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Oct 12, 1492
Columbus Lands
SourceSourceThe official start of US History, this was the first interaction between Native Americans and Europeans. Columbus was introduced to a wide variety of resources that the Americas had to offer. This lead to interest from several nations in dominance in the New World. The result would be trade and cultural diffusion between the two groups. This worked better for Europeans, as over 90% of Native Americans died from diseases and occasional conflict with the white men. -
Period: Oct 12, 1492 to
Colonial America - Reconstruction
Timeline covering key events and concepts from the introduction of Europeans to the Reconstruction period for VHS US History summer class. All images will be found through creative commons and be in the public domain. -
Jan 1, 1493
Diversity
Source Diversity is one of America's most defining characteristics. America is considered a "melting pot" of cultures from all over the world. Most people of a particular country "sound Russian" or "look German", or whatever defining trait they have. But America, due to slavery and widespread immigration, has no defining features (despite maybe language). They are culturally distinct due to their blending of different cultures to create their own -
Jamestown Established
Source Jamestown was the first truly successful English colony. Consequently, it was also one of the first to deal with long term Native American negotiations for land and food. Though it had its setbacks, the introduction of tobacco as a cash crop to trade with England created a whole new market. Producing tobacco was considered to be labor intensive, providing an opportunity for the introduction of slaves into the colonies. -
Period: to
Peak of the Slave Trade
SourceSourceAfricans were taken in large numbers overseas to work in the colonies as slaves. In the Middle Passage, thousands died due to disease & inhumane conditions they were subjected to. Slaves were brought to the Americas to be laborers, usually planting and picking crops like tobacco in Virginia. This was the first time slavery was based on race, and lead to extreme racism in the British colonies (Spanish colonists had not brought women with them, leading to more mixed race families and tolerance). -
Nationalism Appears in the Colonies
SourcePrior to the 7 Years' War and the signing of the Treaty of Paris, the colonies had rivalries between them that kept them separate. They needed Britain to help them. Following the war, many of those rivalries disappeared due to the necessity of working together and a common enemy. The colonies began seeing themselves more as a united force than as 13 individual powers. This nationalism would be the foundation for a bid for autonomy in the American Revolution. -
Equality
Source The idea of equality has been in America since its founding. People rejected the idea of a ruler over all other men. Religion itself changed from a hierarchal system to the idea that anyone could have a relationship with god. Racial issues created inequality, but following the abolition of slavery even low social groups began to gain more rights. Women too gained increased roles in society following a religious revolution. -
US Constitution Ratified
Source The US Constitution created the foundation for the American government. It was created on September 17, 1787 and signed by 39 of the 55 delegates. The ratification symbolized the creation of the government and the values of the new system that would be upheld. 5 states ratified almost immeaditally, and then state by state the others did as well. Though there was conflict, it was eventually ratified by all states. -
Invention of the Cotton Gin
Source The cotton gin revolutionized the production of cotton and textiles in America. It could produce up to 50 times more than a worker could. This invention was one of many technological accomplishments that lead aided the progression of the Industrial Revolution. It also meant that since more cotton could be processed, more cotton could be grown to fit the demand. This meant that more slaves were sent to work in Southern plantations. -
Second Great Awakening Begins
Source The Second Great Awakening was a revival of religious idealism in America. Instead of salvation through giving to the church, salvation could be achieved simply through belief and prayer. Many new sects of Christianity developed during this timeframe (examples Mormanism and several Protestant faiths). Women became far more active in the church especially, and were able therefore to gain leadership roles. -
George Washington Elected President
Source Washington was the 1st president of the United States. Before becoming elected, he was a successful military officer and leader. One of the Founding Fathers, Washington was involved in the establishment of the US Constitution. He was reluctant to take office, & when he had served 8 years stepped down to better uphold the values he had worked so hard to establish. He opposed slavery, a radical position for his time. -
War of 1812 Begins
Source This was a 2.5 year war between America and the British (and allied Indians). This was not a successful war for the Americans, as they lost many major battles and there was such a low approval rating that the region of New England considered seceding from the rest of the country. However, a peace deal was struck before internal tensions grew too high, & the Battle of New Orleans provided a morale boost and increased nationalism in the US. -
Andrew Jackson Elected President
Source In one of the more contraversial presidencies, Jackson was a president that vowed to support the need of the "common man" instead of the rich. He was known for how much he used his right to veto actions he disagreed with, & earned the nickname "King Andrew" for his similarities to a monarch. He was also responsible for the Trail of Tears, which killed 1/4 of participating Native Americans. -
Abolitionism
Source Though in the 1820s Southern America needed slavery more & more, in the North more people joined the opposition. They first proposed returning slaves to Africa, but the response from slaves to that plan was negative. Therefore, they began arguing for the immediate abolishment of slavery; they did not want gradual change like other anti-slavery groups. This made them a minority opinion. -
California Gold Rush Begins
Source James Marshall found gold in a California river, leading to a massive rush to find it. Huge numbers of people from varying ethnicities and backgrounds (mostly young men) moved to California to mine. Unfortunately, most of the gold found was actually pyrite ("fool's gold"), leading to a large number of ghost towns. This is where the "old west" came from, and accounts for the larger amount of ethnic mixing in the West. -
The Compromise of 1850
Source The Compromise of 1850 ended the conflict between states that allowed slavery and free states. New states were created in order to balance the ratio of free to slave states, and territories were able to gain full statehood due to the compromise. The fugitive slave laws were also passed, requiring runaway slaves to be returned to their owners if they tried to escape to a free state. -
"Uncle Tom's Cabin" Published
Source Published by abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe, "Uncle Tom's Cabin" showed the American public, especially in the North, the effects and consequences of slavery on slaves. While never a slave herself, Stowe met several former slaves while in Cincinnati and wrote several short pieces based on their experiences. Her novel inspired both Americans to want to abolish slavery and the British to support only the Northern cause in the Civil War. -
The Emancipation Proclamation
Source The Union had had a large amount of success at Antietam in September of 1862. Therefore, Lincoln decided that the time was right to issue his proclamation of freedom. This freedom only applied to Confederate staes, which he didn't actually control at that point. However, it made the issue of slavery one of the key motivators of the war, and convinced oversea powers to side with the now winning north due to their moral similarities. -
Battle at Gettysburg
Source This was the largest balle ever fought in North America. Over 170,000 people fought, resulting in over 40,000 casualities. The goal was to defeat the Union on their own soil to relieve some pressure off of Virginia. Unfortunately for the South, the result was a Union victory. This is one of the most famous battles in the Civil War, and resulted in the equally famous Gettysburg Address by President Lincoln immediately following it. -
Radical Republicanism
Source The ideals of Radical Republicans became more heavily supported after the election in 1866, when people wished to override the vetos of and eventually to impeach President Johnson. They passed initiatives aimed to increase African American rights, including the right to hold office. This angered many people in the south, leading to the formation of the Ku Klux Klan. -
The Impeachment of President Johnson
Source Johnson was impeached by Radical Republicans in office due to his rather forgiving stance on former Confederate leaders and his exclusionary attitude towards African Americans. He was the first to face impeachment, and it wouldn't happen again for 130 years. Senators were one vote shy of the 2/3 majority that they needed to convict Johnson. His response to the impeachment was to "let them impeach, and be damned."
