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Jamestown
Jamestown was the first permanent settlement. It was created in 1607, and settled by English men. In order to survive they had to find a cash crop, theirs was tobacco. Native Americans helped them to survive. -
Plymouth
The Plymouth colony was discovered by the separatists (pilgrims) in 1620, in New England. The colony was established as a way for the separatists to get away from the church of England and go back to their own beliefs. The group came over on the Mayflower and created the Mayflower Compact, which established an early form of government for their colony. While the colony struggled at first they soon learned the ways of the land and flourished. -
The Albany Congress
Benjamin Franklin calls for this meeting to take place. He wanted prominent residents to come to the meeting. The meeting was held to discuss alliances with other Native groups as well as the colonies. He knew the groups would not agree so the Albany Plan of Union was introduced -
The Treaty of Paris
The treaty ended the Seven Years War. The treaty forced the French to give everything from the Appalachian Mountains to the Mississippi River to the British. The British gained the Ohio River Valley. This causes the colonists to be very excited about expanding, though this is quickly shot down by the new laws the British enforce. -
The Sugar Act
The Sugar Act was created by parliament to try and get people to stop smuggling sugar. It was the first act passed after the French and Indian War. The Molasses Act that had come before raised taxes on sugar, making it almost impossible for colonists to afford. The high cost of the sugar led colonists to buy it off of the black market and smuggle it into the United States. Although the passing of this act only made the colonists do it more, because they knew they were angering Britain. -
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act places a tax on legal notaries. When shipping and receiving goods a tax also had to be paid. Any piece of paper that was printed was taxed. This act affected the rich and wealthy, which led to problems. Due to the rich and wealthy being affected, action was taken and the act was later repealed. -
The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a riot between a few colonists and British soldiers. The colonists were upset with the new and stricter laws and took it out on the soldiers stationed in their towns. The colonists had been getting in the faces of the soldiers until they eventually opened fire. This killed five colonists, including Crispus Attucks. The massacre was printed in many papers and added to the fight for freedom. -
The Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party took place as a stand against British taxation. The Sons of Liberty started the idea in the Green Dragon Tavern. The idea continued to grow and they then dressed as Native Americans to commit the act. The group dumped enough tea to lose over 1 million dollars in tax revenue from the act. This enraged Parliament and the King, causing even stricter laws. -
The Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable or the Coercive Acts were put in place to shut down rebellion in the colonies. These acts were enforced primarily in Boston to warn the other colonies to not rebel. This act closed the port of Boston and outlawed assemblies. England also took over the colonial government, enforced taxes, regulated trade, and tried colonial crimes in England. These acts angered the colonists so much that they eventually led to the writing of the Declaration. -
The Second Continental Congress
The meeting took place in Philadelphia and unlike the First Continental Congress all 13 colonies came. The meeting was presided over by John Hancock. The meeting discussed what their plan was and designed the Continental Army, a committee to deal with foreign nations, a currency, and a general to lead them. -
The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence declared the United States separation from England. The document involved philosophical principals that the colonists believed were important to them and believed England had broken. The document was approved on July 4th, 1776. This ultimately led to the Revolutionary war. -
The Battle of Saratoga
The battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the war. The British general John Burgoyne had plans to move his army south where he was supposed to join two other British troops. The troops never arrived and Burgoyne's troop was quickly surrounded. They were forced to surrender and allowed the Continental army to gain a win. This win helped boost the troops morale, level the playing field between the two sides, and helped the colonies to gain aid from the French. -
The Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was the first document for the government. It declared the name, "United States of America". It also stated that there was not an executive or a standing army. The government was given no taxing authority and made the states overly powerful. This document was a reflection of the new countries fears, although it did not offer anything in being a well run country. -
Shays' Rebellion
Daniel Shays started the rebellion by rounding up veterans and poor farmers that were unable to pay their taxes. They took over courthouses and marched closer to Boston. The rebellion was stopped in February 1787 by a private army hired by Boston's wealthy. The rebellion was successful in shining light on the Articles of Confederation's weaknesses. -
The Federal Judiciary Act of 1789
The Federal Judiciary Act was passed by George Washington. The act was one of the first acts passed by the first congress. It created an independent federal court system with the supreme court and lower level courts. It also decided that the U.S. The Supreme Court is to have a chief justice and five associate justices. Although, we currently have nine. -
The Inauguration of George Washington
Washington ran for president without an opponent, he was rather selected than elected. John Adams was his vice president. Due to him being the first president he established many precedents. He created the presidential cabinet as well as the standard of serving two terms. -
The Whiskey Rebellion
The Whiskey Rebellion was an uproar against the tax on whiskey. Farmers refused to pay the tax until the American Army enforced it. This was then stopped by President George Washington and 13,000 militia men. This was the only time a United States president rode into battle, although a fight never took place. -
The Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights was created to appeal to the Anti-Federalists in the creation of the new nation and the Declaration of Independence. This bill contains the first 10 Amendments, which provides individual liberties. It outlines that if a decision or power is not given to the Federal government it is given to the states and the people. The bill became part of the constitution to bring both the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists ideas together. -
The Battle of Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown was one of the last major battles in the Revolution. General Cornwallis returned to Yorktown, Virginia for the winter and the protection of the Royal Navy. Although, he did not know that the French had defeated the British fleet in the Battle of Capes. When Cornwallis arrived in Yorktown he was met by the French Navy behind him and the American Army in front. The troops forced Cornwallis' surrender. -
Pickney's Treaty
Pickney's treaty was an attempt at avoiding war with Britain. The treaty was between Spain and the United States. The treaty granted Americans the right to freely travel on the Mississippi River and set a border between Spanish Florida and the U.S. . They were also granted the right to use the port of New Orleans. -
The Alien and Sedition Acts
Adams passed these acts. The acts allowed the president to deport any immigrants they deemed as dangerous. It also banned newspapers from printing anything critical of the president or congress. The naturalization act increased the amount of time immigrants had to live in the U.S. before they could become a citizen. This led to a lot of unease in the country and was used to make it harder for Jefferson to run against him in the next election. -
The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions were designed to handle the Alien and Sedition Acts. These Resolutions stated that the Constitution was a 'pact' between the state and federal government, and if they broke the 'pact' the states could decide that those laws were void in their states. This led to the nullification of the Alien and Sedition Acts. -
Marbury v. Madison
The Supreme Court case between Madison, a member of Jefferson's cabinet and Marbury a federal judgeship was decided in 1803. The case was brought about due to Madison's failure to deliver Marbury the letter granting Marbury a federal Judgeship by Jefferson's order not to. The Supreme Court sides with Madison and refused to grant Marbury the position. In doing so the Supreme Court claims the right of Judicial review, the right to declare laws unconstitutional and strike them down. -
The Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was accomplished during Jefferson's presidency. The purchase doubled the size of the country and secured New Orleans and the Mississippi River. A total of 828,000 square miles of land at only four cents an acre. This allowed the citizens of the Unites States to explore a new area and gain more land. -
The Embargo Act of 1807
The Embargo Act stopped all foreign trade while Britain and France were at war again. Jefferson did this in order to keep the United States Neutral. This caused great devastation to the American economy. Although, the passing of this act encouraged the growth of domestic manufacturing, which in this time America desperately needed. -
The Battle of New Orleans
The American forces were becoming a more well rounded army by this point. This battle was led by Andrew Jackson, also known as "old hickory". Jackson caused many British casualties in this battle, killing 2,042 British soldiers and only 71 Americans. Andrew Jackson will always be associated with winning the war of 1812 and many believe this victory ended the war. Although, the treaty of Ghent had already been signed and they just did not have news of it yet when the battle took place. -
The Battle of Thames
The Battle of Thames occurred during the war of 1812. This battle was between the American forces and British and Indian forces. The American forces defeated the British and Indian forces in Canada. Tecumseh was killed during the battle, this ended all Indian resistance in the Ohio River Valley. -
The British Burn the Capital
In August of 1814, the British Army invaded the United States and marched on Washington D.C. . After a very brief fight the city surrendered. Nearly all government buildings were burned. Dolly Madison became a hero after this event by instructing that the portraits in the White House be removed while evacuating. The White House survived the fire and was a symbol that the new country would survive. -
Henry Clay's American System
Henry Clay's American System was designed after the War of 1812. It was created to provide a strong central bank, which would provide easy and abundant credit. It would put in place protective tariffs to spur manufacturing. The revenue from the tariffs would then be used to create a stronger transportation network of roads, railroads, canals, etc.. Henry Clay presented this in 1815 and was referenced again in an 1824 speech. -
The Election of 1824
The Election of 1824 was between Henry Clay, Jackson, and Adam's. None of the candidates received a majority of the electoral votes. The 12th Amendment says that the vote should then go to the House of Representatives, in which Henry Clay was the Speaker of. After the close tie Adam's and Clay had a secret meeting and Clay then dropped out of the race and then supported Adam's. Adams then won the election and appointed Henry Clay as Secretary of State. -
The Election of 1828
The election of 1828 was with Jackson running for office for his second term. While running again he wished to revert back to the Jeffersonian ideals with northern farmers and artisans. This created the first real political party that had a national center looking over smaller more local committees. This was also the first modern campaign with large meetings, mudslinging, local involvement, and newspapers, pamphlets, and other media being posted for candidates. -
The Nullification Crisis
The Nullification Crisis occurred when the south was still angered by the "Tariff of Abominations". In response to their anger they threatened to nullify the law. John C. Calhoun believed the law was unconstitutional and favored the north. Their fight continued, Jackson wanted to preserve the union and the south wanted to succeed unless the tariff was abolished. The south finally repealed their ordinance after the force bill was passed in 1833. -
The Force Bill
The Force bill was passed while South Carolina was trying to succeed from the Union. In turn Jackson asked congress to pass this bill so he could use force to make South Carolina follow the law. Jackson was successful in getting congress to pass the bill. Eventually, South Carolina did repeal its ordinance. -
The Panic of 1837
The Panic of 1837 was one of the first major depressions in American history. It was caused by a lack of credit and cash flow. The lack of money flow caused prices to skyrocket. This led to many people dropping below the poverty line, which struck panic. This was the second major economic crisis in America. -
The Schism
The Schism was the first large abolitionist meeting with women. In the meeting the women were forced to sit in the upper level and were not allowed to talk or vote. William Lloyd Garrison was found sitting with the women when he was supposed to be talking. He believed that the women played a large role in the movement and deserved to be treated as such. -
The Seneca Falls Convention
The reform leaders in this convention involved Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Lucretia Mott. These leaders led the women through the convention. The Declaration of Sentiments also came out of this meeting. The Declaration included a list of grievances for women's rights. -
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo
This was a treaty between Mexico and the Untied States. It stated that Texas was going to be ours. It also created the Rio Grande as being the border between Texas and Mexico. The treaty also granted that Mexico had to give up the Mexican Cession, which included; Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. This treaty allowed the United States to grow tremendously. -
The Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was designed by Henry Clay. The discussion of the matter is proposed when California wants to become a free state. This led to the rules outlined in the compromise. The compromise banned slave trade in Washington D.C. and enacted nationwide Fugitive slave laws. It also allowed California to be a slave state and all territories applying for statehood would then be governed by the concept of Popular Sovereignty. -
The Kansas Nebraska Act
The Kansas Nebraska Act repealed the Missouri Compromise. It allowed new states and territories to decide whether they were going to be a slave state or a free state, though popular sovereignty. This act did lead to rebellions such as Bleeding Kansas in an attempt to sway votes. -
The Pottawatomie Massacre
This massacre was led by John Brown. He was a priest who had a cult like following and believed God chose him to end slavery. He then led his following to Pottawatomie Creek, Kansas and broke into five cabins. He separated the men and women and then killed all of the men and boys. This made John Brown the most wanted man in America. He was later found and charged with treason. -
The Dred Scott Case
The Dred Scott case was a Supreme court case after slavery was abolished in the North. Dred Scott was a slave that had been moved to the North. Due to moving to the north, where slavery is abolished he wished to be declared a free man. The case made it to the Supreme Court and they ruled that Dred would remain a slave even though he lived in a free state. -
The Pacific Railway Act of 1862
The Pacific Railway Act was passed by Lincoln. He wanted to connect the east and west coasts via railroad enabling coast to coast trade. It started In Omaha, Nebraska and spread to Sacramento, California.The project was created to be a competition between the Union Pacific Railway Company and the Central Pacific Railway Company.The pay for the project was $16,000/mile in the plains, $32,000/mile in the foothills, $48,000/mile in the mountains, and land grants alternately adjacent to the tracks. -
The Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam was considered the bloodiest battle in American History. Both sides of the war lost many casualties. This led to the Union claiming the victory. By the Union claiming the win Lincoln was then able to announce the Emancipation. Lincoln was told by congress that he should wait for a win before he could announce the Emancipation and this allowed him to do so. -
The Wade Davis Bill 1864
The Wade Davis bill was Congress' Reconstruction plan idea. It would require 50% of southern states voters to swear an oath of loyalty. Only non-confederates were allowed to vote and hold political office. Lincoln believed this bill was too harsh and refused to sign it. -
The Reconstruction of Acts of 1867
The Reconstruction Acts were designed to strip the south of political power. Then the south was split into 5 military districts. In order for it to end they had to ratify the 14th Amendment. The Reconstruction Acts allowed African Americans to keep their newfound rights. These acts were passed despite Johnson's veto, proving he had little power if any. -
The Civil Rights Act of 1875
The Civil Rights Act was passed by Congress and signed by Ulysses S. Grant. This act banned discrimination in public accommodations. Although, Grant was the only president to enforce this. The presidents following Grant did not enforce this law after military occupation ended. This act allowed for the civil rights movement to later prevail in the 20th Century. -
The Election of 1876
This election was the first time the South was able to vote after the Civil War. The candidates were Rutherford B. Hayes and William Tilden. Throughout the election there was not a clear successor. Although, when the votes came in 4 states were suspected of voter fraud and when asked to recount they all switched to the opposite candidate. Due to the suspected voter fraud Congress picked Hayes. Hayes as president removed military oversight in the south and ultimately ended Reconstruction. -
The Dawes Severalty Act
This Act was passed in 1887. It granted Native Americans the right to own their own land and it would come from the land on their reserve. The land that was not claimed was open to white settlement. The creation of this law was a disaster, it ruined their way of life. The Dawes Act caused the Native's to lose 66% of their land over several decades. -
Plessy V. Ferguson
Plessy v. Ferguson was a court case in 1896. This case was between Plessy, who purchased a first-class train ticket but was told he had to sit in the back of the bus because there were no colored first class seats. He took this to court against Ferguson, the train company. In a supreme court ruling of 7-1, they voted it was okay to be "separate but equal". This led to many southern businesses to become segregated ignoring the "equal" requirement in the ruling. -
Lone Wolf vs. Hitchcock
Lone Wolf v. Hitchcock was a Supreme Court case in 1903. Lone wolf was a Kiowa chief and brought the case against the government, saying treaties were being broken by their new laws. The case resulted in the ruling that congress could pass any Indian policies they wanted. They were even allowed to pass ones that went against past treaties. -
Construction of the Panama Canal
The Panama Canal was constructed after years of bargaining due to President Teddy Roosevelt's, "walk with a big stick" mantra. Teddy's support for the Panamanian independence helped him earn their respect, in turn he was given permission to build the canal. While the United States has access to most of the world based on our two coasts, many countries do not have this luxury. So, the canal brought in money for the country through tolls and helped the U.S. join a larger global market. -
The Treaty of Portsmouth
The treaty of Portsmouth formally ended the Russian Japanese war of 1904-1905. It was signed in August in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The document was finalized in September of 1905. Roosevelt ended up winning a Nobel Peace Prize for bringing the two groups to peace. -
The Antiquities Act
The Antiquities Act was the first U.S. law to provide general legal protection of cultural and natural resources of historic or scientific interest on Federal lands. President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Antiquities Act on June 8, 1906. The Antiquities Act set an important precedent by asserting a broad public interest in the preservation of these resources on Federal lands. Roosevelt used the act 18 times to establish national monuments -
Root-Takahira Agreement
This agreement was between the U.S. and Japan. The agreement helped to divert away from war and into a pact that acknowledged certain international policies in the pacific. It allowed for free oceanic commerce to keep trade between countries possible. The agreement also acknowledged Japan's authority over Manchuria. -
The Founding of the NAACP
The NAACP was created by W.E.B Du Bois, Ida Bell Wells-Barnett, Mary White Ovington, and others concerned with the treatment of African Americans. They helped with the Civil Rights Movement and organizing protests. The group also helped with starting scholarships and protecting people in court. They started to accomplish abolition of segregation and discrimination in education, housing, voting, employment, and transportation. -
The Great Migration
The Great Migration was a massive influx of African Americans from the south to the north. They migrated to cities like New York City, Chicago, and Detroit. Over 6 million people had migrated to the north by 1917. Many moved to escape racial prejudice and to look for better work. The start of World War I really led to the migration as many industrial jobs opened up when men went to war and war machines had to be made. -
Triangle Fire
The fire occurred in the Triangle Shirtwaist Company Factory, killing over 146 people. Most of the workers in the factory were immigrant women. This fire is known to be the largest industrial fire in history. A lot of attention was brought to this fire because a lot of the deaths were preventable, most were caused due to neglected safety features and locked doors on the inside of the factory. This fire shed a new light on better conditions and caused new laws and regulations to be put in place. -
Henry Ford Invents the Assembly Line
Henry Ford's assembly line led to the mass production of cars for the general public. Previously, cars were a luxury that very few Americans could afford. The assembly line made cars accessible for many. Due to the assembly line Ford was able to give his workers better benefits as well. They made enough money that his employees could be paid well and they looked forward to the whole family activities that the company would hold. This led to more loyal workers which then saved the company money. -
The Zimmerman Telegram
A 1917 intercepted dispatch in which German foreign secretary Arthur Zimmerman urged Mexico to join the central powers and promised that if the United States entered the war, Germany would help Mexico recover Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Published by American newspapers, the telegram outraged the American public and helped precipitate the move toward U.S. entry into the war on the Allied side. -
Sedition Act of 1918
This act forbade the right to free speech. It stated that nothing should be said, written, or published speaking ill of the government. This was created during WWI. The act specifically focused on the punishment of those who broke the law. Over 2,000 people were imprisoned during the war due to criticism of the government or their actions to win the war. -
The Treaty of Versailles
The 1919 treaty that ended WWI. The agreement redrew the map of the world, and assigned Germany sole responsibility for the war, and saddled it with a debt of $33 billion in war damages. Germany was also not allowed to form any army over 100,000 men and they could not build any submarines or planes. Its long-term impact around the globe - including the creation of British and French imperial “mandates”- was catastrophic. Due to what the treaty now wished the United States did not sign it. -
Sacco and Vanzetti
Sacco and Vanzetti were accused of robbery and murder for being near the scene. Although Sacco and Vanzetti were never in acts of violence, they were Italian immigrants and known anarchists. Their trials occurred in an atmosphere of social tension and turmoil. The trial judge permitted the prosecution to present extensive evidence about their anarchist ideology, immigrant background, and refusal to register for the military draft during World War I. On July 14, 1921, the jury convicted both men. -
The Immigration Act of 1924
The act limited the amount of immigrants allowed into the country. This act was created due to the massive influx of immigrants from the years prior. It only allowed 2% of each nationality to get visas based on the 1890 census. The law completely excluded Asian immigrants. -
Smoot-Hawley Tariff
This was a high tariff on imports enacted in 1930. It occurred during the Great Depression and was designed to stimulate American Manufacturing. Americans needed money due to the depression and the lack of business. Instead, it triggered retaliatory tariffs in other countries, which hindered global trade and led to greater economic contraction. This occurred due to the whole world being in an economic depression. -
Executive Order 9066
This order was signed due to the fear felt after Pearl Harbor. It authorized all people deemed, unsafe, to be moved to "relocation centers". The order specifically targeted Japanese Americans, forcing them to leave their homes and belongings behind and only bring what they could carry. Over 120,000 people were forced into these camps and 2/3 of them were American citizens. -
Social Security Act
The act was created to tempt people to retire. During the Great Depression people did not retire Due to this younger people could not enter the workforce and promotions could not occur. Social Security was a safety net for all Americans and was just taken out of the paycheck, so it was not really noticed. When the act was created it was based on a shorter life span and as an incentive to retire. -
The Creation of the House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
The committee was formed in 1938 to allow employers to investigate their employees. This was especially popular during the early years of the Cold War. They investigated Americans who might be disloyal to the government or might have associated with communists or other radicals. This led thousands of Americans to be accused of being communist and put many in jail. It led others to be blacklisted, causing many to never be able to work again. -
Pearl Harbor
The U.S. had demanded that Japan withdraw from China and Indochina. This caused Japan to be very upset with the United States especially due to the U.S. oil embargo as well, and it ultimately led to the attack. Japan believed that it would be an easy defeat and they would win territory with abundant land and resources to rule. The attack took place from 7:55 a.m.-8:25 a.m. including bombings of many ships and guns. Many died in this attack and it caused the U.S. to join WWII. -
The Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project is what helped bring the war to an end. The project was to created the first atomic bombs. The plan took place in three places, Hanford, Washington; Los Alamos, New Mexico; and Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The project was to remain a secret, and it did just that even though hundreds of thousands of Americans were working on it. Ultimately the task was completed and the bombs landed in Japan, ending the war. -
D-Day
Since 1941 the USSR had suffered many casualties and Stalin wanted to create an operation to take some pressure off of their border. The allies spent 18-months planning and training for the day. This was the largest seaborne invasion in history and was a turning point for the war. The invasion took place over 5 beaches and involved 156,000 troops, 5,400 ships, and 12,000 planes. Within 7 days the allies controlled 80 miles along the French coast. -
The G.I. Bill of Rights
This bill was signed to thank the soldiers who fought in WWII. With over 16.5 million soldiers they wanted to help get their life on track after using some of their early years to the war. The bill paid for all soldiers education, whether through college or trade school. It also provided low interest home and business loans. The bill was very well liked and helped many people start their life. -
The Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference was a meeting between Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill, and Franklin Roosevelt. In the meeting they discussed the future of Europe now that the war is over. The main topics were world organization, which created the United Nations. As well as the dismemberment of Germany to ensure that they can never cause the same harm again. Russia's entry into the war against Japan was also discussed. Lastly, the borders of Poland were decided. -
The Bombing of Hiroshima
On August 6, 1945, during World War II an American B-29 bomber dropped the world's first atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The explosion immediately killed 80,000 people and tens of thousands died later due to radiation exposure. The Manhattan Project was the top-secret plan that created the atomic bombs that were used. Three days after the first bombing another atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Nagasaki. -
The Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine arose from a speech delivered by President Truman before a joint session of Congress on March 12, 1947. The Truman Doctrine, established that the United States would provide political, military, and economic assistance to all democratic nations under threat from external or internal threats. The doctrine changed the foreign policy away from its usual stance of withdrawal, to one of possible intervention in far away conflicts. -
Shelly v. Kraemer
This was a 1948 Supreme Court decision that outlawed racially restricted housing occupancy covenants. The case came about when a black family, the Shelly's, moved into a neighborhood. Then, Louis Kraemer brought suit to enforce the covenant and prevent the Shelley's from moving into their house. However, racial discrimination persisted until the passage of the Fair Housing Act in 1968. -
The Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was an initiative to help rebuild post-war Europe. The plan began to emerge after the worry of Russia wanting to take over Greece and Turkey. Those countries asked for money in order to help keep Russia out and the U.S. agreed it was a good idea. The plan spent billions of dollars helping to rebuild most European countries, even Germany. The plan was passed because it was argued that if we help these countries now they will be more willing to help us later. -
The Formation of NATO
NATO is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The members all agreed that they will help combat attacks with smaller countries around them. This organization was formed after the spreading of communism to other countries. Most of the countries who had originally joined had been ally powers during World War II. NATO was the first peacetime military alliance the United States had entered outside of the western Hemisphere. The organization helped put some smaller countries minds at ease. -
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. the Board of Education is what decided to desegregate schools. The lawsuit was filed by Oliver Brown after his daughter was denied entrance to an all-white school. Brown was defended by the head NCAAP lawyer, Thurgood Marshall. Brown and Marshall won the case, with judges unanimously deciding to overturn the ruling of Plessy v. Ferguson. This led to many new opportunities for African American children that had never been obtained before. -
The Lynching of Emmett Till
On August 28, 1955, 14-year-old Emmett Till, an African American from Chicago, is brutally murdered for allegedly flirting with a white woman four days earlier. All of this happened while visiting family in Money, Mississippi. The husband of the woman and the store owner later made Till carry a cotton gin fan to the river where they later killed him, tied him to the gin with barbed wire, and then threw him in the water. The men were not accused of the crime and went free. -
The Eisenhower Interstate Highway Act
This project was the largest public works act in history. The goal was to update and modernize America's roadway. The roads before were full of pot holes and were inconvenient when traveling between states. They wanted it to connect the country. In order to help get the bill passed they played on the cold war fears. The government told the people the roadways would make evacuation easier and act as an emergency runway. -
The Launching of SPUTNIK
Russia launched SPUTNIK on October 4, 1957. This was the first satellite to orbit the Earth. America was shocked that Russia was the first country to space. This launch led America into joining the space race. The race led more money to be placed into the space program as well as math and science programs. John F. Kennedy was the president and the time and was very involved in the space race. -
The SNCC
The SNCC stands for the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee. The organization planned and coordinated civil rights protests activities throughout the south. It gave young black students an opportunity to be actively involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Although, in later years the organization grew frustrated with the slow pace of change and became more radical. -
The U-2 Incident
At the height of the cold war, the United States secretly gathered data on Soviet missile capabilities through photographs obtained from the U-2 of the Soviet Union. Hopes for a successful summit were dashed when on May 1, May Day, an American U-2 spy plane piloted by Francis Gary Powers was shot down over Soviet air space. On the first day of the Paris summit, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev stormed out after delivering a condemnation of U.S. spy activities. -
The Bay of Pigs
The Bay of Pigs was an invasion planned for Cuba. It was planned by President Eisenhower after Fidel Castro took over as leader of Cuba and made the country communist. The invasion was run by the CIA and gave those who fled Cuba and wanted to go back to fight, military training. While the training is taking place JFK takes office. On the day of the invasion JFK pulls out of giving naval and air force support, leaving the invaders stranded. They were all killed or captured by Castro's forces -
The Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis occurred as newly communist Cuba was spotted constructing ICBM silos. Tensions rose until the Russian destroyer the Grozny sailed into a United States blockade of Cuba with ICBMs on deck. A standoff that led to the Grozny returning to Russia is considered the closest we have ever gotten to nuclear war. -
The JFK Assassination
President JFK was assassinated while riding in a motorcade in downtown Dallas, Texas. He was allegedly assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald. His death was largely attributed to him passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1964. His passing ultimately led to the creation of the 25th Amendment which put into writing that if the president passes or has to step down that the vice president takes over. -
Lyndon B. Johnson's "Great Society"
The Great Society was a series of policy initiatives, legislation and programs spearheaded by President Lyndon B. Johnson with the main goals of ending poverty, reducing crime, abolishing inequality and improving the environment. The plan started his "War Against Poverty" which led to many social programs to help employment. During his presidency the poverty rate went from 22-13%. The plan created Medicare, Medicate, Job Corps, and the Clean Air Act. -
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights act was passed after the grueling Civil Rights Movement. Kennedy did not was to say anything about discrimination during the election because he did not want to lose votes. Although, when he saw the televised horror that African American people were facing he knew he had to speak up. The act outlawed discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnicity, sex, or national origin. This pertained to public places as well as in the workplace with hiring and firing people. -
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
This resolution was signed based on the Gulf of Tonkin incident in Vietnam. The president is then granted the power to control the military budget without permission from Congress. This would then led to immense war spending in Vietnam, which the Democratic Party strongly disliked. Lindon B. Johnson instituted Operation Rolling Thunder, which was an order to start dropping bombs on North Vietnam. Vietnam was drawn out and LBJ then required a military draft. -
The Voting Rights Act of 1965
African Americans had been allowed to vote for years, but they were scared due to the fear they would be ridiculed, beaten, or even killed. The act prohibited any precautions white people had put in place keeping African Americans from voting. They would make them take tests or prove they were literate in order to vote. Other places had mobs waiting to jump people before they could even reach the polls. The act helped them to exercise a right they already had and got rid of the fear of voting. -
My Lai Massacre
The My Lai massacre was one of the most horrific violent events during the Vietnam War. It occurred when a group of American Soldiers brutally killed women, children, men, and the elderly in the city of My Lai. There were more than 500 deaths and the women and girls were raped and or mutilated before being killed. The U.S. soldiers covered up the event for a year before it was covered by the press. Due to the coverage it spurred more anti-war movements. -
Martin Luther King Jr. is Assassinated
On Thursday April 4, 1968 at 6:05 p.m. MLK was shot on his second floor balcony at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. His death led to many race riots. It led to 40 or more deaths across the country and extensive property damage in over 100 American cities. James Earl Ray, a 40-year-old escaped fugitive, later confessed to the crime and was sentenced to a 99-year prison term.President Lyndon B. Johnson called for a national day of mourning to be observed on April, 7. -
Detente
This was a time period where Nixon began easing tensions between China, the Soviet Union, and the United States. The period began in 1969. Nixon started easing the tensions by meeting with China in 1972. Then he signed the "Limiting Anti-ballistic Missiles" treaty with Russia. The Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT) helped limit nuclear weapons. Nixon was then able to reduce the arms race and Cold War tensions. -
The Clean Air Act 1970
The enactment of the Clean Air Act of 1970 resulted in a major shift in the federal government's role in air pollution control. This legislation authorized the development of federal and state regulations to limit emissions of both industrial and mobile sources. Four major regulatory programs affecting stationary sources included: the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, State Implementation Plans, New Source Performance Standards, and National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants. -
Watergate Scandal
In June of 1972 a group of men working for the Committee to Re-elect the President (CREPE) were caught breaking into the Democratic HQ in Watergate. Even before this event Nixon's people had ordered wire taps on government employees and reporters to "stop leaks". People labeled "plumbers" were created to stop leaks and discredit opponents. The event itself did not lead to his impeachment, although him trying to cover up the event did. -
Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade was a monumental Supreme Court Decision in women's rights. It decided that a woman's right to abortion is covered under the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The case was brought on by "Jane Roe" when she was pregnant with her third child and wanted an abortion, but she lived in Texas so she couldn't. The case was appealed all the way up to the Supreme court with her winning in a 7-2 decision that under the 14th Amendment it is legal to have an abortion. -
The Camp David Accords
The Camp David Accords were a pair of political agreements signed by Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem. They Began on September 17, 1978, following twelve days of secret negotiations at Camp David. Jimmy Carter was the president who set up the event. The agreements helped to establish peace between Egypt and Israel. This was the first time during the Cold War that the Soviet Union and the United States agreed to limit nuclear missiles. -
The Three Mile Island Meltdown
The Three Mile Island Unit 2 reactor, near Middletown, Pennsylvania partially melted down on March 28, 1979. This was the most serious accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power plant operating history, although its radioactive releases had no detectable health effects on workers or the public. Its aftermath brought about changes involving emergency response planning, reactor operator training, human factors engineering, and radiation protection. It also caused regulations to be tightened. -
The Election of 1980
This election brought Reagan into the presidency. He defeated Jimmy Carter in a landslide. He ran as a republican and won every state but 6 and the District of Columbia. Reagan was a new milestone in the conservative movement. The group the New Lights opposed a large federal government. Many conservatives argued against liberal programs although Reagan kept many because they were popular. They also opposed entitlement government spending. -
The Beirut Barracks Bombings
On October 23, 1983, Hizballah killed 241 U.S. military personnel, which included 220 Marines, 18 sailors, and three soldiers in a terrorist bombing of the Marine Corps barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. Just a few minutes later, a second suicide bomber killed 58 French paratroopers. There were also six innocent Lebanese civilians who also lost their lives. The shocking attack on the Beirut barracks remains to this day the single deadliest day for the U.S. Marine Corps since the Battle of Iwo Jima.