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Thomas Jefferson is inaugurated as the 3rd President of the United States, marking the first peaceful transfer of power from one political party to another. -
The United States acquires a vast territory from France, doubling the size of the nation. -
The United States fights against Great Britain, leading to events such as the burning of the White House and the composition of the national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner."
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The war ends with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent, restoring pre-war borders and setting the stage for improved Anglo-American relations. -
The canal connects the Great Lakes to the Hudson River, facilitating trade and westward expansion. -
Legislation helps maintain a balance between slave and free states by admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state while also establishing a boundary for future slave territories. -
Controversial tariffs lead to the Nullification Crisis, highlighting tensions between states' rights and the federal government. -
Texan forces are defeated at the Battle of the Alamo, but Texas eventually gains independence from Mexico.
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A conflict over border disputes and territory ends with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, ceding land that will become California, Arizona, New Mexico, and more to the United States.
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A brutal and transformative conflict between the North and the South, culminating in the abolition of slavery with the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment.
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President Abraham Lincoln delivers his famous speech at the battlefield, reaffirming the principles of liberty and equality.