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Jamestown Settlement
Following the Anglo-Spanish War, King James established the Virginia Company as the first permanent English settlement in America to recreate Spain's achievements. The inexperienced and unprepared settlers were too preoccupied with wealth and settled in swampy circumstances on Chesapeake Bay. Only 60 of the 200 original settlers survived the "starving times" caused by the severe winters, widespread illness, and hostility with the Powhatans. -
1st Slaves arrive in Jamestown
John Rolfe's development of a sweeter tobacco breed brought prosperity to Jamestown. It was labor-intensive, and a sizable workforce was required for the colony to turn a profit. Although indentured servants provided nearly all of the labor, African enslavement was an alternative. Although they weren't the main source of unpaid labor until the late 1600s, the introduction of the first slaves marked the beginning of a brutal system that would divide the country and persist for nearly 250 years. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Nathanial Bacon led the first armed uprising in American history, known as Bacon's Rebellion, against William Berkley, the governor of Colonial Virginia. Outraged colonists took matters into their own hands and organized a revolt fighting native tribes before destroying Virginia's capital, Jamestown, as the elite authorities refused to defend farmers from the Indians. Slave labor increased after it was stopped due to the concern that indentured servants would rebel. -
Jonathan Edwards Preaches "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"
The colonies' religious practices became complacent after the Enlightenment. During the Great Awakening, "new light" preachers like George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards ignited a religious revival. They traveled evangelizing, and Edwards did it by delivering stirring, passionate sermons in which he portrayed God as enraged by the colonies' lack of religious observance. The colonies grew closer together as a result, but religion became a more contentious topic. -
The French and Indian War
Colonel George Washington was assigned to drive the French out of the Ohio River Valley because of the colonists' desire to expand westward and the lack of French habitation. Washington lost the war because it was outnumbered. The Iroquois, British soldiers, and colonists fought the French and their Indian allies for nine years. Large tracts of land were won and given to the British, but the colonists were taxed as a result of the enormous debt, which infuriated the British. -
The Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 declared that colonists would not receive royal protection when they crossed the Appalachian Mountains putting an end to the British policy of laissez-faire. The act infuriated the colonists because they had given their lives and sacrificed during the French and Indian War to obtain the western territory, as they thought it useless. The decision that would lead to the Revolution was the first instance of the crown attempting to exert control over the colonies in decades. -
Boston Tea Party
In 1773, the Sons of Liberty protested the Tea Act with the Boston Tea Party. They boarded three tea vessels owned by the British East India Company while dressed as Native Americans. The corporation lost nearly 2 million dollars in today's moneywhen they emptied all of the tea from the boats. The British Parliament passed the IntolerableActs afterward in order to punish the colonies. In particular, they penalized Boston by shutting down the port until the tea's price was paid. -
The First Continental Congress
Delegates from all 13 colonies except Georgiamet to debate how the colonies would proceed after the Intolerable Acts were passed. They had to make the choice as they felt their rights were being violated. The Declaration of Rights, published by the Congress, declared their commitment to the British monarchy. Nevertheless, they insisted that the Intolerable Acts be repealed and that the colonies be represented in the parliament. There would be a boycott of British products until it was lifted. -
The Second Continental Congress
Shortly after the war's opening shots were fired at Lexington and Concord, the Second Continental Congress met to consider the conflict. George Washington wasappointed to bethe leader of the Continental Army, which was founded by radicals in Congress. As the last hope for peace between the colonies and Britain, some conservatives pushed for the creation of the Olive Branch Petition. With the Continental Congress leading the colonies, the war started after the British rejected the petition. -
The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence, which was mostly drafted by Thomas Jefferson, declared the founding of a new American nation. The documentcomplained that King George III lacked the authority to rule the colonies. With its incorporation of natural rights and a government based on a social compact, it defined the natural rightsof the new country, which were modeled after those of John Locke. However, as that would have to come from conflict, the document did not create a new nation. -
The Thee Fifths Compromise
Delegates from the North and South engaged in heated discussions on how slaves would be treated in terms of representation and taxation. The South wanted slaves to be represented to give them more power. James Madison created the 3/5ths Compromise, where each Black person would be considered three-fifths of a person for purposes of representation. This Compromise gave the South significant authority over Congress until the Civil War and allowed them to treat Africans as sub-human. -
Articles of Confederation are Removed
The first attempt at creating a constitution was the Articles of Confederation. It was extremely weak due to the fear of another monarchy. The federal government was unable to impose taxes on the states, control commerce, or raise an army. Key flaws in the document were brought to light by Shay's Rebellion, and attempts to draft the current Constitution were launched. The Articles' termination marked the beginning of the American government's eventual success. -
The Election of George Washington
Washington's presidency would serve as a model for all future US presidents. He helped by laying the foundation for America's future. Washington acted quickly to implement the new Constitution's increased federal authority. He would work with his secretary of treasury to establish the first national bank and assist in deciding that Washington D.C. would serve as the future capital. He also stopped the Farmer's Rebellion, setting a precedent for putting an end to such uprisings in the future. -
The Judiciary Act
The Judiciary Act established the Judiciary branch in the United States government. The Supreme Court and other lower courts were involved to assist in addressing the growing number of disputes about businesses and individuals' rights. Although it established the Attorney General and the checks and balances in the U.S. government, the Supreme Court would not have actual authority until Marbury v. Madison (1803). The courts would have had far less authority in the absence of this measure. -
The Cotton Gin is Invented
Before Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, slavery in the United States was gradually disappearing. By itself, it greatly increased the profitability of cotton production, which in turn boosted the need for slave labor in the South. As slaves and the Southern economy flourished, large plantations were established. A distinct economic divide between the North and South would persist until after Reconstruction as a result of the South's reliance on cotton and the institution of slavery. -
The Second Great Awakening and The Cane Ridge Revival
The Cane Ridge Revival, a six-day gathering that sparked the Second Great Awakening and drew over 10,000 people, was a pioneer of frontier camp meetings. The Second Great Awakening expanded to bring about national change with the aid of individuals like Lyman Beecher. Both the acceptance of women in society and their sphere of influence were expanded. This camp gathering led to the beginning of the women's rights movement, the expansion of public education, and early indications of abolition. -
Marbury V. Madison
After James Madison failed to deliver his judicial commission to William Marbury, Marbury took Madison to court. Madison's failure to deliver the commission was declared unlawful by the court, but Marbury was not appointed as a judge because the court also declared that the Judiciary Act of 1789's statute permitting Marbury to appeal to the Supreme Court was invalid. By asserting its judicial review authority, the Supreme Court was able to veto laws that were found to be unconstitutional. -
The Louisiana Purchase
As a strictconstructionist, Jefferson was concerned that short-term agreements like Pinckney's treaty would expire and deprive farmers of the port of New Orleans. In response to this, Napoleon offered the United States a proposal in which the country would double its size by purchasing all of the Louisiana territories for $15 million. The Constitution was ambiguous about the president's authority to make such a big purchase, and Jefferson was so distraught over it that he fell ill. -
The Embargo of 1807
In order to punish the British and French, Thomas Jefferson pushed for the Embargo Act of 1807, which prohibited all American ports from importing or exporting goods. It had a short-term negative impact on the American economy, hurting numerous port cities in the North and the South, which was highly dependent on cotton exports. Although the measure angered the public, factories had to open to replace imported manufactured products, which helped the US become an industrial powerhouse. -
The Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans was a major American victory over the British, though took place after the War of 1812 as the Treaty of Ghent had already been signed. Leading the American forces, many of whom were locals from the area, Andrew Jackson erected fortifications to thwart the British invasion. Amazing American patriotism, admiration for Andrew Jackson, the "era of good feelings," and the belief that America had the right to expand westward were all brought about by the battle's conclusion. -
McCulloch V. Maryland
The Supreme Court ruled in McCulloch v. Maryland that states couldn't tax the federal government and the federal government had the constitutional authority to establish federal banks. This ruling gave the federal government more authority over the states, deviating from a strict construction interpretation. The Supreme Court further extended its authority to the federal government in Gibbons v. Ogden (1824), stating that, per the Constitution's Commerce Clause, federal law trumped state law. -
The Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine, created by James Monroe, said that European nations should refrain from attempting more military operations, colonization, or other forms of interference in the Western Hemisphere. It created two "spheres of influence", the Western and Eastern Hemispheres, where the US would serve as a nation of aid and protection in the West while remaining out of the European East's affairs. The United States, a new country, set a precedent for the world that would last for a century. -
The First Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio line, which was only 13 miles long, signaled the beginning of a significant shift in American society and the economy. Rail ignited the industrial revolution by making it possible to move people and products more quickly than ever before. Around rail, factories were constructed to produce large quantities of goods. Additionally, the ability to move grain by train allowed farmers to sell a lot more, which in turn allowed Western expansion to thrive. -
The Tariff of 1828
The Tariff of Abominations, as it would be known in the South, was passed to strengthen the economies of the North and West, but it significantly increased the price of imports, making life in the South more costly. The "Nullification Crisis" therefore began when South Carolina's John C. Calhoun proclaimed the tariff to be void in the Ordinance of Nullification of 1832. The Compromise Tariff of 1833 resolved the tariff dispute, but the concept of nullification paved the way for secession. -
The Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal Act, which Andrew Johnson passed in response to calls from many in the West and South for the removal of Native American tribes, allowed the president to relocate Native Americans to territory on the other side of the Mississippi River. Several native tribes were compelled to relocate westward for months at a period, and approximately one in four of them perished or were slain in the process. This migration is also known as the Trail of Tears. -
Worcester V. Georgia
Less than a year after the Cherokee Nation v. Georgia(1832) John Marshall and his Supreme Court returned to the issue of Georgia taking Cherokee Nation lands. In this case, the Supreme Court ruled states had no right to enforce laws over Native American nations and states could not forcefully take native lands giving the Supreme Court jurisdiction over native tribes. The decision angered Andrew Jackson and many in the South who claimed Marshall had no understanding of the Indian 'problem'. -
Oberlin College Founded
A big win for the American women's rights movement, Oberlin College was founded as the first American college that allowed women to attend. The founding of Oberlin helped women gain respect in American society as it was now possible for some to be recognized with an official degree and proof of higher education. Setting a precedent for them, many more colleges in the United States became co-educational or opened branches that allowed women to advance gender equality. -
John Deere's Miracle Plow
The "miracle plow" was the first steel plow allowing a far quicker and easier job for farmers preparing their fields. Compared to the old cast iron plows of the day the "miracle plow" would have far less dirt sticking to it and it was also much sharper. Which allowed the plow to cut through the thick plains sod that was before nearly impossible to cut through. The plow allowed the rich plain's soil to be accessed and farmed, and the cut-up sod was used to build the first houses of homesteaders. -
Treaty of Oregon Territory
Ending 28 years of joint occupancy of the Pacific Northwest region the Treaty of Oregon territory established Oregon as a territory of the United States and set the 49th parallel as the U.S.-Canada border. The territory officially gave the U.S. more Western coastline and the valuable resources that could be found there. The treaty helped end disputes that arose from the large western migration from the Oregon Trail. Overall the treaty defined U.S. borders and helped westward expansion. -
Mexican-American War Ends
The Mexican-American War was sparked by a border dispute and whether the Rio Grande was part of Texas or not. The U.S. easily dominated the recently formed Mexican government marching through Mexico City. The end of the war would come with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo which would grant the U.S. large cessions of Mexican land including California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Arizona finally fulfilling President Polk's goal to make the U.S. a bi-coastal nation with significant coastline. -
Seneca Falls Convention
Called by some as the birthplace of the Women's Suffrage movement the Seneca Falls Convention established The Declaration of Sentiments a document calling for women's equality and suffrage. Written by Elizabeth Cady Stanton the document was modeled after the U.S. Constitution and resembled the A.A.S.S. founding document. Though not gaining anything immediately besides notoriety the Seneca Falls Convention marked a big shift in the American landscape towards the 19th amendment. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin is Published
Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe Uncle Tom's Cabin contradicted many of the common beliefs of the time period about how slaves experienced slavery. The book painted a picture of the harsh cruelty and exposed many Northern citizens to what slavery was truly like in the South. After the book was written the harsh realities of slavery were clear and conversations about slavery would never return to how they were before. The book inspired many to vote Republican leading to Lincoln's election. -
The Pottawatomie Massacre
John Brown was enraged by the attacks on the town of Lawrence and Representative Preston Brookes's attack on Senator Charles Sumner in which Brookes near murdered Sumner with his cane. Led by the radical abolitionist Brown, his sons, and a few associates murdered 5 pro-slavery men who lived along the Pottawatomie creek. This conflict brought national attention to Brown's name and would be a spark in the conflicts of Bleeding Kansas furthering the tension between the North and South. -
Dred Scott V. Sandford
Dred Scott, an African slave plead to the Supreme Court that since he was brought to Illinois and the Wisconsin territory, both having outlawed slavery, he was illegally enslaved and should gain his freedom. The Supreme Court ruled, no he was still enslaved and beyond that, all African Americans imported to America were not citizens and the Compromise of 1820 was unconstitutional. This ruling meant that there were no "free states" sparking even more heightened tension between North and South. -
South Carolina's Succession
South Carolina had always been a big proponent of states' rights since the nullification crisis in 1832 when they even considered secession. It was made clear during that crisis and by Lincoln that secession is treason, but just one month after Lincoln's election before he even took office in a unanimous decision of 169 Representatives South Carolina seceded from the Union. Ten more states would follow suit and form the Confederate States of America making reuniting peacefully impossible. -
The Homestead Act
The Homestead Act of 1862 provided 160 acres of western land to every head of household as long as the land was lived on for 5 years, the land was farmed, and improved upon in some way. It was made to increase productivity in the West and to encourage people to move from the crowded Eastern cities. Along with Americans many Europeans immigrated to the United States to claim the property. This act with the Morril Act and railroad helped turn the west into an agricultural powerhouse. -
The Emancipation Proclaimation
Put into effect after the questionable Union victory at Antietam, for fear of making Lincoln seem weak if enacted after a loss, the Emancipation Proclamation was foremost made to advance the military goals of the war as slaves were freed in Confederate states. Slavery was now the explicit reason for war meaning any foreign power like the British would be helping slavery if they aided the South. It also gave the Confederate states a choice to keep their slaves if they rejoined the Union. -
Sherman's March to the Sea Ends
Sherman's March to the Sea was a military campaign led by Union General William T. Sherman based upon a "scorched earth" strategy that stretched from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia. The campaign was one of the first incidents of 'modern war' where civilian property, industries, and transportation were all destroyed. Many Confederate soldiers quit the war to return to their now destroyed homes resulting in the military and the infrastructure of the Confederacy being hurt ending the war sooner. -
Lee Surrenders
Fleeing from Richmond, General Robert E. Lee saw that he was undersupplied and outnumbered by General Ulysses S. Grant who was on the hunt. Avoiding capture, Lee tried to retreat towards Appomattox to resupply. Once he reached Appomattox he found Union forces were waiting and he was far outnumbered. After a brief final stance, Lee surrendered to Grant marking the loss of 28,000 Confederate soldiers and the last major battle of the Civil War. In a show of respect, Grant returned Lee's sword. -
13th Amendment is Ratified
Following the Emancipation Proclamation and the end of the Civil War Lincoln sought that a permanent law to end slavery be passed through an amendment before the Confederate states rejoined. The Republican Congress went through with it ending the barbaric practice of slavery, but forced labor in prisons was still legal. There was also no clause to support the freed slaves though or a guarantee of certain rights, those issues were debated during Reconstruction and other civil rights movements. -
The KKK is founded
Created by many previous Confederate legislatures and veterans the Ku Klux Klan was a powerful racist hate group that maintained power in America for decades after the war into the 1900s. During Reconstruction, there were efforts to fight their growth and gatherings in the South but they weren't effective as the hate group became synonymous with the Democratic party. The KKK and its influence over the U.S. government set civil rights back many years and instilled fear in black communities. -
Reconstruction Act of 1867
A defining part of the Reconstruction era the Reconstruction Act of 1867 was vetoed by Andrew Jackson but was overturned by a supermajority in Congress. The act split the South into 5 military districts. The leading generals would enforce African Americans' right to vote, register all male voters, and would supervise the creation of new Constitutions. It was an extremely effective system that quickly reshaped the South but only lasting for a short time it failed to have long-lasting effects. -
Andrew Johnson's Impeachment
After many disagreements between President Andrew Johnson and Radical Republicans on Reconstruction, the House of Representatives finally impeached Johnson for violating the Tenure of Office Act. Johnson had fired Edwin Stanton, the Secretary of War, as retaliation for the Reconstruction Act of 1867 which passed after Johnson vetoed the act. Johnson was not removed from office, after his impeachment, but the rest of his time in office was uneventful and he didn't continue to veto any laws. -
The NWSA is created
After the 15th amendment was passed and it did not promise women the right to vote division started in the women's rights movement over whether Reconstruction should still be supported. At a convention for the Equal Rights Association Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony created the NWSA to focus on women's rights. Now abolitionists and suffragists were not working together. Something which would allow the women's movement to gain more momentum in a largely racist country. -
14th Amendment is Ratified
The 14th Amendment guaranteed citizenship to all people born or naturalized in the United States. It also was supposed to guarantee all citizens, no matter the race, equal protection under the law, though for many years that would often be overlooked. It was passed during Reconstruction and was meant to help integrate former slaves and other African Americans into society. Though many Reconstruction laws were later abjured, as an amendment, the 14th amendment would be lasting for equality. -
The 1st Transcontinental Rail Line is completed
Built by the Central Pacific and Union Pacific rail companies the transcontinental rail line was financed by government funding and western land grants. It was seen as an unbelievable accomplishment at the time and its building and creation provided countless amount of jobs and economic growth in the West. Finally, the Western ports were connected to the Great Plains grains and the Eastern manufacturing. The economic growth was unparalleled being the 1st time the country was linked. -
The 15th Amendment is Ratified
The 15th Amendment granted voting rights to African American men in the United States stating a citizen's right to vote couldn't be abridged "on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." It was a milestone for Reconstruction and shifted the political landscape in the country. Passed by Radical Republicans, the passing of this amendment was unpopular even in the North, resulting in Democrats gaining power. Once Reconstruction ended there was no enforcement of the amendment. -
Women's Christian Temperance Union is Founded
Ever since the temperance movement started to take form during the Second Great Awakening many women were pushing for governmental action for banning alcohol. The movement had slow growth throughout most of the 1800s because of a focus on abolition and women's suffrage but as progress on those issues was made there was space for people to care about temperance. The temperance union would eventually help push for the prohibition era and the 18th Amendment but afterward would fizzle out. -
The Compromise of 1877
The Compromise of 1877 was an unwritten deal that settled the presidential election of 1876. Republican Rutherford B. Hayes was awarded the victory under the condition that he would remove the last troops from South Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana which enforced Reconstruction laws. Though the Reconstruction was already coming to an end and the Republican party was losing party Hayes' election was the official nail in the coffin ending Reconstruction and leading into the Jim Crow era. -
Plessy V. Ferguson
Homer Plessy was a mixed-race man who challenged the Louisiana Separate Car Act. He agreed to be in a case testing the act and sat in a whites-only car on a train. He was arrested for his refusal to move and when the case was taken to the Supreme Court. The case established that "separate but equal treatment" was constitutional allowing for mandated segregation between white and black people as long as facilities were equal. This ruling would lead to many post Reconstruction Jim Crow laws.