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Period: Jan 1, 1490 to
US history timespan
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Aug 3, 1492
New World Discovered
Funded by Spain, Columbus sailed the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria across the Atlantic ocean in hopes of finding a route to India. Instead, he discovered the Western Hemisphere. -
British Establishes Colonies
European nations all wanted to have colonies in the new world, but England was the one who's colonies spanned the East coast of North America. The original 13 colonies included Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, New York, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. -
Industrial Revoulution
While it's hard to pin down an exact date for the start of the industrial revolution, 1712 is the year Thomas Newcomen invented an effective steam engine. Many new inventions helped society progress, such as the cotton gin, interchageable parts, and steamships. -
French and Indian War
The French and British both wanted control of outposts in North America. Each wanted control of waterways and trading rights. The Native Americans fought on both sides. -
Boston Tea Party
After expending so much money on the French and Indian War, England tried to reimburse themselves by placing heavy taxes on the colonies. Known as the Intolerable Acts, these taxes had colonists paying extra for all sorts of necessities. To protest, one group diguised themselves as Native Americans and threw 92,000 pounds of tea into the harbor in Boston. -
Revolutionary War
With tension so high between England and the colonies, the colonists finally revolted, beginning the revolutionary war. It started with the battles of Concord and Lexington, and ended in 1783 with the battle of Yorktown. Despite all odds, the colonies prevailed, going on to form the United States of America. -
Writing of the Constitution
After a few years of self government, the US decided they needed to rethink how they needed to do things. The founding fathers gathered at the Constitutional Convention in Philidelphia to discuss what should be done. Eventually, a constitution was written and drafted. -
Lewis and Clark's Expodition
By request of president Jefferson, Lewis and Clark took the Corps of Discovery to explore the land gained in the Louisiana Purchase. They scouted all the way to the Pacific Ocean with the help of a young Native American woman named Sacagawea, and returned home in September of 1806. -
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri compomise was suggested by Henry Clay. In order to help keep the balence between the Northern and Southern states, Missouri was allowed to become a slave state, but Maine also had to join as free state. -
Bleeding Kansas
After the Kansas-Nebraska act passed, allowing new states to vote on the issue of slavery, Kansas filled up with people with very strong opinions. With so many people with such different views, violence errupted, earning the nickname "Bleeding Kansas".
