Leif Erikson day is celebrated on October 9th.

The ship was not originally built to transport people, so the living conditions on the ship were understandably horrible. Many of the pilgrims on board were Separatists looking either for religious freedom or financial gain.

They landed in Cape Cod in the winter and half of the passengers died.

First form of government in America was the Mayflower Compact. Only the men signed and it was on the basis of Christianity.

Boston Massacre- March 5th, 1770 (British soldiers killed 5 colonists)

Boston Tea Party- December 16, 1773

First shot of the war was in Massachusetts April 19th, 1775, known as the shot that was heard around the world, in the battles of Lexington and Concord.

1778, colonies allied with France in the war.

Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783- America gained their independence!

Main Author was Thomas Jefferson.

Included the reasons for war/desired separation from Britain and a summary of the philosophy of liberty.

Important people involved were: George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton. Thomas Jefferson was in France.

Other important info occurring here: Virginia plan, Bicameral legislature, population with weighted representation, New Jersey Plan, each state=1 vote, the Connecticut compromise (B.L.- mentioned above, Great compromise/Sherman Compromise, proportional representation in lower house, equal representation in upper house), the 3/5ths compromise (southern representation for next 10 years).

Officially became the National Anthem in 1930.

The Treaty of Ghent was officially ratified on February 18, 1815 by President Madison.

President is the commander in chief of the army but cannot declare war; is given special authority during wartime. Congress declares war.

The war only lasted as long as it did because the northern generals weren't doing great, until Ulisses Grant was put in charge.

Fort Sumter was the start of the battles.

The Gettysburg Address occurred on November 19, 1863.

Rough Riders- first U.S. volunteer army (included Theodore Roosevelt).

December 10, 1898- the Treaty of Paris: Spain lost all control overseas U.S. had Puerto Rico, Guam, and bought the Philippines for $20 million. Cuba was free, and the U.S. became more powerful globally.

Allied powers: Great Britain, Russia, France, U.S., etc.

Central powers: Germany, Austria Hungary, Bulgaria.

U.S. wasn't actively participating before 1917 but was selling resources to Great Britain and France for the war. Germany sank American passenger and commercial ship, leading to America joining the war.

Ceasefire: November 11, 1918 (Treaty of Versailles wasn't official until 1919, ultimately failed)

Trench warfare was introduced, also known as "The Great War".

Amendments - 16 Income Tax 1913, 17 Direct Election of Senators 1913, 18 Amendment was ratified in 1919, 19 Women right to vote 1920

48 countries joined, HQ was in London before being moved to Geneva.

Geneva Protocol (1920s)- limit chemical/bio weaponry.

Kellogg Briand Pact of 1928- outlaw war, 60 countries agreed.

Precursor to United Nations, ended during WWII.

In 1848 the Seneca Falls convention discussed women's rights, and how women should be represented in the government.

The 19th amendment was ratified August 18, 1920 to guarantee women's right to vote- did not include African Americans and other minorities.

Stock market crash in 1929. There were many bank closures in 1931-1933. Another factor to the Great Depression. Started to crash on Wall St on Thursday, October 24, 1929- now known as Black Thursday- and the final crash occurred on Tuesday, October 25, 1929 -known as Black Tuesday.

Concentration camps were different than work camps.

Nazi Germany= 12 year period.

Allies: France, Great Britain, Russia, etc. (U.S. in 1941, joined after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor)

Axis: Japan, Germany, etc.

Our fleet was in Pearl Harbor to protect against Japanese spies, all lined up making an easy aerial target, so Pearl Harbor was bombed by Japan on December 7, 1941. Luckily, Japan didn't hit some of the largest American assets. On December 8, 1941 U.S. declared war, Germany and Italy also declared war on the U.S.

Official apology was not given for these actions until 1983, when President Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act and the Congressional Commission determined that it was an act of racism not military protection.

The phrase was first coined by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, it's first use being during WWII on January 1, 1942.

October 24, 1945 the United Nation's charter was drawn up by 50 nations, making it official. Originally had 51 countries/members, currently there are 193.

HQ in New York City, New York with several regional head quarters all over the world.

United Nations day is celebrated on October 24 each year.

The USSR had hurt feelings toward America (America's delayed joining of WWII, and their decade long refusal to treat USSR as a legitimate part of the international community.)

More about the threat of war than actual warfare: arms race.

Race to the moon: Sputnik, Explorer, first man in space, first man on the moon.

When Mikhail Gorbachev became the Soviet Union President on March 11, 1985, an era of peace started with treaties and policies that eventually brought an end to the war.

Berlin Wall destroyed.

June 1950, N. Korea invaded S. Korea with permission from Soviet Union. U.S. backed S. Korea and other countries from the United Nations joined. China joined N. Korea in the fight in October.

Neither side gained control and peace talks started in February 1951. In July 1953 a truce-ceasefire was agreed upon. A demilitarized zone separates the two countries.

A formal peace treaty wasn't signed until 2018.

In 1956, U.S. takes over for France and sends military aid to South Vietnam. This leads to American soldiers fighting in the war with South Vietnam, Agent Orange (a toxic spray used), and air raids on North Vietnam until January 1973 where a final peace agreement was made. U.S. would take their troops out of the country and North Vietnam was to leave South Vietnam alone, being two separate countries like Korea. However, once U.S. troops were gone, the fighting continued with no repercussions for the treaty being broken, and North Vietnam took over the whole country, making it unified under communist rule.

Rosa Parks and the bus seat led to desegregation of buses. (1955)

Greensboro sit-ins (1960) African American students sitting at an only-white lunch counter.

Civil Rights Act of 1957: allowed the federal government to oversee state voting practices were fair.

March on Washington (1963): Organized event in D.C. to call for civil rights of African Americans; 'I have a dream' speech occurred here.

Civil Rights Act of 1964: illegal to discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, or gender.

Some segregated schools were equal in finding and materials while others were not, with the white schools at a higher quality level compared to the black schools.

Topeka, Kansas- case named after the father of the student the case was dealing with, he filed the case. This case overturned it's precursor, the 1896 case of Plessy v. Ferguson.

14th amendment equal protection clause.

The case was only won due to the death of one supreme court justice and the installment of Judge Earl Warren because of it.

Focus was the effect of segregation on public education.

The Towers fell within 102 minutes of the first building being hit.

People from over 90 nations were killed.

On September 12, 2001, America came together to help with the clean up and fight against this act of terrorism.

This led to TSA becoming a big thing in airports to further help prevent a similar situation.

Saddam Hussein was captured, tried, and then executed by hanging.

The war was declared ended on December 15, 2001. U.S. troops stayed in Iraq to help uphold the new government, and it wasn't until December 31, 2021 that all U.S. troops were brought home from Iraq.