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Period: Jun 28, 1492 to
US History
This timeline includes all the important events and ideas that contributed to the development of the U.S.A. up until 1877. Along with each event and idea will be a definition and statement of its significance. -
Aug 3, 1492
Christopher Columbus lands in North America
In search of India, Christopher Columbus instead lands in North America. He mistakedly names the natives "Indians." This was the first arrival in the New World by a European and the first encounter of the Native Americans. More on Christopher Colombus' landing in North America. -
Jamestown settlement is founded
Jamestown was the first successful British settlement in North America. It was founded by the London Company in what would soon be Virginia. The most lucrative crop, tobacco, was found and cultivated in Jamestown. More on the Jamestown Colony. -
The Boston Tea Party
A group of colonists in Boston did not agree with the new taxation law known as the Tea Act. They dumped three shiploads of tea into the Boston Harbor. This event was one of the first and most influential actions of revolution against Britain. More on The Boston Tea Party. -
First meeting of the Continental Congress
The governing body of the colonists during the American Revolution. It consisted of 56 delegates. Many important figures were present at the meeting including George Washington, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin. More on the First Continental Congress. -
The American Identity
The American Identity was created when the Declaration of Independence was signed and publicly announced. It models the true spirit of America that "all men are created equal." This idea was not enforced at the start, but was a precedent for the future. American's come from all over the world and embody hundreds of different cultures. That is the beauty of the United States of America. More on the American Identity. -
Federalism
Federalism in the United States is the relationship between the national government and the state governments. Federalists wanted a stronger national government and believed that it would help bring the country together. More on Federalism in the U.S. -
George Washington is inaugurated
On this day, George Washington took the Oath of Office in New York and became the first president of the United States of America. His leadership and courage during the Revolutionary War and in Congress made him the unanimous decision to be the nation’s first president. More on George Washington's inauguration. -
Louisiana Purchase
The French commander Napoleon was able to take over the territory west of the Mississippi River known as Louisiana. He threatened to block the U.S. from accessing the port of New Orleans. Knowing France needed money because of military expenses, President Jefferson struck a deal with Napoleon: all of Louisiana for 15 million dollars. More on the Louisiana Purchase. -
Francis Scott Key writes "Star-Spangled Banner"
In the summer of 1814, Britain was dominating the U.S. in the Second War for American Independence. However, the Americans avoided defeat when the British failed to capture Fort McHenry. Francis Scott Key was a British prisoner and he wrote "Star-Spangled Banner" as he watched Britain's failed attack. This poem would later become the national anthem of the U.S. More on the writing of the "Star-Spangled Banner." -
Missouri Compromise is signed
Maine, which was part of Massachusetts, is made a free state so that Missouri can be made a slave state and the balance between slave and free states is kept. Also, slavery is prohibited north of latitude 36° 30'. This settled the debate over which western territories would permit slavery. More on the Missouri Compromise. -
Jacksonian Democracy
President Andrew Jackson changed the role of the President. He had dynamic leadership and a strong mentality. He developed a close relationship with the people. He was the first President that was not born from a wealthy family and he sympathized with the "common man." More on Jacksonian Democracy. -
Indian Removal Act
President Jackson demanded thousands of Native Americans move further west to make room for the U.S. westward expansion. 20,000 Cherokees were uprooted and marched at gunpoint on what was later known as the Trail of Tears. More on the Indian Removal Act. -
Nat Turner's Slave Rebellion
The bloodiest slave revolt in American history. Nat Turner organized a rebellion and he and his followers killed about 75 white men, women, and children in Virginia. He and his men were eventually caught and hanged. This revolt instilled fear in many slaveholders and led to a stricter Slave Code. More on Nat Turner's Rebellion. -
Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny was the key reason for the United States westward expansion. Manifest Destiny is the idea that it was the country's divine obligation to expand its territory to become a great empire. Americans felt superior and discriminated against all non-whites they encounted. More on Manifest Destiny. -
Mexican-American War
Part of the American expansion west, the U.S. annexed Texas into the Union. Mexico was furious because they believed Texas belonged to them. This war lasted 2 years and by the end the U.S. had the land from Texas to California and Mexico had lost half of its territories. More on the Mexican-American War -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
This law made the Civil War inevitable. It opened the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to popular soveignty, which went against the Missouri Compromise of 1820 because they were located north of the 36°30’ parallel. More on the Kansas-Nebraska Act. -
Emancipation Proclamation
This law was issued by President Abraham Lincoln stating that any Confederate State that did not return to the union would have all its slaves freed. The day it was issued, 50,000 slaves were set free and many more would follow. This law made abolition the War's main goal. More on the Emancipation Proclamation. -
President Abraham Lincoln is assassinated
On this day, the President was shot in the back of the head while at a theater. The assassin was named John Wilkes Booth. He was against the abolition of slavery and supported white supremacy. He believed that the war was not over and he could bring victory to the Confederates by killing the president. More on President Lincoln's Assassination. -
Radical Reconstruction
Part of the Reconstruction Era after the Civil War. Congressmen known as Radical Repubilicans forbade the former Confederate Leaders to become representatives. Also they passed the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to allow African Americans the right to vote and other privaleges. More on Radical Reconstruction. -
President Andrew Johnson is Impeached
Before the Civil War, Andrew Johnson was a pro-slavery Southerner. When he became President after the war, he gave pardons to thousands of Confederates who were labeled as traitors. Many events including Johnson's suspension of Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and the veto of many acts for black rights lead to Congress voting for impeachment. Congress needed one more vote for conviction. More on President Johnson's Impeachment
