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Settlement of Jamestown
The Jamestown settlement was the first settlement in 1607. At the time of the settlement the death rate was 80% and the people of Jamestown were having trouble populating due to the fact that the death rate was so high. Out of pity the natives began to help the pilgrams. Tobacco became the first major cash crop. In 1619 the first small shipment of slaves arrived to Jamestown, they would be used to help with the tobacco. The headright system was put into place. This led to indentured servitude. -
Headright system
With the increase of the need tobacco the need for workers also increased. Tabacco was the first major cash crop and the people of Jamestown weren't expecting that. The death rate was to high and they couldn't get people to come and live in Jamestown. This is when the Headright system was introduced.It was a legal grant of land given to settlers In Jamestown to promote population. For every person that you sponsored to come to Jamestown you got 50 acres of land in return -
First shipment of slaves
WIth the increase of tabacco came the increase in the need for workers. As earlier established, Jamestown couldn't get people to come and live there with the death rate being so high, as a result came the first shipment of slaves to the Colonies. This would continue for years and slavery would soon become one of the most controvesial topics In the (later to become) nation. It would come to an end after the civil war many years later. -
The great awakening
The great awakening was a religious revival that had lasting impacts on christianity. This was basically a time in which spiritual and religious devotion was revived. Religion played a very important role in the lives of colonists. However before the great awakening it was separate and only really focused on traditional practices. People like George Whitefield and Johnaton Edwards emerged because they wanted to see a change. The great awakening ended with the idea that anyone can be saved. -
The French and Indian war
The French and Indian war revolved mainly around the Ohio River Valley. The British gained a lot of land from the war. The French gave their land to the spanish so that the British would not be able to get it without war. during this war Colonist would target the British officers which made the British feel like the Colonist were unfair. We also fought this war using guerilla warfare tactics. Because the British only used traditional tactics they believed this was cowardly this led to independen -
The Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 was issued by the royal crown following the end of the French and Indian war. It set limits on the territories that the Europeans could settle. This was made to make the natives happy because they had been occupying the land for much longer than the Europeans. This was also a way of the British tightebing control on the colonists. The Colonists could only settle anywhere between the alantic coast and the appalachian mountains. -
The stamp act
The French and Indian war caused the Britsh to go into a lot of debt. In order to pay for the costly war the British began taxing only the colonists. One of the taxes was the stamp act, which was passed by Parliament. The colonists saw this as a threat to the government they had created for themselves. This tax affected the higher class more than the lower which was bad because they were more educated and more likely to fight back. -
The Boston Massacre
The Boston massacre was a result of high tensions because the taxes. -
The Boston Tea Party
The Boston tea party was a result of unfair taxes. The British were taxing the Americans only. The Americans saw this as unfair and unjust. The sons of liberity who were a Political group at the time, raided the Boston harbor and dumped 340 chestes of tea into the water. As a result of the their actions the Harbor got closed and there was no longer shipments of materials from other places -
The Battle of Saratoga
The battle of Saratoga was the turning point in the war. The American defeated the British army and lifted the moral of the American army. The Army had begun to become very depressed and people had started to depart. They had faced defeat after defeat and saw no hope of winning the war. The Battle at Saratoga had changed this all though. It boosted morale and gave the army the hope they needed to win the war. Most think that without this victory they wouldnt had won the war. -
The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was the announcement of the colonists for Great Britain. The main summary of the decleration was basically the colonies had been treated horribly by the British. They wanted to be free. At the time there were only 13 colonies. They ended up getting free. The colonies became states. Obviously they succeeded. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
The Lexington and Concord battle was the first battle of the American Revolution. Colonists from Massachusetts defied the British authority and outnumbered and outfought the redcoats. This was the start to a long war for the independece of the colonists. -
Shays Rebellion
Shays Rebellion was a rebellion in 1787. It led to a military confrontation. The rebels of the rebellion were mostly ex soldiers. This rebellion highlighted the articles of confederation. Daniel shays was the leader of the rebellion. He was a soldier who had fought in the war. He fought at Bunker Hill. Farmers were upset because the compensation that they were getting was barley enough to make ends meet after the war. The rebellion ended in 1787. -
Northwest Ordinance
The northwest ordinance charted a government fr the Northwest territory, provided a method for admitting new states into the nation and listed a bill of rights that was guaranteed in the territory. It followed the principles outlined by Thomas Jerfferson. -
Constitution
In simples terms the constitution was a set of rules. It was the foundation for our federal government. It decided how our government would be run and set up. It also was how our states are run. It is one of the most famous documents in the history of our nation. -
The Bill of Rights is passed
The Bill of Rights guarantees the civil rights of the people of the nation. It outlines the rights that can't be taken away from the individuals of the nation. Things freedom of speech, freedom of religion, press, freedom to gather among other things. It is a very important document for the people of the nation. -
The Cotton Gin
The Cotton Gin was an invention by Eli Whitney in 1794. It separated seeds from the cotton pods. At this time that this was invented slavery had begun slowing down. However this resparked slavery. The farmers and plantation owners needed someone to operate the machine which Is what they used slaves for. -
The election of 1800
Sometimes called the revolution of 1800, the election of 1800 was presidential elections held in the us in 1800. This was an election between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. Jefferson defeated Hamiton. This is considered the first real election of the nation. It was won based on fair votes that the people decided on by themselves. -
The Louisiana Purchase
the Untited states purchases 530,000,000 acres of territory in North America from France in 1803 for 1 15 million. This was important because of the mississippi river. This river was important because it was vital for the ecomony of the nation. The river was used a conductor for the good the us was making. This was controversial because Jeffereson was a strict constructionist and the consistuation gave him not power to make the purchase. -
Marbury vs madison
Marbury v Madison was when for the first time ever the supreme court struck down an act of congress as unconstitutional. This was important in establishing the courts power to check the power of the other branches. This followed the election of Jefferson. -
The Steamboat
The Steamboat was a major development in the US. It was a boat that was powered by steam. It was used for transporting good up and down the river. They would sometimes carry passengers as well. They mainly carried cargo like sugar and cotton. -
The war of 1812
Tensions had been high following the French revolution. The war was fought for several reasons. Following the reports of the impressement of US sailors by royal Navy. Aswell as hopes for terrirotal expansion. The us was not prepared and would end up watching the Whitehouse burn during the war. The Indians who allied with the Indians would end up being defeated in this war but that is the only person who would be. -
The Battle of New Orleans
Despite the peace treaty being signed news had not reached the britsh army that was in route to louisiana. Gernal Jackson gathered a group of milita pirates nd regular infantry to defend the city of New Orleans. They ended up winning this battle. This brought Jackson to fame and was one of the main reasons he was able to run for president. -
The Missouri compromise
In response to crisis that was escalating over the power imbalance between slave and free states, Henry clay organized a compromise to save the nation and keep everyone together. this involved Missouri being a slave state and maine being a free state. this mainrained the peace and would not be the last time Clay would help the nation with a compromise. -
Monroe Doctrine
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Second Great Awakening
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Indian removal Act
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Nullification Crisis
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The Alamo
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Invention of steel plow
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The Panic of 1837
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Panic of 1837
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Atomic Bomb
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The Mexican American War
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The Gold Rush
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The Compromise of 1850
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Dred Scott
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Lincoln Election
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Confederates raid Fort Sumter
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The Homestead act of 1862
The homestead act was when the government gave anyone could have free land if they would stay and farm it. This was useful to people who had nothing to leave behind, however people who had familes struggled actually farming the land -
battle of Gettysburg
After the victory at chancellorsville lee decided to move North and threaten Washington DC nd attempt to force an end to the war. This would not go as he anticipated. He would find a strong union force under general Meade prepared to stop his advnace into Pennsylvania. Lee would lose a third of his fighting force in this battle. -
Emancipation
In the hopes of ending slavery for good in America, Lincoln announced the Emancipation proclamation. This Freed any slaves outside the union territory. This meant that after the union army arrived that the salves would be free men and would be allowed to do as they please. This however didn't free slaves in the union states or us controlled territory. -
Lee surrenders
After almost 4 years of bloody fighting that would be the most expensive in American history, Lee is trapped at the Appomattox courthouse by Grant. Lee will end up surrending to grant because he has no chance of getting out. Grant orders his troops to disarm.This would be the effective end to the civil war -
Indian Wars renew in 1860s
The Indian Wars was seen as a great violence in the 1860s and forward as settlers began to push onto Indian land attempting to force tribes onto reservations and destroying the buffalo heards Indians began to push back against the settlers who threatend to destroy their lives this would cause many massacres. -
Transcontinental Railroad
The completion of the transcontinental railroad was one of the biggest achievements of the nation. It is a major development for transportation. It is good for transporting people and goods. It is a major source of money in the nation. Many thought it would be impossible to finish and others thought it would be foolish. But it is one of the most important developments in our history. -
15th Amendment
In a bid to maintain influence in the South and protect the rights of the freedman congress enacted the 15th admendment. This was groundbreaking and ensured the right to vote for all men despite their skin color or prior status. This was extremely controversial. -
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone is the world first national park. It was founded in 1872. It was the product of of big companies efforrts to conserve the west. Some people feared the exstensive development of the west was leading to destruction of many landscapes. Others saw it as a way to attract tourist and raise money. This protected 2 million acres and would create the first national park in the nation. -
Panic of 1873
The Panic of 1873 was the result of the stock market crashing. After the civil war the us banking system grew rapidly and seemed to be working well. The Panic started with a problem in europe when the stock market crashed. Investors began to sell of the investments they had in america. Especially railroads. The Panic spread to the banks in Washington. This caused at least 100 banks to fail. -
Reconstruction ends
reconstruction followed the end of the civil war when the nation was trying to figure out how to bring all of the newly freed slaves into the public. Everyone had different ideas of how the government should be run. Rconstruction ended in 1877. -
Dawes Act
The Dawes act was put into place to break reservation land which was held by tribes. Tribes would be spilt up or given smaller allotments of land. This was not helpful for the tribles but since the land they were on had value to the whites they would not be left alone. They government thought that this would encourage the natives to buy their own land. Thet wanted the natives to own land. That was the original plan for this act.