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The Columbian Exchange was the first intercontinental trade system to exist and especially thrived when Christopher Columbus first arrived to the Americas bringing disease which devastated the Native American population. Along with diseases like smallpox and Malaria traveling the globe, so did livestock like cattle and pigs, as well as sugar, rice and corn. The exchange not only expanded foreign trade between nations but it also introduced Europeans to many populations they would later mistreat. -
King James I gave the Virginia company of London permission to settle in North America in 1606. Initially men were sent to scout out the area in 1607, when Jamestown was originally settled, but it wasn't until years later that more people settled in Jamestown as the journey was dangerous and many starved. Although it got off to a rocky start, Jamestown grew into a booming business town with people flocking for land and opportunity in the Chesapeake bay. -
The first enslaved Africans to reach New England arrived in 1619 to Jamestown. Slowly slavery began to replace indentured servitude as they were cheaper to maintain. The environments in which they were held differed from north to south and that different treatment led to a great divide in attitudes that only separated more as years went on. -
At the beginning of the French and Indian war Benjamin Franklin brought together the colonies to propose a plan for unifying the colonies into one overall government. Franklin saw that unity was necessary as war was being fought in the colonies and coming together to face the issue would have a stronger impact than multiple colonies working alone. The plan failed but introduced the idea of colonial alliance which would be called upon 20 years later at the continental Congress. -
Under the Molasses Act of 1733 sugar was taxed so high it was unprofitable for merchants so they bribed custom officials to make a profit. At the end of Salutary Neglect George Grenville passed the Sugar Act to reduce the amount of smuggling in the colonies by lowering the tax on sugar making it profitable. Colonists were not happy with the new tax even though it was lower and continued to smuggle sugar as a way to protest the British government. -
After the Stamp act and Townsend acts were protested and ignored tensions were high in the colonies and colonists were unhappy. Because of the Quartering Act there were many soldiers in the colonies, one confrontation between colonists and soldiers ended in violence as colonists pelted soldiers with rocky snowballs. Paul Revere made a famous engraving that depicted the violence to have been a British attack, swaying public opinion from the British. -
In response to the Boston Tea Party, led by the Sons of Liberty that caused millions of dollars of damage, the British government passed the Coercive Acts. Under these acts; Boston harbor was closed, assemblies were outlawed, royal officials accused were tried in England, and the Quartering act was enforced. Known in the colonies as the Intolerable Acts, colonists knew that a change was needed and met at the first Continental Congress to find a solution. -
As a last resort, after trying to negotiate for peace with the Olive Branch Petition and being ignored, colonists gathered supplies for a rebellion. British learn of weapons in Concord and Samuel Adams and John Handcock staying in Lexington and begin marching. Paul Revere rode to warn others and gather men to meet the British in Concord and move weapons away. A shot is fired and the Revolutionary War begins. -
People generally had mixed feelings about King George III, there were people who had faith he would put an end to the fighting and protect them and there were others who were enraged as he supported their oppression. Thomas Paine wrote a pamphlet that depicted independence as common sense, and his pamphlet circled around the colonies spreading the need for independence like wildfire. -
Completely fed up with the king who time and time again ignored their efforts for negotiation Americans finally declared their independence. Thomas Jefferson who wrote most of the declaration expressed that all men were created equal and a government should be able to serve and protect all its people. -
The war was in favor of the British and General Burgoyne felt no pressure when against the continentals as he thought that he had reinforcements nearby. The reinforcements never came however and he was completely surrounded and forced to surrender. This major win was a turning point in the war as it caught the attention of the French who then ended up sending help and resources to defeat the British. -
Cornwallis moved his men to Yorktown for the winter to stay under the protection of other British soldiers. General Washington caught wind of his plans and had the French navy take care of them so that they could attack when Cornwallis arrived. Out numbered and completely surrounded Cornwallis surrendered and the major fighting of the Revolutionary War was over. -
After declaring independence the Articles of Confederation were written to replace the kings oppressive laws. Enduring the kings harsh rules made people skeptical of a harsh federal government so the new laws gave no power to the federal government and all the power to the states. The new articles named the United States but there was no authority or leadership due to peoples fears and previous encounters with a central leader. -
Due to the lack of authority in the Articles of Confederation, people were deeply in debt and so was the government so the people rebelled. Shays Rebellion caused enough concern that the Constitutional Convention was called in secret to rewrite the government system. There was a split between federalists who wanted a strong government and anti-federalists who wanted their rights explicitly written out by the law. In the end a compromise was reached and the constitution was written. -
George Washington was unanimously elected as president and as the first president he set the example for those after him. He started the tradition of giving an inaugural address and having a cabinet of advisors. In his cabinet he had Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State, Alexander Hamilton as Secretary of Treasury, and Henry Knox as Secretary of War. -
Cotton was profitable but took a lot of labor and time to harvest so in 1793 Eli Whitney created the first cotton gin. With just a crank of a lever the seeds were separated from the fibers of the cotton bolls making it more efficient to produce cotton at a faster rate. Unfortunately the demand for enslaved people grew as now more cotton could be grown at a time.
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After demanding war with the French over the XYZ Affair, John Adams was not popular and feared that he would not get reelected, so he passed the Alien and Sedition Acts. The Alien Act gave Adams the power to deport anyone he felt was dangerous and the Sedition Act made it illegal for the media to criticize the president. In an attempt to regain power he lost the respect of many more for passing laws against the constitution. -
In 1798 Eli Whitney started to manufacture military weapons and to make production easier he designed interchangeable parts for muskets. He also created machine tools to make parts for other machines, completely standardizing production. Manufacturing began to boom and grow marking the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and helping factories grow at exponential rates. -
Although it was a tight race the election of 1800 was a victory for Thomas Jefferson and the first anti-federalist was elected. To avoid conflicts even Hamilton who publicly feuded with Jefferson supported him. The election showed maturity and signified how power could peacefully be transferred between the two parties. -
On the last night of his presidency Adams filled the courts with his federalist midnight judges, one of whom being John Marbury. James Madison finds a letter calling Marbury to be a judge but never delivers it. Marbury sues Madison and the case ends up in front of the Supreme Court that rules in favor of Madison. The Judiciary Act is found unconstitutional by John Marshall, which was the first time a law was reviewed and claimed unconstitutional. -
Originally wanting to put an end to the uncertainty of the Jay treaty, Jefferson sent James Monroe to buy New Orleans. Napoleon offered all of the Louisiana territories instead which caused an inner conflict in Jefferson. As much as he wanted to accept the deal he believed he did not have the right to expand the country despite the benefits. Eventually, Jefferson accepted the deal and sent out Lewis and Clark to explore the new land. -
The war of 1812 was hopeless for the States at the start as they were no match for the British and fought to prove themselves. America was tired of not being taken seriously as an independent nation and constantly being picked on and taken advantage of by other countries. Eventually, the British got tired of fighting and a tie was agreed on and signed saying that any land conquered would be returned. -
Although the was was technically over, communication at the time was slow and the word had not yet spread to North America. Andrew Jackson led an incredible victory against the British with an army of bystanders defending New Orleans. This victory gave Andrew Jackson the credit of ending the War of 1812 by the people making him a hero and restoring American pride. -
Transportation was slow and took days so New York financed building the Erie Canal connecting the Hudson River to Lake Erie then flowing into the Mississippi River. This project was highly ambitious as it would be the longest canal in the country spanning 364 miles, but it had the support of merchants, the New York Governor and foreign investors. When it was finished in 1825 it aided the Market Revolution, cut transportation costs, and brought wealth to New York. -
In the election of 1824 Andrew Jackson won the popular vote however he did not have the majority electoral votes so the vote went to the House of Representatives. Henry clay who was speaker of the hours at the time and also a candidate drops out of the race to keep the house's decision fair. The results of the election are undecided until John Quincy Adams meets with Henry clay in secret. Three days after the corrupt bargain Adams wins the election. -
Adams took a risk to try and be reelected by creating the Tariff of Abominations which greatly benefited the north but hurt the south. Jackson was able to win the election thanks to Adams' unpopularity, modern campaigning strategies, and all white men being granted voting rights. Jackson was relatable as he came from nothing and built himself up making others more inclined to vote for him as parties and picnics were held in his name. -
As the nation grew so did distaste for Native Americans even though they had assimilated into white culture. Americans wanted their lands so in 1802 Georgia exchanges western land for the promise of moving out Native Americans. During his presidency Jackson fought to keep that promise and passed the Indian Removal Act in 1830. Natives were to move west onto Oklahoma and Kansas before May 1838, but when they refused Jackson forcefully marched them west during the Trail of Tears killing thousands. -
South Carolina felt that the tariffs of 1828 and 1832 were oppressive and dangerous to the Union as they harmed all slave states but most specifically they harmed South Carolina. They threatened to nullify the tariffs and eventually passed the Nullification Ordinance. Jackson claimed the federal government did in fact have the power to enforce tariffs and used military force to enforce the tariffs. -
Samuel F. B. Morse invented Morse Code in 1838 to be used in the telegraph he developed previously. Morse Code is a series of dots and dashes that represent the alphabet and the numbers from 0-9. Telegraphs made communication faster and more efficient as they were stationed at train stations and people could pay to send messages to each other. The telegraph was useful in the Civil War as a way for different regions to communicate.
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In early 1848 gold was discovered in California and by mid 1848 people were rushing to get a taste of gold. People from all over the world came to California looking for riches but many were unsuccessful as easy gold went quickly. The only gold left required hard labor and expensive equipment. Many Chinese workers arrived too late for easy gold so they got jobs in mines working harsh conditions for minimal pay, growing the mining market in the west. -
President Polk fabricated the Mexican-American war in efforts to gain California and become a bicoastal nation by declaring war over the disputed border. To end the Mexican-American War the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed granting the United States Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and California. The Rio Grande was recognized as the official southern border of the United Stated ending the long dispute over the border. -
Elizabeth Cady Stanton organized the Seneca Falls Convention where the Declaration of Sentiments were written calling for women to be treated equally. As a whole the declaration was not taken seriously but the convention was responsible for launching the woman's suffrage movement. Women aligned themselves with Abolitionism as a way to not only fight for their own rights but for the rights of everyone. -
California did not fit into the Missouri Compromise as it was split on both sides of the division and they did not want to be a slave state. The Compromise of 1850 allowed California to enter the Union as a free state. The compromise also enforced the Fugitive Slave Act in both north and south, telling Americans it was their duty to report people suspected to be run away slaves. -
The Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed the Missouri Act and instead enforced popular sovereignty to let territories vote on becoming slave states or free states. When Kansas was ready to become a state people from both north and south flooded in hoping to vote on slavery when the time came. There was major conflict known as Bleeding Kansas between pro-slavery people and abolitionists in Kansas. In the end Kansas became a slave state as a small abolitionist town was wiped out. -
Dred Scott was a slave who had lived in Illinois, a free state, with his owner who sued for his freedom as he was living on free land. Justice Taney declared that black people do not have rights worth respecting or protecting and that restricting slavery expanding was unconstitutional. It was decided that since Scott was someone's property he was not a citizen and therefore was not eligible to sue. -
After South Carolina seceded the soldiers in Fort Sumter were trapped in South Carolina completely cut off from the Union. Lincoln was concerned and negotiated to send resources to the fort but the Confederacy believed Lincoln would attack and they intercepted and attacked themselves. The attack marks the beginning of the Civil War as it is when violence was first initiated however it is not considered the first battle -
Originally the Union thought the Civil War would be an easy win and resistance would be easily fought down, so when the Confederates arrived to the Battle of Bull Run fully prepared, the Union suffered a major loss. After seeing the strength of the Confederacy Lincoln enlisted a million men and replaced McDowell with McClellan who proved to be too reluctant to be a war general later on. The initial shock let the Confederacy start the war on a win and made the Union nervous. -
In an attempt to expand west the Homestead Act granted free land plots in the west to anyone as long as they lived on the land, farmed for five years, and improved the land. This act let people move away for a fresh start and many people risked all they had to gain 160 acres from the government hoping for opportunities in the west. After the Transcontinental Railroad was build even more people journeyed west as it was safer and faster. -
After the Battle of Antietam led to major losses Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation to free all slaves in all states including those in the Confederacy, despite the fact that Lincoln believed he did not have the authority to do so. It did not officially free slaves as the slaves he was freeing were in a different country but it promised that to reenter the Union all slaves must be freed. -
Both armies accidentally met each other and the Battle of Gettysburg broke out. They held their ground for 3 days but in the end the Confederates ended up retreating after suffering far too many losses. After this battle Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address that honored those lost in the battle, inspired people to keep fighting as the end of the was was drawing near, and reassured that all men were created equal just as the Declaration of Independence states. -
The 13th Amendment abolished slavery in the United States needed to be ratified before the Union could allow seceded states reentry. For the first time in the States all black people were free however they had no possessions, money or education so in March of 1866 the Freedmen's Bureau was passed to educate and aid free people as they made their way into society. Unfortunately, Andrew Johnson vetoed the extension of the bureau and it was not able to help many people. -
The war was clearly in favor of the Union as their Anaconda Plan had been successful in cutting the Confederacy off and they were lacking morale and supplies. General Grant leads one final attack on the Confederacy at Appomattox leading Lee to surrender his sword as a gesture of dignity and the Civil War is brought to an end. -
In another bill vetoed by Johnson the south was split into 5 districts where military commanders supervised that the conditions of readmission were being followed and enforced. It was ensured that black people were registered and allowed to vote before states were allowed to reenter the union. This act allowed black people to have a voice in the government and even take office as previous leaders were not allowed to anymore. -
After Johnson vetoed the Civil Rights Act of 1866 congress feared that the government could take away the rights of free people in the future. Shortly after overturning the veto congress passed the 14th Amendment to ensure the protection of free people by declaring all people born on American soil were full citizens deserving the full and equal rights and protections granted by the government. -
The 15th Amendment forbade states from denying votes to people based on skin color, race, or previous servitude. Unfortunately, the amendment was limited to men only and women were enraged that black men were granted suffrage before them. The racist ideas of white women expecting to be granted suffrage and the sexist ideas of black men wanting to celebrate their new right all came out and divided the two communities that were once working for each other to work against. -
Lincoln passed the Pacific Railway Act in 1962 that offered assistance in making the Transcontinental Railroad by paying companies per mile of track placed. The Union Pacific started building from the east to the west to meet up in the middle with the Central Pacific. This project was unthinkable at the time but ended up connecting coast to coast by a train that only took a few days in comparison to the previous trip of six months -
The Ghost Dance movement started in 1870 as a Native American religious ritual. The ritual originally started as Native Americans felt they were being punished by their gods for adopting to many white people items and practices. In order to appease their gods they rejected all modern life and preformed a dance that was meant to cleanse them and bring back their gods favor. The American government however saw this as a dangerous practice because it unified Native Americans and they banned it. -
Alexander graham bell revived the patent for the telephone he invented in 1876 for business use but it fundamentally changed communication forever. People were able to communicate instantly and businesses were made more effective. Telephones needed operators to run and transfer calls which opened up new jobs that were dominated by women. -
Although lightbulbs did exist previously, Thomas Edison made them more accessible and more realistic for people to light up their homes. This new lightbulb was dim enough to use in homes an required less power than the previous lamps. The lightbulb became a standard in homes all over the world thanks to Edison's innovation. Edison was not only known for the lightbulb as he also had 1093 patents under his name. -
The spoils system was established by Jackson and gave government jobs to those who worked hard campaigning for the president. President Garfield was payed a visit by Guiteau who felt he was entitled to a government job but when Garfield refused he was shot in the stomach and later died from an infection in the wound. The Pendleton act was put in place to require people to be tested before they can work for the federal government to prevent situations like Garfield's from repeating. -
The Knights of Labor rose to be one of the most powerful labor unions who let anyone except Chinese immigrants join. They held strong views and fought for their rights by holding a protest in Chicago at Haymarket Square. The protest turned violent when someone threw a bomb at the police which let to the end of the Knights of Labor as they were soon exposed to be radical and communist. -
The Dawes act was similar to the Homestead Act but this act was for Native Americans specifically. Native Americans were encouraged to take this deal as most people thought it was very generous but in reality it was meant to tear them away from their tribes and eat away at reservation land. Unfortunately, no matter what they did Native Americans would either lose land to each other or they would lose it to other white people willing to take it. -
NAWSA reunited in 1890 after it had split during Reconstruction to fight for women's right to vote. Women like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton led not only the organization but the movement that led to the 19th amendment being passed. Millions of women were a part of the organization and held rallies, marches, debates, and even had a magazine promoting women's suffrage. -
Industrialization let businesses to skyrocket and large corporations turned into monopolies. The Sherman Antitrust Act was formed to prohibit monopolies from taking over the economy and to promote competition. During this time period monopolies were ruining peoples lives by taking jobs and paying too little. Although the act was not entirely effective it was the governments first attempt at and anti trust policy. -
Homer Plessy brought the issue of segregation into the supreme court after being told to move into the "colored" train car. The court ruled that it was legal to do so under the 14th amendment as long as facilities were "separate but equal" to their white counterparts. This court decision enabled and made all Jim Crow laws in the south legal. During the Civil Rights movement this court decision was heavily debated as facilities were separate but far from equal. -
There was rebellion in Cuba and they wanted to break free from Spain so the United States anchors their navy in the shore of Havana as a way to support Cubans. The U.S.S Maine exploded mysteriously and America points the blame at Spain, kickstarting the brief war with Spain -
With the big advancements of the Gilded Age came unfair working conditions that muckrakers worked to expose. Upton Sinclair wrote The Jungle to expose the injustices under capitalism however his book was so gruesome that it was only remembered for the conditions in which meat was packaged. After reading the book Teddy Roosevelt ordered the Federal Food and Drug Act to regulate and set standards for factories working with food. -
Following a riot in Springfield, IL, Mary White Ovington called a meeting to respond to the racial violence. The meeting resulted in the NAACP being formed which later led the civil rights movement and is still active today. W.E.B. Du Bois helped found the organization and was the editor for their journal The Crisis and was well known as a leading black intellectual. -
Teddy Roosevelt failed at getting the support from his party in 1912 so he created his own party called the progressive party. Taft held the support of the republican party and Woodrow Wilson held the support of the democrats. Wilson ended up winning with 42% of the popular vote and became the first democrat in office in 16 years. Wilson was reform minded and led the country through WWI as well as many legislations regarding child labor and breaking up trust. -
Theodore Roosevelt believed power and security of the country could be achieved by growing the navy. The US needed a canal through Colombia however Colombia rejected the proposal and the US took action by helping Panama gain its independence from Colombia in exchange for land for the canal. The canal made travel between the Atlantic and Pacific more efficient and in result made business increase and has become a vital piece to the American economy today. -
The electronic television was invented by Philo Taylor Farnsworth in 1927 and by the 1960's was in most American households. The television directly gave people the news much quicker and helped people develop better connections with what was happening. The television also played a major role in the election of 1960 as JFK understood how television worked and appeared more prepared on screen than Nixon -
HUAC was formed in 1938 and gained popularity in 1947 by holding trials for alleged communists in Hollywood. Throughout the Cold War McCarthyism took over and took peoples 1st amendment rights. Anyone even accused of being communist was completely destroyed due to the hysteria of the Cold War. People could not speak out against the government or behave outside of the norm without risking their careers and places in society. -
After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor people harassed Japanese Americans for something they did not do. These anti Japanese feelings reached even the president who ordered Executive order 9066 that ordered all Japanese into internment camps. They were forced to leave their homes and all of their belongings to prevent any spies when there were no spies found at all. -
D-Day took 18 months of planning and was a massive scale invasion. In order to be successful they had to fake the Germans out and make it seem that the invasion would take place from a completely different location. The night before thousands of paratroopers drop in behind enemy lines and then the morning of the rest of the soldiers cross over on boats. It cost many lives but in the end it led the allies to gaining 80 miles and getting much closer to victory. -
The GI Bill of Rights was passed as a way to thank veterans for giving up their most crucial years of their lives to serve their country. The bill gave them free college education and low interest loans. With these expenses being taken off their shoulders young veterans had incredible opportunities to grow and establish themselves and their families. -
Nearing the end of the war the big 3, (FDR, Churchill, and Stalin), met to discuss the conclusion of the war and the next steps as it comes to a close. FDR wanted to make sure there was support for pursuing the war with Japan after Germany was defeated. Stalin was hesitant with helping in Japan as he interpreted the lengthy wait for support with Germany as a calculated move. They also discussed what to do with Germany once they were defeated and agreed on splitting it up. -
George C. Marshall proposed that the US help aid Europe in repairs after WWII. The plan helped not only in repairing Europe but also in boosting the American economy. The US extended help to all countries in need but all communist countries refused. Their refusal led to harsh conflicts during the cold war where they try and prove just how much better communism is than capitalism. -
The US and the Soviet Union split Korea across the 38th parallel with the soviets controlling the north with communism and America in the south. In June of 1950 North Koreans attacked across the 38th parallel leading the Security Council to allow Truman to send troops to keep the peace. This was the beginning of the Korean war that lasted 3 years and ended with the 38th parallel reinforced as the border between North and South Korea. -
Because of the Plessy V Ferguson decision that allowed segregation as long as it was separate but equal. Black schools were very old and outdated especially when compared to white schools. Elementary schooler Linda Brown had to walk past multiple nice white schools in order to get to her black school. Thurgood Marshall represented her case and the ultimate decision was that public schools were not allowed to segregate under the 14th amendment. -
Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white person and challenged Jim Crow laws. She was arrested and in the name of her arrest people boycott the buses until they are no longer segregated. The boycott lasted 382 days and came to an end after bus companies beg for laws to change so they can regain 75% of their customers. -
During his time in Germany Eisenhower learned of how efficient their roads were and wanted to implement a similar system in the US. He got it approved by using the hysteria of the red scare to his advantage and requiring 1 mile of flat road for every 10 miles so that planes could take off in case of an emergency. This was the largest public works project and was able to connect the entire country through the efficient highways. -
Cuba was overthrown by communist leader Fidel Castro, which made the US nervous about missiles that were now in reach of the US. Eisenhower devises a plan to support Cuban exiles in a revolt to overthrow Castro but when it came time JFK pulled back all military support. The exiles were captured, tortured, and killed by Castro's army and JFK took responsibility of the failed operation. -
Out of concern for their safety many parents did not allow their children to participate in the Civil Rights movement but in may of 1963 hundreds of school kids got together and walked out of school to march in downtown Birmingham. Kids were sprayed with fire hoses and had police dogs released on them for walking out of line. Many kids were arrested and rounded up in the cattle pens at the fair grounds to dehumanize them. -
The SCLC organized a march in Washington DC with the NAACP, SNCC, and CORE. While there were protesters there it was completely peaceful and a day for people to learn and grow as they demanded for equal rights. People came from all over the country in buses and the march was completely packed. All day there were speakers like Martin Luther King Jr who gave his famous "I have a dream" speech. -
President LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act to ban any discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Originally it was JFK who ordered this bill to be created but he died before he could see it through so LBJ signed it. This act completely banned segregation and was a major victory to all those fighting for it and especially African Americans. -
Along the Gulf of Tonkin North Vietnamese ships fired on American warships but a misread radar said that it had happened twice. LBJ felt war was inevitable and decided to ask for approval for war regardless of the false alarm. He was granted permission to take all necessary measures to protect the US and thus started the Vietnam War. LBJ knew it would be unpopular and did his best to phrase his intentions carefully as to not cause the end of the great society. -
600 people gathered in Selma to march to Montgomery in protest for voting rights after so many black people were turned away from voting because of racist policies. While crossing a bridge to Montgomery they were beaten and gassed in an event known as bloody Sunday. Their second attempt was led by MLK who turned them around after sensing something was wrong. Finally the third attempt was successful thanks to protection from troops and soon after the voting rights act was signed. -
LBJ signed the Medical Care Act to establish two vital programs in health. Medicare applied to all elderly people over 65 years old in need and provided them with health insurance, and Medicaid provided to those with limited income of any age. Both programs have been working to help Americans in need and saving lives of those who otherwise wouldn't be able to support themselves. -
While it was fully legal for black people to vote they were still discriminated against and required to pass literacy tests in order to vote. LBJ signed the voting rights act to ban any kind of discrimination or intimidation at the voting polls. In order to reinforce the law it was threatened that any sate violating it would lose their representation in congress.
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Many states had outlawed same sex relationships and forced gay people to hide but during the Civil Rights and women's movements gay people began to demand their rights as well. Following a violent police raid at Stonewall Inn people rioted for days gaining the attention of the country as the gay liberation grew. These riots paved the way for the great progress the LGBTQ community has made and helped Americans feel safe to be themselves. -
Former FBI and CIA agents working for Nixon's reelection committee were caught trying to break into and wiretap the Democratic National Complex. After the news came out Nixon claimed to not know the men and tried to blow off the entire situation with bribes. After he was elected someone spoke up about the truth of the situation and Nixon later resigned. All this conflict in the US hindered progress in the Vietnam war where they recognized that and exploited that weakness. -
The 16th amendment was passed in order to allow the government to collect income tax. The amendment did not issue a tax immediately and only granted the government the power to take income taxes. The Underwood Tariff bill imposed an income tax which helped fund the government and make up for lost revenue. -
The War Industries Board was created to direct and manage military production during WWI. The board dictated what companies could have certain materials and what they could make with them in order to help the war effort. Production grew by 20% and became more efficient under the strains of war. Even after the war was over its effects carried the country into the roaring 20's where business was booming and the economy was growing nonstop. -
In attempt to keep information about the war away from spies the Sedition Act of 1918 was passed. This act silenced any words or behaviors that might encourage resistance to the US or that promoted the enemy. People's freedom of speech was taken away and it was allowed because of the severity and anxiety of the war. -
Ever since the 2nd Great Awakening people were protesting for the government to ban alcohol. It was believed that it was the root of all evil and most Christian people, especially women, fought for the ban on alcohol. The 18th amendment banned the production, sale, and transportation of alcohol however it only encouraged people to become criminals in order to drink. -
The 19th amendment was passed to finally grant women the right to vote. Unfortunately women like Susan B Anthony, who led the movement did not live to see the effects of their activism. Women gaining the right to vote was a huge victory as it took many decades to finally allow the other half of the population voting rights. -
Britain and France felt that the 14 points were not harsh enough and devised the Treaty of Versailles to punish Germany. Germany was not allowed to have an army large enough to defend itself and had to pay for all the damages of the war. Germany fell into a depression after the war and only was able to recover by retaliating against the harsh treaty that Wilson fought against. -
Woodrow Wilson gave a speech to congress illustrating a plan for the end of WWI. The points contained a call for open trade and free navigation of the seas. He also believed there should be no blame placed on anyone after the war as it might cause more conflicts later on. The points were never used but in the final agreement the League of Nations was created to honor one of the points that called for international regulation. -
Mitchell Palmer, Attorney General, directed raids on those who were suspected to be against capitalism. Palmer was sure that there would be an insurrection on May 1, 1920 but it never came and he lost most of his support. Thousands of people were detained and deported under accusations that held no solid evidence. -
Sacco and Vanzetti were anarchist Italian immigrants who were arrested for the murder of two men. They were quickly sentenced to death and then later killed in 1927 after being judged under heavy anti-immigrant bias. The case gained the attention of the world and many influential people called for their release but ultimately nothing worked. Their fate is another example of the hysteria and extreme biases of the red scare that diminished the famous freedoms of America. -
The first automobile was invented in 1886 by Karl Benz but it did not become popular until Henry Ford developed a moving assembly line to construct automobiles. Ford created the Model T to be a simple accessible car and it was one of the first cars to be mass produced. Cars became a staple in American households and changed the way Americans spent their time in the 1920's. -
The Great Plains had been covered in a specific type of grass that would tangle with itself in order to survive the climate until it was replaced by wheat which exhausted the soil. The soil was so eroded and weak that it was picked up by the wind and carried around in major dust storms. Crops disappeared, homes were buried, and the prices for food skyrocketed. -
To help with the unemployment crisis another part of FDR's new deal included the PWA. The PWA was meant to hire people for public works activities which usually included construction and arts. 200,000 jobs were created through this administration and people were able to go back to work in areas that are otherwise hard to get into. -
The United States wanted to remain neutral during WWI as it was a European conflict but after Lusitania sunk it was clear neutrality would not be possible. Germany saw the US as a threat and wanted to keep them distracted with Mexico by promising to give Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico back to Mexico. The plan was intercepted and heavily contributed to the US joining WWI. -
Throughout the 20's the economy had been booming and thriving until 1929 when the market crashed. The crash was caused by large amounts of speculation and weak banks. People relied on credit and promises of paying back later until there was nothing left. The crash marks the very beginning of the Great Depression where 1 in 4 Americans were unemployed. -
President Herbert Hoover believed there was nothing he could do about the depression and told Americans to tighten their belts until the depression solved itself. Hoover was bound to lose the next election due to his severe unpopularity and FDR took his place. FDR wanted to help the people and he changed the relationship between the people and the government. Now in times of need the people turn to the government for help thanks to FDR. -
After WWI the government had promised to issue a bonus to all veterans in 1945, but when the depression hit soldiers got together to ask for their bonuses in advance. The government was unable to give them their bonus and they decided to camp out in front of the white house. They built a Hooverville right in front of Hoover who got mad and ordered them to be kicked out and burned the place down. -
Since the depression was caused by weak banks as a part of his New Deal FDR created the FDIC to help regulate banks. He demanded a bank holiday where banks were forced to close and be inspected as a way to rule out all weak banks. The corporation also insured deposits worth up to $2500. FDR also removed the gold standard so that banks could have lower interest rates and become more accessible. -
In effort to expand the Japanese closed trade from the US to Manchuria in China. In response the US stops selling oil to japan which was seen as an attack to them. The Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor destroying ships, planes, and taking lives. Soon after FDR gives his "day of infamy" and declares war on Japan causing people to spring into action and leave the depression. -
America not only needed support on the battle field but on the home front as well. It was absolutely crucial that everyone that could have a job did in fact have a job so FDR issued executive order 8802 to ban all discrimination in employment in federal jobs. African Americans were now able to get jobs working for the government and they were also able to help their country in a time of war.
