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Period: to
Lifespan of Thomas Edison
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Political Event: 1861- Lincoln Presidential Election
Republican Abraham Lincoln was elected president. The two opposing Democratic candidates votes were split of the slavery issue giving Lincoln a clear win. He would be the 16th President. -
Social Event: January 1, 1863- Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation was signed by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. However, it had the power to end slavery only in the south. An amendment would have to be made to solidify the abolishment of slavery. -
Political Event: November 19, 1863- Gettysburg Address
Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address as a reaction to the Civil War. America was divided- the north versus the south. He stated that America will have a new freedom and a government of and by the people. -
Social Event: March 1865- Freedmen’s Bureau
The Freedmen's Bureau was created by congress to protect the rights of former slaves. -
Political Event: April 14, 1865- Lincoln Assassination
Lincoln went to view Our American Cousin in Ford’s Theatre. Their assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. Slaves gathered outside mourning for the man they addressed as their liberator. The assassination led to the following day where Abraham Lincoln was laid to rest and Andrew Johnson (vice president at the time) was inaugurated and became the 17th President. -
Social Event: February 1866- Extending the Freedmen’s Bureau
Congress attempted to extend the life of the Freedmen’s Bureau. Andrew Johnson exercised his right to veto, however, Congress overturned the decision. -
Social Event: April 1866- Civil Rights Act
Congress passed the Civil Rights Act. This further protected the right of former slaves. It also allowed them the right to vote. Once again, Andrew Johnson attempted to veto the bill; his decision was overturned by Congress. -
Political Event: March, 2-3, 1868- Road to Impeachment of Johnson
The House of Representatives adopted 11 articles of presidential impeachment. Their main goal was to impeach President Johnson. Apart from being quick to anger, Johnson had violated the Tenure of Office Act. However, Johnson missed being impeached by one vote. The Senate was 35 to 19, and 36 votes were needed to impeach Johnson. He finished his terms rather peacefully, and most American’s her happy to see his departure and his replacement by Ulysses S. Grant. -
Political Event: November 1868- Grant Presidential Election
Receiving an overwhelming 214 electoral votes, Civil War hero Ulysses S. Grant was elected as America’s 18th president. -
Social Event: December 6, 1869- The 13th Amendment
The 13th Amendment was ratified. This marked the end of slavery throughout the nation. Abraham Lincoln fought hard for slavery to end. His goal was reached, however, he was not alive to see it pass. -
Political Event: September 1901- McKinley Assassination
McKinley was assassinated. His presidency was followed by that of President Theodore Roosevelt. In 1904 he was reelected. He later chose Howard Taft as his successor. -
Cultural/technological Event: December 17, 1903- First Successful Airplane Flight
Orville and Wilbur Wright had the first successful plane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. This technological triumph set the stage for the airplane oriented world. -
Diplomatic/military Event: 1905- Russian Revolution
Unarmed workers entered czar’s palace in St. Petersburg to ask for reforms. The Russian Revolution was sparked when soldiers fired upon them. -
Political Event: 1906- “Muckrakers”
President Roosevelt used the term “Muckrakers” to describe writers. Examples of the writers who used a realistic style to portray social evils are Upton Sinclair, Ida Tarbell, and Lincoln Steffens. They brought much needed reforms to society. -
Cultural/technological Event: 1908- Model T
Henry Ford introduced the Model T. Later, in 1912, Edison collaborated with Henry Ford. He developed a battery for the self-starter Model T. This battery was utilized in the auto industry for decades. -
Economic Event: 1915-1916- McKenna Rule
McKenna was elected to control fiscal policy in the United Kingdom during World War I. The McKenna rule was established to pay off debt from incurred from World War I. It was set in place to balance fairness and equity. This plan requires higher taxes and was focused on meeting government expenditures. With budget constraints, the McKenna plan set a clear debt retirement plan. -
Diplomatic/military Event: 1916- The Reserve Corps
The Reserve Corps was created. Numbers increased dramatically when World War I was declared. This direct proportion displays how dedicated the U.S. Military was. They provided over 89,000 officers. Over 80,000 of the members enlisted in the Regular Army Reserve Soldiers served in World War I. -
Diplomatic/military Event: June 28, 1919- The Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was signed signaling the end of World War I between Germany and the Allies. This resulted in the League of Nations being formed. Later, several other treaties were enforced derived from the Paris conference whose main goal was to preserve the peace. One of the immediate repercussions was territorial changes in Germany. They abolished their military; and Germany was forced to admit guilt to causing World War I. -
Economic Event: September 3, 1929- Stock Market Record High
Value of stocks had reached their record high. Businesses were thriving and investors placed their money in the hands of the stock market. Jobs were plentiful and America had high hopes and goals for the future. However, the roaring 20’s played into the hands of the subsequent Great Depression. -
Economic Event: October 29, 1929- “Black Tuesday”
“Black Thursday” signaled the beginning of the Great Depression. Stock prices fell and investors reacted by selling their stock to get the most money back. As more shares were sold, their value depreciated greatly until they were worth nothing at all. Many Americans were instantly broke, and questions were raised. How would they survive? Other countries such as Britain and Germany faced the stock market crash. They had debt to pay from World War I.