American History by Chase Hogge _ Student - GreenLevelHS

Columbus "discovers" the new world (October 12, 1492)

cthogge — 2025-08-26 18:05:14 UTC

On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus landed on an island in the Bahamas while sailing for Spain. He believed he had reached Asia, but instead he encountered lands already inhabited by Indigenous peoples who had lived there for thousands of years. Although the Vikings and others had reached the Americas earlier, Columbus’s voyage led to lasting contact between Europe and the New World. His journey sparked the Columbian Exchange, which transformed life in both the Americas and Europe.

Conquest of Tenochtitlan (1521)

cthogge — 2025-08-27 16:48:37 UTC

In 1521, Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés and his allies conquered the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan. The Spanish allied with Indigenous groups who opposed Aztec rule, giving them the strength to defeat the powerful empire. Disease, especially smallpox, also devastated the Aztec population and weakened their ability to resist. The fall of Tenochtitlan marked the beginning of Spanish dominance in Mexico and the collapse of the Aztec Empire.

Roanoke Settlement – 1585–1590

cthogge — 2025-08-27 16:49:03 UTC

Between 1585 and 1590, the English attempted to establish a colony on Roanoke Island, off the coast of present-day North Carolina. The first group of settlers struggled with food shortages and conflicts with local Indigenous peoples, leading many to return to England. A second group, known as the “Lost Colony,” mysteriously disappeared, with only the word “CROATOAN” carved into a post left behind. The Roanoke Settlement is still kind of a mystery.

King Philip’s War – 1675–1676

cthogge — 2025-08-27 16:49:47 UTC

King Philip’s War, fought from 1675 to 1676, was a violent conflict between English colonists and several Indigenous nations in New England. The war was led by Metacom, known to the English as King Philip, who sought to resist colonial expansion onto Native lands. It became one of the deadliest wars in American history relative to population, devastating both Indigenous communities and colonial towns. The conflict ended with Metacom’s death, weakening Native power in New England and paving the way for further English dominance.

Bacon’s Rebellion – 1676

cthogge — 2025-08-27 16:50:10 UTC

In 1676, Bacon’s Rebellion broke out in Virginia when Nathaniel Bacon led settlers in an armed uprising against the colonial government. The rebels were frustrated by Governor William Berkeley’s refusal to protect frontier settlements from Native attacks and his favoritism toward wealthy planters. The rebellion saw violent clashes, including the burning of Jamestown, before it eventually collapsed after Bacon’s death.

French and Indian War (1754–1763)

cthogge — 2025-09-12 12:26:06 UTC

A conflict between Britain and France over territory in North America, particularly the Ohio River Valley. Native American tribes aligned with both sides, and the war ended with Britain victorious, gaining control of Canada and much of the land east of the Mississippi River. However, the war left Britain deeply in debt, prompting them to impose new taxes on the American colonies, which sowed the seeds of colonial resentment.

Boston Tea Party (1773)

cthogge — 2025-09-12 12:26:41 UTC

dramatic act of protest against British taxation. In response to the Tea Act, which gave the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales and maintained a tax that colonists found unjust, a group of colonists disguised themselves as Mohawk Indians and dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor

First Continental Congress (1774)

cthogge — 2025-09-12 12:27:27 UTC

Delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies met to organize a boycott of British goods and to petition King George III for redress of grievances. Although the Congress did not yet call for independence, it marked a significant step toward colonial unity and resistance.

Declaration of Independence (1776)

cthogge — 2025-09-12 12:28:03 UTC

the document proclaimed that the thirteen American colonies were no longer subject to British rule and were now free and independent states. It outlined the philosophical justification for independence, asserting that all men are endowed with certain unalienable rights, and listed grievances against King George III to support the decision to break away.

Shays’ Rebellion (1786–1787)

cthogge — 2025-09-12 12:28:55 UTC

a group of farmers, led by Revolutionary War veteran Daniel Shays, protested high taxes, crushing debt, and widespread foreclosures. The rebels attempted to shut down courts and even tried to seize a federal arsenal. The rebellion exposed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, particularly the lack of a strong central government capable of maintaining order, and it alarmed many leaders across the states.

Constitutional Convention (1787)

cthogge — 2025-09-12 12:29:25 UTC

Although originally intended to revise the Articles of Confederation, the delegates quickly decided to draft an entirely new framework for government. The resulting U.S. Constitution established a stronger federal government with a system of checks and balances, separation of powers, and provisions for individual rights. This document became the foundation of American governance and remains in effect today.

Washington’s Farewell Address (1796)

cthogge — 2025-09-12 12:29:53 UTC

published as he prepared to leave the presidency. In this influential message, Washington warned against the dangers of political factions, regional divisions, and entangling foreign alliances. He urged Americans to prioritize national unity and to remain vigilant in preserving the Constitution

Louisiana Purchase (1803)

cthogge — 2025-09-26 16:02:44 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

cthogge — 2025-09-26 16:03:39 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)

cthogge — 2025-09-26 16:04:53 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

Market Revolution (1815-1860)

cthogge — 2025-09-26 16:05:47 UTC

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

Missouri Compromise (1820)

cthogge — 2025-09-26 16:06:29 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

Seneca Falls Convention (1848)

cthogge — 2025-09-26 16:07:07 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

Mexican-American War

cthogge — 2025-10-17 17:17:37 UTC

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

Dred Scott Decision

cthogge — 2025-10-17 17:17:54 UTC

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

Emancipation Proclamation

cthogge — 2025-10-17 17:18:29 UTC

Issued by Lincoln to free slaves in Confederate states

Appomattox Court House

cthogge — 2025-10-17 17:19:05 UTC

Site of Confederate surrender to Union forces

Lincoln Assassination

cthogge — 2025-10-17 17:19:23 UTC

John Wilkes Booth assassinated Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre

Reconstruction

cthogge — 2025-10-17 17:19:44 UTC

Post-Civil War period of rebuilding and reintegrating Southern states

Haymarket Riot (1886)

cthogge — 2025-11-03 18:15:06 UTC

A labor protest in Chicago turned violent when a bomb was thrown at police. Eight people died; eight labor activists were convicted.

Homestead Strike (1892)

cthogge — 2025-11-03 18:15:33 UTC

A violent strike in Pittsburgh over wage cuts. It led to the collapse of a major steelworkers' union.

Pullman Strike (1894)

cthogge — 2025-11-03 18:16:01 UTC

A nonviolent railway strike over wage cuts. President Cleveland ended it due to interference with mail delivery.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

cthogge — 2025-11-03 18:16:27 UTC

Supreme Court decision upholding Jim Crow laws and the doctrine of "separate but equal."

The Jungle written (1906)

cthogge — 2025-11-03 18:16:50 UTC

Upton Sinclair’s novel exposed horrific conditions in Chicago’s meatpacking industry.

USS Maine Destroyed 1898

cthogge — 2025-11-25 18:27:14 UTC

A U.S. battleship exploded and sank in Havana Harbor; 260 Americans died, fueling war sentiment against Spain

Spanish-American War 1898

cthogge — 2025-11-25 18:27:31 UTC

War over Cuba; U.S. victory gained Guam, Puerto Rico, Philippines, and an alliance with Cuba

Boxer Rebellion 1900

cthogge — 2025-11-25 18:27:49 UTC

Uprising in China against foreign influence, suppressed by international forces

WWI 1914–1918

cthogge — 2025-11-25 18:28:07 UTC

The first modern global war, sparked by Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s assassination

Sinking of the Lusitania 1915

cthogge — 2025-11-25 18:28:24 UTC

British passenger ship sunk by German U-Boat; 128 Americans died, pushing U.S. toward WWI

Roaring 20s 1920s

cthogge — 2025-11-25 18:28:46 UTC

Decade of consumerism, technology, and cultural change in the U.S.

Great Depression 1929–1941

cthogge — 2025-11-25 18:30:23 UTC

Economic crisis beginning with the 1929 stock-market crash, ending with WWII mobilization

New Deal 1933–1939

cthogge — 2025-11-25 18:30:53 UTC

FDR’s programs to combat the Great Depression through relief, recovery, and reform

WWII 1939–1945

cthogge — 2025-11-25 18:31:16 UTC

The second modern global war, fought between Axis and Allied powers

Murder of Emmett Till (1955)

cthogge — 2025-12-17 18:23:41 UTC

A 14‑year‑old African American murdered in 1955 in Mississippi; helped spark the civil rights movement.

Greensboro Sit‑Ins

cthogge — 2025-12-17 18:23:57 UTC

Nonviolent protests in 1960 at a Woolworth’s lunch counter challenging segregation.

March on Washington

cthogge — 2025-12-17 18:24:18 UTC

Over 200,000 participants gathered at the Lincoln Memorial advocating for equal rights.

Assassination of JFK

cthogge — 2025-12-17 18:24:39 UTC

Assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963, in Dallas while riding in a motorcade.

Assassination of MLK Jr.

cthogge — 2025-12-17 18:24:53 UTC

Assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel.

Civil Rights Act of 1968

cthogge — 2025-12-17 18:25:11 UTC

Law prohibiting housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin.

USA Withdraws from Vietnam

cthogge — 2025-12-17 18:25:27 UTC

Marked the end of direct U.S. involvement after the Paris Peace Accords.

Watergate Scandal

cthogge — 2025-12-17 18:25:51 UTC

Break‑in at the DNC headquarters leading to Nixon’s resignation in 1974.

Iran‑Contra Affair

cthogge — 2026-01-12 16:47:29 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.

NAFTA

cthogge — 2026-01-12 16:48:02 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.

Clinton Impeachment

cthogge — 2026-01-12 16:48:15 UTC

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

Bush v. Gore

cthogge — 2026-01-12 16:48:31 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.

War on Terror

cthogge — 2026-01-12 16:48:47 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.

The Patriot Act

cthogge — 2026-01-12 16:49:07 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.