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The Seneca Falls Convention
The Seneca Falls Convention was the first women's rights convention, held in Seneca Falls, New York. It outlined the women's rights movement, and they even wrote their own document modeled after the Declaration of Independence. This marked one of the major events leading to the new women in America. -
Commodore Perry Opens Trade with Japan
Commodore Perry attempted to open trade with Japan and Japan was very isolationist. After some subtle threats and navy prowess, Japan decided to open a trade agreement with America. This also was the start of other countries opening up trade agreements with Japan. -
The Emancipation Proclamation
A proclamation issued by Lincoln in the midst of the Civil War. This proclamation namely freed all slaves in states that were at war with the Union. This was made as a war measure, because it turned the focus towards slavery. -
Founding of the Freedmen's Bureau
The Freedmen's Bureau was basically the first federal welfare agency in the history of the United States. After the Civil War ended, many slaves were left with little options as to what they could do next, so the Freedmen's Bureau offered them practical help to get started. They provided food, clothing, jobs, medical care, and education for millions of former slaves. This event is important because it showed the first steps in integrating freed slaves into American society. -
The 13th Amendment is Ratified
The 13th amendment stated that neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist within the United States, with the exception of course for punishment of a crime of which the party has been convicted. This was a major step not only in Reconstruction, but just generally in our history. This further worked towards unifying the American people and took steps to move away from the injustices of slavery. -
Seward buys Alaska from Russia
In 1867, William Seward bought Alaska from Russia for 7.2 million dollars. This of course was an amazing steal for the amount of land the Alaska had, and thought some Americans were doubtful at first, it give way to the Klondike gold rush. -
Completion of the Transcontinental Railroad
The official completion of the Transcontinental Railroad was a momentous occasion. 1,775 miles of railroad track from Omaha to Sacramento, finally meeting at Promontory Point, Utah. The Central Pacific Railroad won in the race, but it was still a joyous day for both sides. The east and the wild west were connected, and now the room for new opportunities and expansion had opened to all Americans. The United States of America, had truly become: United. -
The Battle of Little Big Horn
The Battle of Little Big Horn was one of the more prominent battles between settlers and the Native Americans. The discovery of gold in the Sioux Black Hills prompted General Custer and his men to go and round up the Sioux Indians. Sitting Bull, the leader of the Sioux along with Chief Crazy Horse gathered at Little Bighorn River. Custer;s force of 250 soldiers were met by 2,000 Native Americans. Custer's defeat shocked the nation. -
The Compromise of 1877
Upon the approach of the 1876 presidential election, the Democratic party chose Samuel B. Tilden, governor of New York, and the Republican party chose Rutherford B. Hayes, governor of Ohio. During the election, neither candidate had enough votes to be sworn into office, meaning that the House of Representatives was at liberty to decide. The compromise between the two parties was that the Republicans were granted the presidency, and the Democrats were granted an end to Reconstruction. -
Completion of the Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge was a true testament to American mechanical engineering. John A. Roebling was the chief architect of the project, and construction went on for a total of 14 years, beginning in 1869 and ending in 1883. It was the longest suspension bridge to have ever been made, and it served as an excellent symbol of our country's abilities. -
The Dawes Act
On February 8, 1887, the Dawes Act was passed. This was an act with the initiative to attempt and assimilate Native Americans into American culture. They offered schooling, clothes, and tried to get them to follow along to a lifestyle farming, as opposed to something more nomadic as they were used to. This act of course was not incredibly effective or well received, and also led to the battle of Wounded Knee. -
Gospel of Wealth
The Gilded Age was an age of big business, big labor, and big government. Many were working towards making great wealth and getting rich, and one man who was successful was Andrew Carnegie. Andrew Carnegie published his essay, "The Gospel of Wealth", which served as a message to those who have great wealth to use it for philanthropy. -
The Oklahoma Land Rush
The Oklahoma Land Rush was a major event in the settling of Oklahoma, which had previously been majority Native American territory. All those in search of land lined up along a line, and at the fire of the cannon, rushed to the most worthy plots to set up their new lives. While of course some "sooners" would find their plots in an illegal way before the fire of the cannon, this still played a major role in the spread of the farming lifestyle. -
The Birth of Basketball
James Naismith, prompted by his students for a new gym activity, created the very primitive game of basketball. This game would become popularized and be a part of the overall movement of the country to begin watching spectator sports. In new urban life, people actually had more time to enjoy these leisurely activities. -
Ida B. Wells Against Lynching
Ida B. Wells was a school teacher, who after three of her friends were murdered in a lynching, started a newspaper against the crime and racism. While she was later forced up to the north to start an anti-lynching campaign, her newspaper still riled up the public's view of it. The year 1892 experienced 161 black lynchings, and her voice spoke out against the inhumanity of it all. -
The Opening of Ellis Island
The opening of Ellis Island would lead to an incredibly diverse country. This served a a major gateway for immigrants to come from Europe and make a new life for themselves in America. Many came because of push factors from their own countries, and had heard rumors that America was a place of new opportunities. -
Plessy vs. Ferguson
Plessy vs. Ferguson was the legal battle between Homer Adolph Plessy and judge John H. Ferguson. This case came about when Plessy, who is of mixed race, was riding on a whites only car and refused to leave. This instance was brought about because of the difference in quality between white and colored facilities. The court ruled that all public facilities must be, "separate, but equal". -
Sinking of the Maine
The sinking of the USS Maine would serve as the main spark to finally start the war between Spain and the United States. The ship had suddenly exploded on the harbor of Havana, and America collectively believed that it had to be the Spanish's doing, leading to the Spanish American War. -
The Battle of San Juan Hill
The Battle of San Juan Hill was a triumphant feat of strength. Teddy Roosevelt led his volunteer band called the Rough Riders up San Juan Hill against Spanish troops. While the higher ground advantage would usually prove to win the exchange, Teddy was able to still win the battle. This would further lead to Teddy becoming vice president. -
Publishing of the History of the Standard Oil Company
Ida Tarbell was a notable muckraker, publishing the "History of the Standard Oil Company" in 1904. She exposed the company's cutthroat methods for eliminating competition. This was a part of the progressive era's movement to start taking the corruption out of business. -
The 17th Amendment
On April 8, 1913, the 17th amendment was ratified, stating that senators would be directly elected by the people. This was another step during the progressive era's reforms, giving the people more representation in government. -
America Joins WW1
For the most part, America had stood at a position of remaining neutral during the war. That of course was until Germany declared unlimited submarine warfare, and sunk the American liner, the Housatonic. Hours after the liner's sinking, America cut off diplomatic relations, and joined the Allies in their fight. -
The Espionage Act
Later continued by the 'Sedition Act' of the following year, the Espionage Act was put in place to remove any actions that obstructed the recruitment, and also remove efforts that promoted insubordination. It also ordered the postmaster general to remove any leftist material from the mail. This was not looked too pleasingly upon, and was seen as an attack on civil liberty. -
Sedition Act
In an attempt to reduce the amount of negativity towards the American war efforts, the Sedition Act was put into action. This act made it illegal to profane the usage of war bonds, attack the Constitution, or talk badly about the war efforts in general. This was seen as an attack on civil liberties, as it encroached upon free speech. -
The End of WW1 and the Treaty of Versailles
On November 11th 1918, in Paris, the Treaty of Versailles was signed, ending the war between the Allied powers and Germany. While this document brought peace, it also heavily blamed Germany for the war, and punished them. They were stripped of land and military, and forced them to make payments to other countries that they affected. -
The 18th Amendment
Going into the roaring 20's, Congress, upon the efforts of many reformists, prohibited the sale of alcohol in the United States. This amendment, commonly known as prohibition, stirred much controversy among the public, causing the rise of speakeasies and other ways of getting around the 'sale of alcohol'. For an amendment that was so focused on the betterment of society, it caused a whole lot of problems. -
Schenck vs. U.S.
A very significant supreme court case at the time that effected the first amendment. Charles Schenck had been releasing pamphlets that were anti-war efforts, and was brought to court on account of the Sedition Act. It was ruled that free speech, does not mean careless speech; outlawing the usage of speech that may incite criminal activity. -
Beginning of Women's Suffrage
On June 10, 1919, Illinois became the first eastern state to allow women suffrage. The women's suffrage movement led by Carrie Lane Chapman Catt had used methods such as lobbying, advertising, and grass roots organizing to lead to further success, and this was a major step in getting women national suffrage. -
Women's Suffrage at Last
19 months after Illinois had taken the first step in allowing women's suffrage, the final state of Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify it. The women suffragists led by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns had finally been successful through their peaceful methods of protest. They had gone through much hardship, and even protested a war-time president, but stayed resilient and were rewarded in due. -
Immigration Act of 1924
The introduction of quota laws in immigration, cut the amount of immigrants let into the country by half. It was based upon the 1890 population census, and would only grant 2% of immigrants visas based upon their nationality. This would mark a major slow to the huge surge of immigrants coming into America, though Ellis Island would remain operational till 1954. -
The Scopes Trial
The Scopes Trial, also known as the Scopes Monkey Trial, was centered around John Scopes and breaking the law of teaching evolution in schools. He was taken to court on account of his teaching, and it became a well known trial for one, being a major step in making the teaching of Evolution the norm, and also because of the lawyers that were involved. -
The First Transatlantic Flight
Charles Lindbergh completed the first ever transatlantic flight. With his plane, "The Spirit of Saint Louis", he flew the 33 hour flight over the Atlantic Ocean. This stood as a true feat of technological advancements. -
The Jazz Singer Premieres
Al Jolson's, 'The Jazz Singer', was the first ever talking motion picture. In the roaring 20's, entertainment was incredibly booming, and introducing advancements in film was a part in that. It would be the beginning of a new type and experience for Americans during the height of luxury and expense. -
The Birth of Mickey Mouse
Much like the premiere of "The Jazz Singer", the premiere of "Steamboat Willie" by Walt Disney was just as important, seeing as it was the first animated film. It also introduced and was the birth of Mickey Mouse, which would become an iconic American character. -
Black Tuesday
The infamous Black Tuesday was when the stock market finally crashed. As a product of the Great Depression, it caused many people to lose complete faith in the banking system, and also for a severe panic since money that had been put into the stock market by banks had just seemed to disappear in value. Frenzies of trying to sell stocks rendered it useless. -
Smoot-Hawley Tariff
In attempts to turn around the Depression, the Hoover administration put in place the Smoot-Hawley Tariff. This put a major tariff on international goods, so it encouraged Americans to buy American. In reality this would prove to be a terrible economical decision worldwide, because of how much it affected our international traders. -
The Election of FDR
In 1932, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected as our 32nd president. FDR's whole mission in office was based around his New Deal, where he would try and better the lives of Americans and turn around the effects of the Depression. He ended up serving 4 terms in office. -
The Start of WWII in Europe
The start of WWII truly began when Germany, led by Adolf Hitler, invaded Austria. This would be the beginning of one of the largest conflicts the world as a whole has ever faced, involving many countries and costing so much life. This would be the start of the war in Europe; America would join later. -
America Joins World War 2
With the start of America's involvement in WWII, the Depression was effectively taken care of. War is usually good for the economy, seeing as it creates many jobs, even though it may seem pretty ironic to look at war in a positive light. This would also be passed the effects of the New Deal and Roosevelt was losing support. -
The Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor was an incredibly traumatic event for American soldiers. Japanese bombers swooped across the shores aiming for major battleships in the base, and in the process killed many and sentenced many to horrible deaths. This would serve as the start of the war for America. -
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a battle fought where Allied troops led by Admiral Chester Nimitz defended against the Japanese as they continued to try and capture islands in their island hopping. This was a turning point in the war however, because the Allied forces were able to repel the Japanese. -
V-E Day
V-E Day, or Victory in Europe day, was when the war in Europe was finally over. Germany had finally conceded after Hitler's suicide and their defeat was inevitable. Whilst this was the end of the war for Great Britain, America still had a battle to fight with Japan. -
The Bombing of Hiroshima
On August 6, 1945, the Enola Gay flew over Hiroshima and dropped the atomic bomb, "little boy". This was and still is a very controversial decision, but in the long run has probably saved many lives. Japan was incredibly resilient to surrender, and this show of power was the final thing to do it. -
V-J Day
V-J Day, or Victory in Japan Day, was the day when the surrender of Japan was celebrated in Tokyo Bay. After the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan finally surrendered. The empire that they were attempting to create over the pacific had finally been stopped, and many lives had been spared in the process. -
The Truman Doctrine
On March 12, 1947, President Truman asked for $400 million to support free peoples in Europe, namely Greece and Turkey. This was to aid in stopping the spread of communism, and promote their economic situation so that they would not fall to it as well. -
The Fall of China
Communist leader Mao Zedong, announced communist takeover of China with the People's Republic of China being put into place. This caused the US to stop their ties with China. This was a part of the larger spread of communism over in that side of the world, and the domino effect. -
Rosa Parks' Bus ride
On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks boarded a bus after a day of work. As was the common ruling, a white person requested that she give up her seat so that they may sit there, by Parks refused. She was not too tired to move; she didn't move for the sake of principle and making a statement. This was a part of the civil rights movement. -
The December 1961 White Paper
The December 1961 White Paper was a report that led to the start of the Vietnam War. The report called for increase in military, technical, and economic aid. It reported that America needed to help stabilize the NLF. President Kennedy increased involvement while still not fully committing. -
The Cuban Missile Crisis
A US spy plane spotted missile bases in Cuba belonging to the Soviets. Kennedy orders a naval quarantine of Cuba and also announces crisis to the people. Kruschev responds to all of this by saying that he'll remove his missiles if Kennedy removes his in Turkey, and if he never invades Cuba again. -
Lee Harvey Oswald is Shot
On November 24, 1963, as Lee Harvey Oswald was being escorted, Jack Ruby, a nightclub owner, shot him. Oswald had shot President Kennedy, and this was Ruby's form of vengeance for our nation. Lee Harvey Oswald died, leaving the nation with no explanation for why he committed the crimes that he did. -
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
In 1964, The Civil Rights Act was passed that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, place of origin, or sex. It also prohibited unequal voting rights and racial segregation in schools. This was a great step towards equality in America from the top, it would cause much friction however as Americans began to integrate. -
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident
The Gulf of Tonkin incident surround the belief of the US that North Vietnamese patrol boats fired on US destroyers. This appeal made by Lyndon B. Johnson to Congress to declare war was approved and began the US's official involvement in the Vietnam War. Some believe that this incident was merely used by LBJ to start our involvement. -
The Selma March
The Selma March or also just called, Selma, was a political march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery. They were actively fighting for the right to carry out their protest, and that's what they accomplished in this series of 3 different marches. -
The Tet Offensive
Vietcong forces combined with North Vietnamese forces advanced onto US positions. It is a long fought offensive with over 500 civilian deaths, and with thousands killed by communist forces. The US forces successfully repel the attack, but the word back home makes it seem as if it was a great loss for our side. -
Martin Luther King Assassinated
On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King was assassinated from the balcony of his hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. James Earl Ray was the assassin, and it was a big blow to the Civil Rights Movement, but in a way brought greater awareness to it. The nation was shocked and horrified by this. -
First Man on the Moon
On July 25, 1969, the first man, Neil Armstrong, walked on the moon. This served as the climax to the great Space Race between the Soviet Union in America, a technological contest to see who had the better equipment and manpower in those fields. Whilst the Soviets seemed to have gained some pull earlier in the race, the US pulled out ahead with actually landing a man on the moon. -
Watergate Scandal
On the night of June 17, 1972, members of the Nixon administration broke into the democratic base in the Watergate Hotel. This was the beginning of the Watergate Scandal, eventually leading to the Nixon's resignation. -
The End of the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War
The US' involvement officially ended and left South Vietnamese to fend for themselves, eventually falling to the communist forces of Ho Chi Minh two years later. This would mark the war as a failure, seeing as Vietnam became a fully communist country, and our whole mission going in was to stop the spread of communism. -
The Berlin Wall Falls
In November of 1991, after President Reagan's riling speech for Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall on June 12, 1987, the wall came down. A wall that had divided Germany, East and West, had now been torn down and German unification had finally been achieved.
