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Battle of Lexington & Concord
The Battle of Lexington & Concord signaled the beginning of the American Revolutionary War on April 19, 1775. Which is why it's so important to our history. The battle of Lexington was fairly small battle. When the British appeared there were only 80 militiamen in the town. Led by Captain John Parker. Neither side expected to fight until the midst of confusion to a gunshot the British attacked. The gunshot was the first shot to the American Revolution. -
Battle of Saratoga
The 1st battle in Saratoga began on 9/19/1777 known as The Battle of Freeman's Farm on the farmland of British loyalist John Freeman. Eventually leading to the Battle of Bemis Heights on 10/7/1777. The British were defeated by the Americans while General Burgoyne was forced to retreat. The Americans surrounded the British Army under the command of General Gates. On 10/17/1777 the British surrendered. As important the war is, the French decided to assist the Americans with the military aid. -
Battle of Yorktown
General Nathanael Greene had taken over command of the American Continental Army in the South. With the British greatly outnumbered by the French and American troops. For 11 days the American forces bombarded the British. On 10/19/1781 General Cornwallis signed the British surrender. Known as the Articles of Capitulation. Approximately 8,000 troops were surrendered in Yorktown. Losing the battle lead the British to consider peace. Opening the doors for the Treaty of Paris, which is important. -
Northwest Ordinance
After the Revolutionary War, the United States obtained of large sections of the border land to to the west of the 13 colonies. Over time the territory became states which we know today including Kansas, Tennessee, and Ohio. -
Virginia & Kentucky Resolutions
Passed by the legislatures of Virginia and Kentucky as a complaint against the federalist Alien and Seduction Acts. Written by James Madison and Thomas Jefferson however the role persist unrevealed to the public practically 25 years. Jefferson's concept disputations were that the national government was a dense between states, any utilization of delegated command on it's part was weak, and the states had the right determine when their powers had been violated and govern the mode of redress. -
Alien & Sedition Acts
Passed by the Federalist Congress in 1798 and signed into law by President Adams. These regulations included new abilities to banish foreigners and making it complicated for new immigrants to vote. -
Louisiana Purchase
The United States acquired a massive area in of land from France due to the Louisiana Purchase. Seeking to raise livestock and land to plant crops had been lengthen to the west bygone the Appalachian Mountains into the Northwest Territory. The people obviously needed some where else to stay as the land were getting crowded, the only place to intervene was the west. Later Jackson organized a journey for Lewis and Clark to explore the new land which they became famous for. -
Marbury v. Madison
One the most important Supreme Court cases in history. Marshall originally arranged the process of judicial review. Allowing the supreme court to articulate laws made by Congress as unconstitutional. This definitely gave the supreme court the inspection to the power of congress. Eventually made it an equal third branch of the government. -
Missouri Compromise
This was an attempt by Congress to disable the sectional and political competition triggered by petition of Missouri in late 1819 for disclosure as a state in which slavery would certainly be accepted. During that time the United States accommodated 22 states, fairly halve between the free and slave states. -
Nullification Crisis
A sectional political crisis in the United States. This doctrine was endorsed by President Andrew Jackson and James Madison in the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions of 1798-99. There's been conflict between South Carolina and the federal government in 1832-33 over the former's undertake to proclaim null and void within the state federal tariffs of 1828 and 1832. -
Monroe Doctrine
Introduced by President James Monroe in 1823. The doctrine set foregin policy of the United States respecting the Western Hemisphere. The US wouldn't allow European countries to start new colonies in North/South America. South America recently gained their independence from European empires including Spain and Portugal. Many Presidents invoked the Monroe Doctrine when interfering in foregin affairs in the Western Hemisphere. -
Texas Annexation
Annexation of the Republic of Texas in the United States, which acknowledge the Union as 28th state on December 29, 1845. The Republic of Texas declared independence from the Declaration of Mexico on March 2, 1836. -
Oregon Treaty
Settlers from the east began to travel to Oregon Country using the Oregon trail. Over the years plenty of people drifted towards the west, several settling on Oregon. Ultimately there were so many Americans in the region that Great Britain simply gave up the land. Eventually becoming part of the United States due to the Oregon Treaty in 1846. -
Mexican Cession (Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo)
Mexico ceded to the United States in 1848 with a treaty. Known as the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The US acquired the states regions with that became states which are California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. Later leading to the Gadsden Purchase. -
Compromise of 1859
Collection of five separate bills passed by the United States Congress. Later disarm a four-year political conflict between slave states and free states on the positions of regions acquired during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). -
Kansas - Nebraska Act
Passed by the United States Congress. This authorized people in the regions of Kansas and Nebraska to determine for themselves whether or not to permit slavery within the boundaries. The Act assist to revoke the Missouri Compromise of 1820 which banned slavery north of latitude 36°30. -
Bleeding (Bloody) Kansas
First fighting issue over slavery. The government later proceed the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854 authorizing the residents of Kansas to to vote regardless if they're a slave state or free state. The area was immersed with supporters from both sides. They struggles with this subject for a few years. Various amounts of killed have been killed in small battles which is why giving it confrontation name Bleeding Kansas. -
Battle of Fort Sumter
The first battle of the American Civil War. This event took place in two day from April 12-13, 1861. It began with SC leaving the Union and escalated with the development of Confederacy and the Confederate Army. General Beauregard and his troops were the first to fire on 4/12/1861. Major Anderson was outnumbered and had no other choice but to surrender. Several states that had not picked a side either choose the North or South. The war lasted longer than Lincoln expected turning out to be 4 yrs. -
Battle of Bull Run
The battle of bull run was one of the vital battles in the Civil War. The Civil War had already begun at The Battle of Fort Sumter. The South thought with an additional major win the North would give in and give the newly Confederate States alone. But however the North figured they could take another state like they did the Capital city of Richmond, Virginia and the war will end in a timely manner. The Confederates won the battle but both sides endured casualties. -
Battle of Vicksburg
It's important to our history because Vicksburg is located on the Mississippi River. It was also the last critical port on the river held by the south. The Siege of Vicksburg was a great success for the Union. It managed the Mississippi River to the Union. With the Confederate army under the General Robert E. Lee was conquered during the Battle of Gettysburg. This was a great win for the Union. -
Battle of Antietam
Battle between the Union and Confederacy during the Civil War. Took place near Sharpsburg, Maryland. The battle began when General Joseph Hooker attacked the Confederate army. The fight was described in three phases: Morning, Midday, and Afternoon phases. The next day Lee retreat. Neither sides were winning the Battle. Great Britain and France continued to disregard the Confederacy as a legal nation. More conclusive actions would've ended the war easily. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Order given by Abraham Lincoln to free all slaves. Not all slaves were set free. Only slaves in the the Confederate states that aren't under Union control. The Southern state slaves wouldn't be free until the Union were able to defeat the Confederacy. It also stated that all slaves would be free in the future/present day. The Emancipation also allowed Black men to fight in the Union Army. Lincoln waited so longed because he needed the support and wanted a major win. -
Battle of Gettysburg
Robert E. Lee invaded the North. This battle took place in the course of three days. The Confederates outnumbered the Union on the first day and lead them to withdraw through the town of Gettysburg to the south of the town.General Lee sent General Pickett with 12,500 men on a straight charge at the heart of the union Army. Leading to a famous attack known as the 'Pickett's Charge'. Unfortunately Gens. Pickett's men were conquered and they retreated. -
Gettysburg Address
Short speech given by President Abraham Lincoln. Stating that America should honor those who fought for us during these battles. Bleeding on American soil, so we can have our own nation without being controlled by the British. -
13th amendment Passed
Made slavery illegal in the United States. It took several years to completely end slavery in the US.The struggle to end slavery in the US started in the late 1700's. Citizens wanted to end slavery were known as abolitionist. Rhode Island was the first state to abolish slavery in 1776. By 1820, the northern regions were mainly against slavery while the southern states of course wanted to keep slavery. The south were strongly dependent on slaves. The southern regions were mainly slaves. -
14th Amendment Passed
The longest amendment in the constitution. Ratified in 1868 to protect civil rights of freed slaves after the Civil War. This amendment is important and contentious amendment stating problems such as the rights of citizens, due process, equal protection under the law, and the requirements of the states. It also states how important citizens are in the US. It says that anybody born in the United States is a citizen and has the rights as a citizen. It ensured that even freed slaves were citizens. -
15th Amendment Passed
This amendment protects the voting rights of all citizens regardless of there gender, race, ethnicity and etc. Giving the former slaves and their future generations the U.S. citizen the official right to vote so they thought. However in the actual amendment 'former slaves' were often intimidated by whites. They were usually found ways around the amend causing them to take poll taxes, literacy test, white primacy system. The voting rights act wasn't fully applied to all people until 1965. -
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
Ruled that segregation based on race was legal. It's well known for it's decision of "separate but equal" by stating that railway cars could be divided between black people & white people. This decision was later turned down by the case of Brown v. Board of Education.