-
1501
Transatlantic slave trade begins
The transatlantic slave trade was a triangular trade designed to benefit all three parties. The Americas were given slaves for goods like rum and rifles, the Europeans were given raw materials from slave production, and the Europeans gave completed items like rum and rifles to the Americas. This trade eventually ended once the Americas had a self-sustaining amount of slaves. The system benefited America in the beginning because it allowed for mass farming production. -
Roanoke settlement
Roanoke was a small colony off of North Carolina that was plagued with a lack of supplies. After a small group set out to gather supplies, all of the colonists disappeared, only leaving the carving, “CROATOAN” on one of the border walls. The main theory is that the colonists were either assimilated into the native American tribe nearby or massacred by them. -
First Settlement in Jamestown Virginia
Desperate English men began to settle in Jamestown because they were desperate for financial opportunities. The English government introduced the Headright System which allowed settlers in Virginia to gain 100 acres of land and new settlers who paid their way to the New World got 50 acres of land. This encouraged migration to the New World and established indentured servitude. -
Mayflower Contract
An agreement that bound the people who signed it to obey the government system in the Plymouth Colony. It was written by men aboard the Mayflower and brought the English concepts of Law and Liberty into the new world. This remained in effect until the Plymouth colony joined the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1691. -
Beginning of the Salem Witch Trials
As a result of extremely strict religious values and an easily tricked group of people, 25 innocent people died. In Salem Massachusetts, it was almost social suicide to not be fully dedicated to the church, and that created problems for those who did not appear to follow the church enough. In the end, this showed the colonists the importance of discerning fact and fiction. -
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
A sermon Written by Jonathan Edward, assured that the wretched and the sinners would be cast into hell by God. This sermon was the catalyst for the First Great Awakening, a large growth in evangelical Christianity. This Growth spurred a closeness in the settlers in the Americas and pushed the enlightenment ideas. -
The Albany Plan
Ben Franklin proposed the Albany Plan in 1754, the first plan of unifying the North American British colonies. Although it was rejected in the end, Ben Franklin managed to gather 7 of the 13 colonies. This proved that an eventual unification of the 13 colonies could be possible. -
The Sugar Act
This act was the first act to directly increase revenue for the crown. It increased taxes on non-British goods, namely, and most prominently, sugar. The Sugar Act was the amended version of the 1733 Molasses Act. This act was foreshadowing of the lengths the British would go to to make the Americas more profitable. -
The Quartering Act
The Quartering Act of 1765 allowed British troops to force their lodging in colonists’ homes at any point. This angered colonists and shaped a lit of their hate towards the British. Notably, the line “He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.” is a direct response to the Quartering Act of 1765. -
Boston Massacre
Colonists were furious with the taxes placed on them therefore they revolted. The Boston Massacre was started by colonists throwing stones at soldiers then soldiers drew their weapons and fought back after hearing a shot. Another revolt against taxes was the Boston Tea Party in 1773, where the Sons of Liberty got together and destroyed millions of dollars in tea tax which closed the port of Boston resulting in the British government regaining control of the colonists. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The battle of Bunker Hill, while still a loss for the Continental Army, proved that there was a fighting chance for the Revolutionary Army. During the battle, American troops were told not to fire until they “Could see the whites of their opponents’ eyes” to not waste powder. The battle ended with the Americans only losing around 115 soldiers, and the British losing nearly double that -
Thomas Paine common sense
Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” was a prolific work meant to invigorate the colonists to rise against the British in a revolution. It being the proportionally best-selling piece of American literature shows how influential it was. This work of literature was the final push to get the American people to fight for their freedom from their British oppressors. -
The Crossing of the Delaware River
George Washington crossed the Delaware River in the dead of night to attack a garrison of Hessian mercenaries. His troops win the battle, proving that the Americans have a fighting chance in the war. This gave the troops a much-needed morale boost and a second wind to fight. -
Invention of the Steam engine
James Walt managed to fix the efficiency issues of the steam engine. Previous steam engines were hardly useful for the input required. With a more efficient engine, the steam engine gained a lot of transportation potential. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris gave America an end to the Revolutionary War. This defined early America’s borders and gave the colonists a sense of self. The treaty also helped cause some European nations to begin to see America as a separate power from Britain. -
Shay’s Rebellion
With an enormous war debt owed to them, many American businessmen began to refuse to give out loans and demanded cash payment. This caused poorer debt-ridden farmers to lose their property. States, specifically Massachusetts, appeared to not care to pass any debt-reliving legislation, further angering the common American. This sparked a man named Daniel Shays to start a rebellion against the state of Massachusetts, eventually bringing the debt issue to the forefront of the federal government. -
First Bank of the United states
The first national bank of the United States was part of Alexander Hamilton’s economic plan. The Bank’s goal was to help stabilize the nation's debt and dealings. This bank eventually was the spark for Andrew Jackson’s Bank Wars. -
The Invention of the Cotton Gin
Before the invention of the Cotton Gin, the growing and processing of cotton was proving to be less profitable than similar crops. This was beginning to make some slaves useless as their jobs were not profitable. This decline in slavery was quickly reversed with the cotton gin. Now one slave could process cotton fifty times faster than before, making cotton extremely profitable, and permanently shaping the South’s economy. -
The End of George Washington’s Presidency
After two terms George Washington refused to run for a third term, believing that he was becoming too much of a monarch. This set the precedent (Later Amendment) that a president can not run for more than two terms. This helped shape the presidency and its rules. -
Louisiana Purchase
Thomas Jefferson used his power as president to purchase land from France. He did this to expand the country and have access to the Mississippi River. This purchase doubled the size of the country and Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark to explore the new territory. -
The Embargo Act of 1807
This banned all foreign trade in the United States to limit the tension of the French Revolution in the United States. The United States was torn on who to support, some saw supporting the British as wrong, while some saw supporting the French as wrong. Seeing this turmoil, President Jefferson decided to ban all trade with the two foreign nations to protect the U.S.’s internal conflict and its ships at sea. -
Treaty of Ghent
The treaty of Ghent marked the end of the War of 1812, and the last attempt that the British would make to take back the American colonies. The end of this war sparked a newfound confidence in the American people. This war also forced European powers to more fully recognize the strength of America. -
Second Bank of The United States
After much turmoil and failed attempts, the Second Bank of the United States was finally established. The second bank had a very similar purpose to the first, however it was much larger. The second bank had 25 branches instead of 8 and started on 35 million dollars rather than 10 million dollars. This had a positive effect on westward expansion as it allowed western settlers to use their credit and take out loans. -
Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine announced that European nations were no longer allowed in the Western Hemisphere. The Monroe Doctrine was targeted to get rid of puppet dictators and poorly managed governments. While the United States had a good idea, they didn't do a whole lot for the other countries in the Americas. -
Election of 1828 (Andrew Jackson)
Jackson was a War of 1812 hero, his crowning moment was his victory in New Orleans. His policies emphasized the role of the common man, with opponents accusing him of catering to “King Mob” and seizing too much power. Jackson led the first modern political campaign, introduced the spoils system, transitioned to the second-party system, and strengthened the power of the executive branch -
Tariff of Abominations
The Tariff of Abominations was the first of many divides between the North and the South. This tariff placed extremely high taxes on imported goods and raw materials. Southerners hated this tariff because this meant they had to buy the Northern goods, even if imports were cheaper. -
Indian Removal Act of 1830
The trail of tears was a long footpath that the Jackson administration forced many eastern Native American tribes to march on. This path was a rough path with many lives claimed throughout the journey. This trail made a lasting impact on native culture and severely crippled the Native's numbers. -
Worcester v. Georgia
Having lost a supreme court case in the recent past, Worcester stepped up to the plate to defend against the removal of the Cherokee nation. This time The Cherokees succeeded in their vision of being recognized as a sovereign nation that could not be pushed off of their land. Unfortunately, President Andrew Jackson found a way to force the Cherokee nation onto the trail of tears by making a deal with a defecting Cherokee. -
The Nullification crisis
Still unhappy with the 1828 “Tariff of Abominations” John C Calhoun threatened to nullify the law because it unfairly benefitted the North. This crisis tested the power of the state government versus the federal government. Nullification was also another one of the quickly growing divides between the North and the South in the United States. -
John Deere introduces new “miracle plow”
The plow revolutions the Great Plains because it can cut into the sod with ease. With the introduction of heavier steel plows, combined with McCormick reaper, planting in the Great Plains was much easier. This made a small group much better at growing a large amount of wheat. Easier growing and harvesting helped spark more westward expansion. -
The Panic of 1837
President Andrew Jackson did not trust the national bank because of how many foreign investors were in it. This sparked the “Bank War” where, by many methods, President Jackson made the first national bank collapse. This collapse caused the panic of 1837, where unemployment soared, and many banks refused to deal with U.S. currency. -
Manifest destiny coined
Manifest destiny was the idea that Americans were destined to expand west. This idea helped spur westward expansion and the growth of America as a whole. Without the idea of manifest destiny, westward expansion would be rather delayed. -
The Publishing of The North Star
Frederick Douglass, a recently freed slave, published his first abolitionist newspaper, “The North Star”. This newspaper was extremely anti-slavery and anti-south. “The North Star” fed the flames between the North and South and gave the North a much-needed shock to get more Northerners on the side of abolition. Women were pushing for the rights of slaves and the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848 was when women realized they needed their right to vote before they could help others -
The California Gold Rush
The California gold rush was spurred by the finding of gold in the California mountains, and it brought 300,000 people into California. Although not much gold was found by the common searcher, it spurred the development of California and created a need for better transportation across the nation. While not a lot of people got rich off of the gold rush, the boost it gave to California’s development cannot be overlooked. -
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo marked the end of the Mexican-American War. In this Treaty, Mexico gave up nearly 55% of its land, including California, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and parts of other states. This Treaty Brought the Continental United States to its nearly full size. -
Seneca Falls Convention
A well-known abolitionist, Elizabeth Cady Stanton organized the convention at Seneca Falls to fight for the civil rights of women. During the convention, the attendees along with Stanton drafted the Declaration of Sentiments which among other things implored for women's suffrage. This convention was the place where the women's suffrage movement was kickstarted. -
Compromise of 1850
Five separate bills aimed to diffuse the tension between the north and South. These bills defined Texas, allowed California as a free state, banned the slave trade in Washington DC, and introduced the idea of popular sovereignty. This had an effect of causing the event “Bleeding Kansas” -
Pottawatomie Massacre
These nine men marked the beginning of “Bleeding Kansas” when they murdered five proslavery men along the Pottawatomie Creek. Just three days prior, these men marched to defend a Kansas town from proslavery men. Having failed their task, the Pottawatomie Massacre was revenge for the destruction of the Free State Hotel. -
Bleeding Kansas
Opposing factions in Kansas, backed by the North and the South, fought a guerilla campaign against one another with the hopes of swaying Kansas's vote on slavery. Kansas was under the rule of popular sovereignty, an idea brought about by Stephen Douglass. This conflict proved that popular sovereignty would not work, and it was one of the last straws before the Civil War broke out. -
Pacific Railway Act
The Pacific railway act worked as an incentive to make one straightforward path across the United States. This was done by the Government giving subsidies and aid to companies attempting to create a transcontinental railroad. This was a massive infrastructure boost for the US and greatly helped both westward expansion and the U.S. economy. -
Morrill Land Grant Act
The government granted federal land within the borders of each state to develop colleges and universities. The purpose was to facilitate access to higher education across the country. This helped fund over 106 universities that are still in use today. -
Battle of Antietam
The battle of Antietam was the deadliest single day conflict in the Civil War, claiming 22,000 lives. While considered widely as a draw, the Union, and president Lincoln, considered it as a tactical victory. The battle of Antietam proved to the Union that they could stand up to the Confederates. This battle also allowed President Lincoln to give his Emancipation Proclamation at a time if strength, not a time of weakness. -
Start of 54th regiments
The 54th Regiment was the second all-African-American regiment in the Civil War. This regiment allowed the closer assimilation of free African-American men into society. Although this was a step in the right direction, it was rather short-lived. -
Battle of Gettysburg
The battle of Gettysburg was the turning point in the Civil War. General Robert Lee was hoping to finally break through to Washington DC and find a swift end to the Civil War. This quickly turned around on him when the bloodiest event in the Civil War resulted in him losing, and any hope of a Confederacy separate from the Union dashed. -
Wade-Davis Bill
With the Civil War nearing its end, President Lincoln and other Union Officials had plans to reconstruct America. Senator Benjamin Wade and Henry Davis wanted a minimum of 50% of all Southerners to take a loyalty oath to be able to rewrite their constitutions after the war. Fearing that the South would not abide by that, President Lincoln vetoed the bill and asked that it be put to 10%. After Lincoln’s assassination, the North was able to pass harsher legislation. -
14th Amendment
After Slavery was abolished in the 13th amendment, freedmen began to experience more violence because of their lack of protection. The 14th Amendment protected the rights of all citizens, including former slaves. It also put more strain on a recently healed nation. This amendment caused many Southerners to try to find ways around this amendment and ways to revert to their old ways. After the 14th amendment, the 15th amendment came into effect which allowed black men to vote. -
Ghost Dance movement
The Ghost Dance movement was a plan for Native Americans to revitalize their traditional cultures. The Americans had invaded their traditional ways, killed the bison, and taken their land. Native American dances were hoped to hasten the end of the white man’s reign and the return of Native American lands. However, the U.S. military officers thought this ritual was preparing them for battle and preparing to revolt against the USA -
Yellowstone National Park Creation
The creation of Yellowstone National Park was the first piece of land set aside for preservation in America. It also sparked the creation of later state and national parks. Without the creation of Yellowstone, many of today's national and state parks would not exist. -
Women's Christian Temperance Union
The WTCU desired to create a safer home life for women and the family. Most of the WCTU’s members believed that all issues in the households were from the man of the house drinking in excess, so they attempted to have rallies to stop the excessive consumption of alcohol. This mainly worked and alcohol consumption was at an all-time low for a while. Other organizations were run through churches to gain awareness for the topics. -
Dawes Act
The Dawes Act carved up Native land to give it to individual Native Americans. The idea of this act was to force native Americans to assimilate into American society, with some natives successfully doing so. In the end, this was a failure because not many assimilated. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
The Civil Rights Act of 1765 banned segregation between whites and people of color. This later was broken by the South before the Supreme Court Case Plessy v. Ferguson which allowed segregation between groups but it had to be equal, which led to worse segregation between whites and people of color. This came after the South started creating black codes once the troops were removed which allowed for violence and segregation. -
De Lome Letter
The De Lome Letter was a Spanish-written letter criticizing the acting president William McKinley. Although this letter made no threats or declarations against America or its citizens, the general American population was enraged by the letter. This provided extra fuel and pressure towards the Spanish-American War. -
Anthracite Coal Strike
The anthracite coal strike was a strike led by mine workers demanding higher wages, shorter workdays, and recognition of their union. This strike was at a crucial time when the strike threatened major cities' coal supply right before the winter months. This strike was mainly handled by Teddy Roosevelt and the government, setting a precedent for the government stepping in when a job had to be fulfilled. -
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
Upton Sinclair’s book “The Jungle” exposed the inherent corruption in labor unions and large industries. While the socialist tone of the book was not entirely well taken, the corruption and poor conditions were well highlighted. One of the main effects of this book was the founding of the Pure Food and Drug Administration. -
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal was a show of American industrialism and might, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. This helped the United States economically as trade across the world was assisted. At that time it was certainly faster to take a boat through the Panama Canal than it was to transport the goods across the nation by land and then to a seaport. -
Model T introduced
The Ford Model T showed a new age in American consumerism and commercialism. With a car being so much cheaper, many families were now able to afford one or take out a small loan to get one. This started the domino effect of consumerism in the 1910s and the 1920s which eventually caused the stock market crash and the Great Depression. -
Federal Reserve Act
The Federal Reserve Act of 1913 established a U.S. national bank. This national bank was crucial to stabilizing the value of the dollar and the rapid growth of the economy at the time. This act also served as a template for the government’s plan to prevent a second great depression. -
Clayton Antitrust act
The Clayton Antitrust Act helped to keep American Businesses competitive and capitalistic. This act helped limit mergers of companies and limit board members of companies. This act helped keep American business competitive, so after World War I and II, the American economy was able to profit off of the wartime high. -
Lusitania Sunk by German U-Boat
In a violation of the Hague Convention, German U-boats sank the U.S.S Lusitania, killing 128 U.S. citizens. This event not only enraged Americans, but it also started the Domino effect of both the Central Powers and the Allied Powers breaking the Hague Convention. This event also brought the U.S. to its boiling point on the war, where one more snag (i.e the Zimmerman Telegram) would push them to war. -
Espionage and Sedition Acts
The espionage and sedition acts almost entirely went against the First Amendment and were extremely unpopular. These acts were meant to keep the U.S.’s opinion on the war good and to limit the criticism of the government, but they also killed free speech in the U.S. In the end, these acts had to be struck down and showed the Government that the idea of silencing the press did not keep the public opinion good. -
Red Scare
Fueled by a bloody Russian revolution, as well as some terrorist attacks, the United States now feared communism coming to America. This was only worsened by the fact that America risked losing the economic prosperity that it currently had. This initial Red Scare only fueled the flames for the second Red Scare after the start of the Cold War. -
Zimmerman telegram
On January 16 1917 Germany sent a last-ditch effort to keep America out of the First World War. In this telegram Germany intended to ask Mexico to attack the United States, thus keeping America out of the war. Fortunately for the United States, Great Britain intercepted it and showed it to the United States, ensuring their entrance into the war. -
Selective Service Act
This 1940 act required all male U.S. citizens between the ages of 21 and 45 to register for the draft. This was taken in a very mixed manner, with the nation still divided on whether or not to join the Second World War. This act persists in today’s world and it set the stage for an American entrance into the Second World War. -
Treaty of Versailles
This treaty marked the end of the First World War, where Germany, as the only nation of the central powers left, had to take on almost all of the war reparations. This entailed billions of dollars and around 10% of their prewar territory. Although this was seemingly fair in the eyes of the victors, this treaty almost certainly sealed in stone the inevitability of the Second World War. -
19th Amendment
The 19th Amendment was one of the main goals of the women’s suffrage movement. This amendment finally allowed women to vote, although certain voting requirements made it harder. This overall effect was that the women’s voice was heard in the government finally, although the movement slowed down from the 19th amendment, it brought women a step closer to equality. -
Sacco and Vanzetti
Sacco and Vanzetti were two Italian immigrants accused of murdering two other citizens in 1921. With very little evidence, and a rather unfair trial and jury, both men were found guilty and sentenced to death. This caused an uproar across the U.S. as many people questioned about strong prejudice in the legal system. This event eventually brought around a stronger definition of what a fair trial is. -
Scopes Monkey Trial
The Scopes Monkey Trial, otherwise known as, The State of Tennessee vs. John Scopes, was based on religion. John Scopes, a schoolteacher in Tennessee, taught about Darwin’s theory of evolution, which was outlawed at the time in Tennessee. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court ruled that although Tennessee had imparted too heavy of a fine, the law in place was not unconstitutional. This ruling allowed other states to pass similar laws, many of which stood for decades. -
Stock Market Crash
Beginning in September 1929, stock prices rapidly fluctuated and eventually crashed in November 1929. This colossal crash was caused by extreme speculation and borrowing money. People were trying to achieve the ideal American life and started to buy on credit to afford the life, however, this led to borrowing virtual money. Banks became afraid of losing money and began requesting loan money that did not even exist. -
The Great Dust Bowl
Part of the “Double-Whammy” of the great depression, The Great Dust Bowl ruined farmland all across the great plains of the United States. This was primarily caused by extremely poor farming practices leading to the degradation of the soil. As a result of this, stricter regulation was enforced on planting, and the Government compensated farmers to grow crops that would help the soil. -
Bonus Army Marches
The Bonus Army, veterans from World War One, march on Washington to claim their bonus certificates early. This was a response to the Great Depression, where the only way these veterans could scrape by was with the money they were owed. Although the veterans were not fully repaid, some cash was given out and the veterans were forced out. This helped pave the way for the later G.I bill for World War 2 veterans. -
FDR's 'New Deal' (Second New Deal)
In response to the stock market crash of 1929 and the advent of the Great Depression, FDR began to pump government funds into jobs and U.S. infrastructure to kickstart the economy. The 'New Deal' is aimed at creating new agencies and programs to protect people from economic disaster and provide relief or temporary work. While somewhat controversial, FDR’s fireside chats and promising results helped the acceptance of the Second New Deal. -
Glass-Steagall Act (Banking Act of 1933)
This act looked to resolve some of the core issues that caused the Great Depression. Although the Government could not easily control the stock market, it could hopefully help prevent the mass losses incurred by a crash. This act established the F.D.I.C. which ensured a citizen's money in a bank up to a certain amount. This act was also meant to put more confidence in the banks, as a large economy could not function without the banks. -
Social Security Act
The Social Security Act was intended to soften the blow of any future economic depressions. This act not only established the Social Security system but also provided unemployment insurance. This act helped pave the way for acts like subsidized healthcare and government-assisted loans in the future. -
Executive order 8802
Written by FDR, stated that no business in war-related work could discriminate on who they hired. While this order was mainly to ensure that the U.S. could keep wartime production up with so many millions of men already mobilized, it helped two important groups. Those groups were African Americans and Women, who were all given many more opportunities than before. This allowed both groups to hold previously unavailable jobs, and they kept some of these opportunities after the war’s conclusion. -
Pearl Harbor
In a surprise attack, the Japanese Imperial Navy attacks a U.S. naval base in Hawai’i. Although the damage done was not overly critical, this attack brought the U.S. into the Second World War directly. This attack also began the anti-Japanese movement in the United States which ended in the internment of Japanese Americans across the country. -
D-Day landing
Also known as “Operation Overlord” (Way cooler name) 156,000 Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy. This was an incredible show of force and was one of the last nails in the coffin of Nazi Germany and Italy. For a fun fact, the battleship U.S.S Texas flooded its port side so it could get enough gun elevation to fire upon German bunkers in this battle. -
G.I. Bill of Rights
The G.I. Bill of Rights provided World War 2 veterans with college funds, unemployment insurance, and housing. This bill helped propel veterans and all of the American economy into a new high post-war. This bill also assisted African Americans and the civil rights movement because it opened up new opportunities for African Americans left by veterans. -
Atomic Bombing in Japan
In a move to force Japan’s surrender in World War Two, President Harry Truman authorizes the use of Atomic weaponry on some critical Japanese cities. On August 6th the atomic bomb “Fat Man” was dropped on Hiroshima, and on the 9th, “Little Boy” was dropped on Nagasaki. After threatening Tokyo with another atomic bomb, Japan finally surrendered. -
Tennessee Valley Authority
To combat the Great Depression, The Tennessee River Valley was selected to be the focus of a major infrastructure project. This project culminated in the largest hydroelectric dam ever built in the United States. This self-financing and self-supplying power plant helped spur innovation across the U.S. with the plant's nuclear additions. -
The Hollywood 10
Ten prominent Hollywood writers, producers, and actors were investigated by the House un-American Activities Committee(HUAC), HUAC worked to investigate the potential communist threats to America through public interrogations. If you were a suspected communist or communist sympathizer you could get ostracized, fired, or blacklisted. The Hollywood 10 were blacklisted from work in Hollywood because they refused to answer questions about communism and exercised their constitutional rights. -
Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine set the stage for the containment of communism in the new world. This doctrine stated that the United States would “Provide support for nations under the threat of communism”. This began the spiral of the Cold War as communist Russia believed that this was an open declaration of war. -
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was intended to put money into the still-recovering Western European nations. By doing this, the United States hoped to spread the ideals of capitalism to stop the USSR’s spread of communism. While mildly successful, this plan was unsuccessful at stopping the spread of Communism entirely. In the end, around 13.3 billion dollars went to the Marshall Plan. -
The Berlin Airlift
In response to the blockade of Berlin by the Soviets, America began airlifting supplies into western Berlin. This was a huge success for America and its allies, as they kept Western Berlin well-supplied and happy. In the end, this paved the way for the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union, as they lost the war of attrition. -
NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization is formed
NATO was formed in 1949 to ensure that the allied powers from World War Two, and anyone who wished to join, would work towards the betterment of the other members. That way, if any foreign power attempted to take smaller nations like the Nazis, then all nations in NATO would come to the aid of the smaller nation. This ensured that Europe could be a more stable area in the future. -
Joseph McCarthy rats out communists in the government
Joseph McCarthy, a senator for the state of Wisconsin claims to have a list of secret communist agents in the government. McCarthy then releases this list to the public, drumming up mass panic in the U.S. population. After cross reference, it is deduced that McCarthy is lying about his list. Although he was lying, this event helped feed the growing “Red Scare” in the United States. -
“Kinsey’s Sexual Behavior in the Human Female” is published
Alfred Kinsey brought sexuality to the front and exposed the higher degree of premarital sex, marital infidelity, homosexuality, cheating, affairs, and other deviant behavior. This showed Americans were engaging in sexual behaviors more frequently with more variety than conventional morality suggested. However, Kinsley was discredited because he was engaging in these behaviors and possibly using the report to normalize his morals and behaviors. -
Brown V. Topeka Board of Education
Linda Brown was walking past a white public school on her way to her segregated school. This was taken to the Supreme Court where it was ruled unconstitutional to segregate public schools which led to Little Rock Arkansas and the Ruby Bridges case. The Supreme Court ruled that separating children based on race in public schools was unconstitutional. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
In 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery public bus. This event sparked one of the first widespread acts of civil disobedience in the late civil rights movement, the Montgomery bus boycott. This event also sparked other events of mass civil disobedience, such as the Greensboro sit-ins and other nonviolent protests. While acts of civil disobedience seemed unhelpful on the surface, they certainly made lots of traction for the civil rights movement. -
Eisenhower Interstate Highway and Defense Act
To make evacuation simple and effective in case of a nuclear attack on any major U.S. city, the U.S. Government began its largest infrastructure project in history. The project installed major highways and interstates throughout the United States making travel simple and easy. It had a profound impact on the U.S. economy and it allowed people to see their fellow citizens, promoting unity in the U.S. Consequently, this caused towns to perish because they weren’t connected to the interstate. -
Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) was founded
The SCLC was an organization initially under the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr.. This group intended to create change through nonviolent resistance, much like the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This group was extremely influential in getting members mobilized, as well as getting small results to eventually build up to the main goal, the Civil Rights Act. -
Sputnik launch leads to the creation of NASA
In an attempt to show technological superiority, the USSR begins the space race by launching Sputnik 1. In response to this, The U.S. starts NASA to develop spacecraft. This in turn paves the way for events like the Moon landings and satellite launches. This also drove more panic into the US that the USSR and communism was becoming a threat. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The U.S. Government financed and directed an invasion of Cuba to overturn Fidel Castro. Although this was technically carried out by Cuban exiles, the tie to the U.S. was stark. This was against how the U.S. claimed they would handle communism, and it further provoked the USSR. The Bay of Pigs invasion directly led to the Cuban Missile Crisis. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
Considered the peak of the Cold War, Soviet missiles had been set up in communist Cuba, allowing for the USSR to strike at the mainland U.S.. This situation was very carefully navigated, and with both sides making concessions, the possible nuclear war was avoided. This led to a naval blockade where on October 29th, the Soviet ship, Grozny, crossed the line and started a standoff for hours until the Soviets turned around and went back home. -
March on Washington
The 1963 march on Washington, well-known for the “I Have A Dream” speech delivered there by Martin Luther King, was intended to advocate for the economic and civil rights of African Americans in the United States. This march was not universally embraced by African Americans however, The Nation of Islam and Malcolm X called it “the Farce on Washington”. Despite the mixed support, the march did help build momentum for the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. -
JFK Assassinated
While in a Motorcade traveling through Dallas Texas, Lee Harvey Oswald fatally shoots President John F Kennedy. This was a great shock to the nation and changed the idea of security for the president. This assassination also helped iron out who would take the president's place in many different cases. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The pinnacle of the late civil rights movement, the Civil Rights Act was the result of decades of protest and oppression. The Civil Rights Act prohibited discrimination based on race, religion, color, sex, or origin. Although this did seem to be the ultimate solution, voting still eluded African Americans, as voting could require a fee or literacy. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Although the Civil Rights Act of 1964 seemed to be the end of discrimination and segregation in America, it was not in a key area. That was voting, many areas, namely the South, had literacy tests and other requirements to force African Americans away from voting. This made the Voting Rights Act a necessary one because if African Americans could not vote then segregation would not truly be over. -
MLK Assassination
On April 4th, 1968, Dr Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated by James Earl Ray. This was a tragedy for all parties involved with the civil rights movement, and it sparked the opposite of what MLK preached. In the days and weeks after his passing, thousands of race riots began calling for justice to come on the assassin who took out MLK. -
Nixon is elected president
Richard Nixon swept 61% of the popular vote and was the first Republican to take the South and was elected president. This came after a narrow loss in 1960 to JFK, so Nixon had some steam behind him. This built up the public opinion of Nixon, which only made the resulting Watergate Scandal even worse. -
America off of Gold standard
America's leaving the gold standard helped curb inflation in America. It also stopped allowing nations to trade American dollars for American gold. This also caused many nations to follow suit and drop the gold standard themselves. Although controversial, the Gold standard helped the American dollar keep its value even as the price of gold fluctuated. -
Watergate Break-in
After a security guard at the Watergate Hotel noticed a suspiciously propped-open door, it was discovered that a team of burglars was destroying evidence. After some searching, this was tied to President Nixon’s party, and it revealed that he had been recording Oval Office phone calls and conversations. This put a lot of mistrust in the president and tightened security in the Oval Office even further. -
Roe v. Wade
In a Supreme Court case, the Supreme Court ruled that the 14th Amendment protected abortion as a fundamental right. This in plain terms, meant that a female could not be criminalized for aborting her non-viable fetus. This has an impact today as that ruling was recently overturned. -
3 Mile Island Nuclear Failure
After a partial failure of a cooling pump in the secondary reactor of the 3-mile island nuclear plant, the core of the plant partially melted down. This was due to a few oversights in the design and worker negligence. Apart from the loss of power to the surrounding area, no hazardous materials or radiation were expelled, and although the core had melted partway, no real health or ecological issues prevailed.