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Sand Creek Massacre
Colorado troops kill nearly one thousand Native Americans, mostly women and children, from a tribe that the United States had promised to leave alone. The chief, Black Kettle had fully embraced America and even waved an American flag as the troops approached. This event was important because it showed that there was nothing Native Americans could do to avoid US aggression. Even if they submitted to their wishes, the United States would want their land for resources and would not be stopped. -
Lincoln's Assassination
Shortly after the war ended, Lincoln was killed. The assassin was John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate-sympathizing actor. Lincoln had a plan for Reconstruction and took it very seriously. His assassination is significant because it changed the course of Reconstruction by passing the responsibility to then vice president, Andrew Jackson. Jackson did not carry out Reconstruction in the same way that Lincoln did. -
14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment gave voting rights to African Americans. This allowed many African Americans to become leaders in southern politics. That era ended at the hands of violent hate groups. This is important because racism grew as black people gained power. This contributed to the perpetual problem of racism in America. -
Presidential election of 1876
The race between Democrat Tilden and Republican Hayes was disputed and decided by a committee of delegates. The Republican delegates agreed to remove federal troops from the south in return for the win. This displayed a shifting focus of the Republican party. Republicans were more concerned with economics and party politics that finishing the job of reconstruction. Without troops in the south, terror groups suppressed black people and re-established an antebellum social order -
President Garfield Assasinated
President James Garfield was shot and killed by Charles Guiteau, a lawyer who had been hoping to be appointed into Garfield's cabinet. This event caused the passing of the Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883, which prohibited federal employees from making campaign contributions. This brought an end to the spoils system (a system in which officials were chosen by friendship or campaign donations). Instead, candidates for elected office would now rely on campaign donations from big businesses -
Chinese Exclusion Act
President Chester A. Arthur sign this bill in 1882 disqualifying Chinese from naturalization and keeping out Chinese immigrants due to pressure from workers and a popular idea of maintaining "racial purity." The act would remain in place until 1943. -
"How the Other Half Lives" published
"How the Other Half Lives" was a piece of photojournalism exposing the terrible conditions in which poor Americans lived in the slums of New York City. At that time, the gap between rich and poor was large to the point that most Americans belonging to the upper class would have no idea about the struggle experienced by lower class. -
Homestead Strike
Carnegie left his operations manager Henry Frick to deal with the Union Contract running out while Carnegie was in Scotland. Frick cut wages, causing workers to go on strike. He then built a barbed wire topped fence around the plant to keep them out. In July, Frick fired all 3,800 workers and had private forces of 300 men occupy the plant. Later the workers took control of the plant and occupied it until the Pennsylvania National Guard was called in. -
Cross of Gold Speech
The Cross of Gold Speech was given by William Jennings Bryan in July, 1896. It argued for the bimetallic standard presenting it as a matter of caring for the little guy. It also argued that switching to a bimetallic standard on our own and not waiting for other countries to do so first could establish the United States as a world power. It showed Bryan's strength as a captivating orator but also exposed the lack of substantial evidence of bimetallism helping any poor Americans but farmers. -
Election of 1896
Republican William McKinley favored the established gold standard and Democrat William Jennings Bryan favored bimetallism to help farmers. Ultimately, McKinley won because of larger campaign funds and the support of the cities. The Election of 1896 was important because it introduced the idea of a bimetallic standard, demonstrated the power of the urban areas in an election, and brought about the system of having big businesses fund campaigns. -
The USS Maine Explodes
The USS Maine had been sent to Havana as a precaution for Americans living in Cuba to be shipped to the mainland if the turmoil in Cuba became an immediate threat. on February 15, 1898, the Maine exploded where it was docked. The tragedy is now attributed to internal malfunctioning but American yellow journalists of the time were quick to blame the Maine on Spain. This, along with journalism exposes atrocities committed by Spain on Cubans bolstered popular support for war with Spain. -
America Declares War on Spain
Amid conflict in Cuba between Cubans and the Spanish colonial government, The US intervened to tip the balance against Spain. President McKinley identified the "Reasons for War" as to end to terrible treatment of natives in Cuba, to protect Americans in Cuba, to protect American financial interests in Cuba, and to end the threat posed by conflict so close to American borders -
Foraker Act is Signed
Sign by President McKinley, the Foraker Act set ground rules for Puerto Rico as a part of the US. It established that Puerto Rican ports would follow the same taxation rules as American ports, it established a Puerto Rican government with its capital in San Juan. It allowed former Spanish citizens to be given the choice to become Puerto Rican citizens, granting them US protection. It also establish the US dollar as the currency to be used in Puerto Rico instead of the previous Spanish currency -
Gavleston Hurricane
A hurricane in Galveston, Texas killed 8,000 people. In the aftermath, Galveston replaced its mayor with a five-member board. In the next 18 years, 500 other cities adopted this "Galveston Plan." With five people in charge, it was more difficult for a political boss to buy out the city government than with just one mayor. -
McKinley Assasination
President William McKinley was shot and killed by an anarchist assassin. This left his vice president, Theodore Roosevelt as president. Roosevelt worked to limit the powers of monopolies as the nation transitioned into the Progressive Era. -
Roosevelt Corollary is delivered
In his 1904 State of the Union Address, President Roosevelt laid out American foreign policy intentions. He said that the United States would only interfere with other countries if the way they conducted themselves strayed from civilization as this was a result of a poorly governed nation. Considered an addition to the Monroe Doctrine, the Corollary left it up for American interpretation what behaviors could be considered civilized. This allowed the US to interfere with any non-democracy. -
Panic of 1907
An economic disturbance in 1907 was blamed on Roosevelt's policies of limiting big-businesses. It was thought that Roosevelt cause vital businesses to suffer enough for the economy of the entire nation to suffer as well. -
Taft Elected
In 1908, Roosevelt bowed down to precedent did not run for a third term. Republicans nominated William Howard Taft. Taft won the election. Roosevelt expected Taft to continue the work of distinguishing between good and bad trusts. Instead, Taft worked to destroy all trusts. -
Wilson Elected
Upset with Taft's unexpectedly aggressive attitude toward trusts, Roosevelt challenged him in the Election of 1912 as a member of the bull-moose party. This split votes between Roosevelt and Taft, securing a win for Democrat Woodrow Wilson, a more conservative pick than either Taft or Roosevelt would have wished for -
18th Amendment Passed
The temperance movement was led by women with the intention of ending abuse by husbands and fathers that was the result of alcohol. The 18th Amendment was proposed to congress in 1917 and ratified in 1919 prohibiting alcohol worldwide -
Immigration Act of 1924
The Immigration Act of 1924 moved to further shrink the percentage of immigrants from each country allowed into the US. By moving to base the percentages off of immigrants present in the US in 1890 instead of 1910, the Act restricted southern Europeans more than northern Europeans. This bias was a reflection of the growing feeling that true Americans were white protestants. Anti-immigrant actions such as this one were fueled by nativist feelings caused by isolationism and fear of anarchists. -
Radio Act of 1927
In 1920's radio became an industry. The Federal Radio Commission was established to govern the radio industry. By establishing a new commission to govern industry instead of leaving it up to the Secretary of Commerce and Labor as was done under the Radio Act of 1912, the government indicated that the industry had grown significantly. Earlier radios were not well developed enough for widespread broadcasting. As signal became stronger, radio use grew and advertising turned it into an industry. -
Charles Lindbergh flies over the Atlantic
Charles Lindbergh became the first person to fly over the Atlantic ocean alone. The trip took 33 hours This was a major milestone for the airplane, which previously since its invention in 1903 seemed impractical. later the airplane would be used as a weapon in wars. Since 1920, mail had been shipped across the country by plane. For his achievement, Lindbergh would become a hero and has been considered on of America's first celebrities. -
Japan Bombs Pearl Harbor
As war in Europe grew serious, the US maintained isolationism. The US still stayed out of war as Japan began conquering territory in the Pacific. A US embargo attempting to stop Japanese expansion instead urged Japan to take resources from conquered territories. Deciding that its best next move was to take out major powers in the Pacific, Japan launched a surprise attack on US base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The US took this as a declaration of war and joined the war in Europe shortly after. -
FDR Signs Executive Order No. 9066
Executive Order No. 9066 was put in place "authorizing the Secretary of War to Prescribe Military Areas." It was used to allow the establishment of Japanese internment camps. Internment camps were a response to fears that the Japanese-American population held loyalty to the enemy and posed a threat if they could continue to live as civilians. Conditions were bad in the camps but most Americans did not see the camps in person so there was not much widespread push-back. -
Allied Forces Storm the Beach at Normandy
Deep into the war in Europe, the Nazis had a strong grasp on occupied France. They maintained this grasp until Allied forces launched Operation Overlord. What became known as D-Day was a massive ally attack on the beaches of Normandy, France. After D-day, Britain and the US pushed the Nazis east from the western front and the Soviets pushed them West from the eastern front eventually taking Berlin and ending the conflict in Europe. -
US Bombs Hiroshima and Nagasaki
After the Nazis in Europe were defeated, fighting in the Pacific wore on. Meanwhile, the United State's secret Manhattan Project was developing an atomic bomb capable of mass-destruction like nothing ever seen before. After a now disputed correspondence between the US and Japan in which it was interpreted that Japan had no intention of backing down regardless of threats. The US made a decisive move to end the war by dropping and A-bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, and Nagasaki on August 9.
