-
1492
Christopher Columbus
An Italian explorer sailing for Spain who believed that Asia (India) could be reached by sailing west from Europe. His first voyage was in 1492, wherein he discovered North America (Caribbean islands) and named it the West Indies. He will make four voyages to the new world without fully realizing what he had discovered. -
Period: 1492 to
US History I Recap
-
1518
The Middle Passage
The Middle Passage was the forced 'slave trade'. This was where many Africans were enslaved and taken to the Americas as apart of the triangular slave trade route. -
Jamestown
First English settlement established in 1607. As Jamestown grew its citizens began to get killed by the Native Americans living in the area. 1609 the Native Americans began to try and starve the English out and in later years they established peace around 1614. -
Plymouth
September 1620 men and women set sail for the "New World". Months later their ship the Mayflower docked in Plymouth Rock where they formed the first European settlement. Only half of the 100 men and women that went survived the harsh winter. -
The New England Colonies
Pilgrims moved towards the colonies in 1620. Took a while to get adjusted but later prospered with the help of the Natives. Got help with hunting, farming, and fishing. -
Massachusetts Bay Colony
In 1630 a group of about 1,000 puritan refugees from England organized a trade with King Charles I to colonize New England. They established a government and by the Mid - 1640s had over 20,000 people. -
The Middle Colonies
King Charles II gave territory. Most people that were already living in this are stayed and prospered. Later more land was added and became Pennsylvania. -
The Great Awakening
A religious revival. It was to represent a reaction against increasing nature of the materialistic things in the American churches. -
French and Indian War
A war which started with the conflict with the claims on land of the British Colonies. France had tried to expand into the Ohio River valley. -
The Stamp Act
The first British parliamentary attempt at raising revenue through taxation. An immense amount of protest to not use the stamps. Sons of Liberty would destroy the stamps, colonists demanded to only get taxed with their own consent. -
The Boston Massacre
In 1776 British parliament passed the Townshend Act that taxed goods imported to American Colonies. The American colonists that had no representation in parliament thought that this was an abuse of power. This led to the British killing 5 American colonists. -
The Boston Tea Party
When 324 chests of tea that belonged to the British got thrown from ships into the Boston Harbor by American patriots. This was in protest of the tax on tea. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
Thomas Gage acting on orders from London to suppress the rebellious American colonists sent his troops to seize them. Marked the beginning of the American Revolution. -
American Revolution
The fight between Great Britain and the 13 North American colonies for their independence. The war lasted for over a decade as the estrangement between the colonies and Great Britain grew. The war finally ended in 1783 after the colonies won the fight and gained their independence. -
The Southern Colonies
The Colonies were established in 1776 with there being 13 of them. The Southern Colonies stretched from Virginia to Florida. Some of these relied heavily on slavery which later divided some. -
Declaration of Independence
A U.S. history document that announced the separation of the 13 North American British colonies. The separation was officially voted on the 2nd of July but was adopted as the 4th because of how it was written on the document. -
Valley Forge
Camp in Pennsylvania that George Washington wanted to build and stay in for the winter. Conditions were cold and harsh and it led to the troops losing many battles and members of the Continental congress wanting to replace George Washington. -
Battle of Yorktown
British General Lord Charles Cornwallis and his army surrenders to general George Washington. It was considered more than a military win. It was the last major battle of the American Revolution. -
Articles of Confederation
First U.S. Constitution. Lasted less than 10 years. Gave the states too much power which would've led them to crash and burn. -
Constitutional Convention
Convention that drew up the constitution. Event to decide how america was going to be governed. This took place in Pennsylvania. -
Industrial Revolution
The switch from an agricultural to the industrial economy. It took more than a century in the United States as it started in Britain. This showed to lead more machine work and things such as that. -
Bill of Rights
The first 10 amendments in the U.S. Constitution. They were all adopted on December 15, 1791. These were a collection of individual rights and limitations on federal and state governments. -
Louisiana Purchase
Where the western half of the Mississippi River Basin was purchased from France by the United States. The purchase doubled the size of the U.S. which greatly strengthened the country materially and strategically. -
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The expedition to cross the newly bought western portion of the country. It took over 2 years but was deemed a success although Thomas Jefferson didn't exactly get what he wanted. -
War of 1812
A conflict that was fought between Great Britain and the U.S. over the British violating maritime rights of the U.S. Early tensions that caused the war were from the French Revolution. Both the French and the British wanted to block off the U.S. from trading with the other. -
Missouri Compromise
Compromise between the North and the South to have Missouri become the 24th state. This led to the ongoing fight over slavery and eventually the Civil War. -
Election of 1824
The 1824 election where John Quincy Adams was elected for president by the House of Representatives, although Andrew Jackson had won the most popular and electoral votes. In the end Andrew Jackson had won the most electoral votes which meant for him to win but since the House of Representatives choose he won nothing at all. -
Indian Removal Act
A law passed to authorize for president Andrew Jackson to negotiate with southern Native American tribes. This was done so that they would leave allowing settlement on their ancestral lands. The Native Americans would move west of the Mississippi River -
Battle of Alamo
Early on in Texas's war for its independence against Mexico, a group of Texan volunteers overwhelmed Mexican garrison. They took over the fort and seized control over San Antonio. -
California Gold Rush
More than 3,000 people went to California during the gold rush after it was found at Sutter's Mill in early 1848. It later reached it's peak in 1852 -
Mexican-American War
The fight between Mexico and the United States. John Slidell was sent to Mexico City to try and negotiate the disputed Texas border and try to purchase New Mexico and California. -
Underground Rrailroad
The Underground Railroad was s system in which Northerners would help escaped slaves from the South. There were tons of secret routes and safe houses which were used to help out the escaped slaves escape to Canada. -
Compromise of 1850
The effort to settle certain slavery issues and the dissolution of the Union. It came up with the request of the California territory which was to be admitted to the Union with a constitution prohibiting slavery. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
A novel about slavery. It was published in 1852 and dramatized the experience of slavery. It became really popular especially among white readers. -
Manifest Destiny
The inevitable territorial expansion of the boundaries in the United States. They believed that the idea of Manifest Destiny was used to validate continental acquisitions. -
Dred Scott
A case where the Supreme Court ruled that a slave that lived in a free state and territory was not entitled to his freedom. The decision sparked more controversy. -
Lincoln-Douglas debates
A series of seven debates between the Democratic senator Stephen A. Douglas and Republican challenger Abraham Lincoln. Most of this was largely concerning the issue about slavery extension into the territories. -
Bleeding Kansas
A small civil war in the United States. It was between the pro and anti slavery advocates. They fought over control of the new territory Kansas. -
Fort Sumter
First engagement took place on this disputed soil. They believed it belonged to the new Confederacy. -
Gettysburg Address
A famous speech given by Abraham Lincoln. He gave it at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg. This speech was given during the civil war. -
Emancipation Proclamation
The document that finally freed the slaves of the Confederate states. Before the civil war many states were trying to focus on stopping the expansion of slavery into the more western states. Later Lincoln declared that the slaves would be free. -
Battle of Gettysburg
A battle fought during the civil war in Pennsylvania. It was fought between the Union army and the Confederate army. -
American Civil War
This was the war between the 11 Confederate states and the rest of the Unites States. It has also been called the 4 year war. The cause of this is the same as the problem has been over this period of time. Slavery. -
Confederate States of America
These states were convinced that the only way to life was slavery. This was threatened by the election of Abraham Lincoln. There were seven states apart of the Confederacy which were later joined by 4 other states. Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas. Later joined by Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. -
Battle of Appomattox Court House
One of the last battles in the American Civil War. This led to the Confederate general Robert E. Lee’s surrender of his Army. He abandoned the Confederate capital of Richmond. He wanted to rally the remnants of his troops and keep fighting. Ultimately the Battle of Appomattox Court House brought the war to an end. -
Abolitionism
A social movement. The movement primarily responsible for creating the 'emotional climate' needed to end the slave trade. It was the needed push to the path to abolish slavery. It did prove to be harder than expected.