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1859: Frank Leslie: Illustration of the violence of the raid

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OCT 16 1850 - JOHN BROWNS RAID ON HARPERS FERRY

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OCT 16 1850 - JOHN BROWNS RAID ON HARPERS FERRY

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P I think John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry was significant because it served as a major catalyst that pushed the United States directly toward the Civil War. It was a dramatic, violent arsenal with 22 casualties that escalated the intensity of the conflict between the North and South. It was socially important because it confirmed the South's fears of Northern insurrection, making the peaceful co-existence of slave and free societies impossible. John Brown's raid was politically important because it ruined the last chance for a peaceful end to the slavery fight. It completely destroyed any hope for a compromise between the North and South, forcing political groups like the Democratic and Republican parties to take very set and extreme positions. Lastly, it was intellectually important because it made Americans seriously debate if using violence could ever be right when trying to get justice and end slavery.

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Bettmann Archive 1856: On the left is Lawyer and former Chief Justice Roger B Taney and on the right is Dredd Scott, an enslaved man.

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1856-1857 - DREDD SCOTT V SANDFORD DECISION 

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1856-1857 - DREDD SCOTT V SANDFORD DECISION 

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The Dredd Scott decision was a catastrophic judicial event for the union that escalated sectionalism. I chose this event because I see this as the most damaging Judicial decision in US history because it destroyed the ability to compromise on the issue of slavery, serving as a direct reason for the Civil War. The Dred Scott decision gave a moral and legal blow to all African Americans, stripping them of an legal standing. It was socially important because it declared no black person could ever be an American citizen, causing them to be socially viewed as an inferior race not "worthy" of associating with white citizens, validating extremely racist arguments. It was politically important because it intensified sectional conflict by denying the Missouri compromise, making it clear to the North that the courts were siding with the South.

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1854:  Stephen A. Douglas: This act allowed settlers in Kansas and Nebraska to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery, leading to violent conflict known as “Bleeding Kansas.”

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The Kansas Nebraska act denied the Missouri compromise by allowing residents of Kansas and Nebraska territories to decide the issue of slavery through proper sovergnity. I think this act was significant because it increased tensions between the North and South by reopening the slavery debate, leading to violent conflicts in Kansas which pushed the country closer to Civil War. It was socially important because it instantly led to violence in the territory, creating the mess known as "Bleeding Kansas" where anti-slavery settlers and pro-slavery groups flooded the area to fight for control and show that popular sovereignty could not work peacefully. It was politically important because it tore up the old rules, specifically throwing out the Missouri Compromise that had kept the peace for over 30 years, causing the immediate creation of the brand-new, anti-slavery Republican Party. It was intellectually important because it forced people to debate whether they should let a simple vote decide a huge moral issue like slavery. It removed the Missouri Compromise's clear boundary, which reopened the huge argument over slavery and made the US a battleground.

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 1844: Samuel Morse's original telegraph.

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OUTCOME OF THE WAR: 1844 - TELEGRAPH AND COMMUNICATION 

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OUTCOME OF THE WAR: 1844 - TELEGRAPH AND COMMUNICATION 

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The telegraph gave Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant the ability to form a unified national strategy and gave the North a huge advantage during the Civil War. I chose the telegraph because it significantly gave the north a MASSIVE advantage in strategy, logistics, intelligence, and reaction time. It was politically significant because it allowed President Lincoln to centralize military command and control by instantly communicating strategies and orders to generals in the field. It was socially significant because it accelerated the delivery of war news and casualty reports, drastically reducing the time required for the deliverance of important news. Lastly, It was technologically significant because it introduced the world to electronic communication as a military tool, Increasing the warfare's speed and coordination. The telegraph maintained over 15,000 miles of line and an example of its success was in the Battle of Spotsylvania where General George Gordon used the telegraph to direct reinforcements to major general Winfield Scott Hancocks Corps during a heavy confederate counterattack.

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 John Parrot 1882: This illustration shows General George Pickett's surprise attack, called Pickett's Charge, on the Union forces.

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A political pivotal battle between the Union and Confederates that resulted in the unions victory. I chose this event because it ended general Robert E. Lee's invasion on the North. Lee suffered 28,000 casualties which was a third of his army. This victory ultimately boosted Northern morale and secured Republican dominance in the 1864 elections. It was politically significant because it crushed the Confederacy's final major attempt to invade the North, ending consideration of recognizing the Confederacy as an independent nation. It was socially significant because the immense number of casualties forced Americans to confront the war's staggering human cost, leading President Lincoln to redefine the war's purpose around national unity and human equality in the Gettysburg Address. Lastly, It was intellectually significant because Abraham Lincoln used the resulting cemetery dedication to deliver the Gettysburg Address, permanently redefining the Civil War's purpose from merely preserving the Union to fulfilling the nation's founding promise of equality Overall, this battle was a war that became the most costly and decisive battle of the American Civil War, ending the Confederacy's final invasion of the North and marking the war's turning point.

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Tennessee virtual archive: 1861-1865: A minie ball found at Sugar Creek in Lawrence County (Battle of sugar creek

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The minnie ball was important because it changed Civil War tactics by dramatically increasing the lethality and range of the standard weapon. It was made with lead, having an accuracy of 500 yards and could travel at a rapid speed of 1200 yards. It was technologically significant because the minnie ball allowed for the use of rifling in muskets, resulting in a dramatic increase in range and accuracy of weapons compared to smoothbore muskets. It was economically significant because the switch to minnie ball production created a surge in war manufacturing, driving significant industrial investment in the Union. Lastly, It was politically significant because the devastating effectiveness of the new weapon dramatically increased casualty rates, fueling anti-war beliefs in both the Union and Confederacy, intensifying the political pressure on leaders to end the conflict quickly.

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1866: John A Bingham: Primary source of the Fourteenth Amendment

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I chose the passage of the 14th amendment because it marked the start of change and acceptance to the Black community. It ensured all citizens had equal rights and prevented states from redefining the concrete law. It was socially significant because it established the principle of birthright citizenship at the national level, guaranteeing that all persons born or naturalized in the United States, including former slaves, were citizens entitled to full legal protection. It was politically significant because the Equal Protection Clause dramatically limited the power of state governments, ensuring that states could not cheat the rights of citizens, forcing a mandatory balance of the governments power. Overall, the 14th Amendment was a huge step toward equality because it helped shape a fairer America and set the foundation for future civil rights progress.

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1920:  robed and hooded members of the Ku Klux Klan stand with members of the Royal Riders of the Red Robe.

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1865: RISE OF WHITE SUPREMACIST TERRORISM: KKK

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1865: RISE OF WHITE SUPREMACIST TERRORISM: KKK

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I think the KKK was significant after the Civil War because it showed how strongly some white Southerners resisted Reconstruction and the new rights given to freed African Americans. It was important because the KKK used violence and fear to stop Black people from voting, getting jobs, or having political power. It was significant socially because The KKK created a lot of fear in Black communities and tried to keep the old social order of white supremacy. It was significant religiously because some members claimed they were defending “Christian” values, even though they used religion as an excuse for racism. Lastly, it was significant politically because the group attacked Black voters and Republican leaders to stop them from changing Southern politics.

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1866, Library Photograph Collection: Newspaper print of the Freedmen's Bureau in Memphis. Shows three men surrounded by African Americans waiting for assistance.

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1865: ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FREEDMENS BUREAU 

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1865: ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FREEDMENS BUREAU 

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I chose the Freedmen's Bureau because it was one of the most important organizations that helped formerly enslaved people start new lives after the Civil War. It was significant overall because it supported freedom, education, and equality during Reconstruction. It was socially significant because It helped freedmen and poor whites by building schools, hospitals, and giving food and clothing, helping people start new lives after slavery. It was politically significant because the Bureau made sure freedmen’s rights were protected and helped them make fair labor contracts, showing the government was trying to support equality. It was intellectually significant because it helped start thousands of schools, including the first Black colleges, which made education possible for African Americans. Lastly, it was economically significant because it helped freedmen find jobs, make contracts, and sometimes gave land or resources to help them become independent. Overall, it was very important because it showed the federal government’s first real effort to help African Americans gain freedom, rights, and opportunities after slavery.

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1872: Washington: Currier & Ives :The First Colored Senator and Representatives, in the 41st and 42nd Congress of the United States.

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THE RISE OF BLACK POLITICAL PARTICIPATION

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THE RISE OF BLACK POLITICAL PARTICIPATION

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I chose the rise of Black political participation because it showed how African Americans began to gain power and have a voice after the Civil War, it was significant overall because it represented real progress toward equality and democracy during Reconstruction. It was politically significant because Many Black men were elected to local, state, and national offices, showing that democracy was expanding to include everyone. It was socially important because African Americans became more involved in their communities, started organizations, and worked together to fight for equal rights. Lastly, it was intellectually important because it gave the ability to participate in government inspired education and literacy so people could understand and engage in politics. This was a huge milestone for America because it showed progress and hope for a fairer America, even though it faced backlash later on.