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Aug 3, 1492
Columbus sets sail
Christopher Columbus sets sail on his first voyage to eventually discover the new world -
Aug 13, 1521
small pox epidemic
After the bloody war with the Spanish and Aztecs, a horrible smallpox epidemic blew through the town. The Aztec gave way to three years of Spanish ruling -
James town
On May 14, 1607, a group of roughly 100 members of a joint venture called the Virginia Company founded the first permanent English settlement in North America on the banks of the James River. without James town their wouldn't be any other settlements. -
john smith steals tobacco seeds
Smith was principally responsible for the survival of England’s first permanent colony in the New World. the main reason is because he stole some tobacco seeds which was a key part in trading. -
First Anglo-Powhatan War ends
This war has been going on for about five years, it started in the fall of 1609. This is a little while after the Jamestown settles founded Virginia. This war was between the English and the Indians, to be more specific Pocahontas's father. -
1st slaves brought to Jamestown
Virginia's growing plantation-based economy required labor, and since Native Americans were dying out and indentured servants only served for a short time, Virginians turned to African slaves to provide plantation work. -
pilgrims founded Plymouth Bay Colony
Pilgrims were kicked out of England by the King and wished to find religious freedom in the New World.Pilgrims' numbers declined greatly during their first winter, so they decided to cooperate with the Wampanoag Indians on the first Thanksgiving. -
Barbados slave code adopted
This code was made to help those who were slaves be free and be protected from their cruel masters. This code required a master to give their slave a pair of clothes per year. This code didn't state anything about working conditions or diet. So this code really only helped the masters, not the slaves. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Nathaniel Bacon raised an army and conducted raids against Indian villages and English settlements in Virginia. His army suceeded in defeating the governors forces and burned down the Jamestown settlement. -
Dominion of New England overthrown
Causes: The Dominion was founded by the British to build up defense against Indians and French. Sir Edmund Andros was very unpopular amongst New Englanders for his close ties with the English church, taxes, and restrictions on the people. The Glorious Revolution in England allowed colonists to overthrow the Dominion.
People: Sir Edmund Andros, Increase and Cotton Mathers
Effects: The rebellion led to a period of salutary neglect, where the British only weakly enforced their power over colonists -
The great awaking begins
Time period in which the idea that anyone can start over with God is prevalent -
french and Indian war
The French and the English fought over land and power. The defeat of the French virtually wiped out the Huron Indians and gave England more land in America. -
stamp act
The British ended salutary neglect and began imposing taxes on their colonies, including the Stamp Act. -
Boston massacre
a crowd on the streets of Boston began to jostle and tease some British regulars people in the town. Things went from bad to worse. some " boys and young fellows " began to throw snowballs and stones. Then the exasperated soldiers fired into the crowd, killing five- and wounding half a dozen more. it was the shot herd around the world. -
Boston tea party
Bostonian's protested the tax on tea by dressing up as Indians and dumping huge amounts of British tea into Boston Harbor. the British closed down Boston Harbor until Bostonian's paid them back for the lost tea. -
battles of Lexington and concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. -
Battle of bunker hill
a detail of American troops acting under orders from Artemas Ward moved out of their camp, carrying picks, shovels, and guns. to go to bunker hill -
first american flag created
Betsy Ross created the first American flag. Her flag would be the outline for the flag as we know it today. -
united states declaration of independence
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America.The United States Declaration of Independence is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. -
the first president
George Washington was the First President of the United States of America. This is important because he lead as the commander in chief of the Contintal Army, and a Founding Forefather, as well as taking part in the drafting of the Constitution and Articles of Confederation. -
Bill of rights
Bill of Rights lists specific prohibitions on governmental power. it was between Federalists and Anti-Federalists was the Constitution’s lack of a bill of rights. -
Cotton Gin Patent
Eli Whiney's cotton gin was a machine that removed the seeds from the cotton fiber, which made the cultivation of cotton more profitable in the colonies. In turn, slavery increased due to a need for cheap labor and greed. -
marbury vs. madison
Causes: President Jefferson replaced the "midnight judges" appointed last-minute by Adams.
People: John Marshall, William Marbury, James Madison
Effects: Marshall created "judicial review," the idea that only the Supreme Court could declare laws unconstitutional, not state governments, unlike what the Democratic-Republicans wanted. This gave more power to the Federal Government, especially the Supreme Court. -
Louisiana purchase
Causes: With the French Revolution in Europe and the slave revolt in Haiti, Napoleon wanted to pull France out of North America altogether.
People: President Jefferson, Napoleon Bonaparte
Effects: US doubled in size and gained many new markets and resources, which boosted the Market Revolution and ideas of Manifest Destiny. Lewis and Clark explored the new land with Sacajawea. -
Lewis and Clark
this was the first American expedition to cross what is now the western portion of the United States. Lewis and Clark making their way westward through the continental to the Pacific coast. -
End of International Slave Trade
Causes: Constitutional Congress decided to postpone the end the slave trade to 1808 with the Slave Trade Compromise so the Constitution would be supported by slave states (mostly Anti-Federalists)
People: Constitutional Framers
Effects: The slave trade ending in 1808 did not end slavery in the US, since the invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney actually created a higher demand for slaves in the South. It did show that the US only planned to postpone the issue of slavery until the Civil War. -
war of 1812
Causes: US was angry with Britain for impressment of their ships and men and their aiding of Native Americans. Americans also wanted to gain the land of Canada.
People: President James Madison, Andrew Jackson
Effects: The war was disastrous for the US because they were still weak compared to Britain. The White House burned down and their only victory was in New Orleans by Andrew Jackson. No territorial changes occurred from the war but there was a surge of nationalism thanks to Jackson's win. -
battle of new Orleans
General Andrew Jackson led a small, poorly army to victory against 8000 British troops at the Battle of New Orleans. -
manifest destiny
People hoped to build a "city upon a hill. -
trail of tears
This is also known as the Indian Removal Act and the Indian tribes moved them from the Southern part of the United States to federal territory west of the Mississippi for their homelands. This is important because we acquired more territory. -
Indian removal act
Causes: Jackson called for the removal of the 5 Civilized Tribes from within the current state borders of the US to the west, in order to give more land to white farmers.
People: Cherokee, Creek, Seminole, Chickasaw, Choctaw, President Jackson
Effects: The 5 Civilized Tribes were forced off their land and onto the "Trail of Tears" to their new territory in the West. Thousands of American Indians died before they could reach the Indian Territory. -
Cherokee vs. Georgia
Causes: The Cherokee Nation went to court to protest laws passed in Georgia that deprived them of their rights.
People: Cherokee Nation, John Marshall
Effects: Marshall ruled that the Cherokee Nation were "domestic dependent nations," meaning they were not citizens of the US but the US controlled them like guardians -
Nullification Crisis
Causes: The "Tariff of Abominations" caused outrage in the South. John C. Calhoun, governor of South Carolina, urged Southerners to nullify the tariff and to secede from the Union. Jackson passed the Force Bill to threaten Southerners with war if they did secede.
People: John C. Calhoun, Andrew Jackson
Effects: Compromise Tariff in 1833 ended the conflict, but tensions were still high over tariffs and Jackson's abuse of power as President, leading to the actual Civil War in the 1860's. -
Morse code invented
The Morse Code was invented by Samuel Morse and was important for communication during wars. -
Texas Annexation
This is important because the United States annexed the Republic of Texas and admitted it to the Union as a 28th state. -
the Mexican war
Texas gained more territory because we were successful. This is important because it meant we could make more money with more land. -
Mexican-American War Ends
The U.S. was victorious in the Mexican-American War. To end the war, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed. The U.S. gained a major portion of Mexico's land (Mexican cession) which is now the states of California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and portions of New Mexico and Colorado. The U.S. accomplishes Manifest Destiny -
Seneca Falls Convention
The first woman's rights convention in the U.S. held in Seneca Falls, NY organized by Lucretia Motts and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Stanton read the Declaration of Sentiments and Grievances which was modeled after the Declaration of Independence -
California gold rush
Causes: Gold was found in California, shortly before Mexico ceded the land to US in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Thousands of people flooded to California, which quickly allowed California to apply for statehood in 1850. California's request to become a slave state led to conflict between Democrats and Whigs and led to the Compromise of 1850. -
Bleeding Kansas
Causes: The Kansas-Nebraska Act established popular sovereignty in the new territories.
People: Stephen Douglas, President Pierce
Effects: Proslavery and anti-slavery forces flooded into Kansas and began fighting over whether Kansas would be a slave or free state. Charles Sumner was nearly killed by a Southern Democrat on the Senate floor. The Democratic party grew more divided in the North and South, leading to the formation of the Republican Party. -
Dred Scott vs. Sanford
Causes: Slave Dred Scott sued for freedom.
People: Dred Scott, Supreme Court, Chief Justice Taney
Effects: The S.C ruled that African-Americans were not allowed to sue in court since they were never intended to be citizens and that Congress did not have the power to outlaw slavery in ANY territory. Therefore, the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional. Northern Republicans were outraged because slavery in the west was now practically allowed to spread. This decision led to the Civil War. -
Abraham Lincoln becomes president
Causes: Republicans nominated Abraham Lincoln to go up against the Democrat candidates (Douglas, Breckinridge).
People: President Lincoln
Effects: When Lincoln won, South Carolina and 6 other southern states seceded from the Union and formed the Confederate States of America, since now Republicans controlled all 3 branches of the government. This was the start of the US Civil War, since Lincoln decided against compromise (Crittenden Compromise) and instead chose war. -
Battle of gettysburg
Causes: The South under General Lee realized that they would soon lose the war due to declining supplies and soldiers, so the only solution was to try and invade the North.
People: General Robert E. Lee, Union General Meade
Effects: Confederates failed to invade DC. The battle was a huge turning point in the Civil War since it became clear the South could not win. The Union's victory led to Lincoln's Gettysburg Address which declared slavery to be officially over. -
Gettysburg address
Causes: The Confederacy failed to invade DC and the war turned in favor of the Union. Lincoln gave a short speech at the Gettysburg Cemetery in honor of the fallen Union soldiers.
People: Abraham Lincoln
Effects: Lincoln declared that there would be a "new birth of freedom" in the US, meaning that slavery could not continue even once the North + South were reunited. And true to his words, slavery was officially over with the passage of the 13th Amendment after the war. -
Civil War (1861-1865) ends, beginning of Reconstruction Era and Industrial Revolution
Causes: The Union won because of industrialization, a larger population (immigrants and African-Americans) and better leadership under Lincoln in the North.
People: President Lincoln, Union General Grant, Confederate General Lee
Effects: Slavery ended with the adoption of the 13th amendment. Reconstruction Era began to reunite the North and the South and to give African-Americans more rights. The war cost the US thousands of lives and $15 billion. South's economy and environment was destroyed. -
Robert E. Lee Surrenders/End of the Civil War
Robert E. Lee surrendered his 28,000 troops at the Appomattox courthouse to Ulysses S. Grant which effectively ended the Civil War. -
Abraham Lincoln
john wilks booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln this changed history because when he died i guess the slaves thought they was screwed -
Abraham Lincoln
john wilks booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln this changed history because when he died i guess the slaves thought they was screwed -
13 amendment ratified
Causes: The Emancipation Proclamation, Gettysburg Address & the Union victory in the Civil War brought an end to slavery in the entire US with the passage of the 13th Amendment.
People: Lincoln, Congress, every state
Effects: 4 million slaves were freed, but economic, political, and social oppression continued due to racism, Black Codes, the KKK, sharecropping, segregation (Jim Crow), and much more. -
ku klux klan
Causes: With Republicans in control of Southern state governments, white supremacists formed the KKK to violate the rights of and incite violence against freed blacks.
People: Nathaniel Bedford Forrest
Effects: Klansmen burned down freedmen's houses/churches and killed many blacks. In 1870, Congress's Force Acts allowed federal authorities to stop KKK violence and violation of blacks' rights. The KKK gained renewed popularity in the 1960s and unfortunately continues on today. -
Stander oil company organized
Causes: Rockefeller dominated the shrinking (due to electricity) oil industry by starting his Standard Oil Company.
People: John D. Rockefeller
Effects: Standard Oil became a monopoly (gained control of an entire industry) with horizontal (small companies make up 1 big company) and vertical (1 company owns raw materials + product) integration with enough power to hugely control both poor workers, the government, & the pro-business court.
