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Colonists Land at Jamestown
In 1607, 144 English men landed in and established Jamestown, which was named after King James I. -
General Assembly is Established
In 1619, the General Assembly was established. It was a bicameral body, meaning it had 2 houses of legislation. One of these was the House of Burgesses. Burgesses were democratically elected representatives. -
The Middle Passage
The Middle Passage was the forced voyage of enslaved peoples to America. They were packed into unbelievably hot, cramped, and suffocating conditions. Many died due to disease, starvation, and despair. Around ten to twenty million Africans were forced into America in this horrible way. -
Salem Witch Trials
The Salem witch trials began in 1692 when young women were found screaming and performing strange dances. They believed this to mean they had been bewitched. The accused were put through a series of "trials" to determine whether or not they were a witch. A total of 20 people and 2 dogs were executed. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris ended the American Revolution and declared the United States an independent nation. -
Boston Massacre
A mob of about 60 people descended upon a British guard at the Customs House. When reinforcements were called, they started to throw rocks at the guards. The British fired at them without command, killing and injuring many. -
Paul Revere's Midnight Ride
Approaching the battles of Lexington and Concord, Paul Revere set out on a horse to alert the town that the British were coming. -
Thomas Paine's Common Sense
Common Sense is a book written by Thomas Paine. He argued for independence from England and the creation of a democratic republic. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4th, 1776. -
Federalism
Federalists were supporters of the Constitution. -
Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights was the first 10 amendments added to the Constitution. -
Cotton Gin
The Cotton Gin, Invented by Eli Whitney, drastically increased the concentration of enslaved peoples in the south. -
Jeffersonian Agrarianism
Jefferson supported international commerce and wished to see new technology used on farms and at homes to increase productivity. However, He failed to see how this would push women and children in poverty to the front of industrial labor. His ideas of an agrarian republic completely ignored Native Americans. Jefferson's praise of agriculture entirely disregarded the existence of slavery. He claimed people of color to be racially inferior. This dramatically contradicts his belief in equality. -
John Marshall's Supreme Court
John Marshall was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court by John Adams in 1801. One of his most influential decisions was Marbury v Madison because it allowed the Supreme Court to judge the acts of the president or Congress and established the principle of judicial review. It helped to define the relationship between different branches of the government. -
Abolitionism
William Lloyd Garrison was the leader of the anti-slavery movement. His book, The Liberator, published in 1831, demanded that the abolitionists were heard. -
The Trail of Tears
Andrew Jackson was an advocate of what he called "Indian removal." This involved large profits from forcibly removing natives from their lands. The Cherokees of Georgia took legal action and brought their case to the Supreme Court. John Marshall, the Chief Justice, said that Georgia had no jurisdiction over the Cherokees and no claim to their lands. This decision was ignored by Georgia officials and Jackson. Federal troops marched over 20,000 natives at gunpoint across the Trail of Tears. -
Manifest Destiny
Manifest destiny was the belief that the westward expansion was just. -
Mexican-American War
James K. Polk directed the Mexican-American War in an attempt to claim Texas, California, and Oregon. It went from April 25, 1846, to February 2nd, 1848. -
Seneca Falls Women's Rights Convention
Elizabeth Cady Stanton organized the first convention for women's rights in 1848. They fought to improve rights regarding child custody, divorce, and property rights. They also demanded equal wages and job opportunities. -
Transcendentalism
Transcendentalism describes a spiritual state which goes beyond the physical or empirical. One of the most well-known transcendentalists was Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau put Transcendentalism into practice by going to live in the woods in solidarity for two years, two months, and two days. In 1854, he wrote a book about his experience. -
Civil War
The Civil War went from April 12th, 1861, to April 4th, 1865. -
Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation, issued during the civil war, declared the freedom of enslaved peoples.