Important dates Flashcards
Magna Carta
1215, limited King Johns power, gave more rights to the people
Jamestown Founded
1607, first permanent English colony in North America
Mayflower Compact
1620, Pilgrims seeking to establish “a perfect society”, describes how they will govern themselves
English Bill of Rights
1689, Prince William and wife Mary sign, strengthened the rights of the English people and the power of colonial assemblies
Great Awakening
1730’s and 1740’s, revives religion in the colonies and spreads the ideas of liberty and equality
French and Indian War
1754-1763, War between France and Britain, Victory for Great Britain, expanded American empire
Boston Massacre
1770, Five Bostonians killed during a brawl between colonists and British soldiers, causes an outcry of injustice
Intolerable Acts
1774, Parliament passes Intolerable Acts to punish colonists for support of the Boston Tea Party
First Continental Congress
1774, Fifty leaders meet to devise a peaceful solution to the conflicts with Britain
Battles of Lexington and Concord
1775, Lexington and Concord become first sites where British army and colonial militias battle over control of colonies, marked the start of the war for independence
Common Sense
1776, persuades colonists to support the ideas that the colonies should be independent from Britain
Declaration of Independence
1776, Declares that the British colonies are now a free and independent nation
Battle of Yorktown
1781, British army surrenders at Yorktown, Virginia after being trapped by American and French forces
Treaty of Paris
1783, formally ended the war between the U.S. and Britain
Articles of Confederation Adopted
1781, Articles of Confederation were the first plan of government for the U.S, it is too weak to be effective
Northwest Ordinance
1787, plan which Northwest territory will be governed
Constitutional Convention Opens
May 1787, Delegates from 12 states meet in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, create a new plan of government that becomes the U.S. Constitution, Washington leads convention
The Great Compromise
1787, Proposed by Roger Sherman, Under this plan representatives in the house of representatives is based on state’s population. In the Senate each state has equal representation
Federalist Papers
Oct. 1787, support ratification of the Constitution, series of essays explaining how the Constitution would create a stronger union of states
U.S. Constitution Adopted
June 1788, adopted after being ratified by 9 of the 13 states, provides framework for the organization of government
Bill of Rights Adopted
Dec. 1791, 13 states ratify the Bill, first 10 amendments
Washington’s Farewell Address
1796, Calls for a foreign policy of isolationism, stresses that the U.S. should not entangle itself in other nations’ affairs
Alien and Sedition Acts
1798, target immigrants and traitors, Republicans outrages by the acts
War of 1812
1812-1815, Congress declares war against Britain to protect U.S. sailors at sea, and to drive British out of the northwest
Monroe Doctrine
1823, declares that the Western Hemisphere is no longer open to European colonization
Trail of Tears
1838-1839, Under the Indian Removal Act, thousands of Cherokee Indians die when they are forced to leave their homelands and journey to Indian Territory
Louisiana Purchase
1803, U.S. buys Louisiana Territory from France, Louisiana purchase double the size of the nation
Lewis and Clark Expedition
1804-1806, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark lead an expedition to explore Louisiana Territory
Lone Stare Republic Founded
1836-1845, Following the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836, Texas wins it’s freedom from Mexico and remains and independent nation for 10 years
Settlers Move West
1840-1870, several hundred thousand settlers move west across the Oregon, California, and Mormon trails
Annexation of Texas
1845, U.S. annexes Texas, making it the 28th state in the Union
Mexican American War
1846-1848, Manifest Destiny motivates Americans to support war between Mexico and U.S., after war Mexico cedes half of its land later named the Mexican Cession, to the U.S.
Gold Rush
1848-1852, discovery of gold brings 250,000 people all over the nation to California in search of wealth and opportunity
Women’s Suffrage in Wyoming Territory
1869, Wyoming Territory becomes first place in the nation to give women the right to vote
The Industrial Revolution
About 1820-1870, results in the growth of industry, urbanization, and more modern transportation system
Second Great Awakening
About 1800-1840, a revival of religious feeling that inspires many Americans to work for the improvement of society
Frederick Douglass Establishes The North Star
1847, Founded The North Star, and antislavery newspaper. Newspaper lends support to other reform movements as well
Walden is published
1854, Henry David Thoreau publishes Walden, a reflection on the meaning of life, society, nature and the human spirit
Missouri Compromise
1820, defines where slavery is permitted in the territories west of the Mississippi River, Missouri admitted as a slave state
Compromise of 1850
California applies for statehood as a free state, Southerners threaten to secede. Resolved by redefining there slavery is permitted in the territories and enacting a stronger fugitive slave law
Kansas-Nebraska Act
1854, Nullifies the Missouri Compromise by allowing the territory to choose whether to allow slavery. It results in violence throughout Kansas as antislavery and pro slavery settlers battle for control of the territory
Dred Scott Decision
1857, Dred Scott, a slave, sues for his freedom. Supreme Court declares that blacks have no rights as citizens and that Congress cannot make laws concerning slavery in the territories
The Civil War
1861-1865, Southern attack on Fort Sumter ignites Civil War. Major battles in Antietam and Vicksburg bring the death toll to over 620,000 by the end of the war
Emancipation Proclamation
1863, Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves in the Confederate states
Gettysburg
1863, Last Confederate invasion of the North results in a major battle and a Southern defeat near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. President Lincoln travels to the site and give the Gettysburg Address.
Gettysburg Address
1863, encourages Americans to stay strong in the fight to preserve the Union and principles of the Declaration of Independence
Thirteenth Amendment
1865, outlaws slavery in the U.S.
Fourteenth Amendment
1868, granted citizenship, equal rights, and legal rights to African Americans and former slaves
Fifteenth Amendment
1870, ensures that no citizen will be denied the right to vote based on race, color or previous enslavement, did not give women the right to vote.
Gold Rush Begins
1848, Gold discovered in California, Miners flock to the West in hopes of becoming rich
Plains Indians Forced onto Reservation
1860-1890, government relocates Pains Indians onto reservations to make room for continued Settlement of the West, some groups resist and clash with government forces
Homestead Act
1862, Gives 160 acres of land in the West to settlers willing to work the land
Battle of the Little Big Horn
1876, Sioux and Cheyenne Indians successfully fight off an attack by the U.S. Army, All the soldiers in the battle were killed
U.S. Purchase of Alaska
1867, many thought it was a mistake, discovered a wealth of resources in Alaska
Spanish-American War
1898, U.S. enters four-month war with Spain, Cuba declares independence from Spain, Puerto Rico and the Philippines come under U.S. rule.
Founding of the NAACP
W.E.B. Du Bois and other civil rights activists found the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to ensure equal rights for all African Americans
