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8000 BCE
Bering Strait (p1)
Before Columbus discovered America, the first Americans came to the New World about 10,000 years before him. They would be known as the Native American’s in today’s terms. -
Period: 8000 BCE to 1400
Pre-Columbian Era
Time span between the original settlers of the Americas to the Columbus voyage to America. -
1300
South America(p1)
Aztecs(Mexico) and the Incas(Peru) had very well developed civilizations. Later when the Spaniards come for colonization, their rich crops like corn, or maize, will become very valuable to the European colonies as a source of food. -
1400
European Exploration and Columbus discovers America(p1)
Their motivation into exploration can be broken down to three motives: Gold, God, and Glory. These three represent that Europeans wanted money, they wanted more conversions in religion, and to be glorified and well known. All raced to find a faster way towards India, but in turn, Christopher Columbus discovered America instead. -
1400
North American Civilizations(p1)
Not well developed civilizations like the South, but they did adapt to the environments that diversely covered the North American lands. The South civilizations had a huge tribal unit, whereas in the North, many smaller, nomadic tribes roamed the continent. This created diversity, traditions, and cultures of the Native Americans, which helped them survive in wherever lands they chose to live at. -
Period: 1491 to
Period 1
European Exploration and the first Americans -
1492
The Columbian Exchange(p1)
It’s impact created a network of trading food, animals, people, and supplies between Europe, Africa, and America’s colonies. Wealth was huge for anyone who could control some parts of this triangular trade. This created more wealth, more variety’s of food, diseases, and created slavery in the Americas/New World. -
European Imperial Goals(p2)
Spaniards wanted to convert Natives and seek out gold for their mother country. French and Dutch had fewer colonies but agreed to trade with the Natives, even Intermarried with them. English colonies relied on the agriculture, both men and woman populated the colonies, and had hostile relationships with the Natives. -
Jamestown(p2)
England charted the Virginia Company, named after their king during the time, King James I. At first the colonies suffered greatly, they settled in a swampy area and couldn’t produce crops, outbreaks of diseases like malaria, and many men were not suitable for physical work. Through tribulations, Jamestown survived thanks to Captain John Smith, John Rolf, and Pocahontas, for they helped develop tobacco as a source for Europe to invest in. -
Period: to
Period 2
European Colonization in North America -
Encomienda System (p2)
The encomienda system is a labor system (by Native Americans) established by the Spanish in the 1500s. This new system rewarded Spanish explorers, conquistadors, and military men with land in the New World. -
French Fur Trade(p2)
The earliest fur traders in North America were French explorers and fishermen who arrived in what is now Eastern Canada during the early 1500's. Trade started after the French offered the Indians kettles, knives, and other gifts as a means to establish friendly relations. The Indians, in turn, gave beaver to the French. Beaver was a new fur that hit big back in Europe. -
The Early Enlightenment(p2)
The Early Enlightenment, was a philosophical movement that reason was primary source of legitimacy or authority. That before everything was reasoned with the church, but “free thinkers” sought to change this and pursue the lifestyle that allowed them to have basic human rights and knowledge.This advocated ideals like: Liberty, Progress, Tolerance, and Separation Of Church and State. -
The French and Indian War(p3)
It was fought between Great Britain and their colonies vs. France and Indian allies to determine control of the vast colonial territory of North America. -
Period: to
Period 3
Colonial Era begins, Wars, and American Independence -
Tension rises with Colonies and Britain(p3)
After the French and Indian War, Great Britain needed money to pay off their war debts, so they chose to create and increase taxes to the colonies. This in turn, created anger and mistrust to the mother country since there was no colonial representation at Parliament, where British Laws are done. -
Stamp Act(p3)
Parliament passed a law that required a tax to be placed on almost all transactions colonist did. This was considered to be excessive or absurd since many colonist couldn’t afford to pay a high tax on everyday transactions. Colonist reacted by creating the Declaration of Rights and Grievances, which basically stated that all rights to tax the colonies came from the Congress, and without voting rights, Britain/Parliament couldn’t represent the colonists. -
American Revolution(p3)
The American Revolution was sparked by colonial resistance to British attempts to exert greater authority over the colonies and force them to compensate the crown for its defense during the French and Indian War(Seven Years War). -
Treaty of Paris(p3)
Great Britain had finally started to recognize the United States independence. This granted the U.S. to extend their boarders all the way to the Mississippi River, high up to the Great Lakes, and to the Spanish Florida. The United States had finally became their own country. -
The Election of 1800(p4)
The Election of 1800, or sometimes referred too as “Revolution of 1800”, former President John Adams from the Federalist Party lost the election to Vice President Thomas Jefferson from the Democratic-Republican Party. This was the first peaceful transfer of leadership and power the U.S. had witnessed. -
Period: to
Period 4
Age of Reform and Rise of Political Parties -
Louisiana Purchase(p4)
Napoleon, Emperor of France needed more financial aid to reach his goal and conquer Europe. A deal was set to Jefferson that he will sell all of French occupied lands to the Americans for cash. It would soon be later known as the Louisiana Purchase as Americas boulders now reach past the Mississippi River and most of central north of American lands. -
War of 1812(p4)
England had continuously violated the U.S. of their neutrality into any foreign affairs. During Napoleons conquest on Europe, the Americans wanted to invade Canada while England was distracted by Europe’s current situation. Neither side won or lost, so it ended as a Stalemate on December 23, 1814 by the Treaty of Ghent. -
Hartford Convention(p4)
It was a convention for Federalists to gather and discuss their concerns, like a todays version of community gathering. Radical Federalist encouraged the idea of secession from the U.S. Later were named as traitors to their country, which was a “nail in the coffin” for the Federalist Party and would soon disband and open up a new political party. -
Missouri Compromise(p4)
The Louisiana Purchase brought speculation on whether the new states arriving would be slave or free states. Missouri was petitioning to become a slave state, while Mains enters as a free state. The Missouri Compromise allowed any state above 36’ 30’ line, would be free states, and any state below that line would be a slave state. This was to tame the tension Slavery and Free States had with one another, to have the lands balanced for them temporarily. -
Manifest Destiny(p5)
Manifest Destiny was the belief that White Americans had the superiority to conquer and have all land from coast to coast. Their goal was to have land stretching from the Atlantic all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Moving westward was encouraged by the Americans since it was a form of showing great nationalism. -
Election of 1840(p5)
The Election of 1840 was significant because it was the first time a new set of Political Parties was elected into office. Whigs vs. Democrats, William Henry Harrison from the Whigs was elected President, but soon would die 32 days later after taking office -
Webster-Ashburton Treaty(p5)
Canada and America had conflict between the regions of now todays state of Maine and region of New Brunswick of Canada. There was disputed land claims around the area of Aroostook Forest, and both countries wanted a boarder.They created a truce and a border was eventually established with the signing of this treaty. -
Period: to
Period 5
Disunion, Moving Westward, and Reconstruction -
Mexican American War(p5)
Mexico viewed the whole of Texas part of their country, land disputes on whether the boarder should be the Nueces River or Rio Grande. The U.S. attempted to buy California in terms for Manifest Destiny, but Mexico refused the offer. President Polk sent U.S. forces to dispute territory but attacked Mexico in April 1846, starting this war. -
Civil War(p5)
The Civil War was the violence and tension released between seceded states (Confederacy) and the Union on the matter of having Slavery and the expansion of slavery exist in America. The Union won and annexed back all states that seceded, as well as free any slaves that stayed trapped in the south, giving birth a new era of America.