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Domestication of Horses
With the introduction of Spaniards to the New World, horses were introduced to the Native American population. Out of agricultural and transportation necessity, horses were adopted into use. -
Steamboat
The first steamboat was developed in 1787 by John Fitch. This boat would be crucial for river transportation within the United States, and travel between Europe and America in the Atlantic during the next centuries. This also allowed much more immigration the US. -
First Amendment
The First Amendment of the Bill of Rights in the Constitution provided conditional/limited freedom of speech for all American citizens. -
Alien and Sedition Acts
Passed in 1798 under John Adams, the Sedition section of the Alien and Sedition Acts severely limited communication of Americans. Anything negative said about the government was disallowed and punishable. -
Cherokee Alphabet
The Cherokee Alphabet was developed in 1810 prior to the Trail of Tears and distinguished the Cherokee as a more assimilated tribe -
Development of the National Road
The National Road was developed in 1811 under president James Madison, beginning in Maryland, and heading westward through Pennsylvania and Missourri, and finally stopping in Illinois. This road is reminiscent of the highway system put into use today, and is a major advancement in transportation. -
Development of the Telegraph
The American Electric Telegraph was developed in 1836 by Samuel F. B. Morse. It was revolutionary as a faster way to communicate-resembling a much less advanced version of a modern day text message. They were coded using Morse Code. -
Morse Code
The Morse Code was developed in the early 1940's to be used for telegrams. It also functioned well for espionage and other purposes requiring coded communication. -
Invention of the Sewing Machine
The invention of the sewing machine was pivotal. Invented by Elias Howe and Isaac Singer, the sewing machine made life easier for thousands of housewives. It also created many jobs in factories, running and creating sewing machines. Both of these factors gave women more independence and could have partially contributed to the formation of the "new woman". -
Patent on the Bessemer Process
It was developed and made the process of manufacturing steel much quicker and easier. It blasted air into steel to to make it stronger. It enabled factories to become more efficient and technology based, which led to the hiring of cheaper, less skilled labor, such as immigrants. The pay could thus be lower. It was patented by Henry Bessemer in 1855. -
Development of Trans Railroad
The development of the railroad enabled the West to become more settled and accesible--conversely, the settled West helped further develop the railroad. The first railroad stretching from Atlantic to Pacific was developed by Union and Central Pacific corporations. With new inventions such as the refridgerated car compounded onto the railroad, new innovations were made possible, such as the transportation of meat. Indeed, the railroad was absolutely imperative to how the country formed today. -
Invention of the Telephone
Grahm Bell made the first successful telephone call on this day. It provided a much simpler way to communicate with people living far away, which sped up life in general for the people. -
Development of Panama Canal
The Panama Canal was a major advancement in transportation--it eased trade by creating a shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It was started by the French in 1880, but the project halted due to Yellow Fever. When it was resumed by the Americans, it was finished and usable by 1915. The canal was the result of many imperialistic political maneuvers, such as orchestrating the revolution in Panama, and can be used as an example of what policitcs were like at this time -
How the Other Half Lives
A book of photographs exposing the quality of life of many lower class citizens/immigrants in urban areas. Especially focused on tenements. Could be classified as "muckraking", but was one of the first works to publicly expose a severe problem in American society, which weren't always talked about during the Gilded Age. -
Yellow Journalism
Publishers used yellow journalism to exagerate news stories to interest the people reading the stories more. This was a step in communication with the citizens reading the papers. The exagerated stories sparked their interest much more, and made them want to get more involved in issues being expressed in the country. -
Guam
The United States gained Guam as a navy base and still use it. This was a major step in transportation because it allowed the navy to be set up in other locations and thus have the ability to get to places faster. -
Hays Open Door Policy
Hays Open Door Policy was based on the fact that many world powers were competing for "spheres of influence" in China--such as Japan, Britain, and Germany. The policy stated that all of these world powers could share in trade with China but that they would not interfere with the use of treaty ports. -
Reform Based Magazines
Reform based magazines such as McClure's and Collier's spread the word about many social issues during the Progressive Era. Examples are women's rights, civil rights, labor reform and political corruption. They also published many influential writers like Lincoln Steffens and Ida Tarbell. -
Urban Planning/Traffic
By re-planning cities such as Chicago with wider roads, the flow of traffic/transportation would improve. Changes were planned out by archtitects such as Daniel Burnham. -
Initiative, Referendum, Recall
Allowed more communication between the government and the people. Initiative allowed voters to bring a bill to legislators' attention. Referendum allows opinions on measures being considered. Recall is the power to take someone out of office with enough signatures. -
The Airplane in Flight
First flown in North Carolina in 1903, airplanes would go on to modernize and revolutionize travel, making more trips possible without ships, and giving passengers the ability to fly greater distances. -
The Jungle
This was another advancement in communication. It opened peoples' eyes to what really happened in slaughterhouses. It let Upton Sinclair communicate what happens to those living in America and eating these foods. It let the people react as they saw fit, and was most definitely an advancement in comminication. -
Establishment of General Motors/Automobile
Established in 1908, this corporation made brands from Cheverolet to Cadillac and made the automobile more accesible to Americans. As for the automobile, the earliest models began developing in the eighteenth century. With this company, automobiles started becoming more and more popular and began to change transportation forever. -
Use of U-Boats in WWI
U-boats were used as a source of transportation by the German army during World War I, and the unrestricted warfare and attacks on passenger ships by these boats jump started the U.S.'s involvement in World War I. -
The Radio
The radio became mainstream in th 1920s, creating a mass culture and providing versatile entertainment and easy access to news. In the 1930's, FDR's Fireside Chats via radio helped to regain confidence in the government and the banking system, significantly helping the Great Depression. -
Film
Thoughout the 1920's, the silent film era, with stars such as Charile Chaplin, became popular. This industry blossomed in the 1930's into "The Golden Age" of Film, fueled by escapism from the issues that the Great Depression brought. Innovative classic movies such as The Wizard of Oz were made during this time. -
New Deal arts programs
Many artists, writers and photographers were hired through the WPA to document the Great Depression through articles, stories, photojournalism and other art forms, many of which became cultural icons (for example, Dorothea Lange's iconic Dust Bowl picture) of this era. -
The Development of the UN
Officially started in 1945, a council of world countries, headed by the permanent members of the Security Counsel--The United States, Britain, France, the USSR, and China--became the United Nations. This organization was started to mediate disputes and become an international authority to prevent a third World War. -
NATO
A treaty organization between many European countries based on the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949. -
Television
Growing more popular and commonplace in the 1950's, televisions were an item owned by many Americans. By 1950 there were 50 million in the US. TV's were important for both news and entertainment. Popular sitcoms appealed to many suburban American families, reinforcing the values of family. The accessibility of TV's helped to create a mass culture. -
Sputnik
The first satellite ever launched. This was launched by the Soviets and helped pave the way for a new form of transportation: space travel. -
Peace Corps
Created by JFK, the Peace Corps affected possible communications between the United States and other countries and affected its perception from other countries as the Peace Corps attempted to hel less developed areas. -
1960's Counterculture
The counterculture of the 1960's affected communications in the whole country--drastically evolving from the conformity and support of the government in the 1950's to blunt disapproval of the Vietnam and traditional American society. -
Great Society Programs
The Great Society Programs, implemented by JFK and carried on by LBJ and other presidents, helped to develop arts and communications (for example, the Broadcasting Act of 1967) among other measures against poverty and pro education. -
America's Moon Landing
The landing on the moon was a major advancement in the American space program. Neil Armstrong was the first person ever to step foot on the moon. This was also a major milestone in the Cold War's Space Race between the Soviet Union and the United States.
