NOTES + TIMELINE

Timeline below​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
FRQ outlines on tab on the left
In case I missed anything, here is every term

GENERAL NOTES

PERIOD NOTES

●​ Native societies before colonization

1 (1491-1607)
-​ The domestication of maize (corn) in Mexico allowed many Native populations to switch to
4-6% settled agriculture instead of their previous hunter-gatherer lifestyle. Some native populations
however, continued to live the hunter gatherer lifestyle mostly because their environment was
not suitable for agriculture.
-​ There were many different tribes across the Americas all with their diverse cultures and lifestyles,
but generally, Native populations can be characterized by the region of the Americas in which
they lived (the Northeast, the Southeast, the Plains, the Great Basin, the Southwest, the
West/Northwest coast and others).
-​ The Plains region (middle US) was a dry environment generally unsuitable for agriculture.
Much of the Native population living in the Great Plains region continued their hunter-gatherer
lifestyle, hunting and following herds of Bison (this dependence on Bison would later be
recognized by settlers in the US and hunted to near-extinction in the 1800s in order to destroy the
Native population, also for commercial interest).
-​ The Southwest region (around Mexico, Arizona, NM) also had a dry environment but the Native
populations there continued to use agriculture by developing advanced irrigation systems to move
water to farms. This characterizes a specific group of Native tribes called the “Pueblo” (refer to
Pueblo Revolt)
-​ In the Northwest, along the Pacific Ocean (coast of Washington, Oregon), fish was plentiful and the
Native populations living there generally utilized fishing for food.
-​ The Mississippian people lived generally around the Mississippi River, across the Southeast
(Georgia, South Carolina) and up to the Midwest (around the Great Lakes). They utilized farming
and developed large settlements like Cahokia in Missouri.
-​ Mississippians and generally the rest of the East coast used a unique method of farming called
“three-sister farming” where they would grow squash, beans, and corn together as they each
benefited each other.

●​

●​ Colonies with the higher slave populations were:

2 (1607-1754)
-​ British West Indies, harsh climate, and the difficult labor of sugar cultivation created a high demand
6-8% for slaves who eventually became the majority of the population
 -​ South Carolina, influenced by the British West Indies (which also had a harsh climate that made
labor difficult) brought many slaves creating a slave majority

●​ European nations and their relations with Native Americans

-​ The French had arguably the best relationship with Native Americans. They often preferred to
establish trade with the Natives, specifically fur in return for European technologies and tools,
rather than expand their land.
-​ The Spanish had a poor relationship with the Natives, as they established systems of forced labor
with the Natives (encomienda system) and a caste system that organized people by race (slaves and
natives/mixed natives at the bottom, pure Spanish at the top)
-​ The British also had a poor relationship with the natives. British colonists and their expansion into
native territories became a major source of tensions between them. For example, the cultivation of
tobacco in Virginia demanded large amounts of land, which ultimately expanded into Native lands
angering them and causing them to engage in raids on the colonies.

●​ The common goal among European nations in the Americas

-​ Improving their economy and wealth

●​

●​ Despite broad support for independence, many colonists were not driven to the point of breaking away from
Great Britain and remained loyal (Loyalists).

●​ West of the Appalachian mountains had a population made up of mainly native americans (Iroquois
Confederacy)
●​ The Iroquois Confederacy (Upstate NY) was the largest Native American alliance at the time and wanted to
defend their territorial claims against the encroachment of settlers - mainly British
-​

3 (1754-1800)

10-17%
●​ American Revolution
-​ Inspired future revolutions in France and Haiti

●​ Articles of Confederation
-​ No separation of powers
-​ The little power the central government did have was in the hands of the legislative body
-​ No national military
-​ No ability to levy taxes
 -​ Handled issues with westward migration through the Northwest Ordinances which established a
plan for how western territories would be occupied

●​ Shays’ Rebellion
-​ Farmers could not pay off debts because of high taxation and economic issues after the war
-​ Showed the national government had no power to stop rebellion, and created fears because it
showed how more revolts could easily overwhelm the nation.

●​ Transition from colonial independence to the creation of a new nation

●​ Checks and Balances

-​ Provides each branch of government the power to stop another branch from being too powerful
-​ The executive can veto laws from Congress, appoint justices for the Judicial branch
-​ Congress can impeach a president and impeach justices
-​ The judicial branch can declare laws from Congress or the executive as unconstitutional

●​National vs. State Government Powers

-​ The national government could regulate interstate commerce, raise revenue, and declare war

-​ The state government has all powers not granted to the national government

●​ Native Americans & the Constitution

-​ Natives were left unrepresented in the Constitution. It did not address how relations between native

populations and the new government would be handled

-​ Left relations unresolved for two centuries, only determined by a series of treaties and agreements

4 (1800-1848)
●​ The “Revolution” of 1800
10-17% -​ The election of 1800 was seen as revolutionary because it was the first transfer of power to a
different political party–from the Federalist John Adams to the Democratic-Republican Thomas
Jefferson
●​ The Presidency of Thomas Jefferson
-​ In 1803 Jefferson purchased the Louisiana territory, a controversial move as the Constitution
did not explicitly allow such an action. Jefferson ultimately did this as an attempt to fulfill his
dreams of an agrarian nation, separate from the interference of European nations.
-​ Due to conflict with the Barbary Pirates in the Mediterranean, contrary to his own ideas of limiting
federal power, Jefferson expanded the US Navy’s power because of the Barbary Pirates’ attacks
on US merchant ships in North Africa.
-​ After attempts by the British and French to undermine American neutrality during the Napoleonic
Wars, Jefferson passed the Embargo Act of 1807 which was a general embargo on ALL foreign
nations. This crippled the US economy, damaging the administration of Jefferson.

●​ The Presidency of James Monroe

-​ The War of 1812 was caused by British impressment (recruiting American sailors by force) and
the British support of native tribes on the western frontier. “War Hawks” were people who
supported war with Britain. Democratic-Republicans supported the war while Federalists
strongly opposed it, leading them to start the Hartford Convention where they discussed their
grievances. The strong nationalistic support for the war after the Americans successfully defended
the land, destroyed all support for the Federalist Party, practically ending it. After the Treaty
of Ghent, the British agreed to abandon their Northwest forts, and end impressment.
-​ The Era of Good Feelings was a period of patriotism and nationalistic feeling. With the Federalist
Party gone, there was little political division as the Democratic-Republican Party dominated
politics
-​ The Monroe Doctrine essentially demanded the end of European colonial influence in the
American continent, establishing the United States as the dominant force in the continent.

●​ Growing Sectionalism
-​ Divisions between Free and Slave states began to grow towards and after the end of the Era of
Good Feeling. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 established Missouri as a slave state and
Maine as a free state in order to maintain a balance between the two opposing economies in
Congress.
-​ The American System by Henry Clay proposed that the country focus on internal improvements
by developing the national economy with a national, central bank, along with high tariffs to reduce
foreign competition harming domestic manufacturing.
-​ The end of the Era of Good Feeling is marked by the 1824 election where John Quincy Adams
won the presidency in what is known as the “Corrupt Bargain” (details outlined in timeline). This
created anger among Jackson and his supporters which divided the Democratic-Republican party

●​ The Jacksonian Era

-​ Andrew Jackson’s run for presidency in 1828 coincided with the growth of white male
 suffrage, of which he focused his campaign on–being for the “common man” This marked a
turning point in US politics because presidents from then on focused more on appealing to the
majority more through ad hominem attacks against the opposition which can be seen today
-​ The Nullification Crisis was a major event during Jackson’s presidency that nearly led to the
secession of South Carolina. High tariffs benefited the Northern economy by protecting
domestic industry but harmed the South by increasing the prices of foreign goods which they
depended on. The South along with Jackson’s vice president argued that states had the right to
nullify acts of Congress.
-​ Jackson vetoed the national bank instead, replacing them with more localized state banks. He
also implemented the “Specie Circular” that ordered land to be purchased with gold or silver
rather than “soft money.” This all participated in the Panic of 1837 after his presidency by
creating an unstable banking system and enforcing hard money policies. His constant usage of
the veto against congressional bills added to his label as a tyrant
-​ His actions with the Indian Removal Act essentially ignored the ruling of the Supreme Court
in Worcester v Georgia, again adding to his label as a tyrant
-​ The tremendous amount of controversy generated during his presidency led to the creation of a
new party–the Whig Party.

●​ Industrialization/Market Revolution
-​ Some see the Market Revolution as more revolutionary than the American revolution itself.
-​ Inventions in the late 1700s-early 1800s altered many ways in which goods were
manufactured
-​ The country began shifting away from agrarian life to industrial labor in urban areas. People
began working for industries with bosses–had less control over their labor and had to work in bad
conditions.
-​ Women specifically took this opportunity early on to escape their limited family life on farms and
work independently. Immigrants (Germans, Irish) also filled unskilled labor roles
-​ The Cotton Gin was a major invention that practically altered the Southern economy, causing a
surge in cotton cultivation and demands for more land (western land) and slave labor to fuel it.
Slavery was almost dying before this invention, and could have potentially been abolished early on,
however, this invention significantly increased Southern dependency on slavery making its
abolition far more difficult.
-​ Inventions in transportation (the train, the steamboat) connected western agriculture with
Northeastern ports and markets, expanding the market for products
-​ The surge in Irish immigrants (escaping potato famine) and German immigrants (escaping political
turmoil) caused resentment among many Americans who believed these immigrants were taking
jobs, leading to the creation of the Know-Nothing Party
-​ Cult of Domesticity
●​ The Second Great Awakening
-​ Existing religious rationalism is the main cause for the start of the Second Great Awakening.
 -​ Many historians argue that the massive changes in daily life as a result of the Market
Revolution is what added to the rise of the Second Great Awakening because of the mass
anxiety it caused
-​ Empowered African Americans, causing them to create their own black churches and communities.
Freed black people in turn desired to free others from slavery, sparked abolition movements.

●​ The Missouri Compromise

-​ Prior to the Missouri Compromise, there was a balance between the free states and the slave states,
producing little sectional conflict between the two
-​ Missouri reached a population to qualify for statehood, but admission of a state as either a free or
slave state upset the balance between the sections.

●​ Manifest Destiny
5 (1844-1877)
-​ Editor John O’Sullivan coined the term in 1845.
10-17% -​ It was the idea that Americans were destined to expand westward to the Pacific
-​ People moved to the West because of economic opportunities, one of these being the gold rush
(the large migration of people to California as a result of the discovery of gold in 1848), which
boosted westward migration significantly. Prior to the discovery of gold, most westward movement
was carried out by farmers.

●​ Mexican-American War
-​ In 1836 Texas declared independence from Mexico. Before this, many white slave owners moved
to the Texas territory while it was controlled by Spain, but after Mexican independence the new
leadership imposed many policies on the Texas territory that angered the white settlers living there.
The abolition of slavery, while not truly enforced on Texas, created fears that the Mexican
government would take away their slaves which was central to their economy.
-​ This new Texas government wanted to be annexed by the United States, but presidents refused
(because they believed adding a slave state would threaten the Union) until James K. Polk. Polk’s
strong expansionist ideas pushed him to annex the Texas territory. This annexation, while it angered
Mexico because they did not recognize Texan independence and territory, did not start the war.
Instead, it was the territorial disputes that followed. Mexico believed the boundary was at the
Nueces River, while the United States believed it extended to the Rio Grande River. Tensions over
this disputed territory it was caused war to break out in 1846, ending in 1848 with the Treaty of
Guadalupe Hidalgo

●​ The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

-​ The Mexican American war ended with a significant defeat for Mexico and victory for the United
States. Mexican cession of land totaled more than the Louisiana Purchase, including California,
Nevada, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Texas. The later Gadsden Purchase formed the whole of
 Arizona to what we see today.
-​ The new territory from Mexico carried many consequences and participated in the growing
sectional divide that would lead to the Civil War. Firstly, if the states that became slave or free
states were unbalanced, it could lead to unbalanced representation in government, for which the
South feared could lead to the abolition of slavery in its entirety. The North however, feared the
expansion of slavery (outside of its moral issues) would take potential jobs away from white
workers. These tensions between the North and the South were already displayed during the war
with the debates over the Wilmot Proviso which argued that all new territories acquired by Mexico
should be free. So essentially both sides wanted to secure their own opportunities in the West.

●​ Sectional conflict
-​ As new states began to enter the Union as a result of westward expansion, tensions between free
(northern) and slave (southern) states inflamed. Both wanted to maintain a balance in Congress.
The South specifically depended on the use of slaves, and saw any move to establish new territories
as free, as an effort to remove slavery completely and destroy the South.
-​ Outside of the moral issues of slavery, many white Northerners believed the expansion of slavery
would take jobs away from free laborers

●​ The Compromise of 1850

-​ California admitted as a free state
-​ Popular sovereignty for Utah and New Mexico (the residents can decide slavery of these territories
could decide on whether to be a free or slave state)
-​ A stricter Fugitive Slave Act that required citizens, even in the North, to capture or report runaway
slaves. This caused mass outrage among abolitionists and anti-slavery activists in the North. They
now did not feel as detached from the issue of slavery as they had been before, they were now
forced to be part of it. It is a federal offense for these anti-slavery Northerners to not help turn in
escaped slaves they encounter.
-​ Abolition of the slave trade in D.C (slavery itself still legal)
-​ Texas gave up territory to its west and settled boundary disputes with New Mexico, creating the
borders we see today.

●​ Kansas-Nebraska Act
-​ Stephen A Douglas was a strong advocate for the construction of a transcontinental railroad and a
supporter of slavery who engaged in debates with Lincoln which helped popularized both figures.
For this construction to happen, it was necessary that the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to be
organized as states.
-​ The passage of this act essentially repealed the Missouri Compromise as it allowed slavery above
the 36°30’ line through popular sovereignty.
-​ It especially appealed to the South, as the acquisition of new territory from Mexico made the
agreement from the Missouri Compromise seem unsatisfactory since there was far more territory to
 become free states.
-​ Popular sovereignty in Kansas led to Bleeding Kansas, when many pro and anti-slavery advocates
rushed to Kansas to influence the vote. The conflict between them turned violent, leading to deadly
skirmishes in Kansas, an early foreshadowing of the Nation’s future.
-​ The intense controversy that followed this act essentially destroyed the Whig party, as the internal
party divide between Southern Whigs and Northern Whigs had become too strong to ignore. This
led to the creation of the Republican Party, a party that encapsulated the North’s interest and united
multiple parties under a single banner. The conflict had become even more clear and direct, the
Republican Party supported the North’s interest–preventing the expansion of slavery, and for the
more radical, its complete abolition.

●​ The Civil War

-​ Almost immediately after the election of Lincoln, Southern states, starting with South Carolina,
seceded from the Union, as it seemed that no hope was left for the Southern cause.
-​ Prior to the Emancipation Proclamation, the main goal of the North was to preserve the Union, but
after Lincoln declared that all slaves in rebel states were free (mostly motivated by the damage it
would cause to the South’s war effort rather than specifically its morality), it shifted the war’s
focus, making it become how it is known today; a war against slavery.

●​ The Reconstruction Amendments

-​ The 13th Amendment ended the centuries old system of slavery across the nation (except as a
punishment for crime)
-​ The 14th Amendment followed the Civil Rights Act of 1866 in which Congress went around
Andrew Johnson’s presidential veto. In order to solidify this law, an amendment was made. This
amendment granted citizenship to all people born in the United States, and that all citizens were
equally protected under the law.
-​ The 15th Amendment prohibited the federal government from abridging a citizen’s right to vote on
account of race, granting black people the right to vote. This, however, angered many women as it
ignored their calls to be granted the right to vote, and did not include them in the amendment.

●​ Southern Society After the Civil War

-​ The Reconstruction acts established military rule over Southern states, divided the states into five
military districts.
-​ With their new freedom, black people established schools, colleges, and even achieved positions of
power in representative offices. However, this did not mean their problems were over. In fact, many
issues were about to begin.
-​ Sharecropping was a system in which landowners gave farmers (who were mostly black, former
slaves) a plot of land to farm on. In exchange, the landowner would take a portion of the crop
produced. The farmers, or “sharecroppers” were often forced to borrow money from the wealthier
landowner in order to purchase supplies, farming tools, and food. This trapped sharecroppers in
 perpetual debt, as the crop did not produce enough to pay off their debts, and the portion taken by
the landowner was often unfair. Thus, black people, even after being freed from slavery, suffered a
new form of exploitation that greatly limited their mobility.
-​ The creation of “Black Codes” was a method used by white Southerners to bring their society
closer to pre-Civil War times. These codes place many limits on black Americans, such as
prohibiting them from borrowing money to buy or rent land (another way black people were stuck
with sharecropping), testifying against white people in court (emboldened hate groups like the
KKK, as crimes against black people were left unheard), and racial segregation. The creation of
these Black Codes could be partly attributed to the presidency of Andrew Johnson, who was
notably lenient to the South (see information below). His leniency allowed the former Southern
aristocracy to return to power and implement these Black Codes into law. Of course, these Black
Codes were weakened temporarily by Radical Republicans in Congress and the presence of federal
troops, but were still very significant for the black population.

●​ The Freedmen’s Bureau

-​ Passed through Congress and Lincoln’s desk, the Freedmen’s Bureau was created to ease the
transition from slavery to free life. The Bureau provided great assistance to, not only freed people,
but also poor whites, by providing them with food, and helping freed people establish schools and
colleges.
-​ The Bureau generated criticism from the South of course, the white population, especially former
Southern leadership, were not happy with black people achieving successful and powerful positions
in government through the aid of the Bureau.
-​ After Congress renewed the Bureau’s charter in 1866, Johnson vetoed it (because of his belief that
Reconstruction should be quick, and that the country should return to life

●​ Andrew Johnson
-​ After Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, Andrew Johnson assumed the presidency. However
Johnson was not quite the leader Lincoln was.
-​ Johnson was very lenient towards the former Confederates, creating a low bar for re-entry back into
their positions of power.
-​ He made an effort to veto legislation like the Reconstruction Acts and the Civil Rights Act, but
with the Republican's significant majority, Congress was able to override his veto most of the time.
Johnson believed in a quick end to Reconstruction, and restoring pre-Civil War life. He believed
these acts by Congress would prolong the reunification of the Union and Reconstruction

●​ Congress vs. Andrew Johnson

-​ Through 1867 and 1868 Congress passed 4 Reconstruction acts, Johnson vetoed them all.
-​ Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which Johnson also vetoed, however Congress was
able to override this veto and then establish it as an Amendment (14th amendment) in order to
 solidify this law and prevent it from being removed

●​ The Failure of Reconstruction

-​ White southerners continued to try and recreate pre-Civil War conditions, and reestablish their
position at the top.
-​ Hate groups like the KKK terrorized black families, creating a feeling of fear among them that
prevented them from utilizing their newly given freedoms
-​ After federal troops retreated from the South, Democrats regained near complete control of their
states, and imm

●​ The North’s Retreat

-​ The North slowly began to lose interest in the South. After an economic depression, many
Northerners began to feel less ambitious of the Radical Republican goals in the South, and believed
that they were wasting time, effort, and money into it, and instead effort should be placed in
industrial development
-​ The Election of 1876 solidified this Northern retreat, effectively ending the period of
Reconstruction. This election was between Republican Rutherford B. Hayes and Democrat Samuel
J. Tilden. While Tilden won the popular vote, neither candidate gained enough electoral votes to
win, as in a few states both Democrats and Republicans claimed victory. To settle this, an electoral
commission was created to decide the winner, however this commission had a Republican majority,
which as expected, decided Hayes was the winner of the election. This created widespread intense
outrage, so in response, Hayes made an agreement with the Democrats to pull federal troops out of
the South. This was called the Compromise of 1877 and marked the end of Reconstruction.

●​ Jim Crow Laws

-​

6 (1865-1898)
●​ Context of the Gilded Age
10-17% -​ The Second Industrial Revolution. Differs from the first as this industrial revolution mostly
centered around developing systems of mass production like the assembly line.
-​ The gold rush inspired mass immigration to the west, not just from the Eastern US but also from
foreign nations, most importantly China.
-​ The transcontinental railroad connected the country and opened up markets across the
nation and allowed resources to be transported quickly.
-​ The Bessemer Process was a technique that allowed iron to be turned into, more durable, steel. This
exploded the iron and steel industry, beginning in Western Pennsylvania.

●​ The Gilded Age

-​ A period of rapid industrialization, explosive economic growth, political corruption, and
 extreme wealth inequality.
-​ The Gilded Age is characterized by a massive gap between the ultra-wealthy and the poor, and
the wealthy with unprecedented political and economic power.
-​ These billionaires were able to hoard tremendous amounts of wealth through techniques like
horizontal and vertical integration. Horizontal integration worked to combine businesses
engaging in the same enterprise into a single corporation. Vertical integration worked to combine
businesses at every step of the production process that served the main needs of the corporation. A
good example of both horizontal and vertical integration would be John D. Rockefeller’s Standard
Oil. After buying out his competition (horizontal), he began buying out businesses essential to his
primary production (vertical), eventually controlling 90% of oil production
-​ As a result of this extensive and unregulated consolidation, at one point 1% of corporations
controlled 33% of production, demonstrating how much economic power had been given to a few
people like John D Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, and J.P. Morgan. The decisions of these few
people would have tremendous effects on the entire population.
-​ This is the reason for the name “Gilded” on the outside there was an image of immense wealth as a
result of rapid industrialization, but all of this wealth was accumulated by a small number of people
-​ Although there was a lot of misery in this age, it was not all terrible. The expansion of businesses
did not only demand factory workers and hard labor, it also demanded more office workers, an
educated middle class of workers–growing the middle class. This growth supported the spread
of consumer culture in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

●​ Agriculture movements
-​ The first broad-based agricultural movement in the United States was the Granger movement,
which demanded
-​ This all formed the foundations for the larger Populist or People’s Party, which became one of the
largest third parties in US history. The Populist Party demanded

●​ The “Self Made” man

-​ The myth that continues to exist today, that people who become wealthy or ultra-wealthy rise to
that position because of solely hard work and intelligence. In reality, these individuals through
corruption, ruthlessness, and inherited wealth. This idea was, and still is, constantly
perpetuated–like through the work of Horatio Alger’s “rags-to-riches” theme–to hide the many
questionable actions of elites.
-​ Used Social Darwinism, a pseudoscientific theory based on Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution
that claimed only the “fittest” in society become successful and rich, to justify their large amount of
wealth hoarding and low wages on their workers. Added onto the “Self Made Man” myth by
backing it with “science.” Social Darwinism appealed to businessmen, justifying harmful business
practices and the further exploitation of the working class under modern capitalism.
 ●​ New Sources of immigration
-​ What fueled the labor needs of rapid industrialization was the massive waves of immigrants, many
from different places than typically seen, like from Russia, China, Northern Europe, and Mexico.
-​ Urban populations multiplied
-​ These immigrants, especially European immigrants, populated the already dense urban areas,
cramming into apartment dwellings called “tenements” with unregulated, miserable living
conditions (photographed by Jacob Riis).

●​ Labor Battles/Unions
-​ As a result of poor working conditions, living standards, and wages, many labor unions began to
form. The first of these was the Knights of Labor, which campaigned for an eight hour work day
and worker’s control over industries. The Knights of Labor, although more decentralized than the
labor organizations that would succeed it, were one of the most extensive and important national
labor organizations in the late 19th century. This organization welcomed all workers regardless of
race and gender, and pushed for reforms like the 8 hour work day, ending child labor and equal pay.
-​

7 (1890-1945)
●​ The Progressive Era
10-17% -​ The rise of many social and economic issues as a result of the Gilded Age (large wealth gap,
low wages, poor living and working conditions, poverty, and big corporate monopolies that
limited competition) naturally led to the rise of progressive reforms, to change said issues–to
improve the social and economic conditions for working class people. The Panic of 1893, which
was the worst economic depression until that point, signalled to many the failures of laissez-faire
capitalism and the need for government intervention.
-​ The rampant corruption occurring during the gilded age prompted many to take action against it.
This job was undertaken by reform-minded journalists, muckrakers, who worked to expose the
corruption and unsafe, unsanitary working conditions in factories. (Jacob Riis, Upton
Sinclair)
-​ One of, if not the most important of these progressives was President Theodore Roosevelt, who
focused his efforts on reigning in big business. He also strongly believed in another progressive
idea of conservation, protecting the wilderness and parks from industrial expansion.
-​ Female reformers not only fought for the right to vote (granted later in 1920) but also focused their
efforts on a broad number of economic and social reforms, like helping immigrants and children
achieve better conditions.
-​ The passage of the 17th Amendment established the direct election of senators, tackling
 corruption in Congress, and allowing better representation of the people
-​ The Progressive movement as a whole was a major turning point in American politics, as it
demonstrated change in how the US government took an active role in the welfare of its
citizens.

●​ Failures of the Progressive movement

-​ Despite the goal of the Progressive movement to improve the lives of people, there were areas they
did not work to change or outright ignored, that being the plight of African-Americans.
African-Americans joined the fighting in World War I in hopes of improving their condition
and to be respected by the rest of American society. However, they returned to continued
oppression.
-​ Literacy tests were imposed, primarily in the South, to restrict the African American population
from voting as a way of maintaining white supremacy in the South following the Civil War. This
restriction of voting rights in the South was largely ignored by the suffragist movement, so
although women were granted the right to vote as a result of the women’s suffrage movement, it
would be long until discriminatory practices against African Americans would be stopped.
-​ Although activists fought against child labor, it would be long until there would be legislation that
would effectively regulate it.
-​ Although many progressives were against it, some progressives continued to advocate for ideas like
racial superiority and immigration restrictions on immigrants from certain areas (Asia, Eastern
Europe, Southern Europe, and Mexico), and the pseudoscientific idea of eugenics.

●​ The beginning of the American Empire

-​ Because of the second industrial revolution following the Civil War, the United States became a
leading industrial power. With this status as the richest country in the world (around 1900) many
immigrants from around the world flocked into the country for opportunity.
-​ This was also around the time Europe began its scramble for Africa, their efforts to establish
colonies in Africa in order to expand their markets. With their growing industrial sector, in order to
continue growing economically, Europe needed to expand it’s markets. Similarly, as the United
States became the richest country in the world, it also wanted to join in on this project.
-​ The US’s time of Manifest Destiny had also come to an end. This was a major driving force in the
country’s economic explosion in the late 1800s, and people wanted to continue this momentum and
continue expanding markets outside of their borders.

●​ Spanish-American War
-​ The Spanish-American War was started by multiple escalations, combined with American’s
sympathy for Cubans in their revolt against Spain most significantly the explosion of the USS
Maine in Havana, Cuba. This was unlikely an attack by the Spanish, and most likely accidental, but
 misinformation and sensationalized press through yellow journalism sparked anger and galvanized
American support for war.
-​ This was called a “Splendid Little War” because of how low American casualties were and how
easy it was to defeat the Spanish in only 10 weeks.
-​ In the Treaty of Paris of 1898, the United States acquired the territories of the Philippines, Guam,
and Puerto Rico from Spain.
-​ In the next year, 1899, a war would begin between the United States and the Philippines. The
Phillipines resisted the United States’ imperial efforts and wanted to form their own independent
nation. In this war, the United States committed many atrocities against the native Philippine
population
-​ A significant number of anti-imperialists in the United States criticized this war. Some of these
anti-imperialists focused on its contradiction to American values and history of resisting
colonialism. Others against the war were more concerned with the racial implications on the United
States.

●​ Teddy Roosevelt’s foreign policy

-​ In foreign policy, Teddy Roosevelt focused on Latin America and the Caribbean.
-​ “Big Stick Diplomacy” characterizes his approach, which essentially was negotiating peacefully
but building up the US military to show strength if negotiations go wrong.
-​ The Roosevelt Corollary was an addition to the Monroe Doctrine which essentially stated the US
can intervene in Latin American countries in order to prevent European powers from involving
themselves in Latin American affairs. This was a significant example of the beginning of US
imperialism

●​ US foreign policy changes

-​ US foreign policy changed significantly in the early 1900s. As it became the richest country on
the planet, it was now a global power. With this power, it became more assertive, expansionist,
and interventionist, shifting away from isolation from the rest of the world and domestic focus.
-​ The events that most directly mark this shift was the Annexation of Hawaii in 1898, the
Spanish-American War and subsequent acquisition of Pacific territory from the Spanish in
1898. Also, the presidency of T. Roosevelt and his “Big Stick Diplomacy” and Roosevelt
Corollary which introduced American interventionism in Latin America
-​ The ideas of American imperialism strongly reflected that of European colonization. The idea that
it was their responsibility to “civilize” parts of the world and spread American ideas.

●​ Woodrow Wilson’s Presidency

●​ World War One

 ●​ Effects of the First World War
-​ Wilson’s attempt

●​ Roaring 20s
-​ A time of significant economic prosperity

●​ The Great Depression

●​ The New Deal and FDR

●​ World War Two

8 (1945-1980)

10-17%
9 (1980-PD)

4-6%
 UPDATED TIMELINE
Executive actions in PURPLE
Legislative actions in BLUE
Judiciary actions in ORANGE
Wars/battles in RED
Other significant events/turning points in GREEN

YEAR LOCATION ★ CAUSE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT ★ EFFECT

1440s Africa Beginning of European-African Slave Trade

- Portuguese traders first captured Africans
on the Atlantic coast of Africa (in what is
today Mauritania), taking their captives to
slavery in Europe.

X Causes of the Voyage Christopher Columbus arrived in America +

1492
-​ Much of the Middle began the Columbian Exchange - (The
East was Muslim Columbian Exchange was the transfer of
controlled (the people, commodities, and diseases that
Ottoman Empire), and occurred through the European colonization
the Middle East was of the Americas)
where many European
trade routes with Asia
moved through. (Now
it was more expensive
to trade through those
routes

-​ The Bubonic Plague

decimated the
European population
-​ Advances in
navigation technology
(sextant used to
determine lat. &
longitude)
-​ Shipbuilding
technology that made
long-distance travel
 easier

1517 X The need for a readily The beginning of the Middle Passage - part The ships that transported
available and inexpensive of the Atlantic Slave Trade where Africans them were the sites of
workforce immigrated by force to the Americas. horrifying atrocities
where as many Africans
The Native American This passage traveled from Africa to the were crammed together,
population had been wiped out Caribbean islands, a part of the Triangle fitting as many as
due to disease, so they were Trade between Africa, the Americas, and possible, allowing barely
not a viable option for slave Europe. The Caribbean was a central hub any room to move or to
labor for the transatlantic slavetrade, importing even breathe. This
millions of slaves passage would transport
around 11 million
Africans to the Americas

1519 Mexico Hernan Cortes led the first major conquest

Southern NA in 1519, Aztec were toppled in 1521
Northern SA ​
The Aztec’s quick defeat despite having
such a large population could be attributed
to the diseases (smallpox) that spread from
Europeans.

1573 X Growth of Spanish settlement Ordinances of Discovery - Spanish law that

forbade unauthorized operations against
Interest in maintaining native native people. Banned the brutal military
slave labor invasion of native peoples.

This established a more strict,

Spanish-controlled system of expansion

Virginia Founding of Jamestown in the Chesapeake, This was the first

1607 A joint-stock company,
Virginia - permanent English
multiple investors funded the
 journey to find economic settlement in the
This colony faced major starvation, even
opportunities in the new Americas, beginning a
resorting to cannibalism, but still became a
continent. century of growth of
successful colony after the discovery of
English colonies in
tobacco cultivation which had major
America
demand in Europe.

Powhatan natives were the main source of

resistance to English settlement around this
time.

1609 X White settlers began further Beginning of wars with Native Americans -
encroachments on Native Native Americans began to resist their
American land, especially with expansion through wars extending to the
the later emergence of tobacco early 20th century.
cultivation (which demanded
massive amounts of land to
keep up with European
demand).
1611 Virginia Colonist John Rolfe begins tobacco Jamestown became a
cultivation in Jamestown - profitable colony
Tobacco demand was very high in Europe,
and Jamestown was saved economically as
a result

1619 Virginia Lack of government or House of Burgesses established - The The House of Burgesses
intervention/involvement by House of Burgesses was the first is a major example of
the British crown in the affairs democratically-elected legislative body in colonial self-governance
of the Jamestown colony the British American colonies in Jamestown and the creation of a
system that deviated from
the British government
structure. This was the
first independent British
colonial government, a
foundation for democratic
government in America
1620 Massachusetts Protestant Separatists (people The Mayflower Compact/Plymouth Colony Similar to the House of
who opposed the Church of founded - The first governing document of Burgesses, this represents
England, believing it was Plymouth Colony. It was written by the men part of the beginning of
corrupt) also known as aboard the Mayflower, consisting of colonial self government,
“Pilgrims” went aboard the Separatist Puritans, adventurers, and as they were distant from
Mayflower and sailed to what tradesmen the mainland.
is now known as south-eastern ​
Massachusetts. This document, although its original copy
was lost, essentially was an agreement
between its signers, that to live in this
colony you must obey its laws.

Though these pilgrims sought

self-governance, they remained loyal to the
British crown. The Mayflower Compact
explicitly stated their allegiance to the king.

1624 New York Dutch establishes New Amsterdam This colony was located
settlement - a fur trading outpost and their in what is now
first colony in the New World. Manhattan, New York

The Dutch mostly engaged in trade, and

their colonies in the Americas were
short-lived.

1630 Massachusetts Puritans wanted to establish Puritans establish the Massachusetts Bay
(North of the their own society in colony - Puritan communities created
Plymouth agreements for their members, binding them
Colony) to the religion and rules of the settlement,
on top of this settlements were structured
with close-knit villages tying people
together. Decisions of the community had
little interference from colonial
governments.

New England was mostly founded by

Puritans who were very religious and
patriarchal such that women:
●​ Could not suggest or vote on new
 laws
●​ Could not lead societies
●​ Were under the authority of their
husbands
●​ Could not lead the church
Towards the end of the 17th century,
women started going to church more
because in church they were not as
discriminated against as they were regarded
as being equal in spirit.
They generally made up the majority of
church attendance.

1634 Massachusetts Anne Hutchinson & Roger Williams

challenge the established order in
Massachusetts Bay -

1649 Ireland Subjugation of Ireland - This experience of Irish

colonization set the
foundations of ideas
around British
colonization which was
later implemented into
the colonization of the
Americas.

1649 Maryland An Act Concerning Religion AKA Reflective of the future of

Maryland Toleration Act - The first law in religious freedom in
North America requiring religious toleration America, serving as the
for Christians first example of this idea.
1651 X The Navigation Acts - Fueled by the ideas This increased discontent
of mercantilism, where the British and tensions among the
parliament restricted trade among colonies colonies of Britain since
in an effort to further provide more wealth it greatly limited trade
to the British mainland and opportunities for
​ wealth

This was truly the first

significant moment the
British mainland
intervened in the affairs
of the colonies

1664 New York Tensions over trade and New Amsterdam came under British control
colonial expansion (a result of after battles with the Dutch
the idea of Mercantilism)
1676 Virginia Settlers in the colony’s frontier Bacon’s Rebellion - An armed rebellion by This rebellion was
became increasingly upset western-frontier Virginia settlers largely made up of
with the lack of government (Jamestown), led by Nathanial Bacon indentured servants, and
protection against native raids. against William Berkeley. although they were not
directly protesting
Colonel Governor William indentured servitude,
Berkeley refused Nathaniel their acts of violence
Bacon (the leader of this created an unappealing
rebellion) when he asked to perception of
remove the Native American indentured servants.
population from Virginia Landowners began to see
because of the threat of a indentured servants as an
larger-scale war with Natives. unreliable workforce, that
could revolt at any time.

This prompted the

decline of indentured
servitude, and can be
seen as the kickstarter
for African slavery in
British colonies.

1674 New York New Amsterdam under British New Amsterdam renamed to New York This colony quickly grew
control and became prosperous
with a large and diverse
population. In Dutch
control, it was mostly
only a trading post.

Became the most

significant, best, glorious,
prosperous, amazing,
beautiful, awesome city
today

1680 New Mexico Tensions between colonizers Pueblo Revolt - An uprising by indigenous Temporarily drove out
and the Pueblo people sparked Pueblo people against Spanish colonizers. Spanish colonial rule
due to the suppression of tribal
rituals that did not align with
Christianity, a major drought,
and raids from neighboring
 tribes

1686 New England King Charles II sought to The Dominion of New England - The Stripped many colonists
centralize the administration of merging of British colonies in New of the right to govern
the colonies previously England, a British effort to establish themselves, further
through the Navigation Acts, authority and control over the colonies increasing resentment of
controlling colonial trade. colonies to English rule.
After his death in 1685, his This was quickly
successor James II continued abandoned 3 years later,
with this idea. and the British would
barely interfere with
colonial governments
until the 1760s (The
Tradition of Salutary
Neglect)

The colonists’ strong and

immediate demand to be
self-governed
foreshadows the conflict
between them and the
British crown that would
occur just decades later.

1692 Massachusetts The strict code of Puritanism The Salem Witch Trials - Prosecutions of
people, mainly women, accused of
witchcraft. This occurred as a result of an
increase in diversity in New England
already causing widespread tension, and the
trigger was finally pulled with accusations
made by adolescent girls.
These trials mainly targeted women who in
some way defied the patriarchal family
structure, possibly meaning that the Puritan
traditional gender roles played a role in the
prosecutions.

1698 X The reasoning behind slavery Royal African Company’s monopoly ends - The colonies' trade for
is argued to be purely based on This opened trade to all English merchants. slaves increased rapidly
economic decisions, and and many African slaves
 racism was used as a tool to began arriving in the
justify the horrifying treatment Americas.
of slaves by the white
population

1700s X The flow of immigrants from Changing sources of immigration - As Changing the identity of
England itself began to decline English immigration declined, French, the colonies, less as an
substantially as a result of German, Swiss, Irish, Welsh, Scottish, and entirely English
better economic conditions Scandinavian immigration continued and population but more
there and new government increased. (Just remember Northern and diverse among
restrictions on emigration. Western Europeans) Europeans. This could
allow for the creation of a
People from other areas of French Calvinists immigrated to escape more “American” identity
Europe were experiencing religious prosecution and others for rather than an “English”
hardship like political and economic struggle and to seek refuge identity.
religious persecution, Other immigrants were:
economic hardship, and -​ Scots
generally desired a new life -​ Irish
with new land -​ Dutch
-​ Germans

1700s X Expansion of Enlightenment Enlightenment ideas spread to America These ideas formed the
ideas in Europe from Europe - The Enlightenment was a basis for many founding
movement in Europe that emphasized ideas of the United
Immigration into the Americas reason, science, and human individuality States, such as the idea of
from Europe natural rights, the social
contract (John Locke) and
the separation of powers
(Baron DeMontesquieu).

1730s X The expansion of The Great Awakening - A series of Marks the relative end of
Enlightenment ideas as a religious revivals in English colonies. the Puritan religion,
result of the Enlightenment Era which had been
(1685-18th/19th century). Motivated mostly women and young men splintering and became
With this, a feeling of the who faced uncertain futures, specifically less popular over the
decline of religious fervor, appealing in every person’s ability to previous decades (also as
and the need to revive religion improve their lives by becoming closer to a result of the Salem
god. Witch Trials).
 One MAJOR FIGURE in this was George
Whitefield who was the leading preacher
during this time, spreading religious revival
across the colonies. Another MAJOR
FIGURE was Jonathan Edwards, who
wrote popular books and held popular
sermons that, similar to Whitefield, spread
religious motivation throughout the colonies

1735 New York John Peter Zenger Trial - John Peter Zenger This law allowed for
was a publisher in New York, accused of more free press with less
writing defaming criticisms of the restrictions in comparison
government. He eventually won this legal to English laws.
battle, with the court determining that the
press writing factually true information is This is reflective of the
not libelous. American identity of
freedom of speech

1739 South Carolina The Stono Rebellion - Occurred in a colony As a result of this
with a majority slave population which rebellion, white fears of a
made revolt more likely. violent revolt prompted
the colonies to establish
This rebellion was one of the most even more restrictive
significant of slave revolts. It also caused laws, placing new, even
lawmakers to enact harsher slave codes more restrictive, limits on
their behavior.
 Ohio River The French and Indian War/Seven Years’
1754
Valley/Virgini War - This was part of a larger war between
a Britain and France (Seven Years War,
although the F&I war occurred before
because the English did not officially
declare war until 1756) - a war that took
place in virtually all parts of the globe. It
began as a result of tensions due to an
increase in French presence, prompting the
Governor of Virginia to send a militia led by
George Washington. A battle broke out,
ending in the militia’s defeat and surrender,
and started the war.
1754 Growing French presence in The Battle of Fort Necessity - Resulted in
the Ohio River Valley US defeat and Washington’s surrender
(early in his military career, before
becoming a general)

1754 X In the beginning of the French The Albany Plan - Benjamin Franklin Laid foundation for future
and Indian War, the British proposed the Albany Plan to centralize and colonial/revolutionary
were mostly losing. The unite the colonies under one government governments (Continental
British called for a meeting of to allow for a more coordinated western Congress)
representatives of their defense during the French and Indian
colonies with the goal of War.
creating a more organized This coordinated effort would have required
response to the conflict. a lot of money, which means higher taxation
that the colonies did not like, so the plan
was ultimately rejected
1763 X The British government The End of the Tradition of Salutary This is considered the end
sought to increase revenue Neglect - This was a time around the late of salutary neglect
from the colonies to pay off 17th century and early 18th century when because it reintroduced
debt accumulated from the the British government had little control British supreme authority
Seven Years’ War and French over their American colonies. After the over the American
and Indian War. failure of the Dominion of New England, it colonies- specifically
was difficult for the British to enforce taxation. The British
authority in the colonies, so they mostly taxed the Americas to
allowed the colonies to govern themselves make revenue in order
(colonial assemblies) to pay off the significant
amount of debt
The reestablishment of British authority accumulated during the
in the colonies created much resentment war - a MAJOR reason
and resistance among the colonists who for the Revolutionary
were accustomed to having the ability to War
govern themselves. This is one important
root cause of the American Revolution
1763 Paris, France The Peace of Paris - After multiple French British win a massive
defeats in the Americas, such as the fall of victory
Quebec, the French and British signed the -​ Gained French
Peace of Paris. territory in
​ Canada, and all
The Peace of Paris expanded British territory to the
territorial claims in the Americas and Mississippi River
provided them with most of the French -​ Gained
colonies in India. Florida(Briefly
until 1783, it was
returned to Spain)
-​ Islands in the
Caribbean (Sugar
was the most
valuable crop at
the time)
-​ Recognized as
the most
powerful colonial
empire of the
time
Native Americans suffer
the most consequences
-​ The British
colonists were
more expansive,
they wanted to
displace Native
Americans from
their territory
completely
-​ The French were
mostly friendly to
the Native
Americans, but
now they were
gone and they
had to deal with
only the British.
1763 Ohio River The British wanted to… The Proclamation of 1763 - Laws passed by This was their first major
Valley, -​ Stop threats of conflict the British government to limit settler influence in colonial
Appalachian with surrounding expansion into the Ohio River Valley policies and laws since
Mtns. native tribes passed (passed the Appalachian Mtns), to prevent the Dominion of New
the Appalachian. conflicts with surrounding native tribes. England.

-​ Establish more control Greatly angered the

over the colonies and colonists who were
their westward accustomed to
expansion. self-governance.

-​ Maintain solid trade Also angered them

relations with the because Americans
natives believed it was their
right to expand west,
especially since they
fought for the land.

Set the foundation for

future colonial rebellions

1764 X F&I War debt + British Sugar Act - A tax imposed on foreign
This was far more
wanted to restrict colonial imports of molasses and sugar, making
difficult to resist than the
trade with foreign nations, them more expensive to American
Proclamation Act.
reflective of the old system of consumers.
mercantilism One of the first attempts to raise revenue Created some resentment
from the colonies after the French and among the colonies, but
Indian War. not as much as the
following acts would -
which it set the
foundation for.
Additional info:

1765 X F&I War debt Stamp Act - A tax imposed on all printed
Unlike the Sugar Act, this
documents (newspapers, almanacs,
affected virtually all
pamphlets, deeds, wills, and licenses)
American colonists which
helped unify the
Additional info:
Americans against the
British.
 One of, if not the most
important British
taxation Acts as a
source of American
rebellion

“Taxation without
representation” - The
belief that Britain had no
right to tax the colonies
since their voices were
not represented in
Parliament

Taxation began groups

like the Sons of Liberty a
major group that
protested British taxation,
notably carried out the
Boston Tea Party

1765 British taxation–particularly Sons of Liberty forms -

the Stamp Act

1765 The Quartering Act -

1766 X F&I War debt The Declaratory Act - Accompanied by the

repeal of the Stamp Act, stated that the
British parliament had the authority to
make laws towards the American
colonies

1767 X F&I War debt Townshend Acts - A series of acts to While most of these taxes
increase revenue for Britain similar to the were repealed, the tax on
Stamp Act. A tax on lead, paint, paper, tea remained.
and tea. The tea tax eventually led
 to the Boston Tea Party
protest.

1770 Massachusetts Growing resentment among Boston Massacre - A deadly confrontation

American colonists towards between British soldiers and American
British taxation rioters in Boston

1773 Massachusetts Townshend acts + Tea Act of Boston Tea Party - A protest initiated by
1773 which was made to help the Sons of Liberty against British taxes on
the financially struggling tea, where hundreds of chests of tea owned
British East India Company by the British East India Company were
thrown into the Boston Harbor.

1774 Massachusetts Rebellions in Boston, The Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts) - A The intended goal of the
(targeted particularly the Boston Tea series of 4 laws meant to punish the Intolerable Acts was to
Boston but Party Massachusetts Bay colony for the Boston isolate Massachusetts and
affected all Tea Party. end the uprising. This
colonies) -​ Closed the Boston Harbor backfired on the British,
-​ Replaced the elected governor with as the colonies now began
an appointed one forming a more unified
-​ Allowed British officials charged front against the British.
with capital punishment to be tried This could be seen in the
in Britain or other colonies creaton of the First
-​ The Quartering Act (required Continental Congress
colonial authorities to provide food,
drink, quarters, fuel, and
transportation to British forces
stationed in their towns or villages)

1774 Pennsylvania The Intolerable Acts First Continental Congress Meeting - Determined that
motivated colonial leaders to Colonies sent representatives who met at independence from
unify, as the acts harmed all Carpenter’s Hall in Philadelphia, the first Britain was necessary
colonies collectively Continental Congress. They made
decisions, such as making military
 Influenced by Enlightenment preparations for a British attack, ending
Ideas (natural rights, social consumption, importation, and exportation
contract) with Britain, and agreed to meet again.

1775 Massachusetts Beginning of American Revolution with the

Battles of Lexington and Concord - The
first battles of the American Revolution.
-​ Famously Paul Revere warned the
minutemen of British arrival
-​ American victory
Not only was the American Revolution a
revolution against Britain, it was a
revolution of ideas

1776 X Many Americans were not Common Sense by Thomas Paine - The Spread widely across the
convinced or believed in the only rational way forward for American colonies and convinced
separation of American colonies was independence from Britain. the majority of colonists
colonies from Britain that independence was
necessary

1776 Pennsylvania Americans wanted support in Declaration of Independence signed - Established the United
the Revolutionary war effort, Explained the reasoning for the colonists’ States of America as an
particularly from France. A revolution and declared themselves an independent nation.
Declaration would provide an independent nation.
explanation for why they were
separating from Britain to Deeply rooted in Enlightenment ideas (all
appeal to the foreign countries. men are created equal, social contract)

1777 New York The Battle of Saratoga - One of the most Demonstrated that the
significant victories for the American Americans were capable
Continental Army. of holding their own
against the British,
convincing the French to
begin aiding the
Americans

1777 X Because of their experience The Articles of Confederation - Served as Pros: Set the grounds for
with tyrannical british rule, the the United States’ first Constitution. building a national, united
main reasoning behind the government
 revolution, the focus for Northwest land ordinance
creating a new national - Provided a plan for how
government revolved around western territories would
limiting the power of a central be occupied
government to prevent a
supreme leader from taking This national government
over once again. This idea was able to pass a treaty
caused major debates on how with Britain and end the
power should be balanced in Revolutionary war
the government - who should
rule.
Cons:
States acted largely
independently as if they
were their own countries

No ability to tax the

nation, only individual
states could receive
revenue from taxation.

No national military force

- Inability to maintain
order (Shays’ Rebellion)

Difficult to achieve
consensus
-​ They needed 9
out of 13 states to
agree on a law

1778 -​ Battle of Saratoga France joins America against the British -

-​ French military aid to
America
-​ France recognizes
America as an
independent nation

1783 Britain suffered major defeats Treaty of Paris - Officially ended the Britain ceded territory up
in the Revolutionary War Revolutionary War and recognized the to the Mississippi River
 United States as an independent nation
Demonstrates a success
of the national
government under the
AOC

1784 Ohio, Britain ceded their territory up Northwest Land Ordinance - The Ordinance Demonstrated success of
Michigan, to the Mississippi River of 1784 divided the western territories into the Articles of
Wisconsin, through the Treaty of Paris 10 districts that were not yet states, but Confederation
Minnesota, could become states when their population Provided a plan for how
Indiana, reached the smallest population of an western territories would
Illinois existing state. The Ordinance of 1785 be occupied
created a system for selling western lands.

1786 Massachusetts -​ Heavy taxes to pay off Shays’ Rebellion - An armed rebellion led Increased the urgency and
Revolutionary War by Daniel Shays, a Revolutionary War pressure for reform, and
debts veteran, to protest increased taxation for helped to pass reforms
-​ Imprisonment for debt war debt, end imprisonment for debt, and such as postponing debt
-​ Economic strain paper money. payments and offering tax
following the relief to protestors.
Revolutionary War
The central government had no The push that made the
control over taxation - they United States realize the
had no ability to pay back government had to be
farmers changed

Played a role in the

creation of the Electoral
College - Prevent mob
rule by balancing
democracy with too much
democracy

1787 Pennsylvania Worries from Shays’ Constitutional Convention of 1787 - Sparked debate between
Rebellion of potential revolts, two factions- Federalists
the national government would (mostly people who lived
not be effective in helping, and in urban centers) and
states would be left to control Anti-Federalists (mostly
it themselves. people in rural areas like
small farmers who feared
Wanted a government that
 could raise an army, levy taxes that federal taxes would
and get things done, all while favor the wealthy)
not being too powerful.
Another debate caused by
the Constitutional
Convention was how
states would be
represented - by
population or equally
regardless of size.

1787 Pennsylvania Proposed in the Constitutional Virginia Plan - Written by James Madison,
Convention of 1787 - A a proposal for the government structure.
response to the need for a Argued Congress should represent states by
stronger central government population, and the government should be
divided into 3 branches, legislative, judicial,
Virginia was the largest state and executive.
by population at this point,
which is why they proposed
this

1787 Pennsylvania A response to the Virginia Plan New Jersey Plan - A proposal for the
by smaller states structure of government in response to the
Virginia plan. Argued Congress should
represent states equally in order to protect
the power of smaller states

1787 Pennsylvania Strong debate between The Great Compromise (Sherman Resolved how states
supporters of the Virginia Plan Compromise) - An agreement that resolved would be represented
and the New Jersey Plan disputes caused by the Virginia Plan and the
New Jersey Plan. Proposed the legislative
New Jersey was a smaller branch be divided into two houses, the
state- wanted representation upper house/Senate (represents states
equally equally w/ two senators), and the lower
house/House of Representatives (represents
states by population).

1787 Pennsylvania Since states in the lower house Three-Fifths Compromise - ⅗ of the slave
 would be represented by population would be counted towards the
population, they had to state’s representation in Congress
determine how the large slave
population would be accounted
for
States with a high slave
population wanted their slave
population to be represented,
states with a small slave
population did not

1787/8 New York Debate between Federalists & Federalist Papers began in 1787 and then
Anti-Federalists published in ‘88 - Newspapers by some of
the most influential and skilled writers of
To persuade people to support the time; Alexander Hamilton, James
the new US Constitution Madison, and John Jay. These works
provided arguments for creating a more
centralized government.

1788 Pressures to create a new New Constitution ratified - Highlights the desire to
Constitution because of the -​ Established a stronger central avoid a monarchy-like
failures of the AOC. government that could regulate government (by
-​ Shays’ Rebellion interstate commerce, maintain a separating powers) while
showed the standing army, and levy taxes also giving the central
government’s inability -​ Implemented separation of powers government more power
to maintain public by the executive, legislative, and (ability to raise an army,
order judicial branches (instead of only
-​ Trade & economic legislative like in the AOC)
issues between states -​ Implemented ideas from the Only until later in the
Constitutional Convention 1800s ALL white men
could vote, not only
The Constitution was meant to be a broad property owners,
set of ideas meant to guide future educated, and elite. This
lawmaking decisions was to prevent what
politicians feared as “mob
Congress: rule”
Create laws, tax, raise an army

Executive:
Carry out/enforce laws created by congress,
 wage war, negotiate treaties, appoint
government officials

Judicial:
Determine if laws passed by congress or
actions of the Executive were within the
bounds of the Constitution. Was meant to be
the weakest branch, but grew in power

1789 New York Fears that a national Bill of Rights - Introduced by James Strengthened federalism
government would infringe on Madison
people’s rights (Anti-federalist Includes the first ten amendments of the
concerns) constitution. Its purpose was to guarantee
the rights of individuals and limit the
government’s ability to infringe on them,
one of the largest concerns for the creation
of a new country and the expansion of
powers of the central government.

1789 England Slavery Olaudah Equiano publishes a popular

autobiography on his experiences as a
former slave - Olaudah Equiano was the
child of a West African chief who was
kidnapped and sold by slave traders.
Throughout his life, he was purchased and
sold by multiple owners, learned to read and
write, and fought in the Seven Years’ War,
and eventually purchased his freedom.

His book criticized the ideas of racial

inferiority and slavery, it was a rare story at
the time for accounts of a slave’s
experiences.

1789 X States were left to handle all The Judiciary Act of 1789 - Established
legal matters - interstate the federal court system - the Supreme
disputes because of this Court setting the number at 6 justices
1790 Hamilton wanted government Assumption of State Debt & The Brought states closer to
to take control over financial Compromise of 1790 - An idea introduced federal control
responsibilities by Alexander Hamilton was for the
government to assume public and state After assuming state
debts accumulated from the Revolutionary debts, the new federal
War. government had to look
Hamilton won the decision for the national for sources of revenue to
government to assume state debts and in pay of debts. One of these
return Jefferson and Madison were revenue sources was the
permitted to establish Washington D.C. as whiskey tax which caused
the national capital in the Compromise of resentment among
1790 smaller farmers who
refused to pay an excise
tax on whiskey and
eventually led to the
Whiskey Rebellion

1791 The Bill of Rights ratified -

xx

1791 Pennsylvania First Bank of the US established - Faced significant

resistance, from notable
figures like Thomas
Jefferson and James
Madison.

1791 X Assumption of state debt Report on Manufactures - A collection of

Hamilton’s policy proposals, most
importantly to diversify the economy. The
economy at this time was heavily reliant on
agriculture, he argued that manufacturing
and agriculture should both be strengthened
in case of an economic struggle in one
industry
1791 Western The Whiskey Tax was the first The Whiskey Rebellion - One of the first Washington managed to
Pennsylvania domestic tax imposed by the major challenges to the new federal effectively suppress the
new national government. government. It was an uprising against the uprising, displaying the
whiskey excise tax proposed by Alexander power and authority of
It was imposed in order to pay Hamilton and passed by Congress, the first the new federal
off debts from the tax of the federal government under the new government.
Revolutionary War, which Constitution.
Alexander Hamilton suggested That unlike the national
the national government Small farmers in western Pennsylvania government under the
should assume. struggled from this tax, as whiskey was a Articles of Confederation,
main source of income for them. this new federal
Rather than sell raw grain from their farms, government could enforce
it was more profitable for them to distill its laws.
it into whiskey because whiskey was
easier to transport and to sell

1793 X War in Europe stemming from Proclamation of Neutrality - An official Met with many
the French Revolution announcement by George Washington that challenges by Britain and
declared the United States neutral in the France
conflicts between France and Britain as a
result of the French Revolution

1793 X United States declared The Citizen Genet Affair - Edmond-Charles Angered Washington
neutrality Genet was the first French diplomatic Increased tensions
representative to the US, and a major between US and France
challenge to US neutrality in the wars
between France and other European nations Republicans supported
following the French Revolution. the French which created
concerns among the
Edmond-Charles Genet attempted to issue Federalists and
commissions for American privateers, Washington around
essentially trying to recruit them into foreign interference
fighting the British. which Washington
addresses in his farewell
This was seen as (and was) a direct address.
challenge to Washington’s Proclamation of
Neutrality.
1794 England John Jay was instructed to Jay’s Treaty is signed - A treaty negotiated Although it did not reach
acquire compensation for the by John Jay. its initial goals entirely, it
hundreds of American ships established US
seized by Britain for trading sovereignty over all the
in the French Caribbean, and Northwest, improved
also to demand that the British commercial relations, and
evacuate outposts on American prevented war between
soil, among other issues left them.
unresolved after the
Revolutionary War. This improvement of
British-American
relations angered the
French, creating a further
divide between the two
parties: The Federalists (

1794 Ohio The Northwest land ordinances The Battle of Fallen Timbers - Final battle The Treaty of Greenville
threatened Native territories, as of the Northwest Indian War (started in was signed where the
it sold land natives claimed as 1785), ended in US victory. United States established
their territory. native lands and natives
ceded most of what
would become Ohio.
Ended violence
temporarily

1794 Georgia Cotton fibers were difficult Invention of the Cotton Gin - The Cotton Transformed the
to separate from its seeds. Gin was a machine that separated cotton American economy

Cotton cultivation was fibers from its seeds.

It became central to the
extremely labor intensive,
Southern economy.
and inefficient.
With the growth of
cotton cultivation came
the growth, and
dependence on, slavery
in the South.
 As the land in the Old
South lost fertility,
settlers began pushing
west along with cotton
cultivation.

For the North East, cotton

became vital for the
growth of
industrialization,
specifically in textile
mills.

1795 Kentucky The Second Great The Second Great Awakening Begins -
Tennessee Awakening was rooted in
efforts to preserve
traditional religion and
prevent the growth of
rational thought after the
Revolution.

1795 Spain The visible improvement Pinckney’s Treaty - The US sent Thomas Improved relations with
between British and US Pinckney to Spain to negotiate. In this the Spanish, making a
relations as a result of Jay’s treaty, Spain recognized the rights of clear agreement as to the
Treaty created fears among the Americans to travel the Mississippi River, limits and permissions
Spanish that the British and allowed Americans to deposit goods in New between Americans and
US would join together against Orleans, established the Florida border Spanish along their
Spain. along the 31st parallel, and it stated that borders
Spanish authorities must stop native raids
into the US from Florida.

1796 Washington’s Farewell Address -

1797 France US diplomats sent to France to XYZ Affair - An incident between US and Caused an undeclared
prevent war. French diplomats. war between the US and
France called the Quasi
War (1798-1780).
1798 X Increasing Federalist power in Alien and Sedition Acts - Federalists looked
the government (somewhat to silence the Republicans through the Alien
caused by the conflict in and Sedition Acts.
France).
The Alien Act placed increased barriers for
foreigners trying to become American
citizens.

The Sedition Act allowed the prosecution of

people engaging in sedition, as well as
limiting speech critical to the government

1798 X Alien and Sedition Acts Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions - An example of state’s
Drafted by Thomas Jefferson and James rights - the power
Madison. A response to the Alien and difference between the
Sedition Acts that argued it was federal government and
unconstitutional, and that states had the state government.
right to declare it as such and take action
against it

X Election of 1800 - A highly contentious

1800
election in which John Adams lost his bid
for a second term and Thomas Jefferson
won the presidency.
1801 X John Adams’ loss to Thomas Judiciary Act of 1801 - A last-minute law
Jefferson in the Election of 1800 passed by congress to increase the number
of federal courts and positions in the
Judiciary, which at the last moments of his
election, Adams filled with Federalists
(midnight judges)

These were called midnight judges because

Adams signed them into office on the last
day of his term, it was the last attempt for
federalists to maintain control over the
government.

1801 Second Great Awakening Cane Ridge Revival - As a result of intense After this, events like
religious revival, a massive “camp these became common
meeting” began at Cane Ridge in the (mostly by Methodists)
summer of 1801. This event lasted several in the following years as
days and was attended by an estimated a way to bring in new
25000 people. members

1803 Interchangeable parts - Eli Whitney, an Revolutionized

American inventor pioneered the use of manufacturing,
interchangeable parts in his firearms contributed greatly to the
factory. growth of
industrialization in the
United States.

1803 X Adams’ “midnight judges” Marbury v. Madison - William Marbury, The Judiciary branch was
who was named justice by Adams, had not not seen as equal to the
received his commission before Adams left Legislative and Executive
office. Madison, who was secretary of around this time.
state, refused to deliver the commission. However, this established
The Court ruled that Madison was required the power of the
to deliver it. Judiciary to nullify acts
of Congress

1803 Louisiana France acquired the Louisiana Louisiana Purchase - The US expands their Ignited westward
Territory territory in a secret treaty with land passed the Mississippi River - The expansion by nearly
Spain. largest single expansion of US territory doubling accessible land
 Napoleon needed to fund his for settlers.
wars in Europe–saw his dream
for extending his empire to
America as unreachable

1807 New York Growth of industrialization. The invention of Robert Fulton’s steamboat Significantly boosted the
Earlier invention of the steam Robert Fulton is credited for the invention Western and Southern
engine. of the first successful steamboat. economies, bringing them
closer to Eastern
manufacturing.

1807 X British impressment The Embargo Act - Jefferson’s act of Caused a major economic
resistance against (at times violent) depression and was
incidents resulting from British quickly repealed as it was
impressment and other foreign seen as a political
interferences with US merchant ships. This liability for Jefferson.
act banned American ships from leaving to This was followed by the
a foreign port. Non-Intercourse Act

1809 X Failure of the Embargo Act The Non-Intercourse Act - This act was
passed as a replacement for the Embargo
Act. While the Embargo Act banned US
ships from heading to ALL foreign ports,
the Non-Intercourse Act only banned ships
bound to French and British ports.

France later ended interference with US

ships, making the act only for Britain

1811 Indiana Louisiana Purchase and The Battle of Tippecanoe - In 1811, while Caused many raids on
subsequent westward expansion Tecumseh, chief of the Shawnee, was white settlements - the
Increased tension between away, Governor Harrison (who was left to British supported their
natives and settlers to the west direct Jefferson’s solution to the “Indian efforts to prevent a US
problem”) attacked Prophetstown and invasion of Canada
burned it down.
Native groups allied with
the British and provided
 significant aid in the War
of 1812

Discredited the Federalist

Party, nearly destroying
the party

1812 Canada Because of the Napoleonic wars, The War of 1812 - Fought by the United This war resulted in a
the British needed more sailors States and Britain. surge of US nationalism
for their boats. After seizing and the end of the
American ships, they would Federalist Party.
sometimes force the sailors to
serve on British ships. It proved to the world
that it could successfully
The British also supported defend itself and stand up
Native resistance to the US in to world powers.
order to take attention away
from, and prevent an invasion of It put strain on the US
Canada. economy which
prompted the creation of
the Second Bank of the
United States.

Created a strong push,

especially in the North,
for domestic
manufacturing and
other internal
developments like
infrastructure.

Inspired westward
expansion as it virtually
ended native opposition
and legitimate threats
1814 Connecticut Grievances among the Federalist The Hartford Convention - A series of Almost completely
majority New England states meetings of New England leaders where discredited by Andrew
towards the War of 1812 and the they discussed their grievances with many Jackson’s major victory
republican-dominant events. Demanded that an end to the War of in New Orleans, because
government 1812, a two-thirds majority in Congress to it inspired national unity
declare war and pass laws, and financial and a feeling of national
compensation for New England losses. strength that the
They considered even separating from the Federalists were
US evidently out of touch
with in the Hartford
Convention

1814 Netherlands The War of 1812 Treaty of Ghent - A treaty that ended the The Era of Good Feelings ​
War of 1812. Strengthened feelings of
national pride

Demonstrated the
country’s strength and
ability to retaliate against
European nations.

1815 Louisiana War of 1812 (The Treaty that The Battle of New Orleans - The Battle of A significant display of
ended the war was already New Orleans was a devastating defeat for US military strength
signed, but the news did not the British in the War of 1812. The
reach New Orleans in time) Americans, led by Andrew Jackson, were
well protected with fortifications and
defeated multiple waves of British attacks.
The British death toll was 700, while the
US death toll was only 8

1815 X The Era of Good Feelings - A period

following the War of 1812, when the
country was no longer affected by major
divisions, disputes, or international
tensions. It was a period of rising
nationalism and a desire to unify.
This term is often associated with the
presidency of James Monroe, who faced
little opposition besides a small Federalist
minority and could focus on national
development.
 At this point, the Federalist Party ceased to
exist.

1816 Foreign trade restrictions, the The Tariff of 1816 - The first tariff enacted
Embargo Act and the War of by the United States
1812 led the United States to
begin developing domestic
manufacturing

1816 X The War of 1812 demonstrated The Second Bank of the United States People became skeptical
the necessity for a centralized established - The Second attempt at and distrustful of this
banking system, as the nation creating a centralized banking system. Part banking system,
was struggling economically of a broader “American System” promoted especially in the agrarian
after the war. by Henry Clay to make internal and South where people
economic improvements believed it would
primarily serve the
interests of the wealthy,
Northeastern elites.
It would become a major
source of conflict and
debate.

1818 Florida Much of the tensions with Spain The First Seminole War - Andrew Jackson, Demonstrated the US
resulted from native raids ordered to stop the raids by any means ability to take the
crossing the Florida border into necessary and used this as an opportunity territory by force,
US territory. to invade Florida. This action was not ultimately leading the
officially approved by the United States Spanish Ambassador to
the United States, Luis de
Onis to sign the treaty.

1819 DC The First Seminole War Adams-Onis Treaty - Spain cedes Florida
to the United States and the southern
border to the west is defined.

1819 X Napoleonic wars disrupted Panic of 1819 - An economic crisis that Mass distrust towards the
European agriculture. came as a result of a surge in foreign Second Bank of the
demand for American farm goods. United States, would
become a major source of
 debate in the following
decades.

1819 DC Slavery was established in Tallmadge Amendment - Rep. James Created intense debate
Missouri before becoming a Tallmadge proposed an amendment to ultimately causing the
state Congress to prevent further introduction of Missouri Compromise
slaves into the territory.

1819 New York John Marshall served as chief Dartmouth College v Woodward - This can This case highlighted the
justice from 1801 to 1835, where be seen in the case of Dartmouth College v restrictions of state
he increased the power of the Woodward, where Republicans attempted governments to control
federal government, and to convert the college into a state corporations. It also
protected and advanced the university, in this case, the Supreme Court showed the Supreme
interest of the commercial class. allowed Dartmouth to remain a private Court had the ability to
institution overturn the decision of
state courts, which would
cause state’s rights
advocates to challenge
this ability

1819 New York Growing debate around the McCulloch v. Maryland - John Marshall Solidified implied powers
Second Bank of the United upholds the constitutionality of the Bank of Congress, and
States. of the US and determines that states could established that federal
State of Maryland approved not tax the federal government. law always wins when
legislation to tax the Second in conflict with state
Bank of the United States, law. Defined federal-state
James McCulloch refused to pay legal boundaries
the taxes, and Maryland then
filed a suit against him.

1820 X The War of 1812 stressed the Rise of the Market Revolution - Although People began moving
importance of developing a not the precise date of its beginning, this away from agricultural
domestic manufacturing was around the time where the US began a life and into urban areas,
sector. Prior to this the US major shift away from its mostly taking up factory jobs
simply shipped raw materials to agrarian-based economy into the more
Europe to be refined, but the modern market-based economy. Sparked a growth of
War of 1812 created distrust for social unrest and reform
foreign dependence movements. For one,
people no longer had as
 much control over their
Growth of Industrialization own labor as they did in
their farms.
The invention of new
technologies Also, people had less
pride over their own
Henry Clay’s ideas of work because of their
strengthening the US economy simple factory jobs,
by protecting the growing US unlike how
industries, making internal manufacturing was like
improvements, and promoting before, where you would
the growth of the market produce the product on
economy. your own.

Because urbanization
allowed for more people
to be in closer proximity
to one another and
improvements in
transportation allowed
people to witness societal
issues across the nation,
this allowed for more of
a spread of ideas and
the realization of many
social issues.

The changing world

also led people to take
up religion

1820 DC Missouri reached a population Missouri Compromise - Allowed slavery in Prevented major division,
high enough to apply for Missouri, but made Maine a free state to and secured the unity of
statehood settle the controversy sparked by the the Union.
Tallmadge Amendment
The growing slavery debate in
Missouri threatened the stability
of the Union

1823 DC By winning the War of 1812, The Monroe Doctrine - In his annual Practically helped end
the United States showed the message to Congress, James Monroe major European colonial
 world that it was militarily announced that the Americas were closed influence in the
capable of defending itself from to any further European colonization, continent.
threats and any attempt to interfere with an
independent nation would be seen as an act Established US
European colonies, most against the United States. dominance over the
importantly Spanish colonies, continent
began to revolt in the Americas
The US was competing with Marked the beginning of
Britain for dominance over trade the US role on the global
in Latin America and wanted stage.
near complete dominance.
Despite declaring neutrality, the
US supported Latin American
revolutions with supplies

1824 New York Gibbons used a federal license to Gibbons v Ogden - Determined that Conflicting state law is
operate steamboats to compete Congress has the complete ability to trumped over the federal
with Ogden, who had a license regulate interstate commerce. government’s ability to
from New York to operate regulate interstate
steamboats exclusively commerce

1824 X Emerging states began allowing The Election of 1824 - This was a The result of this election
voting rights to all white males significant election in US politics that was was inconclusive, no
in their constitutions. the first example of a significant change candidate won the
that came about as a result of the expansion majority of electoral
Following the “Era of Good of voting rights. votes required to win the
Feelings” there was pretty election.
much only one political party,
the Republican Party, so all
major candidates (Henry Clay,
Andrew Jackson, and John Q.
Adams) ran as Republicans.

Even before this, and before the

expansion of voting rights,
people did not really “campaign”
for the election, they stood for
election
1828 DC John Q. Adams passes a tariff known as the This significantly
“Tariff of Abominations” - The purpose of angered the South, as
this tariff was to protect the growing they depended on
manufacturing sector in the north east, foreign goods more than
from foreign competition that could sell at the heavily
lower prices. industrialized North.
They did not have a
developed manufacturing
sector, and could not
produce foreign products
domestically.

Led to the Nullification

Crisis in South Carolina

1825 X Temperance movement - The temperance A significant example of

movement was a movement that focused women’s involvement in
on ending alcoholism in the US. The legislation, women
support for this movement was mainly organizing and trying to
from women, who often struggled with create change
domestic abuse from men under the
influence of alcohol.

1825 New York With increasing urbanization and The Hudson River School is established - Helped create a distinct
industrialization came the American identity,
growth of desire to preserve and impacted the American
admire nature public who were highly
attracted to these pieces

1825 New York The Erie Canal construction finished - Made shipment easier
between the Northeast
and Midwest

Connected the East coast

and overseas markets to
midwestern farm
products.
 Attributed to the growth
of New York City

1825 X Utopian communities - Questioned societal

New Harmony issues facing the growing
Brook Farm nation
Oneida
Shakers

1828 X The Election of 1828 -

“Mudslinging of candidates”

1828 X Beginning of the “spoils system” -

1828 X The Democratic Party is created -

1829 X The Age of Jackson/The Era of the Beginning of modern

Prior to the “Age of Jackson” Common Man - American political
American politics were mostly culture.
aristocratic. Major leaders of the
new Nation feared “too much”
democracy or “mob rule.”

Leaders believed that people

who owned property should
have more of a say in the
country’s decisions

New states entering the Union

began allowing voting rights
for all white male citizens.
1830 X The unsatisfactory speed of The Indian Removal Act - The Trail of Tears
federal negotiations with
southern native tribes to relocate
them west.

1830 X Beginning of Transcendentalism - A Foundational ideas for

philosophical and spiritual movement experimental
communities like Brook
Farm.

1830 Maryland The first railroad is established - The The growth of major
Virginia Baltimore-Ohio railroad was the first railroads (trunk lines)
Ohio major, inter-city railroad in the United which connected
States. Eastern ports to the
growing western
economy.

1830 X Surge of German/Irish immigration

1830 DC Tariff of 1828 Webster-Hayne Debates - Defined the two opposing

The Webster-Hayne debate began with positions: one that
Growing tensions between the Western land policies and tariffs but shifted emphasized national
North and South over slavery, to a larger argument of state vs national unity and the other,
Western land policies and tariffs powers and nullification. state’s rig began with
Western land policies and
Hayne believed that states should have the tariffs hts.
right to nullify federal laws

Webster believed that states should not

have the right to do so, emphasizing
national unity

1832 South Tariff of 1828 raised prices for The Nullification Crisis - A confrontation Showed the severity of
Carolina foreign goods between the federal government and the sectional divides and the
 State of South Carolina that almost led to fragility of the Union. As
conflict well as the debate over
Violence was avoided through a federal authority and
compromise by Henry Clay where the tariff states rights.
would be lowered gradually to reach the This essentially
same level as in 1816. foreshadowed the Civil
War.

1832 DC Jackson vetoes the BUS recharter bill -

1832 New York The Cherokee inhabited most of Worcester v. Georgia - Ruled that native Further solidified the
Georgia and resisted giving up tribes are considered nations, and are not state-federal law
their land. Georgia passed under state law. boundaries.
anti-Cherokee laws to try and
force them out.
Among the laws, Georgia
required that missionaries obtain
licenses to live on Cherokee
territory.
One of these missionaries,
Samuel Worchester, disobeyed
this law and was arrested. His
appeals made its way to the
Supreme Court

1832 England Technological advancements Invention of the Telegraph - The telegraph The telegraph allowed for
was an important invention for the even more connection
railroads, it connected stations and also throughout the country,
allowed for instant communication and made information
between distant places. It also had a low like the news spread
cost which allowed to expand quickly much faster than ever
throughout the country before.

1833 X The dissolving of the The Whig Party is created -

 Democratic-Republican Party
The creation of the Democratic
Party
Opposition to the presidency of
Andrew Jackson and his overuse
of veto powers

1834 New York The growth of factories National Trade Union founded -
threatened skilled workers like
artisans as they could not
compete with the low prices
from factories.

1837 X Before leaving office, Jackson The Panic of 1837 - Early in Van Buren’s There was no depression
ordered that public lands could presidency unemployment grew. Banks, in the US history worse
only be paid for in or backed by businesses, and transportation projects than this one before it. A
gold or silver. failed, and riots broke out. disaster for Van Buren’s
administration and the
Democrats as a whole,
and played a role in Van
Buren’s loss in his bid for
reelection and the
emergence of the Whigs.

1840 X Virtually all states drop property In presidential

qualifications for voting - campaigns, candidates
focused more on ad
hominem attacks on their
opponents, trying to
gather as many voters
and appeal to the
“common man”
1840 The Nativist/Know-Nothing Party reaches
its peak -

1840 William Henry Harrison -

Idk why i put him here he kinda just died

immediately

1842 New York With the growth of factory work Commonwealth v Hunt - The greatest
came a larger resistance by victory for workers was the ruling by the
workers to improve their Supreme Court of Massachusetts in
conditions with little success Commonwealth v Hunt which ruled
from legislatures. unions and strikes as lawful

1842 DC In the late 1830s, tensions Webster-Ashburton Treaty - The Strengthened US

between Britain and the United Webster-Ashburton Treaty established the authority in the North.
States grew once again, one in northern border between the US and British
particular over the Canada and created protected trade routes
Maine-Canada border which had in the northern US and southern Canada.
been disputed for decades but
reignited after incidents near the
borders.

X Election of James K. Polk -

1845

1846 Oregon Claims on the Oregon territory The Oregon Treaty - This treaty defined the Thousands of migrants
were disputed between Britain boundary between Britain and the US in journeyed through harsh
and the United States and were Oregon and the entire Pacific Northwest at conditions through the
resolved through joint the 49th parallel. Oregon Trail to settle in
occupation where citizens of Oregon.
both countries had equal access.
 However, after interest in the
territory grew rapidly,
Americans began settling in When later admitted as a
significant numbers. This free-state, this generated
devastated the native population more sectional tensions.
with disease, and established US
control over the region
​
Expansionist pressures,
specifically from President
James K. Polk.

1846 Texas, In 1836, Texas became an Mexican-American War -

Mexico independent state, never truly
recognized as independent by
Mexico.
Under James K. Polk, after
presidents before him ignored
Texas’ wishes to become part of
the US, he (it was actually John
Tyler, the president before him,
but he was influenced by Polks
popularity so Polk receives the
credit) annexed Texas in 1845
because of his expansionist
ideas.
While the annexation itself
increased tensions, it was not the
breaking point that caused the
war. Instead, it was disputes over
the southern border. Mexico
claimed the boundary was at
Nueces River, while the United
States claimed it extended to the
Rio Grande.

1846 DC Ongoing Mexican-American Wilmot Proviso - This was introduced by Generated fierce debate
War Congressman David Wilmot over concerns over the status of slavery
 of the large territory that would be acquired in territories acquired by
if the US won the war. The Wilmot Proviso Mexico
proposed that all new territory acquired
from Mexico as a result of the war, prohibit
slavery.

1848 New York The Seneca Falls Convention and the

Declaration of Sentiments -

1848 Mexico Mexican-American War Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo - Mexico Creation of the Free Soil
ceded what would today be California, Party which advocated
New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, and parts of for the exclusion of
Wyoming, Kansas, and Oklahoma (map slavery from the new
above timeline) territories acquired by
Mexico.
More sectional division
over the expansion of
slavery in these new
territories.
Discovery of gold in
California leading to
more westward migration
Expansion into these
territories caused more
conflict, displacement
and violence with Native
Americans

1850 DC The Wilmot Proviso Compromise of 1850 - A set of 5 laws Temporarily settled
The increasingly fierce debate passed through Congress in 1850 that tensions
over whether the new territories established newly acquired territories as
acquired by Mexico should free or slave states/territories.
become free or slave states.
This included:
-​ California admitted as a free state
-​ Popular sovereignty for Utah and
New Mexico (the residents can
decide slavery of these territories
 could decide on whether to be a
free or slave state)
-​ A stricter Fugitive Slave Act that
required citizens, even in the
North, to capture or report runaway
slaves
-​ Abolition of the slave trade in D.C
(slavery itself still legal)
-​ Texas gave up territory to its west
and settled boundary disputes with
New Mexico, creating the borders
we see today.

1850 DC Compromise of 1850 (stricter) Fugitive Slave Act - This was one This enflamed
of if not the most important of the laws abolitionism in the North,
implemented in the Compromise of 1850. who did not want to feel
Authorities and citizens were required to complicit in slavery.
return escaped slaves, and those who
helped them escape were punished.

1854 DC Kansas-Nebraska Act - Stephen A. The following

Douglas proposed new territories of controversy this
Nebraska and Kansas that could choose generated divided and
whether to permit slavery or to be a free destroyed the Whig party.
territory, essentially repealing the Missouri It also essentially
compromise that outlawed slavery above repealed the Missouri
the 36º30' latitude in the Louisiana Compromise which was
territories. seen as something
holding the Union
together
Birthed a new party; the
Republican Party.

1854 Kansas Kansas-Nebraska Act allowed Bleeding Kansas - A violent conflict in

territories to decide whether to Kansas between pro and anti slavery
permit slavery. factions.
Pro and anti slavery groups
flooded into Kansas to influence
 the vote, leading to violent
conflict between them

1854 X The Kansas-Nebraska Act and Creation of the Republican Party - Sectionalism became
its following controversy Northerners prior were divided between more clearly defined, as
triggered the creation of the Whigs, Free Soilers, and abolitionists. nearly the entirety of the
Republican Party This new party allowed Northerners to North and the South
rally behind a single banner. rallied behind a single
The creation of the Republican party and belief.
Party came out of the ashes of
the Whig Party.
The Whigs were divided by
Northern Whigs who were
against slavery and Southern
Whigs who supported it. Despite
the many ideas they agreed on,
the difference in opinion over
slavery was too strong to
maintain, and Southern Whigs
flocked to the Democrats, while
Northern Whigs

1857 DC Dred Scott, an enslaved man, Dred Scott Decision - Stated that enslaved Created widespread anger
sued for freedom after his people were not citizens of the United in the North, one of the
owner’s death, on the grounds States and therefore had no right to most controversial
that he had lived in free protection by the federal government. Supreme Court decisions
territories, therefore he should be in US History
considered a free man. Also ruled that the Missouri Compromise
was unconstitutional Added to the North’s fear
of the Slave Power
Conspiracy, the perceived
power of the Southern
elite in the federal
government

1859 West Virginia Growing frustrations with the John Brown’s Raid - On October 16 1859, This action struck fear,
the government’s inability to end John brown attacked and seized control of horror, and resentment
the institution of slavery, a mountain fortress in Virginia, from which among Southern whites,
especially with the major he hoped to spark a larger slave and practically convinced
setbacks of the Kansas-Nebraska insurrection in the south. However his them that they could not
Act and the Dred Scott goals to did not come to fruition, state
 Decisiion. troops under Robert E. Lee seiged the fort. coexist with the North in
After many of his men were killed, he the Union.
John Brown believed that surrendered, was convicted for treason, and While the North viewed
abolitionists must put action hanged. John Brown as a martyr,
over words, and that violence hero, and symbol of
was a necessary means of abolitionism
achieving liberation for slaves.

1860 X Lincoln was a lawyer mainly Election of Lincoln - Lincoln was able to This was the final push
involved in state politics but win the presidency for a few major reasons. for white southerners,
rose to national prominence One being the divided state of the when they lost any hope
mainly through his debates with Democratic Party. Many southern of maintaining their
Stephen A. Douglas, capturing Democrats believed slavery should be interests and position in
the attention of large crowds. federally protected in all territories while the Union. Only a little
others, specifically in the North, believed more than a month later,
The Democratic party was split, there should be popular sovereignty in the South Carolina seceded
between Northern Democrats territories to determine whether it would be from the Union, with
like Stephen A. Douglas, who free or not. many other states
proposed popular sovereignty in Secondly, Lincoln managed to appeal to a following suit over the
the new territories, allowing the large number of voters by not advocating next several weeks.
residents to vote on whether the for the abolition of slavery where it existed,
new states would be free or slave but still opposed the extension of slavery
states. Southern Republicans into western territories. The Republican
were far more radical in terms of Party did not exactly assume a moral stance
their goals with slavery, arguing to justify this either, rather, they claimed
that it should be federally that the expansion of slavery into the west
protected and expanded through would take jobs away from common white
the new territories. This division people.
helped Lincoln win the
presidency

1860 South South Carolina secedes from the Union -

Carolina Almost immediately after Lincoln won the
presidency, Southerners lost all hope of
being able to maintain their interests in the
Union. South Carolina seceded from the
Union first, other Southern states soon
followed suit.

1861 South South Carolina seceded from the The Civil War begins with The Battle of
Carolina Union, and demanded that Union Fort Sumter- Tensions as a result of the Started the war that to
 forces leave Fort Sumter, which Union’s presence in Fort Sumter caused this day remains the
Lincoln declined. Confederate forced to attack the fort, conflict with the highest
triggering the Civil War. number of US casualties
in American history.

1861 Georgia Alexander Stephens, “Cornerstone Speech”

- Alexander Stephens, the Vice President of
the Confederacy, gave a speech called the
“Cornerstone Speech” in which he
explained the principles of the new
government. These were that slavery was
justified because the white man was
superior, and that the creators of the
Constitution were incorrect in suggesting
that the enslavement of African Americans
was wrong.

1862 X Grappling with the Southern The suspension of habeas corpus - Habeas
Rebellion, the Union was in a Corpus is a legal principle that requires
fragile state. authorities to bring arrested people before a
court. The suspension of this issued by
Lincoln was done to prevent furthur
disruption to the war effort.

Some argue that this was a clear violation

of both the 1st and 6th amendments.
However, others argue that this was in the
interest of national security during war
time, and in cases like these where there
are clear concerns towards the security of
the nation these rights can be overruled.
This doest

1862 Minnesota The Sioux Uprising in Minnesota -

1862 Maryland The Battle of Antietam - After successfully
defending against McClellan’s attack, Lee
launched his invasion into the North.
McClellan repelled Lee’s army at the Battle
of Antietam, just miles away from
Washington D.C. and in only one day
nearly 4000 men were killed. This was the
bloodiest single-day battle in US history

1862 DC Demands that the new western The Homestead Act of 1862 - Provided Rapid settlement in the
territory be available to 160 acres of land to anyone who agreed to West and Midwest
independent farmers rather than farm on the land and live there for at least 5
wealthy elites. years.

1863 X The Emancipation Proclamation - Freed Shifted the war’s central

all slaves in rebellious states– territories focus, from preserving
captured by the Union. This was quite the Union to making the
visibly a militarily motivated action, as it abolition of slavery a
did not end slavery as a whole, but only in central aim
rebellious states, and since slavery was
central to the South’s economy it would
harm their military efforts significantly.

1863 Pennsylvania Lee began another invasion into Battle of Gettysburg - This was the Ended Robert E. Lee’s
the North bloodiest battle of the Civil War, with an hopes of achieving a
estimated 51,000 casualties.. victory in the North

1863 Pennsylvania Gettysburg Address - The Gettysburg Although he did not

Address is one of the most famous mention the confederacy
speeches given by a US president. In this or slavery in his speech,
speech Abraham Lincoln. his words helped change
the focus of the war from
not just preserving the

1863 Mississippi The Union planned to gain Battle of Vicksburg - Led by Ulysses S. Essentially split the
control of the Mississippi River, Grant, the Union army besieged the city of Confederacy in two, its
 cutting of the Confederacy from Vicksburg in Mississippi, ending in west and its east
the West success.

Combined with the loss at Gettysburg just

one day earlier, this severely weakened
both Confederate military strength and
morale.

1863 X Lincoln’s 10% Plan - Lincoln announced This plan was specifically
the 10% plan where he offered to pardon meant to weaken the
white Southerners who took an oath to Confederate war effort
remain loyal to the Union and support and to encourage white
emancipation. The 10% plan allowed southerners to accept
Confederate states to form a new state Union terms, but did not
government after 10% of their male take into consideration
population took an oath of loyalty to the the black population in
Union the post-slavery system.
Dissatisfaction with
Lincoln’s reconstruction
plan caused Radical
Republicans to introduce
the Wade-Davis bill
which required the
majority of white male
support in southern states
instead of Lincoln’s 10%,
in order for
reconstruction to begin. It
called for the complete
abolition of slavery and
the prevention of it
occurring in any way
after the war.

1863 DC Prior to Congress passing the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act - Officially Created questions as to
act, Lincoln declared its permitted the President to suspend the writ the right of free speech in
suspension in some areas. This of habeas corpus, allowing people to be times of war, and the
was highly controversial and arrested without a formal charge or the right of free speech over
questionable as to the right to challenge it in court for sympathy national security.
 constitutionality of its with the Confederate cause.
enforcement.
One example of this being used was in the
arrest of Clement Vallandigham, a
Democrat representative from Ohio known
for his anti-war speeches, who was arrested
and convicted of treason by a military court
and banished to the confederacy

1863 Georgia William T Sherman’s March to the Sea -

1864 DC Dissatisfaction with Lincoln’s The Wade-Davis Bill -

reconstruction plan Radical Republicans introduced the
Wade-Davis bill which required the
majority of white male support in southern
states instead of Lincoln’s 10%, in order
for reconstruction to begin. It called for the
complete abolition of slavery and the
prevention of it occurring in any way after
the war.

1864 Tennessee The Battle of Fort Pillow - Black soldiers

in the Civil War, unlike the white soldier,
had to struggle with the fact that they could
be executed or sold into slavery when
captured. One major incident of this was at
Fort Pillow, where 200 black soldiers died
when the Confederate army overran it.
Some of those killed were killed after
surrendering.

1865 Virginia Battle of Appomattox Court House - Ended the Civil War
This battle at Appomattox Court House in
 Virginia, and the Confederacy’s subsequent
surrender at this location, marks the
conclusion of the Civil War.

DC 13th Amendment ratified - Officially

1865
abolished slavery across the United States

1865 DC Congress creates the Freedmen’s Bureau -

Established to direct Reconstruction
efforts.

1865 DC Lincoln’s Assassination

1865 X Inauguration of Andrew Johnson - Ideas conflicted with

Andrew Johnson, in contrast to the Congress led to constant
majority of Congress at the time, believed overturning of his veto
in a quick Reconstruction and a return to power, and eventual
the previous way of life. impeachment

Andrew Johnson was more lenient to the

South

1866 DC The Civil Rights Act of 1866 -

1866 X The creation of the National Labor Union -

1867 The Grange Movement begins - The

Grange Movement began as almost a way
of unifying American farmers, not only to
benefit the well being of their community’s
agriculture, but also led to efforts to pass
legislation to protect it.
 A main struggle of the Grange Movement
was the fight against railroad companies
and unfair costs to transport their farm
goods.

1867 DC Congress passes the Reconstruction Acts -

Outlined the conditions Southern states had
to meet in order to be reentered into the
Union and how these Southern states wold
be governmed. These were:
-​ Dividing the Southern states into 5
districts to be under the command
of the Union military.
-​ State constitutions had to allow
black men to vote
-​ States would be readmitted if their
constitutions were approved by a
majority vote (including black
men).

1868 DC After Congress adopted the The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson -

Tenure of Office Act which The House approved articles of
barred the president from impeachment. The Senate did not reach the
removing cabinet members two-thirds necessary to remove him from
without Senate confirmation, power.
Johnson went against this act by
removing his Secretary of War.

1868 DC White supremacists in the South 14th Amendment ratified - Reversal of the
created Black Codes to further Provided citizenship and protection of Supreme Court Dred
maintain white supremacy. citizenship for black people. Not only this, Scott v Sandford
but it also provided black people equal decision.
Continued struggles faced even protection under the law.
 after liberation.
“No State shall make or enforce any law
which shall abridge the privileges or
immunities of citizens of the United States;
nor shall any State deprive any person of
life, liberty, or property, without due
process of law; nor deny to any person
within its jurisdiction the equal protection
of the laws.”

1869 Creation of the Knights of Labor -

1870 DC 15th Amendment ratified - Gave black men Sparked debates over
the right to vote. women being included in
this amendment.

This did not end black

people’s struggle for
voting rights, they
continued to battle hate
groups and legislation to
prevent their ability to
vote in the South (literacy
tests, poll taxes)

1870 DC Enforcement Acts - The enforcement acts

were acts by Congress outlawing terrorist
societies and allowing the President to use
the army against them.

1870 X The creation of the Standard Oil trust - An This allowed trustees to,
example of consolidation was John D. while owning a few
Rockefeller’s Standard Oil. After companies, could control
beginning his own refining company, he many more. Allowing the
worked to buy out his competition., and power and wealth of
after succeeding in this, he began vertical Morgan and Rockefeller
expansion, buying other businesses to grow significantly
essential to his primary production.
1872 X The Crédit Mobilier Scandal -
A railroad company called the Union
Pacific created a new construction
company the Crédit Mobilier, a fake, shell
company, in their construction of the
transcontinental railroad from Missouri to
Utah.

Union Pacific inflated the actual costs of

constructing the railroad, funneling the
excess federal funding for the project into
the pockets of executives.

1876 New York The conditions of urban cities Completion of Central Park - Created a The success of Central
became increasingly deteriorated park that allowed for a more natural, open Park prompted other city
as the population grew. environment in a crowded, suffocating city. governments to request
Frederick Law Olmstead
to construct similar
projects in their cities.

1876 Election of 1876 - This election was Compromise of 1877

between Democrat Samuel J. Tilden and
Republican Rutherford B. Hayes, and was
the site of a significant electoral
controversy.

Neither candidate reached the number of

electoral votes required to win the election,
as the results were disputed in states, both
campaigns claiming victory.

To solve this Congress created an Electoral

commission with 15 members. Republicans
led in this commission 8-7, and as expected
all voted along party lines, declaring Hayes
as the winner. This, of course, angered
Democrat Tilden supporters, resulting in
the Compromise of 1877.
 X Anger generated by the results of Compromise (Bargain) of 1877 - Hayes The North’s retreat from
1877
the Election of 1876, especially reached a compromise to reduce tensions the South, marking the
since the commission was by recognizing the Democrat’s complete end of Reconstruction
majority Republican control over the entire South, and would
avoid intervention in their local affairs.

1882 DC Growing Chinese immigration in The Chinese Exclusion Act - Prohibited the
search of opportunity as a result immigration of Chinese laborers to the
of issues like poverty in China. United States for 10 years.

The gold rush caused a surge in

Chinese immigration to
California. The white population
was initially indifferent, but as
gold became more and more
rare, competition increased
between white and Chinese gold
prospectors. This created an
aggressive rise of anti-Chinese
racism, a desire to limit the
competition of Chinese
immigrants .

1886 Illinois Began as a peaceful worker’s The Haymarket Square Riot - A strike at
strike, calling for an 8 hour the McCormick Harvester Company turned
work day. violent. After police harassed and killed
four strikers, an unknown individual threw
a bomb that killed seven officers and
injured others. After this, the police fired
into the crowd and killed four more
strikers.

A likely unfair trial led to eight anarchists

sentenced to death or given life
imprisonment.

1886 X Disagreement with the Knights Creation of the American Federation of Not only did they work
of Labor Labor - Initially called the Federation of for worker’s protection
Organized Trade and Labor Unions of the legislation, but also to
Unites States and Canada, they changed pass anti-immigration
 their name to the American Federation of legislation like the
Labor. Emergency Quota Act of
1921 and the Immigration
The AFL was less welcoming and only Act of 1924
accepted the membership of “skilled”
workers and resistant to the idea of women
being involved in the labor movement and
in work outside of the household in
general.
The AFL was also opposed to unrestricted
immigration due to fears of them flooding
the labor market and taking jobs.

1887 DC Growing agricultural movements The Interstate Commerce Act - This law This act was not very
against unfair practices by banned discriminatory practices (charging significant until later
railroad companies different rates for different customers, legislative reforms in the
charging different rates for long and short peak of the progressive
Concern of growing power of hauls over the same route, and reasonable era.
companies over a principal form rates)
of transportation

1887 DC The idea that Native Americans The Dawes Severalty Act - Divided Native This act caused the
should assimilate with white American tribal land providing heads of destruction of tribal
society Native families with a plot of land. Instead culture
of communal tribal ownership, land
Continued westward expansion ownership became individualized, an Some view this as one of
and conflicts with Native tribes. attempt to force native Americans into a the most destructive acts
capitalist relationship with property like to Native Americans
whites. because of how severe
the negative social and
cultural effects were.
 DC The unregulated growth of The Sherman Antitrust Act - Authorizes This law was not
1890
corporations created low the Department of Justice (DOJ) to take immediately effective
competition in markets, and action against unfair monopolies or because of its vague
public fear of excess power by companies engaging in anti-competitive language as to “anti-
these monopolies. behavior competitive practices”

Only until President

Theodore Roosevelt was
it used to a significant
extent.

1890 X America’s growing industrial The McKinley Tariff - Raised average duty This tariff backfired on
sector and the perceived need on imports to almost 50%. the Republicans as it
to protect these industries was received horribly by
from foreign competition. the American public who
experienced significant
America’s growing global price increases.
influence and wealth.
In the 1890 election, the
Republicans lost their
House majority and in
1892 the first
Democratic president
since the Civil War,
Grover Cleveland, was
elected.
1890 South Dakota The Wounded Knee Massacre -

1892 X Creation of the People’s/Populist Party -

Formed in 1892, the Populist or People’s
Party emerged as a result of widespread
issues faced by American farmers, both
economically and socially isolated. They
called for the abolition of national banks
and the end of absentee land ownership
1893 X The Panic of 1893 -The Panic of 1893 was Truly symbolized the
the most severe depression the US had growing economic issues
experienced to that point, beginning with as a result of the Gilded
two corporate failures that caused the Age and laissez-faire
collapse of the stock market, which then capitalism, creating a
caused many major banks to fail as well feeling of need for
progressive reforms and
government regulation of
capitalism.

1894 Illinois Pullman Company was a The Pullman Strike - A strike with
company town and manufacturer outbreaks of violence as a result of the
of railroad cars. Shops and Company’s hiring of replacement
housing for workers were run by strikebreakers.
the Pullman Company itself.

The Panic of 1893 exacerbated

the issues of high rent and low
wages, as the Pullman company
cut wages of workers in response
to the Panic.

1894 DC The Panic of 1893 Coxey’s Army protest - In 1894, Ohio The requests of Coxey
businessman Jacob Coxey led a march on were largely ignored by
In a single year from 1893 to Washington D.C. in protest of high the government and seen
1894 unemployment unemployment as a result of the Panic of as too radical.
skyrocketed from 3% to 19%. 1893. ​
However, these demands
Coxey demanded that the federal would be met 50 years
government create jobs through public later through Franklin
works improvements D Roosevelt’s New Deal
program, where the
government created jobs
through infrastructure
 projects. In fact, Jacob
Coxey was requested to
speak at the Capitol in
1944 due to his
significance in this
legislation.

1896 DC A mixed-race man, Homer Plessy v. Ferguson - A Supreme Court This Supreme Court
Plessy, boarded a whites-only ruling that upheld the constitutionality of ruling legitimized state
train car in New Orleans, racial segregation on a federal level. laws of racial
Louisiana. Under Louisiana state segregation on the
law, this was an illegal action. federal level under the
Homer Plessy, after the “separate but equal”
Louisiana Supreme Court ruled doctrine. That people
against him, appealed to the US could constitutionally be
Supreme Court under the racially segregated as
grounds that the Louisiana law long as they were equal.
was unconstitutional. Of course, this system
was inherently unequal.

1898 Hawaii The end of Manifest Destiny Annexation of Hawaii - In 1898, Congress The emergence of an
passed the Newlands Resolution, which Anti-Imperialist, anti
US increasing involvement in annexed the territory of Hawaii. expansionist movement.
the global economy This movement disagreed
with US imperialism,
Hawaii served as an important some on racial grounds
location for foreign trade. combined with the idea
that American
American business interests. expansionism was
Backed by US soldiers and reflective of European
Marines, sugar and pineapple colonialism which the
growing businessmen deposed country was built against.
the Queen of Hawaii,
Lili’oukalani
 Against the wished of the
indigenous population, they
established a provisional
government that was not
representative of the majority
indigenous population.

X The Cuban War of The Spanish American War - Following the US acquisition of Puerto
1898 USS Maine incident, the United States declared
Independence. Yellow Rico, Guam, and most
journalism sensationalized war, invading multiple Spanish colonial importantly, the
territories. This war immediately resulted in a
atrocities committed by the Philippines. The US
US victory, and ended in 10 weeks with
Spanish. attempt to control the
minimal casualties.
Philippine territory led to
The explosion and sinking of the Philippine-American
the USS Maine in Havana, War.
Cuba.
​ Represented the
Yellow journalism dramatized beginning of the US' rise
this event, convincing the as a global power (it
American public that the would soon become the
Spanish was responsible for the richest country on the
explosion, a claim later revealed planet).
to be false.

1899 The Spanish American War and The Philippine-American War - This war is The Philippines would
US acquisition of Philippine largely unknown to Americans to this day, but it continue to be under US
territory from Spain. was notoriously brutal, far more than the control for 48 years. Only
Spanish American War.
after World War II were
US annexes Philippine territory the Philippines granted
The United States committed several inhumane
independence.
actions to the Filipino population, most notably
“scorched earth” campaigns essentially
destroying everything that allows an enemy to
fight. They also relocated civilians to
concentration camps, resulting in thousands of
deaths.
 ​
Around 200,000 Filipino civilians died in this
war.

1899 X The rise of mass consumerism The creation of the National Consumers
and production. League - Founded by Jane Addams
((significant figure in the progressive
The factories where many movement, a social reformer who provided
products were made had harsh social services to the poor and largely
and poor working conditions. immigrant population)) and Josephine
Lowell
Growth of middle-class families
and subsequently the increase of Essentially, the League focused on the
their consumption of harsh working conditions of factories, and
unnecessary factory goods.. worked to promote change through their
purchasing power. Essentially, promoting
the purchasing of products from factories
with safe and fair working conditions.

1901 X Assassination of McKinley + Teddy Theodore Roosevelt

Roosevelt becomes president - became one of, if not the
most, significant figure
of the progressive
movement.

Known as the “Trust

Buster” for his revival
and use of the Sherman
Antitrust Act, breaking
up several monopolies.

1904 DC The Northern Securities Trust, Northern Securities v. United States - After Represented Theodore
formed in 1901, acquired three President Roosevelt ordered the Roosevelt’s shift in
railroad companies: the Northern Department of Justice to purse a case policy from McKinley.
Pacific, the Great Northern, and against the trust, in a 5-4 decision, the McKinley did not seek
the CB&Q. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the United action against the
States government. Northern Securities Trust,
while Roosevelt did, a
demonstration of his
“trust-busting”
progressive domestic
 policy.

1904 X “The Jungle” By Upton Sinclair is This generated public

published - This book exposed the horrific outcry and prompted
conditions in the meatpacking industry. the government with the
support of President
Theodore Roosevelt to
pass The Pure Food &
Drug Act of 1906 and
the Meat Inspection Act
of 1906, requiring federal
regulation of foods and
pharmaceuticals

1904 Panama Territory in the Pacific gained US construction of the Panama Canal The Panama Canal led to
from Spain and the annexation begins - enhanced US prestige on
of Hawaii. the world stage, as well
as creating revenue from
A desire for a sea route to dues levied on passing
connect eastern ports to the ships. It cut the time for
Pacific. Atlantic-Pacific transit by
a large margin.
Failed attempt to construct the
canal by the French

The US supported a
Panamanian revolt against
Colombia which had control
over the Panama territory, in
return, after Panama’s victory,
the Panamanians granted the US
government access to the Canal
route.

1906 DC The Jungle by Upton Sinclair The Pure Food & Drug Act -
raised public awareness of the
unsanitary and unsafe working
conditions in the meat-packing
industry.
1906 ⬆️ The Meat Inspection Act

1908 Michigan The assembly line moved the Invention of the Ford Model T - While Became a significant
work to different workers rather automobiles were invented before the mode of transportation,
than having workers move to the Model T, the Ford Model T was the first eventually the most
work, which made production automobile to be mass produced. popular form.
far more efficient
Automobiles were so
Utilized interchangable parts. significant in American
life that it was almost a
part of American culture,
a symbol of
individualism.

1909 New York The creation of the NAACP -

1910 X With the North’s retreat, the The Great Migration - The movement of Black migrants formed
white South began finding ways around 1.6 million African Americans from closely knit communities
to limit the political and the rural South to industrial North. in the urban areas they
economic power of the black moved into, most notably
population. This was done Harlem.
through Jim Crow laws and Harlem was a hub of
violent attacks by hate groups black American culture
like the KKK. Also, the use of and achievement, caused
literacy tests and poll taxes to by this mass movement
limit the voting ability of black of black families to
Americans. Northern cities.
Many black Americans also
sought economic opportunities
in the North with the rise of
urbanization and
industrialization.

1911 New York Lack of safety regulations of The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire -
businesses
1913 Most federal revenue came from The 16th Amendment - Established the
tariffs authority of Congress to levy a federal
income tax

1913 DC The Federal Reserve Act -

1914 X World War I begins -

1914 DC Clayton Antitrust Act - Meant to

strengthen the Sherman Antitrust Act

1917 X US enters World War I -

1917 X The First Red Scare -

1917 DC Creation of the Committee on Public

Information -
1917/18 DC The Espionage and Sedition Acts -

1918 DC 17th Amendment ratified - Established the

direct election of senators

1919 DC 18th Amendment ratified-

1919 DC Isolationism Senate rejects League of Nations -

1920 DC 19th Amendment ratified - Granted women

the right to vote.

1921 The Tulsa Race Massacre -

1921 Large influx of southern and Emergency Quota Act AKA The
eastern Europeans. Immigration Restriction Act of 1921 -
Legislation that limited immigration
Nativist resurgence through a 3% quota.

Essentially, the number of immigrants

allowed into the United States from a
certain country must be 3% of the
population of immigrants from that
 country of origin.

1924 Immigration Act of 1924 - Prevented

immigration from Asia and set
immigration quotas by country outside
Latin America

Also established the US Border Patrol

1929 X Stock Market Crash of 1929/Beginning of

Great Depression -

1930 The Great Depression–interest in The Smoot-Hawley Tariff - This was signed into law
protecting American farmers and by Hoover without the
industries from foreign advice of economists, and
competition ultimately backfired,
deepening the
Depression because
foreign countries placed
retaliatory tariffs,
decreasing American
exports.
1932 X Herbert Hoover failures to stop Election of 1932 - Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin D. Roosevelt’s
the significant economic decline wins against incumbent Herbert Hoover in domestic New Deal
of the Great Depression a landslide policies like Social
Security have lasting
impacts on our lives
today. It is also the first
widespread
implementation of
Keynesian economics
The New Deal, although
did not end the Great
Depression (mass war
production during WWII
did), it is credited with
preventing the deepening
of the economic crisis.

1935 Tennessee Laws requiring that education Scopes Trial - Skilled ACLU lawyers It marked the clash
must follow Christian religious debated the issue with the prosecution between religion and
teachings. science

Prompted the American Civil

Liberties Union (ACLU) to
announce they will defend
anyone prosecuted for teaching
evolution.

1935 DC The growth of isolationism Neutrality Acts - A series of acts passed by

following the First World War Congress to prevent another US
involvement in a foreign conflict.

1938 DC House of Un-American Activities Known for their

Committee (HUAC) is formed - manufacturing of Red
Scare fears that created
distrust among
Americans between their
neighbors and their
 government

1937 Neutrality Act of 1937 -

1939 Outbreak of war in Europe Outbreak of war in Europe/Roosevelt

announces “Cash and Carry” policy -

1940 Some historians view the Great The Second Great Migration - The Effects added to the First
Migration in two parts, the first movement of around 5 million black GM.
occurring in the 1910s the people from the rural South to industrial
second occurring in the 1940s North.

Black Americans in the South

were severely economically
deprived, with the limitations of
sharecropping and attacks by
white hate groups

In the 1940s, war production

began to ramp up, and there was
a increasing demand for labor in
industry. This was even more
important when white male
workers began leaving their
roles

1941 DC Lend-Lease Act -

1941 X The Atlantic Charter published -

1941 DC The possibility of the US The Office of Price Administration (OPA)

entering WW2 is created -

1941 Hawaii Attack on Pearl Harbor -

1942 X US entry into the war Creation of the War Production Board
(WPB) -

1942 X Fears of more Japanese attacks, Beginning of Japanese Internment under

(spying) and perceieved national Executive Order 9066 -
security threat.

1942 X Intel that Germany was working Beginning of the Manhattan Project - Developed the first
on a nuclear weapon. atomic bomb which
would be used in the
bombings of Hiroshima
and Nagasaki.

1942 Illinois Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)

founded -

1943 California The Zoot Suit Riots -

1944 X D-Day -

1944 DC The GI Bill (Servicemen’s Readjustment

Act of 1944) passed by Congress -

1945 USSR The Yalta Conference -

1945 Japan The Battle of Okinawa -

1945 X FDR dies, Harry S. Truman becomes

president -

Germany, Nazi Germany surrenders, ending World

1945
France War II in Europe -

1945 Japan Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki -

1945 Japan Japan Surrenders, World War II ends -

1947 DC Truman’s speech to Congress/the Truman

Doctrine -
1947 DC The Taft-Hartley Act -

1947 DC The NSA Act of 1947 -

1947 New York Levittown founded -

1948 The Berlin Airlift -

1948 X The Election of 1948 -

1948 The Economic Recovery Act -

1949 DC NATO is formed -

1949 USSR The Soviet Union detonates its first atomic Began fears of nuclear
bomb - conflict
1950 X The NSC-68 Report -

1950 Korea The UN intervenes in Korea -

1951 X Truman fires General MacArthur -

1953 X Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes president -

1953 New York Julius and Ethel Rosenberg executions -

1954 X Television (in color) -

1954 DC Army–McCarthy congressional hearings -

1954 DC Brown v. Board of Education -

1955 X The federation of labor unions AFL and

CIO merge -

1955 X The Polio vaccine -

1956 DC Federal Highway Act -

1956 Egypt Suez Crisis -

1957 USSR The Soviet Union launches Sputnik -

1959 Cuba Fidel Castro takes over Cuba and
establishes a Communist government -

1960 USSR The U-2 Incident -

1961 X John F. Kennedy becomes president -

1961 Cuba The Bay of Pigs invasion -

1962 X The book The Other America by Michael

Harrington (founder of the Democratic
Socialists of America) published -

1962 X The book Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

published -

1962 X The Cuban Missile Crisis -

1963 X The book The Feminine Mystique by Betty

Friedan published -

1963 Texas President John F. Kennedy assassination

Lyndon B. Johnson assumes the presidency
-

1964 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution -

1964 UC Berkeley FSM Protest -

1964 Poll taxes were used particularly 24th Amendment - Abolished poll taxes
in the South as a method of
preventing black Americans
from voting.

1965 The Immigration Act of 1965 -

1966 DC National Organization for Women (NOW)

founded -

1968 The Tet Offensive -

1968 Martin Luther King Jr. assassination -

1969 Richard Nixon becomes president -

1971

1972 Nixon wins reelection

1972 The Watergate Scandal -

1973 DC Rise of feminist movements and Roe v. Wade - Generated a conservative

their fight for bodily autonomy. response, a negative
Part of their feeling toward the many
social changes occurring
and the belief that
something something idk
yap
1973 Paris Peace Accords -

1974 US v. Nixon -

1975 X The Vietnam War (really) ends -

1979 The Camp David Accords -

1979 Iranian Revolution Iran Hostage Crisis - Harmed Carter’s

reelection campaign
despite his
accomplishments with
the Camp David Accords.

X Election of 1980 - Ronald Reagan wins

1980
against incumbent Jimmy Carter in a
landslide victory.

More on neoconservatism

1981 The AIDS epidemic begins -

1982 The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) fails

to pass - In order for an amendment to the
Constitution to pass, it must be ratified by
three-fourths of state legislatures. The ERA
 fell short of the 38 states needed to pass the
amendment on June 30, 1982.

The purpose of the Equal Rights

Amendment was to address the lack of
protections for women in the Constitution.
The ERA was intended to explicitly
prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex.

1984 Ohio LeBron James born

1986 The Iran-Contra Scandal -

1989 The creation of the World Wide Web -

1990 The First Gulf War -

1992 Election of 1992, Bill Clinton becomes

president -

1993 World Trade Center bombing -

1994 North American Free Trade Agreement

(NAFTA) takes effect -
1998 The Impeachment of Bill Clinton -

2000 The Election of 2000 -

2001 Economic Growth and Tax Reconciliation

Act of 2001 “Bush Tax Cuts” -

2001 The September 11 Attack (9/11)

2001 The War in Afghanistan begins -

2003 The Iraq War begins -

2005 Hurricane Katrina -

2007 The Great Recession/Global Financial

Crisis/2008 Financial Crisis -
2008 The Election of 2008, Barack Obama
becomes president -

2010 The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) -

Expanded Medicaid coverage to more of
the uninsured population.

Presidents of the United States

PRESIDENT YEAR(S) SERVED

1789-1797
George Washington

1797-1801
John Adams

1801-1809
Thomas Jefferson

1809-1817
James Madison

1817-1825
James Monroe

1825-1829
John Q. Adams

1829-1837
Andrew Jackson

1837-1841
Martin Van Buren

1841-1841
William Henry Harrison

1841-1845
John Tyler
 1845-1849
James K. Polk

1849-1850
Zachary Taylor

1850-1853
Millard Fillmore

1853-1857
Franklin Pierce

1857-1861
James Buchanan

1861-1865
Abraham Lincoln

1865-1869
Andrew Johnson

1869-1877
Ulysses S. Grant

1877-1881
Rutherford B. Hayes

1881-1881
James A. Garfield

1881-1885
Chester A. Arthur

1885-1889
Grover Cleveland
1893-1897

1889-1893
Benjamin Harrison

1897-1901
William McKinley

1901-1909
Theodore Roosevelt

1909-1913
William Howard Taft
 1913-1921
Woodrow Wilson

1921-1923
Warren G. Harding

1923-1929
Calvin Coolidge

1929-1933
Herbert Hoover

1933-1945
Franklin D. Roosevelt

1945-1953
Harry S. Truman

1953-1961
Dwight D. Eisenhower

1961-1963
John F. Kennedy

1963-1969
Lyndon B. Johnson

1969-1974
Richard Nixon

1974-1977
Gerald Ford

1977-1981
Jimmy Carter

1981-1989
Ronald Reagan

1989-1993
George H.W. Bush

1993-2001
Bill Clinton
 2001-2009
George W. Bush

2009-2017
Barack Obama

2017-2021
Donald Trump
2025-

2021-2025
Joe Biden
FRQ OUTLINES
DBQ

-DBQ OUTLINE-

LEQ
 -LEQ OUTLINE-

SAQ
-SAQ OUTLINE-
 Parts of the AP Exam: How to manage time

☆Section I-A: MCQ☆

55 questions
Suggested time: 55 minutes (try to spend ≤1 minute per question)

☆Section I-B: SAQ☆

3 SAQs
3 parts in each SAQ (a, b, c)
You are answering a total of 9 prompts, ~2 sentences each prompt
Suggested time: 40 minutes (try to spend around 10 minutes on each SAQ)

You have a total of 95 minutes (1hr 35min) in this section

Move on from the MCQ before or when there are 40 minutes left

------------------------------------------------------------BREAK----------------------------------------------------------

☆Section II-A: DBQ☆

1 prompt, 7 documents, 1 long essay
Suggested time: 60 minutes (try to spend ≤15 minutes reading, and 45 minutes writing)

☆Section II-B: LEQ☆

Choice between 2-3 prompts from different time periods, 1 long essay
Suggested time: 40 minutes

You have a total of 100 minutes (1hr 40min) in this section

Move on from the DBQ before or when there are 40 minutes left