-
The Revolutionary War
From 1775 to 1783, Americans fought for independence against Britain, one of the most powerful countries in the world at the time. After almost eight years of fighting, America won the war at Yorktown, therefore separating form Britain and becoming their own country, the United States of America. -
The Declaration of Independence
On the fourth of July, the Continental Congress adopted a document stating their intention to withdraw from Britain's rule. The Thirteen Colonies of America had by then rebelled against Britain, and were fighting for their freedom. The paper explained why the colonies wanted to be independent. -
End of the Revolutionary War
On this date, the Treaty of Paris formally ended the Revolutionary War and allowed America to become its own independent country. -
The Ratification of the Constitution
The Constitution was voted into action on this date for the United States. After spending close to six months on developing the document, James Madison's bylaws for the new country were finally passed. The Constitution was important because it became America's first successful governing document. -
The War of 1812
In 1812, the United States declared war on Britain, mainly because of trade issues. British ships were restricting American trade due to their war with France, which was hurting the American economy. After two and a half years of fighting, the war ended in a truce- neither side was a clear winner. -
The California Gold Rush
In early 1848, James W. Marshall discovered gold by a river in California. Although he and his superiors tried to keep the find a secret, word soon spread throughout the United States. People from all over the country began to flood California, all searching for gold. Others came to make money off of these prospectors. -
The Compromise of 1850
By 1850, America was becoming divided over various reasons, including slavery. To pacify both the North and the South, an agreement that became known as the Compromise of 1850 was put into effect. Congress hoped to keep the peace through this act, but history shows it ultimately did not work. -
Bleeding Kansas
From 1854 to 1861, Kansas was fought over by both freestate and pro-slavery people. The two sides engaged in multiple "battles" in Kansas, usually resulting in many injuries but only minimal casualties. The skirmishes ended in 1861 when Kansas joined the US as a free state and the Civil War began a little bit later. -
The Formation of the Confederacy
Once Abraham Lincoln was elected as President, many Southern states viewed his victory as the last straw. In December 1860, South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union. Soon after, 10 more states left the Union and decided to form the Confederate States of America. -
The Emancipation Proclamation
One of Abraham Lincoln's most famous speeches was the one that officially freed slaves. The Emancipation Proclamation was an order by the president that stated any slaves in Confederate states were to be freed. Many people today view this act by Lincoln his greatest achievement, cementing him in history. -
The Battle of Gettysburg
For the first three days in July of 1863, Union and Confederate forces clashed in the bloodiest battle of US history. This conflict was the most famous in the Civil War because the tide of the war turned in the Union's favor. Confederate General Robert E. Lee's army was stopped from invading the North adn was forced to retreat. -
The 13th Amendment
At long last, the Constitution was changed to state that no one could be forced to work against their will. After almost 100 years of legal slavery, America finally abolished it, freeing African Americans and other former slaves. Slavery became illegal, and America almost started treating blacks as equals to whites... -
Reconstruction
Although the South was finally defeated, it was left in ruins. Many of the South's key cities and ports were gone, leaving the South crippled with a wrecked economy. So, the North started Reconstruction, an effort to rebuild the South. Reconstruction lasted around 12 years, but finally faded in 1877.
