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French and Indian War
1754-1763 This was a war between the french and Britain for control over the United States. It was also known as the Seven Years' war. The French
lost all the land they owned to Britian. The French still had a few Carribean Islands, but Britian controlled the rest of the continent. -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act's purpose was to raise revenue to cover the debt of the war. Taxes were created on sugar and molasses that would be traded to the United States by the West Indies. -
Quartering Act
This act required colonists to provide food, sheltor, etc., for British soldiers. This caused colonists to become very angry and rebel against Great Britain and cause riots within colonies. -
Stamp Act
This act required all legal documents, newspaper, any paper actually, to have the government stamp on it. Those items were already taxed in Europe at a higher rate and colonists were now taxed on it too. It was the first direct tax on buyers in the colonies. -
Townshend Act
This act suspended the New York Assembly for not complying to the Quartering Act. It caused taxes on imported tea, glass, paper, etc. The money from this was used to pay crown officials who weren't part of colonial government. -
Revolutionary War
1776-1781, The American colonists fought for freedom from GReat Britain. Anger and having to pay unneecassary taxes over the years, caused the war. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence and people signed it which helped the colonists gain their independence from Britain. General Cornwallis surrendered at the Battle of Yorktown. -
Shay's Rebellion
Economic issues and unreasonable taxes caused the rebellion. Daniel Shays, a farmer, formed a mob to stop courthouses from proceeding to punish people who didn't/couldn't pay the "ridiculous" taxes. Shay's Rebellion caused people to call for a stronger government. -
Northwest Ordinance
This set the boundaries for establishing territories and led to later statehood and organization of states. This outlawed slavery in the northwest which stroke rebellion and angered towards those who approved of slavery and owned slaves. -
Jay's Treaty
Jay's treaty was a negotiated treaty that wanted to end the settlement of war over seas and to end the involvement of americans of Indian land. Britain agreed to leave posts in the United States (to get all officers out of there) but not much was done about Britsh ships. This treaty wasn't very popular and didn't have a huge impact. -
Washington's Farewell Address
Washington warned the new nation to avoid any
attatchments to any foreign nation. He said that permanant alliances should be avoided but temporary alliances would be okay. He also warned americans of the use of political parties. -
XYZ Affair
3 men from the United States went to speak to FRench leaders to ask them to stop the harrassment of our ships. Each man who went met one French advisor (X,Y,Z) to talk about bribes. All three of the men refused to take bribes and give them. When the event became public, americans despised the French -
Alien and Sedition Acts
The Alien Act made it harder for immigrants to live in the Us as a citizen. Instead of being a citizen after 5 years of living in the US it was changed to 14 years. The Sedition Act gave Adams the power to control punishment over newspaper critics. -
Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
Madison and Jefferson came up with the Virginia and Kentucky Resolves in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts. They gave the idea that states should have the right to nullify certain laws. The resolves were only adopted in Kentucky and Virginia then later disappeared -
Louisiana Purchase
This land was purchased by the United States from France in 1803. It included 800,000 square miles in area, the territory included Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota west of the Mississippi River, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, most of Kansas, the parts of Montana, Wyoming, and Louisiana, including New Orleans. -
Embargo Act
Thomas Jefferson didn't allow any American ships to leave their harbor and go to any foreign land. He intended on this making the British realize that they needed to stop interfering with US neutral rights. The act backfired and along cam an economic depression. -
War of 1812
1812-1815. The main cause of the war was the issuing of the Non-Intercourse Act in 1809 prohibiting trade with France and Great Britain. In response,
the British issued "Orders in Council" and the French issues decrees, in which both claimed the
right to impress foreign vessels entering their harbors. No change in power or land came from the
war. It was not officially ended until 1824 with the Treaty of Ghent. -
Adam-Onis Treaty
Spain gave up Florida and adapted Oregon territory. In result, United Stated gave up the land of Texas and all its claims towards Spain. The western boundary of the Louisiana Purchase was now outlined and finished. -
Missouri Compromise
Henry Clay proposed that the Louisiana Purchase be divided at 36°30'. This left the north land for non-slave states and the south land for slave states. However, Missouri became a slave state and Maine was now a free state which balanced representation with the Senate. -
Monroe Doctrine
This stated the opinion of the United States saying that Great Britain should no longer interfere with US affairs and should no longer try to colonize the United States. In return, the US promised to stay neutral in foreign wars. -
Tariff of Abominations
Tariff of Abominations increased tariff rates to a max to where the South could not bear to pay all that money. This hurt the south economically and the US as an united whole. -
Nullification Crisis
1832-1833. Resulted from the passage of the "Tariff of Abominations" in 1828. Calhoun issued
the Ordinance of Nullification, ordering customs officials to stop collection taxes at the Port of
Charleston. Andrew Jackson, in turn, issued a Force Bill giving him the power to use federal
troops to collect taxes -
Mexican-American War
1846-1848. the United States and mexico fought over the annexation of Texas into the US and blamed the Mexican government for property damage and stated america's desire to aquire the land of California. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo established the boundary of Texas at the Rio Grande River and after that the war had ended. -
Oregon Treaty
The United States boundaries with Canada extended from Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, extending the limits made by the Treaty of 1818. The cry for
“Fifty-Four Forty or Fight” was abandoned. -
Wilmot Proviso
A bill was passed and provided President Polk with 2 million dollars to settle boundary disputes with Britain. Wilmot created an amendment that stated that all land required from the annexation of texas should be named as free. -
Compromise of 1850
This was a compromise for the land acquired from the Mexican War.
California was named as a free state and all slave trade was prohibited in Washington DC. the Fugitive Slave Act was passed, and the territories of New Mexico and Utah were established on the basis pf popular sovereignty which also caused an uprise. -
Kansas Nebraska Act
The lands west of Mississippi and Iowa were now named Kansas and Nebraska. This act overlooked the Missouri Compromise and gave the people the right to decide if the territories chould be named as free or slave states, the process being popular sovereignty. -
Civil War
1861-1865, States rights, the question of slavery and many other issues were being fought over in the civil war. Robert E.Lee surrendered at the Courthouse Appomottax. The end of the war led to reconstruction of a new unified Unnited States and revision of a stronger government. -
Homestead Act
The Homestead Act established that the head of every family could now gain 160 acres of land in the newly gained territories by paying a registration fee and living on the territory for 5 years. -
Pendleton Act
The Pendleton Act was a federal law that stated the government jobs should be given based on merits and how well they do. A competitive exam was created for this. It also made it illegal to fire or demote someone for a political reason. -
Interstate Commerce Act
the Interstate Commerce Act was a federal law created to regulate the railroad industry especially its monopolistic strategies. It required railroad rates to be "reasonable and just" but did not give the government power to control the rates. -
Sherman Anti-Trust Act
The Sheman Anti-Trust Act was created to control monopolies. It requires the government to investigate and pursue trusts, organizations, and companies suspected of vioulating the act. -
Spanish American War
The failure to resolve the problems in the Cuban Revolution between Spain and Cuba and threats against the US caused the beginning of the Spanish American War. Americans supported Cubans who were being attacked by Spain and also captured the Phillipines during this war. -
Open Door Policy
The Open Door Policy was a concept in foreign affairs that refers to a past policy that allowed imperial powers access to China and none were in control of that country. It originates from British Commercial practice. -
Platt Amendment
Cuba could not make a treaty with any other foreign nations. Also, Cuba was to allow the United States to give out orders and use the base at Guatanamo Bay for 30 something years. -
World War I
1914-1918. World War I was also known as the Great War. America was neutral at first but over time became a part of the war. The Treaty of Versailles ended the horrible war and made the Germans pay back anything to the damaged countries that were affected by this war. -
Dollar Diplomacy
The idea that the economic increase would help out other nations and also bring power and profit to the United States. Also, we wouldn't need to use troops are special funds to help out our economic situation. -
Treaty of Versailles
President Wilson introduced "Fourteen Points" to world security. This ended Germany and the allied powers. This was one out of numerous treaties that were created at the end of World War I -
Teapot Dome Scandal
The teapot dome scandal was a "bribery incident" that took place during President Harding's Administration. Secretary of Interior, Albert Fall leased navy petroleum at Teapot Dome to numerous companies at a low rate without competitive buy. Fall was later convicted of excepting illegal bribes. -
Five Power Treaty
The Five Power Treaty, also known as the Washington NavalTreaty, limited naval armanents from the five "signatories": the United States, British Empire, Japan Empire, French Third Republic, and Italy. It was an attempt to end naval arms race at the end or world war I -
World War II
1939-1945. World WAr II was a battle between literally almost allof the world's nations. It was a battle between the Allies and Axis powers. Most nations put their econommic, political, and social lives into the war effort. This war included events like the Holocaust. -
Lend Lease Act
The Lend- Lease Act authorized the president to sell, lend, lease, transfer, or exchange arms to supply the United Kingdom, Soviet Union, China, France and all other allied nations. This gave them war supplies against Germany. -
Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference was the wartime meeting between the leaders of the United States, United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union. The representatives were Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin. They met to discuss Europe post war organization. -
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization that aims to maintain international cooperation in international law, international security, economic developement, social progress, human rights, and most of all, achievement of world peace! -
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was a program in which the United States helped Europe by sending monatary support to help rebuild Europe's economy and to prevent the spread of communism. The plan was to remove trade barriers and to modernize Europe's industry. -
Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctine was a policy that President Truman used to state that the United States would help and allie with GReece and Turkey. They would help with economic and military aid to help prevent them to lean towards communism. -
NATO
NATO is an governmental military alliance that was based on the North Atlantic Treaty. NATO was used during the Korean War where two U.S. Supreme leaders lead the association. It was evolved as a military structure and focuses itself on sending to troops to areas where they are needed. -
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuous state of war to prevent communism from spreading from the Soviet Union and it's "friends" to the United States and its allies. The United States primarily entered to keep aid to proxy wars and calm down propoganda. -
Brown v. Board
Brown v. Board of Education was a decision by the supreme court that declared state laws that established seperate but equal black and white schools was unconstituional. -
Bay of Pigs
The CIA sent trained men over to Cuba in attempt to overthrow government led by Fidel Castro. The trained Cuban forces defeated the invaders within three days. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation between the Untied States, the Soviet Union, and Cuba during the cold war. After the Unites States' failed attempt to overthrow Cuba, the Soviet Union and Cuba came together to build bases to build nuclear weapons at. The US wanted to destroy these bases. -
Vietnam War
1968-1975. The Vietnam war was an extension of the Cold War. This war was between North Vietnam and South Vietnam which was supported by the United States. The North took over the South boundaries and spread communism. The south and the United States tried to push past the parallel gaining back lost territory but in the end all stayed the same, kind of. -
Watergate
The Watergate Scandal happened in the 1970s. This was the scandal that involved the break in of the Democratic National Commitees. President Richard Nixon was the first president to resign before end of term. Five officials were convicted and held trial.