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1492
Arrival of Christopher Columbus at the Americas
Though this event did not take place in North America it was this that gave the start for the transAtlantic movement. Without this first voyage, the rest of the American settlements would not have occurred and the United States would not have existed. [http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/columbus.htm][https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/columbus-reaches-the-new-world] -
Period: 1492 to
A Timeline of the United States History
This timeline will display significant events in United States History beginning with the settlement of Jamestown in the fifteenth century and ending with the 1877 election. All of these events listed are important aspects of the United States past. -
The establishment of Jamestown in North America by the Virginia Company of London
This was the first time a European industrial practice was brought to North America. Though the men there spent most of their time desperately searching for gold and starving it was still a monumental movement for it’s time and was the first real settlement in the United States. [https://www.history.com/topics/jamestown][https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Company] -
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act of 1765 was a tax imposed by the British for the peoples of the American colonies. This was considered insulting considering the amount of manual labor the colonial people were putting in. This tax was what started the idea of becoming free from England. [http://www.history.org/history/teaching/tchcrsta.cfm][http://historyofmassachusetts.org/the-stamp-act/] -
The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was the first deadly conflict between the British and the Americans. This set the tone for the impending revolutionary war: bloody, brutal and burdensome. [https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/boston-massacre][http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/massacre.html] -
The Declaration of Independence
After a bloody past of colonial overthrow, the United States finally established the values that the nation would be built on. “All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” This is perhaps the most famous excerpt outlining the core value of the US. [http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/][https://history.state.gov/milestones/1776-1783/declaration] -
Shay's Rebellion
Shays' Rebellion was the first armed uprising in Massachusetts after the revolutionary war. Daniel Shays, a former captain in the continental army led thousands of rebels in a protest against different injustices of the poorer classes. The reason this event is significant is because it was the first major uprising in independant America. [https://www.history.com/topics/shays-rebellion][http://www.ushistory.org/us/15a.asp] -
George Washington becoming the first President
Washington becoming president under the constitutional structure was a huge leap of progress for the United States. He established the first ever cabinet (three people) and held together a relatively strong central authority. He also created the presidential four year term arrangement. These actions were paramount because he permanently shaped many parts of the United States government. [https://www.history.com/us-presidents/george-washington][www.britannica.com/biography/George-Washington] -
The Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana purchase was a deal made by Napoleon in which France sold a large amount of land to the United States for a very small amount (about four cents per acre) in order to have finances to help with Britain. The deal was incredibly beneficial to the United States and almost doubled their amount of land. [https://www.history.com/topics/louisiana-purchase][https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/american_originals/loupurch.html] -
The War of 1812
This conflict between England (and their Indian allies) and the US was a three year war over trade restrictions. This war was significant because the of end of the war brought about a new American culture and general autonomy. [https://www.history.com/topics/war-of-1812][https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-10-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-war-of-1812-102320130/] -
Jackson’s Presidency, Rise of the common man
Despite being born of a poor North Carolina family, Jackson was able to become president and rebel against the previous system of only wealthy Virginians taking the position. Common men were always told that they were important, but with the rise of Jackson, men were actually pushed to a higher political stance in America. [http://www.ushistory.org/us/24a.asp] [https://owlcation.com/social-sciences/Andrew-Jackson-A-Common-Man] -
Indian Removal Act, the Trail of Tears
To make room for the business endeavors of White Americans, Andrew Jackson passed a bill known as the Indian removal Act which forced migration of thousands of Indians from their homelands in the southeast to remote territories further west. This forced migration was called the trail of tears because it caused much death, suffering and displacement. [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4h1567.html] [https://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/trail-of-tears] -
Mexican-American War
This armed conflict was a disagreement over whether or not America could take new territory from Mexico, this territory included present day California and Utah. Texas independence from Mexico was a major start to this. [https://www.history.com/topics/mexican-american-war][https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican%E2%80%93American_War] -
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush was just one of many surges of westward migration and expansion. When James W. Marshall claimed to have found lots of gold in California, over three hundred thousand people chose to migrate west towards California. This was all in search of wealth and prosperity. [https://www.britannica.com/topic/California-Gold-Rush] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Gold_Rush] -
The Underground Railroad
The Underground railroad was a secret network of escape routes that helped many slaves escape their during the mid 1800s. Slave conditions were atrocious and the underground railroad was a method of leaving behind the hardship. This movement was significant because it helped many people obtain freedom. -
Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin
This book swayed the public opinion of many. Slavery was already a hot button topic but this publication arguably was what pushed the debate to war. Over 300,000 people purchased copies of her book, even more in England. This book finally exposed the horrible conditions behind slave life and showed how white people were disadvantaged as well. -
Bloody Antietam
Antietam was a battle fought just south of Sharpsburg Maryland. Lee brought with him 75,000 soldiers. This armed conflict between the north and south was the bloodiest day in American history. Over twenty-three thousand men were killed and thousands more were injured. Though McClellan and the Union won, both sides experienced severe casualties, it was considered a victory for no one. [http://www.ushistory.org/us/33e.asp][https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/battle-of-antietam] -
The Emancipation Proclamation
This document was issued just five days after the battle of Antietam. The document declared that all slaves in the south were legally and officially free from slavery. This was an attempt to stop the south from continuing to use slave labor in order to help war efforts. Thought this document did not mean slaves were immediately granted freedom, it helped establish the North’s moral causes overseas. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emancipation_Proclamation][http://www.ushistory.org/us/34a.asp] -
The Black Codes
Johnson did not enforce any strong change for the blacks in the south and therefore the whites of the south chose to enact their own laws and forms of intimidation against the black people. Black codes were created. These were laws were deliberately racist laws that made it nearly impossible for a former slave to advance themselves, many ended up working on the plantation again. [https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-codes][http://www.crf-usa.org/brownvboard/southern-black-codes] -
Andrew Johnson is Impeached from Office
Andrew Johnson, the 17th president was impeached by congress. He had shown early on that he was not very cooperative with the republicans and therefore right away many congressmen wanted to rid of him. It was when he removed Edwin M. Stanton as secretary of war that congress composed their 11 articles of impeachment against Johnson, making him the first president to be impeached. [https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/president-andrew-johnson-impeached][http://www.ushistory.org/us/35c.asp] -
Growing sense of an American Identity
As the years of the US went by, a certain sense of pride and identity grew with the title of being an American. The legacy of American prosperity and diversity is was something that many chose to celebrate. Though this morale has been around since the start of the US it’s grown during the last several decades of the 19th century. [http://www.ushistory.org/us/7f.asp] [http://www.ushistory.org/us/13a.asp] -
Wounded Knee Massacre and Battle of the Little Bighorn
The Wounded Knee Massacre and the Battle of Little Bighorn were two of hundreds of brutal battles with the native Indian people. Forcing the Natives off their reservation land, taking away their food, ruining their animals and property were not unfamiliar to the natives. And this new wave of violence was horribly damaging to the local people. [https://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/battle-of-the-little-bighorn] [https://www.britannica.com/topic/Wounded-Knee-Massacre] -
The Rise of Transcontinental Railroads
The transcontinental railway system was a huge stride forward in American history. It not only provided businesses with a means of transportation, it also made it easier for western expansion. No longer were the days of covered wagons. This allowed for the rise of American billionaires: Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Carnegie and more… http://www.ushistory.org/us/36a.asp https://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/timeline/riseind/railroad/ -
The Rise of Transcontinental Railroads
The transcontinental railway system was a huge stride forward in American history. It not only provided businesses with a means of transportation, it also made it easier for western expansion. No longer were the days of covered wagons. This allowed for the rise of the first American billionaires: Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Carnegie [http://www.ushistory.org/us/36a.asp] [https://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/timeline/riseind/railroad/] -
Labor Unions
With the expansion of industrial labor came horrendous conditions for industrial workers. The new founding of Labor unions marks a significant change in US history. Though it was a slow process, it brought justice to the poor, disadvantaged workers. http://www.ushistory.org/us/37d.asp https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0113/the-history-of-unions-in-the-united-states.aspx -
Spanish-American War
This was an armed conflict between the US and Spain. However, it took place in central America. “American intervention” became an occurence in Guam, Honduras, Puerto Rico, the Philippines and more. They would enter an impoverished country and rather than help them, the US would use them for economic gain. [https://www.history.com/topics/spanish-american-war] [http://www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/1898/intro.html] -
World War One
Several Events including the sinking of the Lusitania, the Zimmerman telegram and British support pushed the United States into entering World War One. The US declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917 and the United states began a draft which employed over 4 million americans. [https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/america-enters-world-war-i] [http://www.ushistory.org/us/45.asp] -
The Roaring Twenties
With the rise of the automobile and other new appliances came the rise of a new kind of American culture: New music, dating, leisure, tourism. People had significantly more money and they had more time to do the things they enjoyed. A lifestyle revolution erupted with the Harlem Renaissance, film and movies also became prominent along with the new image of the flapper. [https://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties][http://www.ushistory.org/us/46.asp] -
The Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations
The Treaty of Versailles was the document that ended World War one, by signing it Germany agreed to take complete responsibility for World War One damages. Germany promised to pay reparations to the winning countries. The League of Nations was a group of countries that formed following the war. [http://www.ushistory.org/us/45d.asp] [https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/treaty-of-versailles] -
The Great Depression
The Fall of 1929 brought a financial crisis like never before. People all across the US had been excitedly investing their earnings in the stock market, but after a horrific plummet, the country’s people had terrible consequences: no jobs, hunger, disease, homelessness, worse education. These problem persisted for over a decade. [http://www.ushistory.org/us/48e.asp] [https://www.history.com/topics/great-depression] -
Bombing Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor was a US naval base in the territory of Hawaii. It was where the Japanese air force chose to send hundreds of fighter planes. Approximately 2,400 Americans passed away and hundreds more remained injured. This event was what brought the US to enter WWII. [https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor] [http://www.ushistory.org/us/50e.asp] -
World War Two
The United States entered World War Two after Pearl Harbor. The US declared war on Japan and had its allies Great Britain and the USSR but it was a difficult fight because Japan was allied with Italy and Germany. It was the bloodiest armed conflict in world history killing an estimated 50 million worldwide (an estimated 400,000 Americans.)
[https://www2.gwu.edu/~erpapers/teachinger/glossary/world-war-2.cfm] [https://www.nationalww2museum.org/world-war-2] -
The Korean War
The Korean war lasted for three years from 1950 to 1953. North Korea invaded South Korea (which were still one country at that point in time). The goal of this war was to squash communism and end this brutal conflict. The war was able to push back North Korea but they were unable to reunify Korea as one country. Over half a million American soldiers were deployed. [https://www.history.com/topics/korean-war][https://www.britannica.com/event/Korean-War] -
Suburbia, the 50’s Dream
The American dream shifted to the idea of owning a house and a yard, having a housewife, a car, dog and a few children. Rock and roll music took over the youth. Education improved, television spread widely and children were watching programs and playing with their neighborhood friends, America was entering a new era. -
Civil Rights Movement
Beginning in the 1950's forced segregation between black and white citizens became increasingly intolerable. Acts of civil disobedience led by leaders such as Martin Luther King included measures such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, lunch counter sit-in's and bus trips of black and white activists across the south. Discrimination in hiring, housing, voting and all civil matters soon became illegal. [http://www.ushistory.org/us/54b.asp] [http://www.ushistory.org/us/54i.asp] -
Cold War
The cold war was a conflict, where two major superpowers (USSR v. United States ) and their alliances stockpiled massive weapons in preparation for an nuclear conflict. But fortunately, it never came. Ronald Reagan, a republican president during the 80s was able to bring down the Berlin wall and begin the long process of nuclear disarmament.
[https://www.britannica.com/event/Cold-War][http://www.ushistory.org/us/59e.asp] -
Roe v Wade
In 1973 the Supreme Court ruled that women had a right to abortion due to an assumed right to privacy within the constitution. Although restrictions on abortion beyond the first trimester continued to be allowed, this decision was critical in contributing to the increased sexual freedom and equality of the 1970's and has resonated in every generation and political election since it's time until this day. [https://www.oyez.org/cases/1971/70-18] [http://www.ushistory.org/us/57b.asp] -
Rise of the Internet
Bill Clinton was the first president to use the internet and he established a global chain of politics. The internet provided the government and the world the power to connect instantly and share a great amount of information without leaving one’s home. Some might argue this was the event that launched a whole new technological era. [http://www.ushistory.org/us/60d.asp][https://www.whitehousehistory.org/the-internet-at-the-white-house] -
Americanization
Americanizing is best defined as “to cause to acquire or conform to American characteristics” this is something that the United States has done all over the planet. People in Hong Kong are eating McDonalds, people in Singapore are wearing Nikes. Most people have had parts of their lives influenced by American customs. [http://www.ushistory.org/us/60d.asp][https://www.csmonitor.com/Books/Book-Reviews/2011/0523/How-the-American-dream-went-global-interview-with-Fareed-Zakaria] -
Globalization
Globalization is the process by which the United States develops international influence or start operating on an international scale. The United States and its global presence has a huge impact on everyone. The United States has 800 military bases worldwide as well as countless corporations and manufacturing branches from across the world. [https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/06/us-military-bases-around-the-world-119321][http://www.ushistory.org/us/60e.asp]
