American History Timeline by Ryan Kennedy _ Student - SalemMS

Columbus Discovers the "New World" (1492)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-08-29 14:33:24 UTC

Launched centuries of European exploration and colonization of the American continent.

Conquest of Tenochtitlan (1512)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-08-29 14:34:04 UTC

Destroyed the Aztec empire, and the Spanish began to consolidate control over what became the colony of New Spain

King Philip's War (1675)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-08-29 14:38:03 UTC

War that pitted Native Americans against English settlers and their Indian allies. Paved the way for additional English settlements

Bacon's Rebellion (1676)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-08-29 14:38:53 UTC

The first popular uprising in the American colonies. It was long viewed as an early revolt against English tyranny

Roanoke Settlement (1585)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-08-29 14:39:20 UTC

Permanent North American settlement with the purpose of harassing Spanish shipping, mining for gold and silver, discovering a passage to the Pacific Ocean, and Christianizing the Indians

French and Indian War (1754-1763)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-09-14 21:57:28 UTC

Part of the Seven Years' War in Europe. Britain and France fought for control of the Ohio Valley and Canada. The colonies fought under British commanders. Britain eventually won, and gained control of all of the remaining French possessions in Canada.

Boston Tea Party (1773)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-09-14 21:58:01 UTC

A group of colonists disguised as Mohawk Indians board three British tea ships and dump 342 chests of tea into the harbor in protest of the British Parliament's Tea Act of 1773.

First Continental Congress (1774)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-09-14 21:58:47 UTC

A Philadelphia meeting that brought together representatives form each of the colonies, except Georgia, to discuss the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Declaration of Independence (1776)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-09-14 21:59:27 UTC

A resolution created by the Continental Congress, which broke all ties between colonists and the British, creating the idea in America that the colonies were now "states."

Shay's Rebellion (1786-1787)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-09-14 22:00:06 UTC

An uprising of rural, indebted farmers in western Massachusetts, against Boston creditors. It began in 1786 and lasted half a year, threatening the economic interests of the business elite and contributing to the demise of the Articles of Confederation.

Constitutional Convention (1787)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-09-14 22:00:56 UTC

A Philadelphia meeting that brought together representatives from each of the colonies, except Georgia, to discuss their response to the British "Intolerable Acts."

Washington's Farewell Address (1796)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-09-14 22:01:27 UTC

Printed in newspapers, this was largely a warning against political parties and permanent foreign alliances

The Louisiana Purchase (1803)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-09-27 14:34:09 UTC

A land deal between the United States and France, in which the U.S. acquired approximately 827,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River for $15 million dollars.

War of 1812 (1812-1815)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-09-27 14:35:23 UTC

A war between the U.S. and Great Britain caused by American outrage over the impressment of American sailors by the British, the British seizure of American ships, and British aid to the Indians attacking the Americans on the western frontier.

White House Burned (1814)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-09-27 14:36:38 UTC

General Robert Ross, a British force occupied Washington, D.C. and set fire to many public buildings following the American defeat at the Battle of Bladensburg.

Missouri Compromise (1820)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-09-27 14:37:28 UTC

Congress admitted Maine as a free state in 1820 so that Missouri would become a slave state and prohibited slavery in the rest of the Louisiana Purchase territory north of 36 30, the southern boundary of Missouri.

Market Revolution (1820s-1830s)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-09-27 14:38:55 UTC

Americans moving away from self-sufficient agriculture to production of goods for sale.

Seneca Falls Convention (1848)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-09-27 14:39:48 UTC

Women of all ages and even some men went to discuss the rights and conditions of women. There, they wrote the Declaration of Sentiments, which among other things, tried to get women the right to vote.

Emancipation Proclamation (1863)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-10-13 14:06:27 UTC

Issued by Lincoln to free all of the slaves in the Confederate states. The slaves in border states loyal to the Union, however, remained enslaved, it only applied to Confederate states in rebellion.

The Mexican-American War (1845-1848)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-10-13 14:07:16 UTC

Sparked by a dispute over the annexation of Texas by the United States and a long-standing dispute over the southern border.

Appomattox Court House (1865)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-10-13 14:08:06 UTC

Where the surrender of the Confederate Army under Robert E. Lee To Ulysses S. Grant took place on April 9, 1865.

Dred Scott Decision (1857)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-10-13 14:09:14 UTC

Since slaves are the property of their masters, a slave is not automatically granted his freedom when his master moves him to a free state or territory.

Lincoln Assassination (1865)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-10-13 14:10:00 UTC

John Wilkes Booth shot this leader in the head at Ford Theater, just days after the Civil War ended.

Reconstruction (1865-1877)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-10-13 14:11:12 UTC

Period after the Civil War during which Northern political leaders created plans for the governance of the South and a procedure for former Southern states to rejoin the Union

Haymarket Riot of 1886

rjkennedy2 — 2023-11-02 14:04:17 UTC

A labor protest rally in Chicago turned into a riot after someone threw a bomb at police. At least eight people died as a result of the violence that day. Despite a lack of evidence against them, eight radical labor activists were convicted in connection with the bombing.

The Pullman Strike of 1894

rjkennedy2 — 2023-11-02 14:04:54 UTC

A nonviolent strike that brought down the railway system in most of the West over wages. President Cleveland shut it down because it was interfering with mail delivery.

The Jungle (1906)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-11-02 14:05:37 UTC

A novel by Upton Sinclair that revealed gruesome details about the meat packing industry in Chicago.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-11-02 14:06:49 UTC

U.S. Supreme Court decision supporting the legality of Jim Crow laws that permitted or required separate but equal facilities for blacks and whites.

Homestead Strike of 1892

rjkennedy2 — 2023-11-02 14:07:39 UTC

A violent strike in Pittsburgh over a decision to cut wages by nearly 20%. This strike ended with the destruction of the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel workers, one of the largest unions at the time.

The Spanish-American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-11-27 15:23:12 UTC

War over the European control of Cuba, American won and gained: Guam, Puerto Rico, Philippines, and an alliance with Cuba.

Sinking of the Lusitania (May 7, 1915)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-11-27 15:23:50 UTC

A British passenger ship that was sunk by a German U-Boat during WWI. 128 Americans died. The sinking greatly turned American opinion against the Germans, helping the move towards entering the war.

Great Depression (1929-1939)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-11-27 15:24:35 UTC

The economic crisis and period of low business activity in the U.S. and other countries, roughly beginning with the stock-market crash in 1929 and approximately ending with the start of the next war.

USS Maine Destroyed (February 15, 1898)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-11-27 15:27:20 UTC

A U.S. battleship exploded and sank in Havana Harbor; 260 Americans died. Although it was later concluded that it was an internal explosion caused by a fire in the coal bunker, the sinking provided an excuse for those eager for war with Spain.

WWII (1941)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-11-27 15:31:53 UTC

The second, modern global war, starting less than 2 decades after the last. A significant portion of the world was involved, divided into Axis and Allied powers.

WWI (1917)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-11-27 15:32:49 UTC

The first, modern global war, started by the shooting of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The war is remembered for its violence and destruction, costing over 20 million lives and billions of dollars.

New Deal (1933-1938)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-11-27 15:34:35 UTC

President FDR's precursor of the modern welfare state. His programs were meant to combat economic depression and it enacted a number of social insurance measures and used government spending to stimulate the economy.

Roaring 20s (1920s)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-11-27 15:35:33 UTC

One of the most significant decades in US History because of the great changes that came about in American society, including the rise of consumerism, technology, and social and creative expression.

Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-11-27 15:36:31 UTC

An uprising in China directed against foreign influence. It was suppressed by an international force of some eighteen thousand soldiers, including Americans. It paved the way for the revolution of 1911, which led to the establishment of the Republic of China in 1912.

Murder of Emmett Till (August, 1955)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-12-11 23:30:49 UTC

a 14-year-old African American, was brutally murdered in 1955 in Mississippi for allegedly whistling at a white woman, an event that played a significant role in the civil rights movement in the United States.

Greensboro Sit-Ins (February, 1960)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-12-11 23:31:31 UTC

A series of nonviolent protests initiated by African American college students in 1960 at a Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, challenging racial segregation and inspiring similar actions across the Southern United States during the civil rights movement.

Assassination of MLK (April, 1968)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-12-11 23:32:50 UTC

Assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, when he was fatally shot on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, an event that had a profound impact on the civil rights movement in the United States.

USA withdraws from Vietnam (March, 1972)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-12-11 23:33:09 UTC

Marked the end of direct American involvement in the Vietnam War, following the signing of the Paris Peace Accords. South Vietnam would later lose the war and Vietnam is communist to the day.

Civil Rights Act of (July) 1968

rjkennedy2 — 2023-12-11 23:34:13 UTC

Enacted to address housing discrimination by prohibiting the refusal to sell or rent a dwelling to any person based on race, color, religion, or national origin, aiming to ensure equal housing opportunities for all.

Assassination of JFK (November, 1963)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-12-11 23:34:47 UTC

Assassinated on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas, when he was shot and killed while riding in a motorcade, sparking a wave of investigations and conspiracy theories.

Watergate Scandal (June, 1972)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-12-11 23:35:30 UTC

Involving the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate office complex, leading to revelations of widespread abuses of power and subsequent resignation of President Richard Nixon in 1974.

March on Washington (August, 1963)

rjkennedy2 — 2023-12-11 23:36:11 UTC

Over 200,000 participants, including Martin Luther King Jr., gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., advocating for equal rights and economic opportunities for African Americans.

War on Terror (2001)

rjkennedy2 — 2024-01-04 18:03:35 UTC

A global military and political campaign initiated by the United States in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, aimed at combating terrorism and its sponsors around the world.

NAFTA Agreement (1994)

rjkennedy2 — 2024-01-04 18:04:26 UTC

A trade agreement signed in 1994 between the United States, Canada, and Mexico, aiming to eliminate barriers to trade and investment and promote economic cooperation in North America.

Patriot Act (2006)

rjkennedy2 — 2024-01-04 18:05:22 UTC

A U.S. law passed in response to the 9/11 attacks, granting expanded surveillance and law enforcement powers to the government in the name of national security and counterterrorism efforts.

Iran-Contra Affair (1985)

rjkennedy2 — 2024-01-04 18:06:37 UTC

A political scandal in the 1980s involving the covert sale of weapons to Iran by the U.S. government to fund Nicaraguan Contra rebels, leading to Congressional investigations and convictions.

Bush v Gore (2000)

rjkennedy2 — 2024-01-04 18:07:36 UTC

The 2000 U.S. presidential election, marked by a controversial recount in Florida, legal battles culminating in the Supreme Court's decision to stop the recount, and Bush's ultimate victory despite losing the popular vote.

Clinton Impeachment (1998)

rjkennedy2 — 2024-01-04 18:08:42 UTC

Centered on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice related to his extramarital affair.