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Compromise of 1877
Also known as the Corrupt Bargain, it was a non-verbal or written agreement between politicians of the two major parties setting that a Republican President would be elected (Rutherford B. Hayes), officially showing unity between the North and South; however, through this act the federal government would withdraw all troops from the south and implement leniency for all equality programs. This would be see as the formal end of the Reconstruction Era. -
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Spanish-American War
After year of poor treatment to their colonies, continued insults, and the sinking of the USS Maine, the U.S. declared War on Spain and fought across their territories. Eventually winning through their use of a superior navy, the united States would take control of a majority of Spain's Colonies and truly became a global power. -
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Philippine-American War
With the conclusion of the Spanish-American war, Spain ceded the Islands to the U.S.; however, this was an affront to Filipino nationalists who had been fighting for independence and saw this as a continuation of previous rule. The U.S. would quell this rebellion through arduous battle, where both sides lost many. Within this conflict was the Moro rebellion that began in 1902 and ended in 1913 where the Filipino Sultanate began fighting American forces and ended with complete U.S. control. -
U.S. ends occupation of Cuba
Ended the occupation of Cuba as it set up a Republic; however this treaty ensuring the end of the U.S. control would affect future relations with the Island. -
U.S. Annexes Panama Canal Zone
I included this as it was a prime example of U.S. Imperialism during the early 1900's where they would keep most territories hand over by Spain, excluding the Philippines and Cuba, as well America branching out into Latin American conflicts. Specifically, the U.S. helped Panama gain independence from Colombia; however, they forced Panama to cede a small portion of the Isthmus to the U.S. where they would continue and eventually finish the canal. -
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World War I
A terrible conflict involving a majority of global power in the early 1900's. U.S. involvement was mostly indirect until the sinking of the civilian Lusitania and many like this exemplifying how all vessels were being targeted by German U-Boats indiscriminately. Bloody conflict would continue until the Entente surrendered and Germany was forced to pay enormous reparations. -
Black Tuesday (Great Depression)
Although some may place the beginning of the Great Depression in September of that year, Black Tuesday is a true signifier of the complete collapse of Wall Street stocks. Many of these stock were bought on credit and this over use of credit left banks without value and a skyrocket of unemployment. -
Franklin D. Roosevelt is Elected 32nd President (New Deal)
This occurred during the peak of the Great Depression with Americans wanting serious change. Roosevelt's "New Deal" was completely counter to that of Hoover where the government would take a much greater role all aspects of American life. He would shut down banks and only open financially secure ones, created numerous jobs that restored natural beauty, and had several programs take a direct role in the economy controlling things like interest and loans. -
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WWII
The greatest war to ever stroke this planet based on scale and weaponry, the Third Reich of Germany would begin to slowly expand and start war in the 1940s, partnering with Italy and Japan as fighting really picked up to for the Axis Powers. The U.S. did not join until the attacking of Pearl Harbor on 12/07/1941 where Japan attacked a Naval base in Hawaii. After that we declared war on Japan, then Germany, and would fight in both the Atlantic and Pacific fronts until 1945. -
Dropping of the Atomic Bomb
The U.S. would eventually drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 and a second one on Nagasaki three days later on August 9. The destruction from these weapons would destroy these two cities and force the Japanese Empire to finally surrender. With the introduction of the nuclear bomb to the world, it would eventually begin the Cold War with Russian and a conflict with communism in general. -
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Cold War
The Cold War was indirect conflicts between the Communist Russia/China and the U.S. where several proxy wars would begin including Korea and Vietnam that were primarily fought over the allowance of Communism. The Soviet Union would create the Western Block by taking over numerous West European countries, and would remained unstopped in their cruelty of civilians until the eventual collapse in 1991. At several points nuclear doomsday occurred during tense stand off between Russia and the U.S. -
Korean Armistice Agreement
The Korean Armistice was the official end of the Korean War and set boundaries between the Communist North and Democratic South. It began after WWII as the area was occupied after Japanese rule and would eventually lead to distinct leaders culture and the start of a communist party in the North. China and the Soviet Union would support the North and would only be stalemated at the 38th parallel by U.S. supported South Korea. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
Another portion of the Cold War happened when the Soviet Union began building missile sites and placing nuclear bombs inside of Cuba. This offered a more real and tangible threat to the U.S. and caused a tense standoff between the two nations. It only ended after a long phone call between the leaders of these two nation where the Soviets would take their nuclear weapons out of Cuba and the U.S. would take theirs out of Turkey. -
First Men on the Moon
The Space Race was likely the pinnacle of the Cold War as both sides were attempting to land a man on the moon for the first time. The Soviets had clearly beaten us into outer space as they had the first orbiting object in 1957 and the first man to orbit the Earth a few years later; however, the U.S. was somehow able to engineer the Apollo missions and, as President Kennedy had promised, put a man on the moon before 1970. -
Fall of Saigon (End of Vietnam War)
Latter portion of the Cold War as U.S. began fighting another war in the name of stopping the spread of communism, this time in Vietnam. Americans sent thousands of soldiers into the Jungle of South Asia; however, this would be far more brutal and much less favorable in the eyes of everyday citizens. After years of conflict and no foreseeable victory in sight, all support was lost, Americans pulled out and the Fall of Saigon marked the end of the conflict. -
U.S. Returns Panama Canal back to the Republic of Panama
During the Carter administration during the later '70s found it beneficial for the Panamanian government to own this area, especially since they were surround the land rather than the U.S. Furthermore, it was somewhat of a peace offering to the souring relations between the U.S. and Panama. In history it represents a continual shrink of American Imperialism. -
Liberation of Kuwait
The Liberation of Kuwait was the official end of the Gulf War after Iran invaded Kuwait for its oil resources. The U.S. implemented a two step approach, Desert Shield in 1990 was securing area in the Middle East and Desert Storm in 1991 that was the offensive portion freeing Kuwait. -
Al-Qaeda terrorist attack
During the late '90's several bombing and arson attacks were committed against U.S. embassies in Europe and the Middle east, culminating in the 9/11 terrorist attack where 3 planes were hijacked. Two would strike both towers of the World Trade Center and the final one would be bravely stopped and crash landed in Pennsylvania. Would be the event that causes the War in Afghanistan. -
Afghanistan
It was continual U.S. presence in the Middle East after the 9/11 attacks in an attempt to squash terrorist groups in the region and provide the region stability. The project lost support and after America's departure in 2021, the Taliban quickly resumed control of the region. -
Financial Crisis of 2008
This was a global recession, only rivalled by the Great Depression in the 1930's, where loaners granted a large amount of predatory loans that were incredibly hard to pay off for the individual. At such a large scale, the spending on basically credit led to a financial collapse and crisis in the late 2000's.