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Period: Aug 3, 1492 to Dec 31, 1498
Christopher Columbus
Christopher by accident, sailed onto the continent of North America. With this all of Europe found out about the new frontier, and multiple Nations set upon the new frontier in search of the 3 G’s. Glory, Gold and God. -
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The "Middle Passage"
The "Middle Passage"
The passage of as many as 20 million slaves took during the desperate need of slaves. The slaves were thrown in the bottom of the ships all chained together. They were so closely packed together because the owners wanted to stuff as many as possible. For the ones that didn't make the passage which was many were thrown into the sea. -
Jamestown
The first British colony, in North America. This colony was by not successful by any means. Most of the first men to live here, did not survive the first year and if it wasn’t for John Smith many of the men who had survived wouldn’t have. This colony was also in direct Native American territory, and the colony did not have good relations with the native Americans. -
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The Rise of Tobacco
John Rolfe introduces tobacco to the colonists, and becomes the colonies first “cash crop”. This crop becomes so important and so valued to the colonists it becomes a form of currency. -
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Birth of American Slavery
With the boom of the tobacco plant, farmers understand that there comes a lot of work with farming and making a solid income. With this they gain the helping hand not from colonists but from the slaves from the slave trade. The birth of American slavery will greatly impact the country in the future. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Stems from the poor white folk who cannot tolerate the Indian relations any longer, and want change. What comes from this is gun laws that allow white men to carry a gun, and what it really creates is slavery based on racism and associates the difference in class of a poor white man and a slave. -
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Negro Act of 1740
Stems from the Stono slave rebellion, with this act slaves are not allowed to assemble, learn to read or write, and white owners are allowed to kill rebellious slaves. This really changed the relationship with the slave owner and the slaves. All freedoms were now taken away. -
Quatering Act of 1765
This really was one of the first things that started the rift between Britain and the colonies, the Quartering act consisted of the law that colonists had to let British troops in their homes, clothe them, and feed them. This angered the colonists beyond belief. With this they really started their thoughts of independence. -
Boston Massacre of 1770
Paul Revere painted the picture, of British troops aggressively moving toward angry colonists. Although both sides say the other side started it, the colonists believed that the British were in the wrong and this only catered to their hatred and need for independence from Britain. It took place in Boston where a group of colonists showed their anger to troops from Britain and shots were fired from the British troops. -
Lexington and Concord
“The shots heard around the world”, although this small battle was not known as the start of the American Revolution, it was indeed. The battle started from local American militia trying to steal guns and ammo, the British defeated the small militia and headed to Concord and defeated another small militia. -
Common Sense of 1776
A primary document written by Thomas Paine, this small pamphlet fired up the colonists and gained support from the colonists for the war. It was much more popular in the North because more people in the North could read rather than the south. -
Decleration of Independence 1776
This declared the 13 united states independence from England. This document declared all of the wrongs that England had done to the colonies, and was mainly written by Thomas Jefferson. The declaration divided the nation into thirds, people who supported an independent nation, loyalists to England, and people who were undecided. The war was in full tilt at this point. -
Saratoga 1776
This crucial battle was the one of the first victories by the United States over England. With this battle it finally showed the French that it would not be a dumb thing to enter this war, and all though it would lead to a great amount of debt it was crucial for the French to enter the war. The French supplied a Navy to the United States, and more men on the battle lands. -
Articles of Confederation
The articles of Confederation was the first draft of how the government was too be run. It told how the taxing, new territory and more worked. It was formally the first constitution, and although it did not last it was the first stab at how the government of the United States would run. It was later replaced by the modern day constitution. -
1783 Treaty
The treaty signed by the British knowingly saying that they recognize the United States as an independent nation. This officially cut all ties by the British and Americans, the British no longer governed America and America could finally be the country it is today. -
“The Constitution of 1787”
Constitution of 1787James Madison was the main person in the creation of the Constitution. He solved to very big questions of sovereignty and the question of limiting power. The constitution said that "The constitution and the government it created were to be the "supreme law" of the land. Some powers were left to the states. -
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Federalist and AntiFederalist
Federalists were for the constituition and centralizing the nation. the Federalist had such people as Washington and Franklin. The Anti-Federalists were the opponent of the Federalists and they thought that the consitution was going to ruin them. They had followers such as Samuel Adams and Patrick Henry. -
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The Canal Age
From 1790 to 1820s, it was called the turnpike era, where U.S were relied on internal transportation largely by roads, but the roads alone were not adequate, so they begin to search a way to transport through river by steam boats. However, neither western farmers nor eastern merchants were looking for a way to transport directly. So they begin to build a canal. The Erie canal was the greatest contraction project build in1825.The Canal gave the access from New York to Chicago and growing to West -
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The Revolution of 1800
The presidential candidate were Adam for the Federalist and Jefferson for the Republicans. Jefferson was elected on 36 ballots. Jefferson later called his election “Revolution of 1800.” He called this election a revolution because his party, the Republicans, peacefully and orderly received the power with nothing but acceptance by th -
Louisiana Purchase
Lousiana Purchase
Napoleon realized that his dream of having a French empire was far from reality and with everything happening in Europe he decided to talk of selling the Louisiana Territory. On April 30, 1803 Monroe and Livingston signed the agreement to pay 15 million dollars and let the people already there be American. It also opened up exclusive trade agreements with France. -
Burr Conspiracy
Burr ConspiracyHamilton accused Burr of panning treason. Burr had lost in election, but he blamed Hamilton for the lost, and he challenged him a duel. On July 1804, at Weehawken, New Jersey, Hamilton had died. Burr fled to New York to avoid murder. Burr wanted to rule the western empire by capturing Mexico from the Spanish, and separate the Southwest from the Union. In 1806, with a disturbing report, Jefferson ordered to arrest Burr and his men as traitors. Burr was release due to lack of evidence. -
The Peace Settlement
On August 1814, Negotiation between U.S. and Britain on extravagant demand began when diplomats met in Ghent, Belgium. American delegation John Quincy Adam, Henry Clay, and Albert Gallatin gave up their demand for British renunciation of impressments and cession of Canada to U.S. British abandoned a call for Indian buffer state, and the treaty was signed on Christmas Eve 1814. The treaty of Ghent in 1815 gave the right to American to trade with England and British Empire. -
Florida Joins the US
Andrew Jackson a commander of American troops along the Florida frontier got orders from secretary of War Calhoun to stop the raids by Seminole Indians south of the border. Jackson invaded Florida and seize the Spanish forts at St. Marks and Pensacola known as Seminole War. By showing Spanish that America can take Florida by force, Spain ceded all of Florida to the U.S and gave up its claim to territory north of 42nd parallel in Pacific Northwest. In return, America gave up its Texas for a time. -
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Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny was a belief in the 1830s and 1840s that the "divine right" of the US was to expand westward toward the Pacific Ocean -
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American Literature
The first american novelist James Fenimore Cooper was one of the first people to say things most fear to do. He talked about nature vs. humand and the movement Westward. Later more well known people to this day arose authors such as Walt Whitman, and Herman Melville. -
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Business Expansion
American business grew rapidly in 1820s and 1830s. The dominant one was the great merchant capitalists, who generally had ownership in the enterprises. In the larger businesses In 1830s, individuals were heading towards the corporations. In 1830s, they were able to obtain a secure charter it by simply paying a fee. The law also permitted a system which when the corporation had failed, only would lose what they put into corporation. -
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Recruiting Native Force
In 1820s, 90 percent of people lived in farms, and with the improvement of agricultural production, they were able to feed themselves, therefore, rural east people left the farm, and begin to work in the factories. Two systems were used to gather people. First, Mid-Atlantic States brought whole families to farm to work on the mill. Second, in Massachusetts, factory owners enlisted young women who were mostly farmer’s daughters in late teens. The Lowell workers were well fed, carefully supervised -
"The Corrupt Bargain"
Adams, Clay and Jackson were all running for Presidency. There was no far winner and since Clay knew he would never win he supported Adams because he was an nationalist and likely to support with American System. With Clay’s endorsement, Adams had won the election of the House. Jacksonians were angry when Adams named Clay his secretary of state, naming Clay as his own successor. -
Jackson Triumphant
In 1828, presidential election, two new party systems emerged: John Quincy Adam as National Republicans, and Andrew Jackson as Democratic Republicans. The campaign turned into a war to personal invective. Jackson got the victory, and America had entered the era of the “common men.” -
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The Two Parties
Jacksonian Democrats believed that federal government should be limited by power. Whiggery favored expanding federal power, industrial and commercial development, but they were careful with westward expansion because rapid growth of land would produce instability. The Whigs competed evenly with the Democrats, and manage to win only two presidential elections in more than 20 years of their history. -
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Education
Up to the 1830's there was no public education system in any state. By 1837 Horace Mann's he reorganized to Massachusetts education system. He lengthened the school year, doubled the teachers salaries, broadened the curriculum, and introduced new methods of professional training for teachers. Most states followed Mann and by 1850 there is a notion to have a tax supported elementary schools was established in every state. Still education varied widely andwas better in the North then South. -
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Trail Of Tears
Trail Of TearsIn 1830s western Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida had remaining Indian tribes of the South named Cherokee, Creek, Seminole, Chickasaw, and Choctaw. In 1830, government insisted to remove tribes to the West. Cherokee tribe fought back when Georgia invaded their land. In 1835, U.S government gave the tribe 5 million for land and reservation west of the Mississippi. Majority of 17,000 Cherokee did not recognize the treaty as legitimate, but Jackson sent an army of 7,000 to drive them west -
Battle of San Jacinto
In the previous years America kept offering to buy Texas but Mexico Refused until they signed a law allowing americans to move in with cheap land and a 4 year tax exempt. After americans moved in tension started rising and sporadic fighting started. Americans called independence from Mexico. General Lopez of Santa Anna seized power and killed many americans. In the Battle of San Jacinto Lopez was captured and Texas won its independence. -
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Whig Diplomacy
Lord Ashburton, an admirer of America went to Maine boundary to negotiate. Ashburton reminded of two American ships, and promising no official interference with American ships. In Tyler administration, U.S established a first relations with China, and in the next ten years, American trade with China steadily increased. -
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"Second Middle Passage"
As cotton became more demanding many slaves were sold to plantation owners farther south to help with the cotton plantations. Many slaves were seperated with their families, and walked their way down south in chains just like when they arrived in the states. -
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Resistance to Medicine
Many people into the 1840's didn't believe in medicine. The greatest achievement of the time was the small pox vaccination. In1843 Oliver Wendell experienced many case of the same fever and said that infection seem to spread. He suggested cleaning hands, and cleaning tools which virtually caused the infection to disappear. Later in 1844 William Morton created a type of sedation. Still people didn't believe which held the doctors back from progressing in the field. -
The Mexican War
Attempts were made to buy the disputed land from the Mexicans but they refused a deal. Polk ordered some troops to cross the Nueces River to end up in the Rio Grande where they were stationed. Still Mexicans refused to fight until word got to Polk that some Mexicans passed the Rio Grande and Attacked the Americans. Congress and the Senate passed for war with a landslide. After multiple american wins Mexico still refused to settle but when new Mexican government took office they wanted to settle. -
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"Cotton Kingdom"
Since the decline in the tobacco economy and the exhaustence of all other options cotton became the main crop. By the 1850's cotton was the main part of the economy and by the Civil War it constituted as much as 2/3 of the total export trade in the US. -
Withdrawal of the South and the Beginning of Civil War
The first state to drop out of the Union was South Carolina. Problems arose when the states found out about Lincoln's election. 11 states total dropped out of the Union and joined the confederacy. When there was a dispute over who was going to get Fort Sumter Confederate attacked it for 2 days when they found out that they were low on supplies. This was the beginning of the Civil War. -
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Civil War
It was a war for "principles" and "ideals" but no one thought that this was gonna last as long as it did. At first, Confederate soldiers were "winning" because they were on their on land but as it went on things started to change sides. The Union by the middle of 1863 was starting to take lead because they had a ruler and the supplies needed to really win this war. Appotamax was what ended it all and Robert E. Lee surrendered to Grant and 9 days later Johnston surrendered to Sherman. -
John Wilkes Booth
To many he was just an actor that followed the South but on this day he will forever be known as a murderer. He showed up in the presidental box at Ford's theatre where Lincoln and his wife were attending a play and shot Lincoln in the head. The next morning Lincoln died because of the gun shot. -
14th Ammendment
14th AmendmentAll persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the law. -
15th Amendment
After the 14th ammendment was passed most of the confederates joined back into the Union. The 15th amendment says that states and government could not deny the right to vote because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. -
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Jim Crowe Laws
Jim Crowe Laws In the beginning of the 20th century all institutions and schools were segregated this was known as the Jim Crowe Laws. -
Utah joins the Union
After Joseph Smith introduced polygamy and was killed because of it. His follower Birighan Young took his place and the mormons left Nauvoo (their original settlement) to go to Utah where they created many communities such as Salt lake City. This is their last settlement and is known as the largest single group migrations in American history across the Great Plains, and the Rocky Mountains.
