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American Revolution
In 1765, the American Revolution started. This was the event in which the colonists started to rebel against the British government. They began to rebel against the government because they were having to pay too many taxes and they were being mistreated and murdered.This is significant because this event led to American independence. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a political protest against Britain for enforcing the idea of "taxation without representation". Britain was putting taxes on the colonists, specifically tea, without the consent of the American colonists. This angered the colonists which led them to retaliate and throw a shipment of tea overboard. This was significant as it led colonists to want to fight for independence even more. -
Declaration of Independence
In the Declaration of Independence, the colonists made a document that stated their separation from British power. This was published on July 4, 1776. This document set the American colonies free to be their own nation. This is significant because it set an example for other countries who wanted to be free. -
Louisiana Purchase
In the Louisiana Purchase, the United States purchased a large piece of land from the French. The piece of land was purchased for $15 million and approximately 872,00 square miles. This is significant because it was one of America's first big moves in expanding American territory. -
Civil War
The Civil War was a battle between the North and South over which states should be free or slave states in America. The North and South had many conflicting ideas. These growing tensions led to war breaking out across the nation. This is an important event, because it was a big step in the long journey of the fight for equality. -
Emancipation Proclamation
On January 1, 1963, President Abraham Lincoln issued an executive order that stated that all slaves shall be free. The document stated, "all persons held as slaves ... are, and henceforward shall be free." This was very controversial, but it is what made Abraham Lincoln an important and rememberable president. This is significant because it was one of the first steps in the fight for equality. -
15th Amendment
This amendment was passed in order to allow everyone to vote. No matter their race, color, or previous condition of servitude. This allowed all minorities to vote without any restraints. This is important since it was marking the path to equality all over Ameria. -
World War I
On April 6, 1917, the United States entered World War I. They entered and helped the allies, Britain, France, and Russia, defeat Germany. The Allies eventually won and beat the Central powers. This is significant because the U.S. used to be very isolated and this changed that. -
Women's Right to Vote
The 19th Amendment was passed by Congress in June and ratified in August. The fight for women's right to vote lasted for so many years. Those years were filled with protests and arguments. This event was important as it was a big step toward equality for all. -
Black Tuesday
On October 29, 1929, the stock market crashed in Wall Street. This event was also known as Black Tuesday and is known as one of the worst events in American history. There was a similar event called Black Thursday that occurred on October 24th of the same year. This is significant because this led to the Great Depression which lasted for a decade and negatively impacted the lives of many Americans. -
The New Deal
When President Franklin D. Roosevelt first came into office in 1933, he proposed a series of 'New Deals'. He became president during the era of the Great Depression and these programs were meant to restore the American economy. These programs provided the American people with jobs and financial aid. This was significant because this helped get many Americans back on their feet. -
Pearl Harbor
Europe was in the midst of WWII while America remained isolated. That is until Japan dropped a bomb on Pearl Harbor, killing many people and soldiers. Due to this massive devastation, America opted to join in on WWII. This event is momentous as it led to America joining and help win WWII for the allied powers. -
Atomic Bombings
In 1945, the United Sates dropped TWO bombs on Japan. One was dropped on Hiroshima and the other on Nagasaki. This was the first time that the United States unveiled their atomic bombs. They did this in order to try and end their war with Japan. This is important because it sparked a lot of debate between Americans back home. -
The Red Scare
On March 21, 1947, President Truman issued Executive Order 9835 which stated that all federal employees must be analyzed to see if they were loyal to the government. This was only the start of something that later became known as the Red Scare. Later on, not only federal employees, but American citizens were being questioned to see if they were communists. This is significant because if you were accused of communism and were found guilty, you were then blacklisted, so many lives were destroyed. -
Cold War
The Cold War had the United States and the Soviet Union at each other's throats. A large aspect of the Cold War was the fear of the spread of Communism. This fear led to things such as the Red Scare and to the House Un-American Activities Committee questioning people of their involvement with Communism. This event led to advancements in traveling in space, the creation of extreme nuclear bombs, and the battle using nuclear bombs. -
Korean War
A war broke out between North and South Korea when the North invaded the South at the 38th parallel. The invasion was in hopes of creating one Korea under the leadership of Communism. The United States joined in and fought on the side of the South. This event was significant since it was one of the many wars that America joined to fight off Communism during the Cold War. -
Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a law that segregation in public places. It also banned employment discrimination based on someone's race, sex, or religion. This event was significant because it was one of the biggest outcomes of the civil rights' movement. It was a huge step in the future of equality. -
Vietnam War
A war broke out in Vietnam due to the fear of it becoming a communist country and spreading communism to its neighbors. America didn't want to be involved at first, but it soon joined forces with France to support South Vietnam in its fight against South Vietnam. America joined only in fear of Communism spreading as it was in the midst of the Cold War. This war was important as it was very controversial and was one of the biggest loses the United States had ever experienced. -
9/11
On September 11th of 2001 two planes were hijacked. The airplanes were taken and crashed into the Twin Towers in New York. A total of 2,996 people died on that day. Before this event, airports were very lenient and not as secure as they are today. This day is very significant as it put America on strong guard ever since then. -
Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting
On December 14, 2012, one of the deadliest school shootings in history occurred in the town of Newton, Connecticut. A man by the name of Adam Lanza went into Sandy Hook Elementary School and fatally shot 20 of the students and 6 adults. Lanza then shot himself before he could be arrested. This is significant because it sparked the debate for stricter gun control and gun laws to be passed.
