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Jun 15, 1215
The Magna Carta is written to limit the power of English rulers
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Aug 1, 1492
Columbus sets sail to find a route to the East Indies
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Nov 8, 1519
Hernando Cortes captures Tenochtitlan, beginning the fall of the Aztec Empire
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Virginia founded
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Massachusetts founded
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The Mayflower Compact, the first document of self-government in North America, is written by Pilgrim leaders in Plymouth
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New Hampshire founded
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New York founded
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Maryland founded
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Connecticut founded
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Rhode Island founded
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Delaware founded
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The Carolinas founded
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New Jersey founded
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Pennsylvania founded
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The English Bill of rights is written to limit the monarchy and protect the rights of citizens
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John Locke publishes "Two Treatises on Government"
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The Carolinas split into North and South Carolina
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Georgia founded
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Baron de Montesquieu publishes "The Spirit of the Laws," urging that the government power be divided into three branches
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French and Indian War begins at Battle of Fort Necessity
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French troops defeat General Braddock
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Quebec surrenders to the British
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British troops take Montreal, ending the French & Indian War fighting in North America
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Treaty of Paris is signed between Britain & France, ending the French & Indian War
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Sugar Act
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Stamp Act
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Townshend Acts
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Father Junipero Serra builds first mission at San Diego
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Boston Massacre
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Tea Act
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Boston Tea Party
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Intolerable Acts
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First Continental Congress convenes in Philidelphia
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"The shot heard round the world" is fired in Lexington
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Second Continental Congress meets in Philidelphia
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Battle of Bunker Hill
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American troops seize Montreal
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American troops fail to take Quebec
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Thomas Paine writes Common Sense
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Continental Congress accepts the Declaration of Independence
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Articles of Confederation written
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British troops surrender at Saratoga
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Benedict Arnold turns traitor to the American cause
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American troops capture King's Mountain
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Articles of Confederation go into effect
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British troops surrender at Yorktown
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Treaty of Paris is ratified by Congress, ending the Revolutionary War
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The "Empress of China" becomes the first American ship to trade with China
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Land Ordinance of 1785
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Shay's Rebellion
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Northwest Ordinance
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Constitutional Convention opens in Philidelphia
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Costitution approved by Constitutional Convention
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Delaware becomes first state to ratify the US Constitution
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New Hampshire becomes the ninth state to ratify the US Constitution, allowing it to go into effect
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Citizens of Philadelphia celebrate the ratification of the US Constitution with a festival
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Congress creates the first five executive departments
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Congress passes the Judiciary Act to organize the federal court system
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Three fourths of the states ratify the first ten amendments to the Constitution, which become known as the Bill of Rights
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George Washington is inaugurated as our 1st President in New York City
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The French Revolution begins when an angry mob storms the Bastille
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Congress creates the first Bank of the United States
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French King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette are beheaded
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Britain seizes American ships trading in the French West Indies
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Washington issues the Neutrality Proclamation
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The Whiskey Rebellion
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11th Amendment - Suits against States
You can't use judicial power against the other states. -
George Washington publishes his Farewell Address
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France seizes American ships trading in the French West Indies
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John Adams is inaugurated as our 2nd President
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Alien and Sedition Acts passed
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XYZ Affair
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George Washington dies in his Virginia home, Mount Vernon
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Thomas Jefferson is inaugurated the third President of the United States
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Marbury v. Madison tried before the Supreme Court, establishing judicial review
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Thomas Jefferson approves the purchase of Louisiana
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Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr receive the same number of electoral votes for President, causing Congress to eventually pass the 12th amendment
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Federalist leader, Alexander Hamilton, killed in a duel with Republican, Aaron Burr
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Lewis and Clark set out from St. Louis to explore the American west
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12th Amendment - Election of President and Vice President
Electors can go back to their state to vote for the President and Vice-President. -
Lewis and Clark reach the Pacific Ocean
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Lewis and Clark return to St. Louis
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Zebulon Pike views a mountain peak rising above the Colorado plains, which becomes known as "Pikes Peak"
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Thomas Jefferson persuades Congress to pass the Embargo Act
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James Madison wins the election and becomes our fourth President
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Congress passes the Nonintercourse Act to replace the Embargo Act
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President Madison asks Congress to declare war on Britain
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The American ship, the Constitution, battles the British ship, Guerriere, in the north Atlantic near the beginning of the War of 1812
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Battle of Lake Erie
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Battle of Horseshoe Bend
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Britain defeats France in the war in Europe
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British troops capture Washington, DC
Brithish troops marched into the nations capital and burned the White House. Dolly Madison was able to escape before the Brithis were able to set the fire. -
Battle of New Orleans
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Treaty of Ghent signed
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US and Britain reach agreement to jointly occupy Oregon
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Missouri Compromise
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Stephen Austin is given a land grant and leads settlers into Texas
Stephen Austin and 300 other families moved to Texas. Under his leadership, this colony grew rapidly. By 1830, about 20,000 Americans had settled into Texas. -
William Becknell leads group of traders from Missouri to New Mexico
William Becknell was a merchant and a adventurer who was also the first American to head for Santa Fe. When they reached Santa Fe, they began trading with eager Mexicans waiting for them. Other Americans soon began to follow this route known as the Santa Fe Trail. -
Joseph Smith founds the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
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Nat Turner's Rebellion
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General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna comes to power in Mexico
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Mexican troops begin a siege of the Alamo
Amoung the many fighters in the Alamo, were the famous frontiersmen Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett. The Texans fought bravely but thousands of Mexican soldiers flooded into the mission. -
Texans declare independence from Mexico
After winning independance, Texas was nicknamed the Lone Star State because the Texans csrried a flag with a single white star in the battle. -
Battle of San Jacinto is won by Sam Houston
Although the Battle of San Jacinto lasted only 18 minutes, the Texans captured Santa Anna and forced the general to sign a treaty, granting Texas independance. -
Manifest Destiny plays important role in election of James K Polk as President
Americans who did believe in Manifest Destiny thought that the U.S. was clearly meant to expand to the Pacific. -
Joseph Smith is killed, Mormons choose Brigham Young as their leader
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Congress passes resolution to admit Texas to the Union
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US and Britain avoid war over Oregon Country by splitting it with Britain at latitude 49N
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President Polk orders troops into disputed area along Rio Grande
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Fighting at Rio Grande sparks beginning of Mexican War
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Brigham Young moves the Mormons from Illinois to Utah for safety
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Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo signed, ending the Mexican War, and forcing Mexico to cede California and New Mexico to the United States
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John Sutter strikes gold at his sawmill on the American River in California
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The "forty-niners" make the long journey to California in search of gold
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California is admitted to the Union as a free state
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Compromise of 1850
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Harriet Beecher Stowe publishes "Uncle Tom's Cabin"
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The Gadsden Purchase is made, with the US paying Mexico $10 million for a strip of land to finish building a railroad
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Kansas-Nebraska Act
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-"Bleeding Kansas"
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Dred Scott Decision
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Lincoln-Douglas Debates
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John Brown's Raid of Harpers Ferry, Virginia
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Lincoln is elected 16th President of the United States
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Secession of South Carolina
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Firing on Fort Sumter
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Virginia joins the Confederacy
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Battle of Bull Run of First Manassas
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Battles at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson
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Jackson's Valley Campaign
March-June 1862 -
Battle of Shiloh
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Second Manassas
28th-30th -
Battle of Antietam
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Emancipation Proclamation
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Battle of Chaplin Hills
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Battle of Fredericksburg
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Battle of Chancellorsville
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Siege of Vicksburg
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General Order 143
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Battle of Gettysburg
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Gettysburg Address
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Battle of Murfreesboro
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Overland Campaign
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Atlanta Campaign
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Siege of Petersburg
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March to the Sea
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Reelection of Lincoln
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Lee's Army surrenders at Appomattox Courthouse
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Lincoln is assassinated
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Joseph Johnston's Army surrenders
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13th Amendment - Abolition of Slavery
An end to slavery. -
14th Amendmaent- Rights of Citizens
Citizens have the rights of citizenship.
1. Citizenship
2. Apportionment of Representatives
3. Former Confederate Officials
4. Government Debt
5. Enforcement -
15th Amendment - Voting Rights
Citizens have voting rights not based on race. -
16th Amendment - The Income Tax
Congress has the power to collect taxes on income. -
17th Amendment - Direct Election of Senators
The people elect the Senators. -
18th Amendment - Prohibition of Alcoholic Beverages
Alcohol is banned . -
19th Amendment - Women's Suffrage
Women finally have the right to vote. -
20th Amendment - Presidential Terms; Sessions of Congress
Presidents take office on Jan.20th. Congress meets each year. -
21st Amendment - Repeal of 18th Amendment (Prohibition)
Prohibition is no longer in effect. -
22nd Amendment - Limit on number of President's Terms
Presidents can only serve 2 terms. -
23rd Amendment - Presidential Electors for District of Columbia
Citizens of the District of Columbia can vote. -
24th Amendment - Abolition of Poll Tax in National Elections
Poll tax is no longer in effect. -
25th Amendment - Presidential Succession and Disability
If a President dies, the Vice-President takes over. -
26th Amendment - Voting Age
The certain age of voting is 18. -
27th Amendment - Congressional Pay Increase
If Congress votes to give themselves pay raises, they must wait until the next meeting to do so.
