order to try and destroy their air force and prepare for invasion. It lasted many months as the Germans continued to bomb Britain, but the Royal Air Force defeated the Germans. -
The Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain was also known as the Air Battle for England. It was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy defended the United Kingdom against large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany's air force, the Luftwaffe. Germany bombed Great Britain in order to try and destroy their air force and prepare for invasion. It lasted many months as the Germans continued to bomb Britain, but the Royal Air Force defeated the Germans. -
The Four Freedoms Speech
The Four Freedoms were goals articulated by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The four freedoms he outlined were freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. As America became engaged in World War II, painter Norman Rockwell did a series of paintings illustrating the four freedoms as international war goals that went beyond just defeating the Axis powers. -
The Bombing of Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii. Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku spent months planning an attack that aimed to destroy the Pacific Fleet and destroy morale in the U.S. Navy, so that it would not be able to fight back as Japanese forces began to advance on targets across the South Pacific. -
The Bombing of Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii. Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku spent months planning an attack that aimed to destroy the Pacific Fleet and destroy morale in the U.S. Navy so that it would not be able to fight back as Japanese forces began to advance on targets across the South Pacific. -
Battle of the Philippines
The Battle of the Philippines was part of the Naval battle of World War 2 between the Japanese Combined Fleet and the U.S. Fifth Fleet. Known as “the greatest carrier battle of the war,” it accompanied the U.S. landing on Saipan and ended in a complete U.S. victory. -
The Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II that took place in June of 1942, six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea.The Battle of Midway became one of the most important American naval victories of World War II. Code-breakers were able to decipher Japanese naval code, allowing American leaders to anticipate Japanese maneuvers and launch a surprise attack on the larger Japanese fleet in the area. -
The Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II that took place in June of 1942, six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea. The Battle of Midway became one of the most important American naval victories of World War II. Code-breakers were able to decipher Japanese naval code, allowing American leaders to anticipate Japanese maneuvers and launch a surprise attack on the larger Japanese fleet in the area. -
The Battle of Stalingrad
In the Battle of Stalingrad, Germany, and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in Southern Russia. The Battle of Stalingrad was won by the Soviet Union against a German offensive that attempted to take the city of Stalingrad (now Volgograd, Russia) during World War II. -
The Battle of Stalingrad
In the Battle of Stalingrad, Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in Southern Russia. The Battle of Stalingrad was won by the Soviet Union against a German offensive that attempted to take the city of Stalingrad (now Volgograd, Russia) during World War II. -
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was an Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War. Operation Torch was the first time the British and Americans had jointly worked on an invasion plan together. The invasion forces had to overcome French opposition in territories controlled by the Vichy Regime under Marshall Philippe Pétain. Jan. The Allies won the battle. -
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was an Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War. Operation Torch was the first time the British and Americans had jointly worked on an invasion plan together. The invasion forces had to overcome French opposition in territories controlled by the Vichy Regime under Marshall Philippe Pétain.Jan. The Allies won the battle. -
The Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk was a Second World War engagement between German and Soviet forces on the Eastern Front near Kursk in the Soviet Union, during July and August 1943. The battle was an unsuccessful German assault on the Soviet salient around the city of Kursk, in western Russia, during World War II. The Germans refrained from trying to mount another counter-attack on the Eastern Front and never again emerged victorious against Soviet forces. -
The Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk was a Second World War engagement between German and Soviet forces on the Eastern Front near Kursk in the Soviet Union, during July and August 1943. The battle was an unsuccessful German assault on the Soviet salient around the city of Kursk, in western Russia, during World War II. The Germans refrained from trying to mount another counter-attack on the Eastern Front and never again emerged victorious against Soviet forces. -
D-Day (June 6th, 1944)
On June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline, to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D-Day, it was the largest seaborne invasion in history. The 'D' in D-Day stands simply for 'day' and the term was used to describe the first day of any large military operation. -
D-Day (June 6th, 1944)
On June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of the heavily-fortified French coastline, to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D-Day, it was the largest seaborne invasion in history. The 'D' in D-Day stands simply for 'day' and the term was used to describe the first day of any large military operation. -
The Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Counteroffensive, was a major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II which took place from 16 December 1944 to 25 January 1945. During the fighting, captured American soldiers and Belgian prisoners were murdered by Waffen SS units. The Allies won the Battle of the Bulge, resulting in significantly higher casualties on the German side despite their surprise attack on Allied forces. -
The Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Counteroffensive, was a major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II which took place from 16 December 1944 to 25 January 1945. During the fighting, captured American soldiers and Belgian prisoners were murdered by Waffen SS units. The Allies won the Battle of the Bulge, resulting in significantly higher casualties on the German side despite their surprise attack on Allied forces. -
The Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima was a major battle in which the United States Marine Corps and Navy landed and eventually captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. It was some of the bloodiest fightings of World War II, and it's believed that all but 200 or so of the 21,000 Japanese forces on the island were killed, as were almost 7,000 Marines. -
The Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima was a major battle in which the United States Marine Corps and Navy landed on and eventually captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. It was some of the bloodiest fighting of World War II, and it's believed that all but 200 or so of the 21,000 Japanese forces on the island were killed, as were almost 7,000 Marines. -
The Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, also known as Operation Iceberg, took place in April-June 1945. It was the largest amphibious landing in the Pacific theater of World War II. It also resulted in the largest casualties with over 100,000 Japanese casualties and 50,000 casualties for the Allies. It was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army and United States Marine Corps forces against the Imperial Japanese Army. -
The Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, also known as Operation Iceberg, took place in April-June 1945. It was the largest amphibious landing in the Pacific theater of World War II. It also resulted in the largest casualties with over 100,000 Japanese casualties and 50,000 casualties for the Allies. It was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army and United States Marine Corps forces against the Imperial Japanese Army. -
The Death of FDR
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, often referred to by his initials FDR died on April 12, 1945. He was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death. FDR died from a hemorrhage stroke at the age of 63. -
The Death of FDR
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, often referred to as his initials FDR, died on April 12, 1945. He was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death. FDR died from a hemorrhage stroke at the age of 63. -
The Death of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler committed suicide on April 30, 1945. He was holed up in a bunker under his headquarters in Berlin. He committed suicide by swallowing a cyanide capsule and shooting himself in the head. Soon after, Germany unconditionally surrendered to the Allied forces, ending Hitler's dreams of a “1,000-year” Reich. -
The Death of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler committed suicide on April 30, 1945. He was holed up in a bunker under his headquarters in Berlin. He committed suicide by swallowing a cyanide capsule and shooting himself in the head. Soon after, Germany unconditionally surrendered to the Allied forces, ending Hitler's dreams of a “1,000-year” Reich. -
Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The United States detonated two nuclear weapons over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 and 9 August 1945. The two bombings killed between 129,000 and 226,000 people, most of whom were civilians, and remain the only use of nuclear weapons in armed conflict.obliterating the cities, and contributing to the end of World War II. The National Archives maintains the documents that trace the evolution of the project to develop the bombs, their use in 1945, and the aftermath. -
Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima
The United States detonated two nuclear weapons over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 and 9 August 1945. The two bombings killed between 129,000 and 226,000 people, most of whom were civilians, and remain the only use of nuclear weapons in armed conflict. obliterating the cities, and contributing to the end of World War II. The National Archives maintains the documents that trace the evolution of the project to develop the bombs, their use in 1945, and the aftermath. -
15th Amendment
The 15th amendment offered greater protections from suffrage. It states that the right of the citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied no matter their race, color, or previous condition of servitude. This is an important amendment because it gave people of color the right to vote. -
Plessy vs. Ferguson
Plessy vs. Ferguson was another landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision. This decision ruled that racial segregation laws did not violate the constitution under the "separate but equal" doctrine. This is important because it established the constitutionality of racial segregation.
