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Period: Jan 1, 1492 to
Political Perspective
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Thomas Jefferson Purchases Louisiana Territory From France
Although the U.S. Constitution did not grant such authority to the president, Jefferson leapt at Napoleon’s offer to sell the entire Louisiana Territory. At the bargain price of less than five cents per acre, Jefferson doubled the size of the United States. This is politically important because this was a choice made by the president. -
Abraham Lincoln Issues the Emancipation Proclamation
Over the opposition of his “Team of Rivals” cabinet, Lincoln published the Emancipation Proclamation, promising freedom to 4 million slaves in the Confederacy, and giving the Union armies a moral cause to fight for. This is politically important because Lincoln's choice helped the Union win the war. -
Theodore Roosevelt Digs the Panama Canal
Theodore Roosevelt viewed a canal across the Isthmus of Panama as a “highway of civilization” that would link the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, while at the same time enabling commercial and military vessels to skip the onerous, time-consuming, and costly 14,000-mile journey around South America. This is politically important because this decision would change how people traveled. -
Harry Truman Authorizes the Use of the Atomic Bomb, 1945
Advised that an invasion of Japan would cost 1 million American dead or wounded, Truman approved the use of atomic bombs against Hiroshima and Nagasaki, thus ending World War II and ushering in the age of nuclear weapons. This is politically important because this decision helped us win WWII -
Lyndon Johnson Signs into Law the Civil Rights Act
A century after the Civil War ended, LBJ pushed the Civil Rights Act through Congress, which compelled state and local governments to recognize the rights, particularly the voting rights, of African Americans and other minorities. This is politically important because this decision helped make the US a great place to live for African Americans. -
James K. Polk Goes to War with Mexico
Using a minor diplomatic incident as an excuse, Polk sent U.S. troops into Mexico, effectively conquering the country in 21 months. In the treaty that ended the war, Mexico ceded territory that became California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and parts of New Mexico, Wyoming, and Colorado. This is politically important because without all of that territory, the US would be easy to conquer.
