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1492
Columbian Exchange
This event is significant because, this was an exchange of goods, ideas, diseases, and people between the Americas, Africa, and Europe; each region was significantly impacted as a result of trade and contact. Began after Columbus' discovery. -
1494
Treaty of Tordesillas
This event is significant because, this was signed by Spain and Portugal, dividing the territories of the New World. Spain received the bulk of territory in the Americas, compensating Portugal with titles to lands in Africa and Asia. -
1498
Age of Discovery
This event is significant because, this was the historical period between the 15th and 18th century during which Europeans made contact and sought to explore and colonize the "New World." -
1512
Encomienda System Established
This event is significant because, Under this, Spanish settlers were supposed to protect and Christianize the Indians granted to them, but they most often used the system to effectively enslave the Indians and take their lands. -
1513
Juan Ponce de Leon discovers Florida
This event is significant because, Juan explored in search of the fabled fountain of youth, but later on his ships landed on Florida's east coast near present-day St. Augustine and he claimed this beautiful land for Spain. Although he never found gold or the fountain of youth, he and his men did bring over microbes that wiped out most native populations. -
1525
The rise of the Atlantic slave trade
This event is significant because, the first record of a slave trade voyage direct from Africa to the Americas is for a ship that landed in Santo Domingo, on the island Española (Hispaniola), in 1525. -
1550
Valladoid Debate
This debate is significant because, this was the first moral debate in European history to discuss the rights and treatment of a colonized people by colonizers. Juan Gines de Sepulveda and Bartolome de las Casas were involved and argued their different opinions at his debate. -
Jamestown
This event is significant because, this was the first successful English colony and this colony created the first successful self-government in the New World (The House of Burgesses). -
Pequot Massacre
This event is significant because, over 500 Pequot men, women, and children were massacred because the Pequot tribe killed one English fur trader. All of the tribe was either killed or sold into Caribbean slavery. -
King Philip's War
This event is significant because, it was war between the Native American tribes of New England and British colonists. The war was the result of tension caused by encroaching settlers. The chief of the Wampanoags led the natives. The war ended Indian resistance in New England and left a hatred the English colonists. -
Bacon's Rebellion
This event is significant because Virginian frontiersmen sparked by governor Berkeley's refusal to retaliate for a series of brutal Indian attacks on frontier settlements; killed Indians, chased Berkeley from Jamestown, and set fire to Jamestown. Also showed that poor farmers would not tolerate a gov't that only catered to the wealthy. As well as, this was the first example in colonial America in which the citizens themselves attempted to overthrow a gov't they deemed unjust. -
Pueblo Revolt
This event is significant because, this was an uprising of indigenous Pueblo people against Spanish colonizers of Sante Fe, New Mexico, after attempts to force natives to convert and the destruction of native religious artifacts. Although the Spanish were expelled from Santa Fe for 10 years after the rebellion, they later returned. Spain began to take an accommodating approach to Natives after the revolt. -
Salem Witch Trials
This event is significant because, it was an outbreak of witchcraft accusations in a Puritan village marked by an atmosphere of fear, hysteria and stress from encroaching settlers without Puritanical viewpoints. Also exposed the church, since they executed any "witch" who was found guilty. -
Stono Rebellion
This event is significant because, largest slave rebellion in the mainland colonies. Occurred in South Carolina because, the Spanish promised freedom to slaves who escaped the British Colonies. As a result, the British colonies put stricter slave code laws in place. -
Land Ordinance of 1785
This event is significant because, it stated that disputed land in the Old Northwest was to be equally divided into townships and sold for federal income; set up guidelines for funding education, and ended confusing legal disagreements over land. -
Shay's Rebellion
Shay's Rebellion is significant because, an army of 1,500 disgruntled and angry farmers led by Daniel Shays marched to Springfield, Massachusetts, and forcibly restrained the state court from foreclosing mortgages on their farms. -
3/5 Compromise
This event is significant because, it was a compromise between Southern and Northern states reached during the Philadelphia Convention of 1787 in which three-fifths of the population of slaves would be counted for enumeration purposes regarding both the distribution of taxes and the apportionment of the members of the United States House of Representatives. -
The Constitution
The creation of The Constitution is significant because, The Constitution is the foundation of our nations government. This document establishes a government with direct authority over all citizens, it defines the powers of the national government, and it establishes protection for the rights of states and of every individual. Was drafted in Philadelphia in 1787. -
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
These resolutions are significant because, these resolutions were secretly made to get the rights back taken away by the Alien and Sedition Acts. These laws took away freedom of speech and press guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. These resolutions also brought about the later compact theory which gave the states more power than the federal government. -
Creation of The Cotton Gin
This invention is significant because, the cotton could separate cotton from its seeds. This invention made cotton more profitable for the Southern economy. The increased production of cotton after its development in 1791 by Eli Whitney signaled the exponential increase in slavery until its abolition after the Civil War. -
Whiskey Rebellion
The Whiskey Rebellion is significant because, farmers in Pennsylvania rebelled against Hamilton's excise tax on whiskey. In October, 1794, the army, led by Washington, put down the rebellion. The incident showed that the new government under the Constitution could react swiftly and effectively to such a problem, in contrast to the inability of the government under the Articles of Confederation to deal with Shay's Rebellion. -
Washington's Farewell Address
This event is significant because, He stressed that the US should stay away from permanent alliances with foreign countries; temporary alliances wouldn't be quite as dangerous, but they should be made only in "extraordinary emergencies." He also spoke against partisan bitterness. The document was rejected by the Jeffersonian's, who favored the alliance with France. -
The Louisiana Purchase
This event is significant because, it doubled size of US; opened up land for expansion and Jefferson changed his interpretation from strict to loose on this issue -
Marbury v. Madison
This court case is significant because, William Marbury sued James Madison for not delivering John Adam's commission ("Midnight Judges") about Marbury becoming a judge. Marshall ruled, that under the Judiciary Act, Marbury would get the job, but that the Judiciary Act was unconstitutional, setting up the doctrine of judicial review. -
War of 1812
The War of 1812 is significant because, it was a war between the US and Great Britain caused by American outrage over the impressment of American sailors by the British, the British seizure of American ships, and British aid to the Indians attacking the Americans on the western frontier. The war strengthened American nationalism and encouraged the growth of industry. -
Hartford Convention
The Hartford Convention is significant because, a group of New England merchants opposed the Embargo and other trade restriction, and the War of 1812. They proposed some Amendments to the Constitution and advocated the right of states to nullify federal laws. They also discussed the idea of seceding from the U.S. if their desires were ignored. This turned public sentiment against the Federalists and led to the demise of the party. -
Panic of 1819
This event is significant because, this was a natural post-war depression caused by overproduction and the reduced demand for goods after the war. However, it was generally blamed on the National Bank. -
Creation of the Erie Canal
The creation of the Erie Canal is significant because, This opened as a toll waterway connecting New York to the Great Lakes. This helped connect the Northern cities to the agrarian West. The transportation of food from the Midwest farms especially allowed for the growth of New York. -
Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter is significant because, it was the site of opening engagement of The Civil War. -
Antietam
Antietam is significant because, the North succeeded in halting Lee's Confederate forces in Maryland and was the bloodiest single-day battle of the war resulting in 25,000 casualties. -
Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation is significant because, it changed the purpose of the Civil War, allowed African Americans to fight in the Union Army and kept Europe from aiding the South. -
Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg is significant because, it was the turning point of the War that made it clear the North would win; 50,000 people died, and the South lost its chance to invade the North; bloodiest battle of the war. -
13th Amendment
The 13th amendment being implemented is significant because, it outlawed slavery and other forms of involuntary servitude. -
Reconstruction Act
The Reconstruction Act is significant because, this act placed Southern states under military rule and barring former supporters of the Confederacy from voting. -
Impeachment of Andrew Johnson
This event is significant because, Johnson was the first president to be impeached. -
Completion of the Transcontinental Railroad
The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad is significant because, it linked the eastern railroad system with California's railroad system and revolutionized transportation in the west. -
Credit Mobilier Scandal
The Credit Mobilier Scandal is significant because, it damaged the careers of several Gilded Age politicians. Major stockholders in the Union Pacific Railroad formed a company, the Credit Mobilier of America, and gave it contracts to build the railroad. They sold or gave shares in this construction to influential congressmen. -
Battle of Little Bighorn
This battle is significant because, in 1876, Colonel George A. Custer and 260 of his men were killed by Sioux Indians led by Sitting Bull at this battle in southern Montana. Became enshrined in American mythology as a symbol of the brutality of the Indian wars, although there is substantial evidence that Custer acted recklessly in attacking the large Indian encampment. -
Chinese Exclusion Act
The Chinese Exclusion Act is significant because, it denied any additional Chinese laborers to enter the country while allowing students and merchants to immigrate; American workers felt threatened by the job competition. -
The Haymarket Affair
The Haymarket Affair is significant because, 100,000 workers rioted in Chicago in 1886. After the police fired into the crowd, the workers met and rallied in Haymarket Square to protest police brutality. A bomb exploded, killing or injuring many of the police. The Chicago workers and the man who set the bomb were immigrants, so the incident promoted anti-immigrant feelings. -
Pullman Strike
The Pullman Strike is significant because, this was a nonviolent strike which brought about a shut down of western railroads and brought a bad image upon unions. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Plessy v. Ferguson is significant because, it established the doctrine of "separate but equal;" upheld Jim Crow laws in the South; led to increased discrimination against African Americans. -
U.S. Enters WWI
The U.S Entering WWI is significant because it was the first ever global war and was supposed to be the war to end all wars. This war led to many new inventions and types of technology. -
Great Depression & Dust Bowl
These events are significant because firstly, The Great Depression was the deepest and longest-lasting economic downturn in the history of the Western industrialized world. The dust bowl was significant because, it was a period of severe dust storms that greatly damaged the ecology and agriculture of the US during the 1930's (caused by over-farming, drought, and windstorms). -
FDR is Elected
FDR getting elected is significant because, he inspired hope and provided economic and emotional relief to the American people during the great depression/WWI through his New Deal policies. Only president to serve more than 2 terms. -
Executive Order #9906
This executive order is significant because, authorized the Army to evacuate any persons they considered a threat to national security. As a result, over 120,000 Japanese people were forced to relocate to one of ten different internment camps around the United States. This is seen as a dark period in American history. -
Executive Order #8802
This executive order is significant because, it prohibited racial discrimination in the national defense industry. It was the first federal action, though not a law, to promote equal opportunity and prohibit employment discrimination in the United States. -
VE Day Victory in European Theater
This victory is significant, it was the public holiday celebrated on 8 May 1945 to mark the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces. -
V-J Day Victory in Japanese Theater
This event is significant because, Japan had surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, effectively ending World War II. ... The term has also been used for September 2, 1945, when Japan's formal surrender took place aboard the U.S.S. -
President Truman issued the Truman Doctrine, and the Marshall plan pledged billions in aid to Western Europe.
The Truman Doctrine is significant because, in places where communism threatened to expand, American aid tried to prevent a takeover. By vigorously pursuing this policy, the United States was able to contain communism within its current borders. The President outlined these intentions with his request for monetary aid for Greece and Turkey. The Marshall Plan is significant because, it created an economic miracle in Western Europe. -
Brown v. Board of Education decision
The Brown v. Board of Education decision is significant because, the Supreme Court ruled that students have a right under the 14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause to an equal education, and separate schools for white children and African-American children are not equal. Therefore, schools must be integrated. -
Sputnik blasts into space!
Sputnik blasting into space is significant because, it sparked US fears of Soviet dominance in technology and outer space. It led to the creation of NASA and the space race. -
The Berlin Wall is constructed
The Berlin Wall being constructed is significant because, This night marked the beginning of one of history’s most infamous dividing lines: the Berlin Wall. Construction continued for a decade as the wall cut through neighborhoods, separated families, and divided not just Germany, but the world. -
The Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis is significant because, this was the closest approach to nuclear war at any time between the US and the USSR. When the US discovered Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, President John F. Kennedy demanded their removal and announced a naval blockade of the island; the Soviet leader Khrushchev cooperated with US demands a week later. -
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is significant because, it made racial, religious, and sex discrimination by employers illegal and gave the government the power to enforce all laws governing civil rights, including desegregation of schools and public places. -
Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated
MLK being assassinated is significant because, MLK was a US Baptist minister and civil rights leader; noted orator,and he opposed discrimination against blacks by organizing nonviolent resistance and peaceful mass demonstrations. -
Moon Landing!
The moon landing is significant because, the US became the first nation to put a man on the moon (Neil Armstrong) which pushed the US to front of the space race. Also putting a man on the moon fulfilled President Kennedy's challenge to the American people to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade, even though he didn't get to see it because of his assassination. "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." -
SALT I Adopted
This event is significant because, this agreement limited the number of missiles the US and the USSR had and let to the SALT II discussions and a slowdown of the arms race between the two countries. -
Richard Nixon resigns
President Nixon resigning is significant because, he was the only president in US history to resign from office in order to avoid impeachment. -
The Persian Gulf War began
The Persian Gulf War beginning is significant because, Iraq invaded Kuwait and the US stopped Kuwait from being taken over. -
The World Wide Web went public
The World Wide Web going public is significant because, birth of new technology which would fundamentally change the world as we knew it. -
September 11, 2001 Terrorist attacks
9/11 is significant because, this was the date of major terrorist attacks on the United States (NY, PA, and VA). Led to President Bush's declare of the war on terrorism. -
Barack Obama is elected president
Barack Hussein Obama being elected as president is significant because,it is historic in nature due to high voter turn out of youth and minority groups as well as resulting in election of the first African American president. The great recession began during this year. Worst recession since the 1930's.
