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Appomattox
Appomattox was the final battle of the Civil War, after which General Lee, head of the Confederate troops, surrendered. After 2 million deaths and the bloodiest war America had ever seen, the Confederacy joined the Union. -
Period: to
1865-2003
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Reconstruction
The Reconstruction was the time period that the US recovered from the Civil War, lasting from 1865 to 1877. The US had spent the equivalent of billions in today's dollars, and needed to recover it's economy. -
Spanish American War
War between Spain and US over Cuba and several other Spanish-controlled territories, ended by Treaty of Paris later that year. -
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal was officially taken over from France by the US in 1904, finished and open in August 15, 1914. This saved ships the thousands of miles of going around South America. -
American Industrial Revolution
In the AIR, which is a great acronym, lots of factories came to America and made a lot of things less expensive, like steel and cars. Another great invention of this era was the assembly line, allowing things to be produced faster and more efficiently. -
World War I
US officially enters the war. Started by Austria-Hungary assassinating the Archduke of Serbia in 1914, alliences brought into the war made it truly a world war. After 3 years the US entered the war and quickly flattened Germany. -
Prohibition & the Roarin' Twenties
Alcohol officially outlawed, but that didn't stop people from drinking. The illegal trade of alcohol was worth billions, making it a popular way for gangsters to make money. In this era women began to get out of the house more, wear shorter skirts, and date more often. These were "flappers," rebels of the 1920's. -
The Great Depression
The very profitable at the time stock market crashed on Black Tuesday, causing many people to lose everything. The following decade would be a period of peril for many poor Americans, the Dust Bowl making it even worse. -
The New Deal
The New Deal was a series of laws made by presidant Roosevelt between 1933 and 1938. The programs were in response to the Great Depression, and focused on the "3 Rs": Relief, Recovery, and Reform. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The Japanese attack Pearl Harbor in Hawaii officially launching the US into WWII. -
Little Boy Dropped
The Little Boy was an atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, in an attempt to force the Japanese to surrender. It would take one more bomb for this to happen... -
Fat Man Dropped
The second of the two atomic weapons used against Japan in WWII, Fat Man was dropped on Nagasaki. Several days later Japan surrendered, making the Allies victorious. -
The Cold War
The Cold War was an arms race between Russia and the US, which only occasionally resulted in fighting (e.g. the Korean War, the Vietnam War). It lasted from 1947 to 1991. -
Korean War
The Korean War started when Joseph Stalin convinced the emperor of North Korea to invade South Korea, bringing the US as South Korea's ally into a war that would last until July 27, 1953. -
Vietnam War
Communist North Vietnam, backed by China and Russia, attacked South Vietnam, backed by the US and other democratic countries in Western Europe. This was when chemical warfare really became utilized. The US kept fighting until August 15, 1973 when the government passed an amendment to end the fighting. -
Acquision of Hawaii
Hawaii officially added to Union -
Gulf War
The Gulf War started with Iraq occupying Kuwait, the US's ally and a major oil source. The US's first attack was an aerial bombing, and it escalated from there. The War ended February 28, the next year. -
9/11
I'm pretty sure we all know what happened. Two hijacked passenger planes crashed into the Twin Towers in New York, causing them to collapse, killing more than 2000 people. Another hijacked plane crashed into the Pentagon, and one more was supposed to crash into the White House, but was stopped by the passengers at the cost of their lives. -
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom was the official name for the Afghanistan War, which was part of the "War on Terror". The US was trying to kill the remaining members of Al-Qaeda and destroy the training camps of the Taliban, and have access to said camps. -
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Operation Iraqi Freedom started with the US claiming that Iraq possessed Weapons of Mass Destruction, followed by Iraq being occupied by US soldiers. Some members of the US Government said that Saadam Hussein (the Iraqi president at the time) was an Al-Qaeda supporter. The US eventually sent inspectors and government officials in to make sure that Iraq was not harboring nuclear weapons.
