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Eli Whitney Patents the Cotton Gin
In 1794, Eli Whitney (patented the cotton gin, a machine that revolutionized the production of cotton by greatly speeding up the process of removing seeds from cotton fiber. By the mid-19th century, cotton had become America's leading export. Although the Cotton Gin did not make Eli Whitney much money, it benefited the South and their economy. The Cotton Gin also increased the arguments between the North and the South. -
Thomas Jefferson Elected President
The Election of 1800 (also referred to as the "Revolution of 1800") resulted in Thomas Jefferson becoming President of the United States, as well as a long period of Democratic-Republican rule. -
Gabriel Prosser Slave Revolt
Gabriel Prosser was a literate slave who attempted to organize a slave revolt in 1800. The plan was thwarted when information of it was leaked to authorities, which resulting in the apprehension and execution of Gabriel and his followers. Furthermore, several state legislatures passed new laws that restricted the liberties of free blacks in response to the incident. -
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory by the United Sates. France ceded the entire territory in return for 50 million francs. This was America's largest and most valuable land grab in history. -
Marbury v. Madison
Was a U.S. Supreme Court case that in 1803 established the right for courts to strike down laws, statutes, and some government actions that were in some way supported by the U.S. Constitution. This was significant because this began the process of holding states more accountable for ensuring they adhered to national law. This also affirmed the primacy of the Supreme Court in adjudication of law. -
Beginning of Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark Expedition was the first American expedition to explore the west. President Jefferson commissioned the expedition in order to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Territory. -
Embargo Act
This was an embargo enacted by Congress against Britain and France, in response to their violations of American sovereignty (in the form of seizing the cargo of american merchants). -
Chesapeake-Leopard Affair
On the 22nd of June 1807, the British warship HMS Leopard attacked the American ship the USS Chesapeake for the purpose to board and search it for deserters from the Royal Navy. This was significant because it first demonstrated a lack of respect or proper recognition of the United States Navy. It also served to demonstrate the arrogance of Great Britain, feeling it could do whatever it wanted on the high seas due to its naval superiority. -
James Madison Elected President
James Madison was elected the 4th President of the U.S. in 1808. He was responsible for drafting the Constitution the Bill of Rights earning the name the nickname “Father of the Constitution”. As secretary of state he oversaw the Louisiana Purchase. During his presidency, Madison led the U.S. into the War of 1812 against Great Britain, helping to establish the United States as a legitimate government in the eyes of Europe. -
Non-Intercourse Act
The Non-Intercourse Act was passed in 1809 to replace the ineffective Embargo Act of 1807. Although it too was largely ineffective and in fact harmful to the U.S. economy, it did help to kick start the beginning of American industrialization by forcing America to manufacture products they could no longer get via trade with Britain. -
Francis Cabot Lowell Smuggled Memorized Textile Mill Plans from Manchester, England
In 1810 Lowell traveled to Britain and engaged in industrial espionage to learn how the British Power Loom was designed and worked. The British had regarded it as a secret and were using it to maintain an industrial advantage. Lowell was able to memorize the design features, returning home to meet with American engineers and construct an American version. The creation of Lowell's power loom helped even the trade imbalance and break Britain's monopoly of the textile industry. -
Death of Tecumseh
Tecumseh was a Native American Shawnee warrior and chief who became the primary leader of a large, multi-tribe confederacy. He envisioned the establishment of an independent Native American nation east of the Mississippi River under British protection. However, his death resulted in the collapse of his Confederacy and the Shawnee were forced to move out of Ohio. This paved the way for the continued displacement of natives as settlers moved in. -
The British Burn Washington DC
The Burning of Washington was a British invasion during the War of 1812 in which British forces occupied the city and burnt many government buildings down, including the White House. -
Hartford Convention
The Hartford Convention was a series of meetings of New England Federalists to discuss their grievances relating to the War of 1812 and other issues. Ultimately they were discredited and ceased to be a major political force when word of Andrew Jackson's victory at New Orleans spread north. -
End of War of 1812
The War of 1812 ended on February 18th, 1815, with the Treaty of Ghent, which provided for a status quo, aside from a few agreements such as the British ceasing the impressment of American sailors. -
Treaty of Ghent
The Treaty of Ghent ended the War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain. The treaty is important because it Brough an end to British aspirations and designs of trying to reclaim lost territory as well as the general disregard of America and its armed forces. -
Era of Good Feelings Began
It is generally accept that the Era of Good Feelings began in 1815 and lasted thru 1825. It represented the general national sentiment associated with James Monroe's presidency and the one party republicans which were able to achieve quite a bit because of political cooperation. There was also high national morale after winning the War of 1812. -
Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans was the last major battle of the War of 1812. Although a peace treaty was already being signed, the British Army was ordered to press the attack on New Orleans. However, the Americans, led by General Andrew Jackson, defeated the British, and the victory boosted the morale of the people and it made Jackson a national hero. -
James Monroe Elected President
James Monroe was elected and served as the fifth President of the United States from 1817 to 1825. He was also considered one of the founding fathers. He was one of the last presidents from Virginia. He in the American Revolution and later served in the Continental Congress and Governor of Virginia. He was responsible for negotiating the Louisiana purchase, and the Monroe doctrine which prohibited European countries from further colonization of the former colonies. -
Anglo-American Convention
The Anglo-Convention of 1818, along with the Rush–Bagot Treaty of 1817, marked the beginning of improved relations between the British Empire and its former colonies, and paved the way for more positive relations between the U.S. and Canada. The treat establish several important issues regarding the Oregon Territory to which the Unites States and Great Britain/Ireland. It failed to address all those issues and eventually another treaty for Oregon had to be negotiated about thirty years later. -
Rush-Bagot Treaty
The Rush-Bagot Treaty was an agreement signed by the United States and the United Kingdom which provided for the demilitarization of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain. -
Adams-Onis Treaty
This treaty settled the boundary disputes between Spain and the United States. In addition, Spain ceded Florida to the U.S. -
McCulloch v. Maryland
This dispute arose when the State of Maryland attempted to levy a tax on the National Bank. James William McCulloch, head of the Baltimore Branch, refused to pay the tax. The case eventually made it to the Supreme Court, where it was decided that Congress had the power to create the Bank. This defined the legislative power of Congress in relation to state legislatures. -
Panic of 1819
In 1819, banks throughout the country failed; mortgages were foreclosed, forcing people out of their homes and off their farms. Falling prices impaired agriculture and manufacturing, triggering widespread unemployment. This was signified the end of the post-War of 1812 economic expansion. It was significant because it was the first financial crisis experienced in the U.S. -
Missouri Compromise
In late 1819, Missouri applied for admission to the U.S. as a slave state. However, this was viewed a threat to the balance of power because up to that time the number of slave and free states was equal. As a result of a compromise, Maine was admitted to the United States as a free state along with Missouri as a slave state, thus maintaining the balance of power between North and South in the United States Senate. -
Dartmouth College v. Woodward
In 1820 the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Dartmouth College that the state of New Hampshire had violated the contract clause of the U.S. Constitution which basically said that states could not force a state institution to break a contract it had made previously. In this particular case King George III of England has granted a school charter to Dartmouth and as such could not be dissolved or impaired by the state. In effect it provided a landmark decision in favor of private corporations. -
Denmark Vesey Slave Revolt
Denmark Vesey was tried, convicted and executed for planning a major slave uprising in the city of Charleston, South Carolina in 1822. He was a literate, skilled carpenter and owned a business. He became a leader among the black community in Charleston. The slave revolt leaders including Vesey were executed and it put a stop to the revolt. Vesey also attempt to gain an organizational foothold using a black church which was also extinguished. -
Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine was an American policy which warned European powers against interfering in or attacking any independent nations in North America and South America. -
John Quincy Adams Elected President (Corrupt Bargain)
In 1824, neither Andrew Jackson or John Quincy Adams received a majority of electoral votes in the election of 1824, despite Jackson winning the popular vote. The result was the U.S. House of Representatives selected John Quincy Adams. It was widely believed that Clay, the Speaker of the House at the time, convinced Congress to elect Adams, who then made Clay his Secretary of State. Jackson's supporters denounced this as a "corrupt bargain." -
Erie Canal Completed
In 1825, the Erie Canal completed linking the cities of Albany and Buffalo, New York. It was the longest artificial waterway and the greatest public works project in North America. It was significant because it transformed New York City into the nation's principal seaport and opened the interior of North America to settlement. -
Tariff of Abominations
The 1828 Tariff of Abominations taxed all foreign goods, to boost the sales of US products and protect Northern manufacturers from cheap British goods. It followed the wave of Nationalism in the country following the War of 1812. It was significant because it penalized southern states which benefitted little from the tarrifs but had to pay higher costs for items was buying from foriegn countries. It was one of the main reasons for the Civil War. -
Andrew Jackson Elected President
The election of 1828 was a rematch of the election of 1824, pitting Democrat Andrew Jackson against National Republican John Quincy Adams. Jackson won the election, causing Adams to be the second U.S. President to only serve one term (the first was his father, John Adams).
