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The Dead Rabbits Riot
The Bowery boys was a gang of Native, anti-immigrants that wanted to keep control of the city away from an Irish immigrant gang known as The Dead Rabbits. The two gangs fought in a riot over a piece of land called "Paradise Square" -
The Ku Klux Klan is Established
America's first domestic terrorist group, the KKK was founded by a group of former confederate soldiers in Pulaski, Tennessee. The KKK's initial goal was to end reconstruction in the south, targeting African Americans and white voters who supported racial equality. -
John D. Rockefeller Creates Standard Oil
Standard Oil was a company that controlled almost all oil production, marketing, and transportation in the United States. The business gave John D. Rockefeller popularity and made him one of the first billionaires in the world. -
Alexander Graham Bell Patents the Telephone
Alexander Graham Bell created the first telephone after he realized that he could improve upon the telegraph. He noticed the fact that telegraphs were required to be hand-delivered and that only one could be delivered at a time. He decided to create a "harmonic telegraph" using electric currents to create vibrations, and magnets to connect and send the message between two devices. This device allowed people to speak to each other directly from longer distances. -
The Great Oklahoma Land Race
After Illinois representative William Springer edited the Indian Appropriations Bill, so that Oklahoma could be opened for settlement, people "raced" to claim the new land. -
Ellis Island Opens to Process Immigrants
700 immigrants enter Ellis Island after the first immigration station on the island is opened there. In the first year of this station being open, nearly 450,000 immigrants pass through the island. -
The Wizard of Oz (Book) is Published
The Wizard of Oz is a children's fantasy book, but is seen as a political allegory in support of the populist movement. Dorothy being the everyman, Tin Man being the industrial worker, Scarecrow being the farmer, the Cowardly Lion being William Jennings Brian, The Wizard being the president, the munchkins being the little people, and the yellow brick road being the gold standard that they all follow. -
J.P. Morgan Founds U.S. Steel
The company was formed in the combination of Carnegie's Steel Company and the Federal Steel Company. U.S. Steel has played an important role in American history by supplying steel for many important structures. -
Teddy Roosevelt Becomes President of the United States
He unexpectedly became the president after William McKinley was assassinated, but he was re-elected for a second term nonetheless. He worked to break up industrial combinations under the Sherman Antitrust Act, and was known for being an environmental conservationist. -
Ford Motor Company is Founded
The Ford Motor Company manufactures passenger motors, trucks, automotive parts, and accessories. Henry Ford and 11 associate investors founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903. Henry Ford and his family received full ownership of this company in 1919. -
Ida Tarbell Publishes Her Article About Standard Oil
Ida Tarbell wrote an article to expose the unfair practices in the rising of The Standard Oil Company. Her work helped establish the field of investigative journalism and led to many anti-trust lawsuits meant to take away power from business monopolies like Standard Oil. -
The 16th Amendment is Passed
The 16th amendment allowed congress to impose a federal income tax. This was important because it played a huge role in building up the strong American federal government in the 20th century. -
Angel Island Opens to Process Immigrants
Often compared to Ellis Island, this island is described as having a prison like environment that many immigrants at the time had to endure. Many Chinese and Japanese immigrants were imprisoned here, as they were seen as a threat to the "purity" of the white race. -
The 17th Amendment is Passed
The 17th amendment made it so that there would be two senators per state, and that they would be elected directly by the people. This was important because it kept the state legislatures from being able to choose senators and truly gave the power to the people. -
The Empire State Building Opens
The Empire State building was built to host corporate business offices and to be the tallest building in the world. It is located in Midtown Manhattan in New York City and took 1 year and 45 days to build.