American History Timeline 1754 - 1877

  • The French and Indian War

    The French and Indian War
    WHO: The British Army, British colonists and some Indians against the French army, Colonists and a lot of Indians.
    WHAT: The French and Indian War; Two European imperialists fight over the same territory.
    WHEN: January 1st,1754 to 1763
    WHERE: Western New York, Pennsylvania, and Canada but started on the Ohio River Valley.
    WHY: This event is important because it led to the Revolutionary War.
    HOW: The French and Indian War began as a result of both England and France wanting the Ohio River Valley.
  • The Boston Massacre

    The Boston Massacre
    WHO: Colonists and British soldiers
    WHAT: The Boston Massacre; A street fight between a patriot mob and a squad of British soldiers. Things like snowballs, stones, and sticks were thrown. Several of the colonists were killed.
    WHEN: March 5, 1770
    WHERE: King Street in Boston, Massachusetts
    WHY: This event helped to unite the colonists against Britain.
    HOW: People were fighting back against the British government for trying to increase control over the colonies and raise taxes.
  • The Boston Tea Party

    The Boston Tea Party
    WHO: Americans disguised as Indians.
    WHAT: Boston Tea Party; Rebel Americans who were disguised as Indians dumped 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor.
    WHEN: December 16, 1773
    WHERE: Boston Harbor in Boston, Massachusetts
    WHY: I chose this event because it's important that the colonists protested for their rights and freedoms.
    HOW: $18,000 worth of tea was dumped into the Boston Harbor after the British Parliament placed a tax on tea.
  • Continental Congress

    Continental Congress
    WHO: Delegates from the Thirteen Colonies.
    WHAT: Continental Congress; It became the governing body of the U.S. during the American Revolution.
    WHEN: September 5, 1774
    WHERE: Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    WHY: The Declaration of Independence never would have been written if it weren't for the Continental Congress.
    HOW: Delegates from thirteen colonies were called together from 1774-1789 in three incarnations.
  • The Declaration of Independence

    The Declaration of Independence
    WHO: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Robert R. Livingston, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin
    WHAT: The Declaration of Independence; A summarization of the colonists’ motivations to seek independence.
    WHEN: July 4, 1776
    WHERE: Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    WHY: I chose this event because it was a huge step forward in the U.S. gaining their independence.
    HOW: The freedoms and rights were taken away from the colonists so they made a document to fight back against the king.
  • Territorial Expansion

    Territorial Expansion
    WHO: The United States and Great Britain
    WHAT: Territorial Expansion; This event occurred when the U.S. declared independence from Great Britain.
    WHEN: October 19, 1776
    WHERE: Great Britain
    WHY: I chose this event because it's important that the U.S. wanted to be free from Great Britain.
    HOW: The size of the colonies was doubled after The Treaty of Paris stated that the U.S. wanted their independence.
  • Treaty of Paris

    Treaty of Paris
    WHO: Representatives of King George III and representatives of the U.S.
    WHAT: Treaty of Paris; The Treaty of Paris ended the Revolutionary War.
    WHEN: September 3, 1783
    WHERE: Paris, France
    WHY: I chose this event because it declared freedom for the U.S.
    HOW: The U.S. declared complete freedom from Great Britain
  • Shay's Rebellion

    Shay's Rebellion
    WHO: Daniel Shay
    WHAT: Shay's Rebellion; Shay's Rebellion was an armed uprising.
    WHEN: January 1, 1786
    WHERE: Central and western Massachusetts
    WHY: I chose this event because it's important that there was a rebellion for rights.
    HOW: Daniel Shay led thousands of rebels in a protest against economic and civil rights injustices.
  • The First President

    The First President
    WHO: George Washington
    WHAT: The First President; George Washington was elected the president of the U.S along side the vice-president, John Adams.
    WHEN: April 4, 1789
    WHERE: George Washington was inaugurated in New York City.
    WHY: The first president's actions set precedents.
    HOW: George Washington was unanimously elected by the electoral college.
  • The Louisiana Purchace

    The Louisiana Purchace
    WHO: Thomas Jefferson
    WHAT: Louisiana Purchase; When the land from France was bought, all debt was cancelled.
    WHEN: 1803
    WHERE: Territory from France was bought in Louisiana.
    WHY: Without this event, the U.S. wouldn't have doubled in size.
    HOW: Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million.
  • Birth of Abe Lincoln

    Birth of Abe Lincoln
    WHO: Abraham Lincoln
    WHAT: Birth of Abe Lincoln; Nancy Hanks Lincoln gave birth to Abraham Lincoln.
    WHEN: February 12, 1809
    WHERE: Hodgenville, Kentucky
    WHY: I chose this event because Abe Lincoln was a very important president.
    HOW: Lincoln was born in a cabin along Mike's Run at the foot of New Creek Mountain.
  • War of 1812

    War of 1812
    WHO: The United States and Great Britain
    WHAT: War of 1812; The war began because of a military conflict between the U.S. and Great Britain.
    WHEN: June 18, 1812
    WHERE: The war was fought in Britain.
    WHY: I chose this war because the U.S. attempted to invade Canada.
    HOW: U.S. maritime rights were violated by Great Britain.
  • The White House Burning

    The White House Burning
    WHO: The U.S. and England
    WHAT: The White House Burning; British troops invaded Washington, D.C.
    WHEN: August 24, 1814
    WHERE: Washington, D.C.
    WHY: This event is important because after the White House was burnt, it had to be almost completely rebuilt.
    HOW: This event was a retaliation against America for their attack on the city of York in Ontario, Canada.
  • Writing of The National Anthem

    Writing of The National Anthem
    WHO: Francis Scott Key
    WHAT: The National Anthem; The National Anthem was inspired by the events at The Battle of Baltimore.
    WHEN: September 13, 1814
    WHERE: The United States
    WHY: The National Anthem is an important part of U.S. history.
    HOW: The national anthem is a poem originally written by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812.
  • Civil War begins

    Civil War begins
    WHO: Unions against the Confederates
    WHAT: The Civil War; The Civil War is the deadliest war ever fought of American soil.
    WHEN: April 12, 1861
    WHERE: The United States
    WHY: I chose this event because it is the most studied and written about war in history.
    HOW: The Unions were against slavery while the Confederates supported it.
  • Emancipation Proclamation

    Emancipation Proclamation
    WHO: Abraham Lincoln
    WHAT: Emancipation Proclamation; More than 3.5 million enslaved African Americans in the south were to be freed.
    WHEN: January 1, 1863
    WHERE: The United States
    WHY: African Americans deserved their rights of freedom.
    HOW: Abraham Lincoln issued an executive order which stated that once a slave escaped the Confederate government, they were free.
  • End of The Civil War

    End of The Civil War
    WHO: Union and the Confederates
    WHAT: End of The Civil War; After the end of the Civil War, the 13th Amendment was ratified.
    WHEN: April 9, 1865
    WHERE: The North and the South
    WHY: April 9th marked the end of the deadliest war ever fought of American soil.
    HOW: The 13th Amendment to The Constitution was ratified after it was approved by Abraham Lincoln.
  • Assassination of Abe Lincoln

    Assassination of Abe Lincoln
    WHO: Abraham Lincoln and John Booth
    WHAT: Abraham Lincoln assassination; Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Booth at Ford's Theater in 1865.
    WHEN: April 14, 1865
    WHERE: Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C.
    WHY: The assassination of the 16th president will always hold a lot of importance to the U.S.
    HOW: While Lincoln was watching the play, a well-known stage actor, John Booth, came up behind him and shot him in the head.
  • Invention of the telephone

    Invention of the telephone
    WHO: Alexander Graham Bell
    WHAT: Invention of the telephone, The invention of the telephone revolutionized technology and communication.
    WHEN: 1876
    WHERE: Boston, Massachusetts
    WHY: Telephones and technology has greatly effected the entire world.
    HOW: The creation of the telephone marked the end of telegraph usage.
  • End of The Reconstruction Era

    End of The Reconstruction Era
    WHO: Southern United States
    WHAT: End of The Reconstruction Era; This era was a period of time after The Civil War ended.
    WHEN: May 1, 1877
    WHERE: Southern United States
    WHY: The Reconstruction Era brought the north and the south back together.
    HOW: Southern states had to rebuild their economies and be readmitted to the Union.