U.S. History Timeline
Section 1 - European Settlement
1607-1733
1607 – Jamestown, Virginia became first successful English Colony
Founded by Virginia Company, a British investment company with a charter to start a colony in Virginia. – jointstock company (group of investors)
Tobacco was significant in Jamestown in that John Rolfe’s cultivation method for tobacco saved the colony by
providing income
Indentured servants initially main source of labor
Virginia instituted the headright system to attract settlers
Hostility broke out between settlers and Native Americans led by Chief Powhatan – beginning of many
colonial/Indian conflicts
1608 – The French settlement of Quebec is established as a lucrative North American fur trading post.
1619 – First African slaves arrive in Virginia
Slaves became main source of labor in Virginia
Helped establish the plantation system throughout the southern colonies
1619 – Virginians established House of Burgesses - HOUSE OF BURGESSES
First elected legislative body
White male property owners could vote
Part of English policy of salutary neglect – English government let colonies basically govern themselves with
limited interference
1620 – Puritans known as the “Pilgrims” establish colony at Plymouth, Massachusetts
Separatists that fled England to escape persecution from the king (who was head of the Church) were called Pilgrims.
Mayflower Compact – first efforts at self-government, established an elected legislature
1621 – “Pilgrims” celebrated first Thanksgiving
Squanto helped the settlers at Plymouth learn to fish and farm the land enabling them to survive
1625 – Dutch found colony of “New Netherlands”
Explorer Henry Hudson was looking for a route through North America to the Pacific and ended up settling the
colony of New Amsterdam.
New Amsterdam – key trading post at mouth of Hudson river
 Eventually taken over by the British and became New York City
1628 – Massachusetts Bay Colony Founded
People who believed there was corruption in the Anglican Church of England and desired to see the Church purified
were called Puritans.
Puritans who left the Anglican Church to form their own congregation were called Separatists.
John Winthrop’s vision for Massachusetts was for it to be both profitable and a religious refuge for Puritans.
Winthrop called Massachusetts a “city on a hill” which meant it should be an example of Godly living for the entire
world to see.
A heretic is someone who believes differently about religion than the majority and was banished from their colony.
Town meetings – local, tax-paying citizens met to discuss and vote on issues
1636/37 – Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson banned from Massachusetts Bay Colony because of religious beliefs – help found
colony of Rhode Island; Thomas Hooker also disagreed with Puritan church, left Massachusetts and founded Connecticut
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut – written by Hooker and others, stated that government’s power came from
“free consent of the people”
1660 – England passes the Navigation Acts
Based on economic theory of mercantilism - economic theory that states that countries grow wealthy and maintain
power by exporting goods more than they import them; Colonies provided the raw materials and new markets Great
Britain needed
Restricted colonial trade – could only trade with Great Britain
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1660 – England passes the Navigation Acts continued.
Placed a duty (tax) on goods colonies could sell to other countries
Colonies did not like policies and often traded illegally to avoid tax
1662 – Puritan church adopted the Half-Way Covenant
The Half-Way Covenant perpetuated the role of religion in the colonies by continuing to encourage people to join
the church (even though the church founders had passed away).
Established partial membership for children and grandchildren of full members
Tried to preserve puritan ideals in New England society
1664 – King Charles II gives Dutch Colony of New Netherland to his brother, the Duke of York
Dutch unable to resist British strength, surrender New Amsterdam
Immediately renamed New York
1675 – Native American leader King Phillip (also known as Metacom) united Native Americans in New England in an unsuccessful
attempt to drive out English settlers
King Phillip’s War resulted in English colonists gaining firmer control over New England
Colonists trying to enforce British law on Native Americans were what started King Phillip’s War.
The significance of the battles of King Phillip’s War was that few Native Americans remained in New England;
many moved to get away from the settlers.
1676 – Bacon’s Rebellion – Nathaniel Bacon rallied forces to fight Native Americans on the western frontier of Virginia, class
conflict
The main cause of Bacon’s Rebellion was when Virginia farmers wanted Native American land for larger farms
and the government said no.
The major long-term effects of Bacon’s Rebellion were that it expanded the Southern need for slavery and began a
policy of pushing Native Americans west.
1682 – Pennsylvania colony founded by William Penn
Became a homeland for Quakers – promoted equality of sexes, pacifism, and fairness with Native Americans
Place of religious tolerance
Quakers were a religious group that believed in religious equality as well as pacifism (no war).
William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania, regarded the colony as a “holy experiment” where complete political
& religious freedom existed.
1684 – Massachusetts lost its charter and became a royal colony under leadership of king’s appointed governor
1692 – Salem Witch Trials
people in the village claimed that other people had been possessed by the devil and accused them of being witches
No actual proof – colonial authorities condemned 25 people to death
1700’s – Slavery in the Colonies - TRIANGULAR TRADE
Transatlantic trade – existed between Europe, the colonies, Africa, and the Caribbean - process of Europeans
bringing African slaves to the Americas,. They traded items that could not be produced in the other place
Triangular Trade – trade of slaves, sugar, and rum between Europe, Africa, and the Americas
Middle Passage – middle leg of triangular trade in which slaves were carried from West Africa to the Americas,
often in horrifying conditions
1700’s – Great Awakening Begins in Colonies
The Enlightenment and Great Awakening were the first of many colonial events that lead to the American
Revolution.
The ideas of the Great Awakening promoted individualism and undermined allegiance to traditional authority.
Social mobility is the ability to lead and improve society through new ideas.
Individualism shows a commitment to education and skill development to make society better.
1733 – Georgia last colony (13th) established by British in North America
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U.S. History Timeline
Section 2 - American Revolution
1754-1783
1754 – French & Indian War
As British colonists moved west, fighting erupted between French settlers and Native Americans
Colonists saw the benefits of coming together for the good of all the colonies during the French and Indian War.
1754 – Albany Conference, the idea of joining together as colonies to form a central government was promoted for the first time.
1763 – Treaty of Paris
Ended French & Indian War
France gave up claims to land east of Mississippi River and in Canada
Britain began taxing the colonies unfairly to pay their war debt. This outraged colonists because it was
“taxation without representation”.
1763 – Proclamation of 1763
Forbade colonists from settling west of the Appalachian mountains to ensure peace with Native Americans
Colonists resented king’s restrictions
1765 – British Parliament passed Stamp Act
British government taxed nearly all printed material
In protest, colonies imposed a boycott of British goods
Groups known as Sons of Liberty (using violence) and Daughters of Liberty (making products usually bought
from Britain) rose up to support the boycott
Committees of correspondence were formed to spread news from colony to colony about the various boycotts
1773 – Boston Tea Party
British law gave British traders a monopoly on the trade of tea
In response, Massachusetts committee of correspondence led a group of radicals dressed as Indians to Boston
Harbor and threw British tea overboard
Parliament passed Coercive Acts in response to Boston Tea Party
- known as Intolerable Acts in the colonies
- closed Boston Harbor
- placed military governor over Massachusetts
- The colonists’ rights to trial by jury, right to not quarter troops, and the ability to appoint their own
governors were taken away by the Intolerable Acts
1774 – First Continental Congress
representatives from every colony (except Georgia) met to deal with the crisis with Great Britain
In statement to king, Congress wrote down that colonists had a right to be represented in their government, and
thus were entitled to govern themselves
Appointed George Washington as Commander of the Continental Army
 General George Washington had the ability to raise troop morale and devise brilliant military
strategies – this would end up making him one of the best military generals in our history.
 Washington’s ability to raise troop morale was extremely important to the Revolution because
conditions for soldiers were so bad due to harsh weather and lack of resources.
1775 – Lexington & Concord
Hope of peaceful resolution between colonies and Great Britain lost
Shots fired between colonists and British troops on their way to seize arms and ammunition stored by colonists
at Concord, Massachusetts
“Shot Heard Round the World” – shot that started the American Revolution
1775 – Frenchman known as the Marquis de Lafayette comes to America to fight for the Revolution and quickly won the confidence
of General Washington
The Marquis de Lafayette helped George Washington train troops and officers about professional warfare,
most importantly at Valley Forge when morale was at its lowest.
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January 1776 – Thomas Paine published Common Sense - COMMON SENSE
Thomas Paine played an important role in the American fight for independence by publishing Common Sense
which exposed the British government’s wrong-doings and encouraged colonists to join together for
independence.
July 4, 1776 – Second Continental Congress formally signed the Declaration of Independence - THE DECLARATION OF
INDEPENDENCE
Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence based on government philosophy and input from
other colonial leaders.
The ideas of John Locke that are found in the Declaration are natural rights (life, liberty, property) that all are
entitled to and the government cannot take away.
Baron Montesquieu asserted that a government exists to preserve and protect individual liberties, and this
was included in the Declaration of Independence.
The Preamble of the Declaration of Independence states the purpose for the document.
 In this case, the preamble states that when a government infringes upon the “natural rights” of people,
the people need to separate from that government.
August 1776 – Continental Congress sent Benjamin Franklin to Paris to try and form an alliance with France
December 1776 – George Washington surprises British by crossing the Delaware River on Christmas night
Washington’s army surprised the Hessian forces (Britain’s ally) at the Battle of Trenton in what became one of
the biggest victories of the war because it inspired troops to continue fighting and prompted citizens to support
the war.
Washington’s victories in New Jersey greatly lifted American morale
Made colonists believe revolution could actually succeed
September 1777 – American general Horatio Gates won Battle of Saratoga
Turning point of American Revolution
Convinced French that the U.S. could possibly win the war and forged an alliance crucial in defeating Great
Britain
France provided needed resources, training, and troops to the Continental Army
December 1777 – U.S. forces endure a harsh winter at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
Washington’s troops use the winter to become better trained by Washington and a Prussian general named
Friedrich Von Steuben
Become much better prepared to fight British
1778 – British focus war effort on South
General Lord Cornwallis sought to invade North Carolina, but was defeated by the Patriots at Kings Mountain
and Cowpens
1781 – Lord Cornwallis surrendered to Washington at Yorktown
Yorktown, the final battle of the war, forced the British to surrender because American troops had them
surrounded on land and the French navy blocked any sea escape.
1783 – Treaty of Paris signed between Great Britain and the United States
Great Britain officially recognized the independence of the United States
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U.S. History Timeline
Section 3 - Forming of a Nation
1781 -1832
1781 – The United States adopted The Articles of Confederation and Confederation Congress as the first government of the nation.
ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
It was a “loose union of states”.
The Confederation Congress was purposefully weak because Americans did not want to institute a strong,
tyrannical government like Britain.
The Articles did not allow Congress to impose taxes or regulate trade.
Under the Articles, Congress was allowed to declare war and raise an army.
1786 – Shays’ Rebellion – SHAY’S REBELLION
Led by farmer Daniel Shays in response to higher taxes on farmers.
Rebellion showed Americans that a stronger central government was needed to protect individual rights as
well as the rights of the states.
1787 – Northwest Ordinance
Increased westward migration by encouraging settlement of the territories and guaranteeing the protection of
civil liberties.
Created a mandate for the addition of states (60,000 people/Constitution)
Slavery was specifically excluded from the territory
Required that the profit from selling one portion of a township’s land went to fund the schools (set a precedent!!)
1787 – Constitutional Convention met and drafted the United States Constitution - THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
The Philadelphia Convention, later called the Constitutional Convention, was meant to revise the Articles.
Factors leading to the decision to hold the Constitutional Convention were problems with trade, diplomacy, and
the economy.
However, what ended up happening was the creation of the U.S. Constitution.
The Constitution was created from compromises between representatives of different American ideas about the
federal government:
 Large States & Small states: Subject of compromise = representation in Congress (large states
wanted representation based on population; small states wanted equal number of reps) SOLUTION =
The Great Compromise: bicameral legislature (Senate w/ equal representation.; House of
Representatives, representation based on population)
 Southern states & Northern states: Subject of compromise = slaves and population (solution was the
“Three-Fifths Compromise” – slaves counted as 3/5 of a person for purposes of representation)
 Federalist & Anti-federalists: Subject of compromise = Bill of Rights (Federalists did not support
Bill of Rights; Anti-federalists would not ratify the Constitution without it).
 Alexander Hamilton and James Madison were influential Federalists who wrote papers about how
the Bill of Rights would limit the rights of the people, not protect them (The Federalist Papers).
 The Bill of Rights (1st 10 Amendments) serves to protect the rights of citizens and of states.
Established a new national government with three branches of government
Granted power to both the national and state governments
 Checks and balances keep any branch of the government from becoming too powerful.
 Separation of powers is what defines our government as federalism: it means that we have two
governments (state and national).
1789 – George Washington elected first president
Proclamation of Neutrality – Washington stated the U.S. would not take sides in European conflicts
Alexander Hamilton, Washington’s secretary of treasure, proposed an economic plan in which the federal
government took on state debts from the American Revolution
 wanted a tax on whiskey
 supported tariffs to protest American business
 proposed establishing a national bank that would coin money
Important information:
 The first cabinet (group of advisers)
 First use of federal power to ensure “peace and tranquility” (Whiskey Rebellion)
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First political parties: Federalist s (Madison) and Democratic-Republicans (Jefferson)
1793 – Eli Whitney invents the cotton gin
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made the South a “cotton kingdom” in the 1800’s
made the South very dependent on slave labor
Whitney also introduced interchangeable parts – key principle behind industrial development
Eli Whitney’s inventions had a direct impact on the industrial revolution in both north and south – which created
economic growth for both regions AND the nation as a whole.
1794 – Industrial Revolution begins in America
The North emphasized industry and production of manufactured goods while the South focused on agriculture
and exporting raw materials.
The Industrial Revolution caused exports to rise, Americans to have more money to spend and invest, and
continued encouraging Americans to spread west.
1794 – Whiskey Rebellion
Pennsylvania farmers refused to pay whiskey tax and resorted to violence
President Washington organized a military force and marched into Pennsylvania
Helped lead to the creation of political parties
 those who favored strong central government (Federalist Party)
 those who favored stronger state government (Jeffersonian-Republican Party)
1796 – Washington’s Farewell Address
U.S. should stay neutral and avoid permanent alliances
Good government is based on religion and morality
Warned people against the creation of political parties
1796 – John Adams (Federalist) elected second president
Had to handle various conflicts with France
XYZ Affair – unofficial French delegation refused a meeting with American diplomats unless they received a
bribe; caused U.S. to break relations with France and almost led to full-scale war
1798 – Federalists in Congress passed several laws that alarmed Jeffersonian Republicans
Naturalization Act – required foreign immigrants to live in the United States for fourteen years before they
could be U.S. citizens
Alien Act – allowed government to arrest, detain, or remove foreigners deemed untrustworthy
Sedition Act – severely limited free speech as a way to silence critics of federalist policies
1798 – Jefferson & Madison produce the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
Response to Alien & Sedition Acts
Stated that if a state believed a federal law to be unconstitutional, then it did not have to obey or enforce it –
became known as the doctrine of nullification
1800 – Thomas Jefferson (Republican) elected third president of the United States – THOMAS JEFFERSON
1803 – Thomas Jefferson makes the Louisiana Purchase
Doubled the size of the U.S.
Purchased from French emperor Napoleon
1804 – Lewis & Clark Expedition
Lewis and Clark explored, mapped, and studied the territory while finding a route to the Pacific (which opened
trade with the East – China…)
Exploration led to the rapid migration of settlers to the Pacific Northwest
Sacajawea was the Native American who joined the expedition of Lewis and Clark and served as a guide,
communicator, translator, and teacher.
Pathway the settlers followed from Missouri became known as the Oregon Trail
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1812 – The War of 1812
Westward U.S. settlement caused conflicts with Native Americans
Settlers blamed British for encouraging Native American resistance
U.S. upset with British policy Impressments (forced to serve in British Army) of US sailors, and the
Chesapeake incident
Battle of Tippecanoe fought between Americans and Indians, British supplied Indians with weapons.
U.S. needed to win to prove it wasn’t a fluke during the Revolution
U.S. hoped to win land from Britain in Canada and the Spanish in Florida
British invaded and burned Washington D.C.
U.S. won inspiring victory at the battle of Fort McHenry – inspired Francis Scott Key to write the Star
Spangled Banner (U.S. national anthem)
General Andrew Jackson had decisive victories at Horseshoe Bend and New Orleans, becomes Hero of the war
1814 – Treaty of Ghent
Officially ended the War of 1812
Showed the U.S. could defend itself in North America against foreign powers
Federalist Party lost its credibility and faded from importance in national politics due to its opposition of the
war
War of 1812 helped produce a national identity/nationalism – strong sense of national pride
1820 – James Monroe (Jeffersonian Republican) signed Missouri Compromise
Missouri entered the union as a slave state
Maine entered the union as a free state
All states north of 36*30’N line would be free states, those to the south slave states
Designed to maintain balance of power between North and South in Congress
Beginning of argument of the expansion of slavery that would last for the next 65 years
1823 – President Monroe issued the Monroe Doctrine
During a period known as the Era of Good Feelings – period of national pride and political unity
Stated the United States would not tolerate European intervention in the affairs of any independent nation in the
Americas, including colonization
The U.S. would view future attempts by Europeans to colonize as acts of aggression
1825 – Erie Canal Finished
Erie Canal opened settlement in the west.
New York City becomes America’s busiest port and the commercial center of the nation.
1828 – Andrew Jackson (Democrat) became the “common man” president – ANDREW JACKSON VIDEO
Andrew Jackson (7th president) was committed to expanding voting rights and getting more people involved in
the political process.
Jackson was elected as a “common man” appealing to many Americans who identified with him through
common experiences.
His brand of politics became known as Jacksonian Democracy
Jacksonian Democracy describes a time when the government expanded and became more democratic.
Favored universal white male suffrage – made the nation more democratic
Instituted spoils system – rewarding faithful supporters with government positions
1830 – Indian Removal Act
U.S. government (supported by Jackson) forced Native Americans off land it wanted for white settlement
1832 – The American System
Developed by KY Senator Henry Clay
 The Americans System was meant to strengthen the economy and unify the nation through Tariffs, the
National Bank, and internal improvements
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1832 – Return of the Two-Party System
Sharp differences between Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, and Daniel Webster led to a
break in the Jeffersonian Republican Party
Jackson’s supporters called themselves “Democrats”
Opponents adopted the name “Whigs” – named after the British party who opposed King George III during the
Revolutionary War
Early 1800’s – Reform movements - The early 1800’s was a time of growth and also a time of great reform.
Abolitionist Movement
 Abolitionism was a reform movement to end slavery immediately.
 William Lloyd Garrison – white northerner who published an anti-slavery newspaper called The
Liberator urging people to join abolition.
 Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth: examples of former slaves involved in making speeches and
educating people about the evils of slavery.
Temperance Movement
 The Temperance Movement was a reform movement with the goal of reducing American
consumption of alcohol and the evils associated with it.
 Many states and counties passed laws banning alcohol because of the work of the movement and the
American Temperance Union.
Education Reform
 The movement to get Public Education (government funding education accessible by all) was made
popular by Horace Mann.
 Many states, and eventually the nation, came to support the idea of government supported schools and
mandatory attendance for children.
Seneca Falls Convention - 1848
 The early Women’s Movement existed to pressure society and the government for equal rights for
women – namely suffrage, or the right to vote.
 Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a famous “suffragette” who organized the Seneca Falls Conference
where men and women gathered to support women’s efforts for suffrage.
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U.S. History Timeline
Section 4 - Civil War & Reconstruction
Early 1800’s -1868
Early 1800’s – Slavery becomes a significant issue in American politics.
Political attention to slavery was in part due to growing north-south divisions and arguments over expansion
and slavery.
The idea of “abolition”, or immediate end of slavery, gained popularity in the North as abolitionists traveled
around giving speeches and printing newspapers about the evils of slavery
William Lloyd Garrison was a white northern abolitionist who printed an anti-slavery newspaper called The
Liberator. It was read by the educated elite of the North and persuaded many to join the anti-slavery cause.
Frederick Douglass was a former slave who lived in the north and worked as an abolitionist. He too printed
an anti-slavery newspaper (The North Star) and traveled around giving speeches.
The Grimke Sisters were two of the most involved abolitionist women. They were bold enough to speak in
public against slavery.
“Sectionalism” is the term we give to the differences between north and south that made it hard for the two
sides to agree on what was best for the nation.
The sectionalism arguments were all centered on the differing economies of the north and south – northern
manufacturing and southern agriculture.
1820 – The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was the beginning of the nation’s north and south divisions regarding westward expansion.
The compromise drew a line across the country at the 36’30 parallel with the northern half being free and the
southern half having slaves.
The goal of the Missouri Compromise was to keep the nation temporarily at peace.
1831 – Nat Turner’s slave rebellion was one among many slave uprisings that scared Southerners and made them believe that
northern abolitionists were plotting against southern slave owners.
Nat Turner and his followers successfully executed dozens of white families before being stopped by the military.
1832 – South Carolina Nullification Crisis
Southerners opposed high tariffs – mainly consumers
John C. Calhoun argued for states’ rights and asserted that any state could refuse to enforce a law it saw as
unconstitutional – threatened to secede (leave the union)
Henry Clay proposed a compromise tariff that ended the crisis
1836 – Texas won independence from Mexico
Wanted to be annexed but couldn’t initially overcome northern opposition – North didn’t want it to become a
slave state
Annexation means to become part of a larger whole – as in Texas being annexed by the United States
1838 – Trail of Tears
Forced removal of the Cherokee Indians from Georgia to reservations in the Oklahoma territory
Many Indians suffered and died along the way
1844 – James K. Polk (Democrat) wins presidential election by calling for the annexation of Texas and Oregon
Americans overwhelmingly believed in Manifest Destiny – it was God’s sovereign will for the US to expand
and possess territory from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean
Manifest Destiny is the term used to describe the westward growth of the United States during the early and
mid 1800’s. - MANIFEST DESTINY
1846 – Oregon became a U.S. territory
U.S. and Great Britain argued over territory between United States and Canada in the Pacific Northwest
Slogan “54-40, or fight!” became popular
U.S. accepted a treaty declaring the 49th parallel as the official boundary between the United States and Canada
 still the border today!!!
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1846 – War with Mexico
Disputes arose over the US-Mexico border
The War with Mexico was fought amidst all the arguments about slavery and the economy – we fought Mexico
for the territories of California, Texas, and Oregon.
General Winfield Scott marched troops into Mexico City and forced Mexico to surrender
In order to achieve Manifest Destiny, Americans fought a war with Mexico and gained all the land they desired
(California, Oregon, Texas) and fulfilled the dream of existing coast to coast.
The United States won the War with Mexico which brought about more division between north and south
regarding what to do with the new territories and slavery expansion into the west.
Most northerners did not want slavery to spread west and most southerners believed it would help the economy
if farms and slavery were allowed to spread west (north-south division over westward expansion).
Wilmot Proviso – proposed by PA Congressman David Wilmot
 Congressman Wilmot proposed that there shall be “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude” in the
western territory gained during the War with Mexico
 Southerners denounced it and Congress voted it down
 exposed the serious regional differences that existed over slavery
 One of many proposals for settling the dispute – but like many, it did not pass.
1848 – Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo ended the Mexican War
Mexico gave up New Mexico and California territories in exchange for financial compensation
1849 – California Gold Rush
Gold seekers from all over the world came seeking riches when gold was discovers
New arrivals became known as “49ers” and rapidly increased California’s population
1850 – The Compromise of 1850 was proposed by Henry Clay (the American System) and it incorporated gains and concessions
from both north and south
Admitted California to Union as a free state
Declared unorganized western territories free as well
New states could decide issue of slavery by popular sovereignty (the will of the people)
Fugitive Slave Law – required northern states to forcibly return escaped slaves to their owners and was very
unpopular in the North
This compromise served to hold the Civil War off for 11 years.
1853 – Gadsden Purchase
Boundary disputes with Mexico continued
Gave the U.S. parts of present-day New Mexico and Arizona in exchange for $10 million
Completed continental expansion of those who believed in Manifest Destiny
1854 – Congress passed Kansas-Nebraska Act
Allowed previously free and unorganized territory to choose whether or not to permit slavery by popular
sovereignty
“Bleeding Kansas” – armed conflict between “free-soilers” and slave owners
1854 – Coalition of northern Democrats who opposed slavery, Whigs, and Free Soilers form the Republican Party
1857 – The Dred Scott Decision
Supreme Court ruled that slaves were not citizens
Struck down the Missouri Compromise because it declared it was a violation of the 5th amendment to declare
slaves free of their owners without due process of law
1859 – John Brown’s Raid
Abolitionist John Brown attacked the federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry
Raid failed but his actions intensified southern resentment of the abolitionist movement and widened the gap
between North and South
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1860 – Abraham Lincoln (Republican) elected president
South Carolina responded by succeeding from the Union
Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas soon followed
1861 – Southern delegates elected Jefferson Davis to serve as president of the new Confederate States of America
Civil War began a few months later when Confederate forces fired on Union troops at Fort Sumter, South
Carolina
Ft. Sumter: First battle; began the Civil War; North surrenders fort
1861 – President Lincoln’s goal for the Civil War was to PRESERVE THE UNION. He was not interested in freeing slaves until
he knew the North would win the war.
Lincoln’s goal was evident in his words and actions:
 Suspension of habeas corpus: Americans did not have the right to harm the war effort in any way (aid
South, avoid draft, discourage Army enlistment, etc.)
1862 – Robert E. Lee assumed command of Confederate army
Defeated Union army at Second Battle of Bull Run
Devised a plan to invade the North
Robert E. Lee was an incredible Confederate Army General who had brilliant military strategies and followthrough. He is given credit for almost all meaningful Southern victories during the war.
Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson was a Confederate Army General that was said to be Lee’s “right arm.”
Without his leadership and military knowledge, the South would not have been able to fight as long as it did.
1862 – Battle of Antietam
Bloodiest single day of war in U.S. History
Union general George McClellan received Lee’s battle plans in advance from a spy
Halted Lee’s advance northward, but Lee’s army was able to escape to fight another day
Antietam: Decisive victory for North; Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation to further limit the South’s
ability to wage war.
1863 – President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation
Freed slaves in the Confederate States, while maintaining slavery in the few slave states that had remained loyal
to the union
Lincoln wanted to give the war a moral justification beyond just preserving the Union
1863 – Battle of Gettysburg
Turning point of the war
Gettysburg: 3-day battle – bloodiest battle; Northern victory; Battle ended Lee’s efforts to invade the North,
South never recovers from heavy losses.
Bloodiest battle of the entire Civil War
Gettysburg Address: Lincoln reminds the people that he is committed to proving that a democratic nation will
“not perish from the Earth.” Lincoln encourages Americans and enhances troop morale
1863 – Battle of Vicksburg
Union general Ulysses S. Grant cut off supplies to city and starved the Confederates into surrendering
Union gained control of Mississippi River with victory which cuts the South in two disabling them from
transporting supplies, troops, and correspondence.
Ulysses S. Grant was the most successful commander of the U.S. Armed Forces during the Civil War. His
military advancements crushed the South’s ability to wage war.
1864 – Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign & March to the Sea
Union general William T. Sherman successfully captured Atlanta and ordered much of the city burned
Reignited support for president Lincoln in the North and helped him get re-elected
Sherman marched from Atlanta to Savannah, burning buildings, bridges, factories, and destroying rail lines
William T. Sherman handed the final blows to the Confederacy when he marched a large army from Atlanta to
Savannah and back up the coast burning and destroying any military installment along the way.
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1865 – Second Inaugural Address: Lincoln’s speech showed that he accepted the War because he rejected the Nation splitting apart.
1865 – Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, effectively ending the Civil War
North won the Civil War for various reasons:
 North had a much larger population
 North possessed more railroads
 Northern economy had much more industry
The South had the advantage of most of the fighting taking place on their soil (they knew their way around),
and they also had very experienced military personnel.
The North’s major advantages were a larger fighting population, more resources, and a more organized gov’t.
1865 – John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln
Vice President Andrew Johnson assumed presidency
1865 – President Johnson began Presidential Reconstruction:
Lincoln’s plan for Reconstruction was more lenient than what Congress wanted.
When Lincoln was assassinated, President Johnson tried to go ahead with Lincoln’s plan (Presidential
Reconstruction), but the Radical Republicans in Congress wanted to punish the South (Congressional
Reconstruction).
Presidential Reconstruction – A state could be readmitted into the Union if 10% of the state would take an
oath of allegiance; Confederate office holders would not be allowed to return to Congress
Southerners who swore allegiance to the Union were pardoned (forgiven of crimes)
Former Confederate States could hold constitutional conventions to set up state governments
States had to void (cancel) secession and ratify the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which ended slavery
throughout the nation
Under Presidential Reconstruction, Southern States enacted the black codes – laws that limited the rights of
freed blacks so that they were still basically living like slaves and allowed white southerners to hold onto
power.
Ku Klux Klan – group of southern whites who advocated tactics of fear and violence to intimidate blacks and
keep them from getting equal rights. They also terrorized Catholics, Jews, and poor whites in order to promote
white supremacy.
1865 – Congress created the Freedmen’s Bureau
The Freedman’s Bureau was a group of northerners that organized and moved south to build schools,
hospitals, and other types of assistance for free blacks (and poor whites).
Provided clothes, medical attention, food, education, and land to African Americans coming out of slavery
 Their goal was to teach them how to read, register to vote, and get a job.
In order to survive after slavery, many African Americans turned to sharecropping – a family farmed a portion
of a white landowner’s land in return for housing and a share of the crop
Tenant farming – farmers paid rent to farm the land and owned the crops they grew
1865 – 13th Amendment: abolished slavery in all states
1867 – Congress passed Radical Reconstruction in response to President Johnson’s plan:
Radical Republican (Congressional) Reconstruction – Divide the south in to 5 military districts and appoint
a Republican governor to oversee Reconstruction; punish all Confederate government and military officials;
state re-admittance could only occur when Congress said it was okay.
Southern states put under military rule
Southern states had to hold new constitutional conventions
African Americans were allowed to vote
Southerners who had supported the Confederacy were temporarily not allowed to vote
Southern states had to guarantee equal rights to African Americans
Southern States had to ratify the 14th Amendment which made African American citizens of their respective
states as well as the nation
15th Amendment – guaranteed African Americans the right to vote in elections
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1868 – 14th Amendment: citizenship for all naturalized people (born in U.S.)
15th Amendment: voting rights for men of all races
1868 – Congress voted to impeach (charge with wrongdoing in order to remove from office) President Andrew Johnson
Radical Republicans charged he violated the Tenure of Office Act which limited the president’s right to hire
and fire government officials
Johnson violated this act, so Congress impeached him. He was acquitted of all charges and remained in office
to oversee Reconstruction.
Senate voted to keep Johnson in office by just one vote!!!
1876 – The end of Reconstruction came as a result of the election of 1876:
o Democrats ran Samuel Tilden
o Republicans ran Rutherford Hayes
o Neither candidate won a majority, so the decision was left to Congress. The result was
o Compromise of 1877:
 Democrats agreed to vote Hayes (R) president if all troops were remove from the South and the Democrats
were allowed to take back control of the state and local governments.
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U.S. History Timeline
Section 5 - American Expansion - The Progressive Era
1867-1913
1867 – Secretary of State William Seward negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia
1869 – Union Pacific (eastern rail company) and Central Pacific (western rail company) join tracks at Promontory Point, Utah,
completing the first transcontinental railroad
Built mainly by Chinese and Irish immigrants
Railroad companies wanted cheap labor, so they hired the Chinese to work on their railroads.
Railroads contributed to the rise of big business and the steel industry
Natural Resources were the reason that Industry grew so much in the 1800’s.
Railroads provided access to these resources and transported the people and goods back and forth throughout
the United States.
Railroads are what made the industrialization of the U.S. possible.
The Railroads were moving people and goods out to the west
Because of railroads more and more people moved out west. The transcontinental railroad was built so that
people and goods could be moved from the east coast to the west coast.
Andrew Carnegie was the Steel Man.
Bessemer process – Henry Bessemer developed a new method for making steel (made steel cheap)
John D. Rockefeller was the first to use the trust system for his Standard Oil Company.
Trust – business arrangement under which a number of companies unite into one system; serve to destroy
competition and create monopolies
A monopoly is where one company gains control over an entire market. A trust is a way of merging
companies to avoid having a monopoly.
Rockefeller and Carnegie were both part of Big Business and considered to be Robber Barons. People felt that
they used unfair business practices to make their money.
1869 –Boss Tweed arrested
A political Machine was an informal political group designed to gain and keep power.
The most famous political machine was Tammany Hall. Boss Tweed was the leader of this political machine
in New York City. Most people would say that political machines worked because they helped immigrants find
work and a place to live, but they were very corrupt.
1877 – Reconstruction Ends
Southern states passed Jim Crow laws that required blacks and whites to use separate public facilities
 literacy tests, poll taxes, and grandfather clauses were all implemented in southern states to
keep blacks from exercising 15th amendment right (to vote)
1877 – Thomas Edison and his inventions
Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb, motion picture camera, and the phonograph.
The light bulb was a long lasting source of light. Factory workers could now work at night because of this
The motion picture camera allowed for more entertainment purposes. The phonograph allowed people to
listen to music from home. It also was influential to the blind because now they could listen to books through
the phonograph.
1886 – Samuel Gompers served as president of AFL (American Federation of Labor).
The AFL was the first successful labor union
focused on improving wages, working hours, and working conditions
used collective bargaining – employees negotiate as a united group rather than as individuals
1889 – Jane Addams was a progressive reformer who opened Hull House in Chicago
settlement houses – established in poor neighborhoods to give poor immigrants and underprivileged citizens a
place to live and get assistance
She helped Immigrant women learn necessary skills in order to survive in America.
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1889 – Only 1,000 buffalo left in the United States
Settlers and fur trappers moved west and killed great numbers of buffalo
Native Americans on the plains could no longer continue their way of life and forced to relocate to reservations
– parcels of land set aside by the federal government for Native Americans
1890 – Battle of Wounded Knee
Because more people were moving out West, the Native Americans were being pushed off of their land.
Violent confrontation between the Sioux Indians and the U.S. army
Sioux holy man had developed a ritual known as the Ghost Dance which the Sioux people believed would
bring back the buffalo, return Native tribes to their land, and banish the white man from the earth
Sitting Bull, the chief of the Sioux, wanted the Americans to leave them alone, so he went out and tried to fight
them – he was killed.
Government sent in army and massacred 150 Sioux and effectively ended Native American resistance in the West
The battle of Wounded Knee was the Last Battle that the Native Americans fought against the White Men
(signified the end of Native American resistance).
1892 – Federal Government opened Ellis Island
tiny island near the Statue of Liberty in New York
opened to handle the large number of immigrants arriving in the country because of America’s rapid
industrialization (created many new jobs)
After the Civil War, most immigrants came from Eastern and Southern Europe. (“New Immigrants”)
When immigrants arrived in America, they were sent to Ellis Island (New York) where they were processed
Many immigrants were moving to America, so the cities in the U.S. began to flourish this is called urbanization.
Most Immigrants worked in factories because they would work for low wages and lived in poor, overcrowded apartment buildings called tenements.
Nativism – opposing immigration
 many Americans turned to violence and discrimination against immigrants
 Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 – prohibited Chinese immigrants from coming to the U.S.
1894 – The Pullman Strike encouraged workers to join unions and made business owners despise unions.
1896 – Supreme Court decided Plessy v. Ferguson
In the south, Jim Crow Laws were laws set up for African Americans to ensure that they could not achieve
equal rights
Supreme Court ruled that segregation was lawful
Upheld the standard of “separate but equal”
1898 – U.S. annexed Hawaii
1898 – Spanish-American War
Imperialism occurs when a larger country expands its influence into a smaller country for economic or
military gain.
The Spanish-American War was the result of American Imperialism – the U.S. wanted to have influence in
Latin American affairs (economic gain) in exchange for military protection.
Began because of a mysterious explosion on the U.S.S. Maine in a Cuban harbor
US Admiral George Dewey destroyed the Spanish naval fleet in the Philippines
Former Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt won praise for leading the Rough Riders in bold charges
up Kettle and San Juan Hills
U.S. wins in 4 months, called a “Splendid Little War” by some Americans
During the Spanish-American War, the U.S fought for influence in Cuba, the Philippines and Puerto Rico.
We maintain influence in Cuba and Puerto Rico, but the Philippines wished to be completely independent.
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1898 – Treaty of Paris ended the Spanish-American War
Puerto Rico and Guam became U.S. territories
Platt Amendment – gave Cuba nominal (partial) independence and allowed the U.S. to keep naval bases in
Cuba
Controversy over annexation of Philippines
 Emilio Aguinaldo leads a resistance movement against U.S. occupation
1903 – The U.S. helped fund and build the Panama Canal through the nation of Panama in Latin America in order to increase trade
and cut trade costs.
1904 – Theodore Roosevelt issued the Roosevelt Corollary
Expanded upon the Monroe Doctrine
Said the U.S. had the right to intervene in Latin America if a nation had trouble paying its debts
Doctrine became known as Roosevelt’s “big stick diplomacy”
1906 – Upton Sinclair published The Jungle
Exposed the horrifying truth about the meat packing industry
He was a “muckraker” – investigative journalists who uncovered corruption in American society
 Ida Tarbell – revealed the abuses of the Standard Oil Trust
 Jacob Riis – exposed horrible conditions under which immigrant workers lived in his famous book
How the Other Half Lives
1907 – Henry Ford produced the Model-T, first successful mass-produced car
Ford relied on the assembly line to make cars affordable
1909 – W.E.B. Dubois along with others from the Niagara Movement found NAACP
Outlined agenda for African American progress in the United States
Used the lawsuit to affect change
1913 – Congress passed the Seventeenth Amendment
Established that U.S. senators would be elected directly by the people
Other Progressive Reforms
 Initiative allowed a group of citizens to introduce legislation and Required legislators to vote on it.
 Recall allowed voters to demand a special election to remove an elected official from office.
 Referendum allowed proposed legislation to be submitted to the voter for approval
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U.S. History Timeline
Section 6 - World War I & The Great Depression
1914-1939
1914 – World War I began in Europe
President Woodrow Wilson officially declared the U.S. neutral
Isolationism – philosophy that the U.S. should stay out of foreign conflict
The United States issued Neutrality Acts when Europe went to war in 1914 because we wished to remain
neutral in the European war.
1916 – African Americans in the South began the Great Migration
On the home front, thousands of African Americans moved to northern cities for work in factories that was
available because of the war. This is called the Great Migration.
1917 – U.S. entered World War I
Germany did not honor U.S. neutrality and used unrestricted submarine warfare to capture and sink
American merchant ships.
The British ocean liner the Lusitania was sunk by German U-Boats (submarines) and over 100 American
civilians were killed.
Germany also released the Zimmerman telegram to Mexico (intercepted by British) making the promise to
help the Mexican government reclaim American territory if they (Mexico) would invade the U.S.
The U.S declared war on Germany in 1917 in response to unrestricted submarine warfare
1917 – Russia pulled out of World War I due to Bolshevik Revolution in Russia
Bolsheviks advocated communism – system in which people in society cooperate and own property mutually
Led to a period in U.S. known as the “Red Scare” – people became fearful of immigrants, communists, or
anyone who might be a threat to U.S. business and freedom
Because of the Red Scare, innocent people were jailed for expressing their views; civil liberties were
ignored, and many Americans feared that a Bolshevik-style revolution was at hand.
Immigration was restricted with quotas during this time
The American government was suspicious of spies, so it issued the Espionage and Sedition Acts to silence
war protestors and detain people suspected of associating with enemy nations.
Many immigrant workers who joined labor unions were viewed suspiciously as socialists, including Eugene
Debs who was arrested for making anti-war speeches.
Palmer Raids – Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer arrested, jailed, and deported more than 500 immigrants
suspected of being communists
1918 – Germany signed armistice to end World War I; Treaty of Versailles ended the war
Woodrow Wilson’s peace proposal known as “Fourteen Points”
 called for reduction of weapons in Europe
 right of self-determination (power of country to govern itself)
 foundation of the League of Nations
 Senate refuses to ratify the Treaty of Versailles b/c it opposed League of Nations
 U.S. does not join the League of Nations
1919 – Congress Passed the Eighteenth Amendment
“Prohibition” – nation-wide ban on sale, consumption, and distribution of alcohol
Passed thanks to the Temperance movement – movement to ban alcohol in the U.S.
It was repealed by the 21st Amendment in 1933. The 18th Amendment remains the only Amendment to ever
have been repealed.
1919 – Congress Passed the Nineteenth Amendment
Women’s Suffrage – gave women the right to vote
Passed due to the work of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA)
 lead by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony
The 19th Amendment granted suffrage (right to vote) to all American women. It was passed over a long,
laborious battle fought by women’s activists “suffragettes”.
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1920’s – Jazz Age & Harlem Renaissance
A result of the Great Migration, African American art, music and literature began flourishing in American
cities – we call this time period the Harlem Renaissance.
Jazz was created by African American musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Irving Berlin, and made
popular by groups like Tin Pan Alley.
Langston Hughes wrote memorable poetry that reminded black Americans of their African heritage
Zora Neal Hurston gained fame for her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God
1920’s –Henry Ford was largely responsible for the industrial boom of the 1920s that resulted from his use of the assembly line to
mass produced automobiles.
Mass production spread to every industry and America entered a time of prosperity.
The radio was mass produced into most of the homes in America and this connected the nation like never
before, making information readily available from coast to coast.
Americans enjoyed going to see movies in their leisure time – Hollywood became popular and Americans
began enjoying entertainment
Leisure time, the new found American enjoyment of entertainment, Jazz and new morals created a new culture
in America. People were spending money like never before, working 8-hour workdays, going dancing and to
the movies, and listening to the radio at home.
1929 – Causes of the Great Depression:
Overproduction and under consumption led to falling prices
Americans were not buying enough goods to support business is called under consumption.
Farmers and factories were producing too much; this led to overproduction and farm exhaustion.
Consumerism – people spent more than they saved
Under consumption and overproduction together caused businesses to lay-off workers and go bankrupt. This
caused people to start selling stock which drove prices lower and made it impossible for those who had invested
using credit or margin to pay back their debts.
Buying risky stocks on speculation and “buying on the margin”
Credit was a way Americans bought things, but they could not pay it back after the Stock Market crashed and
banks closed.
The Stock Market Crash on October 29, 1929 pushed the United States into the Great Depression
1929 – Stock Market Crashed
known as Black Tuesday
marked the beginning of the Great Depression
1929 – Herbert Hoover became president
Opposed government interference in business, did nothing to aid people who lost everything on Black Tuesday
1 in 4 people unemployed
Many people relied on soup kitchens and breadlines that provided food for poor
Many people lost their home and moved into “Hoovervilles” – villages of homemade shacks
1932 – Franklin Delano Roosevelt, FDR, (Democrat) elected president
In 1932, Americans were fed up with the way Republicans were running the country, so they elected Franklin
Delano Roosevelt to office.
Instilled confidence in the nation with his “fireside chats”
Believed the country needed direct relief from the government
Implemented many government programs in his first hundred days
Programs collectively knows as The New Deal
FDR’s wife, Eleanor, was an activist for the poor and for women.
1933 – First New Deal - FDR’s plan to get America out of the Depression was called the New Deal.
Included Civilian Conservation Corps, Agricultural Adjustment Act, The Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation, and the National Industrial Recovery Act
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) – built hydroelectric dams to create jobs and bring cheap electricity to
parts of the South previously without power; helped southeast prosper
The FDIC was a New Deal program that insured people’s money in the bank up to $5000.
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1935 – Huey P. Long of Louisiana assassinated
Huey Long was a Democrat who felt that FDR did not help the poor enough.
Advocated taking money from rich and giving it to poor (redistribution of wealth)
Wanted a guaranteed income of $2000 for every family in America
1935 – Second New Deal
National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) – also known as the Wagner Act, which allowed workers to unionize
legally.
 created a board to monitor unfair management practices
 protected right of workers in private sector to organize unions, engage in collective bargaining, and go
on strike
 union membership greatly increased
Social Security Act (SSA) – established retirement income for all workers once they reach the age of 65
Congress passed the Wagner Act
1937 – Roosevelt proposed his “court-packing scheme”
Supreme Court resisted some of Roosevelt’s programs
FDR proposed enlarging court to as many as 15 justices
Fierce opposition to proposal – FDR compared to dictators in Europe – withdrew proposal
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U.S. History Timeline
Section 7 - World War II & The Cold War
1922 - 1989
1922 – Benito Mussolini seized power in Italy and established totalitarian state
1931 – Japan invaded the Chinese province of Manchuria
League of Nations demanded they leave China
Japan responded by leaving League of Nations
1933 – Adolf Hitler ascended to power in Germany
Won support of the Nazi party – blamed Jews for the nation’s problems
Disposed of any opposition and became known as the “Fuhrer” (leader)
Hitler labeled his new government the “Third Reich” – envisioned it was an empire that would last a thousand
years
1935 – Congress passed the Neutrality Act in response to European conflicts
Prohibited the sale of weapons to warring nations
Meant to keep U.S. from forming alliances
1936 – Hitler moved troops into area known as Rhineland
Directly violated Treaty of Versailles that ended WWI
1938 – Hitler annexed Austria and the Sudetenland, the western region of Czechoslovakia in which 3.5 million ethnic Germans lived
Great Britain and France follow a policy of appeasement – giving aggressors what they want, hoping they will
be satisfied and stop their aggressive behavior
1939 – Hitler invaded Poland and World War II began
Hitler signed a “non-aggression pact” with Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union) to avoid fighting a two-front war
1940 – Germany, Italy, and Japan formed an alliance known as the Axis Powers
1940 – Germany conquered Belgium, the Netherlands, and France
1940 – Battle of Britain
German planes bombed British airfields and cities almost nightly for 3 months
Royal Air Force fought off Germans and Hitler gave up his plans for invading Great Britain
1940 – FDR elected to third term as president
1941 – A. Phillip Randolph was the Head of the Brotherhood of sleeping Car Porters. A major union for African American
railroad workers
A. Phillip Randolph proposed a march on Washington, D.C. to protest racial discrimination in the military
He protested securing jobs in national defense and integration of the military with his march on Washington.
FDR responded by supporting the Fair Employment Act – prohibited discrimination in the national defense
industry
1941 – Congress passed the Lend-Lease Act
The Lend-Lease Act was a way for the United States to get around the Neutrality Act. President could send aid
to any nation whose defense was considered vital to the United States’ personal security
If country couldn’t pay for aid, U.S. could defer payment until later
FDR won public support for his policy by offering the analogy of a neighbor’s house on fire
1941 – Japan bombed Pearl Harbor (December 7th)
FDR described December 7th as “a day which will live in infamy!”
Congress approved a declaration of war against Japan and later against Germany and Italy as well – U.S.
entered WWII
20
1941 – Bataan Death March
75,000 US & Filipino soldiers forced to walk 60 miles to P.O.W. camps by Japanese soldiers
1942 – U.S. Home Front
Internment Camps were places where the United States put Japanese Americans to keep an eye on them.
Every American had a part in the war effort. They took part in rationing, as well as growing Victory Gardens
and buying War Bonds.
Women once again replaced men in the workforce.
Rosie the Riveter was the poster child for women during WWII.
While at home, Rationing was a way Americans could conserve things and send more overseas.
1942 – Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was considered the turning point in the war against Japan. American was able to
destroy Japan’s naval fleet in one day
1944 – D-Day (June 6, 1944)
Nicknamed Operation Overlord
Allied invasion of Europe, specifically the beaches of Normandy, France
Established a foothold in Europe and allowed an allied advance towards Germany
1945 – Hitler committes suicide (April 30, 1945)
Germany surrendered shortly afterward
The Fall of Berlin is significant because it signified the end of the war in Europe
May 8, 1945 – V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day)
1945 – Enola Gay dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan (August 6, 1945)
Los Alamos is where the United States “practiced” using the atomic bomb.
The atomic bomb was developed by J. Robert Oppenheimer
The code name for the development of the atomic bomb was called The Manhattan Project
August 14, 1945 – V-J Day (Victory over Japan Day)
Bombing helped avoid a land invasion of Japan, saving the lives of Allied soldiers
1945 – The Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union begins
European continent divided between western democracies and Soviet satellite nations – nations answering to
and representing the views of the USSR
“iron curtain” – dividing line between Eastern and Western Europe
1946 – U.S. began containment policy
U.S. and west began focusing on containing communism to those countries in which it already existed and tried
to not let it spread any further
The containment policies were a result of the “Domino Theory” that once nations start to fall, neighboring
nations would fall as well (to communism).
The Truman Doctrine was a United States containment policy after WWII – containing communism by
sending assistance to weak nations vulnerable to communist takeover.
Marshall Plan – provided nations in war-torn Europe with financial support from the United States - prevented
communist revolutions in Europe and helping rebuild Europe
Late 1940’s – 1950’s – U.S. entered period known as the Second Red Scare
Government investigated, arrested, and sometimes harassed many people due to their connections to the
Communist Party
1947 – House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) created to root out Communists in the United States
Investigated State Department official Alger Hiss, who was accused of giving secrets to the Soviet Union ->
Hiss denied the charges but was convicted of perjury (lying under oath) and sent to prison
Hollywood actors known as the “Hollywood Ten” went to jail for refusing to appear before the HUAC -> in
response movie executives developed a Hollywood blacklist of suspect communists
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1948 – Germany divided
US, Great Britain, and France combined their sectors into one nation, West Germany
USSR established East Germany under communist rule
1948 – President Truman integrated the United States military and eliminates racial discrimination in federal employment practices.
1949 – China fell under communist control of Mao Zedong
A Chinese Revolution that resulted in communism that threatened Asia was the cause of U.S. involvement in
the Korean War.
1950 – Korean War began when North Korean forces crossed the 38th parallel
In the Korean War, North Korea was communist and supported by China while South Korea resisted
communism and was supported by the U.S.
1953 – Korean War ended in a stalemate
1954 – McCarthy Hearings
Senator Joseph McCarthy rose to power by feeding American fears that communism was infiltrating our
government.
Most U.S. citizens viewed McCarthy as paranoid and crazy
McCarthyism – was the name given to the effects of the second Red Scare that resulted from Senator
McCarthy’s witch hunt for communists in the U.S. government in the 1950s
1957 – Soviets launched Sputnik, the first official satellite to orbit the earth
U.S. entered the space race – competition with the Soviet Union to gain the upper-hand in space travel and
technology
In response to Sputnik, the United States (Pres. Eisenhower) launched our own satellite, the Explorer I,
created NASA, and passed the National Defense Education Act which began the United States’ emphasis on
Math and Science education.
1959 – Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution is when Fidel Castro became the communist dictator of Cuba.
1961 – Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was an unsuccessful attempt by a U.S. trained force of Cuban exiles to invade Cuba
with support from U.S. government armed forces to overthrow Castro.
1961 – Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation between the United States, the Soviet Union, and Cuba in 1961 and
is generally regarded as the moment in which the Cold War came closest to a nuclear war. The USSR had
missiles in Cuba capable of reaching the U.S.
1964 – U.S. gets involved in Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was fought in the 60s and 70s as part of the Cold War and in line with the U.S. policies of
containment (like the Korean War).
North Vietnam was communist and aided by China and South Vietnam resisted communism and was aided by
the United States. The U.S. eventually withdrew forces and left the South Vietnamese to defend themselves.
The Tet Offensive was a surprise attack by the North Vietnamese (Viet Cong) that was the beginning of the
end of U.S. involvement in Vietnam.
Tet Offensive – Public opinion changes from majority supporting Vietnam war to majority opposing Vietnam War
Protests of the war in Vietnam were common on college campuses and amongst members of the hippie
subculture. Growing opposition to the war was fueled by the news media.
The Anti-Vietnam movement was where students and those who were against the war protested the U.S. being
in Vietnam
1975 – Vietnam War over – America’s lost cause
1989 – Berlin Wall falls – America wins Cold War over USSR
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U.S. History Timeline
Section 8 - The U.S. since 1950
1950-2002
1950’s – Post WWII America
The baby boom was the result of soldiers came home from WWII and of people feeling financially ready to
start families, and refers to the late 40s and early 50s when a large number of babies were born.
The growth spurred by the baby boom deepened the need for living outside of cities and the result of this need
was the Interstate Highway Act and the development of suburban neighborhoods such as Levittown.
The Interstate Highway Act provided federal funding for thousands of miles of interstate highways making
communication, travel and trade more efficient.
Levittown was a suburban neighborhood of single-family homes built outside of New York City and housed
hundreds of baby boom families who commuted to the city for work.
Television had a major impact on American culture in the second half of the 20th century. The first televised
presidential debates (1960) swung American votes in favor of the younger Kennedy and away from the older
Nixon.
Television also brought international attention to the United States’ struggle to guarantee equal rights for
African Americans by broadcasting the Civil Rights Movement into living rooms around the world.
Use of technology such as the personal computer and the cellular telephone began increasing business
efficiency and making communication easier. Each development of these items brought more efficiency and
more profits into the U.S. economy.
1954 – Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka (1954)
The experiences in WWII and the postwar pressures of the civil rights movement compelled the federal
government to reexamine traditional practices of segregation.
Jackie Robinson was the first African American baseball player to play Major League Baseball following
the integration of the league.
Supreme Court reversed the Plessy v. Ferguson decision and ruled that racial segregation in public schools is
unconstitutional
Brown v. Board of Education was the landmark court case that called for the integration of America’s public
schools.
Southern state governments resisted the Brown decision by ignoring the ruling for years until forced by the
military to integrate.
Late 1950’s – Atlanta wins national praise for its handling of school desegregation
Under the leadership of Mayor William Hartsfield
“Atlanta is the city too busy to hate.”
1955 – African American woman Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama
NAACP leaders selected Dr. Martin Luther King to lead the Montgomery Bus Boycott until Montgomery
public transportation was desegregated
Montgomery Bus Boycott led to the creation of the SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference)
which sought to unite leaders from the black community in the cause of civil rights - Dr. King its first president
1957 – Arkansas governor refused to integrate Little Rock Central High School
President Eishenhower called in the National Guard to make sure that the “Little Rock Nine” safely gained
admittance to the school
1958 – Congress passed the National Defense Education Act
Provided for education geared toward the study of science, math, and foreign languages
Intended to boost the U.S. in the space and nuclear arms races
1960 – African American college students found the SNCC (Students Nonviolence Coordinating Committee)
Engaged in nonviolent protests and sit-ins to demand their civil rights
1962 – Caesar Chavez started the first Latino Workers Union called United Farm Workers.
Chavez formed the union to get Latino workers better wages
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1962 – Rachel Carson published the book Silent Spring
She argued that humankind’s use of certain chemicals were poisoning the environment
Led to the banning of DDT (a common pesticide)
Helped launch the modern environmentalist movement
Because of Carson, the U.S. now has the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
1963 – Alabama governor George Wallace attempted to prevent the integration of the University of Alabama by physically blocking
the entrance in protest
1963 – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
Letter was a response to several white ministers who argued civil rights should be fought in the courts rather
than by protest
King expressed the reasons he disagreed and proclaimed that civil disobedience (peaceful refusal to follow
unjust laws) was a necessary and acceptable method for achieving equality
When MLK wrote his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, he confirmed the purpose and validity of the nonviolent
protest movement as the best way to achieve equality.
1963 – March on Washington
200,000 civil rights activists demanded equality for all citizens
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s I Have a Dream Speech, delivered in Washington, D.C. put pressure on the
Kennedy administration to place higher importance on passing and enforcing civil rights laws.
1963 – President John F. Kennedy assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas, TX
President Kennedy was assassinated after only two years in office. This made Vice President Lyndon Johnson
president without being elected as such.
Before Kennedy was killed, he has proposed the Civil Rights Act, but it was held up in the legislative process
until after he was killed.
Johnson’s plan for America was called the Great Society – it was a plan to end poverty.
One of the main Great Society programs is Medicare, which provides medical care to the poor, disabled and
elderly.
1963 – Betty Friedan wrote a book called The Feminine Mystique
Suggested that the idea of women being happy and fulfilled as wives and homemakers was a myth
Her views helped launch the women’s movement, often referred to as “Women’s Liberation”
Advocates of such positions were labeled “feminists”
Friedan founded the National Organization for Women (NOW) – was an organization for women. These
women fought for equal rights in the 1960’s and are still around today.
1963 – President Lyndon B. Johnson wins presidential election over conservative Barry Goldwater
Goldwater represents beginning of Conservative Movement
1964 – President Lyndon B. Johnson helped pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Prohibited segregation in public accommodations and discrimination in education and employment
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was introduced by JFK and passed during LBJ’s presidency in response to
Southern resistance to integration and to worldwide disdain for the treatment of African Americans. It
prohibited discrimination in public places.
1964 – Twenty-fourth amendment passed, making the poll tax illegal
1965 – “Bloody Sunday”
Civil Rights march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, Alabama
200 Alabama state troopers beat marchers with clubs and whips, released dogs, and showered them with tear gas
In response, President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 – authorized the president to suspend
literacy tests for voter registration and to send federal officials to register voters in the event that county
officials failed to do so; led to huge increase in African American voter registration
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed to ensure African American rights to vote were not violated by Jim
Crow laws, violence, or anything else.
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1966 – Miranda Decision
The Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren is called “The Warren Court.”
The Warren Court left a legacy of expanding individual liberties (rights and freedoms) through decisions
such as the Miranda decision.
The Miranda decision guarantees people arrested for a crime be read their rights before being held in jail.
Late 1960’s – Members of SNCC use non-violent protest in the segregated south
Philosophy that held blacks should take great pride in their African heritage and be willing to use violence, if
necessary, to attain and protect their civil rights
Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) is a group of student activities in the south during the
Civil Right Movement. They wanted to stop discrimination.
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) is an alliance of African American church
organizations dedicated to the Civil Right Movement.
Both SNCC and SCLC used tactics such as Sit-ins and Freedom Rides. The Sit-ins took place mostly in
restaurants across the south to show that African Americans and whites could go to the same restaurant and eat.
Freedom Rides took place on buses throughout the south; both African Americans and whites would get on
buses and show that it was okay to ride on the same bus together.
1968 – 1968 was a year of political and social turmoil plagued by assassinations and protests
Martin Luther King Assassinated – Race Riots ensue in over 100 cities across America
Robert F. Kennedy Assassinated
Democratic National Convention – Chicago police violently suppress protestors outside of convention hall,
televised
1969 – Neil Armstrong became first person to walk on the moon
1970 – United States celebrated its first Earth Day
President Richard Nixon established the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a federal agency for the
purpose of enforcing laws aimed at maintaining a safe and clean environment
1972 – Nixon visits China
Nixon wanted to go to China and begin communications between the two countries. Because of his trip, China
and the U.S. began to trade with each other. Tensions were eased because of Nixon’s trip to China.
President Nixon opened up a new program called Detente. This program was set up to ease tension with
countries who were Communist.
1972 – Watergate investigations begins
The Watergate Scandal was where Nixon and his Administration wanted to find out as much as they could
about the Democratic Party plans for the next Election. Five men from his party, Broke into a hotel room and
tried to steal the plans of the Democratic Party. They were caught!
Nixon was going to be impeached, but before he could be brought up on charges, he resigned from office
1973 – Roe vs. Wade
The court case Roe vs. Wade (1973) legalized Abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy. Many women
activist groups were excited about the decision, but many conservatives were upset by the decision
1974 – Richard Nixon Resigns due to Watergate Scandals
Vice President Gerald Ford becomes president
President Ford pardons Nixon – action highly unpopular
He also passed the 25th Amendment: outlined the process of what happens when the President resigns
1976 – President Jimmy Carter – first Georgian elected President
1978 – Camp David Accords – peace between Israel and Egypt – Carter’s greatest Achievement
During the presidency of Jimmy Carter, many things that happened were things overseas. One of his most
famous things that accomplished was the Camp David Accords. This marked the first step in achieving peace
in the Middle East.
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1978 – The Bakke Decision was based on Affirmative Action.
Allan Bakke applied to medical school in California and was not accepted because he was not a minority.
1979 – Iranian Hostage Crisis - one cause for Carter’s unpopularity – greatest failure
The Iranian Hostage Crisis was Jimmy Carter’s downfall. Iranian rebels took 52 American hostages because
of America’s refusal to turn in the Iranian Shah. President Carter could not get the hostages back to America.
Because of this Carter did not win the next election.
1980 – Ronald Reagan elected president – most conservative president in history
President Regan was responsible for bringing the U.S. out of a recession. His economic policy was called
Reganomics.
Reaganomics – supply side economic policies credited for economic boom in America
He wanted to give Tax cuts to everyone, but mostly to the wealthy
Confronts USSR with greatest peacetime military buildup in US History
1986 – Iran-Contra Scandal – Reagan’s Greatest Failure
Regan was also responsible for the Iran-Contra Scandal. The U.S. wanted to fight communism, in order to do
that, the U.S. sold weapons to Afghan Rebels to fight off the Soviets. This upset the American people, but
Regan was never to blame for it.
1989 – Berlin Wall falls – America wins Cold War over USSR
During Reagan’s presidency, Peace talks began with the Soviet Union. They were a success and the Berlin Wall
was finally brought down and the Cold War ended.
1991 – Desert Shield and Desert Storm – Persian Gulf War victory for US over Iraq
1992 – Democrat Bill Clinton wins Presidency
Bill Clinton was the first Baby Boom president. Clinton did not have a good relationship with Congress was
mostly made up of Republicans and Clinton was a Democrat.
1996 – NAFTA – North American Free Trade Agreement between USA, Mexico, Canada
Leads to economic boom during Clinton presidency
One of Clinton’s greatest achievements
This would eliminate all tariffs between these three countries (U.S., Mexico, and Canada).
1998 – Monica Lewinsky Scandal
President Clinton impeached becomes second president ever impeached
Clinton was impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice. He was acquitted by the Senate in 1999.
2000 – Bush /Gore Presidential Election
Closet election in US History – over 500 votes in Florida
Controversy over ballots
US Supreme Court rules to end recount giving George W. Bush victory
2001 – September 11, 2001 – World Trade Center and other sites attacked – War on Terrorism begins
On September 11, 2001, the U.S. was attacked by the terrorist group, Al Queda. The terrorist hijacked four
U.S. planes and ran them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon; one was taken down in a Pennsylvania
field.
2002 – Bush responds to 9/11
President Bush responded by launching an attack on Afghanistan, where the terrorist organization was from.
The U.S. took over Afghanistan for a few months, but the Taliban, another terrorist group, resurfaced again and
took it over
President Bush wanted to fight the War on Terror, so in 2003, the U.S. invaded Iraq. The U.S felt that Iraq had
Weapons of Mass Destruction. The U.S. went to war, but we did not find any weapons. The U.S. is still in Iraq
today and is still trying to fight the war on terrorism
War on Terror; highly controversial war
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