-
It was the exchange of goods and ideas from Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. It was important because it resulted in the mixing of people, deadly diseases that devastated trade flows. The positives of this were that the exchanging of ideas brought about different ways of thinking. Also, the new animals brought about different foods that could provide more nutrients and it could help agricultural aspects because of the domestication. -
The founding of Jamestown was the first instance of a permanent settlement in the new world. Jamestown represented the hard work it took to start a new living in a place where you are not familiar. It further shows the arduous work to keep a colony running smoothly and efficiently. It was the beginning of the establishment of English colonies which kickstarted the start of present-day America. -
The Mayflower Compact was the first document to establish self-government in the New World. This compact was made by the separatists aboard the Mayflower vessel. It stated that colonies needed a written constitution with a set of rules that everyone would have to follow. They put this in place so that the government that could not abuse its power. They wanted the laws present in the compact to be just and equal among all people in the colonies. -
The Albany Plan was the first instance of becoming a true nation. The proposal was to conceive of the colonies as a collective whole united under one government. Having us become a nation would help the nation thrive but the colonies were afraid of losing their own autonomy. The Albany Plan was the start of becoming a rising country and it was drafted by our founding fathers. -
The Daughters of Liberty were a group of women who were activists during the Stamp Act Crisis and later the Townshend Acts. This group embodied the new idea that women might play a role in public affairs. They boycotted all foreign goods by making their own products. The Daughters of Liberty spun clothes and created their own textiles for their communities. They were fighting for liberty during the American Revolution which changed history forever. -
The act granted the company the right to ship its tea directly to the colonies without first landing it in England. The colonists were mad because the East India Company still had possession of tea sales in the colonies and they forced them to pay taxes on the tea. In response, the Sons of Liberty organized a protest against the Tea Act known as the Boston Tea Party. -
The innovation of the steam engine, created by Watt, helped power mechanical equipment. We could now use fuel instead of wind, water, or muscle power. Steam engines made it possible to easily work, live, produce, and expand without the troubles and inconsistency of other sources of power. This creation has been used throughout history and is still used in present-day life. -
It contains the ideals or goals of our nation. It also complained about being under the control of Britain and why they wanted to be free. The Declaration helped unify the colonies so that they all fought together instead of trying to make separate peace agreements with Britain. It told Britain that we were separating from them to become our own Nation -
Common Sense inspired American colonists to declare independence from England. The idea behind it was that the colonists should know that Britain is just using their resources for their own good. Common Sense also led to the Declaration of Independence which made the final step towards freedom from Great Britain. -
The Battle of Saratoga was a major turning point in the Revolutionary War. This battle resulted in a major win for the Americans and took a major toll on the British. When John Burgoyne's army tried to cut off New England we captured and defeated 2/3 of his men. When he was going to complete his plan he was met with the American army where we surrounded him quickly. This win gave morale to the Americans and it convinced France to help us defend and win the Revolutionary War. -
The Connecticut Compromise combined the ideas of the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. This compromise created the present-day houses of congress. They united the ideas of equal representation for all states and the population bases representation. The equality of this compromise led to the ratification of the Constitution 3 years later. -
The cotton gin's job was to enable the rapid separation of seeds from cotton fibers. It reduced the time it took to process cotton so it could get exported quickly. This invention caused demand for cotton to rise so it ended with the slave labor force skyrocketing to keep up with those demands. The rise of slave labor wasn't a part of Whitney's plan but it was an unexpected result of a great idea. The good part was that because of this high demand for cotton the textile industry grew as well. -
Pinckney's Treaty ended the dispute between America and Spain over a land settlement and Mississippi River navigation. This treaty allowed the U.S to use the Mississippi whenever they wanted (with official approval of Spain). Having this treaty in place boosted trade and economic power for America. -
The court case of Marbury v. Madison started where James Madison, who was a member of Jefferson's cabinet finds a letter for John Marbury. The letter stated that it would grant Marbury a federal judgeship. Jefferson tells him to not deliver it and South Carolina sides with Madison to where Marbury doesn't get his seat because it was deemed unconstitutional. The court case resulted in Judicial Review where they have the right to declare laws unconstitutional or to strike them down. -
The embargo act prohibited American ships from trading in foreign ports. It was intended to punish Britain and France for interfering with American trade. The act resulted in widespread smuggling but it has positives as well. Americans were forced to rely on themselves and create their own product. It drove down their reliance on foreign exports and helped stimulate some economic growth. Even though there were positives it couldn't catch up to the decline. -
The burning of the capital happened because the British were urged to attack the former colonies after American troops attacked Canada and burned government buildings. They chose the capital because of its significance to America. After a brief fight, the city surrendered and nearly all government buildings were razed. Even though the U.S took a major loss we still fought hard and showed that we can take on a world power head-on and still show their strength and power as a developing nation. -
The election of 1824 was between 4 candidates where none of them won the majority. This meant that the votes would go to the House of
Representatives to make the decision. Clay was the speaker of the house where he and Adams meet privately in his office. After this meeting, Clay publicly supported Adams where he was announced as president and the secretary of state is now Henry Clay. This is what is now known as the corrupt bargain to the Jackson supporters where he later wins a later election. -
Henry Clay's American System supported a high tariff to protect American industries and generate revenue for the federal government. The development of a system of internal improvements was also a major part of his ideas. Having the internal improvements could create canals and roads which would establish more stable trading and transportation for the nation. This allowed the U.S to become more connected which could later help the economic component to become a rising world power. -
The liberator was a major part of the Abolitionist movement. It was the most widely circulated anti-slavery newspaper during the antebellum period and throughout the Civil War. The Liberator denounced all people and acts that would prolong slavery including the United States Constitution. This newspaper drew more attention towards abolition which had both positive and negative regarding people's support and contribution towards the anti-slavery movement. -
The Trail of Tears signifies the callousness of American policies towards Native Americans. Indian lands were held hostage by the federal government, and Indians had to agree to removal to preserve their identity as tribes. The migrants faced hunger, disease, and exhaustion on the forced march to the west. They had to find new life and put an end to their once-prosperous life back in their native lands. -
The reaper developed the agricultural development regarding harvesting planted goods. This invention helped tackle the hard effort put into processing wheat and other grains. With this creation, crops could be cut far faster than before which knocked down production time. The bad part about McCormick's reaper was that it took away jobs for the ones who were manually harvesting the grains. -
The telegraph allowed messages to be sent through a wire which increased the idea of communication. Morse's creation influenced the U.S postal system by the advantage of being able to send messages for both commercial and personal reasons. The telegraph expanded the business possibilities and expedited the work of a variety of professions. Being able to communicate across long distances quickly helped urbanization take place and set a standard for what the future would hold in communication. -
The sewing machine became a major part of the U.S economy and trade over the years. This invention created the foundation of the new textile industry. It changed the way clothing was made and the speed at which clothes were manufactured. This creation also gave jobs to women where they could start bringing home income for their families. The sewing machine soon became a major part of the progress and development of America. -
The North Star was created to "promote the moral and intellectual improvement of the colored people." It didn't only focus on ending slavery and promoting the advancement of equality among African Americans, it also contributed to the strong support of women's rights. Its job was to stop oppression among minorities and to bring everyone together to where all people in the U.S were equal on all fronts. Douglas wanted to create and spread awareness of being morally correct and to do what's right. -
The Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 was a major turning point in the Women's Rights Movement. It influenced more women and some men to start working for equal rights. The convention was so big that newspapers put it in as an article, usually ridiculing them, but it helped them even more by giving them publicity. This publicity made the women's rights movement even bigger than it already was which finally gave them rights in the 19th amendment. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin was written in reaction to recently tightened fugitive slave laws. The book had a major influence on the way the American public viewed slavery. Her book brought attention to the underlying feelings of abolitionism and lead to widespread awareness including Abraham Lincoln's opinion on slavery. Stowe emphasized the harsh reality of slavery and the publication brought more support for the anti-slavery movement. -
The killings at Pottawatomie Creek marked the beginning of the bloodletting of the “Bleeding Kansas” period. Kansas broke into Civil War following this attack, which led to the true Civil War, and the Massacre started violence between Congress members. This massacre was led by John Brown who would continuously make strong contributions to abolitionism. John Brown had a huge importance in America because his intentions were in the right place but his actions don't justify his cause. -
Dred Scott was a former slave that challenged the definition of citizenship. Scott sued for his freedom, arguing that since he had lived in a free state and a free territory, he was a free man. In the end, the supreme court ruled that Americans of African descent, whether free or slave, were not American citizens and could not sue in federal court. This meant that Dred Scott was still considered a slave under the eyes of the Supreme Court. -
The Battle of Bull Run was the first signal to the Union that the south was not messing around and that the war was real. This was the first major battle of the Civil War and the first major victory for the Confederates. The battle was also where Jackson got his name, Stonewall Jackson. This was a major victory for the Confederate army to establish morale within their troops and they also got to see the Union shattered. -
the Pacific Railway Act led to the successful completion of the transcontinental railroad. This was the biggest thing attempted in mankind during the time. He had 2 companies compete against each other to complete everything and their funding depended on the area they built the railroads on. The completion of the transcontinental railroad gave access to China which can boost economic power through trade with Asia. -
The Homestead Act encouraged Western migration by providing settlers with 160 acres of land. It ultimately helped create an insanely productive agricultural economy. Farmers were able to expand their knowledge, as well as skills, in agriculture because of the diversity of terrain. The government took their land and before they knew it their land was populated by homesteaders. This was a major downside of the Homestead act because it cause aggression among the Natives. -
The Morrill Act of 1862 offered states land to form colleges that included agriculture, engineering, and military tactics. It led to the establishment of many universities and opened the door for public college education in America. Having this in place gave the citizens of America a higher education to boost the knowledge of the future generation. -
The Battle of Antietam is known as the single bloodiest day in American military history. Both the Union and the Confederacy fought hard where Stonewall Jackson's forces stood ground, but eventually Lee's forces were driven out of Maryland. This battle was ultimately inconclusive but the Union took it as a win to the extent where Lincoln decided to deliver the Emancipation Proclamation. -
The Confederate's plan entering in this was to weaken the North's appetite for war. The confederates were gaining ground and launched heavy assaults on the Union. The Union Army held strong against the Confederacy to later start Lee's torturous retreat back to Virginia. The number of casualties was so large that Lincoln made a ceremony for the fallen Union soldiers. After this Lincoln redefined the purpose of the war in his delivery of the historic Gettysburg Address. -
The Battle of Chancellorsville was a Confederate victory where Hooker had to surrender to Lee. Their plan to attack while they were vulnerable in the wilderness was known as one of the boldest plans of the war. This attack ended with the mortal wounded of Stonewall Jackson but his flank successfully fought Hooker's army 4 times. This victory is known as the greatest victory for Lee out of the entire war. -
The Emancipation Proclamation made the eradication of slavery into an explicit Union goal, in addition to the reuniting of the country. It would ultimately free the slaves of the Confederate states in rebellion against the Union if they weren't to come back in peace. Lincoln's speech also would change the peoples' views on the war going from reuniting the country to distributing freedom among slaves. -
The Battle of Vicksburg was a major Union victory that was led by Ulysses S. Grant. The infamous Anaconda Plan was used to where they surrounded the Confederate Army and took control of the Mississippi River. The Anaconda Plan split the confederate army in half and it essentially boosted morale for the Union. During the Battle of Vicksburg, there were heavy casualties and it held out for more than 40 days. -
This election was where Lincoln got re-election and it ensured that he would preside over the successful conclusion of the Civil War. It would be obvious to re-elect your previous president during a war because it wouldn't go over smoothly with a change of power. This election also included his former general, George B. McClellan. McClellan ran against Lincoln. After all, he had publically embarrassed him because he wouldn't do his job to the maximum capacity. -
With the 13th Amendment finally being created slavery was now illegal and abolished among all states and territories relating to the United States. Slaves were now free and able to get jobs and live their life as they had been dreaming of for a long time. Even though the amendment abolished slavery many found loopholes, such as black codes and sharecropping. These loopholes were a way to keep freed blacks under servitude and oppression despite laws put in place. -
Trapped by the Federals near Appomattox Court House, Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to Union General Ulysses S. Grant. This event was the one that finally ended the most gruesome war in history. Grant also let the confederates leave with all of their supplies in peace. The Union was finally saved, reunited, and the slaves were all free. -
The 14th amendment established that all people born here and immigrants through naturalization are full citizens. Having this amendment in place finally gave freed blacks their full citizenship. It also states that any congressman that denies some people to vote is ejected completely. This gave everyone equal protection of the laws. This gave everyone in the states and territories equality on all fronts. -
The 15th amendment prohibits the federal government from denying a citizen the right to vote based on that citizen's "race, and state color, or previous condition of servitude." Having this amendment in place gave blacks the right to vote which was 1 more step towards them being treated just as equally as every other citizen. It was also very unpopular among the states to where they used intimidation and didn't guarantee suffrage among all men. -
This resulted in Native American victory and the worst U.S. Army defeat in the long Plains Indian War. In this battle, Custer and his men were massacred by a large group of Natives. The demise of Custer and his men outraged many white Americans and confirmed their image of the Indians as wild and bloodthirsty. With this change of image and public opinion, the Natives were now seen as enemies and direct threats which only brought more violence towards them. -
The Pendleton Act provided that Federal Government jobs be awarded on the basis of merit rather than favors. It ended the spoils system of political patronage and established competitive examinations for hiring civil employees. This later resulted in the Civil Service Commission. Having this in place made sure that the U.S had the right people in the federal government by giving them jobs that related to their scores on the exam. -
The Dawes Act was similar to the homestead act and many natives took the opportunity to own a piece of land. The U.S believed that they were being very generous to the natives and the "friends of the natives" aided them. On the downside, the natives won't be in communal living and it would break ties with their past life. This could be seen as an attack on their culture and to take their land from them. -
The battle of wounded knee marked the definitive end of Indian resistance to the intrusions of white settlers. This is where ghost dances happened and the U.S soldiers saw it as a threat so they massacred the participating natives. In this killing, the chief named Sitting Bull died. Losing such an important person in their culture resulted in the breakage of any organized resistance to reservation life. -
The Ferguson decision upheld the principle of racial segregation throughout history. The basis of this came from the "separate but equal" doctrine. The ruling provided legal justification for segregation on trains and buses, and in public facilities such as hotels, theaters, and schools. They established "separate but equal" yet didn't uphold both ends they focused on the separate but not the equal. Blacks always got the short end of the stick, even down to the textbooks for schools. -
The Teller Amendment was extremely important to the Spanish-American War. This amendment stated that if America won the war with the Spanish, that took over Cuba, we would not take over their country. This promised that the U.S would not annex the island after we claimed victory. We would withdraw our troops and leave control to the people of Cuba. It guaranteed protection and freedom that the Cubans desired under the reign of Spain. -
The storming of San Juan Hill was led by Teddy Roosevelt and his rough riders. His rough riders were also a cavalry unit that Teddy created himself made up of all cowboys. This day was known as TR's greatest day of his life. The victory of Kettle Hill allowed the United States to begin a siege of San Juan Hill, which led to Spanish surrender. This battle was the one that ended the Spanish-American War and freed Cuba from Spain. -
Before the bill, many were worried that the federal government would violate the rights of the individual if they were not specifically spelled out in the Constitution. The bill of rights serves to protect citizens from excessive government power. This established rights, that were protected by law, to every individual. It also offsets the possibility of the potential for tyranny. A major effect of this was that it guaranteed separation of powers which can be led into the checks and balances.