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Spindletop Oil Boom
Spindletop was the site of a massive oil discovery near Beaumont, Texas, that triggered the modern petroleum industry. This resulted in the Lucas geyser, which was the first major oil gusher of the Texas oil boom. -
World War I
The United States entered World War 1 on April 6, 1917. The U.S. entered the war two and a half years after the start of WWI due to unrestricted submarine warfare, propaganda campaigns, and the Zimmerman telegram. This led to major global influence, and WWI ended in 1918. -
Women's Right to Vote
Women gained the right to vote nationally with the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in 1920. This amendment prohibits the denial of voting rights based on sex and was passed by Congress on June 4, 1919, and ratified on August 18, 1920. However, the fight for women's suffrage spanned over several decades. -
Stock Market Crash - Great Depression
The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as the Great Crash, was a major stock market crash in October of 1929. This was also the beginning of the Great Depression. It began on October 24, 1929, when 16 million shares of stock were quickly sold by panicking investors who had lost faith in the American economy. -
World War II
World War II began September 1, 1939, when Nazi Germany, under Adolf Hitler, invaded Poland. World War II was the deadliest conflict in history that lasted until 1945, when Nazi Germany surrendered in Europe and the surrender of Japan in the Pacific. The war itself had 70 to 85 million fatalities, and still remains the deadliest war in history. -
Start of the Cold War
The Cold War began shortly after the end of WWII. It was a decades-long struggle for global supremacy between the United States and the Soviet Union. A significant aspect of it was the intense arms race, which heightened global tensions. However, the Cold War ended in 1991 with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. -
Brown vs Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark 1954 Supreme Court case that declared state-sponsored segregation in public schools unconstitutional. The unanimous decision overturned the previous separate but equal doctrine. -
Assassination of John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963. It was a major turning point in the United States' history. It impacted the public trust, politics, and social change. It also triggered a wave of conspiracy theories, shifted the focus of political discourse, and spurred legislative action on civil rights. -
Apollo 11 Moon Landing
The Apollo 11 Moon Landing was a significant event in history because it was the first crewed landing on the Moon, fulfilling a national goal set by President Kennedy and marking a significant victory for the United States in the Space Race against the Soviet Union. -
NAFTA
The North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, was signed in 1992 and implemented in 1994, establishing a free trade zone among the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It removed significant trade barriers and increased trade significantly between the three countries. NAFTA immediately lifted tariffs on the majority of goods produced by the signatory nations.