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Dec 6, 1215
Magna Carta
Who: King John
What: Charter of Rules for leader of Britian
Why: Becomes the symbol of rebellion in Britian -
Period: Dec 6, 1300 to
The Renaissance
Who: Prince Henry
What: Time period where Europeans begin to explore the New World
Why: America is discovered in this time period -
Period: Dec 6, 1394 to Dec 6, 1460
Prince Henry "The Navigator'
Who: Prince Henry
What: Portugese explorer sent to explore Western Africa
Why: This gives England the idea to go west and explore the New World -
Dec 6, 1492
Migrate
Who: Settlers
What: Moving from one place to another
Why: Settlers migrated to start a new nation -
Dec 6, 1492
Adobe
Who: Settlers
What: Material used to build the homes for settlers
Why: Material was used to start new communities -
Dec 6, 1492
Christopher Columbus
Who: Christopher Columbus
What: Explorer who discovers the New World
Why: He was the first to discover America -
Dec 6, 1500
Hernan Cortez
Who: Cortez
What: Spanish Conquistador who takes down the Aztecs
Why: One of the first from Spain to colonize in North America -
Dec 6, 1500
Conquistador
Who: Spanish Explorers
What: Soldiers and explorers from Spain who colonized in parts of North America
Why: A large portion of the United States is Spanish -
Dec 6, 1500
The Middle Passage
Who: Africa, England and the Colonies
What: Port of Triangular Trade Route between Africa, Enland and the Colonies
Why: The start of American Slavery -
Period: Dec 6, 1500 to Dec 6, 1550
Puritans
Who: Religious people
What: Christains who migrated to America for religious reasons. Their religion was not accepted in England.
Why: They become a major part in colonizing North America -
Period: Dec 6, 1500 to
The Columbian Exchange
Who: Columbus
What: Global transfer of living things
Why: First method of trade between the New World and Europe -
Dec 6, 1505
Mestizo
Who: Spanish/ Native Americans
What: A mix of Spanish/Native American ancestry. Started when Spanish moved to America.
Why: there are many Mestizo in America -
Dec 6, 1520
Montezuma
Who: Montezuma
What: The 9th ruler of Tencontitian. Killed in Spanish conquest vs. Cortez
Why: Stood in the way of Spanish Colonization -
Period: Jan 6, 1580 to
John Smith
Who: John Smith
What: British navigator who had many interactions with Native americans and developed a relationship with Pocahontas.
Why: Helped gain new land in North America -
Presidio
Who: Native Americans
What: Spanish military base used by the Spanish in order to take land from the Native Americans
Why: Established land for Spanish -
Joint-Stock Company
Who: Tobacco Farmers
What: Company whose stock is owned jointly by shareholders. Funded in growing tobacco.
Why: Major part in the early economy -
Period: to
Enlightenment
Who: Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson
What: Intellectual Movement to use reason and the Scientific Method as means of gaining knowledge
Why: Makes the colonists question Britian's rule -
Indentured Servant
Who: British Settlers
What: Person who works for employer in New World in order to afford to live there
Why: Used to grow population in colonies -
House of Bugesses
Who: Virginia Company
What: first democratically-elected legislative body in the British American colonies.
Why: Help start new nation -
Mayflower Compact
Who: Settlers
What: The first governing document of Plymouth colony. Written on the Mayflower by Pilgrims to establish a government for the new world.
Why: Start of the new nation -
Bacon's Rebellion
Who: British/Native Americans
What: Indians are tired of being pushed back by English. Fight starts after settlers go over Appalachan mountains
Why: First bit of open conflict with the Natives. -
William Penn
Who: William Penn
What: Leader of Pennsylvania, a peaceful Quaker who was very open to cultural, religious and racial diversity
Why: He helped establish the values of the new country -
Habeus Corpus
Who: The Supreme Court
What: Requirement that authorities bring a person in jail to court
Why: It is a right to be given a fair trial -
Salutary Neglect
Who: England and America
What: England holds back on law enforcement of the colonies
Why: Led to American Revolution -
The English Bill of Rights
Who: Parliament
What: Established separation of powers, limits power of monarchy, strengthens freedom of speech, guarantees free elections and removed cruel punishment
Why: U.S. Constitution is based off of this -
Mercantilism
Who: America
What: Idea that each coutries goal is self-sufficiency and all countries are competing for gold and silver
Why: Idea that drove the creation of America -
Period: to
Cash Crops
Who: Souther farmers
What: Crop grown by farmers for sale (tobacco, rice and indigo)
Why: Major part of the new economy -
The Iroquois League
Who: Iroquois Indians
What: Group created to keep the peace of Native American Nations
Why: Historically powerful and important Native American Group -
Period: to
The Great Awakening
Who: Christians
What: The revival of Christianity in the Colonies
Why: It brings new people into the Christian Churtch -
Period: to
John Jay
Who: Britian and Amerrica
What: Supreme Court Chief of Justice negotiated for the British to leave the Northwest Territory
Why: Ended the occupation of British Soldiers peacefully, which upset the French -
Period: to
Alexander Hamilton
Who: Jefferson and Washington
What: Washington's Secretary of Treasury believed in a strong central government and paying off debt
Why: He started the U.S. Treasury -
The Articles of Confederation
Who: The Continental Congress
What: The first set of laws created for the New World
Why: It influenced our ideas for the 2nd Constituion that we still use today -
Tariff
Who: Washington, Congress and Hamilton
What: Congress puts an Import Tax on foreign goods including a tax on manufacturing and whiskey
Why: Resulted in the Whiskey Rebellion -
Loose Construction
Who: Federal Government, Hamilton and Madison
What: The idea of having a more open approach to the Constitution
Why: Started an argument over certain powers of the government and set the foundation of the government that we have today -
Bicameral Legislature
Who: The Legislative Branch
What: The idea of the branch being divided into two parts
Why: This method is still used in today's government -
Period: to
Henry Clay
Who: John Quincy Adams
What: Adams appointed Clay as his Secretary of State. Clay is known as the "Great Pacificator" for his contributions to domestic policy
Why: Emphasizes economic development in his diplomacy -
The Federalist
Who: James Madison and John Jay
What: Series of 85 essays explaining the parts of the government
Why: Helped establish the government that is in use today -
Limited Government
Who: Government
What: Government powers are restricted giving more power to the people to make decisions
Why: It is a large part in creating the Democracy that was set out to build -
Shay's Rebellion
Who: Daniel Shay
What: Uprising of Massachusetts farmers protesting taxes and foreclosure
Why: Helps in the writing of the Constitution -
The Northwest Ordinance
Who: Congress
What: Congress passes rules on land north of the Ohio River and west of the Appalachians to become part of the colonies
Why: This led to western expansion of the U.S. -
The Great Compromise
Who: The House and Senate
What: The establishment of the House and Senate which satisfied the northern and southern states
Why: We still use this system in today's government -
Popular Soverignty
Who: The population of the U.S.
What: System of letting the population vote on a specific issue
Why: Voting is still a large part of how decisions are made in the U.S. -
Separation of Powers
Who: Government
What: Gives each of the three branches of the government equal power
Why: Used as a way for one branch not to get too powerful -
Checks and Balances
Who: Government
What: Each of the three branches have the same amount of power over each other
Why: Make sure one branch does not have more rule over another and is still used today -
Strict Constitution
Who: Hamilton and Madison
What: The idea that the federal government has very little power
Why: Helped keep the government away from having too much control and keeping the power divided -
Period: to
The 2nd Great Awakening
Who: Americans
What: Several periods of American religious revival
Why: The development of new religions in the U.S. -
The Whiskey Rebellion
Who: Washington and Farmers
What: Tariff on whiskey causes 15,000 farmers to rebel
Why: Establish power of the federal government in domestic affairs -
The Original Cabinet
Who: Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, Knox and Randolph
What: Washington chooses leaders of certain parts of the Executive Branch. They are the President's advisors to help with policies and laws.
Why: They help govern the Executive Branch and still exist today -
The Cotton Gin
Who: Eli Whitney
What: Invention for collecting cotton and distributing it faster
Why: Improved the cotton industry in the south -
The Alien and Sedition Acts
Who: Federalists, Congress and Democratic Republicans
What: Congress passes act changing resident requirements for citizenship. Also gives fines/jail time for anyone who talks bad about the government
Why: The acts were the worst example of violating the constitution -
Interchangeable Parts
Who: Eli Whitney
What: Whitney comes up with a way of making a bunch of small replacements for something rather than replacing it as a whole
Why: Innovates almost everything we use today -
Period: to
Dred Scott
Who: Dred Scott and U.S. Courts
What: A slave who unsuccessfully sued for his freedom
Why: It proved that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional -
Northwest Passage
Who: Explorers
What: Sea route connecting Atlantic and Pacific through the Arctic Ocean over the top of Canada
Why: Used to discover new land -
Period: to
Impressment
Who: British/Americans
What: Seizing Americans at sea and drafting them into the British Navy.
Why: One of the main reasons for the War of 1812 -
Period: to
Utopian Communities
Who: Nineteenth Century America
What: Considered by many to herald a new age in human civilation
Why: Showed different models of government, marriage, labor and wealth -
Period: to
Nat Turner
Who: Nat Turner
What: He is a slave who leads a slave rebellion and frees slaves in SouthHampton County Virginia resulting in 60 white deaths
Why: He is one of the 1st to rebel against slavery -
Period: to
Dorothea Dix
Who: Dorothea Dix
What: She was a nurse and activist on the insane and she started the 1st insane asylums
Why: Develops way to take care of the insane -
Judicial Review
Who:Supreme Court/Congress
What: The ability of the Supreme Court to declare an act of Congress unconstitutional.
Why: Example of Checks and Balances and is still used today. -
The Louisiana Purchase
Who: France, Spain, Jefferson, Monroe, Livingston
Wha: France sells land to the US for 15 million
Why: Doubles the US's land at that time -
Marbury v. Madison
Who: Marbury, Madison, Supreme Court
What: Marbury (Judge) sues Madison for not recieving official papers. Listed as unconstitutional and Marbury loses.
Why: Establishes principle of judicial review which is still used today. -
Period: to
William Lloyd Garrison
Who: Abolitionist, Journalist
What: Editor of the Abolitionist newspaper called the Liberator
Why: He is part of the Anti-Slavery Movement -
Period: to
War Hawks
Who: John C Calhoun and Henry Clay
What: Group of Congressmen led by Calhoun and Clay to start a war against Britain
Why: They were a large part in convincing Congress to go to war -
Period: to
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Who: Harriet Beecher Stowe
What: The author of Uncle Tom's Cabin
Why: Uncle Tom's Cabin was an influential anti-slavery novel and put the cons of slavery out into the world -
Andrew Jackson
Who: Native Americans and the British
What: General from Tennessee who won a series of battles in the War of 1812
Why: He is a large part of the victory in the war of 1812 -
The Treaty of Ghent
Who: Americans and Diplomats
What: The Treaty declares Armistice for 1814 for Christmas to stop fighting
Why: Restored peace before things got out-of-hand in the war -
The Hartford Convention
Who: Federalists
What: Federalists meet in Hartford to protest the War of 1812
Why: This meeting ended up destroying the Federalist Party -
Period: to
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Who: Activist
What: The leader of the Women's Rights Movement
Why: Major part of getting the women's rights that we have today -
American System
Who: People of the U.S.
What: Consisted of mutually reinforcing parts, a tariff to protech and promote American Industry, and a national bank to foster commerce
Why: Shows early development of America working as a unit -
Missouri Compromise
Who: Congress
What: Decision to make the longitude line the divide to split Missouri as a slave/free state
Why: Shows the split decision of politicians at that time -
The Monroe Doctrine
Who: The United States
What: A U.S. foreign policy stating that Europeans can no longer colonize in the U.S.
Why: Shows the relationship between the U.S. and the foreign world at that time -
The Erie Canal
Who: New York
What: Canal that ran from Albany to Lake Erie about 363 miles long
Why: Allowed for better trading and movement of bulk goods -
The Indian Removal Act
Who: Congress
What: Native Americans are moved to Oklahoma on a "reservation"
Why: This shows that the U.S. is becoming bigger and more powerful -
Jacksonian Democracy
Who: The Democratic Party
What: The political movement for greater democracy for the common man
Why: Shows the development of new parties -
Tariff on Abominations
Who: Congress
What: Passed to protect industry in the Northern U.S.
Why: Controversial and somewhat unconventional act -
Period: to
Abolitionist Movement
Who: Americans/Europeans
What: The movement to end slavery
Why: The official start of the Anti-Slavery movement -
Nullification
Who: State and Federal Government
What: State has the right to nullify any federal laws that the state finds unconstitutional
Why: It has never been legally upheld by federal courts -
Period: to
Popular Sovereignty
Who: The Population of America
What: The principal that the authority of a state and its government is created and sustained by the consent of its people, through their elected representatives who are the source of all political power
Why: The process was used to decide whether a state should be anti or pro slavery -
Period: to
Wilmont Proviso
Who: James K. Polk
What: Designed to eliminate slavery in the land acquired as a result of the Mexican War
Why: A step in the direction in trying to eliminate slavery -
Seneca Falls Convention
Who: Women
What: The 1st Women's Rights Convention advertised as a convention to discuss social, civil and religious conditions and the rights of women
Why: The start of the Women's Rights Movement -
Compromise of 1850
Who: Congress
What: Five Bills passed by Congress which defused a four year political confrontation between slave and free states regarding the status of territories acquired during the Mexican-American War
Why: Stepping stone toward the Civil War -
Period: to
The Underground Railroad
Who: Slaves and Harriet Tubman
What: Network of secret routes and safe houses used by slaves to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of Abolitionists and allies sympathic to their cause
Why: It freed many slaves -
Period: to
Radical Republicans
Who: People of the party
What: a faction of American politicians within the Republican Party from about 1854 (before the American Civil War) until the end of Reconstruction in 1877. They called themselves "Radicals" and were opposed during the war by the Moderate Republicans (led by Abraham Lincoln).
Why: Substatial in the deciding vote to abolish slavery. -
The Kansas/Nebraska Act
Who: Western Settlers
What: Act creating Kansas and Nebraska territories and repealed the Missouri Compromise by allowing settlers in those territories to use popular soverignty to determine if it is slave or free
Why: The rush to the territories caused fighting and chaos -
Period: to
Battle of Fort Sumter
Charleston, SC
Anderson - Union
Beauregard - Confederates
Confederates attack the Union from the harbor. First realization that war was happening. -
Anaconda Plan
General Winfield Scott.
Union strategy to put down Confederate Rebellion. Plan was to blockade Saltwater ports in the Mississippi river and move through Georgia to Richmond VA. WOuld have been more effective if used sooner in the war. -
1st Battle of Bull Run
Fairfax County/Prince William County, VA
McDowell - Union
Beauregard - Confederate
Union forces were too slow to position themselves allowing Confederates to arrive by rail. Union is forced into battle by government. Union loses. First major land battle of the Civil War. -
The Confederate States of America
Who: Southern States
What: States in southern U.S. that seceded from the Union and form their own nation
Why: This is the start of the American Civil War -
Period: to
Battle of Shiloh
Hardin County, TN
Grant/Buell - Union
Johnston/Beauregard - Confederate
Union were positioned in TN after capturing forts Donelson and Henry. Union is caught by surprise and were pushed back. Confederates take high ground. Showed how bad battles were going to be. -
Battle of Antietam
Sharpsburg, VA
McClellan - Union
Lee - Confederate
Bloodiest battle of the war (22717 total casualties). -
Period: to
Battle of Fredricksburg
Fredricksburg, VA
Burnside - Union
Lee - Confederate
One of the largest battles. McClellan was supposed to attack right flank but did not. Confederate vicory (faught in south). Lee's tactics were superior to Burnside. Led to the Mud March of 1863. Burnside is fired after the battle. -
Period: to
Battle of Chancellorsville
Chancellorsville, VA
Hooker - Union
Lee - Confederate
Union evacuates Hazel Grove and causes Union to lose and Confederates take advantage. Stonewall Jackson dies from friendly fire. Lee's army presses on into Maryland and Pennsylvania. General Hooker retires after loss. -
Period: to
Battle of Gettysburg
Gettysburg, PA
Meade - Union
Lee - Confederate
Union wins the battle. Lee's second invasion of the North. Largest battle of the Civil War. Union fights back to win. Meade is fired by Lincoln for not pursuing the wounded Confederates. -
Period: to
The Seige of Vicksburg
Vicksburg,
Grant - Union
Pemberton - Confederate
Lats part of the Anaconda plan. Union attempts to cutoff Confederate resources. Union had more casualties but win the battle. Grant lets Confederate soldiers out of prison camps. -
Battle of Atlanta
Atlanta, GA
Sherman - Union
Hood - Confederate
Atlanta is target by Union. Formed L shape in battle. Victory for the Union. Sherman is made the general of the army. Lead to Sherman's March. Influenced election of Lincoln. Beginning of the end for the Confederacy. Morale boost for the Union. -
Period: to
Sherman's Mark to the Sea
Georgia
Sherman/Grant - Union
Howard/Slocum - Confederate
Marched through Georgia (total war). 100 million dollars ion damages. Destroyed southern economy and homes destroyed. Not supported by Lincoln. Morale of Confederates is down. Sherman frees slaves along the way. -
Period: to
Reconstruction
Who: The United States
What: the period in United States history immediately following the Civil War in which the federal government set the conditions that would allow the rebellious Southern states back into the Union.
Why: This is the process of the US changing after the war -
Period: to
Freedman's Bureau
Who: Blacks post Civil War
What: established in 1865 by Congress to help former black slaves and poor whites in the South in the aftermath of the U.S. Civil War
Why: Helped people be able to get back on their feet and contribute to society. -
Period: to
Black Codes
Who: Congress/African Americans
What: laws that had the intent and the effect of restricting African Americans' freedom, and of compelling them to work in a labor economy based on low wages or debt.
Why: Shows that racism is still alive after the Civil War -
Reparations
Who: African Americans
What: the idea that some form of compensatory payment should be made to the descendants of Africans who had been enslaved by the Atlantic Slave Trade.
Why: People realize the impact they made and consider African Americans as equal. -
Period: to
Sharecropping
Who: Farmers
What: system of agriculture in which a landowner allows a tenant to use the land in return for a share of the crops produced on their portion of land.
Why: Substantial in making profit during that time -
Period: to
Ku Klux Klan
Who: Racists
What: first organization sought to overthrow the Republican state governments in the South during the Reconstruction Era, especially by using violence against African American leaders.
Why: Historically famous hate groups against African Americans -
Period: to
Carpetbaggers
Who: Northerners
What: epithet used in the South after the Civil War to describe Northerners who went to the South during Reconstruction to make money.
Why: Crucial role in the economy -
Civil Rights Act 1866
Who: African Americans
What: granted citizenship and the same rights enjoyed by white citizens to all male persons in the United States "without distinction of race or color, or previous condition of slavery or involuntary servitude."
Why: Stepping stone to get african americans full freedom -
14th Amendment
Who: Congress
What: Amendment granted citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States,” which included former slaves recently freed.
Why: Gives more rights to African Americans -
15th Amendment
Who: Congress/African Americans
What: granted African American men the right to vote by declaring that the "right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude."
Why: Started to give blacks equal rights -
Period: to
Enforcement Acts
Who: Congress
What: criminal codes which protected African-Americans' right to vote, to hold office, to serve on juries, and receive equal protection of laws.
Why: Stepping stone to getting African Americans more rights -
Manifest Destiny
Who: The American People
What: Attitude prevalent during the period of American expansion where they wanted to stretch from coast to coast
Why: Helped fuel western settlement -
Dawes Act
Who: Congress
What: authorized the President of the United States to survey American Indian tribal land and divide it into allotments for individual Indians.
Why: Shows that Native Americans are changing
