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Leland Stanford Hammers the Golden Spike
This ceremonial moment marks the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad. Leland Stanford was a founder of the Central Pacific Railroad and was chosen to hammer this spike into the ground, connecting the tracks of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads. This occurred in Promontory, Utah, and the railroad unified the U.S.A, making westward migration much easier and less dangerous. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/transcontinental-railroad-completed -
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US History: VHS Summer: Alison Seaton
This timeline provides us with information and a visual representation of important events, concepts, and people from the past. It contains descriptions of each event and/or concept as well as links with more information. -
B&O Railroad Strike
The B&O Railroad Strike was the beginning of a large railroad strike known as The Great Railroad Strike of 1877. It began to spread across the country as railroad workers decided they were no longer willing to put up with the railroad companies' large pay cuts. They refused to operate the trains until the companies agreed not to cut their pay. This important event marks the beginning of the fight for worker's rights in the USA.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Great-Railroad-Strike-of-1877 -
Imperialism
Definition of Imperialism:
Imperialism is a nation's policy or action of extending its political and economic control into other parts of the world by obtaining new territories and intervening with other countries by force. This is done with the intent of becoming a more powerful force in the world. Relevant Link:
https://www.npr.org/2019/02/14/694728435/the-story-of-american-imperialism -
The Signing of The Treaty of Paris
Although the fighting had ceased four months ago, the Treaty of Paris officially ended the Spanish-American War. This treaty allowed the U.S.A to acquire many of the territories that had once belonged to Spain, like Puerto Rico, The Phillippines, and Guam. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/treaty-of-paris-ends-spanish-american-war -
The Panama Canal Officially Opens
The Panama Canal is a 50-mile canal that Theodore Roosevelt decided to construct during his presidency. Construction lasted from 1904 until 1914, and when it was finished the canal provided a trade route that went directly from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. It made international trade much faster and easier. https://www.history.com/topics/landmarks/panama-canal -
The Beginning of the Great Migration
The majority of The Great Migration occurred between 1915 and 1960. During this time, around 5 million African Americans from the south migrated to cities in the north to escape Jim Crow Laws as well as to find new prosperity. There was a high demand for workers due to a large number of American men who had left to fight in World War I.
https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-great-migration-definition-causes.html -
The Formation of the League of Nations
The League of Nations was an international organization established by Woodrow Wilson in 1920, just after World War I. It was a result of the Paris Peace Conference. Its purpose was to step in and deal with conflict in a new way so that we could create a more peaceful world. Wilson knew that conflict was inevitable, but he envisioned that this organization would resolve these conflicts before they led to extreme violence.
https://www2.gwu.edu/~erpapers/teachinger/glossary/league-of-nations.cfm -
The Stock Market Crash of 1929
This four-day stock market crash happened on Black Tuesday and marks the beginning of the Great Depression. Just before it happened, the country was experiencing an economic boom and stocks were much higher than their true value. As a record number of shares were being traded, stock prices collapsed and very large amounts of money were lost, sending the country into an economic crisis.
https://www.history.com/topics/great-depression/1929-stock-market-crash -
Isolationism
Definition:
In politics, isolationism is a nation or country's act or policy of keeping to themselves and not intervening with other nations' political affairs. More info:
https://theweek.com/articles/627638/brief-history-american-isolationism -
The Pearl Harbor Attack
This date marks the beginning of World War II. The United States had been trying to stick to the policy of isolationism, but when the Japanese surprised us with an attack on the Pearl Harbor naval base, Roosevelt decided to declare war on Japan. All eight of the American battleships were damaged or destroyed, but little did Japan know that this event would provoke us to unite and fight back, stronger than ever. https://www.britannica.com/event/Pearl-Harbor-attack -
Communism
Definition:
Communism is an economic and political system. In this system, major factories and farms are owned by the state and resources acquired from these producers are distributed to all people based on their determined need. Link:
https://classroom.synonym.com/threat-communism-during-cold-war-23645.html -
The Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The Bombing of Hiroshima marks the first-ever use of an atomic bomb, and 80,000 people were killed. The Bombing of Nagasaki, which happened three days later, killed another 40,000 people. Both of these bombs were dropped by U.S. aircraft, and the second bombing caused Japan to surrender. This marks the beginning of the use of "a new and most cruel bomb." https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki -
The United Nations is Created
The United Nations is an international organization that was officially created during the Yalta Conference in 1945. It originally had 51 member states, but this number has grown to a current 193 members. The main goal of the U.N is to form friendly, peaceful relationships with nations from across the world so that we can avoid violence and war. It has a "security council" with 5 permanent members: The UK, the USA, China, France, and the USSR. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1937-1945/un -
The Montgomery Bus Boycott
This boycott was initiated by Rosa Parks, a black woman who refused to give up her seat in the front of the bus for a white passenger. It occurred in Montgomery, Alabama, and soon the other African American citizens of the city also stood up for the cause by refusing to use the city's bus system. Together these citizens of Montgomery managed to get rid of segregation on public buses. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/civil-rights-movement/a/the-montgomery-bus-boycott -
The Cuban Missile Crisis
This military/political standoff occurred after the U.S. discovered missiles on Cuba that belonged to the Soviet Union, and it almost caused a nuclear war. President Kennedy felt this threatened national security and decided to put Cuba under a military blockade and threatened to invade it. A compromise was reached when Khrushchev, the leader of the Soviet Union, promised to remove the missiles if the U.S. promised not to invade Cuba.
https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cuban-missile-crisis -
Feminism
Definition:
Feminism is a social movement which advocates for women's rights and equality between the sexes. Link:
http://www.gender.cawater-info.net/knowledge_base/rubricator/feminism_e.htm -
Reaganomics
Definitions: "Reaganomics" were economic policies introduced by President Ronald Reagan. These policies included tax cuts, an attempt to slow government spending growth, and an attempt to stop inflation. He promised Americans that he would fix the failing economy with Reaganomics. Link: https://www.thebalance.com/reaganomics-did-it-work-would-it-today-3305569 -
The Iran-Contra Affair
The Iran-Contra Affair was a secret deal made between the U.S. and Lebanon that caused a big political scandal. The United States's National Security Council made a secret deal with Lebanon and agreed to supply them with missiles if they would free a group of Americans that were being held hostage by terrorists. The U.S.'s actions were illegal and had many consequences such as weakened relationships with other countries. https://www.history.com/topics/1980s/iran-contra-affair -
The Official End of the Cold War
It was really the U.S.A and the Soviet Union, the two opposing world superpowers, that had the ability to shut the Cold War down. This began to happen when Gorbachev rose to power in 1985. His ideas were less traditional and more revolutionary, and he wanted to make peace with the U.S. The war's official conclusion was on this day in 1989 when he and George Bush had a friendly press conference on a Soviet boat. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/reagan-and-gorbachev-shutting-the-cold-war-down/ -
Bill Clinton Gets Elected President
Bill Clinton was a democratic governor from Arkansas who, despite being younger and having less experience, defeated George Bush in the 1992 U.S. Presidential Election. The country had been struggling economically, but when Clinton came into office he did many things like lowering the national debt and creating many new jobs. He was later impeached for lying about the Lewinsky Affair. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bill-Clinton
