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Period: 30,000 BCE to
Beginnings to Exploration
DONE -
1345 BCE
Aztec Human Sacrifice
The Aztec civilization religion is known for their blood-thirsty sacrifices. In Mesoamerican culture human sacrifices were viewed as a repayment for the sacrifices the gods had themselves made in creating the world and the sun. Hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of victims were sacrificed each year at the Aztec religious sites. The sacrificial victims were most often selected from captive warriors. In fact, warfare was often conducted for the sole purpose of furnishing candidates for sacrifice. -
476
Fall of the Roman Empire
A factor that led to the fall of the empire was the rise of Christianity opposed to Polytheism. Romans knew their emperor as a god but Christianity had only one god which weakened the authority of the emperor. In 330 CE Constantine split the empire into two parts (west & east). The fall of the empire is refereed to only the Western half because of decline in agricultural production and inflation. This weakened them and allowed the Visigoths to loot, burn, and pillage their way through the city. -
750
Pueblo Adobe Houses
The architectural design of the Pueblo Indians adobe houses were modeled after the cliff dwellings built by the Anasazi culture. Traditional pueblo construction used limestone block or adobe bricks; the latter was made from clay and water. The houses were designed to be up to five stories tall, and usually each floor was set back from the floor below so that the roof of each level served as a terrace for the floor above. These houses were meant for numerous families to live in a single building. -
1347
The Black Death - Rats/Fleas
Bubonic Plague is thought to have originated on the steppes of Central Asia, gradually brought westward along trade routes. The first appearance of the plague in Europe was at Genoa in October 1347. A person who was infected with the plague developed symptoms within two to six days, while a person exposed via cough developed it within one to three days.Outbreaks of the plague continued for the next three hundred years.The plague is estimated to have killed 40-50 percent of Europe's population. -
1394
Henry the Navigator
Henry was not a navigator, but did sponsor a great deal of exploration along the west coast of Africa. Under his patronage, Portuguese crews founded the country's first colonies and visited regions previously unknown to Europeans. In 1415, his ships reached the Canary Islands, which had already been claimed by Spain. In 1418, the Portuguese came upon the Madeira Islands and established a colony at Porto Santo. He is also credited with furthering knowledge of geography, mapmaking and navigation. -
1440
The Renaissance - Printing Press
The printing press was invented by Johannes Gutenberg during the Renaissance. This invention spread literature to the people in an efficient and durable way since before books had to be handwritten or block printed. The printing press multiplied the output and cut the price of books and literature. This made information available to a larger segment of the population who were eager for information of any variety. Libraries could now store greater quantities of information at much lower cost. -
1501
Amerigo Vespucci
While sailing near the tip of South America, Vespucci made the discovery that North and South America were two distinct continents. Before, explorers, including Columbus, had assumed that the New World was part of Asia. In 1507 an cartographer proposed that a portion of Brazil that Vespucci had explored be named "America". But in 1538, a mapmaker named Gerardus Mercator had named the northern and southern landmasses of the New World, America and the continents have been known as such ever since. -
Period: to
English Colonial Societies
DONE -
Tobacco in Virginia
The Virginia Colony was the first successful English colony in the New World. Disease, conflict with Indians, and hunger almost destroyed Jamestown but new settlers arrived in 1610 with supplies like Tobacco seeds (John Rolfe) and the colony began to thrive. Tobacco became Virginia's most successful cash crop and the basis of the colonies economy. It was used to purchase the indentured servants and slaves to cultivate it, to pay local taxes and tithes, and to buy manufactured goods from England. -
Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was a set of rules and the first self-government established by the English settlers who traveled to the New World on the Mayflower. To maintain order within the new colony it was vital to have some type of government to make the colony successful. On November 11, 1620, 41 adult male colonists, including two indentured servants, signed the Mayflower Compact. It is unclear who wrote the compact but the well-educated Separatist and pastor William Brewster is given credit. -
Navigation Acts
The Navigation Acts were a series of laws that restricted the use of foreign ships for trade but the Britain and its colonies. The First Navigation Act in 1651 was made by parliament to hurt Dutch economy, it required English crops to be sent only to England or English colonies on ships that were English made.The Second Navigation Act in 1660 ensured that the importation and exportation of goods from the colonies were restricted to British ships which were under the control of British mariners. -
New York
The New York colony was one of the 13 original colonies. It was a British proprietary colony and later royal colony. Originally a Dutch colony called New Amsterdam founded by Peter Minuit in 1626 on Manhattan Island. In 1664, the English took control of the area and renamed it New York after the Duke of York. It was not dominated by a specific religion and residents were free to worship as they chose. Natural resources in the colony included agricultural land, coal, furs, forestry, and iron ore. -
Quakers
The Quakers are a religious groups who were persecuted in England for refusing to pay tithes, give oaths, or swear allegiance to the king. Members believed in equality in all before God and on earth. Members are known as Quakers as they were said "to tremble at the word of the lord." In 1681, King Charles II granted William Penn, a Quaker, a charter for the area that was to become Pennsylvania. Penn guaranteed the settlers of his colony freedom of religion and a safe heaven for Quakers. -
Glorious Revolution
This Revolution was also known as "The Revolution of 1688" or "The Bloodless Revolution" took place from 1688-1698 in England. It consisted of the overthrow of King James II by his Protestant daughter and husband William of Orange by invading England under the orders of Parliament. James wanted a Spanish style government, dominion of New England, new taxes, and to ally England and France which they opposed. This changed how England was governed, giving Parliament more power over the monarchy. -
Salem Witch Trials
The trials took place during the spring of 1692.A group of girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused several women of witchcraft.Hysteria spread throughout the colony and people began to accuse each other. More than 200 people were accused and 20 were executed. Eventually, the colony admitted the trials were a mistake and compensated the families of those convicted.Since then, the story of the trials has become synonymous with paranoia and injustice. -
The Enlightenment
The movements purpose was to reform society using reasons to challenge tradition and faith, and emphasized reason, individualism, and skepticism. Philosophers believed that rational thought could lead to human improvement and was the most legitimate mode of thinking. People who were important during this time period were Sir Isaac Newton, John Locke, an Benjamin Franklin. A new religion was created during this time called Deism which they believed that god created the universe then went away. -
Period: to
Colonial America to 1763
DONE -
Salutary Neglect
Salutary neglect refers to the seventeenth and eighteenth century British Crown policy of avoiding strict enforcement of parliamentary laws meant to keep American colonies obedient to England. This policy allowed the colonists to flout, or violate, the laws associated with trade. This was initiated by prime minister Robert Walpole. After the French and Indian War, the British were left with massive war debt. To pay the war debt the British ended their policy of Salutary Neglect in the colonies. -
The Great Awakening
The Great Awakening was a religious revival that impacted the English colonies in America during the 1730s/40s. Christian leaders often traveled from town to town, preaching about the gospel, emphasizing salvation from sins and promoting enthusiasm for Christianity. It was a reaction to the Enlightenment and secularism (religion and government are separated) was common during this time. The result was a renewed dedication toward religion and a lasting impact on various Christian denominations. -
Slave Rebellions
Rebellions were very common in nearly all societies who practiced slavery. The most significant ones included - Gabriel's, Stono (largest), and Nat Turner. Slave owners gained control of slave by reducing allowances, imprisonments, whipping, and threatening to sell them “down river.” These rebellions spread terror throughout the South, set off a new wave of oppressive legislation prohibiting the education movement, and assembly of slaves and stiffened pro slavery, anti abolitionist convictions. -
Triangular Trade
The Transatlantic Triangular Trade was the network of trading between England, Africa, and the Americas.The three "legs" were the raw materials and natural resources such as sugar, tobacco, rice and cotton that were found in the colonies.The manufactured products from England and Europe such as guns, cloth, beads.And, slaves from Africa, many of whom worked in the plantations.The routes were crucial to mercantilism by England by which colonies had one main purpose: to enrich the mother country. -
The Atlantic Slave Trade
The Atlantic Slave Trade provided a new source of labor for Europeans. The slave trade regularly used the triangular trade route and its Middle Passage, and existed from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Demand for slaves increased in late 1600's. Spain, Portugal, and Holland led the slave trade in the 1600's. By the 1700's, Britain was the largest slave trader. Estimated about 10 to 12 million Africans were transported across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas from the 16th to the 19th century. -
Period: to
Revolutionary War
DONE -
Treaty of Paris - 1763
This treaty concluded the British and French conflicts of the Seven Year's War. In the terms of the treaty, France gave up all its territories in mainland North America, effectively ending any foreign military threat to the British colonies there. The British received Quebec and the Ohio Valley. The port of New Orleans and the Louisiana Territory were ceded to Spain for their efforts as a British ally. The Americans no longer felt threatened by France, and were free to chart their own destinies. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was the first internal tax levied on the American Colonists by the British Government. After the Seven Years War Britain was left with massive debt and needed to raise revenue to pay for it. The tax was required on all paper documents. This affected lawyers and printers greatly. Arguing that only their own representative assemblies could tax them, the colonists insisted that the act was unconstitutional, and resorted to mob violence to intimidate stamp collectors into resigning. -
Townshend Acts
A year after the repeal of the Stamp Act, parliament passed the Townshend Acts. They were a series of four acts passed by the British Parliament in order to restore authority over the colonies and gain revenue.The new taxes were on paper, glass, paint, and tea. The acts are named after Charles Townshend, who proposed them. This angered the colonists and several boycotts and protests were caused by this. These acts are important to the timeline because it is the start of the American Revolution. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a riot that occurred on March 5, 1770, on King Street in Boston. A crowd of Bostonian were harassing a British soldier when things escalated. The soldiers fired into the crowd and five people were killed. Paul Revere wrote a fictitious account depicting British soldiers callously murdering American colonists. It showed the British as the instigators though the colonists had started the fight. This was the first example of American propaganda, which we see continues today. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a political protest that occurred on December 16, 1773, at Griffin’s Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts. American Colonists were angered at Britain from imposing "taxation without representation". Drunk Bostonian's dressed up as "Indians" (painted their face and wore feathers) and dumped 342 chests of British tea into the harbor. This event was the first major act of defiance to British rule over the colonists, it proved that Americans would fight for what they wanted. -
First Continental Congress
The first Continental Congress met in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia, from September 5, to October 26. All of the colonies except Georgia sent delegates. These were elected by the people or by the colonial legislatures. The colonies there were determined to show a combined authority to Britain, and to denounce the Intolerable Acts by recommending to boycott British goods. There Patrick Henry warned of coming conflict with Britain, and said his famous words "Give me liberty or give me death." -
The Declaration of Independence
With the Revolutionary War in full swing, the movement for Independence from Britain had grown, and delegates of the Continental Congress were faced with a vote on the issue. Writing the Declaration of Independence was not an option anymore, and Thomas Jefferson wrote the majority of the draft. The declaration was completed on July 2nd, and signed the 4th. In the declaration they expressed their grievances against the British, avoided anti-monarchical sentiment, and looked for European allies. -
Battle of Saratoga
This battle was a major American victory due to the British denying to merge their armies giving the american an advantage. It is known as the turning point of the American Revolution. It was very important because it convinced the French to give the U.S. military support. It lifted American spirits, ended the British threat in New England by taking control of the Hudson River, and, most importantly, showed the French that the Americans had the potential to beat their enemy, Great Britain. -
Problems with the Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was simply too weak. Congress had trouble passing laws because a vote of 9 out of thirteen was needed. Also, there was no executive official to ensure that laws were carried out. And without national courts, there were no means of interpreting laws or carrying out justice. After the Revolutionary War congress could not pay its debts, and lacked the power to collect taxes. It made it worse that each state had its own currency so there was no stable national currency. -
Period: to
The Constitution
DONE -
Shay's Rebellion
With post-was recession farmers were unable to pay for their farms which resulted in the seizure of farms. Daniel Shay a farmer led a rebellion along with other angry farmers and revolutionary war veterans protesting mortgage foreclosures need for a strong national government. The rebellion was put down, but created a sense of urgency and had many questioning if the US would survive under the Articles of Confederation. This rebellion was just the call needed for the Constitutional Convention. -
Virginia Plan
The Virginia Plan was drafted by James Madison at the Constitutional Convention. It was a plan intended for large populated states, and proposed to abandon the Articles of Confederation. It included a 2 house legislature (bicameral legislative branch) with the lower house to be elected by the people and the upper house elected by lower house. It was a population based representation with a single executive and a separate judiciary. Small states opposed this plan because they would loose power. -
New Jersey Plan
This plan was a response to the Virginia Plan presented by William Paterson at the Constitutional Convention on June 15, 1787. This plan benefited small populated states and was a modified version of the Articles of Confederation. The plan wanted one legislative body with equal representation for each state regardless on population. It proposed a single executive, and the legislature was the supreme law of the land. The executive was elected by congress and there was a less powerful judiciary. -
Northwest Ordinance
The Northwest Ordinance adopted by the Continental Congress, provided a method for admitting new states to the Union from the territory, and listed a bill of rights guaranteed in the territory. It proposed that three to five new states be created from the territory. The ordinance provided for civil liberties and public education within the new territories, but did not allow slavery. When 60,000 settlers resided in a territory, they could draft a constitution and petition for full statehood. -
Connecticut Plan
The Connecticut Plan (Great Compromise) was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It mediated the differences between the New Jersey and Virginia Plans by providing for a bicameral legislature. The House of Representatives would be elected by the people by population, and the Senate would have equal representation which was two per state. The importance of this was that it gave equal rights a gave rise to the establishment of the Senate and House of Representatives. -
Federalist Papers
The Federalists Papers were a collection of 85 essays, published widely in newspapers in 1787 and 1788. They were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in support of adopting the proposed United States Constitution. The importance of the Federalist Papers was that they defended the principle of a strong national government. These papers placed a very important role in shaping the early American political landscape and in the passage and acceptance of the US Bill of Rights. -
Election of 1788
In the first presidential election in 1788 George Washington was unanimously elected president of the US. With 69 electoral votes, he won the support of each participating elector. At that time there was no running mates and the Vice President was the person in second place which was John Adams. Washington ascended to the presidency with practical experience, having served as the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the Revolution and president of the 1787 Constitutional Convention. -
Period: to
New Republic
DONE -
Whiskey Rebellion
The Whiskey Rebellion was a uprising by farmers and distillers in western Pennsylvania and Kentucky in protest of a whiskey tax enacted by the federal government. The farmers revolted and 6,000 threaten to attack Pittsburgh. Washington and his army quickly responded and put down the revolt. This event is significant because it was the first opportunity of the US government to establish federal authority by military means within state boundaries. This proved the strength of the constitution. -
Jay's Treaty
Jay's Treaty was an agreement between Britain and the US, negotiated by John Jay, that settled disputes over trade, prewar debts owed to British merchants, British occupied forts in American territory, and the seizure of American ships and cargo. This helped to normalize relations with Britain after the Revolutionary War. Republicans were outrages by this treaty because they saw Federalists as pro-British. This treaty is significant because it was one of the factors that lead to the War of 1812. -
Washington's Farewell Address
In early 1796, after President George Washington decided not to seek reelection for a third term he began drafting this farewell address to the American people. In his thirty-two page handwritten farewell address, Washington urged Americans to avoid excessive political party and geographical distinctions. He also recommended to avoid conflict and the best way to do that was to have no "permanent" alliances, temporary alliances were okay. He also suggested that two terms in presidency was enough. -
XYZ Affair
Jay's Treaty caused problems and limited French trade. French became upset and began to seize American ships. Adams sent delegates to meet with French foreign minister in hopes of working things out. Talleyrand's 3 agents told the American delegates that they could meet with Talleyrand only in exchange for a bribe. The Americans did not pay the bribe, and in 1798 Adams made the incident public, substituting the letters "X, Y and Z" for the names of the 3 French agents in his report to Congress. -
Alien & Sediction Acts
The Alien and Sediction Acts were 4 measures passed during the undeclared war with France that limited the freedoms of speech and press and restricted the liberty of non-citizens. The Alien Act made it difficult to become a citizen, and deported aliens and citizens. The Sediction Act made it a crime to say bad things against the US or the president, and was used against Republicans by Federalists. This was one of the worst violations of the first amendment as people lost their freedom of speech. -
Period: to
The Age of Jefferson
DONE -
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition of the Louisiana territory by the US from France in 1803. After Spain ceded Louisiana back to France, Napoleon Bonaparte sold the territory to Jefferson for less than three cents an acre. This secured the Mississippi River and double the size of the nation for Americans. Many people questioned Jefferson for being a hypocrite as he believed in limited power of government but still bought the land as he was scared Napoleon would back out of the deal. -
Marbury vs Madison
William Marbury vs James Madison is the most important supreme court case, because the United States Supreme Court first declared an act of congress unconstitutional, thus establishing the doctrine of judicial review. Chief of Justice John Marshall ruled Marbury entitled to the position. He said that the Supreme Court lacked jurisdiction and set up the modern day court. The court’s opinion, written by Chief Justice John Marshall, is considered one of the foundations of U.S. constitutional law. -
Lewis and Clark Expedition
Lewis, Jefferson's private secretary,and Clark an army officer headed the expedition traveling up the Missouri River. They explored and mapped western parts of the continent. Jefferson instructed them to get info about the indigenous cultures they encountered. Lewis was charged with negotiating treaties with Indians and informing the European and American traders inhabiting the Louisiana territory that were now subject to the laws of the US. Sacajawea, a peaceful Indian served as a translator. -
Embargo Act 1807
The Embargo Act of 1807 was a law passed by Congress forbidding all exportation of goods from the US. Britain and France had been continuously harassing the U.S. and seizing U.S. ship's and men. The U.S. was not prepared to fight in a war, so Pres. Jefferson hoped to weaken Britain and France by stopping trade. The Embargo Act ended up hurting American economy more than theirs. It was repealed in 1809. The Embargo Act helped to revive the Federalists. It eventually led to the War of 1812. -
Star Spangled Banner
Scott Key composed the lyrics to The Star-Spangled Banner after witnessing the massive overnight British bombardment of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. It was originally a poem named “The Defense of Fort McHenry” which was printed in newspapers and eventually set to the music of a English drinking tune called "To Anacreon in Heaven" by John Stafford Smith. In 1931, it became America's National Anthem.In 1916 President Woodrow Wilson announced that it should be played at all official events. -
Cotton Gin
During the American Industrial Revolution the cotton gin greatly changed the way of agriculture. Before the invention of the cotton gin the demand for cotton had began to drop. The cotton gin revolutionized the production of cotton by greatly speeding up the process of removing seeds from cotton fiber. Cotton growing became so profitable for the planters that it greatly increased their demand for both land and slave labor. By the mid-19th century, cotton had become America’s leading export. -
Yeoman Farmers
Yeoman's were the middle class of the southern society. Classed above Tenant's and below the Planters. They were small landowners who farmed on their own land. Most of the white families in the south were Yeoman's. 75% percent of the did not own slaves. Some of the relied on planters while others resented them. They also formed southern militias that caught runaway slaves and guarded against slave rebellions. They were seen as the ideal American: honest, virtuous, hardworking, and independent. -
Slave Codes
Slave codes were laws passed by southern slaves to keep slaves from either running away or rebelling. They placed harsh restrictions on slaves' already limited freedoms, and gave owners absolute power over their slaves.Travel was limited for slaves, and they were defined as property for their masters. Slaves weren't allowed to learn how to read or write. They were also not allowed to testify in court, and if they were to go to court for an incident planters usually served as the judge or jury. -
Period: to
The American Industrial Revolution
DONE -
Battle of New Orleans
This battle was a dispute fought between January 8, 1815 and January 26, 1815. Andrew Jackson defeated the British with a bi-racial ragtag army. This was the final major battle of the War of 1812 even though the war was technically over when it was fought. Both the British and American troops were unaware of the peace treaty that had been signed between the two countries in Ghent, Belgium, a few weeks prior. Because of the American victory in this battle, Andrew Jackson became a household name. -
Second Bank of the United States
Andrew Jackson hated the Second Bank of the United States. Henry Clay thought that the bank was an issue to win the election. The president of the bank was Nicholas Bidle. Congress petitioned Biddle for an early renewal of the bank's charter by four years. He hoped for Jackson's veto and forced the issue into the election. Congress renewed the charter and Jackson vetoed, which became a central issue in the election. Later Jackson gave the Bank Veto Speech to explain to the people why he vetoed. -
Adam-Onis Treaty
The Adams-Onis Treaty (also known as the Transcontinental Treaty) was a treaty between the US and Spain that ceded Florida to the US and renounced the Oregon Country in exchange for recognition of Spanish sovereignty over Texas. By this treaty, the United States recognized Spanish claims to what are now Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, and California. The treaty was approved by the U.S. Senate on February 24, 1819, but Spanish authorities delayed their approval until 1821. -
Second Great Awakening
The Second Great Awakening was a Protestant religious revival that began around 1800 and picked up in 1820. It emphasized religious romanticism, and was mostly emotional and supernatural. Secularism and Deism were rejected during this time period. Morality was taken over by economics and politics. This was extremely important as it led to the establishment of reform movements to address injustices and alleviate suffering such as Temperance Movement,Women's suffrage and the Abolitionist Movement. -
Period: to
Cultural Changes
DONE -
Missouri Crisis
The Missouri Crisis is the event in which Missouri applied for admission as a slave state. This created conflict because with fear of one group over powering the other in the terms of slavery, the northern states were against and the southern states were for. A temporary solution to this was the Missouri Compromise which guaranteed future conflict. To balance slave and free states an imaginary line was drawn at 36 and 30 latitude. States above the line would be free and below would be slave. -
Shakers
The Shakers are a millennial restorationist Christian sect founded in the 18th century in England. Ann Lee, was the founder and later leader of the American Shakers, and her parents were members of this society. They were celibate (against sex, which caused this group of people to end) and also communistic. They believed in equality among sexes, rejected domesticity, humility, hard work, and the second coming of Christ. They didn't believe in private property or in marriage or procreation. -
Mormons
The Mormons were a part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Mormons believe that Jesus paid for the sins of the world, and that all people can be saved through his atonement. Their founder Joseph Smith found golden tablets in 1823 written in an ancient language. He believed that Native Americans were one of the lost tribes of Israel. This group was appealing to farmers and trades and also people who did bad in the Industrial Revolution. -
Texas
Mexico passed the State Colonization Law of Mexico which encouraged settlement of Texas by offering over 4,000 acres of land for farming and ranching. Since 1821, Texas had been settled by Americans, under the leadership of Stephen F. Austin. The Mexican Law had conditions for settlement which were to become catholic, learn Spanish, become a Mexican citizen, and get rid of all slaves. Texans (residents of Mexicans Texas) disobeyed Mexican laws and by the 1830's Texas had over 30,000 settlers. -
Period: to
The Age of Jackson
DONE -
Election of 1824
In the Election of 1824 there was no picked successor and the 4 candidates included: John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, William Crawford, and Henry Clay. Jackson won the popular vote, but not the electoral college. The house of representatives elected Adams on February 9, 1825. Jackson was left angry and bitter and believed that Clay, the Speaker of the House, convinced Congress to elect Adams, who then made Clay his Secretary of State. Jackson's supporters denounced this as a "corrupt bargain." -
Sing Sing
Many prisons were established during this time period including Sing Sing located in New York. Prisoners were isolated so they could think about their past actions. Prisoners were housed at night and worked during the day. It got the name Sing Sing from the name of a Native American tribe, "Sinck Sinck", from whom the land was purchased in 1685. In use since 1826, it is one of the oldest penal institutions in the United States, and most known for harsh conditions in the 19th and 20th centuries. -
Election of 1828
The Election of 1828 was like a rematch of The Election of 1824.Jackson presented himself with humble origins, his military career, and democratic values. In this election personal attacks started (which exist till today), Adams and Jackson attacked each other as womanizers. It was very nasty and Adams even attacked Jackson's wife Rachel because of her past. Jackson ended up winning overwhelmingly and was first elected by common man. The inauguration was very rowdy, and Rachel dies right before. -
Spoils System
During Jackson's presidency the Spoils system begun. The spoils system is in which a political party, after winning election replaces bureaucracy with own supporters. This was widely abused by unscrupulous office seekers. This system had a very negative effect since most of the people who paid to be in office had no experience and had no idea what they were doing. As Jacksonian proclaimed, “To the victor belongs the spoils.” The system opened gov. positions to many of Jackson's supporters. -
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses put together by abolitionists. African Americans as well as whites provided shelter and aid to help slaves escape the South and make their way to the North or even Canada. A very important person was Harriet Tubman. She helped to free about 100,000 slaves between 1830 and 1860. It is important to know that these actions both by the slaves and the people who were helping were illegal due to the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. -
Abolitionists
The abolitionists had many different beliefs in ways to end slavery including Gradualism and Immediatism. Gradualism was the freeing of slaves gradually back to Africa (Liberia) this method was never popular with African Americans. Immediatism was the immediate end to slavery. Anti-Abolitionists held rallies to denounce abolitionism and even held bonfires to burn abolitionist literature. The Congress also created the Gag rule which stated that slavery could not be talked about in Congress. -
Indian Removal Act of 1830
Andrew Jackson personally hated Indians. He assimilated ( to convert to American ways ex: Christianity ) many tribes including the Cherokee, Choctaw, Seminoles, Creeks, and Chickasaws. When gold was found on Cherokee land, Jackson passed the Indian Removal Act of 1830. This gave the president the power to grant unsettled lands west of the Mississippi in exchange for the Indian homelands within existing state borders. A few tribes went peacefully, but others resisted the relocation policy. -
Railroads
The growth of the Industrial Revolution depended on the ability to transport raw materials and finished goods over long distances. The invention of railroads changed transportation because it made it cheaper, faster, and more convenient to transport goods and people. Costs of products decreased because of railroads and population increased because food was available in a large variety at a low cost. Also, Factories flourished because the demand for railroad parts and railroad tracks was high. -
Trail of Tears
As a result of the Indian Removal Act of 1830, the Cherokee nation was forced to give up its lands east of the Mississippi River and to migrate to an area in present-day Oklahoma. They were forced to walk thousands of miles to a specially designated “Indian territory”, and thousands died along the way. Because of the difficulty and deadliness of this journey it is called "The Trail of Tears." They Indians grieved these land since their ancestors had occupied and cultivated for generations. -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
The uprising led by Nat Turner shocked many in the south and led to a new repressive measures against slaves. Turner led the only effective, sustained slave rebellion. He had a vision of "white spirits and black spirits" that would commence when the "sun was darkened". Believed solar eclipse in 1831 was a sign that it was the time for insurrection. His action set off a new wave of oppressive legislation prohibiting the education, movement, and assembly of slaves and stiffened pro slavery. -
Nullification Crisis
The Nullification Crisis was caused by congress raising import taxes (Tariff 1832).The tariff was about textiles (clothing) and South Carolina was largely affected and so was the southern agriculture. South Carolina attempted to nullify the Tariffs of 1832 and 1828. The resolution of the nullification crisis in favor of the federal government helped to undermine the nullification doctrine, the constitutional theory that upheld the right of states to nullify federal acts within their boundaries. -
American Anti-Slavery Society
The American Anti-Slavery Society was an abolitionist society founded by William Lloyd Harrison and Arthur Tappan in Philadelphia. The society sponsored meetings, adopted resolutions, signed antislavery petitions to be sent to Congress, enlisted subscriptions, printed/distributed propaganda in quantities, and sent out agents and lecturers to carry the antislavery message to Northern audiences. Frederick Douglass, an escaped slave, was a key leader of this society who often spoke at its meetings. -
Battle of Gonzales
The Battle of Gonzales took place during the Texas Revolution. It was the 1st military engagement of the Revolution. The battle was caused by Mexican soldiers attempting to take a cannon from the village of Gonzales but instead encountered a stiff resistance from a hastily assembled militia of Texans. The Mexicans retreated and the Texans kept their cannon. It was a Texian victory which resulted with Mexican withdrawal and became the beginning of Texas rebellion against the Mexican government. -
Iron Plow
John Deere invented the Iron Plow during the Industrial Revolution that changed the process of agriculture. He invented it because farmers would have to deal with their wooden plow breaking often. The plow was used for farming to break up tough soil without soil getting stuck to it. John Deere created the first steel plow in 1837, and in 1838 he sold his first steel plow to a local farmer. Deere revolutionized American agriculture by developing and marketing the world's first cast steel plow. -
Lowell Mills
The Lowell Mills were mills operated in Lowell,Massachusetts named after Francis Cabot Lowell, who introduced a new manufacturing system called the "Waltham System." These were centralized factories that had large labor sources. These mills combined the textile processes of spinning and weaving under one roof which completely revolutionized the textile industry. Most of the laborers in the mills included women and children who worked long hours for low wages and were faced with bad conditions. -
Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny was the belief that the expansion of the US throughout the American continents was justified and inevitable. During West Expansion it was mostly led by fur trade on the Western Frontier. It had American domination by the 1820's and made huge profits but declined the beaver population nearly to extinction. The Jacksonian Democracy hoped for a white future in the West and believed in extinction of Native Americans. Trappers who bring info about western lands disappeared by 1840's. -
Great Migration
The main migration to the West during the 1840s and 50s was known as the Great Migration. Thousands of Americans looking for new opportunity and desire for land decided to migrate west. Most took the Oregon Trail which was an overland 2,000 mile trail which took five to six months on wagon to Oregon's Willamette Valley in search of fertile land. Many American settlers were afraid of native attacks (which was very rare). This called for the removal of Indians which triggered the Black Hawk War. -
Period: to
Westward Expansion
DONE -
Election of 1840
In the Election of 1840 Martin Van Buren ran for re-election against General William Henry Harrison, a Whig nominee. The Whigs spread many rumors about Van Buren and got women to influence the vote of their husbands to their advantage. Harrison won by a landslide and only makes it one month. John Tyler, the Vice President at the time, became the president. Harrison was the first member of the Whig Party to become president. In 1840, the American political landscape saw a fundamental change. -
Election of 1844
The Election of 1844 was an election between Henry Clay a Whig, and James K. Polk a Democrat. James K Polk defeated Henry Clay in a close contest that turned on the controversial issues of slavery and the annexation of the Republic of Texas. His three main goals were to: Annex Texas, settle Oregon Border, and settle the Mexican Border. Texas was annexed before Polk's inauguration. Polk sent a diplomat to discuss buying the southwest from Mexico which included the Rio Grande and Nueces River. -
Mexican American War
The Mexican American War was caused by a border dispute along the Rio Grande by Zachary Taylor and the Mexican forces. The Mexican dispatch attacked Taylor and Polk asks for a declaration of war. American declares war and begins their march from Kansas to Cali. When done, Mexico had lost about one-third of its territory, including nearly all of present-day Cali, Utah, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico. Mexico had a huge disadvantage since they were politically divided and militarily unprepared. -
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Sectionalism
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California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush is the time period between 1848-1855 when gold was found in California by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill, and thousands (approximately 300,000 people) migrated to seek their fortune. California was still a territory in 1848 and had its statehood in 1850. Gold was easy to find and mining began in 1852 with supporting industries. Even the Chinese migrated to seek opportunity and fortune. But they were faced with racism and worked in the mines with he worst conditions. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed on February 2,1848 and became effective May 30,1848. It officially ended the Mex. American War and settled the border dispute, seized over half of Mex. territory, and discussed problems to come over slavery. The treaty drew the boundary between the US and Mex. at the Rio Grande and the Gila River; for a payment of 15 mil. the US received more than 525,000 square miles. As a result of the territory gained, many foresaw slavery growing in the new world. -
Seneca Falls Convention
The Seneca Falls Convention was the first women's rights convention in the US and was held from July 19,1848 to July 20,1848 in Seneca Falls, New York. It was led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. 300 men and women attended. There they created the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions that demanded equal social status and legal rights for women, securing rights in economics and voting. The media was mostly negative in coverage.This convention was a cornerstone for future suffrage. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was a package of five separate bills which included: 1. California enters as a free state 2. New Mexico and Utah get to decide on slavery 3. Texas relinquishes disputed western land and the Federal government absorbs Texas debt 4. Slave Trade is banned in Washington D.C. 5. The Fugitive Slave Act, the returning of runaway slaves is put into place The purpose of the compromise was to prevent political confrontation between slave and free states in the new territories. -
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was a revised version of the past Fugitive Slave Act and was included as a part of Henry Clay's famed Compromise of 1850. The act commissioned for the returning of runaway slaves who had gone into another territory by their owners . Fugitives had no right to trial, so it was very common that a slave owner would claim any African American regardless if they were their slave or not. Whites were fined and even jailed for refusing to help in the capturing of slaves. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin was a novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. It described the experience of slavery as it is and became very popular since many people in the North did not have a sense of how slavery was actually like. The story was about Uncle Tom and his experience as a slave with Christian attitude toward his own suffering. The growing attitudes against slavery in the North, which had been reinforced by the content of Uncle Tom's Cabin, no doubt helped to secure the victory of Lincoln. -
Election of 1852
The candidates for the Election of 1852 were Franklin Pierce a democrat, and General Winnfield Scott a Whig. After Scott lost the election, the Whig party began to fall apart and eventually disappear. It fell apart due to the fact that the Compromise of 1850 had created divisions between the parties due to the issue over slavery. This was the last time the Whig Party appeared in an election. -
Election of 1860
The Election included the candidates of the Democratic party who were: John Breckenridge (official), and John Bell (unofficial) who was part of the former Know-Nothings. The Republican was Abraham Lincoln who had very few political enemies and a moderate approach toward slavery. Candidates appealed to different sections of the country. Lincoln won the election because of Democrats vision. The south became upset over Lincoln winning the election which led to the Confederate States of America. -
North
The North had a very large population of twenty two million people. Industrialization was booming with 110,000 factories. They had a $1.5 billion industry, ninety seven percent of weapons manufacturing, ninety four percent of clothing, and 90 percent of shoes and boots. They had over 30,000 miles of track for railroads. Their position in the Civil War was to fight to uphold the constitution and keep the Union together. The North had an advantage due to Industrialization that the South lacked. -
The South
The South had a much smaller population of 9 million people (3.5 million slaves). For industrialization they only had 18,000 factories. They had a $155 million industry, 3% of weapons manufacturing, and 9,000 miles of track for railroads. On the other hand they have very competent military leadership. The South compared themselves to Patriots. They hoped to gain an European ally (Britain) to help aid them during the war. The south had an economical advantage but a military leadership advantage. -
Neutral States
The border states were Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, and Delaware remained neutral during the war. Both the sided tried to gain their influence. The south wanted their influence since 80% of southern industrialization was in the border states. The North wanted their influence to deprive the south of troops and factories, to have access to Midwest rivers, and keep DC from being surrendered. The border states were allowed to keep their slaves during the war, and Union troops occupied these areas. -
Trent Affair
The Trent Affair was a diplomatic incident that threatened war between the US and the United Kingdom. Confederates send diplomats to Britain and the USS San Jacinto intercepts RMS Trent. The U.S. Navy illegally captured two Confederate diplomats from a British ship. Britain demands an apology, and Lincoln releases confederate diplomats and secures the British and French neutrality. The Civil War became a proving ground for industrial warfare, and both sides thought the war would end quickly. -
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The Civil War
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Battle of Bull Run
The Battle of Bull Run was the first major battle of the Civil War and took place in Virginia. 30,000 Union troops (also called Army of the Potomac) marched south. It was a humiliating defeat for the Union and they flee to DC. This caused Lincoln to do two things: He authorized the enlistment of 1 million men and appointed a new leader to the Army of Potomac which was George McClellan. He hated Lincoln, and actually took a nap when Lincoln went to his house, but he quickly had a trained army -
Penninsular Campaign
The Peninsular Campaign is also know as the Second Battle of Bull Run. Lincoln wanted to take on the offensive side and take the Confederate capital at Richmond, Virginia. But McClellan took three weeks to land army on Peninsular due to a habit of consistently underestimating his enemy he refused to act until late May to arrive. Despite coming close to their goal, Union troops were stopped and defeated by Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Lee became the leader of the Army of Northern Virginia. -
Lincoln's 10% Plan
After major Union victories at the battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln began preparing his plan for Reconstruction to reunify the North and South after the war’s end. Lincoln's 10% Plan was also called Amnesty and Reconstruction Plan of 1863. In this plan he pardoned all southerners but not officer and officials. Southerners had to take an oath of loyalty and apply for federal recognition. Also states had to develop new state governments. -
Former Slaves
Former Slaves became part of the Freedmen's Bureau which was a organization to help former black slaves and poor whites in the South after Civil War. They gave support in food, schools, and emergency services. They also confiscated lands for agriculture, which became the main institution for Reconstruction. Many former slaves flock to cities and get low paying and labor intensive jobs. They were also promised 40 acres and a mule, but the land was eventually given back to original owners. -
Vagrancy
Vagrancy was the term used when African Americans were arrested for wandering and not having a home. They were forced to work on plantation to pay off fines. Children of vagrants were forced in apprenticeships until the age of twenty one. They were forced to sign long-term contracts and were left unpaid if they left early. This was basically a way to make slavery legal since it tied former African American slaves who didn't find jobs back to the plantations. -
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Reconstruction
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Lincoln Assassination
Lincoln's Assassination happened when Lincoln attended a play at Ford's theater, only five days after Appomattox Courthouse where Confederate General Lee surrendered his massive army which ended the Civil War. John Wilkes Booth, a famous actor shot Lincoln
at 10:15 by slipping into the box and firing his .44-caliber single-shot derringer pistol into the back of Lincoln’s head. Lincoln died the next day. His funeral procession attracted millions on the railroad tracks to see his funeral. -
The Lost Cause
The Lost cause was the actions of the south in which southerners needed a way to justify loosing the war. They posed themselves as virtuous and brave and stated that the Union had unfair advantages (weapons, population, and large industry). They engaged in propaganda that exists until today. Songs and poems were written about brave Confederate soldiers. There were even statues erected of politicians and generals.They tried to rewrite history and make the war about state's right and not slavery. -
Southern Republicans
Southern Republicans were made up of former slaves, white southerners, and carpetbaggers. Some wanted to take advantage and steal from the southerners, others were opportunistic. The rest were relief workers. They believed the party was the quickest was for improvement. Carpetbaggers were northerners who moved south for economic opportunity. By 1866, the Radical Republicans supported federal civil rights for Freedmen. By 1867, they defined terms for suffrage for freed slaves. -
Election of 1876
The US presidential election of 1876 was one of the most disputed presidential elections in American history. The candidate included Samuel Tildan a democrat, and Rutherford Hays a Republican. Many issues that were discussed during the election were corruption, reconstruction, a d the economy. The popular vote went to Tilden, but the electoral votes were unclear. Basically, the election of 1876 put an end to the Reconstruction movement. Neither Hayes or Tilden, gained a clear cut victory. -
Compromise of 1877
The Compromise of 1877 was an informal, unwritten deal that settled the intensely disputed 1876 U.S. presidential election. The Compromise of 1877 put Rutherford Hayes into office as the nation's 19th president. Outraged northern Democrats derided Hayes as "His Fraudulency. "Hayes was given all the electoral votes, and he agreed to end Reconstruction. He also removed all federal troops from the South. This became the beginning of total suppression for Southern blacks.
