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13th Amendment Passed
Passed by Congress on January 31, 1865, and ratified on December 6, 1865, the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution outlawed slavery and involuntary servitude, unless it was used as a form of punishment for a crime. The institution of slavery, which had shaped much of the country's early growth and fueled the Civil War, was officially abolished by this amendment, marking a historic moment in American history. -
Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
Days after the Civil War ended, on the evening of April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was killed. While at a play at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., he was shot by John Wilkes Booth. Booth shot Lincoln in the back of the head after entering his private box. Lincoln passed away the following morning, April 15, after being transported across the street to a local boarding home. -
Andrew Carnegie founds Carnegie Steel
Andrew Carnegie established the Carnegie Steel Company in the late 1800s, and it grew to become one of the biggest and most influential steel manufacturers in the US. Using the Bessemer process, which made it possible to produce large quantities of high-quality steel at reduced prices, this Pittsburgh-based company transformed the steel industry. The business was crucial to the construction of buildings, bridges, and railroads in America. -
Plessy vs. Ferguson Decision
The Supreme Court affirmed racial segregation laws in the US in the famous 1896 decision of Plessy v. Ferguson. In its decision against Plessy, the Court upheld the constitutionality of "separate but equal" facilities for Black and white individuals. Discriminatory behaviors continued for decades as a result of this ruling, which legitimized segregation and strengthened institutional racism. -
Spanish American War
The Spanish-American War was a short-lived conflict between Spain and the United States that took place in 1898. It started when public support for involvement in Cuba's struggle for independence was sparked by the USS Maine explosion in Havana Harbor. The conflict put an end to centuries of Spanish colonial control over the Western Hemisphere and the Pacific, and it signaled the emergence of the United States as a major world power. -
Theodore Roosevelt Gets Elected
Following William McKinley's assassination, Theodore Roosevelt was elected president in 1901. The Progressive Era began when Roosevelt introduced vitality and reform-minded ideas to the White House. He promoted the "Square Deal," emphasizing consumer protection, trust-busting, and resource conservation. The Progressive movement in early 20th-century America was shaped by his leadership. -
World War 1
Many of the world's main powers were involved in World War I, sometimes referred to as the Great War, which raged from 1914 to 1918. The Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and others) and the Allies (Britain, France, and eventually the United States) fought it mostly in Europe. It was particularly lethal due to trench fighting and new weapons. With the 1919 Treaty of Versailles, which heavily blamed Germany and paved the way for World War II, the war came to an end. -
Prohibition
From 1920 until 1933, the United States was under a countrywide prohibition on the manufacture, distribution, and transportation of alcoholic drinks. The 18th Amendment created it, and the goals of prohibition were to lower crime, enhance moral behavior, and improve health. Rather, it resulted in an increase in criminal activities, such as speakeasies, bootlegging, and organized crime run. The law was largely disregarded and hard to execute. -
Resurgence of KKK
During its second rebirth in 1924, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was at its most powerful. The Klan's animosity was extended beyond African Americans to include Catholics, Jews, immigrants, and other minority groups, in contrast to its post-Civil War beginnings. The KKK used political influence, violence, and intimidation to further its goal of white Protestant dominance. Millions of people nationally belonged to it by 1924, and it had a big say in local, state, and even federal politics. -
Stock Market Crash
The Great Depression started in 1929 with the stock market crash. The fall was caused in part by overconfidence, excessive speculation, and margin purchases of stocks. Businesses shut down, banks collapsed, and unemployment skyrocketed. Both employment and savings were destroyed by millions of Americans. Widespread poverty and significant government reforms in the 1930s resulted from the crash's destruction of the economy and the revelation of serious weaknesses in the banking system. -
Roosevelt New Deal
The 1930s saw the introduction of Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, a set of policies and initiatives designed to fight the Great Depression. Roosevelt sought to alleviate unemployment, promote economic recovery, and avert further financial crises after assuming office in 1933. The New Deal reformed banks with the FDIC, assisted farmers and the elderly with Social Security, and produced jobs through public works initiatives like the WPA and CCC. -
Women in The War
Women were essential to the military and the home front during World War II. Women produced guns, aircraft, and other war supplies at factories, shipyards, and offices while millions of men enlisted in the military. Often referred to as "Rosie the Riveter," women stood for courage and nationalism. Additionally, more than 350,000 women participated in the military as support personnel, pilots and nurses. Their contributions were crucial to the military effort. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
Japan unexpectedly attacked the American naval station in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. Targeting battleships, airfields, and other military facilities, the attack started early in the morning. Many ships and aircraft were damaged or destroyed, and more than 2,400 Americans lost their lives. The United States formally entered World War II the following day when it declared war on Japan. A watershed in American and global history, Pearl Harbor brought Americans together. -
D-Day
A pivotal moment in World War II, D-Day, June 6, 1944, was the biggest amphibious invasion in history. To start removing Nazi rule from Western Europe, Allied forces—which included soldiers from the US, UK, and Canada—stormed the beaches of Normandy, France. Thousands of ships, more than 156,000 men, and substantial air assistance were all part of the invasion. -
G.I. Bill
The G.I. Bill, was a historic law that gave World War II veterans benefits. It provided low-interest housing loans, unemployment insurance, vocational training, and college finance. The bill greatly increased the U.S. economy and assisted millions of veterans in readjusting to civilian life. As a result, the middle class expanded and homeownership and college enrollment skyrocketed. By increasing access to higher education, the G.I. Bill also changed American culture. -
Dropping the Atomic Bomb
The United States ended World War II by dropping two atomic bombs on Japan in August 1945. On August 6, "Little Boy," the first bomb, was dropped on Hiroshima, killing tens of thousands of people. Similar devastation was caused when "Fat Man" was dropped on Nagasaki three days later. The war was declared over on August 15, 1945, after Japan surrendered as a result of the airstrikes. Entire cities were destroyed, and many more perished later from radioactive exposure. -
Cold War
The Cold War, which lasted from the late 1940s until 1991, was a time of political and military confrontation between the US and the USSR. The struggle between capitalism and communism served as its foundation, and it resulted in an arms race that included the development of nuclear weapons. It included espionage, propaganda, fierce competition in space exploration, and proxy conflicts in Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan, but it never turned into actual combat between the two superpowers. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
After Rosa Parks was arrested in Alabama, on December 5, 1955, for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger, the Montgomery Bus Boycott got underway. The Montgomery Improvement Association and Martin Luther King Jr. spearheaded an African American boycott of the city's segregated bus system. Thousands of people chose to walk or carpool rather than take the buses throughout the protest, which lasted for more than a year. -
Civil Rights Act
A historic statute in the United States, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibited discrimination on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It was signed by President Johnson and prohibited discrimination in the workplace as well as segregation in public settings including theaters, restaurants, and schools. For the Civil Rights Movement, which had battled for equal rights through demonstrations, marches, and court cases, the statute represented a significant win. -
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War lasted from the 1950s to 1975. The United States sought to prevent communism from spreading throughout Southeast Asia. Significant civilian losses, intense bombing, and vicious jungle combat were all part of the conflict. Significant domestic protests were triggered by it, particularly among young Americans. U.S. forces lost more than 58,000 lives.