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APUSH Timeline
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Beginning of the California Gold Rush (Social)
On a cold January morning in Coloma, California, construction foreman, James Marshall, had been inspecting water flow through the banks that was owned by John A. Sutter. While looking through the cold stream, Marshall spotted a shiny object that was pea sized and ended up being a gold nugget. Miners from all over the world arrived in California but gold became harder to find and competition between miners intensified. The CA Gold Rush ended in 1858 because the New Mexican Gold Rush began later, -
Enlisting for the Civil War (Military)
Prior to the Civil War breaking out, McKinley had been teaching at Kerr School, which was not too far from his hometown. On April 12, he and his cousin, Will Osbourne, decided to enlist in the 23rd regiment for the Ohio Volunteer Infantry as privates. Under the command of Rutherford B. Hayes, McKinley's first battle was at Carnifax Ferry, which was in Virginia at the time. -
WY Gives Women the Right to Vote (Social)
Territorial legislators passed a bill in 1869 stating that women were granted the right to vote, but for the wrong reason. Rather than gender equality, the legislators were more motivated by free publicity intead. Also, some Wyoming men believed that if women were given the right to vote, they would most likely settle in rugged/isolated land/territories with them. Other states followed Wyoming in this decision but only to boost voting blocks. -
Ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment (Political)
The newly added amendment had granted African American men the ability to vote and declared that the: "rights of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition servitude." -
Joining the House (Political)
In 1876, McKinley had won the election to the US House of Representatives. During one of his debates against his opponent, Levi Lamborn had been wearing a scarlet carnation which later became McKinley's signature trademark. In 1904, the state of Ohio had adopted the scarlet carnation as its official state flower. -
Opening of the Statue of Liberty (Cultural)
The sculptor of the monument was a Frenchman named Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi who had the intention to commemorate the long lasting friendship between the United States and France. Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel had designed the statue's basic, steel framework while Bartholdi created the statue itself with hammered copper. -
Defeated by Reed (Political)
In the year 1889, William McKinley and his opponent, Thomas Reed of Maine, were battling for the position of Speaker of the House. Sadly, McKinley had lost the spot to Reed. After his defeat against Reed, he had also lost his following bid for Congress and had to return to Canton in 1891. -
The Birth of Baskbetball (Social)
A Canadian physical education instuctor, Dr. James Naismith, had been working at a local YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massahusetts, and invented the game of basketball. He was challenged to create and develop a new game that could be played indoors during the cold winters in Massachusetts. In his mind, the sport had to be testing skill, finesse, and accuracy, rather than pure strength. The first game to be ever recorded was on December 21, 1891. -
The Opening of Ellis Island (Cultural)
On January 1, 1892, Ellis Island became the first (and largest) federal immigrant processing station. During the years between 1892 through 1954, over 12 million immigrants passed through the station, Annie Moore (a seventeen-year-old girl from County Cork, Ireland) being the first immigrant to have been processed. -
Great Oklahoma Land Rush (Social)
In 1828, Congress had designated modern day Oklahoma as Indian (NA) Territory. White settlers living on this land where forced to leave in order for the tribes to live on this land. After the Civil War, the tribes were known as defeated enemies and the US took back the land. In 1893 at twelve noon, a cannon went off that signified and began the largest land rush in the US with nearly 100,000 individuals racing to claim land. -
The Pullman Strike (Social)
The factory workers of the Pullman Palace Car Company had a walkout on May 11th after negotiations over declining wages faliled. These workers later asked for support from the American Railway Union, which at first was unsuccessful. On June 20 of the same year, the ARU announced that they would no longer include Pullman cars in their business. -
Start of McKinley's Presidency (Political)
In 1897, William McKinley is administered/inaugurated by the Chief Justice Melville W. Fuller and becomes the 25th President of the United States. -
President McKinley Raises Custom Duties (Economic)
The Dingley Tariff Law, which was signed by McKinley in 1897, increased control and taxes on international goods being transported into the United States by 57%.
Rates were increased for the following goods: sugar, salt, tin cans, iron, whisky,glassware, tobacco, steel, rails, petroleum, leather goods, lead, copper, locomotives, and matches. -
Request to End Fighting in Cuba (Political)
In order for the lives of Cuban and US citizens to be secured on the island of Cuba, President McKinley asked Congress for authorization to cease fighting between the rebels and the Spanish forces. The outcome would later produce a "stable government" that would have the ability to control and protect their people. -
The Teller Amendment (Political)
Enacted on April 20, Henry Teller created an amendment that would help with the stability in Cuba and the US must vacate the country and let the people govern themselves.The United States Congress had passed this joint resolution that recognized the want/need of independence in Cuba. This gave authorization to McKinley who would do whatever he believed was necessary for Cuba's freedom. -
The Start of the Spanish-American War (Diplomatic)
The United States declares war on Spain due to a mine that destroyed the USS Maine that was located on Havana Harbor on February 15. 1898, according to the US Naval Court of Inquiry. -
War Revenue Act is Passed (Economic)
On June 10, 1898, the War Reveue Act is passed through Congress. This piece of legislation collected nearly $150 million worth of tax revenue on: beer, tobacco, amusements, and business transactions per year.
President McKinley officially signs the bill on June 13, 1898. -
The Annexation of Hawaii (Political)
In 1898, President McKinley made a decision to sign a bill that allowed the annexation of the Hawaiian Islands which made them apart of the US territory. Prior to McKinley's decision, his predecessor, Democrat Grover Cleveland, was in opposition when it came to annexing the Hawaiian Islands. However, McKinley urged senators to approve the annexation in order for the United States to increase their power and presence in the Pacific. -
Philippine-American War (Military)
Two days before the US Senate had ratified the Treaty of Paris (1899), more fighting had occurred between American forces and a group of Filipino nationalists that was led by Emilio Aguinaldo. Rather than changing the ruler, the Philippines had sought independence for their country. Americans had promoted the annexation because they believed that the Philippines was not capable of self-rule and feared that another power (such as Japan) would take control of the islands. -
Gold Standard Act is Signed (Economic)
According to the Gold Standard Act, gold is the only approved method of payment when redeeming paper money. Due to this act that was signed by President McKinley, silver could not be exchanged for gold. In other words, the Gold Standard Act prevented bimetallism.
