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Declaration of Independence
On this day the Declaration was officially adopted by Congress. This painting by John Trumbull depicts a draft being presented to Congress. The attached link to Wikipedia includes an interactive version of the painting that allows users to hover over the face to see who each person is. This event is important in the history of America because it symbolizes the official creation of America as an independent country. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trumbull's_Declaration_of_Independence -
Louisiana Purchase
This purchase and treaty doubled the size of the United States for $15 million dollars, or 3 cents per acre ($234 million today). This is an important event in US History as it caused some of the first exclamations of Manifest Destiny, sparking the desire to spread from coast to coast. It also gave the US that much more land for new immigrants. -
Trail of Tears
This term is commonly used to refer to the forced relocation of the Choctaw people following Andrew Jackson's Indian Removal Act of 1830. The Trail of Tears is also a catchall term for the removal of other Native American peoples from territory the US wanted to settle with its own colonists. The Trail of Tears is an important event in US history, as it reminds us of the darker side of US expansionism. It also marked the continuation of strained relationships with Native Americans and settlers. -
Secession and Formation of the Confederacy
The creation of the Confederate Constitution (with seven states signing and four more joining later) symbolized the beginning of the American Civil War. This war was critical to America's history, as it was the result of rising tension and disagreements over issues such as slavery and tariffs, and had lasting consequences for both winning and losing sides. -
Emancipation Proclamation
This document by President Abraham Lincoln officially declared all slaves as free. However, it wasn't until years later that Southern slaves actually learned of their freedom, after the end of the Civil War. This event is important in America's history because it was the official turning point in the treatment of African Americans (from slaves to eventually voting citizens). Although it took decades for African Americans to truly become equal citizens, this was the first step. -
Dust Bowl and the Great Depression
The Stock Market Crash of 1929 and the increasing overuse of land in the Midwest (leading to the Dust Bowl) both contributed to the Great Depression. This period in America's history was one of the bleakest, forcing emergency action by President Franklin D Roosevelt.It is an important event in US history as it reminds us that America is not invulnerable, and to be conscious of the consequences of our actions (financial, environmental, etc). It also shows that we can recover from disaster, -
Bombing of Pearl Harbor
This event, an attack on the US naval base in Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, was one of the contributing factors for America's entrance into World War II. This is a critical event in America's history because WWII had long-standing economic and social repercussions for us as a country and the rest of the world. -
Manhattan Project
This was the name given to the project encompassing the creation of the atomic bomb during WWII. The image shown here is the mushroom cloud caused by the dropping of the Fat Man bomb on Nagasaki, Japan, including a signature from the pilot of the bomber plane that dropped it. This is a critical event in US history because it was one of the main factors ending WWII, but also because it marks the birth of a technology that some felt (and still believe) should never have been created. -
Apollo 11 Moon Landing
This photo shows Buzz Aldrin standing on the Moon. You can also see Neil Armstrong reflected in the surface of Aldrin's visor. The Apollo 11 mission was a landmark event for space exploration by the US, the first time a man had walked on the moon in Earth's history. This was a critical event in US history as it symbolizes America's technological advancement. This is an important event to remember as we adapt curriculum, so we can continue doing great things in the name of science. -
Terrorist Attack on the Twin Towers
This event is often simply referred to as September 11. On this day, extremist Muslim terrorists hijacked American planes and crashed them into the Twin Towers, causing a huge loss of life. This is a critical event in American history as it marks the beginning of a new war - the "War on Terror" - fought at home and abroad. It also shows (once again) the resilience of the American people in the face of attacks.
