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Cotton Gin invented
Before the cotton gin, slaves were forced to pick cotton and put them in baskets or be severely punished. Until March 14th, 1794, when Whitney patented the cotton gin that was able to effectively remove cotton seeds from cotton plants and cotton fuzz. Able to remove about 50 pounds of cotton a day! -
XYZ Affair (A.K.A. wxyz affair)
4 french intermediaries met with John Adams and stated that France will agree with America's peace claim as long as several conditions were met, a low-interest loan, assume and pay American merchant claims against the French, and pay a substantial bribe to Talleyrand. THe U.S. was shocked, John Adams was hesitant with the demand and an undeclared war called the quasi war came, the convention of 1800 brought peace with the 2 countries... for now >:) -
Louisiana Purchase
As Napoleon Bonapart conquered more and more lands and also lost them, he decided the Louisiana territory was just not worth it. He decided to sell it to whoever wanted it. (Thomas Jefferson) In fact, he was so willing, that he sold it to him for 3 cents per acre! What a bargain! (Wait, where is the catch? INDIANS!) -
Agreement of 49th Parallel
Set a border from Canada to separate the U.S. and also consulted with the British Monroe ministry. It set apart the U.S. from England and the Franch. It also made America more independent. -
Adams-Onis treaty
An agreement between the United States and Spain that gave Florida to the U.S. and set out a boundary between the United States and Mexico. -
The Missouri Compromise
To preserve the balance of power in Congress between slave and free states, the Missouri Compromise was passed in 1820 making Missouri a slave state and Maine as a free state. It also set the boundary of slavery and the border of where to cross to get to free or slave states. -
Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine was made to limit European involvement in the U.S. and any other U.S. related things. It was signed and looked over by James Monroe. -
Indian removal act
Andrew Jackson signed a law that authorized the him to grant unsettled lands west of the Mississippi in exchange for Indian lands within existing state borders. Few indians went peacefully, while most fought and resisted, ultametely increasing conflict with the indians in the U.S. -
Start of the Alamo Battle
During Texas's fight for independence from Mexico, groups of Texan volunteers occupy the Alamo and prepare to take on the impending Mexican forces surrounding the base. The 200 soldiers and their families still continued to stay in the Alamo despite Mexico's offer to let them go with no trouble. They fought for 13 to 14 days, which is very incredible considering that the Texans were heavily outnumbered. Like the longest game of COD:Zombies -
Texas Declares Independence
Soon after Texas's conflict with Mexico, it declared itself free of it. Becoming an independent nation, so to speak. However, not much later, Texas decideds it's better to stay in a group than trek alone and fight the mexicans alone. -
End of the Alamo Battle
After about 13 days of battling, the English can't hold out, hundreds of bodies lay strewn on the ground. Mostly all the men were killed with few exceptions. Women and young children were spared and forced to leave wih one message "Don't come back." -
The Trail of Tears
Andrew Jackson's removal policy stood and forced the Cherokee nation to give up its lands east of the Mississippi river, then they wanted them to migrate to Oklahoma. The migrants called this trek the "Trail of Tears" because of the harsh side effects of the journey. Disease,starvation, and exhaustion killed many of the unlucky travelers. -
Texas annexed to U.S.
Texas voluntarily decided to become a part of the U.S., the U.S. wanting to expand, agreed and allowed Texas to become part of itself. Despite the warnings from Mexico that if Texas was to be annexed, they would declare war. Making one of the reasons that Mexico started the Mexican-American war. -
Start of Mexican-American war
With the demand for more land in the U.S. and more people multiplying, the U.S. ultimately went to war with Mexico to over the last western part of the continent. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The treaty ended the war and gave the U.S. 525,000 square miles of land to the U.S. majorly expanding the U.S. and almost finalizing the process of expanding for America. -
End of Mexican-American war
The U.S., after a long war with Mexico, finally defeats them and wins over the large section of northern Mexico. Mexico signs a treaty to end the war and hand over land to the U.S. -
California becomes a state
After the results of the Mexican-American war, California sought statehood in the U.S., after a long debate in Congress, it was decided that California would be a slavery-free northern state. -
Gadsden Purchase
The United States decided to pay Mexico $10 million for 29,670 square mile portion of Mexico that will later become part of Arizona and New Mexico. The purchase is a new step towards expanding America. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Federal Congress decided that people in the territories of Kansas and Nebraska can decide for themselves whether or not to allow slavery within their borders. It is a matter of choices in the states. For slaves, it was a tiny miracle considering the risk of trusting the wrong people, or seriously getting help to be free.
