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Oct 12, 1492
The Discovery of America by Columbus
The day Columbus and his men stepped onto the sand of the Bahamas. -
The Settlement of Jamestown
The date English settlers picked Jamestown, Virginia as their first settlement -
Andrew Johnson's Impeachment
Andrew Johnson, President Lincoln's sucessor, was impeached, and acquitted, for attempting to replace the current Secretary of War. This was a violation of the Tenure of Office Act. -
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The French and Indian War
American theater of the seven year war in Europe. War between British and French colonies with native american allies on both sides. Exact dates unknown -
The Boston Tea Party
Political protest specifically aimed at taxation without representation. A group of men, called the Sons of Liberty, raided take ships and threw their cargoes of tea into the Boston Bay. -
The Battles of Lexington and Concord
The first military engagements of the Revolutionary War. The phrase, "The shot heard around the world" was written by Ralph Waldo Emerson regarding a skirmish at the North Bridge. -
The Declaration of Independence
The signing of The Declaration of Independence, the document announcing the secession of the colonies and the creation of the United States. -
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The Battle of Yorktown
The last major battle of the Revolutionary War, where American and French forces overcame the British and German defenders stationed in Yorktown. -
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The Constitutional Convention
The convention that resulted in creation of The Constitution and the formation of the post-war government. -
The Invention of the Cotton Gin
The official date the patent was granted to Eli Whitney for his cotton gin. -
The signing of the Alien Enemies Act
The date The Alien Enemies Act was signed. This Act enabled the government to deport aliens connected to countries with hostile relations with the United States. -
The Signing of the Sedition Act
The date the Sedition Act was signed. This Act enabled the president to determine whether or not certain activities were treasonous. -
The Louisiana Purchase
The date The Louisiana Purchase was signed. Approximately 827,000 square miles of land was bought from France for a cool 15 million dollars. -
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The War of 1812
Took place during the Napoleonic Wars. The United States declared war on Britain for many reasons, including trade restrictions and the forceful recruitment of as many as 10,000 American men into the British navy. -
The Missouri Compromise
When Missouri was granted state-ship, they requested that they become a slave state. The compromise was that they would, but that no state over the 36th parallel would ever become a slave-owning state. -
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Andrew Jackson's Election
The first election where the popular vote actually mattered. -
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The Trail of Tears
The name given to the forced relocations of numerous indian tribes east of the Mississippi due to the Indian Removal Act. Exact dates unknown. -
The Panic of 1837
A financial crises that led to a major recession. Exact dates unknown -
The Invention of the Telegraph
Invented by Samuel Morse. Exact date unknown. -
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The Mexican - American War
Tensions escalated between the two countries after Mexico annexed the Texas territory. After the war, Mexico gave up Texas and additional western territory to the United States -
The Compromise of 1850
The compromise was a package of five bills that attempted to defuse some of the tension between the slave and free states. The tension had come up regarding the status of the new territories gained after the Mexican - American War. -
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The Firing on Fort Sumter
The first armed conflict of the Civil War. Southern forces lay siege for around a month before bombarding Fort Sumter, a Union military installation. Amazingly, there were no casualties during those two days. -
The Emancipation Proclamation
A speech and executive order given by President Lincoln, declaring that all slaves held by the South "are, and henceforth shall be free". This proclamation freed over 3 million slaves. -
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The Signing of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments
Known as the Civil War Amendments, they attempted to create more equality for the recently freed slaves. They banned slavery, ensured citizenship for anyone born in the States and prohibited the government to ban someone voting rights because of race or color. Exact dates unknown -
The Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse
The surrender of General Robert E. Lee marked the beginning of the end of the Civil War. This event triggered numerous surrenders across the South, effectively ending the war. -
The Assassination of President Lincoln
On this day, President Lincoln was assassinated. He was shot in the back of the head while watching a play at Ford Theater. He died in a boarding house across the street. He was assassinated by Confederate sympathizers that hoped his death would spark another split in the United States. -
The Organization of Standard Oil
Standard Oil was the largest oil refiners of that time. It was so large that The Supreme Court ruled that it was an illegal monopoly in 1911. Exact date unknown. -
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The Invention of the Electric Light, Telephone and the Airplane
These are three of the greatest inventions in history. Each one of them proved that what was considered impossible could be done. They changed the way people lived and led to even greater technological advances. Exact dates unknown. -
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The Pullman and Homestead Strikes
Both of these union organized strikes became violent after a few days. They brought up labor issues in an industrialized era. Exact dates unknown. -
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The Spanish - American War
The war was officially fought over the independence of Cuba and other islands under the control of Spain. After the war, Spain gave the Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico to the United States. This raised the question of expansionism within the United States. -
Theodore Roosevelt Becomes President
Theodore Roosevelt became president after the assassination of President McKinley. He is famous for saying, "speak quietly but carry a big stick".