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Jun 10, 1215
Magna Carta Signed
Extra InfoThe Magna Carta was a document that was made to lessen the power of King John of England, allowing the people to have more rights and create a powerful parliment. -
Mayflower Compact Signed
Extra InfoTHe compact was created because people felt as if they had no obligation to stay and obey the colonies as soon as they arrived in New England, So the Mayflower Compact served as a temporary government to keep the pilgrams in-line -
Formation of the New England Confederation
Extra InfoThe Formation of the New England Confederation was a small military alliance between the colonies of Massachusetts, Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven. -
Albany Plan of Union announced
Extra InfoThe Albany Plan of Union, proposed by Benjamin Franklin, was a attempt to bring together the colonies during the French and Indian War. Later on the Albany Plan of Union became a good foreshadow for the Articles of Confederation. -
The French and Indian War begins
Extra InfoThe French and Indian War was was between the British Americans and the French joined by the Indians. This war carried on for about 9 years and ended involving most parts of the world due to all the different alliances. -
Treaty of Paris
Extra InfoThe Treaty was the offical ending to the Seven Years War, or French Indian War. -
Royal Proclamation
Extra InfoThis was the limitation of King George III not allowing western expansion past the Appalachian Mountains and the colonists were frustrated because after all that work they put in to earn the land, they weren't even allowed to use it. -
Sugar Act
Extra InfoThis act pronouced all sugar to be taxed for the colonists and this became one of the many reasons due to the American Revolution. -
Stamp Act Congress
Extra InfoRepresenatives from the thirteen colonies met up in New York to discuss the Stamp Act. They came to the realization that it was goin against their rights and they decided to boycott the british goods. -
Stamp Act
Extra InfoThe Stamp Act required all american colonists to pay taxes on every type of paper they used. Things like documents, certificates, newspapers, and even playing cards! This made the colonists start to seriously question the means behind England's Parliment. -
Townshend Acts
Extra InfoThe Bristish placed taxes on all imported goods to the colonies, and they continued to boycott the goods. These acts eventaully lead to the Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party. -
Boston Massacre
Extra InfoThe Boston Massacre was an incident where British soldiers were pelted with snowballs, ice balls, and rocks. The soldiers ended up shooting at the crowd and killed 5 colonists, and injured 6 others. -
Boston Tea Party
Extra InfoA group of revolutionists called the Sons of Liberty boarded a British ship dressed as indians and dumped 342 barrels of tea into the harbor because they were frustrated with the tea taxes. -
First Continental Congress
Extra InfoThis was a convention of delegates from the 12 colonies that met at Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to discuss their reaction towards the Intolerable Acts. -
Patrick Henry "Give Me Liberty"
Extra InfoAt a meeting in Richmond, Virginia Henry expressed his feelings towards the British and at the end of his speech were his famous words "Give me liberty or give me death!" -
Midnight ride of Paul Revere
Extra InfoPaul Revere rode to Lexington to warn the colonists that the Bristish were coming. 1 if by land and 2 if by sea, the British came from the sea and he got held up on his ride, almost captured but got away and ended up finishing his route. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
Extra InfoThese two battles were really the first encounters military-wise, of the British and the colonies. The Americans after two heavy battles eventually won and drove the British back, offically earning their independence. -
Fort Ticonderoga
Extra InfoThe Capture of Fort Ticonderoga was when a small force of Green Mountain Boys led by Ethan Allen beat a small British fleet at the fort and the Green Mountain Boys ended up stealing from the British fleet as well. -
Second Continental Congress meets
Extra InfoThe Second Continental Congress met to discuss their plans towards becoming independent by creatings things like treaties and a militia. This congress met at the beginning of the Revolutionary War. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
Extra InfoThe militia had heard of the British coming their way so they set up on Bunker Hill and awaited the British. The British got word of thier positioning and attacked them the next day. After a days worth of fighting, the British came out with a victory. -
"Common Sense" Published
Extra Info"Common Sense" was a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine which basically described the pros of being independent from Britian, and really motivated the colonists to push for their freedom. -
British Evacute Boston
Extra InfoBritish forces were forced to evacuate Boston due to George Washington's successful placement of cannons on Dorchester Heights, which overlooks Boston from the south, the direction the British were coming from. -
Declaration of Independence announced
Extra InfoThe Declaration of Independence was announced to the public on July 2, 1776. -
"The Crisis" published
Extra Info"The Crisis" was another uplifting work written by Thomas Paine. This collection of 16 pamphlets was written to inspire the colonists and militia, which eventually helped them cross the Delaware and defeat the Hussians. George Washington even ordered that "The Crisis" was read aloud to the troops at Valley Forge. -
Washington Captures Trenton
Extra Infoafter Washington and the militia had crossed the Deleware River, they fought of and defeated the Hessians at Trenton. -
Winter at Valley Forge, PA
Extra InfoValley Forge in Pennsylvania was the site of the military camp of the militia during the winter of 1777 during the war. These conditions were extremely rough for the soldiers mostly because they weren't prepared for the cold and most didn't even have shoes. -
British Defeated at Saratoga
Extra InfoThis battle was known as the turning point in the war because this is where the coloinsts began to start defeating the British. -
Benedict Arnold plans found out
Extra InfoBenedict Arnold was in charge of West Point at New York. His plan was to sell the land to the British and when his plan was exposed, he was commisioned into the British army as a general. -
Articles of Confederation signed
Extra InfoThis was a set of laws that served as the 13 new states first constitution since breaking away from England. -
John Paul Jones defeats the Serapis
Extra InfoJohn Paul was a ship raider who targeted ships of the coast of Britian. His most famous capture was Serapis, a large ship which he brutally attacked and ended up sinking within 3 hours. From that moment on he was seen as hero to France and the U.S. -
Cornwallis surrenders
Extra Infoduring Britian's returm, Cornwallis lead his 4,500 men into Washingtons trap which ended up leaving him and his men against Washington and his 7,000 men. -
Newburgh Conspiracy
Extra InfoThe Newburgh Conspiracy was after the war, soldiers were promised a lifetime pension of half pay, but they recieved nothing compared that. Congress made little to no effort to help out the soldiers and they ended up recieving 5 years of full pay in the end. -
Treaty of Paris(1783) Signed
Extra InfoThe Treaty of Paris was the offical ending to the Revolutionary War between Great Britian and the U.S. -
Spain closes Mississippi River
Extra InfoSpain closed the lower part of the Mississippi River to farmers of Lousiana, and surrounding colonies. -
Land Ordinace of 1785
Extra InfoThe Land Ordinance was an alternative way of making money other than taxing the citizens, it was written up by Thomas Jefferson basically saying to start builidng up the westen side of the U.S and divide it up into 10 new states, then rasing money through new civilization there. -
Ordinance of Religious Freedom
Extra InfoThe Ordinance of Religious Freedom, created by Jefferson, was basically a law that stated no man were to be punished becasue of his religion, and no man were to be forced to attend any certain type of religious gathering. This would later be the template of the first amendment of the Constitution. -
Shay's Rebellion
Extra InfoShay's Rebellion(named after Daniel Shay's, a vertran in the Revolutionary War) was caused because too many farmers in Mass. were angry about the taxation on them and their farmlands. They were told to pay in gold/silver and most couldnt afford to, so the farmers broke into armories and rushed the town halls, in a violent Rebellion. This lasted about two years. -
Annapolis Convention
Extra InfoThe Annapolis Convention was a meeting intended for a represenative from each state to show up and disscuss the weaknesses of the U.S government but only 5 of the 13 states showed up. The others weren't able to make it in time. This eventually led to the creation of the U.S Constitution. -
Anti-Federalists articles appear
Extra InfoThese articles were various writings of Anti-Federalists who disagreed, or didnt accept the Constitution. -
Constitutional Convention Opens
Extra InfoA meeting in Philadelphia took place to look over and revise the Articles of Confederation, instead of fixing them, the delegates came up with the Constitution. -
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Extra InfoThe Northwest Ordinance established a government for the new territories of the U.S. This promised the new states equality with the other 13 and also banned any type of slavery in the states. -
The Great Compromise agreed to
Extra InfoThe Great Compromise was the agreement made at the Constitutional Convention that gave us two houses in Congress, gave each state two senators, and a certain amount of representatives based on states populations. -
Constitution sent to the states for ratification
Extra InfoThe Constitution was approved by the states and passed off as a valid document. -
Federalists Papers appear
Extra InfoThe Federalists Papers started to appear in New York's papers in 1787. These papers that supported the Constitution continously keep beoming released all through 1788 too. -
Delaware ratifies
Extra InfoDeleware was the first state to ratify the Constitution unanimously. This gave a sense to the delegates that the states were starting to consider this new plan. -
Massachusetts ratifies Constitution
Extra InfoMassachusetts, the sixth state to ratify the Constitution was in favor of a few changes. Some of which were to protect the states, and protect the individual. -
New Hampshire ratifies Constitution
Extra InfoNew Hampshire, the ninth state to ratifiy the Constitution was in favor of including this in the Constitution, "Congress shall never disarm any citizen, unless such as are or have been in actual rebellion." -
George Washington elected President
Extra InfoGeorge Washington was elected the first president ever for two years, with his vice president John Adams. After being an exellent Revolutionary commander-in-chief, Washington was a great canidate for the election. -
Congress meets for the 1st time
Extra InfoCongress met on Wall Street in New York. This was an important meeting because this was the beginning of our government today. There were 21 senators(new york had one until later of 1789) and 58 members of the House of Representatives. -
Bill of Rights sent to the states for ratification
Extra InfoVirginia was the 10th of 14 states to approve 10 of the 12 amendments, which gave the Bill of Rights the two-thirds majority of state ratification necessary to make it legal. -
Bill of Rights ratified
Extra InfoThe Bill of Rights, which consist of the Ten Amendments, was ratified by 10 of the 14 states, which gave the individual protection and rights from the government. -
Virginia & Kentucky Resolutions written
Extra Infothe Kentucky and Virginia legislatures said that the federal Alien and Sedition Acts were unconstitutional. These two resolutions argued that the states had the right and the duty to declare unconstitutional acts of Congress and this in turn basically argued for states' rights -
Hartford Convention meets during War of 1812
Extra InfoThe Convention started to meet on Dec. 15 until Jan. 4 to discuss their options of taking Americans out of the war. They were strongly against the war and supported many different ideas of withdrawing. -
Missouri Compromise
Extra Infothe compromise was an agreement between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery supporters in the United States Congress, dealing with slavery in the western territories. It prohibited slavery in the former Louisiana Territory north of the parallel 36°30′ north except for Missouri and made Maine a non-slave state. -
Tariff of Abominations passed
Extra InfoThis tariff's main design was to protect northern industry and put taxes on their goods so southerners and over seas customers had to pay more. This helped because northern industries were being driven out due to the amount of low cost southern industries that shipped things like cotton. -
South Carolina tries to nullify
Extra InfoDuring the Nullification Crisis in 1832, South Carolina decided to go against the Tariff of Abombinations and said it was an unconstitutional tax. They then wrote the Ordinance of Nullification. -
Abolition of Slavery Act
Extra Infothe abolition of slavery was an act of Parliment of the United Kingdom abolishing all slavery throughout Great Britian. with the exceptions of a few islands and territories, which later were eliminated in 1843. -
Texas declares independence from Mexico
Extra InfoThe declaration of Texas independence was a document that literally was made overnight. It was drafted by 5 men and read over, then printed up for the next day at the Convention of 1836. -
James Polk elected
Extra InfoJames Polk was elected as the 11th president of the United States. He was the democratic president who won the war against Mexico for the annexation of Texas. -
Wilmot Proviso
Extra InfoThis would have banned slavery in any of the territories gained from the Mexican War. This event was also one of the big contributions to the American Civil War. -
Mexican War
Extra InfoThe Mexican war was a huge event for both Mexico and the U.S. This was the first major splitting of North America and in the end, Mexico lost its western territories which consisted of modern day California and Texas. -
California enters the union
Extra InfoMexico and the U.S. signed a treaty to end the war in Febuary of 1848, which included giving the U.S a large portion of territory including California. In 1849, California was given statehood and passed as a save free state. Finally in 1850, California was passed as the 31st state. -
Fugitive Slave Law enacted
Extra InfoThe fugitive slave law enacted by Congress said that all runaway slaves had to be returned as soon as possible and all citizens including northerners had to turn in runaway slaves. if anyobdy had been found guilty of helping a slave they were fined and/or 6 months of jail time. -
Publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin
Extra InfoUncle Tom's Cabin is an anti-slavery novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, and was the best-selling novel of the 19th century. It was also the second best-selling book of that century, behind the bible. -
Formation of Republican Party
Extra InfoThe formation of the party was to oppose the Kansas-Nebraska Act. this Republican Party was formed by anti-slavery activists and mainly dominated politics from 1860 to 1932. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act passed
Extra InfoThis Act created the boundaries of Kansas and Nebraska in 1854. It repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820 by allowing citizens to choose through popular sovereignty whether they would allow slavery within each territory or not. -
"Border Ruffians" attack Lawrence
Extra InfoThese people were proslavery activists given this name by abolisionists. Border Ruffians illegally interferred with the election in the Kansas territory and attacked the town of Lawrence, a small town of nonslave supporters and this attack was another big cause of the Civil War. -
Charles Sumner attacked
Extra Infoafter describing Preston Brooks, a South Carolina Congressman, as an unbelieveably foul substance along the lines of throw up , the man beat Charles with his cane till near death. Charles Sumner didn't return to his position in the senate until three and a half yers later. -
Pottawatomie Creek
Extra InfoThis was the reply to the sacking of Lawrence by the proslavery people, who destroyed and beat the small town of Lawrence full of abolisionists. Led by John Brown, a group of abolisionists ended p killing five settlers near the Pottawatomie Creek. This action was one of the first major causes to the naming of "Bleeding Kansas." -
Dred Scott decision announced
Extra InfoDred Scott was a slave owned by Dr. Emerson, an army suregeon. He traveled to free slave states with Dred Scott and Scott believed that he should be allowed freedom. Scott was granted freedom but a few years later his case was appealed and he was enslaved. Scott died years later not being able to life the rest of his life as a free citizen. -
Lecompton Constitution passed
Extra InfoThe Lecompton Constitution was the second of four constitutions proposed to the state of Kansas. It was passed by legislature on August 30 in 1858, then ratified in May on the 18 of 1858. -
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
Extra InfoThere were 7 different debates between Abe Lincoln and Stephen Douglas, and they were for the running of senator in Illinois. Lincoln was a big believe and all men being able to have natural rights, including slaves but wasn't necessarily preechhing freedom of all slaves. Douglas believed that blacks were not as equal as whites and promoted the expansion of slavery. -
Raid at Harper's Ferry
Extra InfoJohn Brown, the leader of this mission brough 21 men to Harpers Ferry and captured 60 citizens hoping that all the saves would join onto their side. None did and the local militia ended up coming and killing most of Brown's men. He later was brought to Virginia and him and a few of his men were executed. -
Formation of Constitutional Union Party
Extra InfoThe Constitutional Union party was a political party created in 1860. this party emerged as an attempt to avoid the issue of slavery, and prevent the events that started the Civil War. -
Election of 1860
Extra InfoAbe Lincoln became the President in 1860 because the democratic votes were mostly split between the North and South due to the different views on the expansion of slavery. But the new party, the Republicans was strictly Nothern so Abe ended up with the most electorial votes. -
Democrats split in 1860
Extra InfoThe Democratic Party split due to their different views on slavery. Democrats in the north didn't support the expansion of slavery while southern democrats did. The Democratic Party split during the election of 1860 with Stephen Douglas as the Northern Democrats candidate, and John C. Breckinridge representing the Southern Democrats. -
Abraham Lincoln Announces Plans for Reconstruction
Extra InfoIn December Lincoln proposed that once seceded states had taken oath to the Constitution, they would be admitted back into the Union. At the end of the war both Louisiana and Arkansas had based their governments around this proposal. -
Lincoln Re-Elected President
Extra InfoLincoln was re-elected president in the presidential election of 1864. No electorial votes from the south were counted due to the war and Lincoln ended up beating Democratic candidate George B. McClellan. -
Wade-Davis Bill Recieves Pocket Veto
Extra InfoThe Wade-Davis Bill was a bill proposed by two Republicans named Senator Benjamin Wade of Ohio, and Representative Henry Winter Davis of Maryland. This opposed Lincoln's Ten Percent Plan. -
Formation of the Freedman's Bureau
Extra InfoThe Freedmen's Bureau was an agency created to protect the blacks in the South after the Civil War. It was made to function for exactly a year after the war. -
Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
Extra Info President Lincoln was assassinated at Ford theater while attending "Our American Cousin" with his wife. He was killed by John Wilks Booth who thought that he and his fellow conspirators could kidnap Lincoln and exchange him for confederate prisoners of war. After failed attempts, Booth ended up shooting Lincoln close range with a shot behind his ear. He was captured in South Carolina two weeks later. -
Ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment
Extra InfoThe Thirteenth amendment of the Constitution ended the instution of slavery forever. Ratified on December 6th, in 1865. -
President Andrew Johnson Announces Plans for Reconstruction
Extra InfoPresident Johnson first abolished slavery, then had all the states that were in rebellion take a loyality oath to inducted back into the Union. -
Black Codes created in Mississippi
Extra InfoThese codes were a set of laws created by the angry white men of the south. These laws ratified the 13th and 14th Ammendments and restricted basic rights of blacks in the south. -
Reconstruction Acts Enacted
Extra InfoCongress passed four Reconstruction Acts that needed all Confederate States to be readmitted back into the Union. -
President Andrew Johnson Impeached
Extra InfoAndrew Johnson was the first President to be impeached in US history. The House of Representatives impeached Johnson because he violated the Tenure of Office Act by removing secretary of war. -
Ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment
Extra InfoThis amendment grants citizenship to "all persons born or naturalized in the United States" This included and still includes all people regardless of race or ethnicity. -
Ulysses S. Grant elected President
Extra InfoGrant was a republican elected president in 1869. Grant allowed for the Radical Republicans idea of reconstruction. He overall stabilized the country after the Civil War by protecting blacks and fighting the KKK. -
Ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment
Extra Infothis amendment didn't allow states to deny citizens the right to vote because of their race, color, or the previous experience of being a slave. This amendment became apart of the Constitution after enough ratifications. -
Ku Klux Klan
Extra InfoThe Ku Klux Klan was the first terrorist group in the U.S. who were outraged with the rights that blacks in the south were given. They would burn crosses in peoples yards, beat, torture, and kill their victoms. -
Hiram Revels elected to Senate
Extra InfoRevels was elected as the first African American member of the United States Senate. Some of the senators had opposed saying he wasn't a citizen for 9 years which was the requirement but 48 to 8 voters were in favor. -
KKK Act Enacted
Extra InfoThis KKK act allowed for military force on the Ku Klux Klun, and to fully destroy the terrorist group forever. President Grant also was authorized to serve heavy penalties against any member of the KKK. -
Freedman's Bureau Abolished
Extra InfoThe Freedman's Bureau gave Blacks food, shelter, education, and overall equal rights. President Johnson tried to veto this organization but Congress didn't allow it. Eventually in 1872 it was offically abolished. -
Civil Rights Act (1866) Enacted
Extra InfoIn 1875, the Government made a last attempt to give African American civil rights with the Civil Rights Act of 1875. This guarunteed everyone regardless of race or color the same treatment at public accomodations. -
Civil Rights Act (1875) passed
Extra InfoThis act protected all americans regardless of their skin color or ethnicity, allowing for equality in every aspect of society. This act was never really enforced and was declared unconstitutional in 1883. -
"Jim Crow" enters the American cultural language
Extra Info"Jim Crow" was a set of laws that segregated and discrimnated the blacks from the whites in the South. These laws supposedly were to give the same equal rights to blacks, but just seperate them from the whites. -
Last National Troops Leave South Carolina
Extra InfoAt the end of reconstruction, All northern troops sent down to the south to protect were sent back home and this ended all federal control of the south. -
Rutherford B. Hayes elected President
Extra InfoRepublican Hayes was elected in 1876, he was known for taking federal control out of the South and ending reconstruction -
Civil Rights Act Overturned (1883)
Extra Infofrom the time the Civil Rights Act was created (1876) to 1883, numerous cases throughout the south mosty had proven the Civil Rights Act unconstitutional. -
Florida Requires Segregation in Places of Public Accomidation
Extra InfoFlorida became the first state to enforce these voting laws. Later other southern states followed in 1892. These segregational laws interfered with the blacks rights to vote. They had literacy tests and poll taxes which made many blacks unable to vote. -
Case of Plessy v. Ferguson
Extra InfoIn 1892, Plessy, a black male sat in a "white only" car on a train. He purposely violated the Seperate Car Act to challenge the law and prove a point. Plessy's case made it to the Supreme Court. Plessy argued that this violated the 13th and 14th Amendments and the ruling was that segregation was Constitutional, as long as it was equal on both sides of the segregation.
