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Oct 12, 1492
Christopher Columbus "Discovers" New World
Though Christopher Columbus did not discover the "New World", his journey influenced European powers to colonize the land. This led to them exploiting the people and the resources. This also led to the introduction of many foreign goods like horses and potatoes. -
Colony of Roanoke Founded
The colony of Roanoke was the first attempt by the English to start a permanent settlement in North America. This settlement however did not last and mysteriously disappeared. Though the cause is not known, it is believed that the colonists ran out of supplies. -
Jamestown Established
Jamestown was the first permanent settlement in North America. Due to the success of Jamestown, many more people immigrated to North America to start a better life. This led to the establishment of the 13 colonies. -
Protestants Land at Plymouth
Since the Protestants had been prosecuted for their religious beliefs, many left England for a better life in the New World. The Protestants were able to set up an advanced government system. Though they originally struggled with a lack of food and widespread disease, they eventually grew rapidly. -
Age of Enlightenment Begins
The ideas of Enlightenment were beliefs focused on science, logic, and rationality over superstition and religion. Enlightenment originally started in Europe but spread across the world. These views changed how people though about life. -
Salutary Neglect
Salutary Neglect was a political-economic system that the colonies used. It stated that as long as the colonies remained profitable and followed the rules set by the British, they were given political and social freedom. However, this system came to an end when the colonists began to retaliate over the harsh laws given by the British. -
First Great Awakening
The First Great Awakening was a period of revival of Christian spirituality and religious devotion. Pastors such as Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield would deliver passionate and exaggerated speeches about new Christian beliefs. These included the idea that people should confess and accept their sins and that everyone had a direct relationship with god. -
Stono Rebellion
The Stono Rebellion was the largest slave uprising in the American colonies. Slaves rebelled against the brutal system that they were oppressed under. However, the slaves were oppressed even more afterward. This is so they wouldn't revolt again. -
French and Indian War Begins
The French and Indian War was a conflict that stemmed from the Native Americans wanting to protect their lands from being taken over by colonists. The British wanted to settle it, while the French wanted to maintain trade with Native Americans there. Eventually, the British won the war which yielded them a large gain of territory, however, the cost of the war was very high. This led to the increasing taxes on the colonists which sparked controversy. -
Sons and Daughters of Liberty were founded
The Sons and Daughters of Liberty were a group of colonists that rallied resistance towards the British throughout the colonies. They used petitions, assemblies, and propaganda to garner support. The Sons of Liberty even occasionally used violence against British officials. The Daughters of Liberty rebelled by making clothing instead of buying British clothes. -
Quartering Act of 1765
The Quartering Act of 1765 stated that the American colonists would have to house the British soldiers while they stayed in America. This caused a problem because it became difficult for families to feed the soldiers as well as themselves. This led to increased tension between the British and the colonists. -
Stamp Act of 1765
The Stamp Act of 1765 was an act that put a tax on things like newspaper, almanacs, pamphlets, broadsides, legal documents, dice, and playing cards. The British government needed the funds from the stamp act to continue to support the soldiers stationed in the colonies. -
Townshend Act of 1767
The Townshend Act of 1767 was an act that taxed glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea. This essentially taxed all goods that were shipped into the colonies. In response, the colonists protested by smuggling or making their own goods. This also led to increased tension between the British and colonists which would lead to future conflicts. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was an altercation between British soldiers and American colonists. After a group of colonists began throwing things at the soldiers, the soldiers opened fire on the colonists. This ended up killing 5 people. This sparked outrage among the colonists and further spread the idea of independence through the colonies. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a protest performed by the Sons of Liberty to protest the unfair taxes placed on the colonists. The colonists dressed up like Indians and went aboard three ships and threw nearly 342 chests of British Tea into Boston Harbour. This act of protest inspired many more colonists to stand up for their rights and spread the ideas of independence. -
First Continental Congress meets
The First Continental Congress was a meet up of delegates from all the colonies. They were able to accomplish a boycott on British goods until the British removed intolerable acts. It became a medium for the colonies to express their grievances with the British government. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
The Battle of Lexington and Concord, also known as the shot heard round the world, marked the beginning of the American Revolution. Though no one knows who fired the first shot, it was clear that war between America and Britain had commenced. This battle was also significant because the colonists had won the battle. -
Second Continental Congress meets
The Second Continental Congress was the second time the delegates came together. This time they voted on adopting the Declaration of Independence. After they adopted it, most of the members signed it and officially made the United States of America. -
Declaration of Independence was signed
The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents in American History. It essentially stated that the 13 American colonies were severing their political ties with Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence marked the first official step the American colonies took towards Independence from Great Britain. -
Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga was a very important battle during the American Revolution as it was considered the turning point of the war. After the American Victory against the British, this improved the morale of the armies and support from the people. It also proved to France that the Americans had a good chance of winning the war. Wanting vengeance after losing to the British during the Seven Years War, France joined the war effort on the side of the Americans. -
Articles of Confederation formed
The Articles of Confederation were the first government the United States had after its independence from Great Britain. However, the Articles of Confederation were not very effective as a form of government. Though they met all the demands of the people, they were too weak. They did not give the government power to tax the people, this led to the country falling into debt. This led the government to be revised to a stronger central government. -
Valley Forge
The encampments at Valley Forge were one of the lowest points for the rebels during the American Revolution. The morale was very low and the amount of people deserting was very high. Also, many people died of hunger and disease. Nonetheless, General George Washington led them through the winter. -
Battle of Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown was the last battle of the American Revolution. General Washington was able to defeat General Cornwallis' troops who had dug down at Yorktown with help from the French Navy. This led to immediate peace negotiations which officially ended the American Revolution. This gave America its Independence. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was written to officially end the American Revolution. After the Treaty of Paris was signed, America was recognized as an independent nation. It also allowed the United States to expand West. -
Shays Rebellion
Shays Rebellion was a significant part of American History since it exposed the weaknesses of the American government. Shays and many other farmers rebelled due to the national debt crisis America was facing under the Articles of Confederation. The state governments weren't able to control the rebellion. They had to send the federal army down to shut down the rebellion, this scared off the rebels. -
Constitutional Convention meets
The Constitutional Convention was a meeting between the delegates from the different colonies. At this meeting, they tried to come up with solutions to solve the young country's problems. At this meeting, they got rid of the Articles of Confederation and wrote the Constitution. -
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 made a new way for territories to become states and join the Union, made a new government for the Northwest Territory, and made a bill of rights for the Northwest Territory. It also established a clear way to acquire land out west while also confirming the power held by the Federal government. -
Constitution ratified
The ratification of the Constitution was very important because it was the new government for the U.S. and it placed limits on the government's power. The Constitution guaranteed Americans the right to life, liberty, and property. -
Whiskey Rebellion
Farmers in Western Pennsylvania began to protest unfair taxation. This created a crisis for the new nation as people began to lose faith in the federal government. Eventually, the federal government exerted its power and sent President Washington to shut down the Rebellion. -
Bill of Rights ratified
The ratification of the Bill of Rights was very important since it explicitly stated what rights were given to the American people under the Constitution. It guaranteed the rights of freedom of speech, press, and religion. -
Invention of Cotton Gin
The cotton gin is a machine that separates cotton seeds from the actual cotton fibers. This was invented by Eli Whitney in 1793, though wasn't officially patented until 1794. This drastically reduced the time it took to process cotton which made cotton production efficient. Originally slavery was dying down because cotton production was so unprofitable due to the time it took, but the invention of the cotton gin made cotton production profitable which made slavery useful once again. -
Pinckney’s Treaty signed
The treaty was an important diplomatic success for the United States. It settled territorial disputes between Spain and America. It also granted American ships the right to free navigation of the Mississippi River as well as duty-free transport through the port of New Orleans. -
Alien and Sedition Acts
The Alien Sedition Acts were a group of acts that affected free speech and immigrants in the U.S. The Alien Acts raised the residency requirements for becoming a citizen from 5 years to 14 years. It also allowed the president to deport all aliens and arrest them for not meeting the requirements. The Sedition Acts essentially said that no one could say anything negative about the government. These acts were taken very negatively and led to John Adams not being reelected. -
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was a very important event in U.S. history since it doubled the size of the country. Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana Purchase from Napoleon for around $15 million. Jefferson faced a dilemma while buying it because, on one hand, he didn't believe the U.S. government had the power to make such purchases, but on the other, he knew that if he could control the Mississippi River, that would significantly boost the American economy. -
Embargo Act of 1807
The Embargo Act outlawed trade between the U.S. and foreign nations. This had a very negative effect on the American economy as they could not export or import any goods. This also soured America's relationship with Britain as Britain could not get any of the American-made goods like cotton. This was one of the major contributing factors that led to the War of 1812. -
Maiden Voyage of the Clermont
The maiden voyage of the Clermont was a crucial part of American History because it was the first steam boat ever built. This revolutionized transportation along rivers in the U.S. Previously, goods had to be floated downstream on a raft and then carried back on land to where it came from. After the invention of the Clermont, steamboats could now transport goods down and upstream. -
War of 1812
The War of 1812 set clear boundaries between Eastern Canada and America. It also set control conditions for the Oregon Territory. The war finally ended the restrictions of international trade. -
Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine was one of the most well-known U.S. policies. It warned European Nations that the U.S. would not tolerate European colonization in the Western Hemisphere. They stated that they would go to war if any European nation tried to infiltrate North America. -
Corrupt Bargain
During the election of 1824, the vote had to go to the House of Representatives. Although many people expected for the House to vote for Jackson, they had to vote JQA instead. Many people believed that Henry Clay had convinced the House to vote for Adams. In return, Adams made Clay the Secretary of State. Many Jackson supporters called this a "Corrupt Bargain" as they believed Jackson should've won. -
Tariff of Abominations
The Tariff of Abominations raised taxes on goods that were imported. This was to promote American manufacturing by reducing foreign competition. This proved very beneficial to the North because they were able to manufacture more goods. The South however was hurt by this since Britain began to import less southern cotton. The South argued that this act only benefited the North while hurting the South. -
Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal Act gave the president the power to remove the Indian tribes that were living east of the Mississippi. The president wrote treaties that made the Indians give up their lands in exchange for land out west. This however was not fair because many of those Indians had grown accustomed to life in the East, they were not prepared to move to the West. On top of that, they had to compete with the Indians who already lived in the West. -
Panic of 1837
The Panic of 1837 was an economic depression that lasted around seven years. Some major factors that led to the Panic of 1837 were unregulated banks lending and printing excessive amounts of money. Also, the decline in cotton sales and restrictions on foreign trade affected the American economy. -
Mexican-American War
The War between Mexico and America was significant in the sense that it extended the amount of land the U.S. had. This led to the U.S. gaining a multitude of ports, minerals, and natural resources. On top of that, Texas had been annexed into the U.S. This war however also reopened the issue of if states could own slaves or not. -
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo was the treaty that ended the Mexican-American War. In the terms of the treaty, the U.S. gained 55% of Mexican territory which is modern-day California, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, most of Arizona and Colorado, and some of Oklahoma, Wyoming, and Kansas. This practically doubled the size of the U.S. while halving the size of Mexico. -
Seneca Falls Convention
The Seneca Falls Convention was a very important moment in history as it was the first women's rights convention held in the U.S. The meeting launched a very successful women's rights movement that lasted many decades later. The leader of the convention, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, wrote the Declaration of Sentiments which was like a version of the Declaration of Independence but for women's rights. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was an important act because it influenced lots of the violence that would take place later on regarding slavery. The Compromise stated that the population of a state would decide if it was a slave or free state, prohibited the slave trade in Washington D.C., decided the boundary of Texas, and tightened the fugitive slave law. -
Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation was the document that gave slaves the opportunity to become free. It was written by Abraham Lincoln to free slaves in America. Originally the war was about preserving the Union. This frustrated foreign nations which could cause them to intervene, so Lincoln changed the meaning of the war from preserving the union to abolishing slavery. -
South Carolina secedes from the Union
After Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 presidential election, many of the southern states were upset. They believed that President Lincoln was trying to take away their slaves. South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union. This acted as a catalyst since soon after, all the other Southern states began to leave the Union as well. -
Dred Scott Case
The Dred Scott case was a very significant moment in U.S. history due to the horrible decision made by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court essentially ruled that slavery be upheld in U.S. territories, denied the legality of black people's citizenship, and declared that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional. -
Homestead Act
The Homestead Act of 1862 was a crucial act that helped the expansion of people to the western part of the United States. The Act stated that any American could claim up to 160 acres of land for free of federal land as long as they lived out west for 5 years and they developed the land. This was a great motivator for many people to move out West, but this did hurt Native Americans. Due to the massive influx of settlers, Native Americans lost lots of land and resources. -
13th Amendment passed
The passing of the 13th Amendment was very important since the 13th Amendment permanently banned slavery in all U.S. states and territories. It also banned the practice of involuntary servitude. This made all slaves free. -
General Lee surrenders at Appomattox
When General Lee surrendered to General Grant, it marked the end of the American Civil War. Though it did conclude the war, there were still battles that were being fought out west. President Lincoln allowed the Confederate men to return to their homes as long as they would abide by the Union laws. -
Completion of Transcontinental Railroad
The Completion of the Transcontinental Railway was very important as it connected both coasts of the U.S. It revolutionized travel through the west and connected many parts of the country. This however also meant that it increased the speed of people moving to the west. This would in turn increase the amount of Native American lands getting taken away and being given to settlers. -
15th Amendment ratified
The 15th Amendment was very important because it gave African Americans the right to vote. It stated that all American citizens would be allowed to vote no matter their race, color, or previous occupation. However, this only applied to male citizens. -
Dawes Act
The goal of the Dawes Act was to get Native Americans to buy land and become homesteaders. This would in turn split up Native American tribes making them weaker. Since the Native American social structure was built upon being together, since they split up the groups it was easier to overpower the remaining tribes. They were forced onto reservations which continued to decrease in size due to settlers taking their land to start ranches or farms. The Dawes Act had a very negative impact on Indians. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
The case of Plessy v. Ferguson was an important decision made by the Supreme Court because it states that racial segregation was constitutional. This meant that racial segregation was protected under the constitution. This allows southern states to make laws that restricted the rights of African Americans. -
Williams v. Mississippi
Williams v. Mississippi was a Supreme Court case that ruled that states were allowed to give voters literacy tests to determine if they were eligible to vote or not. This was very impactful on the black community since they had a high demographic of people who could not read. This was because they either faced discrimination during integration, or they were given bad educations in under funded schools. -
Pure Food and Drug Act
The Pure Food and Drug Act was an act that ensured the safety of our food. It led to the creation of the FDA which helped regulate how food and drugs were labeled. The malpractices of the food industry were brought to attention by books like “The Jungle”,by Upton Sinclair, which eventually led to this act. -
Founding of NAACP
The NAACP was founded by many prominent civil rights activists like W.E.B Dubois, Ida B, and past leaders like Thurgood Marshall, Roy Wilkins. It was one of the largest civil rights groups and was essential for the fight for equality for the black community. -
Standard Oil Decision
Before 1919, Standard Oil dominated the oil market, however it became so big that the Supreme Court ruled it had violated the Sherman Antitrust Act. This led to the Supreme Court breaking apart Standard Oil into smaller companies because they had decided it was monopolizing. Standard Oil still has an impact today as companies like ExxonMobil, BP, and more came from Standard Oil. -
Zimmerman Telegram
The Zimmerman telegram was a telegram that caused the U.S. to enter WW1. The British were able to intercept a message that Germany sent to Mexico. Germany was telling Mexico to attack the U.S. in order to split up the U.S. military. Britain sent the message to the U.S. which gave them a reason to enter the war. -
18th Amendment
The 18th Amendment states that it was illegal to sell, produce, or transport any alcoholic drinks. This was passed after years of the temperance movement’s organized efforts to make alcohol illegal. This act however had the opposite effect than intended as more people began drinking and it became like a black market. Corrupt officials also joined in on the drinking. -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was a treaty signed to end WW1. It aimed to make the Central powers pay for the damaged they caused, but it was very harsh on them, especially Germany. It ended up destroying the economies of those countries, which led to uprisings and eventually the rise of Hitler. -
National Origins Act
The National Origins Act limited the amount of people immigrating to the U.S. from Asia, Eastern Europe, and Southern Europe. It only allowed 2% of immigrants from each respective region to immigrate to the U.S. based on the nationality’s population in the 1890 census. It affected American immigration for almost three decades. -
Stock Market Crash
After a decade of rising consumer culture and debt, the American economy was in trouble. People kept buying expensive items because they never believed they would go into debt, but everyone lost everything when the stock market crashed. This led to the Great Depression which was one of the hardest periods in American History. -
Social Security Act
The Social Security Act focused on giving people over the age of 62 checks to help them with their retirement. This was a major deal because the 2nd Great Deal focused on making the U.S. a welfare state. Since many other developed countries had retirement programs for the elderly, it was only natural for the U.S. to do the same. -
One Hundred Days Campaign
FDR's main campaign was his promise that he would get Americans through the Great Depression. During the first one hundred days of his presidency, he passed the New Deal legislation. This included acts like the Emergency Banking Act, the Economy Act of 1933, and the Federal Emergency Relief Act. -
Fair Labor Standards Act
The Fair Labor Standards Act established a national minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and child labor standards. This was crucial as it improved the quality of life for the worker and also their families. It was so influential that it still protects workers today. -
FDR's Four Freedoms Speech
FDR's 1941 State of the Union Address, also known as the Four Freedoms Speech, was notable because it tried to reverse our foreign policy. Many Americans were isolationists, so they didn't want anything to do with foreign affairs. Prior to FDR's speech, the United States had only been supplying the Allied powers with supplies and ammunition. However, he convinced the population that joining the war was the right decision to make. -
Executive Order 8802
FDR wanted as many men as he could get to fight in WW2, so ordered that all able-bodied men had to join the war effort. This was very important because it was the first government order to prohibit racial and ethnic discrimination in the U.S. defense administration. It was so crucial, it is sometimes regarded as the leading event of the modern-day civil rights movement. -
Pearl Harbor
The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service launched a surprise attack on the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu Hawaii shortly before 8:00 A.M. This was devastating for the U.S. military as not only did thousands of people die, but the U.S. lost a fleet of brand new ships. This angered Americans and sped up the entry of the U.S. in WW2. The U.S. declared war on Japan on December 8, 1941, and on Germany on December 11, 1941. -
The Manhatten Project Begins
The Manhattan Project was an experimental military project that eventually developed the nuclear bomb. The project thrusted the world into the Atomic Age and also set the stage for the cold war. The Manhatten Project led to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki which eventually led to the end of the war. Robert Oppenheimer was a lead technician on the project and he worked with some of the smartest physicists and chemists in the world. -
D-Day
D-Day was the Allied invasion of Normandy, France. It consisted of almost 350,000 soldiers or naval servicemen making it one of the largest operations ever performed. The operation had 5 different landing sites - the American Utah and Omaha, the British Gold and Sword, and the Canadian Juno. All of these played crucial roles in the Allied troops storming the beach and liberating France. After France's liberation, the rest of Europe slowly began to be liberated and eventually, Germany fell. -
GI Bill
The GI Bill provided servicemen with a free college or trade school education, an opportunity that most people never had at the time. Additionally, it provided home and small business loans and had some other benefits. These all combined to boost our post-war economy and ensure success in the late 40s and 50s. -
United Nations is Founded
After WWII, the world needed a way to keep the peace, so countries around the world came together and established the United Nations. The United Nations established order, justice, unity, peace, and cooperation. -
Introduction of Containment
Containment was an American foreign policy that tried to make sure that Communism didn't spread. This was our foreign policy from 1945 to 1991, with some small breaks in between. Since Communism only works if everyone takes part in it, America worked hard to make sure that it didn't spread to other nations. -
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was a huge foreign aid project which helped Europe completely modernize and rebuild, and let their economy and people fully recover. America wanted to trade with Europe once again so it provided aid to them. -
Founding of Nato
The United States, Canada, and several other Western European nations provided collective security against the Soviet Union by creating an alliance with each other. It was the first alliance made by the U.S. during peacetime and outside the western hemisphere. All the countries in NATO would defend each other if they were ever attacked by the Soviet Union. -
McCarthyism
McCarthyism, also known as the Second Red Scare, was the political repression and persecution of left-wing individuals. It was a campaign that spread fear of alleged communist and Soviet influence on American institutions. This caused a great divide amongst the American population as anyone who was thought to be communist was blacklisted. -
Korean War
North Korea, which was supported by the Soviets, tried to take over South Korea and spread Communism. However, America stepped in and pushed the north Korean forces almost back to China. America was way more involved in this than the conflicts in Berlin. -
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board was a landmark case establishing that segregation in schools wasn't legal. This overruled the decision made in Plessy v. Ferguson and acted as a catalyst for the American civil rights movement. The case happened when the Topeka School Board refused to enroll Linda Brown, a 7-year-old black girl, into a white school. -
Montgomery Bus Boycotts Begin
After Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat, the local community was outraged. They decided to boycott the buses for over a year. Instead of riding the bus, people walked, rode bikes, and carpooled. Bus companies finally gave up as they realized that their black customers were essential. -
National Interstate and Defense Highways Act
President Eisenhower decided to build a national highway system after seeing the German autobahn. The highway proved to be efficient and it even helped the economy. -
Beatnik Movement
Instead of always fitting in, Boomers wanted to stand out. They began the Beatnik movement which was characterized as being emotional, dramatic, bold, and anti-materialistic. They wanted to stand out, so they became artists, writers, singers, and poets to express themselves. -
The launching of Sputnik
The launching of Sputnik, the first satellite, was a critical win for the Russians. While it didn't do much and didn't last long, the launch of Sputnik set off a cultural revolution. It made the Space Race culturally and politically relevant. People wanted their country to win for science and defense but also for pride and patriotism. -
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee is Founded
The SNCC was a student-led civil rights group. The SNCC organized regular marches, speeches, rallies, meetings, and events for students who wanted to be involved in civil rights. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was a failed invasion of Cuba. The Americans tried to invade and overthrow Fidel Castro, but they underestimated Castro's military and popularity. They didn't prepare well enough which led to tensions rising between Cuba, America, and the Soviet Union. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The U.S. noticed that the Soviet Union had missiles in Cuba and that they were growing rapidly. Any of those missiles could reach a vast majority of the U.S. so the U.S. decided to initiate a blockade of offensive weapons on Cuba. The world was on the brink of nuclear war, but after days of tense negotiations, the USSR agreed to remove their missiles, if the United States removed theirs from Turkey. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was very influential. It was the largest civil rights act in American history because it prohibited discrimination of any kind based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. It also required equal education, housing, employment, public accommodations, and voter registration laws. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was important because it gave President Johnson the ability to use military force in Southeast Asia without actually declaring war. This meant that the U.S. could rapidly escalate its involvement in the Vietnam War. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder was a bombing campaign against North Vietnam to ensure that they couldn't win or succeed in spreading communism. This, however, was canceled when the Soviet Union began to help North Vietnam fight back. -
Medicare and Medicaid Act
Medicare promised health insurance for those over 65, and with disabilities. Medicaid promises health insurance for low-income Americans. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed racial discrimination in voting of any kind. The act outlawed literacy tests and made it much easier for black people to get registered to vote. This act finally gave black people civil rights and voting rights. -
Founding of EPA
Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency to monitor the toxic waste being put in the environment and the overall health and safety of the environment. The EPA was the first time that everything had been organized under one agency. The EPA helped to pass laws that forced machines to produce less CO2. -
Watergate Scandal
Watergate was one of the largest American crises ever. The scandal broke out when burglars entered the Watergate Hotel, the home of the DNC, to search for documents and wiretap phones. Even though the burglars were not part of his campaign, his administration tried to cover up what happened. The people lost trust in the government after what happened with Nixon trying to cover up what happened and acting shady. -
Title IX
Title IX was a civil rights law that prohibited sex-based discrimination in schools. This was not only in academics but also in athletics. This led to a higher amount of women going to college and higher viewership of women's sports. -
Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade was a case that guaranteed a pregnant woman's right to have an abortion. The ruling was highly controversial and was contested constantly by the Religious Right. Recently, Roe v. Wade was overturned which made it illegal by federal law for a woman to have an abortion, but some states have still kept them legal. -
Energy Crisis
The 1973 Oil Crisis happened when OAPEC declared an embargo, causing massive gas shortages, and high gas prices. The embargo happened due to a crisis in Israel-Palestine. This brought the American way of life to a halt as many Americans were used to being independent and taking their car wherever they needed to go. More fuel-efficient cars became very popular because Americans needed their cars to travel around cities and the country. -
Reaganomics
Reaganomics was President Reagan's economic policy. It focused on making the rich richer and making sure that that money "trickles down" to the lower classes. Even though it took a while, it helped the American economy succeed in the 90s and end issues like stagflation and energy crises. -
9/11 Terrorist Attacks
On September 11, two planes flew into both buildings of the World Trade Center. This killed almost 3,000 people and almost leveled New York City. This brought lots of tensions between Americans and the Middle East. It also harbored lots of ill intent and racism to Middle Eastern people in America.