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Beginning of the Seven Years' War
The real start to the American revolution began with the Seven Years' War. The colonists had been long neglected by the British government, and for generations had been forced to put out their own fires in America, most didn't even remember feeling the impact of the British government on the colonies. However, the Seven Years' War brought British attention back to the colonies. British felt that the colonists had not contributed enough so they decided to keep a closer watch over the colonists. -
Proclamation of 1763
The French-Indian war hit the British hard. They decided that the colonies needed to become more profitable. They left British troops in the colonies to keep an eye on the people. They claimed they were there to protect the colonists from Spanish, French, and Indians. The Proclamation of 1763 decreed that there could be no expansion past the hard-won Appalachian Mountains. The colonists were furious that they could not enjoy the land they fought for. -
Sugar Act of 1764
After the French and Indian war, Britain tries to earn more money to make up for what they lost in the war. The British placed heavy taxes on molasses and sugar. The colonists were outraged, after years of neglect were infuriated by Britain's sudden control. Many colonists began smuggling sugar products. The British lowered the tax to 25 cents per gallon in hopes to stop the smuggling, but colonists began smuggling even more out of spite. -
Stamp Act of 1765
The British imposed the Stamp Act on the colonists, taxing all paper in the colonies. The colonists were furious, in addition to all the other rules, this was too much. The British wanted to use this to help pay back debts for the Seven Years' War, and thought it would be a good addition with the Sugar Act, but it was heavily contested by the colonists. Their resistance eventually led to its repeal in 1766, and really emphasized the conflict between the British and the colonists. -
Quartering Act of 1765
British soldiers were still in the colonies to watch over the colonists after the war. The British government passed the Quartering Act to allow the soldiers to live with the colonists. This placed unnecessary stress and financial burdens on the colonists because they had constant watch over them and had to also feed the soldiers in addition to housing them. The Quartering Act resulted in increased resentment of the colonists towards the British. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre started with colonists protesting on a snowy day outside of the Boston customs house. Enraged by British control, they wanted to protest the unfair taxes and rules being imposed on them. The protesters began throwing snowballs at the soldiers guarding the customs house. Someone threw a rock and it caught a soldier in the face. There were only five soldiers there, they fired into the crowd and killed five colonists. -
Boston Tea Party
Samuel Adams was drunk at the Green Dragon, dressed as a Native American, and decided to dump crates of tea into the Boston harbor. What was essentially a prank caused huge consequences from the British government. The Coercive and Intolerable Acts were put into place which closed the port of Boston, outlawed assemblies, took control of the colonial government, and allowed royal officials to be tried in England. They also enacted high taxes, further infuriating the colonists. -
Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft and then it was revised by delegates who then voted to approve it. The Declaration of Independence was essentially a breakup letter to the British. Even if imperfect in its application, the thought that all men were created equal and that the government existed to serve the people, was revolutionary in a world dominated by monarchy and aristocracy. Jefferson’s works have changed the nature of government throughout the world. -
American Crisis published
Not even a year after declaring independence, the Continental Army experienced extremely low morale. They were being beaten time after time by the British army, and they thought it was obvious they were fighting a losing battle. Thomas Paine combated this by writing American Crisis, a series of nine patriotic essays to boost the Continental Army morale. This led to an increase of patriotism among those fighting for the revolution. -
Battle of Saratoga
Following the Brutal Winter of 1777, the colonists were in desperate need of a win. Morale was low, they were at every disadvantage. The Battle of Saratoga was the real turning point in the war. British General John Burgoyne and his army planned to move south where he would meet with two other British armies and face the Continentals. Other British armies are not there, and Burgoyne is quickly surrounded and forced to surrender along with his whole army. This victory resulted in improved morale. -
Battle of Yorktown
After a grueling campaign through southern colonies, General Cornwallis retreated to the coast of Yorktown, Virginia for the winter and the protection of the Royal Army. Cornwallis was not aware however that the French navy had defeated the British fleet at the Battle of the Capes in September. When Cornwallis arrived at Yorktown, he found the French navy at his back and the American army before them. The Battle of Yorktown was the victory of the colonies. -
Shays' Rebellion
Following the revolutionary war, veterans returned home, and many had farms that had fallen apart in their absence. Because they had been fighting for America, their crops were neglected and failed. Many had their land seized by banks. Some veterans rose up and overtook courthouses, then made their way to Boston. To fight them, there had to be a private army because the Articles of Confederation didn't allow a standing army. Shays' Rebellion pointed a spotlight on issues with the Articles. -
Connecticut Compromise
During the Constitutional Convention, there was a disagreement with how the legislature should be structured. The New Jersey plan wanted to have the same amount of representation for each state in the legislature, Virginia wanted it to be based on size. The solution was to have a bicameral legislature, with the Senate having equal representation, and the House of Representatives to have population representation. This compromise shaped our system of government. -
French Revolution
The French people overthrew the monarchy by executing King Louis XVI. France had helped America during the revolution, and the people were split on whether to help the French or not. They had promised to help France if they were to need it, but America was still being built and was not in a state to be fighting wars that weren't even theirs. Washington ended up deciding to not help the French and to remain neutral. This caused tensions between France and America. -
Whiskey Rebellion
The Whiskey rebellion was the first major crisis of the Constitution. Part of Hamilton's financial plan was this harsh tax on whiskey. Farmers refused to pay the tax until the American army enforced it. This tested the new government's authority. They were able to levy a tax that impacted all citizens. With Shays' rebellion, the government could not respond to the rebels and had to rely on private enemies under the Articles of Confederation, but the Constitution allowed them to fight back. -
XYZ Affair
In order to repair relations with the French after we remained neutral during the French Revolution, Adams sent diplomats to negotiate a treaty.
The French responded by demanding a “gift” or bribe of $250,000 before they would negotiate.
American diplomats refused to pay, and Americans were angry about the French slight and demanded war. Adams avoided war by negotiating peace with Napoleon which was an unpopular move. However angry American citizens were, they were unready for another fight. -
Eli Whitney’s cotton gin patent validated
Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, which revolutionized the farming industry. It had interchangeable parts which was a remarkable innovation in manufacturing, making mass production possible. The cotton gin removes seeds from cotton fiber, a difficult and time consuming task.
It made cotton more profitable, but also caused slavery to pick back up. Southern states became a monocrop economy due to the popularity of growing cotton after the invention of the cotton gin. -
Marbury v. Madison
Thomas Jefferson won the election of 1800 beating incumbent John Adams. In an attempt to hold on to the judicial branch, Adams, on his last day in office, appointed new judges to block Jefferson. This introduced the idea of judicial review to the American judicial system. The Supreme Court sided with Madison and didn't grant Marbury position because they found the Judiciary Act unconstitutional. This was the case that changed the judicial system forever. -
Louisiana Purchase
Jefferson was worried that the United States would lose New Orleans and access to the Mississippi river. He sent James Monroe to negotiate with Napoleon for New Orleans for $3 million. He was uninterested, unless they also took Louisiana for $15 million. Jefferson was torn, because while it was a fantastic deal for the United States, he firmly believed that the president didn't have that power given by the Constitution. He put his beliefs aside and agreed, doubling the size of the country. -
Embargo Act of 1807
Jefferson was infuriated by the Napoleonic wars and impressment of U.S. sailors. He passed the Embargo Act of 1807 to punish the European countries. However, he failed to see how this would hurt Americans. It hurt port cities who depended on trade for revenue. It also ended up helping America by encouraging U.S. manufacturers, forcing them to produce the goods they had previously imported from European countries, in turn stimulating the American economy. -
War of 1812 ended
The British Navy impressed American sailors and the British army supported Native American resistance against the U.S. In retaliation, the U.S. wants to prove to Britain that the victory of the American Revolution was not luck. Americans demanded respect from the world. However, they had a poorly trained and led army, and it was no match for the British Navy. Americans were forced to fight defensive war against an invading professional army, putting them at an obvious disadvantage. -
Corrupt Bargain
In the election of 1812, no candidate received a majority of votes, so it went to the House of Representatives. Henry Clay, the current Speaker of the House, dropped out of the race. He and John Quincy Adams met privately and no one knew what they discussed. In the days that followed the meeting, Clay publicly supported Adams and the House elects Adams as president.Three days later Adams appointed Clay to become his Secretary of State. Jackson supporters claimed it was a ‘Corrupt Bargain.’ -
Temperance movement started
Around 1825, the temperance movement began. A direct result of the second Great Awakening, many realized that resorting to alcohol was wrong. Many poor families realized that much of their money was being wasted on alcohol, and it was just a distraction from life. With the Second Great Awakening, the idea of free will became big. Temperance showed self-restraint that played into the idea of choosing to be good and Godly. -
Election of 1828
A big issue during this election was the expansion of voting rights. Following the corrupt Bargain from the year before, tensions were higher, and the American people saw the debut of actual political parties. This election was the first modern election. There was a lot of mudslinging between candidates, also a first for the nation. In the end, Andrew Jackson won, and his supporters were so excited that they destroyed White House. -
Lyman Beecher opens his Seminary
Lyman Beecher was one of the biggest reasons for the second great awakening. He taught free will in his sermons, very at odds with religious beliefs before, when people believed your fate was predetermined. However, this new wave of preachers taught that your actions determined your afterlife instead. Lyman Beecher taught this idea to a whole new generation of preachers in his Seminary, allowing his teachings to live on with the awakening. -
Tariff of Abominations
This tariff made foreign goods more expensive. It forced people to buy more U.S. goods. The northerners greatly profited from the increased business. However, the southerners were angry because it made foreign goods more expensive for them. Europe retaliated by not buying as much American cotton. Because of this, the southern economy greatly suffers. To keep Europe buying their cotton, they had to keep buying European products, which were now much more expensive for them because of the tariff. -
Indian Removal Act
Many Americans felt uneasy living amongst the Native Americans. In the court case, Cherokee Nation v. GA it was ruled that natives were, “Domestic dependent nations." However, a few years later in the Worcester v. GA case, Natives were declared to deserve rights. Andrew Jackson told Justice Marshall to enforce it, so the ruling was not put into place. Jackson then planned the Trail of Tears, a plan to forcibly relocate the Natives to the west, carried out by Van Buren. -
First Liberator Issue Published
William Lloyd Garrison was an abolitionist journalist who started a popular anti-slavery newspaper. The second Great Awakening spurred many to join the abolitionist cause, realizing that slavery was hateful and anti-christian. The Second Great Awakening helped many whites to have their eyes opened to their flawed system of labor. William Lloyd Garrison's newspaper helped spread word and news to entice others to the cause. Many women specifically were sympathetic to the abolitionist cause. -
Nullification Ordinance
Still angry about the “Tariff of Abominations,” the South threatened to nullify the law. Congress reduced the Tariff of 1828 in 1832. South Carolina was not pleased with the new tariff either and passed the Nullification Ordinance (South Carolina Ordinance) in 1832 which declared the Tariffs of 1828 and 1832 null and void. Southern states would secede if the federal government used force to make them comply. Congress decided that secession would be treason. -
Battle of The Alamo
Chaos in Mexico City and the abolition of the 1824 Constitution infuriated Texans, causing them to declare independence from Mexico. In response, Mexico declared war on Texas, refusing to recognize them as an independent nation. The U.S. felt some kinship to the Texans and decided to assist. The Battle of the Alamo occurred the same year, and the Texans were hopelessly outnumbered. "Remember the Alamo" became a slogan representing the strength of the Americans and how they refused to surrender. -
First Telegraph message sent
Samuel F. B. Morse sent the first telegraph message in 1844. He sent "What hath God wrought?" from Washington, DC to Baltimore. The invention of the telegraph revolutionized communication. Messages that would have taken days to arrive could be sent in minutes, something that at the time was completely unheard of. The telegraph facilitated the growth in the railroads, consolidated financial and commodity markets, and reduced information costs within and between firms. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Texan-Mexican war, forcing Mexico to relinquish all claim on Texas. The United States won the annexation of Texas, but after everything, they decided they wanted more than just Texas and bragging rights. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo also gave the United States the modern day States of New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, and Utah. It officially recognized Rio Grande as the southern border of the United States. -
Compromise of 1850
California in becoming a state, decided as a whole it wanted to be a free state, however, it was supposed to be a slave state. There was a lot of arguing, but Henry Clay came up with a compromise. The Compromise of 1850 had four parts; California enters as a free state, slave trade abolished in D.C., strict fugitive slave laws are enacted nationwide,
and territories applying for statehood governed by Popular Sovereignty. This allowed for both sides to have wins and losses. -
Dred Scott case
Dred Scott moved with his owner to a free state, and argued that because it was a free state he couldn’t be a slave. After a decade of fighting, the supreme court
ruled that African Americans were inferior and had no rights. This ruling set the United States back so far. This ruling essentially made it so that there was no such thing as a free state if slaves are still slaves in free states. African Americans were denied citizenship with this ruling. -
Bull Run
The civil war began with Bull Run, when the Union marched from Washington DC to Bull Run creek to fight the Confederates. The Union greatly underestimated the Confederates, resulting in a Confederate victory. The Union realized this was going to be much harder than they anticipated, and the south was emboldened by their victory. Bull Run set the tone for the beginning of the war, outnumbered by Confederates and more Union deaths. -
Antietam
The bloodiest day in American history with an estimated 22,717 deaths, Antietam was one of the most important battles of the civil war. Despite being outnumbered two-one, Lee committed his entire army. Union Major General McClellan on the other hand, only sent three fourths of his troops. The Union still won, but McClellan did not pursue the Confederates as they retreated. Lincoln claimed Antietam as a win for the Union and used it as a moral booster. -
Homestead Act
Because of the Irish immigrants there was overcrowding in major cities. Poverty was rising, disease on the up because of the overpopulation. They wanted to try to bleed people into the west by offering free land. They were given 160 acres of land on the condition they had to move to live on it, and improve the land. After 5 years pay a small filing fee, then get land permanently if the homesteaders fill all the requirements. White and black men could both get homesteads. -
Pacific Railway Act
Lincoln had a vision for a railroad linking east and west coast. It was expensive, so he paid the railroad companies enough to cover the supplies, and gave them a square mile of land for every mile of track laid down. Built towns every so many miles as they build the train out. If not finished in 10 years, they forfeit all land and money. Two companies hired for the project, competing to the middle. The Pacific railroad allows trade from all countries. -
Vickburg
The turning point in the civil war was the Battle of Vicksburg. Major General Ulysses S. Grant converged on Vicksburg, on the Mississippi river. The Union won, and not by a close margin at all. After holding out for 40 days in trenches and forts, the Confederates surrendered. Their victory split the Confederacy in half, controlling the Mississippi river. Over 32,000 Confederates died, compared to the Union 4,900. Grant's strategic victory proved how good of a General he was. -
Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction
The Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction was Lincoln's plan for reconstruction and gave pardons to any Confederate leader who swore an oath of loyalty to the Union and Constitution and agreed to emancipation. Any state was readmitted to the Union if 10% of voters swore loyalty oaths. States had to form new state constitutions outlawing slavery. Lincoln wanted to rebuild the country as quickly as possible and reunite the American people. -
Gettysburg Address
After the Union victory at Vicksburg, it was quickly followed by a victory at Gettysburg. Over 51,000 died from both sides during the Battle. Afterwards, President Lincoln used the dedication ceremony for the Gettysburg's Soldier's National Cemetery to honor the fallen Union soldiers and redefine the purpose of war. It inspired people to keep fighting and not give up, especially because the tides were turning towards the Union. -
Wade-Davis Bill
Radical Republicans in Congress felt that Lincoln’s 10% plan was too lenient. There was cause to want to be reunited with the nation, and these radical republicans wanted the ex-confederates to feel the pain more. Their plan said that 50% of a state’s voters had to swear oaths of loyalty before the state could be readmitted and only non-confederates could vote and hold political office. However, Lincoln refused to sign the bill, saying it was too harsh. -
Sherman's March to the Sea
After Vicksburg and Gettysburg, Sherman's March was just the final nail in the coffin. General Sherman led 60,000 Union soldiers from Atlanta to Savannah to frighten Georgians into abandoning the Confederate cause. They stole food and livestock, burnt barns and houses of people who tried to fight back, but left the towns intact. This desemated the south, introducing the idea of total war. They destroyed different aspects of life so that every southern person felt the impact. -
Freedmen’s Bureau
The Freedmen’s Bureau was created to help newly freed blacks transition to freedom. The generation of adults that were being freed the government knew they couldn't do much to help, but they wanted to try to help the youth have better lives. The Bureau helped African Americans to start schools, negotiate labor contracts, secure loans, find and purchase land, and provide legal aid. However, many freed slaves did not utilize this resource, and it was very short lived. -
Civil Rights Act of 1866
The Civil Rights Act of 1866 gave citizenship to African Americans and offered some protection against Black Codes. The supermajority of Congress still feared that Democrats would overturn the Act if they regained power so they desired a more permanent solution, which they did with the 14th Amendment, which stated that all people born in the U.S. or naturalized are full citizens.If a state denied people their voting rights, they lost representation in Congress. -
Reconstruction Acts of 1867
The reconstruction acts stripped Southern states of political power and divided them into five military districts which were placed under the jurisdiction of the Union Army. They also stated that if Southern states wanted to rejoin the Union, it had to ratify the 14th Amendment and create a state constitution that guaranteed all men the right to vote. This in theory was a great idea to help protect the rights of black Americans, but did not help the blatant racism in the south. -
Civil Rights Act of 1875
Congress passed and Grant signed the Civil Rights act of 1875. The Act banned discrimination in public accommodations. The Act was not enforced after Grant when military occupation ended. Very ahead of its time, the Act guaranteed universal access to inns, public transportation, theaters, and “other places of amusement” regardless of race. Congress granted the U.S. district and circuit courts exclusive jurisdiction over cases regarding alleged violations of the act. -
Election of 1876
Democrats gained more power but still lag behind republicans. It was a race between Democrat Samuel Tilden and Republican Rutherford B. Hayes. It seemed like 100% of the South voted for Tilden, the north questioned the validity of results given the known intimidation of the republicans and freedmen. A recount was initiated by three southern states. After recounting all three went to Hayes, now the south is outraged. The compromise named Hayes president and ended military oversight in the south. -
Wabash, Indiana becomes the first city lit by electricity
Officials of Wabash began experimenting with Charles F. Brush's carbon-arc lights. Four 3,000 candlepower lamps were placed atop the courthouse and used to illuminate the town until September, 1888. While Charles Brush and Thomas Edison competed to light up the town, the culmination of their efforts eventually captivated 10,000 spectators in a dazzling display of light.This was a huge symbol of the industrialization of the United States. -
Dawes Act
The Government didn't like giving Natives reservations because white settlers always wanted reservation land, so they were continually moved and shrunk. The government decided to give Natives the same offer for Homesteaders. However, this was not a good solution for the Natives, who didn't want to move from their tribes. If removed from the tribe, they would be missing out on culture. The Dawes act allowed reservations to be circumvented.