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Period: 1491 to
Period 1/2: 1491-1763
Native America, European Exploration, Colonization -
Jamestown
Jamestown was the first successful English colony in the future US, settled in Virginia. -
Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was written for the Plymouth colony and was the first document to establish a self-government in the New World. -
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay colony was founded in 1625 by Puritans escaping prosecution by Charles I. This was important because it led to the Great Puritan Migration and the "City on a Hill" which was supposed to show how a religious church should be and served as an example for other colonies. -
Plymouth
Plymouth was the first settlement created in Massachusetts by Separatists who sought to create a religiously pure society. -
Trade and Navigation Acts
The Trade and Navigation Acts began to end salutary neglect because it was when England's Civil War began to end and they were focused on the colonies again. These Acts put an even greater barrier between the colonies and Britain because the colonies had been left alone for years and all of a sudden were being forced to follow English laws. -
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania was created by William Penn when his father was owed a debt by the crown. It was founded on the idea of Quakerism and the "Holy Experiment of Pennsylvania" where they practiced religious freedom and had cultural diversity. -
Bacons Rebellion
Bacons Rebellion started with tensions from the backcountry of Virginia and the Tidewater people of Virginia because the backcountry people felt underrepresented by Governor William Berkley. The backcountry stormed Jamestown and burned part of it resulting in the Backcountry starting to become more represented. This serves as a turning point in history because it showed how white and black people united to overtake the wealthy Virginia Planters. -
The Great Awakening
The Great Awakening started in the 1720s and instilled fear in people for personal religious conversion. People like Jonathon Edwards and George Whitefield preached to hundreds of people about how they would go to hell if they did not practice Christianity. This started denominational changes, more tolerance, greater significance in the common man, and an increase in the questioning of authority. -
Stono Rebellion
The Stono Rebellion was when Florida offered enslaved people land and citizenship so thousands of slaves fled from Charleston and the South Carolina militia stopped them and killed them. -
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War was the French colonists vs the British colonists fighting over land ownership. It ended with France losing a lot of North American territory and the colonies gaining more unity. -
Proclamation Act of 1763
The Proclamation Act of 1763 began to end salutary neglect because Britain restricted settlement West of the Appalachians which angered the colonists because they felt they were on their own and could make their own rules. -
Period: to
Period 3:1763-1800
American Revolution, the Confederal Era, and the Early Federal Period -
Sugar Act of 1764
The Sugar Act was put into place to help Britain make money to get themselves out of debt caused by the French and Indian War. This tax was important because it was the first tax imposed on the colonies and started to cause conflict between the colonies and Britain. -
Currency Act of 1764
The Currency Act of 1764 said that the colonists could not print their own currency and all customs duties have to be paid in specie. -
Quartering Act of 1765
The Quartering Act of 1765 forced colonists to pay for the lodging costs of British soldiers and forced colonists to let the British soldiers stay in their homes. This inflicted even more anger in the colonists because they did not even support the British army. -
Stamp Act 1765
The Stamp Act was important because it did not levy a tax on trades, but instead on goods that the colonists used on a day to day basis such as paper, playing cards, and dice. -
Virginia Resolves
The Virginia Resolves written by Patrick Henry in response to the Stamp Act said that Parliament does not have the right to tax the colonists. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was when British Soldiers killed several people in a Boston Protest. This event was heavily publicized by the Patriots and led to the colonies being more united against Britain. -
Tea Act
A tax on tea that was collected by the British and was protested heavily by the colonists, most notably in the Boston Tea Party. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party led by the Sons of Liberty was in response to the Tea Act and included men dressing up as Native Americans and dumping millions of dollars of British East India Tea into the Boston Harbor. -
Revolutionary War
The Revolutionary War was fought between the colonists and Great Britain and was the thirteen colonies' way to gain independence from Great Britain. The colonists won the war in 1783 after the Battle of Yorktown. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence written by Thomas Jefferson and edited by the 2nd Continental Congress was separated into 3 parts the intro, the list of grievances, and the declaration. The document formally was the colonies withdrawing from being a part of Britain. -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was the thirteen colonies' first Constitution which was eventually replaced by the real US Constitution. -
Ratification of Constitution
The Constitution was written by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia and establishes America's national government and fundamental laws. -
Whiskey Rebllion
The Whiskey Rebellion was a rebellion in Pennsylvania where people refused to pay the tax on Whiskey and beat up the tax collectors. George Washington sent 12,000 soldiers to show that Rebellions will not be accepted. However, this did show the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. -
XYZ Affair
The XYZ affair was a diplomatic issue between France and the US where the US tried to stay out of the war with France and England but ended up angering the French by signing Jays treaty and almost started a war between the US and France. -
The Revolution of 1800
The Revolution of 1800 was the election of 1800 where John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were against each other. This is referred to as the Revolution of 1800 because it was the first time in American history where power was peacefully transferred between two parties when a Democratic-Republican was elected after a Federalist. -
Period: to
Period 4 Part One:1800-1824
The Revolution of 1800, Western Expansion, War of 1812, Era of Good Feelings -
The Louisiana Purchase
The Lousiana Purchase is important because it is when Thomas Jefferson bought 828,000 square miles of land from France to add to the United States. -
Macon's Bill #2
Macons Bill #2 said that whoever agrees to not attack American cargo ships out of Britain and France gets to trade with the United States. -
War of 1812
The War of 1812 started because of British impressment over US ships, Britain's violation of neutrality, and Britain trying to restrict the US from trading with France. Both countries feel as if each of them won the war because both the US and Britain gained stuff from the war. -
The Treaty of Ghent
The Treaty of Ghent ended the War of 1812 and had everything both countries wanted in exchange for ending the war. Britain requested NorthWest territory and parts of Maine to be added to Canada while the US wanted money for ships that Britain destroyed, Canada kicked out of the Great Lakes, and they wanted parts of Canada. This treaty just caused the countries to talk instead of fighting. -
Hartford Convention
The Hartford Convention was when the Federalists met in Pennsylvania to discuss their grievances with the War of 1812. Many New England states refused to participate in the war out of fear of their land being taken over. This convention granted them protection by the Federal government and to give the states money for their economies taking a downturn due to the war. -
The Era of Good Feelings
The Era of Good Feelings was the time after the War of 1812 when the United States citizens felt an increase in national pride and unity due to feeling like they won the war. -
Panic of 1819
The Panic of 1819 was the first financial crisis in the United States and many call it the first Great Depression. -
Clay's American System
Clays American System was an economic plan created by Henry Clay that created a protective tariff, the BUS, and a plan for internal improvements. -
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise settled the slave question for a short amount of time by admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state and drawing a line where everything above the line was a free state and everything below was a slave state solving the issue between the North and South for a short amount of time. -
Election of 1824
The election of 1824 was important because it became known as the corrupt bargain because it was believed that John Quincy Adams cheated to become president by Henry Clay convincing the electoral college voters to vote for Adams. -
Period: to
Period 4 Part 2: 1824-1848
The Age of Jackson, Manifest Destiny, Reformers, and Abolition -
Panic of 1825
The panic of 1825 was a stock market crash that occurred in the Bank of England that affected the United States economy. -
Second Great Awakening
The Second Great Awakening was a slow-moving religious revival throughout the united states that led to deism, unitarianisms, and transcendentalism. -
Tariff of 1832
The Tariff of 1832 was controversial because the South saw it as only helping the North because it was enacted to help the rapidly growing economy of the North. The southern states such as South Carolina nullified this tariff which led to the nullification crisis. -
Compromise Tariff of 1833
The Compromise Tariff of 1833 was meant to replace the tariff of 1832 because of how angry the Southerners got. The Compromise Tariff was intended to gradually lower the tariff rates for the 10 years after the bill was released to please the Southern states. -
Specie Circular
The Specie Circular was an act by Andrew Jackson that required payment for government land to be in gold and silver in order to prevent excessive amounts of people getting land westward. -
Period: to
Period 5: 1844-1877
The fight between anti-slavery and slavery laws, The Civil War, Reconstruction -
Annexation of Texas
Texas was part of Mexico until a group of settlers in 1836 declared independence. In 1845 Texas was annexed into the US as the 29th state which contributed to the start of the Mexican American War. -
Annexation of Oregon
Oregon became part of the United States in 1846 after the United States and Great Britain made a compromise that the land above the 49th parallel was owned by Britain and the land below it was owned by the United States. -
Mexican American War
The Mexican American War was onset by the United States expanding Westward into territory owned by Mexico. The United States won the war and gained the Mexican Cession. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican American War and gave the US the Mexican Cession and the Rio Grande but also granted Mexico 15 million dollars in exchange for the land. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was a compromise that admitted California into the United States as a free state, but in return, the Fugitive Slave Law would be stronger and there would be popular sovereignty in New Mexico and Utah. -
Fugitive Slave Law
The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 was intended to quiet down the South and was more forcible than the earlier law so the Northerners were forced to assist enslavers with capturing runaway slaves. -
End of Whigs
The party of the whigs ended in 1852 after the question of expansion to slavery to new territories. The last Whig to hold the position of the President was Millard Fillmore. -
Ostend Manifesto
The Ostend Manifesto was a secret document that said that if Spain refuses to let the US buy Cuba from them, then the US will declare war on Spain. -
Kansas/Nebraska Act
The Kansas Nebraska Act replaced the Missouri Compromise and gave the two states the choice between being a free or slave state. -
Sacking of Lawrence
The Sacking of Lawrence was a turning point in history because it showed the first time people actually got violent over the issue of slavery. Pro-slavery activists raided the town of Lawrence Kansas and attacked anti-slavery activists who were trying to make Kansas a free state. -
Pottawatomie Massacre
The Pottawatomie Massacre was when John Brown and a group of his anti-slavery friends killed 5 pro-slavery men in response to the Sacking of Lawrence. This started guerilla warfare in response to the argument over Kansas becoming a pro or anti-slave state. -
Dredd Scott v. Sanford
The Dredd Scott v. Sanford case was a situation where Dredd Scott's enslavers moved to a free state and took him with them. In the court case, the federal government said they did not have the power to free Dredd Scott and he was forced to remain enslaved even though he was in a free state. -
Panic of 1857
The Panic of 1857 caused an economic depression which increased tensions over the issue of slavery and led to the onset of the Civil War. -
John Browns Raid on Harpers Ferry
John Browns Raid on Harpers Ferry was an effort to initiate a slave revolt in Virginia which many believe kickstarted the tensions to start the Civil War. -
The Civil War
The Civil War started in response to the South seceding from the Union because of issues regarding slavery, states rights, farming, and the border wars between Kansas and Missouri. -
Transcontinental Railroad
The first transcontinental railroad was constructed in 1863 and was the beginning of roads and quicker transportation. The railroad connected the Eastern and Western parts of the United States which allowed for easier transportation. -
The Gettysburg Address
The Gettysburg Address was given by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War to acknowledge the lives lost in the bloody battle in Gettysburg and to re-unite the North during the time of war. -
Ratification of the 13th Amendment
The 13th amendment was ratified on January 31, 1865 and abolished slavery in the United States. -
Formation of the KKK
The formation of the KKK is important because it shows how even though slavery ended, the South still was extremely racist and performed lynchings and physical violence against African Americans. -
Period: to
Period 6:1865-1898
Labor unions, reform movements, strikes, and hate groups. -
Election of 1868
In the Election of 1868, Ulysses S. Grant defeated Horatio Seymour even though Grant was just an army man and not a politician. Grant was an American hero due to his participation as a General in the Civil War. -
Ratification of the 15th Amendment
The 15th amendment granted the right for African American males to vote. -
Creation of Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park was the first National Park created in the United States. -
Compromise of 1877
The Compromise of 1877 was in response to the intensely argued 1876 presidential election results and said Hayes will be the President, the South gets military reconstruction and federal money to rebuild, the Democrats were guaranteed 1 cabinet seat and acknowledged that the South will be allowed to not enforce the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendment. -
Great RR Strike
The Great RR Strike of 1877 was in response to major RR companies cutting wages for the employees leading to over 100,000 workers going on strike. This accomplished very little and led to over 100 being killed. -
Chinese Exclusion Act
The Chinese Exclusion Act was passed to prevent Chinese laborers from immigrating to the United States. It was the first act of legislation that prevented a certain ethnic group from coming to the US. -
American Federation of Labor
The American Federation of Labor is important because it was the first successful labor union. -
Interstate Commerce Act
The Interstate Commerce Act was designed to regulate the RR industry and prevent monopolies. -
Sherman Anti-Trust Act
The Sherman Anti- Trust Act was intended to outlaw trusts, monopolies, and cartels. Its purpose was to protect the consumers. -
Homestead Strike
The Homestead Strike was a major turning point in the history of labor unions because the employees that went on strike face violence and criminal charges as well as losing their jobs. The government sided with the businesses and offered no protection for the workers. -
Panic of 1893
The Panic of 1893 was an economic depression that led to a giant downfall in the US economy leaving many without jobs and food. This led to the election of William Mckinley in 1896. -
Pullman Strike
The Pullman strike was a major turning point for labor unions because the federal government ordered an end to the strike by the ARU to all Pullman carts and even used violence to serve as an example. -
Atlanta Compromise
The Atlanta Compromise was a speech given by Booker T. Washington that explained the importance of education for African Americans. -
Period: to
Period 7 Part One:1898-1918
This time period is the time period of the Spanish American War, World War One, and conservation and preservation efforts. -
Anthracite Coal Strike
The Anthracite Coal Strike is important because it was the first time that a president stood with the Workers and helped defend them. -
Elkins Act
The Elkins Act of 1903 said that RR rebates were illegal. -
Election of 1904
The Election of 1904 was important because Teddy Roosevelt represented the "Average American", stood for progressivism, and won by a landslide. -
Creation of US Forest Service
The US Forest Service was the first effort to conserve nature and establish a national forest system. -
Hepburn Act
The Hepburn Act of 1906 said that the ICC could establish max rates and RR companies could no longer give free passes. -
Mann-Elkins Act
The Mann- Elkins Act was an extension to the Interstate Commerce Act and granted the ICC the authority to set railroad rates and regulate the telecommunications. -
Clayton Anti Trust Act
The Clayton Anti Trust Act built off of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act but included illegal business practices such as price-fixing and labor rights as well as the illegal practice of monopolies. -
The Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand
The Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand is believed to be the cause of World War I. -
Creation of National Park Service
The National Park Service was created under Woodrow Wilson and was intended to make national parks more accessible for people to see and was intended to conserve nature. -
Adamson Act
The Adamson Act created an 8 hour workday for RR workers. -
National Defense Act
The National Defense Act was in response to the ongoing World War I and brought states militias more under federal control and gave the president the authority to mobilize the National Guard in case of an emergency -
Election of 1916
The Election of 1916 ended with the re-election of Woodrow Wilson because of his slogan "he kept us out of the war". -
US Enters the War
The US entered WWI in April of 1917. -
Armistice
World War One ended with an armistice in 1918. -
Period: to
Period 7 Part 2: 1918-1945
This period includes World War One and Two, increased rights for women and African Americans, and the Great Depression. -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was the negotiation after World War One between the countries involved in the war. It included the list of things Germany would have to follow such as heavy debt payments. -
Formation of League of Nations
The League of Nations formed for international cooperation and to prevent future wars. -
Red Scare
The Red Scare that occurred during the 1920s was a widespread fear of communism -
Ratification of the 19th Amendment
The 19th amendment granted women the right to vote. -
Emergency Immigration Act
The Emergency Immigration Act limited the number of immigrants allowed into the US in a certain amount of time in response to the large influx of immigrants coming from certain countries. -
National Origins Act
The National Origins Act prevented large amounts of immigrants from entering the country from many European countries and basically all Asian countries. -
Stock Market Crash
The Stock Market Crash of 1929 is extremely important because it led to the Great Depression. -
Election of 1932
The Election of 1932 is important because FDR won by a mandate due to his promise to help fix the Great Depression. -
Creation of the New Deal
The New Deal was very important during and after the Great Depression because it implemented laws that helped the American people in a time of need and helped rebuild the economy after the biggest economic depression in US history. -
National Industrial Recovery Act
The National Industrial Recovery Act gave the president permission to regulate industry for fair wages and prices after the Great Depression. -
Agricultural Adjustment Act
The Agricultural Adjustment Act was part of the New Deal and was intended to boost the prices of agriculture by reducing the surpluses that farmers had and buying the extra crop. -
US Enters WWII
The US entered the Second World War after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. -
D-Day
D-Day was when the US landed on the beaches of Normandy to overthrow Germany. It was the largest invasion by sea in history. -
Start of Cold War
The US went to war again right after the end of WWII when growing fears of communism and nuclear weapons began to arise. -
Spanish- American War
The Spanish American War ended Spain's role as the most powerful country in North America and gave the US more land.
