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US History: VHS Summer: Michael St. Germain
This timeline will look through several influential events throughout U.S. history from the late 19th century onward. This will look to identify and understand some of the causes of what can be observed in the United States of today. -
The Compromise of 1877
The compromise of 1877 was an unwritten and informal deal arranged in Congress that removed of all federal troops from the former Confederate States, ending the reconstruction era of United States history. https://lumen.instructure.com/courses/204135/pages/linkedtext46087 -
Panic of 1893
The Panic of 1893 was a 4-year economic crisis caused by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad and the National Cordage Company collapsing. It resulted ina great deal of poverty in the United States, as well as, well, panic. http://ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Panic_of_1893 -
IDEA: Imperialism
Imperialism is, by definition, increasing a nation's power by military pressure or force. This can be exemplified in the late 19th century America looking to establish an empire over the nations in the surrounding oceans by its voracious appetite for land. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-ushistory/chapter/american-imperialism/ -
Seizure of Guam
In 1898, as part of the United States' effort to acquire more land to further the idea of an American empire, Guam was seized from Spanish rule. It was taken bloodlessly and with help of the Treaty of Paris. https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/npswapa/extcontent/lib/liberation4.htm -
Sinking of the Lusitania
Considered to be one of if not the largest catalyst for starting WWI, the Lusitania was a British passenger ship carrying over 170 tons of ammunition but also a great deal of life on board. When an attack by German U-Boats occurred in order to prevent this cargo from crossing the Atlantic, uproar ensued at the great loss of life. https://www.loc.gov/collections/world-war-i-rotogravures/articles-and-essays/the-lusitania-disaster/ -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was a treaty signed between Germany and the Allied Powers after WWI comprised of 5 main terms. These terms comprised of Germany returning a great deal of land for colonies, accepting fault for the war, and paying $33 billion US Dollars worth in reparations. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1914-1920/paris-peace -
IDEA: Nationalism
Nationalism is defined as a support for a nation's interests and can be seen to vary greatly throughout the history of the United States. Positive sounding as it may be, Nationalism is commonly synonyms with xenophobia, seeing as those prone to nationalism will likely put the interests of their nation over those of others from some complex of supremacy. https://www.npr.org/2011/09/28/140869378/americas-love-affair-with-nationalism -
"The Weary Blues" Is Published
Langston Hughes was a hugely influential poet during the time of the Harlem Renaissance, with one of his largest works, "The Weary Blues", being published by Alfred A. Knopf. One of the featured works was a poem called "Dream Variation", about the dream of equal rights in America. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47347/the-weary-blues
(the poem famous for the collection) -
Black Tuesday
Black Tuesday was the day in the Great Depression where the stocks effectively completely plunged, the worst in U.S. history. The continued sales as a result kept the stocks dropping, and made Black Tuesday one of the largest contributors to the Great Depression as a whole. https://www.thebalance.com/black-tuesday-definition-cause-kickoff-to-depression-3305819 -
IDEA: Poverty
An important concept to examine in order to examine America both past and present, looking at America's poor over time is a good way to gauge the general quality of life. Today, a great amount seems to be talked about when speaking of the working poor, and it seems much more is on the horizon. shorturl.at/dqGT2
(url shortened for limit purposes) -
The Normandy Landings of D-Day
An invasion of Northern France by the Allied Forces in order to drive the German military back. Most regard D-day as the 'turning point' of WWII in the favor of the Allied Powers. https://www.army.mil/d-day/history.html -
Bombing of Nagasaki
The second of the two Japanese atomic bombings by the United States in an effort to force a surrender, which was received. A massive moment in history seeing as, to this day, these two bombings remain the only use of nuclear weapons in War. https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/bombing-nagasaki-august-9-1945 -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was a key moment in the Cold War where the CIA attempted to topple the communist government of Castro, resulting in total failure. A key point in the Cold War, seeing as the U.S. was looking to keep Cuba out of communism. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968/bay-of-pigs -
IDEA: Prejudice
Prejudice is an important concept to understand in the development of American society, but also just as a part of being a human; Prejudice is an assumption of someone based upon a characteristic or membership of a group. Prejudice is often an unconscious thing but seen against many groups of people throughout history. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-prejudice-5092657#:~:text=Prejudice%20is%20an%20assumption%20or,ethnicity%2C%20gender%2C%20or%20religion. -
Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" Speech
Made to be one of the greatest speeches ever performed, Dr. Martin Luther King envisions an America where people are removed from the prejudice seen in society at the time. Likely the zenith of the Civil Rights movement when MLK was alive. https://www.npr.org/2010/01/18/122701268/i-have-a-dream-speech-in-its-entirety -
Apple Lisa Released
The Apple Lisa was primarily known as the first big breakaway in terms of personal computers. Impractical as it may have been, with its $10,000 price tag, it was the first computer at the time to offer a graphical interface. https://www.recycleyourtec.com/tech-history-apple-lisa/ -
Iran-Contra Affair
The Iran-Contra Affair was likely the largest political scandal during Reagan's presidency, contra-dicting (ba dum tiss) the United State's foreign policy when it came to negotiation with terrorists. The whole affair was shocking to the public, as foreign affairs were a large part of Reagan's policy as president. https://www.brown.edu/Research/Understanding_the_Iran_Contra_Affair/ -
INF Treaty
The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was the treaty signed by Reagan and Gorbachev in order to eliminate the usage of all ground-based ballistic missiles. This treaty effectively put an end to the Cold War. https://2009-2017.state.gov/t/avc/trty/102360.htm#:~:text=The%20Treaty%20Between%20the%20United,ground%2Dlaunched%20ballistic%20and%20cruise -
IDEA: Globalization
A controversial ideology surrounding the idea of businesses developing an international influence, supposedly tied in by making the rich richer and providing jobs to developing nations. Globalization has recently accelerated due to increases in technology. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/globalization -
Bill Clinton's Impeachment
Clinton's interactions with scandals in the past in his presidency already moved forward some of the suspicions that came with the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, leading to Clinton's impeachment in mid-December 1998. The first impeachment in 25 years after Nixon's, and one of the most famous surrounding the sex scandal. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/06/us/politics/bill-clinton-hillary-hulu.html