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Aug 12, 1492
Columbus Lands in the Americas
On August 3, 1492, Columbus set sail from Palos, Spain where he sailed until he reached America on October 12, 1492. He sailed for two months and landed in the Bahamas. From there, Columbus searched and discovered many islands for five months. He came across modern-day Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. -
Jamestown
The Virginia Company, also known as the Joint Stock Corporation, founded Jamestown on May 14, 1607. Jamestown is a settlement in the Colony of Virginia. Jamestown was founded on swampy land and little drinking water. It was the first English settlement in North America. In 1608, John Smith seized control of the area in east Virginia. -
Pilgrims Land
On November 11, 1620, the Mayflower officially arrived in New England after a 66-day voyage. The pilgrims intended goal was to settle along the Hudson River in New York, but due to the poor conditions, they were forced to settle at Cape Cod. Later the Mayflower shipped these religion-based Pilgrims to Plymouth, Massachusetts. These Pilgrims were surprisingly tolerant of other religions and weren't all religiously motivated. -
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French/Indian War
The war fought between French and British empire. This war determined the control of the significant colonial territory in North America. This critical battle all started due to the issues surrounding the Ohio River Valley. The British Empire believed they had control of the land and was open for settlement by Virginians. On the other hand, the French Empire thought they controlled the land starting an outbreak between the two empires. -
Lexington and Concord
The American Revolutionary War was initiated due to the battles of Lexington and Concord. With the hundreds of British troops marching from Boston to nearby Concord, Paul Revere and others had to alert the people. Due to being informed, they were prepared for warfare. The Lexington Town started the combat, which led to the British quickly retreating. Many battles followed, and the colonists gained their independence in 1783. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was a statement that was embraced by the Second Continental Congress. This meeting took place at the Pennsylvania State House, which is now known as Independence Hall. The Declaration of Independence announced that the 13 colonies would no longer be under British rule. There will be 13 independent sovereign states and was the first step at creating the United States of America. -
Woman's Rights: No voting rights for women
In 1777, the initial 13 states established laws that prohibit women from voting. Abigail-Smith Adams, the 2nd president of the United States, and mother of John Quincy Adams, the 6th president of the United States, address that women "will not hold ourselves bound by any laws which we have no voice." -
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Constitutional Convention
The United States Constitutional Convention lasted from May 25 through September 17 in 1787. This significant political meeting took place in the Pennsylvania State House. The objective of the convention was to revise the first government under the Articles of Confederation. Instead, they created a new system for their government rather than fixing their existing one. George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison were vital factors in this significant event for America. -
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Jefferson Presidency
Thomas Jefferson, who was one of the founding fathers of the United States, served two terms as the United States third president. Jefferson was the primary contributor to the Declaration of Independence and has had many other significant successes. President Jefferson wanted to reduce the size and the capability of the federal government. He thought the federal government had become too big and too powerful. His goals matched the Democratic-Republic Parties objectives. -
Louisiana Purchase
The deal for land between France and the United States in 1803. The US gained 828,000 square miles of land that was left of the Mississippi River. France controlled that territory from 1699 until 1762, where it was surrendered to Spain. The United States acquired a major chunk of the Louisiana Territory. -
Missouri compromise
The Missouri Compromise was constructed by Congress to equalize electoral votes due to the political rivalries. In 1819, Missouri was accepted as a state, which would create an unbalance of electoral votes. Only adding Missouri would permit slavery to exist in the United States. To balance things out, Massachusetts gave up a portion of their Commonwealth land and created a new free state, called Maine. It was granted as the 23rd state and successfully helped balance electoral votes. -
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Jackson Presidency
The former American war hero, Andrew Jackson was inaugurated on March 4, 1829, and officially became the 7th president of the United States. He served two terms, which is eight years as the U.S. president. He became known from being a general in the U.S. Army and serving in Congress. His primary objective as president was to preserve the Union. In 1828, Jackson’s first term was up, and he ran for his second term. He defeated Adams in a landslide, which gave Jackson another four years in office. -
Indian Removal Act
On May 28, 1830, President Andrew Jackson signed the torturous Indian Removal Act. This act would allow President Jackson to acquire Indian lands that are in the already existing inside the borderline. In exchange, Jackson would give unsettled land that was west of the Mississippi River. Many Indian Tribes were irate about the idea of relocating. During the winter, the United States Government forced Indians to march west. 4,000 Cherokee Indians died from this long travel. -
Woman's Rights: Seneca Falls Convention
The Seneca Falls Convention was the first Convention covering women's suffrage. The primary intent of the convention was to discuss the social, religious, and civil liberties and conditions of women since the meeting attracted widespread attention, many others followed. The Seneca Falls Convention was significant because it was the first significant meeting for women's suffrage in 1800s. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 was a crucial act passed by the 33rd Congress to open up many new farms and make a transcontinental railroad. Some southerners came up to Kansas, while many northerners came to Kansas. Controversy arose due to slavery and led to Bleeding Kansas. Bleeding Kansas was a miniature Civil War. -
Dred Scott v Sanford
Dred Scott v Sanford was a United States Supreme Court case that ruled African-Americans, like Dred Scott, not citizens. The Missouri Compromises restraint on slavery was now viewed as unconstitutional. -
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Lincoln Presidency
Abraham Lincoln became the 16th president of the U.S., where he served from March 4, 1861, until April 15, 1865. His 2nd term was left short due to being assassinated. Lincoln guided the U.S. through the American Civil War. After the Civil War, he resolved slavery which was one of Lincoln's most significant goals. He had many pieces of legislation in the works before he died, including Lincoln's 10% plan. He was a very significant president and successfully helped our nation recover. -
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Attack on Fort Sumter
The attack on Fort Sumter initiated the Civil War. The battle took place right outside of Charleston, South Carolina. With his stock of ammunition drained, Anderson was forced to surrender Fort Sumter shortly after two in the afternoon. This was a significant impact on the war and led to a confederacy victory. -
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh took place in southwestern Kentucky and resulted in a Union victory. Grant counter attacked the retreating Confederates leaving a massive hole in their army while also getting a substantial blow to the unions ultimately driving the Confederates back to Shiloh. This was a great victory for Grant and the Union army. -
Battle of Antietam
The battle of Antietam was a crucial battle in the Civil War fought between the North and South. With the Unions strategic victory, It gave Lincoln the right to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. The Emancipation Proclamation by Lincoln declared all slaves inside rebellious states sovereign. About 23,000 combined soldiers died from this gruesom war. -
Emancipation Proclamation
On January 1, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation which declared every slave within the rebellious states shall be free. Due to the Emancipation Proclamation, 3.1 million slaves were freed of the nations 4 million. -
Fort Wagner
Fort Wagner took place in Charleston, South Carolina. The Confederacy took this battle as only twelve of their men died. They defeated the Union soldiers in hand to hand combat and killed many Union soldiers. It was a highly impactful war because it proved that black soldiers would fight courageously if they were given the opportunity. -
Surrender at Appomattox
The Surrender at Appomattox was the official end of the bloody long-lasting Civil War. The surrender took place at the Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia. It was very significant because it decided the victor of the Civil War. The North won by marching all night and cutting off the confederate's retreat. -
Lincoln Assassinated
On April 14, 1865, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by the famous actor John Wilkes Booth in Ford Theatre. Booth jimmied the lock before the play started. Lincoln was intending the play “Our American Cousin” when he was shot in the head by Booth. -
Thirteenth Amendment Ratified
This major amendment abolished slavery in the United States. It was passed by the United States Senate on April 8, 1864, and was advanced through the House of Representatives on January 31, 1865. The thirteenth amendment was ratified on December 6, 1865. -
Woman's Rights: Woman Suffrage
Woman Suffrage is the right to all women to vote in elections. The people that advocated for this topic were usually called suffragists. Many national and international organizations were formed to promote the women's voice and to help generate a bigger following. -
Chinese Exclusion Act
On May 6, 1882, United States President Chester Arthur signed the Chinese Exclusion Act. This act was a federal law that banned all immigration from Chinese workers. It was later reopened for another ten years. Following those long years, Chinese immigration became indelibly illegal in 1902. In their eyes, this was very successful because it slowly declined the Chinese population in the United States. -
Sherman Antitrust Act
The Sherman Antitrust Act was a federal act that protected trade. Also, This act preserved commerce against monopolies and unlawful restraints. This act was adopted on July 2, 1890, and was a first step congress legislated to forbid trusts. -
Plessy v Ferguson
On May 18, 1896, the United States supreme court ruled the seven-to-one majority. This ruling was a turning point decided by the United States supreme court. They sustained racial segregation laws constitutionality for different public facilities. This developed the doctrine that’s known as “separate but equal.” -
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Spanish American War
In 1898, The Spanish American war was fought between the United States and Spain. Warfare began due to the aftermath of the USS Maine exploding in Havana Harbor in Cuba, commencing U.S. intrusion in the Cuban War of Independence. Joseph Pulitzer used yellow Journalism to call for war. The Spanish American war resulted in a U.S. Victory, and the Treaty of Paris of 1898. -
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T. Roosevelt Presidency
The Harvard graduate, Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States. He served for a total of two terms, which is eight years as president. Roosevelt was a very effective president; he created fifteen important articles of legislation in the first one-hundred days. Roosevelt was the main reason for our successful recovery from the Great Depression. He believed America asked for action, so he brought it to the American people. -
Woman's Rights: Muller v. State of Oregon
Muller v. the State of Oregon was a critical Supreme Court case in 1903. In 1903, Oregon enacted a law that declared that women could work no more than 10 hours a day in laundries and factories. Muller was condemned for violating the law. His appeal ultimately was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. -
Sixteenth Amendment
The Sixteenth Amendment of the United States authorized Congress's right to require a Federal income tax. It was passed by Congress on July 2, 1909, and was ratified on February 3, 1913. Congress to levy an income tax without distributing it amongst the states by population. -
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Wilson Presidency
Woodrow Wilson, became the 28th president of the US. He was a member of the Democratic Party and led the United States through World War I. He drew up the 14 points plan, which later successfully created the League of Nations. He went to Paris and participated in the Treaty of Versaille. He has had many successful ideas of likely articles of legislation including the Federal Trade Commission Act and the Federal Reserve Act. -
WWI Begins
World War I commenced after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The Central Powers were Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire, and they fought against the Axis Powers of Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Romania, Japan, and the United States. The start of World War I was very significant because this war brought us into the modern world. New technologies were invented, and different ways of fighting. World War I brought trenches, planes, etc. -
Panama Canal
This famous canal transported commercial goods covering grains through automobiles. This canal connecting the east and west coasts of the United States shortened many trips. Many sailors did not have to round Cape Horn in South America. Instead, they quickly and efficiently hauled their cargo between the Atlantic and Pacific ocean utilizing the canal. It was first operated in 1914 and is still being used today. -
Woman's Rights: National Woman’s Party
The National Woman’s Party was formed in 1916 whose primary goal was to fight for Women's suffrage. The primary leader of this organization Alice Paul, who led the protest outside of the White House fence. They achieved their goals, and they advocated for other issues. For example, they brought up and achieved the adoption of the 19th amendment of the United States. -
Wilson’s 14 Points
The 14 points plan that was written by President Woodrow Wilson was a statement of principles that was about the idea of peace. At the end of World War I, the points were reexamined and ended up being the base of peace negotiations. The points ended up forming the League of Nations on January 10, 1920. Even though Wilson formulated the plan for the League of Nations, the United States was not apart of the league. The League of Nations was a smaller version of the United Nations we have today. -
WWI Ends
The first World War was brought to an end by the Treaty of Versailles. Germany capitulated on November 11, 1918, and the other nations agreed to stop fighting while the articles of peace were getting negotiated. The president of the United States, Woodrow Wilson, operated the United States through the war. World War I was one of the most significant engagements to this day. -
Eighteenth Amendment
This amendment positioned intoxicating liquors on prohibition. This made it illegal to sell, transport, or manufacture alcohol. It was ratified on January 16, 1919. This amendment was in effect for the following 13 years and was finally repealed by the twenty-first amendment of the United States in 1933. -
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Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the most critical peace treaties to this day. The Treaty of Versailles brought World War I to an end and concluded the hostilities between the Allied powers and Germany. This Treaty was enrolled by the director of the League of Nations on October 21, 1919. Also, many say this treaty as a jumpstart to a future World War II. -
Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural outbreak that took place in Harlem, New York, in the 1920s. The Harlem Renaissance brought new art and African-American culture to perspective. The Harlem Renaissance was one of the most influential periods till this day. Many African-Americans were inspired by this period. The neighborhoods of Harlem was where a majority of African-Americans settled from the Great African-American Migration. -
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Prohibition
Prohibition was a constitutional restriction on selling, transporting, importing, or producing alcohol that was done across the whole country. Alcoholism was a significant problem in the United States, and people who supported prohibition thought it was for our health and public morals. -
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Rise of the K.K.K.
The K.K.K, which was founded in 1866, reached its highest peak in the 1920s. The clan reached its height of members, and they moved beyond just targeting blacks. They shifted their targets to Catholics, Jews, and Foreigners. This was one of the most significant clans in the 1920s because the Ku Klux Klan was indicative of a society managing with the impacts of industrialization, urbanization, and immigration. -
Nineteenth Amendment
This amendment gave rights to the citizens to vote, and the federal government can’t deny their voting rights due to their gender. Overall, This amendment was used to give women the right to vote. This was the peak of the women’s suffrage movement in the United States. -
Gitlow v New York
This case decided by the Supreme Court on the idea that the 14th amendment of the United States extended the scope of specific limitations regarding the first amendment. Explicitly, the provisions preserved freedom of the press and the freedom of speech. This case established the range of the first amendment protection of free speech. -
Scopes Trial
The Scopes Trials was a significant trial in the 1920s. The substitute teacher, John Scopes from Tennessee was accused of teaching the students human evolution. This was undoubtedly unlawful as it infringed the Tennessee Butler Act. After the trials, Scopes was found guilty and was fined $100. -
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Stock Market Crash
The Stock Market failure of 1929 was the most devastating crash in American History. It lasted from October 24 through October 29, 1929. The market collapsed due to the shares of the New York Stock Exchange dropping. This crash was a significant impact in the start of the Great Depression and later sparked the worldwide share of the economic crisis. -
Roosevelt 1st Election
The presidential election of 1932 was between the Republican candidate, Herbert Hoover, and Democratic candidate Franklin D. Roosevelt. This election took place during the setting of the Great Depression, and FDR won in a landslide. This election marked the end of the Fourth Party System. Also, FDR ensured recovery through the “New Deal.” -
CCC
The Civilian Conservation Corps, also known as the CCC, took single men at the age of 18-25 and sent them to plant trees, roads, and counter soil erosion on governmental grounds. In ten years, the Civilian Conservation Corps provided jobs to 2.5 million people. The men took their funds and granted it to their families. -
Woman's Rights: National Recovery Act
The National Recovery Act prohibits more than one family member from retaining a government position, resulting in countless women losing their professions. The NIRA was a labor law enacted by the United States Congress to approve the President to regulate the industry for fair prices and wages that would incite economic reconstruction. -
Securities Exchange Commission (SEC)
The Securities Exchange Commission was utilized to serve as a guard firm that protects public and private investors from fraud and inside manipulation in the stock market. Today, we still use SEC today as it keeps out potential cheating in the market. -
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
The Federal Communications Commission, also known as the FCC, was utilized to merge the administrative duties for managing wire communications and broadcasting into one central firm. Today, the FCC is used for many things including television broadcasting, radio regulation, interstate telecommunication, etc. -
Rural Electrification Administration (REA)
The Rural Electrification Administration granted federal loans for the furnishing of electrical distribution methods to serve secluded rural areas of the United States. This administration was enacted on May 20, 1936. The Rural Electrification Act was also an effort made by FDR's New Deal to cope with the high unemployment. -
Social Security Act
The Social Security Act of 1935 instituted old-age benefits for workers, unemployment coverage, and many other features that aid the helpless. Today, we still use FDR’s social security plan. About 50 million Americans have a social security plan, and it considers for about 25% of the federal budget. -
FDR Court Packing Scandal
In this defamation, President FDR tried to “pack” the United States Supreme Court due to his deal being considered unconstitutional. Roosevelt attempted to add more justices to the Supreme Court so he could get the favorable rulings for his brand-new deal that was in the process. -
Woman's Rights: Equal Pay Act
The Equal Pay Act of 1963 ended sex discrimination in the workforce. It gave equal pay for equal work and is an amendment FLSA. It is significant because women were given comparable salaries. -
Woman's rights: Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was established to prohibit discrimination based on race, religion, color, sex, or origin of nationality. It prevents the unequal application of voter registration qualifications, racial discrimination in schools, employment, and public conveniences. -
Woman's Rights: Women’s Educational Equity Act
Women’s Educational Equity Act of 1974 outlined that federal protections facing the gender discrimination of women in education would be outlawed. Women’s Educational Equity Act was designed to fight the sex-role stereotypes in elementary and beyond schooling. -
Woman's Rights: The Year of the Woman
The Year of the Woman was a famous tag attached to 1992 after the election of many female Senators in the United States. The contested Senate authorization hearings for Supreme Court appointee Clarence Thomas concerning the accusations of Anita Hill elevated the issue of the dominance of men in the Senate.
