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Oct 12, 1492
Columbus Lands in the Americas
Christopher Columbus, a Italian explorer sailing with the support of Spain, set sail from Spain on August 3rd, with intentions of sailing around the world to find the West Indies. Columbus established a few colonies, and returned to Spain with spices and gold, to be crowned "admiral of the ocean sea." Columbus' voyage contributes very much to the Spanish culture in Latin America, which has since personalized and individualized its cultures. -
Jamestown Establishment
Jamestown was the first British colony in North America. After 8 months of settlement, only 60 out of 214 men remained. Life in the New World was more difficult than anticipated. The British had a difficult time adjusting to the natural conditions of North America, gathering disease from mosquitos and dying off from the cold winters. The Algonquian Indians, who owned the land that Jamestown was created on, got very fed up with the expansion and members of the tribe began to attack the settlers. -
Pilgrims Land
The Pilgrims arrived to New England via the Mayflower to practice the Puritan religion without persecution from England. They established the Plymouth Colony and initially established very amicable relations with the natives around them. Plymouth Colony began to grow with more English settlers each year. -
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French and Indian War
The French and Indian War, or the Seven Years’ War, was fought between the French and American Natives over the French expansion into the Ohio River Valley. Eventually, the French lost the war and the land was given to the US. The US had no intention of protecting the natives however, and continued to push colonialism out west. -
Lexington and Concord
The battles of Lexington and Concord initiated the start of the Revolutionary War against England. At Lexington, 8 American soldiers were dead, while only one British soldier was injured. Lexington proved that this was going to be a tough war for the American rebels. The British went into Concord to seize arms but could not find any and instead went to fire shots into Concord. This is often referred to as "the shot heard 'round the world." -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence, written primarily by Thomas Jefferson, served as an official declaration of war on the British as well. The Revolutionary War had began over a year before at Lexington and Concord. The Declaration of Independence was signed and edited by the Continental Congress over the span of several months. -
Treaty of Paris Signed
After the dominating rebel victory at Yorktown, it was clear that the British had no chance of winning the revolutionary war. The Continental Congress delegated five men to create the Treaty: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Jay, John Adams, and Henry Laurens. The signing of the Treaty of Paris by representatives of British King George III served as an end to the Revolutionary War. -
Constitutional Convention (dates: 5/27/1787 - 9/17/1787)
After the end of the Revolutionary War, the US needed an organized government, so the Continental Congress decided to set up the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, PA. Two main plans were brought to the meeting: The Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan. There was much dispute over the two until they were finally combined in what we now know as "The Great Compromise." -
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Thomas Jefferson Presidency
Jefferson's most notable accomplishments during his reign as the third President of the US are the Lewis and Clark expeditions and the Louisiana Purchase. Jefferson ran for two terms and was elected for both, but chose not to run for a (then available) third term and instead retired to Monticello. -
Marbury v Madison Decision
On his last day of presidency, Adams appointed several federalist judges to the Supreme Court. Jefferson, upon beginning his reign, ordered his secretary, James Madison, to withhold the documents that gave the judges their jobs. William Marbury, a potential judge, was angry and took the issue to the Supreme Court. Judge John Marshall found conflicting points between several legal papers and the constitution, and established Judicial Review, which states that the constitution is the highest law. -
Louisiana Purchase
In the Louisiana Purchase, the US bought 828,000,000 square miles of territory from France, doubling the US in size. The US originally only wanted New Orleans because of its immense trade benefits, but Napoleon surprisingly offered Robert Livingston a significant portion of French territory in the New World. After purchasing, the US had a very difficult time respecting the Natives that resided on the territory, which led to some highly oppressive actions. -
Missouri Compromise
When Missouri requested to enter the Union as a slave state, turmoil broke out. The US had 22 states at the time, 11 slave, and 11 free. After months of debate, the US resolved to allow Missouri to enter as a slave state, but ensured that Maine and all states north of latitude 36°30' from the Louisiana purchase (except Missouri) would remain free as well. States that are today Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and several other midwestern states were to be admitted as free states. -
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Andrew Jackson Presidency
Andrew Jackson, the seventh President of the US, advocated for the extension of slavery and is known for his harsh treatment of Native Americans, specifically the manner in which he forced Indians to move west of the Mississippi. In fact, Jackson's entire reign was controversial, and citizens tended to either like him, or hate him. Nonetheless, Jackson served two terms in the White House. -
Indian Removal Act
Signed into law by former President Andrew Jackson, The Indian Removal Act forced natives east of the Mississippi River out of their home territories towards the West. The migration was cruel, spanned several months, and killed the majority of certain tribes. Once relocated, tribes still faced extreme oppression, especially from the US government. -
Invention of the Telegraph
Samuel Morse, created both the telegraph and invented morse code, which revolutionized communications and technology. Using a set of wires, Morse first created the telegraph and then worked with Alfred Vail to develop morse code, which was originally meant to be only translated into English, but then it was recognized that translators could soon understand the language just by listening to it. -
Dredd Scott v Sanford Decision
Slave Dred Scott had lived with his owner in Wisconsin, a free territory, for several years before returning to Missouri with his owner. Scott, an educated and literate slave, was upset by this change and filed for freedom with his wife. After an 11 year trial, 3 conclusions were reached: 1) Blacks did not have rights in federal courts, 2) slave states no longer had to hold to the virtue of "once a free citizen, always a free citizen," 3) slavery never should have been prohibited in Wisconsin. -
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Abraham Lincoln Presidency
Abraham Lincoln, our 16th President, is best known for his deliverance of the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed all slaves during the Civil War, and the Gettysburg Address, a speech given after one of the bloodiest battles in US history. Lincoln had just began his second term when he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. Lincoln's Civil War tactics are now regarded as incredibly noble and well thought out. Though he was President in a time of immense strain, Lincoln proved himself well. -
Attack on Fort Sumter- Beginning of The Civil War
While the attack on Fort Sumpter technically spanned two days, it began on April 12th, 1861. At this time, the South had already seceded from the Union. When Lincoln heard that the port was out of supplies, he announced his intent to send three unarmed ships to bring supplies. The South issued shots in response, thus demonstrating their seriousness and unwillingness to give up, beginning the Civil War. -
THE CIVIL WAR: First Battle of Bull Run
The First Battle of Bull Run took place in Manassas, Virginia. The Union had planned to charge the Confederate soldiers, but the Confederate soldiers fought hard and won. STORY: The First Battle of Bull Run made US citizens realize that the South had a substantial chance at winning the war, which caused the North to become nervous. -
THE CIVIL WAR: The Battle of Fort Donelson (date based on start)
Grant (Union) wanted control over Fort Donelson, which he saw as a gateway to Confederate land. Floyd (Confederate) surrendered the grounds to the Union after realizing that there was no chance for a Confederate victory. The Unions were able to take over the fort and ensure that Kentucky would remain in the union. STORY: The Union's gaining of Fort Donelson demonstrated Union power during the time of the Civil War, giving the North much confidence. -
THE CIVIL WAR: The Battle of Hampton Roads
The Battle of Hampton Roads was fought between the USS Monitor (Union) and the CSS Virginia (Confederate). The battle had no victory and basically consisted of two ships firing at each other with no result. STORY: The Battle of Hampton Roads demonstrated the emergence of iron naval warfare, a new tactic for the Civil War. -
THE CIVIL WAR: The Battle of Shiloh
At the Battle of Shiloh, the Confederates thought they were being sneaky and initiated a surprise attack on the Union. The Union was prepared however, and ended up winning the battle. STORY: Despite Union victory, both sides felt the immense losses of the battle, reminding US citizens everywhere of the bloodiness and seriousness of the war. Citizens were taken aback by the number of losses, which, in a way, united the North and South a bit (but only a tiny bit). -
THE CIVIL WAR: The Seven Day's Battles (date based on start)
The Seven Days' Battles were extremely bloody and resulted in a Confederate victory. General Lee (Confederate) wanted to push the Union army north, and succeeded in doing so, by 4 miles. The casualties were extremely high. STORY: During the Seven Days' Battles, we were in the thick of the Civil War and fighting was intense and ruthless. Neither side followed boundaries and both would stop at nothing for victory. These battles showed a continuation of ruthless warfare. -
THE CIVIL WAR: The Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg began as a Confederate domination, but towards the end, Lee made an overly confident call and lost the battle. After Gettysburg, Lincoln issued the Gettysburg Address, which is now one of the most famous speeches in US history. STORY: Lee suffered a damaging defeat at the battle, and even tried to resign, but the Confederate President would not allow it, demonstrating how seriously devastating the war was. -
THE CIVIL WAR: Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam is known for being one of the deadliest in US history. The victor of the battle is said to be the Union, as they had less wounded soldiers, however, Union General McClellan refused to attack confederate soldiers while they were retreating, and so he was fired by Lincoln weeks later. STORY: The Battle of Antietam established a seriousness about the war. Soldiers were going to die bloodily and brutality, and no mercy was to be shown, as exemplified by Lincoln's punishment. -
Emancipation Proclamation Statement Issued
The Emancipation Proclamation is commonly misconceived as a document that actually ended slavery, but, in fact, the Civil War was what ended slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation was used as a war tactic by Lincoln after the Union victory at Antietam. The Proclamation technically freed all slaves in the South, however, no slaves were actually freed by their owners. The Emancipation Proclamation served as the North's way of announcing their commitment to victory. -
THE CIVIL WAR: The Siege of Vicksburg (date based on start)
The Siege of Vicksburg or the Vicksburg Campaign, was a Union attempt to capture Vicksburg, which was right by the Mississippi River and would divide the South. The attempt resulted in Union victory, which gave the Union a major upper hand throughout the entire rest of the war. STORY: The victory of the Siege of Vicksburg proved the intelligence and value of General Grant (Union). Under his power, the Union felt much more secure. -
THE CIVIL WAR: Second Battle of Fort Wagner
The Second Battle of Fort Wagner consisted of the Union attempting to siege Confederate Fort Wagner. The Union was unsuccessful after both their first and second attempts of capturing. STORY: The 54th Massachusetts Infantry, an all-black troop, fought in the Second Battle of Fort Wagner, demonstrating the North's seriousness about ending slavery and creating a nation that does not discriminate. -
THE CIVIL WAR: Sherman's March to the Sea (date based on start)
Sherman's March practiced "total war," which consisted of uninhibited destruction. The march was led by General Sherman (Union) and attempted to persuade Georgia citizens to abandon the Confederacy and join the Union cause. STORY: Sherman's March really demonstrated that the Civil War saw no boundaries and affected all citizens. Sherman had intended to exemplify the seriousness of the North's dedication, and he did just that. The war ended years later at Appomattox with a Union victory. -
Surrender at Appomattox- End of The Civil War
Once it war clear that the Union would be the victor of the Civil War, Confederate General Robert E. Lee signed away his army to Union General Ulysses S. Grant. Grant's terms were simple and sympathetic: every soldier was pardoned, the US was to become one again, and slavery was to be prohibited throughout the entire country. Lee, nevertheless, went to Grant with such shame that he remarked he would've rather "died a thousand deaths," which, in theory, he had already done through his soldiers. -
Assassination of President Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C. and then carried across the street to Petersen's Boarding House, where he was held for several hours until his official death. Booth and his accomplices believed that by killing Lincoln, they could bring back slavery in the South, but instead they ended the peaceful termination of the Civil War. Lincoln's plans for a harmonious reunion were never carried out, and reconstruction between the North and South was rigid. -
Ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment
The Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery and pronounced it as unconstitutional, was passed by Congress on January 31st, 1865. After the end of the civil war, it was clear that slavery was to be eliminated, though it took eight months for after the war until the official ratification took place. -
Invention of the Telephone
Alexander Graham Bell moved to Boston just six years before his invention of the telephone. Bell was fascinated with the idea of transmitting sound through wires and immediately began to work on a prototype. Bell's invention was a catalyst for other forms of technology and facilitated communication all over the US. -
Chinese Exclusion Act
The Chinese Exclusion Act restricted immigration from China into the US. Whites on the West Coast claimed that the Chinese were affecting the economy, and so the act was passed in order to please those striving toward "racial purity." If a Chinese citizen wanted to enter the US, they needed to obtain a certificate from the Chinese government stating that they qualified to immigrate, which entailed not being included in the workforce. The exclusion act remained in force for its full 10 years. -
Sherman Anti-Trust Act
The Sherman Antitrust Act banned all trusts in the US. In short, a trusts gave priority to certain stockholders and dominated competition, thus increasing the number of monopolies in the US, which was highly detrimental for the economy. -
Plessy v Ferguson Decision
Plessy v Ferguson essentially legalized segregation by saying that as long as things were "separate but equal," they were alright. The case began when Homer Plessy illegally refused to sit in a Jim Crow car. Plessy argued against Judge John Ferguson that the Louisiana law violated the 13th and 14th amendments, but Ferguson supported the law. Thus, it was now allowed to create a legal distinction between races, which led to mounds of segregation, especially in the South. -
Spanish American War (Date: US Declaration)
The Spanish American war was fought over the colonies of Spain (modern-day: Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Philippines). The US was insistent upon removing the colonies from Spain's grasp, but the question of whether to grant the colonies independence or keep them as US colonies was controversial. George Dewey led troops into Manila Bay in the Philippines and overthrew Manila Bay, only seven soldiers had minor wounds, making it clear that the US would take victory. -
Assassination of President William McKinley
William McKinley was shot by Leon Czolgosz, an anarchist, at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. McKinley seemed to have recovered after emergency surgery, but developed post-op complications and died eight days after he was shot. President Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in immediately after McKinley's death. -
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Theodore Roosevelt Presidency
Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the US, was thrown into his first term after the assassination of William McKinley. Roosevelt accomplished many things in his two terms as president, such as ratifying the Sherman Antitrust Act, setting aside millions of acres for national parks, and beginning construction on the Panama Canal. Roosevelt much wanted for the US to be a major world power. He issued Roosevelt's Corollary over Latin America, stating that the US would serve to police the nations. -
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Woodrow Wilson Presidency
Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the US, served two terms and led the US through WWI. Wilson was huge on neutrality and world peace, so it was with hesitation that he allowed Congress to declare the US a part of WWI. After the war was over, Wilson created a 14 point plan for peace after the war. The majority of Wilson's plan was adopted, but one of the main aspects, granting Germany with a gentle punishment, was not followed by other nations, thus leading to the beginning of WWII years later. -
Beginning of WWI (Based on the Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand)
On June 28th, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by a Serbian nationalist. The assassination essentially symbolized the start of WWI, as the world went into immense turmoil within the month. The US entered the war after intercepting the Zimmerman Telegram in 1917, which consisted of Germany encouraging Mexico to attack the US from the South. The German use of unrestricted submarine warfare, which had began to kill US citizens, also pushed the US into the war. -
Panama Canal Opens
Many countries had been itching to create a canal across the Isthmus of Panama for trade and settling purposes, but funds were consistently insufficient until 1902, when Theodore Roosevelt began negotiations with Colombia, which eventually spiraled into the Panamanian independence movement. Eventually, the canal was built and opened in 1914, allowing the public to pass directly through Central America. -
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Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance brought black culture into the public realm for one of the first times, especially in Harlem, a neighborhood in Manhattan, NY. African culture blossomed: art, literature, performances, music, and more. Especially prominent is the broadcasting and popularization of jazz music. -
End of World War I
On November 11th, 1918, Germany signed the last armistice agreement, ending World War I. Many other countries in the Central Powers had signed their agreements months before. The treaty of Versailles was to go into effect immediately. -
Ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment
The ratification of the 18th amendment began the prohibition era. Congress prohibited the manufacturing, selling, and transportation of all alcohol, which led to much more crime, making the alcohol business extremely lucrative. Speakeasies, underground clubs where members were served alcohol, began to pop up everywhere in the US, especially in major cities. The movement was unsuccessful and the 21st amendment repealed the 18th and the prohibition era came to an end. -
Treaty of Versailles Signed
The Treaty of Versailles served to end WWI. It was signed by all participating countries in Paris. Under the treaty, the Austro-Hungarian was broken into several different nations based on nationality. Additionally, heavy restrictions were placed on Germany economically, which caused the entire nation to go into turmoil. -
Ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment
The ratification of the 19th amendment granted women's suffrage as a constitutional requirement. After years of campaigning, the progressive era finally brought the amendment that many women had been awaiting. Activists like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton had formed groups all around the US in order to promote the movement. On May 21st, 1919, the amendment was proposed to the house by James R. Mann and passed by the senate two weeks later. States rushed to ratify the amendment. -
Gitlow v New York Decision
During the "Red Scare," a time when communism in the US was an extreme threat, Benjamin Gitlow was arrested for partaking in left wing extremist advocation. The case was extremely controversial, as the standards of the Clear and Present Danger Test were not upheld, but Gitlow's conviction was still proved constitutional. The court, after dismissing the case, restricted states from persecuting freedom of speech. -
Stock Market Crash
The Stock Market Crash of 1929 took place on a day that is now named in history as black Tuesday, as it initiated the Great Depression. Citizens rushed to sell their dropping stock shares before all money was lost. Nevertheless, billions of dollars went to waste on Black Tuesday. Investors nor machinery could handle the extremity of the situation. The crash sent the economy straight into the Great Depression. -
Assassination of President John F. Kennedy
When he was assassinated, Kennedy was sitting atop a convertible next to his wife, Jackie, parading through the streets of Dallas, Texas. While passing the Texas School Book Depository Building, Lee Harvey Oswald fired thrice from the building. Kennedy was pronounced dead thirty minutes later and President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in 2 hours after the shot was fired. -
A Legend Was Born (Event #51)
On April 22nd, or Earth Day in the US, legendary Emma Bailey was brought into the world, screaming and crying in Abbott Northwestern Hospital. For months, her acid reflux caused her to scream and cry all throughout the day and night, initiating her parents' undying love for her. April 22nd marks the date that history changed for the better. Amen (used without a religious connotation).
