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Northwest Ordinance
The Treaty of Paris to end the American Revolution with Britain gave America the land from the Appalachian Mountains to the Mississippi River. It was the first land acquired from the American government and one of the two successes of the Articles of Confederation. It basically doubled the size of the current land America has control over. This is important because it was the first land added to America at the time and it was the reward for beating Britain in the American Revolution. -
Louisiana Purchase
Land bought from France through a treaty under President Jefferson. Jefferson actually felt guilty because it was considered "unconstitutional" to buy land as a president. Jefferson sent Lewis & Clark to explore the territory. It doubled the size of America even with the Northwest Ordinance. It was important because it was the first piece of land bought from a President to add to their country. -
Missouri Compromise
This compromise was an act of fixing the unbalance of slave states to free states. So they had Maine go into as a free state but Missouri comes in as a slave state. This is important because it helps balances the states. -
Monroe Doctrine
This was a document issued by President James Monroe to warn European countries not to try to colonize Latin America. It was mostly dependent on the British Navy because the American military was still small then. It wasn't then but used by future presidents and it would lead to resentment from Latin America. This is important because it led to the Panama Canal and other stuff used by Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and William Howard Taft. -
Nullification Crisis
It was saying that states have the right to declare a federal law null and void if it harms the state. The federal government passed a high protective tariff, John C Calhoun and other southerners were mad and tried to nullify the law. This was important because it opened the state's eyes that they can nullify laws that harm their economy. -
Texas Annexation
Americans were allowed into Texas from Mexico. When Mexico started a ban on slavery there, Texas revolted, won, and became independent. Texas was annexed 9 years after being independent. After the annexation, they had the Mexican-American War. This was important because it had Texas free of Mexico's control and led to the Mexican-American War. -
Oregon Treaty
It was the treaty at the 49th Parallel to decide where the land was divided with Great Britain. President Polk was elected on the "54/40 or Fight" but he had to settle with the 49th Parallel. This was one of the last connecting states to come into the Union. This was important because it got us Oregon. -
Mexican Cession (Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo)
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was the end of the Mexican-American war. For 15 million U.S. dollars, America bought the southwest states we have today. The Mexican Cession ended Manifest Destiny. This was important because we got Texas and all the southwestern states added to America. -
Compromise of 1850
Introduced the principle of popular sovereignty, amitted California as a free state, slavery would be decided by said popular sovereignty in the states we cessed from Mexico, the slave trade was outlawed in Washington D.C., and the Newer Stricter Fugitive Slave law passed. This is important because it balanced everything out. Free states got California and the slave trade banned in Washington D.C. Slave states got a choice of slavery in the cessed states and a new Fugitive Slave Law. -
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Bleeding (Bloody) Kansas
This was the violent confrontations between Pro-slavery and Anti-slavery in Kansas. This was because both parties were trying to sway the votes to make the state either a slave state or a free state. This was important because it showed how popular sovereignty can go wrong and cause a catastrophe. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
This overturned Missouri Compromise by allowing popular sovereignty over the 36*30 line. Both sides, pro-slavery and anti-slavery, sent supporters to sway the votes. Competition of both parties turned into Bleeding Kansas, and it led to the Republican Party. This was important because it overturned Missouri Compromise, basically just throwing it away, and birthed a political party we still have today. The Republicans. -
Battle of Fort Sumter
This was the start of the Civil War. Confederate forces fired upon Union soldiers at Fort Sumter. Union surrendered on April 13th. This was important because it marked the beginning of one of the worst wars in American history and gave the Confederates their first victory. -
Battle of Bull Run
This was the first actual battle of the Civil War, while the battle of Fort Sumter was just declaring the war. It was a Confederate victory. General Irvin McDowell led the Union while general Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson led the Confederates. The Union general was fired and shocked everyone that thought the war was going to be quick and easy. This was important because this was the only big victory for the Confederates in the war but it showed that the war was going to be long and bloody. -
Battle of Antietam
This was Union General George McClellan's first major battle. This battle was the bloodiest day of the war, with around 23,000 soldiers incapacitated or dead. First Southern invasion into North. This was important because the battle was a tactical draw (impasse or stalemate) and the Confederate's first big loss. -
Emancipation Proclamation
This did not abolish slavery. It just let slaves go into the Union army as soldiers to help the Union win. It basically ended the support of Britain to the Confederate states. He would've actually let the Confederate states keep their slaves if they rejoined the Union, but they refused. This was important because it ended the alliance of Britain and the Confederate states, and it also let slaves go into the war as soldiers but was segregated. -
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Battle of Vicksburg
This was Union General Ulysses S. Grant's first major battle in the war. It was a Union victory. It was a siege of multiple attempts to control the city. Lincoln called it an important decisive victory. This was important because it was making the Anaconda Plan really powerful now that they had control of the Mississippi River. Which split the Confederate states into two. -
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Battle of Gettysburg
This was the second and last attempt of the South to invade the North. It was a Union victory. The first day of the battle was in favor of the South but swift thinking saved the Union and got them the victory. 1/3 of the Confederate army that fought was incapacitated or dead. This was important because it was the last attempt of the Confederate army rushing into the North and it led to one of the most famous speeches of all time. -
Gettysburg Address
Lincoln makes a speech about the Battle of Gettysburg on the way to visiting the battleground. He describes the Civil War as a struggle of the nation trying to fulfill the Declaration of Independence and keep it preserved. This was when the Union was already switched from preserving the Union to abolishing slavery. This was important because it is one of the most famous speeches of all time and really showed how bad the Civil War was. -
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Presidential Reconstruction (1863-1867)
This was the period of reconstruction that was under the plan from Abraham Lincoln and later Andrew Johnson. It included the 10% Plan, where 10% of voters in a state can have an oath to the Union and accept the Emancipation. Also, it was having the Confederate states come back into the Union as easily as possible. This was important because this would've been an easier reconstruction for the South if John Wilkes Booth didn't ruin it by killing Lincoln. -
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Sherman's March to the Sea
This was an infamous march of 60,00 Union soldiers for almost 300 miles. It was led by General William Sherman from the Tennessee-Georgia border to the Atlantic Ocean. The main objective was to capture the Confederate Port at Savannah, Georgia by utilizing scorching methods. This was important because it energized the North into not making a deal with the South to let them keep their slaves and they won the war. -
13th amendment passed
This was the amendment that abolished slavery. It was passed right after the Civil War and forced the South back into the Union. It was proclaimed on December 8 after being passed and ratified. It was the start of the African-American build to getting equal rights. This was important because it finally ended, almost 300 years, slavery. -
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Congressional Reconstruction (1867-1877)
This was the period of Reconstruction under the power of Congress. They wanted to punish the South when they seceded and caused the Civil War. Military Reconstruction Act of 1867, the act of splitting the former Confederacy into 5 military districts. Ratify the 14th and 15th amendment, grants African-Americans birthright citizenship and voting rights. This was important because it made it worse for the South but at least by the end of it. They got segregation until the 1960s. -
14th amendment passed
This was the amendment that granted African-Americans birthright citizenship in America. This at least gave African-Americans citizenship once they go on for generations. It was adopted on July 9 as part of the Reconstruction amendments. This was important because it gave more potential rights to African-Americans. -
15th amendment passed
This was the amendment that gave African-Americans voting rights. African-Americans actually had the right to vote. That stopped when white southerners had the Grandfather Clause, if your grandfather voted then you can. Also, the literacy tests, the tests you had to take to vote, were one answer failure and were confusing so that African-Americans couldn't pass and vote. This was important because this amendment wasn't usable until the 1960s because they were intimidated for almost a century. -
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
The Supreme upheld or legalized segregation and discrimination. Government abandons protecting the 14th and 15th rights of African-Americans. Segregation and discrimination widespread, including in the North. This was important because it was the case that brought "separate but equal"