AP U. S. History Presidential Review

11/23/1914: U.S. forces in Vera Cruz withdrawn

U.S. forces in Vera Cruz, Mexico, are withdrawn as a result of the resignation of Mexican President Huerta, who fails to win Wilson's support.

Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railroad Company v Illinois, 1886

Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railway Company v. Illinois, 118 U.S. 557, also known as the Wabash Case, was a Supreme Court decision that severely limited the rights of states to control or impede interstate commerce. It led to the creation of the Interstate Commerce

Walt Whitman publishes Leaves of Grass (1855)

Walt Whitman was the author. Whitman's poems featured the Romantic movement's revolt against reason and embrace of nature.

Truman sets up the Atomic Energy Commission to supervise US atomic arsenal, 1946

a former executive agency (from 1946 to 1974) that was responsible for research into atomic energy and its peacetime uses in the United States

South Carolina secedes from the Union, 1860

first Southern state to secede from the Union; sparked by Lincoln's election; followed by the attack on Fort Sumter (Southerners were happy that South Carolina took Fort Sumter; both sides thought it would be a quick war and that they would win)

Watergate break-in, 1972

five men arrested for breaking into the Democratic National Committee's executive quarters in the Watergate Hotel. Senate investigations revealed they were trained by the CIA and that the White House was involved. Nixon later admitted to complicity in the burglary, in part because of the recording devices he had installed in the White House held proof he was involved. In July, 1974, Nixon's impeachment began, so he resigned - the only president in US history to do so

Seneca Falls Convention (1848)

(1848) the first national women's rights convention at which the Declaration of Sentiments was written

Harding becomes the first president to be heard on a radio broadcast, 1922

14 June - Warren G. Harding becomes the first United States president heard live on radio, when he dedicates the Francis Scott Key Memorial over the Baltimore radio station WEAR.

Andrew Johnson, 1865-1869 Republican Secretary of State - William H. Seward

17th President of the United States, A Southerner form Tennessee, as V.P. when Lincoln was killed, he became president. He opposed radical Republicans who passed Reconstruction Acts over his veto. The first U.S. president to be impeached, he survived the Senate removal by only one vote. He was a very weak president.

Grover Cleveland, 1885-1889 Democrat VP - Thomas Andrew Hendricks

22nd and 24th president, Democrat, Honest and hardworking, fought corruption, vetoed hundreds of wasteful bills, achieved the Interstate Commerce Commission and civil service reform, violent suppression of strikes

United Mine Workers forms, 1890

A 1902 coal worker's strike called for an eight-hour work day and higher wages. Theodore Roosevelt stepped in and threatened the use of troops to settle the strike. It was the first time the government stepped in a labor dispute, but the result was improved conditions for the mine workers.

Social Gospel Movement, 1870s

A 19th century reform movement based on the belief that Christians have a responsibility to help improve working conditions and alleviate poverty

Ernest Hemingway publishes A Farewell to Arms, 1929

A Farewell to Arms is a novel by Ernest Hemingway set during the Italian campaign of World War I. First published in 1929, it is a first-person account of an American, Frederic Henry, serving as a lieutenant ("tenente") in the ambulance corps of the Italian Army.

Andrew Carnegie enters steel business, 1865

A Scottish-born American industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Carnegie Steel Company in 1892. By 1901, his company dominated the American steel industry.

The "One Thousand Days" presidency

A Thousand Days: John F. Kennedy in the White House is a nonfiction book by special assistant to the president, American historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. about the United States Presidency of John F.

Liberty Party founded on platform of abolitionism (later merged with Free Soilers), 1839

A former political party in the United States; formed in 1839 to oppose the practice of slavery; merged with the Free Soil Party in 1848

Manifest Destiny/John O'Sullivan, 1845

A notion held by a nineteenth-century Americans that the United States was destined to rule the continent, from the Atlantic the Pacific.

Jacksonian Democracy

A policy of spreading more political power to more people. It was a "Common Man" theme.

Open Door Policy formulated, 1899

A policy proposed by the US in 1899, under which ALL nations would have equal opportunities to trade in China.

Battle of Vicksburg (1863)

A protracted battle in northern Mississippi in which Union forces under Ulysses Grant besieged the last major Confederate fortress on the Mississippi River, forcing the inhabitants into starvation and then submission.

Tariff of 1833 Compromise

A result of Henry Clay's efforts to soothe South Carolina's qualms about the Tariff of Abominations. It caused South Carolina to withdraw the ordinance nullifying the Tariffs of 1828 and 1832. Both protectionists and anti-protectionists accepted this compromise.

Panic of 1873 (1873-1879)

A severe international economic depression triggered by overproduction of railroads, mines, factories and farm products. *Historical Significance:* Led to the *Railroad Strike of 1877*.

07/21/1915: A third warning

A third Lusitania note is dispatched to Germany, warning the nation that any consequent violation of American rights would be viewed as "deliberately unfriendly."

Slavery in the District of Columbia abolished, 1862

Abolition in the District of Columbia. On April 16, 1862, President Lincoln signed an act abolishing slavery in the District of Columbia, an important step in the long road toward full emancipation and enfranchisement for African

13th Amendment (1865)

Abolition of slavery w/o compensation for slave-owners

Mark Twain publishes Huckelberry Finn, 1884

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a novel by Mark Twain, first published in the United Kingdom in December 1884 and in the United States in February

Missouri Compromise of 1820

Allowed Missouri to enter the union as a slave state, Maine to enter the union as a free state, prohibited slavery north of latitude 36˚ 30' within the Louisiana Territory (1820)

U.S. v. Nixon (1974)

Allowed for executive privilege, but not in criminal cases; "Even the President is not above the law;" Watergate.

Burlingame Treaty gives China most favored nation status in trade and codifies immigration procedures, 1868

An 1868 treaty that guaranteed the rights of U.S. missionaries in China and set official terms for the emigration of Chinese laborers to work in the United States.

Morill Act of 1862

An act that set aside about 17 million acres of land for colleges

Taft-Harley Act restricts union practices, 1947

An act, passed in 1947 by the U.S. Congress, which gave states the right to pass right-to-work laws. These right-to-work laws prohibit employers from establishing union membership as a condition of employment

Ellis Island opens, 1892

An immigrant receiving station that opened in 1892, where immigrants were given a medical examination and only allowed in if they were healthy

USSR announces the capture of an American spy/reconnaissance U-2 plane, 1960

An international diplomatic crisis erupted in May 1960 when the Union of SovietSocialist Republics (USSR) shot down an American U-2 spy plane in Soviet air space and captured its pilot, Francis Gary Powers (1929-77). Confronted with the evidence of his nation's espionage, President Dwight D.

US Army Air Corps established, 1926

Army Air Corps. In the first major step toward an independent Air Force, the Army Air Service was re-designated, July 2, 1926, as advocates of air power fought for a separate branch under the Department of Defense, and others fought to keep the aviation assets within the Army command structure.

04/21/1914: Occupation of Vera Cruz

At Vera Cruz, Mexico, U.S. forces seize the customhouse. Marines occupy the city and a detachment is sent to exact an apology from President Huerta for the arrest of several drunken U.S. sailors earlier in the month.

US railroads adopt the standard time zones dividing the country into 4 equal time zones, 1883

At exactly noon on this day, American and Canadian railroads begin using four ... The need forcontinental time zones stemmed directly from the problems of ... and departure times for the same train, each linked to a different local time zone. ... agreed to divide the continent into four time zones; the dividing lines adopted .

Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883)

Brought about by the assassination of James Garfield by an immigrant who was angry about being unable to get a government job. The assassination raised questions about how people should be chosen for civil service jobs. Provided that Federal Government jobs be awarded on the basis of merit and that Government employees be selected through competitive exams. The act also made it unlawful to fire or demote for political reasons employees who were covered by the law. The law further forbids requiring employees to give political service or contributions. The result was more expertise and less politics. An unintended result was the shift of the parties to reliance on funding from business, since they could no longer depend on patronage hopefuls.

George Bush (1989-1993) Republican VP - Dan Quayle

Bush was Vice President under Reagan. As president, Bush was successful in areas of foreign relations. He eased relations with Russia, resisted the Russian military's attempted coup in 1991, and fought Saddam Hussein in the Persian Gulf. - He was not as successful in domestic affairs as the economy dwindled and the deficit rose; the effects of the era of Reaganomics. - Bush was defeated by Bill Clinton and Al Gore in the 1992 election.

Coca-Cola goes on sale in Atlanta (followed by Root Beer and Dr. Pepper), 1886

But it was in North America in 1886 that the two were married by Atlanta ... The drink, "Coca-Cola," was initially sold in soda fountains and billed as an ... that it did not hurt sales and "Coke" quickly became the world's biggest selling soft drink .69 ... still around today include Dr. Pepperand Hires Root Beer (both in 1886

Seminoles resettled in central Florida

By 1842 some 3,000 to 4,000 Seminoles had been resettled, and only a few hundred remained. The Armed Occupation Act of 1842 promoted white settlement in Florida, and the Second Seminole War was declared over on August 14, 1842.

Second major invasion of the "Sooners" into Oklahoma, 1893

By the time of the Oklahoma land rush of 1893, America was in the grip of the ... by "Sooners" who had snuck into the land claim area before the race began .

12th Amendment (1804)

Changes procedure for electing President and Vice-President

12/10/1906: Roosevelt awarded Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Prize Committee awards Roosevelt its Peace Prize for his role in ending the Russo-Japanese War during the Portsmouth Conference in 1905.

12/10/1913: Elihu Root wins Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Prize Committee selects Elihu Root, Theodore Roosevelt's secretary of state from 1905 to 1909, as the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for his work as president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Unitarianism, 1815-1860

Christian doctrine that stresses individual freedom of belief and rejects the Trinity

North American Free Trade Agreement ratified (NAFTA), 1993

Clinton signs NAFTA into law, Dec. ... On this day in 1993, Bill Clinton, the first Democratic president in 12 years, signed the North American Free Trade Agreement into law. The pact, which took effect on Jan. 1, 1994, created the world's largest free-trade zone

Communist Control Act deprives Communist Party of America of its rights, privileges, immunities and holds Communists to penalties under the Internal Security Act, 1954

Communist Control Act of 1954. An Act to outlaw the Communist Party, to prohibit members of Communist organizations from serving in certain representative capacities, and for other purposes.

Congress creates US Circuit Court of Appeals to reduce the Supreme Court's caseload, 1891

Congress Creates the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Toreducethecourt's caseload,Congressin1891establishedcircuit courts of appeals, which could hear most cases that previously would have gone to theSupreme Court.

The New York Times exposes William "Boss" Tweed, the boss of Tammany Hall, 1871

Corruption. After the election of 1869, Tweed took control of the New York City government. His protégé, John T. ... Mandated new elections allowed Tammany to take over the city's Common Council when they won all fifteen aldermanic contests.

Congress establishes the Government Printing Office, 1860

Created by Congress in June 1860, the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) began operation on March 4, 1861 with 350 employees. ... With the increase in digital communication and expanding publishing technologies, GPO has streamlined and transformed from a print-only operation to an integrated publishing organization.

Freedmen's Bureau (1865-1872)

Created to aid newly emancipated slaves by providing food, clothing, medical care, education, and legal support. Its achievements were uneven and depended largely on the quality of local administrators.

Yellowstone National Park created, 1872

Established in 1872 by Congress, Yellowstone was the United States's first national park.

Agricultural depression, 1921-1943

Farms are producing too much. The supply outweighed the demand causing prices to plunge/drop

12/04/1915: Georgia grants the KKK a charter

Georgia grants the Ku Klux Klan a new state charter after decades of dormancy.

08/04/1914: Germany launches war on Belgium, France, and Britain

Germany launches war on Belgium, France, and Great Britain. The United States declares its official neutrality as the Great War begins.

23rd Amendment ratified, 1961

Gives Washington DC electoral college votes as if it were a state (DC still has no representation in Congress)

14th Amendment (1868)

Grants citizenship to "all persons born or naturalized in the US"; it forbids any state to deny any person "life, liberty or property, without due process of law" or to "deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of its laws." Most important law ever passed besides original Constitution and Bill of Rights. It has been the vehicle for the expansion of civil rights, women's rights, gay rights among other movements. It also allowed for the "incorporation doctrine" which means the application of the national Bill of Rights to the states.

AFL-CIO merge, 1955

In 1955 at a New York City Convention, these two once-rival organizations decided to put aside their differences and unite. Had a total membership of over 15 million.

11/04/1902: Republicans maintain control

In congressional elections, the Republicans maintain a majority in the Senate, 57 to 33. In the House, the Republicans emerge with a 208-178 majority.

06/28/1934: In his continued efforts to rejuvenate the economy...

In his continued efforts to rejuvenate the economy, FDR signs two bills into law. The Federal Farm Bankruptcy Act places a moratorium on all farm mortgage foreclosures; the National Housing Act creates the Federal Housing Administration, designed to further stimulate homebuilding.

05/14/1913: Rockefeller Foundation

In one of the largest philanthropic acts in American history, John D. Rockefeller donates $100,000,000 to begin the Rockefeller Foundation.

04/19/1914: Sanctioned force against Mexico

In order to "obtain from General Huerta and his adherents the fullest recognition of the rights and dignity of the United States," President Wilson requests authorization from Congress to use force in Mexico. After some debate, both houses sanction such force on April 22.

US reinforces the American forces in West Berlin, 1961

In response to the Soviet blockade of land routes into West Berlin, the United Statesbegins a massive airlift of food, water, and medicine to the citizens of the besieged city. ... The Soviet action was in response to the refusal of American and British officials to allow Russia more say in the economic future of Germany.

Beginning of the buffalo extermination (By 1883, about 13 million buffalo had been killed), 1867

In the 16th century, North America contained 25-30 million buffalo. Bison were hunted almost to extinction in the 19th century. ... Due to the roaming behavior of bison, their mass destruction came with relative ease to hunters. When one bison in a herd is killed, the other bison gather around it.

Oregon border dispute/54° 40', 1844-1846

In the American election of 1844, James Polk campaigned for "54°40' or Fight." He wanted the American border to be set at 54°40' latitude, just below the Russian territory of Alaska. He won the election, but chose not to fight because a war with Mexico had begun in 1846.

Confederacy declares war on the Union, 1861

In the South, most slaves did not hear of the proclamation for months. But the purpose of the Civil War had now changed. The North was not only fighting to preserve the Union, it was fighting to end slavery. Throughout this time, northern black men had continued to pressure the army to enlist them.

US intervention in Nicaragua, 1909

In the fall of 1909, a revolt broke out against Zelaya in Nicaragua, and Knox seized it as a chance to oust Zelaya. ... Knox saw an opportunity to intervene directly when two U.S. citizens who were serving as officers in the rebel army had been captured and executed by Zelaya's forces.

US marshals escort James Meredith onto the University of Mississippi campus, integrating the university by federal mandate, 1962

Inspired by President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address, Meredith decided to exercise his constitutional rights and apply to the University of Mississippi. His goal was to put pressure on the Kennedy administration to enforce civil rights for African Americans.

Edison patents the phonograph, 1877

Invented by Thomas Edison, the first machine capable of recording sound onto medium and mechanically playing it back

Kennedy delivers "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech in West Berlin, 1963

JFK gives a speech in Berlin about how Berlin is free and should never succumb to communism and calls himself a Berliner, 1963, shortly after the Berlin wall is erected

Japanese invasion of Manchuria, 1931

Japanese Empire attempt to gain control over the whole province to eventually be in high power over all East Asia<>proved to be a cause of WWII

John Brown and the Pottowatomie Massacre 1856

John Brown and his followers killed five proslavery men and started a four-month massacre in Kansas in which 200 people were killed.

Campbell's Soup and Pepsi-Cola are introduced to consumers, 1898

Joseph A. Campbell and Caleb Bradham

The Noble Order of the Knights of Labor forms as a local union in Philadelphia, 1869

Labor organization founded in 1869 by Uriah Stephens. The Knights sought to include all workers in one giant union.

Ladies' Journal begins publication, 1883

Ladies' Home Journal was an American magazine published by the Meredith Corporation. It was first published on February 16, 1883,

22nd Amendment ratified, 1951

Limits the president to two terms.

26th Amendment ratified, 1971

Lowered the voting age from 21 to 18

Lynchings of African-Americans peak, 1882-1892

Lynching is the practice of murder by a group of people by extrajudicial action. Lynchings in the United States rose in number after the American Civil War

Department of Interior established (1849)

Manages and protects the nations public lands and natural resources

Rosenbergs executed (1953)

Many Americans, however, believed that the Rosenbergs had been dealt with justly. They agreed with President Dwight D. Eisenhower when he issued a statement declining to invoke executive clemency for the pair.

Michigan enters Union, 1837

Michigan received the western part of the Upper Peninsula as a concession and formally entered the Union as a state on January 26, 1837. When iron and copper were discovered in the Upper Peninsula, impetus was created for the construction of the Soo Locks, completed in 1855.

Mississippi v. Johnson (1867)

Mississippi wanted the president to stop enforcing the Reconstruction Acts because they were unconstitutional. The Supreme Court decided that the Acts were constitutional and the states must obey them.

Tensions between US and Germany over Samoan islands, 1889

The Samoan Crisis was a standoff between the United States, Germany, and Great Britain from 1887-1889 over control of the Samoan Islands during the Samoan Civil War.

Wade-Davis Bill (1864)

Radical Republican plan for Reconstruction that required 50% of a state's 1860 voters to take an "iron clad" oath of allegiance and a state constitutional convention before the election of state officials; pocket-vetoed by Lincoln.

Disputed Election of 1876

Republicans, weakened by news of Grant's scandals, were almost defeated by the Democrats who nominated Samuel Tilden (a man famous for putting corrupt politicians in jail). The voting in the South was also done improperly (wrong). Democrats claimed they won in states like Louisiana and Florida while Republicans claimed that African American voters there (Republicans) were illegally denied the right to vote or otherwise intimidated to stay away from voting.

First US steamship crosses Atlantic to Europe, 1819

SS Savannah was an American hybrid sailing ship/sidewheel steamer built in 1818. She is notable for being the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean, transiting mainly under sail power from May to June 1819.

End of the "Molly Maguires," an Irish miners' organization, 1875

Secret organization of Irish miners that campaigned, at times violently, against poor working conditions in the Pennsylvania mines.

10/14/1914: Clayton Anti-trust Act

Signing the Clayton Anti-trust Act, President Wilson advances the third legócorporate regulationóof his "New Freedom" program. The law strengthens the original Sherman Anti-trust Act of 1890 by prohibiting exclusive sales contracts, predatory pricing, rebates, inter-corporate stock holdings, and interlocking directorates in corporations capitalized at $1 million or more in the same area of business. The act restricts the use of the injunction against labor, and it legalizes peaceful strikes, picketing, and boycotts.

Beginning of Cheyenne-Arapaho Wars caused by influx of miners into Colorado, 1861

Some bands of Cheyenne including the Dog Soldiers, a militaristic band of Cheyennes and Lakotas that had evolved beginning in the 1830s, were angry at those chiefs who had signed the treaty, disavowing the treaty and refusing to abide by its constraints.

"Sooners" begin entering the Oklahoma District, a triangle of rich land in the middle of Indian Territory owned by no one tribe, but are dispersed by troops, 1884

Sooner is the name first applied about six months after the Land Run of 1889 to people who entered the Oklahoma District (Unassigned Lands) before the designated time.

Americans with Disabilities Act signed, 1990

The ADA was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990. It was the world's first comprehensive declaration of equality for people with disabilities. Its purpose then, and now, is to "ensure that people with disabilities are given the basic guarantees for which they have worked so long and so hard.

02/07/1964: The Beatles arrive in NYC

The Beatles arrive in New York for their first U.S. tour.

The Bill of Rights, 1791

The Bill of Rights is the collective name for the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. Proposed to assuage the fears of Anti-Federalists

A "Bonus Army" of WWI veterans march on Washington to demand payment, 1932

The Bonus Army was a group of 43,000 demonstrators - made up of 17,000 U.S. World War I veterans, together with their families and affiliated groups - who gathered in Washington, D.C. in mid-1932 to demand early cash redemption of their service certificates. ... On July 28, U.S. Attorney General William D.

Florida enters the Union, 1845

The Seminoles were eventually forced to migrate. Florida joined the Union as the 27th state on March 3, 1845.

04/12/1934: The Senate establishes a committee to investigate ...

The Senate establishes a committee to investigate the extent to which manufacturers of munitions influenced and profited from U.S. involvement in the Great War. Known as the Nye Hearings, for committee chairman Gerald Nye of North Dakota, the findings reinforce the isolationist-neutralist beliefs of many Americans who view international war as profiting only the business elite.

The Wall Street Journal begins publication, 1889

The Wall Street Journal (known as The Journal) is an American business-focused, English-language international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese.

Carter pardons Vietnam draft evaders, 1977

The amnesty was meant to put an end to the bad feelings related to the Vietnam War.

Beginning of railroad construction, 1826-

The concept of constructing a railroad in the United States was first conceived by Colonel John Stevens, in 1812. ... The first to be chartered and built was the Granite Railway of Massachusetts, which ran approximately three miles (1826).

Korean War (pp. 623-625); MacArthur recalled in 1951, 1950-1953

The conflict between Communist North Korea and Non-Communist South Korea. The United Nations (led by the United States) helped South Korea.

Pollock v Farmers Loan and Trust Company, 1895

The court ruled the income could not be taxed. In response, Congress passed the 16th Amendment which specifically allows taxation of income (ratified 1913).

Potsdam Conference (1945)

The final wartime meeting of the leaders of the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union was held at Potsdamn, outside Berlin, in July, 1945. Truman, Churchill, and Stalin discussed the future of Europe but their failure to reach meaningful agreements soon led to the onset of the Cold War.

Jay's Treaty with England, 1795

Treaty signed in 1794 between the U.S. And Britain in which Britain sought to improve trade relations and agreed to withdraw from forts in the northwest territory

Transportation boom, 1835-1841

an era in which transportation of good throughout the USA were changed.

Anti-Chinese riots in San Francisco, 1877

discrimination & violence against Seattle-Tacoma area Chinese

Hartford Convention (1814)

A meeting of Federalist delegates from New England inspired by Federalist opposition to the War of 1812;contributed to the death of the Federalist Party during the "Era of Good Feelings"

Thomas Edison establishes Edison Electric Light Company, 1878

Company founded by Thomas Edison, with the support of wealthy investors, to promote his research in electricity and incandescent lamps.

End of Reconstruction; federal troops withdraw from the South, 1877

Election of 1876 brought the Radical Republicans a loss of power and Northerners were tired of Reconstruction and wanted to forget the Civil War.

Emergency telephone communication ("hot line") established between US and USSR, 1963

First Use of the Hotline In August1963, the system was ready to be tested. On August 30,1963theUnited Statessent its first message to theSovietUnion over thehotline: "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog's back 1234567890."

Ralph Ellison publishes The Invisible Man, 1952

Invisible Man is a novel by Ralph Ellison, published by Random House in 1952. It addresses many of the social and intellectual issues faced by the African Americans in the early twentieth century

National Woman Suffrage Association founded with Elizabeth Cady Stanton as president, 1869

NWSA American organization, founded in New York City, that was created by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. An organization founded in 1890 to demand the vote for women

12/12/1906: Straus appointed to Commerce and Labor

TR appoints Oscar Straus of New York City to head the Commerce and Labor Department. Straus is the first Jewish American to hold a cabinet post.

02/29/1904: Panama Canal Commission

TR appoints the Panama Canal Commission to oversee the construction of the Panama Canal.

10/16/1901: TR dines with Booker T. Washington

TR dines with Booker T. Washington at the White House.

Economic depression, 1977

The longest and deepest economic recession since the end of World War II began in the late fall of 1973 and hit bottom in midwinter 1975. ... Based on activity in 1977 and assumptions about economic policy in 1978, the recovery's pace and unusual character are not likely to change much in the next four quarters.

"Coxey's Army" of four hundred unemployed workers march on Washington, 1894

The march originated with 100 men in Massillon, Ohio, on March 25, ... on the way from further west when it reached Washington on April 30, 1894. ... Many of these protesters were unemployed railroad workers

French Revolution

The revolution that began in 1789, overthrew the absolute monarchy of the Bourbons and the system of aristocratic privileges, and ended with Napoleon's overthrow of the Directory and seizure of power in 1799.

Truman sets up "Committee on Civil Rights" and orders an end to racial discrimination in the US armed forces, 1946

Truman bypassed the southern Democrats in key seats in Congress and established this committee to challenge racial discrimination in 1946.

Sherman Anti-trust Act, 1890

These acts, led by Theodore Roosevelt, focused on dissolving unfair business consolidations or monopolies.

Yazoo Land Scandal, 1805

event in which the Georgia legislature was bribed to sell land cheaply to land companies + 3 mil. acres given to investors

Suez Crisis (1956)

military attack on Egypt by Britain, France, and Israel beginning on 29 October 1956. The attack followed Egypt's decision of 26 July 1956 to nationalize the Suez Canal after the withdrawal of an offer by Britain and the United States to fund the building of the Aswan Dam

Beginning of the Great Migration (peaks in 1915), 1893-

movement of over 300,000 African American from the rural south into Northern cities between 1914 and 1920

Republican Party established (1854)

organized in 1854 by antislavery Whigs, Democrats, and Free Soilers in response to the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act; nominated John C. Frémont for president in 1856 and Abraham Lincoln in 1860

Coinage Act of 1873/"Crime of 1873"

required all currency in the US to be backed by GOLD; helped cause the Panic of 1873

Cuban revolution against Spain begins, 1895

(1958) A political revolution that removed the United States supported Fugencio Batista from power. The revolution was led by Fidel Castro who became the new leader of Cuba as a communist dictator.

Hamilton and Jefferson (loose v strict interpretations of the Constitution)

*Hamilton was a Federalist*, and *Jefferson was an Anti-Federalist*. *Hamilton wanted a centralized government focused on commerce and industry and allied with the British*, while *Jefferson supported a decentralized agrarian republic focused on strong foreign relations with France.* Their *conflict helped develop political parties.* People who supported Jefferson were mostly artisans, shopkeepers, frontier settlers, or small farm owners. People who supported Hamilton were mostly merchants, bankers, manufacturers, and wealthy farmers. *Hamilton believed that the nation had to industrialize in order to compete with other nations, while Jefferson was convinced that an agrarian (agricultural) republic was absolutely necessary to keep Americans free.*

Grover Cleveland, 1893-1897 Second Administration(only President to serve two non-consecutive terms) Democrat VP - Adlai E. Stevenson

-Democrat -Knights of Labor, 1886 -Haymarket Riot, 1886 -Interstate Commerce Act, 1887 -Washburn v. Illinois, 1886

"Midnight Appointments"/Judiciary Act of 1801

-John Adams packed the federal court system with Federalists judges before he left office in attempt to keep federalist in control of the judiciary system -Led to one of the most important decisions in American Judicial history: Marbury vs. Madison which gave the Supreme Court the right to review all congression actions (judicial review)

08/26/1964: Democrats nominate JohnsonJohnson receives the Democratic nomination for President. Senator Hubert H. Humphrey (D-MN) is nominated as the vice-presidential candidate.

08/30/1964: Economic Opportunity ActJohnson signs the Economic Opportunity Act, creating the Office of Economic Opportunity and beginning the War on Poverty.

William Sylvis founds National Labor Union (8-hour movement), 1866

1866 - established by William Sylvis - wanted 8hr work days, banking reform, and an end to conviction labor - attempt to unite all laborers

05/10/1934: A severe dust storm hits the central and southern ...

A severe dust storm hits the central and southern plains, blowing an estimated 300,000,000 tons of topsoil from Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, and Colorado as far east as the Atlantic Ocean. It is only one of a number of such storms ravaging a region which becomes known as "the Dust Bowl." In large part, the conditions are due to the improper plowing and farming practices used to squeeze yields and profits out of the land during the Depression. Many inhabitants, some of whom are known as "Okies" and "Arkies," pack up their belongings and move to California.

08/1936: At the Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, Hitler's...

At the Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, Hitler's hope to use the games to demonstrate his country's national and racial superiority is dashed as African American Jesse Owens steals the spotlight, winning a historic four gold medals in track and field.

Civil Rights Act of 1957, first civil rights legislation since Reconstruction, establishes the Civil 28 Rights Commission (CRA) and a civil rights division in the Department of Justice, 1957

Civil Rights Act of 1957. In 1957, President Eisenhower sent Congress a proposal for civil rights legislation. ... The new act established the Civil Rights Section of the Justice Department and empowered federal prosecutors to obtain court injunctions against interference with the right to vote.

Air Force Academy established, 1953

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Eugene V. Debs forms the American Railway Union, 1893

Debs was instrumental in the founding of the American Railway Union (ARU), one of the nation's first industrial unions. ... He led a boycott by the ARU against handling trains with Pullman cars in what became the nationwide Pullman Strike, affecting most lines west of Detroit and more than 250,000 workers in 27 states.

Oil drilling spreads to Ohio, West Virginia, Wyoming, Texas, Indian Territory, Kansas, Louisiana, and Illinois, 1890-1900

Edwin L. Drake established the first oil well in 1859 in Titusville Pennsylvania. The demand grew and more oil fields quickly sprang up. By the 1870's, oil was the fourth largest export in the country

04/28/1934: FDR signs the Home Owners Loan Act, a bill designe...

FDR signs the Home Owners Loan Act, a bill designed to promote home construction.

05/01/1937: FDR signs the third Neutrality Act, extending for ...

FDR signs the third Neutrality Act, extending for another year the prohibitions against exporting arms and munitions to belligerents. Unlike the previous acts, this one also requires belligerents to pay with cash for certain non-military goods purchased in the United States and to provide for transport in their own ships, giving the act its name, "the cash-and-carry law."

11/08/1933: FDR, by executive order, establishes the Civil Wor...

FDR, by executive order, establishes the Civil Works Administration. Headed by Harry Hopkins, the CWA hopes to provide work for 4 million unemployed Americans.

Federal troops drive "Bonus Army" out of Washington, DC, 1932

In 1932, federal troops and police forcibly dispersed the so-called "Bonus Army" of unemployed World War I veterans who had marched on Washington, D.C., demanding immediate cash payouts of bonuses they weren't scheduled to receive until 1945.

President Carter and Soviet Premier Brezhnev sign SALT II talks, 1979

In June 1979, Carter and Brezhnev met in Vienna and signed the SALT-II agreement. The treaty basically established numerical equality between the two nations in terms of nuclear weapons delivery systems. It also limited the number of MIRV missiles (missiles with multiple, independent nuclear warheads).

Border Ruffians invade Kansas territory to vote for pro-slavery legislature, 1855

In Kansas, Border Ruffians was the name applied to pro-slavery activists from the slave state of Missouri, who from 1854 to 1860 crossed the state border into Kansas Territory to force the acceptance of slavery there. Armed Ruffians interfered in territorial elections, and attacked Free-State settlements.

03/14/1964: Jack Ruby convicted of murder

Jack Ruby is convicted of the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald and sentenced to death.

Tariff of 1832 and the nullification controversy, 1832

Jackson favored states rights. South Carolina legislation declared the crease tariff/tariff abominations to be unconstitutional. This proved John C Calhoun's nullification theory, each state had the right to decide whether to obey a federal law or declare it null.

07/02/1964: Civil Rights Act of 1964

Johnson signs The Civil Rights Act of 1964, outlawing discrimination based on race or color, sex, religion or national origin. This act also prohibits discrimination in voter registration as well as segregation in schools, employment and public accommodations.

McLaurin v Oklahoma State Regents tests the "separate but equal" principle, 1950

Minority student with a graduate degree who wanted a doctorate, applied and went to school and was told he could not attend that class but there would be another class at another time for him. Ruling was once admitted to a graduate school, you couldn't discriminate.

Nat Turner's insurrection, 1831

Nat Turner destroyed the white Southern myth that slaves were actually happy with their lives or too docile to undertake a violent rebellion. His revolt hardened proslavery attitudes among Southern whites and led to new oppressive legislation prohibiting the education, movement, and assembly of slaves.

National Geographic begins publication, 1888

National Geographic is the official magazine of the National Geographic Society. It has been published continuously since its first issue in 1888, nine months ... In 1995, National Geographic began publishing in Japanese, its first local

Anti-Saloon League founded, 1895

National organization set up in 1895 to work for prohibition. Later joined with the WCTU to publicize the effects of drinking.

Tecumseh (1811)

Native American chief who was encouraged by British forces to fight against pressured removal from Western territories William Henry Harrison destroyed the united Native American Confederacy at Tippecanoe

Coolidge tells newspaper editors, "the business of America is business," 1925

President Coolidge made his famous remark in an address to the Society of American Newspaper Editors on January 17, 1925 in Washington, D.C. The speech he gave that day was titled "The Press Under a Free Government." It focused on the role of the press in free market democracies, like America.

06/03/1915: Rule in U.S. Steel's favor

The District Court of New Jersey rules that U.S. Steel is a lawful corporation and not in violation of anti-trust laws.

US forces land in Nicaragua to keep order, 1926

The United States occupation of Nicaragua from 1912 to 1933 was part of the Banana Wars, ... The United States had limited military presence in Nicaragua, having only one ... to protect American citizens and property on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. ... This landing party reembarked aboard ship October 24 and 25, 1912.

11/06/1903: Panama recognized as a republic

The United States recognizes the Republic of Panama.

Ohio enters Union, 1803

The best flag in the Union. On February 19th, 1803, President Thomas Jefferson signed an act of Congress approving Ohio's admittance into the Union as its 17th state and its constitution. It wasn't until 1853, however, when Ohio Congressman George H.

US Naval College established, 1884

The college was established on October 6, 1884; its first president, Commodore Stephen B. Luce, was given the old building of the Newport Asylum for the Poor to house it on Coasters Harbor Island in Narragansett Bay. Among the first four faculty members were Tasker H. Bliss, a future Army Chief of Staff, James R.

National Road (Cumberland Road)

The first highway built by the federal government. Constructed during 1825-1850, it stretched from Pennsylvania to Illinois. It was a major overland shipping route and an important connection between the North and the West.

09/1936: The presidential campaigns heat up, with Roosevelt...

The presidential campaigns heat up, with Roosevelt being criticized from multiple sides for his New Deal policies. Nearly 80 percent of American newspapers endorse the Republican candidate Alf Landon, with many predicting a heavy defeat for the incumbent.

Germany divided between Federal Republic of Germany (West) and Democratic Republic of Germany (East), 1949-1989

The separation of Berlin began in 1945 after the collapse of Germany. ... After Germany was divided into two parts, East Germany built the Berlin Wall to prevent its citizens from fleeing to the west. The wall physically divided the country into easterncommunism and western democracy.

Armistice agreement ends the Korean War, 1953

This armistice signed on July 27, 1953, formally ended the war in Korea. North and South Korearemain separate and occupy almost the same territory they had when the war began. The Korean War, which began on June 25, 1950, when the North Koreans invaded South Korea, officially ended on July 27, 1953.

Second Seminole War (1835-1842)

This followed the refusal of most Seminoles to abandon the reservation that had been specifically established for them and to relocate west of the Mississippi River. White Americans wanted this land and sought to remove the Seminoles under the Indian Removal Act.

Geary Act extends Chinese exclusion for another ten years, 1892

This law prevented Chinese citizens from coming to American, but let the ones that were already here stay.

US tests hydrogen bomb, 1952

Two and a half years later on November 1, 1952, the United States tested its first ever thermonuclear device at Eniwetok Atoll in the South Pacific. The Mike Shot, as it was known, yielded 10 megatons of TNT and was roughly 1000 times larger than the bombdropped on Hiroshima seven years earlier.

05/1916: Marines land in Santo Domingo

U.S. Marines land in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to restore political stability. The American occupation continues until 1924.

President Anwar sadat of Egypt breaks out of Arab mold and visits Israel seeking peace, 1977

Why did Anwar Sadat make peace with Israel? The main features of the treaty were mutual recognition, cessation of the state of war that had existed since the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, normalization of relations and the complete withdrawal by Israel of its armed forces and civilians from the Sinai Peninsula which Israel had captured during the Six-Day War in 1967.

Truman begins aid to France in South Vietnam, 1946-

Why did President Truman agree to aid France in Vietnam? ... Truman believed that if he supported Vietnamese independence, he would weaken anticommunist forces in France. To ensure French support in the Cold war, Truman agreed to aid France'sefforts to regain control over Vietnam.

16th Amendment ratified, 1913

permitted Congress to levy taxes on an individual's income - supported by the Progressives.

Dartmouth College v. Woodward (1819)

case in which the Supreme Court prevented the New Hampshire from changing Dartmouth's charter to make it a public institution; the Court held that the contract clause of the Constitution extended to charters and that contracts could not be invalidated by state law. The case was one of a series of Court decisions that limited states' power and promoted business interests

Hatch Act enacted to provide funding for research in farming techniques and crop diseases, 1887

Act of 1887 Establishing Agricultural Experiment Stations (Hatch Act) ... Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of ... may provide colleges for the benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts," or any of ... on the physiology of plants and animals; the diseases to which they are severally

Bank veto issue, 1832 (charter due to expire 1836)

Andrew Jackson's 1832 veto of the proposed charter renewal for the Second Bank of the United States. The veto marked the beginning of Jackson's five-year battle against the national bank.

05/13/1908: First Conference of Governors

At the White House, the first Conference of Governors meets to discuss the problems of conservation.

Bell Telephone Company established to provide national electric service, 1877

Company founded by Alexander Graham Bell and his partners in 1877 to promote his telephone. When the tiny company later grew into the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, its research division was called Bell Laboratories.

Civil rights leader Medgar Evers (NAACP head of Mississippi) is assassinated, 1963

Civil rights leader Medgar Evers is assassinated. In the driveway outside his home in Jackson, Mississippi, African American civil rights leader Medgar Evers is shot to death by white supremacist Byron De La Beckwith.

Mexican War (1846-1848)

Conflict between the US and Mexico that after the US annexation of Texas, which Mexico still considered its own; US troops fought primarily on foreign soil; covered by mass-circulation newspapers; Whigs opposed

01/26/1915: Rocky Mountain National Park established

Congress establishes Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.

Whig Party Collapses(Conscience Whigs v Cotton Whigs), 1854

Cotton Whigs: a faction of the whig party in the North whose ties to textile manufacturing led them to de-emphasize slavery. Conscience Whigs: whigs in the north that were morally against slavery, were a big part in forming the Republican Party, (Sumner was a big part of this)

Walt Disney Productions introduces Mickey Mouse, 1928

Created as a replacement for a prior Disney character, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Mickey first appeared in the short Plane Crazy, debuting publicly in the short film Steamboat Willie (1928), one of the first sound cartoons.

Eisenhower severs diplomatic relations with Cuba, 1961

Cuba and the United States restored diplomatic relations on 20 July 2015, relationswhich had been severed in 1961 during the Cold War. ... In 1961, the U.S. severed diplomatic ties with Cuba and began pursuing covert operations to topple the Cubangovernment.

08/23/1906: Cuban President Tomás Estrada Palma asks Roosevelt to send...

Cuban President Tomás Estrada Palma asks Roosevelt to send American troops to Cuba to quell a rebellion which arose from a disputed election. TR demurs at first, but sends troops in October.

Tariff of 1789

Designed to raise revenue for the federal government, resulted in a government surplus.

John Harvey Kellogg markets the first breakfast flakes, 1895

Dr. John Harvey Kellogg experimented with granola. He boiled some wheat, rolled it into thin films, and baked the resulting flakes in the oven; he acquired a patent in 1891. In 1895 he launched Cornflakes, which overnight captured a national market.

02/05/1937: Emboldened by his sweeping electoral victory, FDR ...

Emboldened by his sweeping electoral victory, FDR sends his "court packing" scheme to Congress. He does so in a bill calling for the reorganization of the federal judiciary system, allegedly to make it more efficient at all levels. Frustrated by recent Supreme Court decisions against some of his New Deal policies, the bill calls for adding as many as six justices to the Court should any of the current members over age seventy--namely those that oppose his programs--refuse to retire. Within a month, Congress will pass the Supreme Court Retirement Act, a compromise of sorts, which permits justices to retire at seventy with full pay. The move fails to prompt any immediate resignations, and FDR takes a lot of criticism for the ploy, losing many long-time supporters.

Engel v Vitale raises the issue of religion in schools, 1962

Engel v. Vitale, 370 U.S. 421 (1962), was a landmark United States Supreme Court case in which the Court ruled that it is unconstitutional for state officials to compose an official school prayer and encourage its recitation in public schools. Engel has been the subject of intense debate.

John D. Rockefeller enters oil refinery business, 1865

Established the Standard Oil Company, the greatest, wisest, and meanest monopoly known in history

12/06/1933: Federal Judge John M. Woolsey lifts the ban on Jam...

Federal Judge John M. Woolsey lifts the ban on James Joyce's Ulysses, a major decision against the censorship of books.

Muslim Fundamentalist insurgents raid US embassy in Tehran and take personnel hostage, 1979

Fifty-two American diplomats and citizens were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979, to January 20, 1981, after a group of Iranian college students belonging to the Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line, who supported the Iranian Revolution, took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.

The Edison General Company merges with competitors to form General Electric Company, 1892

General Electric was formed through the 1892 merger of Edison General Electric Companyof Schenectady, New York, and Thomson-Houston Electric Company of Lynn, Massachusetts, with the support of Drexel, Morgan & Co. Both plants continue to operate under the GE banner to this day.

Beginnings of Nativism /American Republican Party, 1843

Group that formed in New York in June of 1843. Their primary focus was against immigrant voters as well as those seeking office

George Kennan, US ambassador to USSR, warns of the need for Allied "containment" of Soviet objectives in Eastern Europe, 1946

Kennan argued that to defeat communism over the long term, the U.S. should patiently yet firmly resist any additional expansion of Soviet communism. Such 'containment' of communist advance led to several major U.S. wars across the globe.

Washington Conference (1921-1922)

Meeting of world powers that resulted in agreements that limited naval arms, reaffirmed America's Open Door policy that kept Chinese trade open to all, and secured pledges of cooperation among the world's leading military powers

Herman Melville published Moby Dick (1851)

Melville's masterpiece; complex allegory of good and evil about a whaling captain named Ahab who sought revenge against a whale named Moby Dick for removing his leg; Moby Dick eventually sunk Ahab's ship; widely ignored at the time of its publication before of it's complexity

Standard Oil Trust broken by Ohio Supreme Court, 1892

Monopoly charges and antitrust legislation. By 1890, Standard Oil controlled 88 percent of the refined oil flows in the United States. The state of Ohio successfully sued Standard, compelling the dissolution of the trust in 1892. But Standard simply separated Standard Oil of Ohio and kept control of it.

Reconstruction Act of 1867 (Congressional Reconstruction)

Necessary requirements for the former Confederate States to be readmitted to the Union

02/23/1915: Nevada's easy divorce bill

Nevada signs an easy divorce bill, requiring only six months' residence for a divorce to take effect.

15th Amendment ratified, 1870

Nevada was the first state in 1869 to ratify the Fifteenth Amendment which provided that no citizen could be denied the right to vote on the basis of race.

Nevada enters Union, 1864

Nevada's entry into statehood in the United States on October 31, 1864, in the midst of the American Civil War, was expedited by Union sympathizers in order to ensure the state's participation in the 1864 presidential election in support of President Abraham Lincoln.

Alfred Nobel of Sweden invents the dynamite, 1866

Nitroglycerin was first invented by Italian chemist Ascanio Sobrero (1812-1888) in 1846. In its natural liquid state, nitroglycerin is very volatile. Nobel understood this and in 1866 discovered that mixing nitroglycerin with silica would turn the liquid into a malleable paste called dynamite.

Noah Webster publishes The American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828

Noah Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language is a work of great importance for modern readers who care about traditional values. The founding documents of the United States of America are contemporary with this 1828 dictionary, as are many other important books and documents of that time.

OPEC crisis deepens, 1974

October 1973 The OPEC oil embargo was an event where the 12 countries that made up OPEC stopped selling oil to the United States. The embargo sent gas prices through the roof. Between 1973-1974, prices more than quadrupled. In response to the oil crisis, the United States took steps to become increasingly energy independent.

Johnson Nominates Marshall to Supreme Court

On June 13, 1967, President Lyndon Johnson nominated Thurgood Marshall to be an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. When President Johnson nominated Marshall, he remarked, "I believe he earned that appointment; he deserves the appointment. He is best qualified by training and by very valuable service to the country. I believe it is the right thing to do, the right time to do it, the right man and the right place." Thurgood Marshall attended Howard University Law School and then went to work for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), eventually becoming chief counsel for the civil rights organization. He became famous for his civil rights litigation with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. He was one of the lawyers who argued before the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education, which was decided in 1954 and ruled that segregated education for blacks and whites was inherently unequal. In 1961, President John Kennedy appointed Marshall to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. In 1965, at the request of President Johnson, Marshall resigned his judgeship to become the first black Solicitor General of the United States. In this position, Marshall argued before the Supreme Court. The President viewed this position as a way of bolstering Marshall's legal reputation before he appointed him to the Supreme Court. If Marshall was compared to the radical groups emerging from the Civil Rights Movement in the late 1960s, he appeared quite conservative. As a lawyer, he valued upholding the law, and while he appreciated the attention that the protests of Martin Luther King, Jr., and others had attracted, he believed that permanent changes had to occur in the courts and the legislatures. Marshall was also a firm integrationist, believing that equality was best achieved by integrating society. Still, among white southerners the man who had argued the Brown case was too radical and had no place on the Supreme Court. President Johnson realized that this sentiment would make Marshall's confirmation difficult. After significant delays, Marshall finally received a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee and faced a barrage of hostile questions from southern senators. Some tried to paint him as a radical or a Communist, while Strom Thurmond of South Carolina tested Marshall with obscure legal and historical queries. Despite this opposition, the Judiciary Committee voted Marshall's nomination to the full floor of the Senate. In the floor vote, Johnson used his influence to convince twenty southern senators not to vote on the matter. Their absence assured Marshall's confirmation. On October 2, 1967, Marshall became the ninety-sixth justice of the Supreme Court. He was the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court. Marshall remained on the court for twenty-four years, providing an increasingly unaccompanied liberal voice on the law. Marshall's appointment to the court was a symbolic and significant action in moving the nation toward racial equality.

Paula Jones sexual harassment case brought against Clinton, 1994-1999

Paula Corbin Jones is an American civil servant. A former Arkansas state employee, Jones sued U.S. president Bill Clinton for sexual harassment.

Kennedy develops a theory of "flexible response" in approach to containment, involving a whole a plethora of response mechanisms, different in intensity and scope, to meet enemy threats, 1961

Policy of having the option of using either nuclear or conventional forces in responce to a threat

Democratic party splits: Silver Democrats (William Jennings Bryan) v Gold Democrats, 1895

Populist nominee. The Populist strategy for 1896 was to nominate the candidatemost supportive of silver. ... According to Stanley Jones, "the Democratic endorsement of silver and Bryan at Chicago precipitated the disintegration" of the Populist Party; it was never again a force in national politics after 1896.

Eisenhower pledges support to regime of Ngo Dinh Diem, new premier of South Vietnam, 1954

President Eisenhower pledges support to South Vietnam. ... Ultimately his refusal to make any substantial changes to meet the needs of the people led to extreme civil unrest and eventually a coup by dissident South Vietnamese generals in which Diemand his brother were murdered

03/14/1903: First federal bird reservation

Roosevelt proclaims Pelican Island, Florida, as the first federal bird reservation.

Panama Canal Treaty signed, September 1977

September 7,1977 The treaties guaranteed that Panama would gain control of the Panama Canal after 1999, ending the control of the canal that the U.S. had exercised since 1903. The treaties are named after the two signatories, U.S. President Jimmy Carter and the Commander of Panama's National Guard, General Omar Torrijos.

11th Amendment, 1798

States may not be sued by individuals.

Mann-Elkins Act places telephone, telegraph, cable, and wireless companies under the jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Commission, 1910

Summary and definition: The 1910 Mann-Elkins Act was a federal law passed during the Progressive Movement that extended the 1887 Interstate Commerce Act and the authority of the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to set railroad rates and regulate the telecommunications industry.

U.S. v. E.C. Knight Company (1895)

Supreme Court Case that said the federal government has no power to break up a sugar monopoly because sugar is produced within the states, therefore the federal government has no constitutional authority over intra-state (within a state) commerce.

02/20/1907: Immigration Act of 1907

TR signs the Immigration Act of 1907, which includes a provision allowing the President to restrict Japanese immigration. The issue had been a matter of great debate during TR's tenure, and Roosevelt proclaimed in his 1905 State of the Union address, that "probably a very large proportion, including most of the undesirable class [of immigrants], does not come here of its own initiative, but because of the activity of the agents of the great transportation companies, they wheedle and cajole many immigrants, often against their best interest, to come here."

06/17/1902: Newlands Reclamation Act

TR signs the Newlands Reclamation Act, thereby authorizing federal irrigation projects.

Trans-Atlantic cable is completed, 1866

Telegram cable laid under the Atlantic Ocean that allowed quick communication between Europe and America.

"Star-Spangled banner" composed, 1814

The national anthem of the United States written by Francis Scott Key, inspired by the battle of Fort McHenry

Marbury v. Madison, 1803

This case establishes the Supreme Court's power of Judicial Review

Booker T. Washington calls on blacks to emphasize education and economic gain over political activism and equality, 1895

W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington sharply disagreed on strategies for black social and economic progress. ... Their opposing philosophies can be found in much of today's discussions over how to end ... Du Bois advocated political action and a civil rights agenda (he helped found the NAACP).

US national debt rises to $130 billion, 1985

Which president created the most debt? Truman led to the largest increase in public debt. Public debt rose over 100% of GDP to pay for the mobilization before and during the war. Public debt was $251.43 billion or 112% of GDP at the conclusion of the war in 1945 and was $260 billion in 1950.

Jacob Riis publishes How the Other Half Lives, 1890

book by John Riis that told the public about the lives of the immigrants and those who live in the tenements. Was very graphic and caused people to re-evaluate tenement houses

The rechartering of the National Bank, 1816

politically decisive issue, Second Bank of the United States was created in the aftermath of the War of 1812 and was a divisive issue over the proper role of the federal government and monetary policy

Warsaw Pact formed by Soviets against NATO, 1955

The Warsaw Treaty Organization (also known as the Warsaw Pact) was a political and military alliance established on May 14, 1955 between the Soviet Union and several Eastern European countries.

US facilitates Israeli-Palestinian peace talks at the Wye River Plantation, 1998-

The Wye River Memorandum was an agreement negotiated between Israel and the Palestinian Authority at a summit in Wye River, Maryland, U.S., held from 15-23 October 1998.

First comic strip, Richard Outcault's "Yellow Kid," appears in New York Herald, 1896

The Yellow Kid is an American comic strip character that appeared from 1895 to 1898 in Joseph Pulitzer's New York World, and later William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal. Created and drawn by Richard F.

Langston Hughes publishes The Weary Blues, 1926

"Dream Variation" Hughes,published in 1926inThe Weary Blues, his first poetry collection. The poem articulates the dream of African Americans as the speaker yearns for freedom and for acceptance in American society.

Soviets boycott Olympic games of Los Angeles, 1984

The boycott of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles followed four years after the U.S.-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. The boycott involved 14 Eastern Bloc countries and allies, led by the Soviet Union, which initiated the boycott on May 8, 1984.

Kansas voters reject the Lecompton Constitution, 1858

The document was written in response to the anti-slavery position of the 1855 Topeka Constitution of James H. ... Both the Topeka and Lecompton constitutions were placed before the people of the Kansas Territory for a vote, and both votes were boycotted by supporters of the opposing faction.

National Origins Immigration Act, 1929

-restricted immigration from any one nation to two percent of the number of people already in the U.S. of that national origin in 1890 -Severely restricted immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe, and excluded Asians entirely

07/13/1967: Riots break out Newark, New JerseyRiots break out in Newark, New Jersey, after racial tensions in the city were escalated by the police beating of a cab driver. The riots lasted 5 days leaving 26 dead and hundreds injured. 07/23/1967: 12th Street riot, DetroitRacial tensions in the city of Detroit came to a head after a police raid of an unlicensed bar led to confrontations between police and patrons and escalated to 5 days of riots; the Michigan Army National Guard and two airborne divisions were sent in, 7,200 arrests were made, 43 people died and 1,189 were injured. 10/21/1967: Anti-war march to PentagonAnti-war demonstrators march to the Pentagon in an attempt to shut it down.

01/22/1968: North Korean capture U.S.S. PuebloNorth Korean forces capture the U.S.S. Pueblo. 01/30/1968: Tet OffensiveNorth Vietnamese troops surprise South Vietnamese and American troops by attacking during the Tet holiday. While the Tet Offensive is not a military loss for the United States, it leads to a loss of confidence in the Johnson administration's prosecution of the war.

01/20/1965: Johnson inauguratedJohnson is inaugurated President of the United States.

02/09/1965: Bombing begins in VietnamNine American soldiers are killed in an attack on U.S. barracks in Pleiku, Vietnam. Johnson begins the bombing of North Vietnam.

06/13/1966: Miranda v. ArizonaIn Miranda v. Arizona, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that the constitutional provision against self-incrimination applies to police interrogations; this led to the "Miranda rights" procedure in which these rights are read upon arrest. 10/1966: Black Panther Party foundedHuey P. Newton and Bobby Seale found the Black Panther Party in Oakland, California. 01/27/1967: Astronauts killed in fireA launch pad fire during tests for the Apollo program kills three astronauts.

02/10/1967: Twenty-Fifth Amendment ratifiedThe Twenty-Fifth Amendment to the Constitution is ratified, providing rules of succession upon the death or incapacitation of the President, and enabling the President to appoint a new vice-president in the case of a vacancy. 06/05/1967: Six Day WarThe Six Day War breaks out between Israel and several Arab nations. 06/14/1967: Thurgood Marshall becomes Supreme Court justiceJohnson appoints Thurgood Marshall to the Supreme Court.

02/21/1965: Malcolm X assassinatedBlack power activist Malcolm X is assassinated in New York City by members of the Nation of Islam, an organization to which Malcolm X had belonged. Tensions between X and NOI leadership led to his suspension from the group and subsequent assassination.

03/15/1965: Johnson calls voting legislationJohnson calls for voting rights legislation, leading to the Voting Rights Act.

02/08/1968: George Wallace enters the raceAlabama Governor George Wallace enters the presidential race as an independent. 03/12/1968: Johnson wins NH primaryJohnson wins the New Hampshire Democratic primary, but anti-war candidate Eugene McCarthy comes in a close second with 42 percent of the vote. 03/16/1968: My Lai massacreU.S. forces in Vietnam commit massacre in the hamlet of My Lai; hundreds of unarmed men, women, and children are killed. News of the event would not reach the public until November 1969.

03/16/1968: Robert Kennedy enters the raceRobert Kennedy enters the race for the Democratic nomination for President. 03/31/1968: Johnson makes announcementsJohnson announces a partial bombing halt and his unwillingness to seek reelection to the presidency.

03/21/1965: Selma to Montgomery marchLed by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., thousands of peaceful protesters marched over several days from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in reaction to the police murder of activist Jimmie Lee Jackson as well as to highlight civil rights efforts in the state. This was actually the third attempt to complete the March; the first ended in the notorious "Bloody Sunday" attack of protesters by Alabama state troopers, and the second, "Turnaround Tuesday," ended when MLK led the crowd back in compliance with a court order. The third March followed after a federal judge ruled the marchers' First Amendment right to protest could not be infringed, allowing the marchers to proceed without being hindered by law enforcement. Widely televised with particular media attention on "Bloody Sunday," the series of marches was successful in bringing national attention to civil rights issues in the state and led to Johnson's proposal of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

04/11/1965: Elementary and Secondary Education Act Johnson signs the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. 04/28/1965: Johnson sends troops to Dominican RepublicJohnson sends U.S. marines to the Dominican Republic to protect U.S. citizens after a military coup and resulting Dominican Civil War. 06/07/1965: Contraceptive ban deemed unconstitutionalThe U.S. Supreme Court finds a Connecticut law banning the use of contraceptives unconstitutional. 07/26/1965: Movement moves NorthMartin Luther King Jr. leads a demonstration in Chicago in an effort to extend the Civil Rights Movement to the North. 07/28/1965: Escalation in VietnamJohnson increases the number of troops sent to Vietnam, indicating his determination to engage in a ground war. 07/30/1965: Medicare, Medicaid createdJohnson signs legislation creating Medicare and Medicaid.

04/04/1968: Martin Luther King Jr. assassinatedMartin Luther King Jr. is assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. 04/23/1968: Columbia University protestsStudents at Columbia University take over several buildings on campus in protest of the University's support of U.S. involvement in Vietnam and the school's proposed construction of a segregated gymnasium. The protests occurred several times from April to May and ended with violent removal of students from buildings by the NYPD, nearly 200 arrests and dozens of suspensions.

04/29/1968: Poor People's Campaign begins Ralph Abernathy of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) begins the Poor People's Campaign in Washington, D.C. to demand economic and human rights for poor Americans. 05/13/1968: Paris peace talks beingThe United States and North Vietnam begin peace talks in Paris. 06/05/1968: Robert Kennedy assassinatedSenator Robert Kennedy is assassinated after winning the Democratic primary in California. 08/20/1968: Soviets invade CzechoslovakiaThe Soviet Union invades Czechoslovakia to end the movement toward greater freedom and independence.

08/01/1965: A paper by Daniel Patrick Moynihan...A paper by Daniel Patrick Moynihan entitled, The Negro Family: The Case For National Action, is released. The conclusions of this "Moynihan Report" create heated controversy due to the stereotypical and racially biased root of its argument and the consequences of its "blaming the victim." 08/05/1965: Voting Rights Act becomes lawJohnson signs the Voting Rights Act into law.

08/11/1965: Watts RiotsThe Watts Riots break out in the Watt neighborhood of Los Angeles. Incited by an altercation between law enforcement and a drunk driver, the situation escalated until nearly 4,000 California Army National Guard members, 16,000 law enforcement officials, and 30,000 residents became involved over six days, resulting in 34 deaths, 3,438 arrests and $40 million in property damage. 02/21/1966: France withdraws from NATOFearing that American involvement in Vietnam will draw France into a world war, French president Charles de Gaulle announces that France will withdraw from NATO.

09/27/1964: Kennedy conspiracy rejectedThe Warren Commission releases its report, rejecting the notion that Kennedy was assassinated as part of a conspiracy.

10/14/1964: Martin Luther King Jr. receives Nobel Peace PrizeMartin Luther King Jr. is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Webster-Ashburton Treaty (1842)

1842 between the US and the Brits, settled boundry disputes in the North West, fixed most borders between US and Canada, talked about slavery and excredition

Clayton-Bulwer Treaty (1850) (in anticipation of a canal across Central America)

1850 - Treaty between U.S. and Great Britain agreeing that neither country would try to obtain exclusive rights to a canal across the Isthmus of Panama. Abrogated by the U.S. in 1881.

Department of Energy established, 1977

1977 - Carter added it to the Cabinet to acknowledge the importance of energy conservation.

Construction begins on Erie Canal, 1817

350 mile canal built by the state of NY that stretched from Buffalo to Albany; the canal revolutionized shipping in NY and opened up new markets (evidence of the Market Revolution)

05/07/1915: Sinking of the Lusitania

A German U-Boat torpedoes the British passenger liner Lusitania off the coast of Ireland. The American public recoils at the loss of 1,198 civilians, including 114 Americans. The Wilson administration issues a fiery response to Germany, holding that nation responsible for the loss of American lives and the violation of American neutrality. Eager to keep the United States at bay, Berlin promptly expresses its regret but claims that the British were illegally smuggling arms aboard the ship.

Specie circular adopted to curtail overspeculation in public land sales, 1836

A flurry of land speculation and inflation followed. To curtail these alarming trends, Jackson issued the Species Circular on July 11, 1836. The executive order meant that federal land could no longer be bought with paper money, but only with gold or silver.

07/11/1905: The Niagara Movement and the NAACP

A group of black intellectuals, including W.E.B. DuBois, meets near Niagara Falls to demand racial equality. This begins the Niagara Movement, a forerunner of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

10/19/1904: American Tobacco Company created

A merger between the Consolidated and the American & Continental tobacco companies produces the American Tobacco Company.

Henry David Thoreau publishes Walden (1854)

A novel was written by Hanry David Thoreau which exposed transcendentalism-that is, truth through inner reflection & exposure to nature. It recorded Thoreau's thoughts concerning the value of a life of simplicity & contemplation.

Transcendentalism, 1836-1850

A philosophy pioneered by Ralph Waldo Emerson in the 1830's and 1840's, in which each person has direct communication with God and Nature, and there is no need for organized churches. It incorporated the ideas that mind goes beyond matter, intuition is valuable, that each soul is part of the Great Spirit, and each person is part of a reality where only the invisible is truly real. Promoted individualism, self-reliance, and freedom from social constraints, and emphasized emotions.

09/22/1906: Atlanta, Georgia race riot

A race riot in Atlanta, Georgia, leaves twenty-one people dead, including eighteen black Americans.

11/03/1903: Revolt in Panama

A revolt breaks out in Panama against Colombian rule. The uprising is sponsored by Panamanian agents and officers of the Panama Canal Company, with tacit permission of the Roosevelt administration. The presence of the American Navy prevents Colombia from crushing the revolt.

Tennessee passes first prohibition law, 1838

The first Prohibition law in the history of the United States is passed in Tennessee, making it a misdemeanor to sell alcoholic beverages in taverns and stores. The bill stated that all persons convicted of retailing "spirituous liquors" would be fined at the "discretion of the court" and that the fines would be used in support of public schools.

University of California Regents v Bakke, 1978

Affirmative action is upheld, but quotas (spots set aside) for admission spots are not allowed.

Eisenhower appoints Earl Warren Chief Justice, 1953

After Eisenhower won election as president, he appointed Warren as Chief Justice. Warren helped arrange a unanimous decision in Brown v.

Slave trade declared piracy, 1820

An Act to protect the commerce of the United States and punish the crime of piracy is an 1819 United States federal statute against piracy, amended in 1820 to declareparticipating in the slave trade or robbing a ship to be piracy as well.

Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961)

An unsuccessful action by a CIA-trained force of Cuban exiles to invade southern Cuba, with support and encouragement from the U.S. government, in an attempt to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro.

Formation of the Whig Party/Second Party System, 1832/1834

Andrew Jackson, (AJack)-1832-One of the two dominant political parties in power in the U.S. from the mid-1830s to the mid-1850s. The party was formed in 1834 by members of the defunct National-Republican Party and others opposed to the policies of President Andrew Jackson. It was composed of many factions, united only in their opposition to the Democratic Party. Opposed the "Jacksonian tyranny," supported a more active national government, economic development, and humanitarian reform

Susan B. Anthony is arrested in Rochester, New York, for voting in presidential elections, 1872

Anthony at the Voting Polls, 1872. Susan B. Anthony devoted more than fifty years of her life to the cause of woman suffrage. After casting her ballot in the 1872 Presidential election in her hometown of Rochester, New York, she was arrested, indicted, tried, and convicted for voting illegally.

Arizona enters Union, 1912

Arizona, the Grand Canyon state, achieved statehood on February 14, 1912, the last of the 48 coterminous United Statesto be admitted to the union. Originally part of New Mexico, the land was ceded to the United States in 1848, and became a separate territory in 1863.

Arkansas enters Union, 1836

Arkansas Became a State. Arkansas became the 25th state of the United States on June 15, 1836. Native Americans, known as bluff dwellers, first lived in Arkansas. They had a thriving culture along the Mississippi and Arkansas rivers as far back as 500 A.D.

Bland-Allison Act, 1878

Authorized coinage of a limited number of silver dollars and "silver certificate" paper money. First of several government subsidies to silver producers in depression periods. Required government to buy between $2 and $4 million worth of silver. Created a partial dual coinage system referred to as "limping bimetallism." Repealed in 1900.

1901-1914 Automobile industry boom

Automotive industry in the United States. The automotive industry in the United States began in the 1890s and, as a result of the size of the domestic market and the use of mass production, rapidly evolved into the largest in the world.

Clara Barton establishes the American Red Cross, 1881

Barton risked her life to bring supplies and support to soldiers in the field during the Civil War. She founded the American Red Cross in 1881, at age 59, and led it for the next 23 years. Her understanding of the ways she could provide help to people in distress guided her throughout her life.

At the urging of Clara Barton, Senate ratifies the 1864 Geneva Convention on the treatment of the wounded in wartime, 1882

Barton wrote to the United States Senate's Committee on Foreign ... of the American National Red Cross and its work in both wartime and natural disasters. ... the Wounded in Time of War," better known as the Geneva Convention

Vice-President TR gives "speak softly and carry a big stick" speech at Minnesota state fair, 1901

Big stick ideology, big stick diplomacy, or big stick policy refers to President Theodore Roosevelt's foreign policy: "speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far." ... Roosevelt never had a large army at his disposal.

06/22/1937: Boxer Joe Louis becomes World Heavyweight Champion...

Boxer Joe Louis becomes World Heavyweight Champion after knocking out James J. Braddock in the eighth round. He is second African American to win the title and will remain the champ until he retires in 1949.

US participates in multinational force to crush Boxer Rebellion in China, 1900

Boxer Rebellion: 1900 As the Western powers and Japan organized amultinational force to crushtherebellion, the siege stretched into weeks, and the diplomats, their families and guards suffered through hunger and degrading conditions as they fought to keep theBoxersat bay

Chicago spends over $300 million on civic design and urban improvement, a movement sponsored by Daniel Burnham, 1910-1920

Burnham plan for Chicago of 1909, after DC Mall, Cleveland and San Francisco, concept intended to: "restore to the city a lost visual and aesthetic harmony, thereby creating the physical prerequisite for the emergence of a harmonious social order".

North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) draft is approved, 1992

Carlos Salinas de Gortari. Preliminary agreement on the pact was reached in August 1992, and it was signed by the three leaders on December 17. NAFTA was ratified by the three countries' national legislatures in 1993 and went into effect on January 1, 1994.

04/13/1906: Clashes in Brownsville

Clashes erupt in Brownsville, Texas, after white civilians taunt black soldiers. Three whites are killed.

Samuel Morse receives patent for telegraph, 1837

Communication inventor whose early invention greatly aided communication during the Civil War era

02/19/1903: Elkins Anti-Rebate Act

Congress approves the Elkins Anti-Rebate Act, making it illegal for railroads to give rebates on their published freight rates. The Elkins Act is a response to railroads engaging in business practices that gave certain shippers and certain areas a marked advantage. It would fall short of regulating railroads sufficiently; the Hepburn Act would have to be instituted three years later to further that cause.

Maine enters Union, 1820

Congress established Maine as the 23rd state under the Missouri Compromise of 1820. This arrangement allowed Maine to join the Union as a free state, with Missouri entering a year later as a slave state, thereby preserving the numerical balance between free and slave states in the nation.

04/27/1935: Congress establishes the Soil Conservation Service...

Congress establishes the Soil Conservation Service within the Department of Agriculture to promote better use of farmlands and to prevent a recurrence of the "Dust Bowl" of the previous spring.

04/29/1902: Chinese Exclusion Act

Congress extends the Chinese Exclusion Act, prohibiting the immigration of Chinese laborers from the Philippines.

03/09/1933: Congress meets beginning what is later known as Ro...

Congress meets beginning what is later known as Roosevelt's "Hundred Days." During this period, Congress enacts many of the principal programs of FDR's "New Deal." It passes the Emergency Banking Act on March 9, allowing banks to reopen as soon as they can prove they are solvent; within three days, more than 1,000 banks will reopen, helping to raise the nation's confidence almost overnight.

05/08/1914: Smith-Lever Act

Congress passes The Smith-Lever Act, providing federal funds for agricultural instruction for farmers and state college students.

01/26/1907: Campaign finance restrictions

Congress passes a law prohibiting campaign contributions to candidates for national office.

07/22/1937: Congress passes the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenancy Ac...

Congress passes the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenancy Act, establishing the Farm Securities Administration (FSA), which provides low-interest loans to struggling farmers.

06/19/1934: Congress passes the Communications Act, creating t...

Congress passes the Communications Act, creating the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to regulate radio, telegraph, and telephone communications. The FCC replaces the much narrower focused Federal Radio Commission, established in 1927 under Coolidge.

04/08/1935: Congress passes the Emergency Relief Appropriation...

Congress passes the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act. The bill authorizes nearly $5 billion to establish federal programs in line with FDR's goals. The first of these, the Resettlement Administration (RA), will be created less than a month later and will help rural, and some urban, families relocate to more productive regions of the country.

05/27/1933: Congress passes the Federal Securities Act, requir...

Congress passes the Federal Securities Act, requiring all issues of stocks and bonds to be registered and approved by the federal government.

08/07/1964: Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution giving the President power to pursue military action in Vietnam.

06/28/1902: Isthmian Canal Act

Congress passes the Isthmian Canal Act, which called for the funding and building of a canal across the Isthmus of Panama.

06/03/1916: National Defense Act

Congress passes the National Defense Act in response to deteriorating relations between Germany and the United States. The act bolsters the standing Army to 175,000 and the National Guard to 450,000.

09/02/1937: Congress passes the National Housing Act. The bill...

Congress passes the National Housing Act. The bill establishes the U.S. Housing Authority, which is charged with administering loans for rural and urban home construction.

07/01/1902: Philippine Government Act

Congress passes the Philippine Government Act, establishing the Philippine Islands as an unorganized territory and all inhabitants as territorial citizens.

06/12/1934: Congress passes the Reciprocal Trade Agreement Act...

Congress passes the Reciprocal Trade Agreement Act, allowing the President to cut tariffs by as much as 50 percent--without the consent of the Senate--for those nations granting the U.S. most-favored-nation trading status.

03/31/1933: Congress passes the Reforestation Relief Act, whic...

Congress passes the Reforestation Relief Act, which provides for the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC offers immediate work to some 250,000 young men (ages 18-25) through a national reforestation program; by its conclusion in 1941, it will have employed more than 2 million young men.

08/30/1935: Congress passes the Revenue Act

Congress passes the Revenue Act, increasing taxes on inheritances and gifts, as well as on higher incomes and corporations. The bill reverses long-standing revenue laws that had favored America's wealthiest elite.

05/18/1933: Congress passes the Tennessee Valley Act, establis...

Congress passes the Tennessee Valley Act, establishing the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), to control flooding in the Tennessee River Valley and provide for rural electrification in the seven states comprising the region. The goal is to raise the social and economic standards of the residents of this relatively remote section of the country; critics view the TVA as dangerously socialistic, while admirers will view it as one of the nation's most successful social projects.

03/24/1934: Congress passes the Tydings-McDuffie Act, guarante...

Congress passes the Tydings-McDuffie Act, guaranteeing Philippine independence ten years after the Philippine legislature meets the terms of the act. Independence does not come formally until July 4, 1946.

05/11/1935: Continuing the new phase of programs, FDR establis...

Continuing the new phase of programs, FDR establishes the Rural Electrification Administration to provide loans for the construction of power plants and lines to those regions that private companies deemed unprofitable. Public utilities will come under federal regulation following the passage of the Public Utilities Act in August.

01/29/1935: Continuing to shun formal involvement in internati...

Continuing to shun formal involvement in international organizations, the Senate rejects American participation in the World Court by a vote of 52 to 36.

Preliminary Emancipation Declaration, 1862

Declared after the Battle of Antietam in September 1862, it stated that as of 1 January 1863, slaves would be free. It did not apply to slaves in Union states or Union held territories. It applied only to slaves in the Confederate states.

Commonwealth v. Hunt (1842)

Declared that labor unions were lawful organizations and that the strike was a lawful weapon.

Texas v. White (1869)

Declared that secession was an illegal act and asserted the right of Congress to reframe state governments, thus endorsing the Radical Republican point of view.

U.S. v. Reese (1876)

Declared that the 15th Amendment did not automatically protect the right of African Americans to vote (only listed the ways that states were not allowed to prevent them from voting)

Adkins v. Children's Hospital (1923)

Declared unconstitutional a minimum wage law for women on the grounds that it denied women freedom of contract.

Andrew Jackson (1829-1837) Democrat VP - John C. Calhoun and Martin Van Buren

Democratic Domestic Affairs: Spoils system in appt's Indian Removal Worcester v Georgia Trail of Tears Rejection of American System Eaton Affair Tariff/Nullification crisis Compromise of 1833 Force Bill Take down of the Bank Kitchen Cabinet Peggy Eaton Whigs Bank War—Pet Banks Foreign Affairs: Near conflict with France over Napoleonic debts Butler incident Texan independence Tariff of Abominations

James Buchanan (1857-1861) Democrat VP- John C. Breckinridge

Democratic Domestic Affairs: Bleeding Kansas Dred Scott Case John Brown's invasion at Harper's Ferry Secession crisis John Brown Lecompton Constitution Foreign Affairs: Asserted authority in Central America Continued desire to annex Cuba

John Quincy Adams (1825-1829) National Republican VP - John C. Calhoun Secretary of State - Henry Clay

Democratic Domestic Affairs: Corrupt Bargain American System Internal improvements Foreign Affairs: Hampered by opponents in Congress Accomplishments came as Sec of State under Monroe

Franklin Pierce (1853-1857) Democrat VP - William Rufus De Vane King

Democratic Domestic Affairs: Kansas-Nebraska Act Bleeding Kansas Foreign Affairs: Gadsen Purchase Attempt to secure Cuba-Ostend Manifesto William Walker Nicaraguan dictatorship

Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1933-1945 (Only president to have served four terms) Democrat VP - John Garner, Henry A. Wallace, Harry Truman

Democratic Domestic Affairs: New Deal Review Alphabet soup Introduced socialist principles "Brain Trust" Rationing during wartime Mobilization for WWII Lend-Lease Cash and Carry Foreign Affairs: Internationalist (Wilson) Good Neighbor Policy (Latin America) Neutrality Acts (1935, 1939) World War II (see War chart)

Woodrow Wilson, 1913-1921 Democrat VP - Thomas Riley Marshall

Democratic Domestic Affairs: New Freedom Tariff reduction Federal Reserve Act (1913) -flexible monetary supply Federal Trade Comm Clayton Antitrust Act Triple Wall of Privilege 16th Amendment- income tax 17th Amendment -Women suffrage War Industries Board Committee on Public Info Espionage and Sedition Acts Foreign Affairs: Missionary Diplomacy Self-determination Pancho Villa/ Crisis in Mexico World War I Zimmerman Telegram General John Pershing Fourteen Points Open treaties Free seas Self-determination League of Nations

Harry S. Truman (1945-1953) Democrat VP - Alben Barkley

Democratic Domestic Affairs: Labor unrest struggles (mine workers) Dixiecrats Fair Deal FELP Econ slowdown McCarthyism Corruption Foreign Affairs: Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Strong National security team Marshall, Acheson Early Cold War Secured UN Korean War (see chart) Creation of Israel Truman Doctrine

James K. Polk (1845-1849) Original "dark horse" candidate Democrat VP - George Dallas

Democratic Domestic Affairs: Walker Tariff bill lowered rates Independent Treasury 1846 Wilmot Proviso Annexation of Texas Gold in California Foreign Affairs: Oregon "54°40' or Fight." -secured to 49th Mexican American War -see war chart Treaty of New Grenada (trading in Panama) Slidell Mission

James Monroe (1817-1825) RepublicanVP - Daniel Tompkins Secretary of State - John Quincy Adams

Democratic Republic Domestic Affairs: "Era of Good Feelings National Tour Assembled strong cabinet The Panic of 1819 Missouri Compromise Liberia The American System Henry Clay Foreign Affairs: Rush-Bagot Treaty Adams-Onis Treaty Monroe Doctrine Neutrality in Europe Prevent regaining colonies Prevent further coloization

James Madison (1809-1817) RepublicanVP - George Clinton Secretary of State - James Monroe

Democratic Republic Domestic Affairs: Rechartering of National Bank (20 year charter) Tippecanoe Harrison vs. Tecumseh and Prophet Hartford Convention Foreign Affairs: Macon's Bill No. 2 War of 1812 Harrison New Orleans (Jackson)

Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809) Republican VP - Aaron Burr Secretary of State - James Madison

Democratic Republican Domestic Policy: Shrink size of federal government Repeal of Alien and Sedition Acts Marbury v Madison War with Supreme Court—Pickering/Chase Burr Conspiracy Essex Junto Revolution of 1800 Berlin and Milan/Orders in Council Foreign Policy: Barbary Pirates conflict Louisiana Purchase Chesapeake incident/ impressment Embargo Act > Non-Intercourse Act Napoleon

war hawks (1811-1812)

Democratic-Republican Congressmen who pressed James Madison to declare war on Britain. Largely drawn from the South and West, the war hawks resented British constraints on American trade and accused the British of supporting Indian attacks against American settlements on the frontier.

11/03/1914: Democrats gain seats

Democrats gain five seats in the Senate giving them a 56-40 majority. Democrats in the House fare worse, losing 61 seats. Nevertheless, Wilson's party retains a 230-196 majority with nine seats held by minor parties.

06/14/1916: Democrats re-nominate Wilson

Democrats re-nominate Woodrow Wilson and vice president Thomas Marshall at their national convention.

Dennis v US reflects the Red Scare and McCarthy era, 1951

Dennis v. United States, case in which the U.S. Supreme Court on June 4, 1951, upheld the constitutionality of the Smith Act (1940), which made it a criminal offense to advocate the violent overthrow of the government or to organize or be a member of any group or society devoted to such advocacy.

President Cleveland urges reduction of federal surplus by amendment of tariff laws, 1887

Description. After 450 amendments, the Tariff Act of 1890 was passed and increased average duties across all imports from 38% to 49.5%. McKinley was known as the "Napoleon of Protection," and rates were raised on some goods and lowered on others, always in an attempt to protect American manufacturing interests.

Pro-slavery forces sack Lawrence, KS/Bleeding Kansas (1856)

Disagreements over whether slavery should be allowed in Kansas led to violence among settlers.

Declaration of Sentiments (1848)

Document based on the Declaration of Independence that called for gender equality, written primarily by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and signed by Seneca Falls Convention delegates.

Andrew Carnegie donates $135 million to establish the Carnegie Foundation, 1911

During his lifetime, Carnegie gave away over $350 million. Many persons of wealthhave contributed to charity, but Carnegie was perhaps the first to state publicly that the rich have a moral obligation to give away their fortunes.

US triggered "incident" in Hawaii establishes US protectorate over the islands, 1893

During the 1800s American sugar planters obtained land and influence in Hawaii and expanded American-Hawaiian sugar trade, although native monarchs continued to rule.

Johnson Restores Writ of Habeas Corpus, 1865

During the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus—meaning to "present the body," or to be informed by a court of the charges before you—numerous times beginning in April 1861 upon the onset of war.

Whiskey Ring 1875

During the Grant administration, a group of federal revenue agents conspired with the liquor industry to cheat the federal government out of millions of dollars.

After intense lobbying by US delegate Eleanor Roosevelt, UN adopts Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT She served as the first Chairperson of the Commission onHuman Rightsand played an instrumentalrolein drafting theUniversal Declaration of Human Rights. ... In 1968, she was posthumously awarded theUnited Nations Human RightsPrize.

Eisenhower refuses to apologize for the U-2 flights, 1960

Eisenhower, however, refused to issue a formal apology to the Soviet Union; he had taken a great personal interest in the spyplane program, and considered the violation of Soviet airspace and the reconnaissance of Soviet nuclear facilities serious enough to personally approve each flight.

Vladimir Putin is elected president of the Russian Federation, 2000

Elected President The2000 Russian presidential electionwas held on 26 March2000. Incumbent Prime MinisterandactingPresident Vladimir Putin, who had succeeded Boris Yeltsin on his resignation on 31 December 1999, was seeking a four-year term in his own rightandwon theelectionsin the first round.

Harding releases Eugene Debs from prison, 1921

Eugene Victor "Gene" Debs (November 5, 1855 - October 20, 1926) was an American socialist, political activist, trade unionist, one of the founding members of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) and five times the candidate of the Socialist Party of America for President of the United States.[1]Through his presidential candidacies as well as his work with labor movements, Debs eventually became one of the best-known socialists living in the United States.

12/11/1937: International relations continue to sour as Italy ...International relations continue to sour as Italy withdraws from the League of Nations following criticism of its actions toward Ethiopia. The following day, the Japanese Air Force attacks the U.S. gunboat Panay in China's Yangtze River. FDR had earlier declared American neutrality in the ongoing conflict between China and Japan. Japan apologizes for the incident two days later.

Everything on one card from now on

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Extends to the defendant the right of counsel in all state and federal criminal trials regardless of their ability to pay.

08/12/1937: FDR appoints liberal Hugo L. Black of Alabama to t...

FDR appoints liberal Hugo L. Black of Alabama to the Supreme Court to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Justice Willis Van Devanter. As a senator, Black was a strong supporter of the New Deal, although his membership in the Klu Klux Klan during his youth generates a good deal of controversy.

03/12/1933: FDR delivers his first "fireside chat" radio addre...

FDR delivers his first "fireside chat" radio address to the nation.

01/20/1937: FDR is inaugurated for his second term. In his Ina...

FDR is inaugurated for his second term. In his Inaugural Address, he promises to continue his fight to return the nation to economic health, stating, "I see one-third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, ill-nourished."

08/31/1935: FDR signs the Neutrality Act, forbidding the shipm...

FDR signs the Neutrality Act, forbidding the shipment of arms and munitions to belligerents during a state of war. Just more than a month later, the bill is put into effect when Roosevelt announces that "a state of war unhappily exists" between Ethiopia and Italy. While the League of Nations declares Italy the aggressor, it is unable to muster meaningful intervention.

6/06/1934: 06/06/1934: FDR signs the Securities Exchange Act, creating th...

FDR signs the Securities Exchange Act, creating the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), which will license stock exchanges and determine the legality of certain speculative market practices. The following day, Congress will pass the Corporate Bankruptcy Act, allowing corporations facing bankruptcy to reorganize if two-thirds of its creditors agree. Efforts at both prevention and prescription, the bills address some of the factors which led to the severity of the Great Depression.

08/14/1935: FDR signs the Social Security Act, which establish...

FDR signs the Social Security Act, which establishes the Social Security Board (SSB), one of the most far-reaching pieces of legislation in the country's history. The act guarantees pensions to Americans over the age of 65, establishes a system of unemployment insurance, and assists states in aiding dependent children, the blind, and the aged who do not already qualify for Social Security.

04/19/1933: FDR, by presidential proclamation, takes the Unite...

FDR, by presidential proclamation, takes the United States off the gold standard. While the value of the dollar declines internationally, the policy also allows more money to become available to Americans, stimulating the economy.

Whiskey Rebellion (1794)

Farmers in Pennsylvania rebelled against Hamilton's excise tax on whiskey, and several federal officers were killed in the riots caused by their attempts to serve arrest warrants on the offenders. In October 1794, the army, led by Washington, put down the rebellion. The incident showed that the new government under the Constitution could react swiftly and effectively to such a problem, in contrast to the inability of the government under the Articles of Confederation to deal with Shay's Rebellion.

Indian Appropriations Act voids all Indian treaties and makes all Indians wards of federal government, 1871

Federal Act that created the reservation system. This gave Indians restricted areas known as native reservation lands

Veterans' Bureau established, 1921

Federal bureau created in 1921 to provide hospitals and services to disabled veterans

The Rosenberg 'conspiracy,' 1950-1953

Few death-penalty executions can equal the controversy created by the electrocutions of spies Julius and Ethel Rosenberg in 1953. Accused of overseeing a spy network that stole American atomic secrets and handing those over to the Soviet Union, the couple were the only spies executed during the Cold War.

03/06/1933: First lady Eleanor Roosevelt holds the first First...

First lady Eleanor Roosevelt holds the first First Lady press conference where only female reporters are invited to attend.

Workingmen's Party formed, 1876

Formation. The WPUS was formed in 1876, when a congress of socialists from around the United States met in Philadelphia in an attempt to unify their political power. Seven societies sent representatives, and within four days the party was formed under the name of the Workingmen's Party of the United States.

Free Soil Party established(1848)

Formed in 1847-1848, this political party was dedicated to opposing slavery in newly acquired territories such as Oregon and ceded Mexican territory. Its candidate in the 1848 election was former President Martin Van Buren. - Most members eventually become Republicans. - Party's founding demonstrates growing strength of the movement to keep new territory free from slavery.

Watershed Election of 1896

Former Governor William McKinley, the Republican candidate, defeated Democrat William Jennings Bryan. The 1896 campaign, which took place during an economic depression known as the Panic of 1893, was a realigning election that ended the old Third Party System and began the Fourth Party System.

Congress halts construction on Bozemon Trail, sends a peace commission to end the fighting, and sets aside two large districts where the tribes would settle and become Christian, 1867

Fort Laramie treaty- In the spring of 1868 a conference was held at Fort Laramie, in present day Wyoming, which resulted in a treaty with the Sioux. This treaty was to bring peace between the whites and the Sioux who agreed to settle within the Black Hills reservation in the Dakota Territory.

Whitcomb Judson patents a crude early version of the zipper, for use on shoes, 1893

Forty-four years later, inventor Whitcomb Judson (1846-1909) marketed a "Clasp Locker" device similar to system described in the 1851 Howe patent. Being first to market, Whitcomb got credit for being the "inventor of the zipper." However, his 1893 patent did not use the word zipper.

Utah enters Union, 1896

From his White House office, President Grover Cleveland, on Saturday, 4 January 1896, issued the proclamation admitting Utah to the Union as the forty-fifth state. Two days later, 6 January 1896, the newly elected officers of the state of Utah were inaugurated, and celebrations erupted throughout the new state.

10/10/1913: Completing the Panama Canal

From the White House, President Wilson detonates a charge to destroy the Gamboa Dike in Panama, leading to the completion of the Panama Canal.

"Gentleman's Agreement" with Japan regarding immigration, 1900

Gentlemen's Agreement. The Gentlemen's Agreement between the United States and Japan in 1907-1908 represented an effort by President Theodore Roosevelt to calm growing tension between the two countries over the immigration of Japaneseworkers.

Alabama governor George Wallace refuses to allow two-African American students to enter the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, 1963

George Wallace George Wallace, the Democratic Governor of Alabama, in a symbolic attempt to keep his inaugural promise of "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever" and stop the desegregation of schools, stood at the door of the auditorium to try to block the entry of two African American students: Vivian Malone and

Alabama Governor George Wallace and his "Segregation now, segregation tomorrow and segregation forever" speech, 1962

George Wallace delivered an inauguration speech destined to go down in thehistory books. That now infamous line, "segregation now, segregation tomorrow and segregation forever," embodied ... 14, 1963, newly elected Alabama Gov. ... George Wallace, a Democrat, stepped up to a podium to deliver his

Farewell Address, 1796

George Washington's address at the end of his presidency, warning against "permanent alliances" with other nations. Washington did not oppose all alliances, but believed that the young, fledgling nation should forge alliances only on a temporary basis, in extraordinary circumstances.

5/05/1916: "Sussex Pledge"

Germany issues the "Sussex Pledge" after a U-Boat sinks another passenger ship, the French liner Sussex, without warning on April 24. Following protests from Washington about German unrestricted submarine attacks, the German government promises not to sink any more merchant ships without prior warning and without time for passengers and crew to abandon ship.

Louisiana adopts a new constitution disfranchising blacks under property and literacy tests and the "grandfather clause," 1898

Grandfather clauses were statutes that seven Southern states implemented in the 1890s and early 1900s to prevent African Americans from voting. The statutes allowed any person who had been granted the right to vote before 1867 to continue voting without needing to take literacy tests, own property, or pay poll taxes.

09/16/1915: Haiti signs protectorate agreement

Haiti signs an agreement with the United States to become an American protectorate for ten years. U.S. forces would not leave Haiti until 1934, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt withdraws them in accordance with his "Good Neighbor" policy.

Bank panic and closings, September-October, 1931

The initial economic collapse which resulted in the Great Depression can be divided into two parts: 1929 to mid-1931, and then mid-1931 to 1933. The initial decline lasted from mid-1929 to mid-1931. ... Mounting losses from further stock market declines and a worsening macro-economy would further strain the banking system.

Lincoln signs Homestead Act, 1862

The intent of the first Homestead Act, passed in 1862, was to liberalize the homesteading requirements of the Preemption Act of 1841. It was signed by Abraham Lincoln on May 20th 1862, as following the Secession in the United States, the most vocal opposition in Congress, the Southern States, had been removed.

JP Morgan forms the Northern Securities Company as a holding company for railroads, 1901

He and his advisors believed that the Northern Securities Holding Company had formed a monopoly and was in violation of the 1890 Sherman Antitrust Act. ... In 1904 in the Northern Securities vs US legal case, the Supreme Court ruled, four to five, that Northern Securities had indeed violated the Sherman Antitrust Law.

Lieutenant Colonel John Glenn becomes first US astronaut to orbit Earth, 1961

He was one of the Mercury Seven, military test pilots selected in 1959 by NASA as the nation's first astronauts. On February 20, 1962, Glenn flew the Friendship 7 mission, becoming the first American to orbit the Earth, and the fifth person and third American in space.

House Judiciary Committee adopts articles of impeachment against the Clinton, November, 1998

House of Representatives impeachment votes OnDecember 11,1998, theHouse Judiciary Committeeagreed to send threearticles of impeachmentto the fullHousefor consideration. The voteontwoarticles, grand jury perjury and obstruction of justice, was 21-17, both along party lines.

President Bush and Russian President Boris Yeltsin declare end of Cold War, 1992

How did President Ronald Reagan influence the end of the Cold War? The foreign policy of the Ronald Reagan administration was the foreign policy of the United States from 1981 to 1989. The main goal was winning the Cold War and the rollback of Communism—which was achieved in Eastern Europe in 1989 and in the end of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Nixon launches invasion of Cambodia, 1970

How did college students in the United States respond to President Nixon's invasion of Cambodia in 1970? Enhancing the destruction, in April 1970, President Nixon ordered United Statestroops to occupy parts of Cambodia. ... Students at other college campuses in Ohio and in the rest of the United States continued to protest the Vietnam War and its escalation into Cambodia.

Iraq invades Kuwait; US and UN form international coalition demanding immediate and unconditional withdrawal and threaten intervention, 1990

How did the UN respond to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990? On 29 November 1990, the Security Council passed Resolution 678 which gave Iraquntil 15 January 1991 to withdraw from Kuwait and empowered states to use "all necessary means" to force Iraq out of Kuwait after the deadline. The Resolution requested Member States to keep the Council informed on their decisions.

Chernobyl nuclear reactor explosion in Soviet Ukraine; US rushed assistance, 1986

How did the reactor exploded in Chernobyl? At 1:23 a.m. on April 26, the fourth reactor experienced an enormous power excursion, or sudden increase in the power level. This caused a steam explosion, and hydrogen escaped to the outside air.

Refugee Act makes arrangements for the relocation in the US of "displaced persons," (German Jews, mostly), 1945-1952

How many displaced persons camps were there in ww2? Between 11 million and 20 million people were displaced. The majority were inmates of Nazi concentration camps, Labor camps and prisoner-of-war camps that werefreed by the Allied armies.

US ends the millennium with a sustained period of economic growth

How many months has the US economy been growing? At 126 months, the United States is in its longest economic expansion in history, breaking the record of 120 months of economic growth from March 1991 to March 2001.

Jane Addams founds Hull House in Chicago, 1889

Hull House was a settlement house in the United States that was co-founded in 1889by Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr. Located on the Near West Side of Chicago, Illinois, Hull House (named after the original house's first owner Charles Jerald Hull) opened to recently arrived European immigrants.

California schools segregate Asian and Hispanic students, 1885

Hurley, 66 Cal. 473 (1885) was a landmark court case in the California Supreme Court in which the Court found the exclusion of a Chinese American student from public school based on her ancestry unlawful. State legislation passed at the urging of San Francisco Superintendent of Schools Andrew J.

Repeal of Independent Treasury Act/Bank veto issue, 1841

INDEPENDENT TREASURY SYSTEM. ... In June 1840 Congress established an Independent Treasury System, but the first act of the Whig administration of President William Henry Harrison in March 1841 was to repeal the bill. After Harrison died in April, President John Tyler vetoed all attempts to set up a third central bank.

Idaho enters Union, 1890

Idaho grew in population after gold was discovered in 1860 and, in 1863, became its own territory called Idaho Territory. It was many years later, on July 3, 1890, that Idaho joined the Union as the 43rd state. 1805 - Lewis and Clark travel through Idaho on their way to the Pacific Ocean.

Illinois enters the Union, 1818

Illinois entered the Union on December 3, 1818. The twenty-first state takes its name from the IllinoisConfederation—a group of Algonquian-speaking tribes native to the area. An Algonquian word, "Illinois" means "tribe of superior men."

11/09/1935: Illustrating the growing divide within organized l...

Illustrating the growing divide within organized labor, John L. Lewis, president of the United Mine Workers, becomes chairman of the newly formed Committee for Industrial Organization within the American Federation of Labor (AFL). Within two years, this faction will be expelled, changing its name to the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) after mounting continued challenges to the AFL's more conservative leadership and goals.

Early immigration (Irish, Germans), 1815-1860

Immigration reasons: The failed promise of 1848, overcrowded cities in Europe, Agricultural stresses in Europe, people desired freedom from the title, sought economic opportunity and freedom, US had an expanse of land, steam power made it easier (and faster)to get there Ireland: potato famine and desire for democracy. Very poor, slums. Headed for large eastern seaboard cities (Boston, NYC, Philly). Hated by native workers, Roman Catholic, race riots, created unions, low skilled occupations. Politically involved German: were uprooted farmers displaced by crop failures and other hardships. Not as poor as Irish, anti-slavery. Less political- no exposure to democracy. Cultural contributions: childhood education, Sunday habits

Isaac Singer patents his sewing machine, 1851

Improved the sewing machine

Missouri enters Union, 1821

In 1818 the territory gained enough settlers to qualify for statehood Wanted to be a slave state when it entered the union Missouri was admitted as a slave state under the Missouri Compromise

John D. Rockefeller incorporates the Standard Oil Trust, 1882

In 1882, Mr. Rockefeller joined with his partners to create the Standard Oil Trust, which controlled a large number of companies that allowed Standard to control refining, distribution, marketing and other aspects of the oil industry.

Farmers' alliances begin forming in South and West, 1873

In 1890, this group of discontented farmers elected senators, representatives, governors, and majorities in state legislatures in the West. (p. 386)

Budget and Accounting act creates a Budget bureau in the Treasury Department, 1921

In 1921, President Harding signed the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921. It established the Bureau of the Budget. The bureau, for the first time, placed formal restrictions on the spending of government funds. ... The act also created the Bureau of Budget now called the Office of Management and Budget.

US occupation troops withdraw from Germany, 1923

In 1923, after four years in Germany, the occupation troops were ordered home after President Harding succeeded Wilson in 1921 and announced a desire to return to normalcy after the disruptions of wartime.

Al Capone becomes head of organized crime in Chicago, 1925

In 1925, Capone became boss when Torrio, seriously wounded in an assassination attempt, surrendered control and retired to Brooklyn. Capone had built a fearsome reputation in the ruthless gang rivalries of the period, struggling to acquire and retain "racketeering rights" to several areas of Chicago.

Montgomery Bus Boycott, 1955-1956

In 1955, after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a city bus, Dr. Martin L. King led a boycott of city busses. After 11 months the Supreme Court ruled that segregation of public transportation was illegal.

Three-Mile Island nuclear leak incident in PA, 1979

In 1979 at Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in USA a cooling malfunction caused part of the core to melt in the #2 reactor. The TMI-2 reactor was destroyed. Some radioactive gas was released a couple of days after the accident, but not enough to cause any dose above background levels to local residents.

US boycotts Olympic games in Moscow in protest of Afghanistan's invasion, 1980

In 1980, the United States led a boycott of the Summer Olympic Games in Moscowto protest the late 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. In total, 65 nations refused to participate in the games, whereas 80 countries sent athletes to compete.

US Court indicts Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega, 1988

In 1988 Noriega was indicted in a U.S. court on charges of drug-trafficking. The indictment accused him of "turning Panama into a shipping platform for South American cocaine that was destined for the U.S., and allowing drug proceeds to be hidden in Panamanian banks."

Vietnam divided along 17th parallel, 1954

In July 1954, the Geneva Agreements were signed. As part of the agreement, the French agreed to withdraw their troops from northern Vietnam. Vietnam would be temporarily divided at the 17th parallel, pending elections within two years to choose a president and reunite the country.

03/01/1937: In a surprising victory for organized labor, CIO h...

In a surprising victory for organized labor, CIO head John L. Lewis and the chairman of the board of U.S. Steel jointly announce that the U.S. Steel Corp. will recognize the United Steel Workers as the legitimate bargaining authority for its work force. The other major steel companies will follow suit, though they will do so over the course of several years.

12/23/1913: Federal Reserve Act

In an effort to safeguard America's financial institutions, the American economy, and the supply of U.S. currency, the Federal Reserve Act is signed into law. In contrast to the economies of Europe, the U.S. economy had functioned without the sophisticated management of banking ever since Andrew Jackson destroyed the Second Bank of the United States in 1830. The Federal Reserve Act created a Federal Reserve System, comprised of a Federal Reserve Board, twelve regional reserve banks, and the underpinnings of a smooth central banking system.

11/06/1934: In midterm elections, the Democrats gain spots in ...

In midterm elections, the Democrats gain spots in both the House and the Senate, picking up nine seats in each body. The gains serve as a public endorsement of FDR's New Deal programs.

Calhoun's Exposition and Protest (1828)

In response to the Tariff of Abominations, John C. Calhoun anonymously authored the Exposition and Protest which declared the tariff unconstitutional and authorized individual states to nullify the bill within their own borders, and gave it to the House Committee. Although the House did not adopt the Exposition and Protest, copies were printed and distributed throughout the state. The portion presented here is the Protest, which outlines the argument against the tariff in eight points: Congress cannot extend its constitutional authority; Congress cannot enact tariffs that are not justified by public necessity The tariff is therefore unconstitutional The tariff to protect domestic manufacture goes against a "simple, consolidated government" The tariff actually was not enacted to regulate commerce, a Constitutional power of Congress, but to prohibit foreign trade The power to protect manufacture is not a Constitutional power Even if the tariff does regulate commerce, as it is too oppressive, it is an abuse of power

XYZ Affair, 1797

Incident that precipitated an undeclared war with France when three French officials demanded that American emissaries pay a bribe before negotiating disputes between the two countries. *Historical Significance:* Led to the Quasi-War with France; convinced John Adams to strengthen the U.S. navy.

John Brown seizes federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry, 1859

John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry (also spelled Harper's Ferry) was an effort by abolitionist John Brown, from October 16 to 18, 1859, to initiate a slave revolt in Southern states by taking over a United States arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. It has been called the dress rehearsal for the Civil War.

07/22/1934: John Dillinger, listed as "Public Enemy No. 1" by ...

John Dillinger, listed as "Public Enemy No. 1" by the FBI, is shot and killed by federal agents outside a Chicago theater.

Battle of Gettysburg (1863)

Largest and bloodiest battle of the American Civil War; Union victory; considered - when coupled with *General Ulysses S. Grant*'s victory in Vicksburg the next day - to be the turning point of the war. *Historical Significance:* Lincoln used the dedication ceremony for the Gettysburg National Cemetery to honor the fallen Union soldiers and redefine the purpose of the war in his historic *Gettysburg Address*.

Battle of New Orleans, 1815

Last major battle of the War of 1812; making Andrew Jackson a national hero and propelling him later to the presidency.

Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT), 1972

Leaders of the US and the Soviet Union agreed to limit their nations' stocks of nuclear weapons The first agreements, known as SALT I and SALT II, were signed by the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1972 and 1979, respectively, and were intended to restrain the arms race in strategic (long-range or intercontinental) ballistic missiles armed with nuclear weapons.

Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction (1863)

Lincoln set up a process for political Reconstruction, as in reconstructing the state governments in the South so that Unionists were in charge rather than secessionists; full presidential pardons for most southerners who either took an oath of allegiance to the Union and the Constitution, a state government could be reestablished and accepted as legitimate by the US president as soon as at least 10 percent of the voters in the state took the loyalty oath, each southern state needed to rewrite Constitution to eliminate existence of slavery

Mapp v Ohio rules to apply the Bill of Rights to the states, 1961

Mapp v. Ohio, case in which the U.S. Supreme Court on June 19, 1961, ruled (6-3) that evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits "unreasonable searches and seizures," is inadmissible in state courts.

American troops withdraw from West Germany, 1955

May 5, 1955 All that remained was for the Americans, British, and French to end their nearly 10-year occupation. This was accomplished on May 5, 1955, when those nations issued a proclamation declaring an end to the military occupation of West Germany.

Montgomery Ward opens as a mail order houses primarily for Grangers, 1871

Montgomery Ward Inc. is the name of two historically distinct American retail enterprises. It can refer either to the original Montgomery Ward, a defunct mail order and ... Catalog House, served as the company headquarters until 1974, when the offices ... In 1928, two years after opening its first outlet, it had opened 244 stores.

US participates in air strikes on Serbia, 1999

NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's (NATO) military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The air strikes lasted from March 24, 1999 to June 10, 1999.

Spain declares war on US, 1898

On April 25, 1898 the United States declared war on Spain following the sinking of the Battleship Maine in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898. ... As a result Spain lost its control over the remains of its overseas empire -- Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines Islands, Guam, and other islands.

Reagan visits China, 1984

On April 26, 1984, President Ronald Reagan arrives in China for a diplomatic meeting with Chinese President Li Xiannian. The trip marked the third time a U.S.

Lincoln suspends the writ of habeas corpus, 1861

On April 27, 1861, Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus between Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia to give military authorities the necessary power to silence dissenters and rebels. Under this order, commanders could arrest and detain individuals who were deemed threatening to military operations.

Hitler commits suicide; Mussolini is executed; Germany surrenders, 1945

On April 30, 1945, holed up in a bunker under his headquarters in Berlin, Adolf Hitler commits suicide by swallowing a cyanide capsule and shooting himself in the head. Soon after, Germany unconditionally surrendered to the Allied forces, ending Hitler's dreams of a "1,000-year" Reich.

North Vietnamese forces overrun South Vietnam; Saigon falls to the Northern troops; US forces evacuate, 1975

On April 30, 1975, Communist North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces captured the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon, forcing South Vietnam to surrender and bringing about an end to the Vietnam War.

Surrender at Appomattox 1865

On April 9, 1865, General Lee surrendered to General Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia.

Colorado enters Union, 1876

On August 1, 1876 (28 days after the Centennial of the United States), U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant signed a proclamation admitting the state of Colorado to the Unionas the 38th state and earning it the moniker "Centennial State".

Roosevelt Signs Social Security Act

On August 14, 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act, which established a Social Security Board to coordinate the payment of old-age benefits to Americans over the age of 65. After the crash of the stock market in 1929, the United States sunk into the Great Depression. With high rates of poverty among the elderly, many people felt the government needed to do something to protect its citizens. In June 1934, President Roosevelt had created the Commission on Economic Security, which studied economic security, social insurance, and long-term relief programs. It then proposed a social security program that could help people who were retired, disabled, widowed, or unemployed. Its recommendations were to serve as the basis for legislation to be considered by Congress. The Commission formally presented its recommendations to the President in January 1935. The act that Roosevelt signed included programs such as Old Age Assistance (Title I), Old Age Insurance (Title II), Unemployment Insurance (Title III), Aid to Dependent Children (Title IV), Grants for Maternal and Child Welfare (Title V) and Aid to the Blind (Title X). Taken together, these programs represented a significant commitment to developing a welfare state in the United States. Subsequent amendments to the original act added many benefits, including survivor benefits if a covered worker died prematurely, disability coverage and medical benefits. The Social Security Act financed its programs through deductions from workers' paychecks, which actually stunted economic growth by muting consumer purchasing power. Moreover, the programs and benefits of the Social Security Act were not distributed evenly among all Americans. Agricultural workers (who were likely to be African Americans or Mexican Americans of both sexes) and domestic servants (often African American women) were not eligible for old-age insurance. Likewise, farm laborers were ineligible for unemployment insurance. And since state governments administered many of the Social Security programs, the size of benefits varied widely, especially between the North and the South. Still the act that Roosevelt signed in 1935 created a basis of social insurance that still exists to this day.

Panama Canal Opens

On August 15, 1914, the Panama Canal opened to trans-oceanic traffic. Due to the outbreak of World War I earlier in the month, however, there was only modest commemoration and no official visit from President Woodrow Wilson. Only a few ships a day passed through the forty miles of locks in canal in its first few years of operation; after the World War I was over, this number increased to five thousand annually. In 1903, the United States signed the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty with Panama, which gave the United States perpetual control of the canal for a price of $10 million and an annual payment of $250,000. Work on the Panama Canal began in 1904. The building of the canal was originally under the direction of John Stevens. However, President Theodore Roosevelt found Stevens lacking as the head of the project and replaced him with George Goethels, who led construction to its completion. Goethels undertook a "lock-and-lake" plan for the canal route, excavating land on either side of Gatun Lake and constructing massive locks to regulate water levels rather than dig across Panama at sea level. Workers cleared 50 miles of land between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. Using primarily the labor of blacks from the Caribbean, the American construction team excavated more than 232 million tons to create the canal path. The canal's three poured-concrete locks measured 1,000 feet long and took four years to complete. Although completed six months ahead of schedule, the project was incredibly costly in dollars and lives. The United States spent almost $400 million on construction. Nearly 30,000 workers labored ten-hour days for ten years. They toiled in dangerous conditions and beset with swarms of mosquitoes bearing malaria and yellow fever. More than 5,500 workers died during construction, including 4,500 black laborers. Initial plans for a grand armada procession through the Panama Canal upon its opening in August 1914 were cancelled when war broke out in Europe on August 3. That day the cement boat Cristobal became the first ship to pass through the canal. But it was not opened to trans-oceanic traffic until the 15th. Once operational, it shortened the voyage from San Francisco to New York by more than 8,000 miles. The process of building the canal generated advances in U.S. technology and engineering skills. This project also converted the Panama Canal Zone into a major staging area for American military forces, making the United States the dominant military power in Central America.

Charles Thurber patents the typewriter, 1843

On August 26, 1843, inventor Charles Thurberreceived a patent for the first practical typewriter, invented to aid the nervous and the blind. ... Thurberwas the first to put the paper on a roller and allow it to move horizontally for accurate spacing.

Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty signed by US Senate, 1963

On August 5, 1963, the Limited Test Ban Treaty was signed by the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union. After Senate approval, the treaty that went into effect on October 10, 1963, banned nuclear weapons testing in the atmosphere, in outer space, and under water.

Air traffic controllers' strike disbanded by executive order, 1981

On August 5, following the PATCO workers' refusal to return to work, Reagan fired the 11,345 striking air traffic controllers who had ignored the order, and banned them from federal service for life. ... PATCO was decertified by the Federal Labor Relations Authority on October 22, 1981.

OPEC oil embargo imposed to protest US position in support of Israel, 1973

On Dec. 23, 1973, cars formed a double line at a gas station in New York City. The Arab oil embargo caused gas shortages nationwide and shaped U.S. foreign policy to this day. ... Arab oil producers cut off exports to the U.S. to protest American military support for Israel in its 1973 war with Egypt and Syria.

Rosa Parks is arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give her seat to a white bus rider, 1955

On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Parks rejected bus driver James F. Blake's order to relinquish her seat in the "colored section" to a white passenger, after the whites-only section was filled.

Indiana enters Union, 1816

On December 11, 1816, Indiana was admitted to the union. The vast majority of people in Indiana knew what was happening during this process, and they approved the move to a democratic government which forbad slavery. The preamble to the Constitution of 1816 reached far beyond the federal Bill of Rights.

Great White Fleet Sails

On December 16, 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt assembled the entire class of sixteen American battleships in Hampton Roads, Virginia, and launched them on a training cruise around the world. Labeled the "Great White Fleet," in reference to the ships' new coat of white paint, the fleet visited Japan and China, passed through the Suez Canal, and called at several Mediterranean ports. Roosevelt scheduled the fleet to return to Hampton Roads on February 22, 1909, ten days before he left office. The President intended the voyage to be the glorious capstone to his administration's accomplishments. As President, Roosevelt had built the U.S. Navy into one of the largest in the world, by convincing Congress to add battleships to the fleet and increase the number of enlisted men. He had many reasons for sending the fleet on a worldwide tour. Roosevelt wanted to allow the Navy to gain the experience of an international tour and to draw attention to his naval program. He hoped the impressive show of naval strength and prowess would rally congressional support. He also wanted to impress other countries around the world with U.S. naval power. American relations with Japan had soured greatly in 1906 after the San Francisco public school board voted to segregate Japanese immigrant children; at the same time, Californian politicians lobbied for Washington to restrict Japanese entry into the country. Roosevelt hoped the Great White Fleet's arrival in Japan would signify his desire for continued friendly relations, and yet he also sought to remind the Japanese of America's ascendant naval might. Japanese crowds cheered the fleet upon its arrival in Tokyo Harbor. The Great White Fleet also announced to the world the growing global reach of American military power, especially its new and modern navy. In this way, Roosevelt used the fleet to represent what he saw as America's arrival as a great nation on the world stage. A devotee of naval theorist Alfred Thayer Mahan, who equated international power with naval might, Roosevelt supported new battleship construction, the modernization of ship armaments, and the adoption of new marksmanship techniques. In doing so, he greatly expanded the reach of American power-a process his predecessor, President William McKinley, began in earnest.

McCarthy era (Senator Joseph McCarthy (R-WI)), 1950-1954

On December 2, 1954, the Senate voted to censure Senator McCarthy by a vote of 67-22, making him one of the few senators ever to be disciplined in this fashion. He continued to speak against communism and socialism until his death at the age of 48 at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, on May 2, 1957.

Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana secede from the Union, 1861

On December 20, 1860, a special convention called in South Carolina unanimously passed an ordinance of secession. Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana followed in January, and Texas voted to secede on February 1, 1861—still more than a month before Lincoln was actually inaugurated.

Federal Reserve Act Signed

On December 23, 1913, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act into law. The act created a Federal Reserve System, comprised of a Federal Reserve Board, twelve regional reserve banks, and the underpinnings of a smooth central banking system. It was the most comprehensive overhaul of the nation's banking system since the Civil War and represented one of the crowning achievements of President Wilson's New Freedom program. It helped to safeguard America's financial institutions, the American economy, and the supply of U.S. currency, and it created a new system that allowed a level of governmental control of the monetary supply that was unprecedented in American history. The Federal Reserve Act still provides the framework for regulating the nation's banks, credit, and money supply even today. Wilson began to craft his monetary system soon after his election in 1912. He met with House Banking Committee Chairman E.C. Glass in December to discuss a variety of banking system plans emerging in Congress. Glass, a conservative Democrat from Virginia, favored a decentralized private system. Wilson remained wary of such a proposal and convinced Glass to consider drafting a plan that included privately controlled regional reserve banks that answered to a central government board with a minority representation for private bankers. Glass's plan contrasted with a competing Senate bill, drafted by progressive Oklahoma senator Robert Owen, which erected a system of reserve banks under direct governmental control. Progressives rallied to Owen's proposal and recoiled from Glass's privatization scheme as a system that would leave Americans at the mercy of Wall Street. Wilson conferred with Secretary of the Treasury William McAdoo and adviser Louis Brandeis on the proposals making their way through Congress. In a meeting on June 11, 1913, Brandeis pushed the President to support governmental control of the banking and currency systpem of the nation as progressives had proposed. He also convinced the President to leave private bankers off the proposed Federal Reserve Board. After his meeting with Brandeis, Wilson urged Glass to revise his bill. The President addressed Congress on June 22 to push forward banking reform, which he claimed must remain a government responsibility. After a bruising six-month debate in Congress, the progressives' version of the Federal Reserve Act passed Congress on December 19, and Wilson signed it December 23, 1913. The Federal Reserve Act established a system of twelve districts that each housed a Reserve bank. It also required national banks to join the federal system and contribute six percent of their capital to the system. State banks and trust companies could also join the system. Federal Reserve banks issued notes to member banks with the amount of currency issued regulated by a central Federal Reserve Board in Washington, DC. This board was comprised of the secretary of the treasury, the comptroller of currency, and six other presidential appointees. The act allowed a more flexible system of currency distribution that could respond to economic conditions unique to a given region or that impacted the entire nation. The flexibility of the system benefited both farm and business interests.

Johnson issues amnesty for all who participated in the rebellion against US, 1868

On December 25, 1868, Andrew Johnson issued his final amnesty proclamation pardoning former Confederates for treason against the United States.

Collapse of the Soviet Union, December 25, 1991

On December 25, 1991, the Soviet hammer and sickle flag lowered for the last time over the Kremlin, thereafter replaced by the Russian tricolor. Earlier in the day, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned his post as president of the Soviet Union, leaving Boris Yeltsin as president of the newly independent Russian state.

Battle of Wounded Knee (1890)

On December 29, 1890, five hundred troops of the U.S. 7th Cavalry, surrounded an encampment of Lakota Sioux with orders to disarm the Indians and escort them back to the railroad for transport to Omaha, Nebraska. Shooting broke out near the end of the disarmament, and by the time it was over, twenty-five troopers and one hundred and fifty-three Lakota Sioux lay dead, including sixty-two women and small children. Many of the dead on both sides may have been the victims of "friendly fire" as the shooting took place at point blank range in chaotic conditions. The massacre was the final major confrontation between Native Americans and white men on the Northern Plains.

The Jazz Singer becomes the first commercially distributed picture accompanied by sound, 1927

On December 30, 1927, The Jazz Singer, the first commercially successful full-length feature film with sound, debuts at the Blue Mouse Theater at 1421 5th Avenue in Seattle. The movie uses Warner Brothers' Vitaphone sound-on-disc technology to reproduce the musical score and sporadic episodes of synchronized speech.

Oregon enters Union, 1859

On February 14, 1859, the territory entered the Union as the U.S. state of Oregon within its current boundaries. The remaining eastern portion of the territory (the portions in present-day southern Idaho and western Wyoming) was added to the Washington Territory.

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad becomes the first passenger railway in US, 1827

On February 28, 1827, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad became the first U.S. railwaychartered for the commercial transportation of freight and passengers. Investors hoped that a railroad would allow Baltimore, the second largest U.S. city at that time, to successfully compete with New York for western trade.

House Committee on Banking and Currency (Pujo Committee) reports on dangers of concentration of a high percentage of money and credit in the hands of a few, 1913

On February 28, 1913, Pujo submitted the committee's report to "Investigate the Concentration of Control of Money and Credit," which alleged that "the finances of many of the great industrial and railroad corporations of the country engaged in interstate commerce is rapidly concentrating in the hands of a few groups

James Fenimore Cooper publishes Last of the Mohicans, published, 1826

On February 4, 1826, The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper is published. One of the earliest distinctive American novels, the book is the second of the five-novel series called the "Leatherstocking Tales."

Philippine guerilla forces under Emilio Aguinaldo clash with US troops, 1899

On February 4, 1899, just two days before the U.S. Senate ratified the treaty, fighting broke out between American forces and Filipino nationalists led by Emilio Aguinaldo who sought independence rather than a change in colonial rulers.

US and Germany partition Samoa, 1899

On February 4, 1899, just two days before the U.S. Senate ratified the treaty, fighting broke out between American forces and Filipino nationalists led by Emilio Aguinaldo who sought independence rather than a change in colonial rulers.

House authorizes an impeachment inquiry by the House Judiciary Committee, 1974

On February 6, 1974, the House passed House Resolution 803 by a vote of 410 to 4 authorizing and directing the Judiciary Committee "to investigate fully and completely whether sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise its constitutional power to impeach Richard M.

Grand Canyon Becomes National Monument

On January 11, 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt designated the Grand Canyon in northwest Arizona a national monument. Roosevelt used the American Antiquities Act of 1906 to create 18 national monuments during his presidency. The Grand Canyon became a national park in 1919. Roosevelt was the nation's first conservationist President. Everywhere he went, he preached the need to preserve woodlands and mountain ranges as places of refuge and retreat. He used his presidential authority to issue executive orders to create 150 new national forests, increasing the amount of protected land from 42 million acres to 172 million acres. Along with the 18 national monuments, the President also created 5 national parks and 51 wildlife refuges during his tenure. Chief Forester Gifford Pinchot heavily influenced President Roosevelt and encouraged him to make conservation a major portion of his political agenda. Pinchot, the nation's first professional forester, and Roosevelt, an avid outdoorsman, teamed up during Roosevelt's second term to push their shared progressive vision for wilderness conservation. Conservation to these progressives, however, did not mean simply placing land off limits to development and industry. Pinchot believed that the science of forestry could make forests more productive and valuable to industry; scientific expertise could improve upon nature. Like Roosevelt, Pinchot also believed that conservation was at its core an issue of equality of opportunity, as conservation allowed for public access to land that would otherwise wastefully bring profit to a few. The pair wanted all Americans to be able to use parklands. Pinchot was a strong advocate for more federal power to protect wilderness in the United States, particularly in the West. With his prodding, President Roosevelt secured the Transfer Act in 1905, which shifted the responsibility of managing federal forests from the Department of the Interior to the Department of Agriculture and the Division of Forestry, later remained the Forest Service. As head of the Forest Service, Pinchot staffed it with scientists, not bureaucrats, and Pinchot and his team added millions of acres of western land to federal holdings. During the early 1900s, conservation became a new and increasingly popular agenda for the federal government, due to President Roosevelt's energetic promotion of the issue.

Tet Offensive begins

On January 30, 1968, on the Vietnamese Lunar New Year of Tet, the North Vietnamese Army and the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam coordinated a massive offensive against South Vietnam. More than 80,000 troops and guerrillas attacked 44 provincial capitals, 64 district capitals, and 5 of South Vietnam's major cities. While the South Vietnamese and United States troops reversed most of the offensive's gains in the following two weeks, some intense fighting continued for months after the attack. In the end, the Tet Offensive failed to deliver a military victory for the North Vietnamese, but it did create a crisis for the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson. For ten days before the attack, the U.S. military had focused its attention on relieving the siege of a marine outpost at Khe Sanh close to the demilitarized zone. American officers feared that this siege would turn into another Diem Bien Phu, the final siege before the French abandoned Vietnam in 1954. To protect Khe Sanh, U.S. military commanders moved troops away from populated areas on the coast. This move left cities and capitals vulnerable to the attacks of the offensive. After the Tet Offensive began, the North Vietnamese halted their siege of Khe Sanh, but managed to take other targets in the region like the ancient imperial capital of Hue. It took American and South Vietnamese troops almost a month to recapture Hue. Still, the United States managed to turn the Tet Offensive into a military victory. While loses were high on both sides, the actions of the American military saved the South Vietnamese regime from collapse. Back in the United States, however, the American public had a very negative reaction. President Johnson, his administration, and U.S. generals had been telling the American people for months that the situation in Vietnam was under control. After the offensive, they quickly lost their credibility. Prominent journalists, such as Walter Cronkite, began to doubt that the United States could win the war and voiced these fears in newspapers and on television. On February 3, days after the attack, millions of Americans watched on their televisions as a Saigon police officer summarily shot a Viet Cong guerilla in the head on a Saigon city street. More than ever before, many Americans began to have doubts about the war. One public opinion survey conducted after Tet found that 78 percent of the American public thought that the United States was not making progress in the war. The reaction of the American public to the Tet Offensive had serious consequences for the Johnson administration. Militarily, it forced the administration to reconsider its strategy in Vietnam, leading to a partial halt in the bombing of the North. Politically, the Tet Offensive shattered the President's political future. On March 31, two months after the start of the offensive, President Johnson announced that he would not run for reelection.

The attempt to impeach Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase, 1804

On March 12, 1804, the House voted 73 to 32 to impeach Chase. The United States Senate—controlled by the Jeffersonian Democratic-Republicans—began the impeachment trial of Chase on February 9, 1805, with Vice President Aaron Burr presiding and Randolph leading the prosecution.

Minnesota enters Union, 1858

On May 11, 1858, Minnesota became the 32nd state admitted into the Union. Minnesota's application for statehood was submitted to President James Buchanan in January, but became entangled with the controversial issue of Kansas statehood, delaying it for several months until it was finally approved by Congress.

World War Adjusted Compensation Act (Soldiers' Bonus Act) passes over Coolidge's veto, 1924

On May 15, 1924, Coolidge vetoed a bill granting bonuses to veterans of World War I saying: "patriotism... bought and paid for is not patriotism." Congress overrode his vetoa few days later. The act was amended with respect to minor details on July 3, 1926.

Establishment by Congress of the Oklahoma Reservation for members of the Five Civilized

On May 2, 1890, the Oklahoma Organic Act was passed officially creating Oklahoma Territory, which initially excluded lands occupied by the Five Civilized Tribes, but reorganized the legal system of Indian Territory, providing for a mechanism to consolidate Oklahoma and Indian Territories.

Samuel Morse sends first telegram from Washington DC to Baltimore, 1844

On May 24, 1844, Samuel F. B. Morse dispatched the first telegraphic message over an experimental line from Washington, D.C., to Baltimore. The message, taken from the Bible, Numbers 23:23 and recorded on a paper tape, had been suggested to Morse by Annie Ellsworth, the young daughter of a friend.

Kent State University shootings in Ohio, 1970

On May 4, 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard fired into a crowd of Kent State University demonstrators, killing four and wounding nine Kent State students. The impact of the shootings was dramatic. The event triggered a nationwide student strike that forced hundreds of colleges and universities to close.

Reagan meets Gorbachev, 1985

On November 19, 1985, U.S. president Ronald Reaganand Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev met for the first time, in Geneva, to hold talks on international diplomatic relations and the arms race. ... Reagan's goal was to convince Gorbachev that America desired peace above all else.

Jefferson Davis is elected president of the Confederate States of America, 1861

On November 6, 1861, Jefferson Davis was elected president, not of the United States of America but of the Confederate States of America. He ran unopposed and was elected to serve for a six-year term. Davis had already been serving as the temporary presidentfor almost a year.

Black Tuesday on New York Stock Exchange, followed by Black Thursday; the New York Stock Exchange crashes, October 29, 1929

On October 29, 1929, Black Tuesday hit Wall Street as investors traded some 16 million shares on the New York Stock Exchange in a single day. Billions of dollars were lost, wiping out thousands of investors.

Over 30 Chinese workers imported to work in Union Pacific RR coal mines are killed by miners during an attack in Rock Springs, Wyoming. Federal troops protect the Chinese workers. President Cleveland demands Congress (and obtains) indemnity for the workers, 1885

On September 2, 1885, 150 white miners in Rock Springs, Wyoming, brutally attack their Chinese coworkers, killing 28, wounding 15 ... The miners working in the Union Pacific coal mine had been struggling to ... The Chinese coal miners were hard workers, but the Union Pacific had initially brought many of them to Rock

Geronimo, the last of the Indian Chiefs to give himself up, is sent to a reservation in Florida, 1886

On September 4, 1886, Apache leader Geronimo surrenders to U.S. ... making him the last Native American warrior to formally give in to U.S. forces and ... the U.S. government moved Geronimo and his people from their land to a reservation in ... sent to Florida and then Alabama, eventually ending up at the Comanche andb khjmn;'l

Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus tries to prevent 9 black students from attending Central High School in Little Rock, AK, 1957

On September 4, 1957, the first day of classes at Central High, Governor Orval Faubus called in the Arkansas National Guard to block the black students' entry into the high school. Later that month, President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent in federal troops to escort the Little Rock Nine into the school.

Amelia Earhart is first woman to fly the Atlantic alone, 1932

On This Day: Amelia Earhart Embarks on SoloTrans-Atlantic Flight. On May 20, 1932, Amelia Earhart took off from Newfoundland; she landed in Ireland nearly 15 hours later, becoming the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

Jack Kerouac publishes On the Road, 1957

On the Road is a 1957 novel by American writer Jack Kerouac, based on the travels of Kerouac and his friends across the United States. It is considered a defining work of the postwar Beat and Counterculture generations, with its protagonists living life against a backdrop of jazz, poetry, and drug use.

Congress makes Labor Day a national holiday, 1894

On this day in 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed legislation that had been rushed through Congress, declaring Labor Day a national holiday, to be observed the first Monday in September. Since 1883, Labor Day had been celebrated at local and state levels.

Secret rescue attempt to release American hostages in Iran fails, 1980

Operation Eagle Claw, failed mission by the U.S. military in April 1980 to rescue Americans who were held during the Iran hostage crisis. The mission highlighted deficiencies within the U.S. military command structure and led to the creation of the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM).

Chief Joseph surrenders to US army and his Nez Perce are forced into Oklahoma, 1877

Out of the great Native American chiefs and warriors who represented bravery, leadership, strength, and military skill, Chief Joseph was known for his heart. On October 5, 1877, his speech, as he surrendered to General Howard, immortalized him in American history forever: "I am tired of fighting. Our chiefs are killed.

US lifts trade embargo on communist China, 1971

Pres Nixon ends 21-yr embargo on trade with Communist China by ... June 11, 1971, Page 1Buy Reprints ... Officials here refused to speculate on what the lifting of the embargo would mean in dollar terms to American

Landing on the moon, July 1969

President John F. Kennedy announced this goal in 1960, the first year of his presidency. It expanded the U.S. space program.

Congress establishes Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 1970

President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it began operation on December 2, 1970, after Nixon signed an executive order.

07/17/1916: Federal Farm Labor Act

President Wilson signs the Federal Farm Labor Act, establishing a banking system for farmers to improve their holdings.

10/03/1913: Underwood-Simmons Tariff Act

President Wilson signs the Underwood-Simmons Tariff Act, considerably reducing rates set by previous Republican administrations.

Henry Demarest Lloyd's Wealth Against Commonwealth appears, denouncing monopolies, and especially targeting Standard Oil, 1894

Published, 1894 New York: Harper & Brothers. Media type, Print. Wealth Against Commonwealth is a book published by muckraking journalist Henry Demarest Lloyd. It was published after he had written several essays to The Atlantic Monthly concerning issues with dominating monopolies. ... wrongdoings mainly of the monopoly Standard Oil but also discusses others.

Mississippi, Texas, and Virginia re-admitted in March 1870

Ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment was a precondition for some former Confederate states—Mississippi, Texas, Virginia, and Georgia— to be readmitted to the Union. After ratification by three-fourths of the states, the amendment was certified as a part of the U.S. Constitution on March 30, 1870.

William Howard Taft, 1909-1913 RepublicanVP - James Schoolcraft Sherman

Republican Domestic Affairs: Trustbusting Roosevelt saw lack of disgression Payne-Aldrich Tariff Pinchot-Ballinger Affair conservation Foreign Affairs: Dollar diplomacy Promote sales of manuf/investing globally Pan-American Conference (opposition of S. American countries)

Warren G. Harding, 1921-1923 "Dark Horse" candidate Republican VP - Calvin Coolidge Secretary of State - Charles Evans Hughes

Republican Domestic Affairs: Mellonomics (trickle down) Normalcy Ohio Gang Scandals Teapot Dome Veterans Bureau Budget and Accounting Act Immigrant Quota System 21,24 Issue of war protesters Foreign Affairs Open Door for Middle East oil Dawes Plan Limitation on naval power (England, US Japan) 4 and 5 Power Naval Conferences

Chester A. Arthur, 1881-1885 Republican Secretary of State - James A. Blaine

Republican Domestic Affairs: Pendleton Civil Service Act Chinese Exclusion Act Oppose high tariff Not a Repub thing in this era McKinley Tariff is coming Foreign Affairs: "Father of the Steel Navy" Discussion of Panama Canal

Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865) Republican VP - Andrew Johnson Secretary of State - William H. Seward (New York) Secretary of Treasury - Salmon P. Chase Secretary of War - Edwin M. Stanton

Republican Domestic Affairs Secession crisis Homestead Act of 1862 Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862 Emancipation Proclamation (Freedom Manifesto) Civil War Assassinated Foreign Affairs: Preventing foreign recognition of the Confederacy Blockade of Confederate ports

William McKinley, 1897-1901 Republican VP - Garret Hobart, 1896-1900 VP - Theodore Roosevelt, 1900-1901 Secretary of State - John Hay

Republican Domestic Affairs: Dingley Tariff (later shifted views) Supporter of organized labor Assassination by anarchist Leon Csolgosz Foreign Affairs: Annexation of Hawaii Spanish-American War (see War Chart) Filipino Revolt Open Door Policy John Hay Boxer Rebellion

Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1953-1961 Republican VP - Richard M. Nixon

Republican Domestic Affairs: Interstate Highway Program Growth for white mid-class McCarthyism Civil Rights Personally opposed Little Rock Foreign Affairs: Eisenhower Doctrine CIA in Iran French aid in Indochina U2 Incident

Calvin Coolidge, 1923-1929 Republican VP - Charles Dawes Secretary of State - Frank Kellogg

Republican Domestic Affairs: Laissez-faire/ Predestination Immigration Act of 1924 Coolidge Opposed Veteran's Bonus Act Farm Relief Laws Foreign Affairs: Kellogg-Briand Pact Assertive influence in Latin America

Benjamin Harrison, 1889-1893 Republican VP - Levi Parsons Morton Secretary of State - James A. Blaine

Republican Domestic Affairs: McKinley Tariff of 1890 Wilson Gorman Tariff Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 Force Bill Billion Dollar Congress Populism Grange and more Foreign Affairs: Protection of seals in Bering Strait Expansion of Navy Chilean conflict

Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881) Republican VP - William A. Wheeler

Republican Domestic Affairs: Reconciliation following Reconstruction Compromise 1877 Bland-Allison Act Increased Exec power Great RR Strike 1877 Foreign Affairs: Tensions with Mexico Pressure against French Panama Canal

Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877) Republican VP - Schuyler Colfax, Henry Wilson Secretary of State - Hamilton Fish

Republican Domestic Affairs: Reconstruction Military intervention Fiscal Challenges Black Friday Jay Gould Panic of 1873 Crime of 73 Scandals Whiskey Ring Credit Mobilier Settling the West/Plains Indians battles Foreign Affairs: Cuban Insurrection Failed annexation of Santo Domingo Alabama Claims (improved Anglo-American relations further)

Theodore Roosevelt,1901-1908 Republican VP - Charles W. Fairbanks Secretary of State - John Hay, Elihu Root

Republican Domestic Affairs: Trustbusting Personal disgression Square Deal- fair for all sides New Nationalism 1912 Conservation "Bully Pulpit"-great sway among public Meat Inspection Act The Jungle, Sinclair Foreign Affairs: Taft as Governor of Philippines Panama Canal Roosevelt Corollary Big Stick Diplomacy Peacemaking Russo-Japanese War Gentleman's Ag. France-Germany dispute over Morocco Great White Fleet

Herbert Hoover, 1929-1933 Republican VP - Charles Brent Curtis Secretary of State - Henry L. Stimson

Republican Domestic Affairs: Boulder Canyon Project Act RFC Opposed farm subsidies Great Depression Black Thursday Overuse of credit Overproduction Polarization of wealth Apparent lack of econ intervention Bonus Army Smoot-Hawley Tariff highest Foreign Affairs: Struggle with collection of WWI reparations Worked for disarmament Origins of "Good Neighbor" policy Stimson Doctrine-response to Japanese aggression

School District of Abington v Schempp , 1963

Requiring Bible reading in schools violates the establishment clause

Richard M. Nixon, 1968-1974 Republican VP - Spiro Agnew, Gerald Ford

Richard Nixon was elected the 37th President of the United States (1969-1974) after previously serving as a U.S. Representative and a U.S. Senator from California. After successfully ending American fighting in Vietnam and improving international relations with the U.S.S.R. and China, he became the only President to ever resign the office, as a result of the Watergate scandal. Major Events: Vietnamization Detente with the Soviets SALT I & SALT II Clean Air Act & Creation of the EPA Kent State Shootings Kissinger's meetings with China 26th Amendment ratified Pentagon Papers Watergate Scandal Saturday Night Massacre U.S. v. Nixon Nixon's Resignation

06/08/1908: National Commission for the Conservation of Natural Resources

Roosevelt establishes the National Commission for the Conservation of Natural Resources, headed by Gifford Pinchot.

03/04/1933: Roosevelt inaugurated

Roosevelt is inaugurated as the thirty-second President of the United States. He also appoints Francis Perkins as secretary of labor, making her the first woman hold a cabinet post.

03/04/1905: Roosevelt inaugurated

Roosevelt is inaugurated for his first full term as President of the United States. Also sworn in is Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks.

02/14/1903: Department of Commerce and Labor created

Roosevelt signs a bill creating the Department of Commerce and Labor, the ninth Cabinet office, which will itself emerge as two separate departments in 1913.

06/30/1906: Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act

Roosevelt signs the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act. The legislation calls for both an honest statement of food content on labels and for federal inspection of all plants engaging in interstate commerce. The major impetus for these measures was The Jungle, the scathing report on meatpacking plants written by muckraking journalist Upton Sinclair, which TR personally read.

06/08/1906: National Monuments Act

Roosevelt signs the National Monuments Act, establishing the first eighteen national monuments, including Devils Tower, Muir Woods, and Mount Olympus.

09/05/1905: Portsmouth Treaty

Russia and Japan sign the Portsmouth Treaty, ending the Russo-Japanese War. Roosevelt played a significant role in mediating this conflict, urging an end to hostilities and brining both sides to the conference table in Portsmouth, N.H. For his actions, Roosevelt would win the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize. The treaty also allowed the United States to maintain a balance of power in the Far East while preserving an Open Door Policy in China.

Reagan appoints first woman associate justice of Supreme Court, Sandra Day O'Connor, 1981

Sandra Day O'Connor was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Reagan on August 19, 1981, thus fulfilling his 1980 campaign promise to appoint the first woman to the highest court in the United States.

Investigation of Teapot Dome scandal, 1923-1924

Secretary of the Interior Albert Bacon Fall had leased Navy petroleum reserves at Teapot Dome in Wyoming, and two locations in California, to private oil companies at low rates without competitive bidding. The leases were the subject of a seminal investigation by Senator Thomas J. Walsh.

Massive US aid programs to Russia and collapsing Asian economies through IMF and World Bank, 1999

Selected Asian Countries: Interest Rate and Exchange Rate ... entitled "The IMF's Response to the Asian Crisis" that was issued in January 1999. ... programs inIndonesia, Korea, and Thailand, with the assistance for ... the authorities in each country, as well as the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.

07/15/1964: Republicans nominate Barry Goldwater

Sen. Barry Goldwater (R-AZ) receives the Republican nomination for President.

Carrie Chapman Catt becomes president of NAWSA, 1900

She became involved in Iowa Woman Suffrage Association. Catt emerged as a leader in the fight to win women the right to vote. In 1900, she began her first term as the president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA), taking over for legendary women's rights advocate Susan B.

Texas oil wells discovery launches oil boom in the Southwest, 1901-

Spindletop. The Lucas gusher at Spindletop, January 10, 1901: This was the first major gusher of the Texas oil boom. ... Gulf Oil and Texaco, now part of Chevron Corporation, were formed to develop production at Spindletop. According to Daniel Yergin, the Spindletop discovery led the United States into the oil age.

Vice-President Spiro Agnew resigns, 1973

Spiro Theodore Agnew (/ˈspɪroʊ ˈæɡnjuː/; November 9, 1918 - September 17, 1996) was the 39th vice president of the United States from 1969 until his resignation in 1973. He is the second and most recent vice president to resign the position, the other being John C. Calhoun in 1832.

Steamboat navigation inaugurated on Ohio Mississippi route, 1817

Steamboats played a major role in the 19th-century development of the Mississippi River and its tributaries by allowing the practical large-scale transport of passengers and freight both up- and down-river.

Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company v Sawyer, 1952

Supreme Court decision which restricted the powers of the president and the executive branch. Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer, 343 U.S. 579, also commonly referred to as the Steel Seizure Case or the Youngstown Steel case, was a landmark United States Supreme Court decision that limited the power of the President of the United States to seize private property.

Charles River Bridge v. Warren Bridge (1837)

Supreme Court ruled that a charter granted by a State to a company cannot work to the disadvantage of the public. A State could not make laws infringing on the charters of private organizations. The Charles River Bridge Company protested when the Warren Bridge Company was authorized in 1828 to build a free bridge where it had been chartered to operate a toll bridge in 1785. The court ruled that the Charles River Company was not granted a monopoly right in their charter, and the Warren Company could build its bridge. Began the legal concept that private companies cannot injure the public welfare.

Major railroad strikes paralyze nation as federal troops are dispatched, 1877

Survey of the Great Railroad Strike of 1877, a series of violent rail strikes across ... Henry M. Mathews dispatched the militia when police were unable to break up ... by July 29 a fresh contingent of the National Guard, supported by federal troops, ... The leaders of the major railway fraternal organizations

Congress creates commission to mediate labor disputes, 1888

Synopsis. The United States federal government passed the Arbitration Act of 1888 on 1 October 1888 to legislate the government's role in railroad labor disputes, thus setting a precedent for federal arbitration between unions and railroad carriers.

US extends recognition to new republics of Latin America, 1821

THE MONROE DOCTRINE (1823) ... The United States was also negotiating with Spain to purchase the Floridas, and once that treaty was ratified, the Monroe administration began to extend recognition to the new Latin American republics -- Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia and Mexico were all recognized in 1822.

10/1902: Anthracite Coal Strike

TR plays a key role in settling the Anthracite Coal Strike. During the spring of 1902, laborers tied to the United Mine Workers union had walked off the job in the hard coal mines of Pennsylvania. The prospect of coal shortages in the winter months loomed, and TR decided that public interest demanded vigorous executive action. Roosevelt summoned union leaders and mine operators to the White House, a significant gesture for both his presidency and for the development of his reform program, known as the "Square Deal." The coal strike ended on October 21.

10/23/1907: TR returns to Washington from a hunting trip to de...

TR returns to Washington from a hunting trip to deal with Secretary of the Treasury George B. Cortelyou and to dissipate rumors of a financial crash. Although $68 million dollars is distributed, the government's response fails to calm fears about a possible depression.

06/29/1906: Hepburn Act

TR signs the Hepburn Act, which gives the Interstate Commerce Commission increased power to regulate railroad rates. Roosevelt's leadership is key for the passage of this act, as many observers claim the act would have not come out of the Senate without TR's advocacy.

11/08/1904: Roosevelt elected

TR wins the presidential election, trouncing Democratic candidate Alton B. Parker, 336 electoral votes to 140. With the exception of Maryland, Roosevelt wins every state north of Washington, D.C., including all Midwestern and Western states; Parker sweeps the South and Texas. In the Senate, the Republicans maintain their 57 to 33 advantage, while in the House, they gain 43 seats, for a 250-136 majority. Roosevelt vows to not seek another presidential term in order to deflect Democratic charges that he would remain in office for life.

Coup against Soviet Premier Gorbachev, August 1991

The 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, also known as the August Coup (Russian: Августовский путч, tr. Avgustovskiy Putch "August Putsch"), was an attempt made by members of the government of the Soviet Union to take control of the country from Soviet President and General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev.

Treaty with China gives the US right to "regulate, limit or suspend" entry of Chinese laborers, 1880

The Act was the first immigration law to ban entry into the United States based on ... I. Chinese Exclusion Treaty, 1880 Treaty Regulating Immigration from China ... increasing immigration of Chinese laborers to the territory of the United States, ... or subjects of the most favored nation, and to which they are entitled by treaty. II.

01/16/1906: Algeciras Conference

The Algeciras Conference opens, with TR hoping to mediate a disagreement between France and Germany over Morocco.

Kennedy calls for cooperation in Latin America towards an "Alliance for Progress," which would involve US aid, 1961

The Alliance for Progress (Spanish: Alianza para el Progreso), initiated by U.S. President John F. Kennedy in 1961, aimed to establish economic cooperation between the U.S. and Latin America.

Occupation of Japan 1945-1952

The Allied occupation of Japan at the end of World War II was led by General Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers, with support from the British Commonwealth. Unlike in the occupation of Germany, the Soviet Union was allowed little to no influence over Japan

Oil is discovered in Pennsylvania, 1859

The American Chemical Society designated the drilling by Edwin Drake of the first oil well in a ceremony in Titusville, Pennsylvania, on August 27, 2009. The plaque commemorating the event at the Drake Well Museum reads: On this site Edwin Drake drilled the world's first oil well, striking oil on August 27, 1859.

10/13/1933: The American Federation of Labor votes to boycott ...

The American Federation of Labor votes to boycott all German-made products to protest the Nazi party's antagonism towards organized labor in Germany. The next day, Germany withdraws from the Disarmament Conference in Geneva and announces that it will terminate membership in the League of Nations in two years' time.

American Protective Association founded, 1887

The American Protective Association (APA) was an American anti-Catholic secret society established in 1887 by Protestants. The organization was the largest anti-Catholic movement in the United States during the later part of the 19th century, showing particular regional strength in the Midwest.

JD Salinger publishes Catcher in the Rye, 1951

The Catcher in the Rye is a story by J. D. Salinger, partially published in serial form in 1945-1946 and as a novel in 1951. It was originally intended for adults, but is often read by adolescents for its themes of angst and alienation, and as a critique on superficiality in society. It has been translated widely.

Trail of Tears forces the Cherokee from Georgia to "Indian Territory," 1835-1838

The Cherokee Indians were forced to leave their lands. They traveled from North Carolina and Georgia through Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas-more than 800 miles (1,287 km)-to the Indian Territory. More than 4, 00 Cherokees died of cold, disease, and lack of food during the 116-day journey.

Wabash, Indiana, becomes first city to be completely lit by electricity, 1880

The City Council of Wabash agreed to testing the lights and on March 31, 1880, Wabash became the "First Electrically Lighted City in the World" as a flood of light engulfed the town from four Brush Lights mounted atop the courthouse. One of the original Brush Lights is on display at the Wabash County Courthouse.

Civil Rights Act of 1960 strengthens 1957 CRA provisions to help with black voter registration

The Civil Rights Act of 1960 is a United States federal law that established federal inspection of local voter registration polls and introduced penalties for anyone who obstructed someone's attempt to register to vote. It was designed to deal with discriminatory laws and practices in the segregated South, by which blacks

Committee to Re-Elect the President (CREEP), 1972

The Committee for the Re-election of the President (also known as the Committee to Re-elect the President), abbreviated CRP, but often mocked by the acronym CREEP, was, officially, a fundraising organization of United States President Richard Nixon's 1972 re-election campaign.

Oliver Wendell Holmes publishes The Common Law, 1881

The Common Law is a book that was written by Oliver Wendell HolmesJr. in 1881, 21 years before Holmes became an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. The book is about common law in the United States, including torts, property, contracts, and crime. It is written as a series of lectures.

Congress establishes the Bureau of Labor in the Department of the Interior, 1884

The Consumer Price Index is calculated by what government department?

Creeks moved west, 1825

The Creeks are original residents of the American southeast, particularly Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and North Carolina. Most Creeks were forced to move to Oklahoma in the 1800's, like other southern Indian tribes.

Dawes Indian Severalty Act, 1887

The Dawes Act of 1887 authorized the President of the United States to subdivide Native American tribal landholdings into allotments for Native American heads of families and individuals, transferring

07/06/1904: Democrats nominate Alton B. Parker

The Democratic Party nominates Alton B. Parker of New York for the presidency and Thomas Tibbles for the vice presidency.

Mississippi enacts literacy test requirement for elections, 1890

The literacy test was a device to restrict the total number of immigrants while not offending the large element of ethnic voters. The "old" immigration (British, Dutch, Irish, German, Scandinavian) had fallen off and was replaced by a "new" immigration from Italy, Russia and other points in Southern and eastern Europe.

Falkland (Malvinas) Islands crisis between Argentina and Great Britain, 1982

The Falklands War (Spanish: Guerra de las Malvinas) was a 10-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial dependency, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

Publicity Act requires corporations to disclose their contributions to the campaigns of Congressmen, 1910

The Federal Corrupt Practices Act, also known as the Publicity Act, was a federal law of the United States that was enacted in 1910 and amended in 1911 and 1925. It remained the nation's primary law regulating campaign finance in federal ... The Act of Congress was enacted on June 25, 1910 by US President William

Betty Friedan publishes The Feminine Mystique, 1963

The Feminine Mystique is a book by Betty Friedan that is widely credited with sparking the beginning of second-wave feminism in the United States. It was published on February 19, 1963 by W. W. Norton.

First Bank of United States , 1791-1811

The First Bank of the United States charter was allowed to expire in 1811, partially because over half its stock was owned by foreigners, but also because over 80 state banks opposed its existence. - Due to the Bank's excellent reputation for financial stability the American public preferred the notes issued by the Bank rather than the state banks which made it difficult for state banks to compete

Palestinian uprising (Intifada) against Israeli occupation of West Bank and Gaza, 1987

The First Intifada was a grassroots uprising against Israel's occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. ... It began on 9 December 1987 in the Jabaliya Refugee Camp in the Gaza Strip, when an Israeli truck crashed into two vans carrying Palestinian workers killing four of them.

Charles Lindbergh completes the first nonstop, solo airplane flight across the Atlantic, 1927

The First Solo, Nonstop Transatlantic Flight. On May 21, 1927, Charles A. Lindbergh completed the first solo, nonstop transatlantic flight in history, flying his Spirit of St. Louis from Long Island, New York, to Paris, France.

04/1913: Ford's Model T

The Ford Motor Company institutes the first automobile assembly line to produce the Model T. Company founder Henry Ford breaks precedence and pays his line workers $5 a day, believing that higher wages would lead to greater worker productivity and loyalty.

Tribes (eventually settled 75,000 Native Americans), of the Black Hills Reservation for the Sioux, and five smaller reservations, 1867

The Fort Laramie treaty established the "Great Sioux Reserve" giving the land west of the Missouri River, including the sacred land of the Sioux, the Black Hills to the Indians.. Red Cloud insisted that certain government forts, including Fort Laramie, be removed from Nativelands before he would sign.

09/16/1908: General Motors Company, Incorporated

The General Motors Company files incorporation papers in Hudson County, New Jersey.

05/06/1937: The German dirigible Hindenburg explodes ou...

The German dirigible Hindenburg explodes outside Lakehurst, New Jersey, killing thirty-six.

Big Chicago Fire, 1871

The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned in the American city of Chicago during October 8-10, 1871. The fire killed approximately 300 people, destroyed roughly 3.3 square miles of the city, and left more than 100,000 residents homeless. The fire began in a neighborhood southwest of the city

Panic and Depression, 1929-1940s

The Great Depression was the worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world, lasting from 1929 to 1939. It began after the stock market crash of October 1929, which sent Wall Street into a panic and wiped out millions of investors.

F. Scott Fitzgerald publishes The Great Gatsby, 1925

The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel written by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald that follows a cast of characters living in the fictional towns of West Egg and East Egg on prosperous Long Island in the summer of 1922.

Union Pacific railroad strike, 1884

The Great Southwest railroad strike of 1886 was a labor union strike involving more than 200,000 workers. Beginning on March 1, 1886, railroad workers in five states struck against the Union Pacific and Missouri Pacific railroads, owned by Jay Gould.

Knights of Labor strike against Jay Gould's Missouri-Pacific Railroad system. Over 9000 strikers tie up 5000 miles of track, causing the company $3 million in damages and themselves $900,000 in lost wages, 1886

The Great Southwest railroad strike of 1886 was a labor union strike involving more than 200,000 workers. Beginning on March 1, 1886, railroad workers in five states struck againstthe Union Pacific and Missouri Pacific railroads, owned by Jay Gould. ... The Knights of Labor and Gould's Union Pacific had reached an agreement

Greensboro, NC, non-violent civil disobedience incident leads to the sit-in movement, 1960

The Greensboro sit-in was a civil rights protest that started in 1960, when young African American students staged a sit-in at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, and refused to leave after being denied service. The sit-in movement soon spread to college towns throughout the South

Homestead massacre at Carnegie Steel Company plant in Homestead, PA, 1892

The Homestead Strike was a violent labour dispute between the Carnegie Steel Company and many of its workers that occurred in 1892 in Homestead, Pennsylvania. The striking workers were all fired on July 2, and on July 6 private security guards hired by the company arrived.

Moratorium on war debts (Allied and German) to alleviate international depression, 1931

The Hoover Moratorium was a public statement issued by US President Herbert Hoover on June 20, 1931, who hoped to ease the coming international economic crisis and provide time for recovery. ... A few of the former Allies continued to make payments to the United States after the moratorium expired.

New immigration act places limitations on immigration and charges processing fees, 1882

The Immigration Act of 1882 was a United States federal law signed by President Chester A. ... Unlike the Chinese Exclusion act, the Immigration Act of 1882 would not limit all immigrationfrom a certain country or region. ... or any person unable to take care of him or herself without becoming a public charge, they shall report

Immigration Act of 1891 establishes the Bureau of Immigration under the Treasury Department to administer all immigration laws, thus establishing national control over this matter, 1891

The Immigration Act of 1891, also known as the 1891 Immigration Act, was a modification of the Immigration Act of 1882, focusing on immigration rules and ... Section 7 of the 1891 Act created the Office of Superintendent of Immigration. ... by the president, who all worked underthe jurisdiction of the secretary of the treasury.

Snyder Act of 1924 extends citizenship to all Native Americans

The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, also known as the Snyder Act, was proposed by Representative Homer P. Snyder of New York and granted full U.S. citizenship to American Indians, in this Act.

7/07/1905: Industrial Workers of the World

The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) forms in Chicago, Illinois, to counteract the conservative American Federation of Labor.

Reagan and Gorbachev agree to ban all short and medium range nuclear missiles, 1988

The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty, formally Treaty Between the United ... The INF Treaty banned all of the two nations' land-based ballistic missiles, cruise missiles... with ranges of 500-1,000 kilometers (310- 620 mi) (short medium-range) and ... The treaty text was finally agreed in September 1987.

Iran releases US hostages on Reagan's inauguration day, 1981

The Iran hostage crisis negotiations were negotiations in 1980 and 1981 between the United States Government and the Iranian Government to end the Iranian hostagecrisis. The 52 American hostages, seized from the US Embassy in Tehran in November 1979, were finally released on 20 January 1981.

US begins secret arms-for-hostages talks with Iran to release US hostages in Lebanon, 1985

The Iran-Contra affair popularized in Iran as the McFarlane affair, the ... Secret Israeli arms sales and shipments to Iran began in that year, even ... On 17 June 1985, National Security Adviser Robert McFarlane ... Hezbollah release American hostages in Lebanon in exchange for

Iran-Contra hearings investigate the arms-for-hostages deal, 1987

The Iran-Contra affair popularized in Iran as the McFarlane affair, the Iran- Contra scandal, ... Neither investigation found evidence that President Reagan himself knew of the ... The United States was the largest seller of arms to Iran under Mohammad Reza ... This was the first public report of the weapons-for- hostages deal.

Congress establishes Isthmian Canal Commission, to develop plans for a canal across Central America, 1899

The Isthmian Canal Commission (often known as the ICC) was an American administration commission set up to oversee the construction of the Panama Canal in the early years of American involvement. Established the February 26, 1904, it was given control of the Panama Canal Zone over which the United States exercised sovereignty.[1] The commission reported directly to Secretary of War William Taft.

Jackson State College shootings in Mississippi, 1970

The Jackson State killings occurred on Friday, May 15, 1970, at Jackson State College (now Jackson State University) in Jackson, Mississippi. On May 14, 1970, a group of students was confronted by city and state police. Shortly after midnight, the policeopened fire, killing two students and injuring twelve.

Western Union establishes a national telegraph monopoly, 1866

The main way the telegraph improved American life was that it made it easier to communicate across vast distances. ... Railroads used telegraphs a lot because they needed to be able to communicate instantly between far-flung stations. The telegraph, therefore, allowed railroads to operate more effectively.

"Kitchen Cabinet"/"Spoils System"

The Kitchen Cabinet was a mocking term applied to an official circle of advisers to President Andrew Jackson. ... As part of his anti-establishment actions, he began to dismiss government officials who had held the same jobs for years. His reshuffling of the government became known as​ the Spoils System

Landrum-Griffin Act (Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act) enacted to regulate the internal affairs of unions, 1959

The Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (also "LMRDA" or the "Landrum-Griffin Act"), is a US labor law that regulates labor unions' internal affairs and their officials' relationships with employers.

William Lloyd Garrison begins publication of The Liberator, 1831

The Liberator was a weekly abolitionist newspaper, printed and published in Boston by William Lloyd Garrison and, through 1839, by Isaac Knapp. Religious rather than political, it appealed to the moral conscience of its readers, urging them to demand immediate freeing of the slaves.

07/27/1933: The London Economic Conference meets to discuss th...

The London Economic Conference meets to discuss the international depression, but accomplishes little, mainly because the United States disagrees with most other nations on the correct course of action. Most countries stress the need for currency stabilization, while the United States focuses on stimulating trade.

National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA), 1890

The National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) was an organization formed on February 18, 1890, to advocate in favor of women's suffragein the United States.

The New York Times begins publication, 1851

The New York Times, morning daily newspaper published in New York City, long the newspaper of record in the United States and one of the world's great newspapers. ... The Times was established in 1851 as a penny paper that would avoid sensationalism and report the news in a restrained and objective fashion.

Congress passes resolution annexing Hawaii to the US, 1898

The Newlands Resolution was a joint resolution passed on July 4, 1898, by the United States Congress to annex the independent Republic of Hawaii. ... Annexation was a highly controversial political issue, along with the similar issue of the acquisition of the Philippines in 1898.

Eastman Kodak introduces the $1 camera, making it affordable and accessible, 1900

The No. 1 Brownie Camera sold for $1 when it was introduced in 1900 for the children's market. Kodak produced about 125 Brownie models.

02/18/1909: North American Conservation Conference

The North American Conservation Conference convenes at the White House.

Bomb explosion destroys Oklahoma Federal building, 1995

The Oklahoma City bombing was a domestic terrorist truck bombing on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building[1] in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, on April 19, 1995. Perpetrated by Americans Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, the bombing happened at 9:02 am and killed at least 168 people,[2] injured more than 680 others, and destroyed one third of the building.[3

Pony Express mail service begins service between Missouri and California, 1860

The Pony Express was a mail service delivering messages, newspapers, and mailusing relays of horse-mounted riders that operated from April 3, 1860 to October 24, 1861 between Missouri and California in the United States of America.

11/09/1906: The Roosevelts visit Panama

The President and Mrs. Roosevelt go to Panama to inspect the building of the Panama Canal, marking the first trip abroad by a sitting American President.

TR establishes the Progressive (Bull Moose) Party, 1912

The Progressive Party was a third party in the United States formed in 1912 by former president Theodore Roosevelt after he lost the presidential nomination of the Republican Party to his former protégé and conservative rival, incumbent president William Howard Taft.

Reconstruction Finance Corporation Act establishes federal funds to rescue banks, railroads, and insurance companies, 1932

The RFC lending program failed to prevent the worst financial crisis in American history. The effectiveness of RFC lending to March 1933 was limited in several respects. The RFC required banks to pledge assets as collateral for RFC loans.

Soviet troops march through Eastern Europe toward Berlin, 1945

The Race to Berlin was a competition between two Soviet marshals, Georgy Zhukov and Ivan Konev, to be the first to enter Berlin during the final months of World War II in Europe. In early 1945, with Germany's defeat inevitable, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin set his two marshals in a race to capture Berlin.

11/06/1906: Republicans gain seat

The Republicans gain four seats in the Senate, for a 61 to 31 majority. In the House, the Republicans lose 28 seats, but maintain a 222-164 advantage. The national labor movement became involved in these elections, thereby marking a turning point in the history of national elections. Samuel Gompers and the American Federation of Labor had issued "Labor's Bill of Rights," asking both parties to support the program. When Republicans declined to do so, the AFL backed the Democrats, who claimed to be the "First to Recognize Organized Labor."

Niagara falls electric plant inaugurates hydroelectricity era, 1894

The Robert Moses Niagara Hydroelectric Power Station is a hydroelectric power station in Lewiston, New York, near Niagara Falls. ... 2 opened directly in front of the original, in the gorge below the falls, with a higher 210 ... Power; ^ Jump up to : "History - 25-Hz At Niagara Falls - End of an era on the Niagara Frontier, Part I".

Volunteer Army Act establishes the "Rough Riders" cavalry under TR, 1898

The Rough Riders played a key role in the outcome of the Spanish-American War by assisting the American forces in forming a constricting ring around the city of Santiago de Cuba.

US signs United Nations Charter in San Francisco, 1945

The San Francisco Conference, 25 April - 26 June 1945: India Signs the United Nations Charter. ... It came into force on October 24, 1945, when China, France, the USSR, the United Kingdom, and the United States and a majority of the other signatories had filed their instruments of ratification.

Beginning of the Second Great Awakening, 1801-1840s

The Second Great Awakening was a Protestant revival movement during the early nineteenth century. The movement started around 1800, had begun to gain momentum by 1820, and was in decline by 1870. Revivals were a key part of the movement and attracted hundreds of converts to new Protestant denominations.

06/15/1907: Second International Peace Conference

The Second International Peace Conference opens at The Hague, The Netherlands. The United States argues, unsuccessfully, for the establishment of a World Court.

05/31/1913: Seventeenth Amendment

The Seventeenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is enacted, providing for the direct popular election of U.S. senators. Previously, senators were chosen by their respective state legislatures. This amendment succeeds in diminishing the prestige of state governments and enhances popular control of the federal legislature.

Student Non-Violence Coordinating Committee formed, 1960

The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee was founded in early 1960 in Raleigh, North Carolina, to capitalize on the success of a surge of sit-ins in Southern college towns, where black students refused to leave restaurants in which they were denied service based on their race.

Ernest Hemingway published The Sun Also Rises, 1926

The Sun Also Rises is a 1926 novel by American Ernest Hemingway that portrays American and British expatriates who travel from Paris to the Festival of San Fermín in Pamplona to watch the running of the bulls and the bullfights. An early and enduring modernist novel, it received mixed reviews upon publication.

Iowa enters Union, 1846

The Territory of Iowa was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1838, until December 28, 1846, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Iowa.

Nebraska enters Union, 1867

The Territory of Nebraska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until March 1, 1867, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Nebraska.

Samoan islands divided between, US, Germany, and Great Britain, 1889

The Tripartite Convention of 1899 concluded the Second Samoan Civil War, resulting in the formal partition of the Samoan archipelago into a German colony and a United States territory.

01/23/1964: Twenty-Fourth Amendment ratified

The Twenty-Fourth Amendment to the Constitution is ratified, abolishing poll taxes.

War parties of Cheyennes, Arapahos, and Sioux raid frontier settlements in Kansas and Colorado, 1868

The U.S. Army convinced a group of Cheyenne to stop raiding farms and return to their Colorado reservation peacefully, where the army attacked and killed about 150 people while burning the camp. ... Colonel Custer tried to get the indians back into their reservation but was defeated and humiliated after they were defeated.

01/13/1921: Census Bureau report

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that for the first time in American history, 51 percent of Americans live in cities and towns of more than 2500 people.

General Motors settles strike with United Auto Workers and grants better wages, working conditions, and benefits, 1950

The United Automobile Workers union members organized a strike ... The U.A.W. is pushing G.M. to improve wages, reopen idled plants, ... down from a peak of one-third in the 1950s, labor has become more assertive in recent years ... In addition to factoryworkers, janitors at the Flint plant are also on strike The GM strike has officially ended. Here's what workers won and lost. Workers lost nearly $1 billion. GM lost even more.

11/18/1901: Hay-Pauncefote Treaty signed

The United States and Great Britain sign the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty, by which the British grant control of an isthmian canal to the United States. The Senate would ratify Hay-Pauncefote on December 16, thereby abrogating the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty of 1850.

02/18/1908: Restricting Japanese immigration

The United States and Japan reach an agreement on the restriction of Japanese immigration. The Japanese government agrees not to issue any more visas permitting Japanese laborers to emigrate to the United States.

Japan opened to US trade/Commodore Mathew Perry (1853)

The United States and the Opening to Japan, 1853. On July 8, 1853, AmericanCommodore Matthew Perry led his four ships into the harbor at Tokyo Bay, seeking to re-establish for the first time in over 200 years regular trade and discourse between Japan and the western world.

U.S. invasion of Grenada (1983)

The United States invasion of Grenada began at dawn on 25 October 1983. The U.S. and a coalition of six Caribbean nations attacked the island nation of Grenada, 100 miles north of Venezuela. Codenamed Operation Urgent Fury, the multinational intervention resulted in an allied victory within a matter of days.

The high point of "Old Immigration" (Scandinavians in upstate New York, Wisconsin and Minnesota; Irish in New York and New England; Germans in New York, Baltimore, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Texas), 1843-1882

The United States is a nation of immigrants. Every American is either an immigrant or has ancestors who were immigrants. ... The old immigrants arrived in the mid-1800s, coming mostly from northwestern Europe, while the new immigrants arrived a generation later, traveling mostly from southeastern Europe.

11/18/1903: Hay-Buneau-Varilla Treaty

The United States negotiates the Hay-Buneau-Varilla Treaty with Panama to build the Panama Canal. The treaty gives the United States control of a ten-mile-wide canal zone in return for $10,000,000 in gold plus a yearly fee of $250,000.

01/21/1905: Trade agreements with the Dominican Republic

The United States signs a protocol with the Dominican Republic, thereby giving it control of the latter's customs and international in and mollifying European creditors. Though the Senate refuses to ratify this agreement, Roosevelt makes a temporary arrangement with the republic to undertake the newly envisioned "Roosevelt Corollary."

US -Cuba relations deteriorate as Castro seizes US-held refineries and plantations, 1960

The United States traditionally has enjoyed robust economic and political ... Economic conditions in Brazil have deteriorated significantly in ... plantation economy. ... The Brazilian military seized power in a 1964 coup, ushering in two ... Nevertheless, many Brazilians hold her accountable for the scandal.32.

06/1936: The various political parties meet to nominate pre...

The various political parties meet to nominate presidential candidates for the upcoming election. In Cleveland, the Republicans nominate Kansas governor Alfred M. Landon for President, with Frank Knox of Illinois as his running mate. The Union Party, a splinter party from the Republicans hoping to continue in the populist tradition of Huey Long, nominates William Lemke, a Republican representative from North Dakota. In Philadelphia, the Democrats re-nominate Roosevelt and Garner for a second term.

Minor v. Happersett (1875)

This Supreme Court decision held that women could be deprived of the right to vote in the same way as felons.

08/04/1964: Freedom Summer murders

Three civil rights workers are found dead in Mississippi; the bodies of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner were discovered in an earthen dam two months after having been abducted and shot at close range. Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner had all been participating in the Mississippi Freedom Summer efforts to register black voters in the state. Several members of the local KKK were involved in the murder, though only one perpetrator was ever convicted, 41 years later, before the case was closed.

03/02/1907: Strong arming for forest reserves

To get around restrictive language in an appropriation bill inhibiting the creation of new forest reserves in six Western states, TR issues proclamations establishing forest reserves in affected states before the law goes into effect. In doing so, TR faced down Westerners who disdained interference from Washington.

Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer's attacks on Cheyenne village in Washita, Oklahoma, cause carnage, 1868

Today, the Washita Battlefield National Historic Site protects and interprets the setting along the Washita River where Lt. Colonel George A. Custer led the 7th U.S. Cavalry on a surprise dawn attack against the Southern Cheyenne village of Peace Chief Black Kettle on November 27, 1868.

07/29/1915: U.S. Marines land in Haiti

U.S. Marines land in Haiti to restore order after the assassination of Haitian president Vilbrun Guillaume Sam. With the country suffering seemingly endless political strife, Wilson justifies the intervention as an exercise in teaching Haitians "how to elect good men."

Nixon visits China, February 1972

U.S. President Richard Nixon's 1972 visit to the People's Republic of China was an important strategic and diplomatic overture that marked the culmination of the Nixon administration's resumption of harmonious relations between the United States and mainland China after years of diplomatic isolation.

Gadsden Purchase (1853)

U.S. acquisition of land south of the Gila River from Mexico for $10 million; the land was needed for a possible transcontinental railroad line through the southern United States. However, the route was never used.

Populist Party established, 1892

U.S. political party formed in 1892 representing mainly farmers, favoring free coinage of silver and government control of railroads and other monopolies

Monroe Doctrine (1823)

US foreign policy regarding Latin American countries stated that further efforts by European nations to colonize land or interfere with states in North or South America would be viewed as acts of aggression, requiring U.S. intervention.

Los Alamos nuclear scientist accused of nuclear secrets transfer to China, 1999

Wen Ho Lee is a Taiwanese-American scientist who worked for the University of California at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. He created simulations of nuclear explosions for the purposes of scientific inquiry, as well as for improving the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. A federal grand jury indicted him on charges of stealing secrets about the U.S. nuclear arsenal for the People's Republic of China (PRC) in December 1999.

Iran-Iraq war begins, 1980-1988

What caused the start of the Iran Iraq war in 1980? Iraq invaded Iran on 22 September 1980, triggering a bitter eight-year war which destabilised the region and devastated both countries. The then Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein claimed as a reason for the invasion a territorial dispute over the Shatt al-Arab, the waterway which forms the boundary between the two countries.

Revolutions erupt throughout communist countries of Eastern Europe; US support is timid 1989

What events led to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe? Fall of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1989. On November 9, 1989, thousands of jubilant Germans brought down the most visible symbol of division at the heart of Europe—the Berlin Wall.

A church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, leaves "4 Little Girls," dead, 1963

What happened at the Birmingham church bombing? Facts: September 15, 1963 - A bomb blast at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, kills four African-American girls during church services. At least 14 others are injured in the explosion, including Sarah Collins, the 12-year-old sister of victim Addie Mae Collins, who loses an eye.

Tiananmen Square demonstrations are crushed by Chinese government, 1989

What happened in 1989 Tiananmen Square? In what became known as the Tiananmen Square Massacre, troops with assault rifles and tanks fired at the demonstrators and those trying to block the military's advance into Tiananmen Square.

Student protests at university campuses continues, 1968-1970

What incident sparked massive protest on college campuses in 1970? Student strike of 1970. On April 30, 1970, President Nixon announced the expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia. On May 1, protests on college campuses and in cities throughout the U.S. began. In Seattle, over a thousand protestors gathered at the Federal Courthouse and cheered speakers.

Soviet republics clamor for independence; US response is timid, 1989-1991

What led to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991? The unsuccessful August 1991 coup against Gorbachev sealed the fate of the Soviet Union. Planned by hard-line Communists, the coup diminished Gorbachev's power and propelled Yeltsin and the democratic forces to the forefront of Soviet and Russianpolitics.

Newly elect Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev initiates reforms of "Perestroika" and "Glasnost" in Soviet Union, 1985

What reforms did glasnost bring to the Soviet Union? In 1986, aware of the term's historical and more recent resonance, Mikhail Gorbachev and his advisers adopted "glasnost" as a political slogan, together with the obscure "perestroika". Glasnost was taken to mean increased openness and transparency in government institutions and activities in the Soviet Union (USSR).

Ho Chi Minh declares Vietnam an independent republic with its capital at Hanoi, 1945

What role did the "17th Parallel" play in the Vietnam War? ... It marked the furthest advance south by North Vietnam. D) It divided Vietnam into North Vietnam and South Vietnam.

Affirmative Action legislations struck down in many states, 1995

What states have banned affirmative action? Nine states in the US have ever banned the affirmative action: Idaho (2020), California (1996), Texas (1996), Washington (1998), Florida (1999), Michigan (2006), Nebraska (2008), Arizona (2010), New Hampshire (2012), and Oklahoma (2012).

Second National Origins Act establishes quota principle in immigration, 1924

What was a result of the new immigration law passed in 1924? The Immigration Act of 1924 limited the number of immigrants allowed entry into the United States through a national origins quota. The quota provided immigration visas to two percent of the total number of people of each nationality in the United States as of the 1890 national census.

Swan v Charlott-Mecklenburg Board if Education mandates busing to ensure integration, 1971

What was the Swann v Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools case and why was it so important? Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, case in which, on April 20, 1971, the Supreme Court of the United States unanimously upheld busing programs that aimed to speed up the racial integration of public schools in the United States. ... Indeed, busing was used by white officials to maintain segregation.

Arab-Israeli war of 1973 leads to Secretary of State Henry Kissinger's "shuttle diplomacy" to secure a peace that will guarantee US superiority in area at the expense of Soviets, 1973-1975

What was the impact of the 1973 Arab Israeli war? The 1973 Arab-Israeli War was a watershed for U.S. foreign policy toward the Middle East. It forced the Nixon administration to realize that Arab frustration over Israel'sunwillingness to withdraw from the territories it had occupied in 1967 could have major strategic consequences for the United States.

US facilitates peace talks between Israel and Egypt at Camp David, Maryland, 1978-1979

What was the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel called? The Camp David Accords, signed by President Jimmy Carter, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in September 1978, established a framework for a historic peace treaty concluded between Israel and Egypt in March 1979.

Republicans take over the House in mid-term elections for the first time in 40 years, 1994

What was the result of the 1994 midterm election? The Republican Revolution, Revolution of '94, or Gingrich Revolution, refers to the Republican Party (GOP) success in the 1994 U.S. midterm elections, which resulted in a net gain of 54 seats in the House of Representatives, and a pickup of eight seats in the Senate.

Rampant unemployment, 1982-1985

What was the unemployment rate in 1982? The unemployment rate hovered between 7% and 8% from the summer of 1980 to the fall of 1981, when it began to rise quickly. By March 1982 it had reached 9%, and in December of that year the unemployment rate stood at its recession peak of 10.8%.

Department of Education established, 1979

When Congress created the Department in 1979, it declared these purposes: to strengthen the Federal commitment to ensuring access to equal educationalopportunity for every individual; ... to increase the accountability of Federal educationprograms to the President, the Congress and the public.

Panic of 1837

When Jackson was president, many state banks received government money that had been withdrawn from the Bank of the U.S. These banks issued paper money and financed wild speculation, especially in federal lands. Jackson issued the Specie Circular to force the payment for federal lands with gold or silver. Many state banks collapsed as a result. A panic ensued (1837). Bank of the U.S. failed, cotton prices fell, businesses went bankrupt, and there was widespread unemployment and distress.

Impeachment Trial, 1868

When Johnson removed Stanton from office, Congress voted to impeach him on high crimes and misdemeanors from "many" violations of the Tenure of Office Act. Johnson's attorneys argued that the Tenure act was unconst. and that he fired Stanton to put a test case before the Supreme Court. The radicals failed to muster 2/3 majority for his removal from 7 Rep. Senators putting the country before their party and voting not guilty. The nation thus avoided a dangerous precedent that could have weakened the Executive branch of Gov.

Edison demonstrates the first practical incandescent electric light bulb, 1879

When Thomas Edison demonstrated the first practical incandescent light bulb on New Year's Eve 1879, it marked the dawn of the electric age. As the remaining hours of 1879 dwindled to a precious few, a Pennsylvania Railroad special steamed into aremote New Jersey hamlet.

Millard Fillmore (1850-1853) Whig Secretary of State - Daniel Webster

Whig Domestic Affairs: Secured Compromise of 1850 Supporter of Fugitive Slave Law Faced secession threat Foreign Affairs: Opened trade with Japan (Commodore Perry) Kept Hawaii from Euro annexation Failed Cuban invasion

John Tyler (1841-1845) Anti-Jackson Democrat ran as VP on Whig ticket Secretary of State - Daniel Webster

Whig (sorta) Domestic Affairs: Refused revival of the National Bank Enraged cabinet and Congress Demonstrated Jacksonian powers Foreign Affairs: Secured annexation of Texas Ended hostilities with Seminoles China trade Webster-Ashburton Maine/CN border

09/02/1901: "Speak softly..."

While emphasizing the need for a strong foreign policy, Roosevelt talks of the need to "Speak softly and carry a big stick." The saying catches the fancy of the whole nation, and the "big stick" becomes a favorite object of political cartoonists.

More than 200,000 participate in "Freedom March" on Washington DC where Dr. King delivers his "I Have a Dream" speech, 1963

Who all spoke at the March on Washington? gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial. The march was organized by the "Big Six" leaders of the civil rights movement: A. Philip Randolph, Whitney M. Young Jr., Martin Luther King Jr., James Farmer, Roy Wilkins and John Lewis

1500 Marines sent to Lebanon (withdrawn in 1984 after a suicide mission against Marine barracks kills over 240 servicemen, 1984), 1983

Who attacked the Marine barracks in Beirut? Suspected to be Hezbollah, along with some Iranian and Syrian involvement. On October 23, 1983, two truck bombs struck buildings in Beirut, Lebanon, housing American and French service members of the Multinational Force in Lebanon (MNF), a military peacekeeping operation during the Lebanese Civil War.

UN coalition wages war against Saddam Hussein to liberate Kuwait at the Gulf War (Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm), 1991-1992

Who was the military leader of the ground offensive for the United States in the 1991 Gulf War? Hussein defied United Nations Security Council demands to withdraw from Kuwait by mid-January 1991, and the Persian Gulf War began with a massive U.S.-led air offensive known as Operation Desert Storm. After 42 days of relentless attacks by the allied coalition in the air and on the ground, U.S. President George H.W.Nov 9, 2009

Reagan begins support of Contra rebels against Sandinista regime of Nicaragua, 1983

Why did Reagan support the Contras in Nicaragua? The effort to support the contras was one component of the Reagan Doctrine, which called for providing military support to movements opposing Soviet-supported, communist governments. By December 1981, however, the United States had already begun to support armed opponents of the Sandinista government.

Nixon resigns—first president to do so, August 9, 1974

Why did Richard Nixon resign from the presidency in 1974? According to his address, Nixon said he was resigning because "I have concluded that because of the Watergate matter I might not have the support of the Congress that I would consider necessary to back the very difficult decisions and carry out the duties of this office in the way the interests of the nation would

US participates in air strikes on Iraq, 1997-1998

Why did US bomb Iraq and Saddam Hussein in 1998? On December 16, 1998, President Bill Clinton announces he has ordered air strikes against Iraq because it refused to cooperate with United Nations (U.N.) weapons inspectors.

Nixon takes US off gold standard to stabilize deteriorating economic conditions, 1971

Why did the U.S. abandon the gold standard? To help combat the Great Depression. ... The U.S. continued to allow foreign governments to exchange dollars for gold until 1971, when President Richard Nixon abruptly ended the practice to stop dollar-flush foreigners from sapping U.S. gold reserves.

Hungarian revolt ends with Soviet invasion of Hungary; US does not intervene, 1956

Why did the US not get involved in the Hungarian Revolution? There were several reasons why America did not act in Hungary: The United Statesasked Austria for freedom of passage to get to Hungary, but Vienna refused transit by land or even use of its air space. The United States had no plan for dealing with any major uprising behind the Iron Curtain.

President Clinton's impeachment trial fails to indict the President, January-February,1999

Why did the articles of impeachment not stand up against President Johnson? The defense argued that Johnson had not violated the Tenure of Office Act because President Lincoln did not reappoint Stanton as Secretary of War at the beginning of his second term in 1865 and that he was therefore a leftover appointment from the 1860 cabinet, which removed his protection by the Tenure of Office Act.

Equal Rights Amendment fails by 3 states' votes, 1983

Why did the equal rights amendment fail to pass? Equal Rights Amendment passed by Congress. ... However, during the mid-1970s, a conservative backlash against feminism eroded support for the Equal Rights Amendment, which ultimately failed to achieve ratification by the a requisite 38, or three-fourths, of the states.

Cuban refugee Elian Gonzalez is rescued at sea near Florida, triggering a diplomatic crisis between US and Cuba and raising immigration, custody, and human rights issues, 1999-2000

Why was Elian Gonzalez sent back to Cuba? Two fishermen found Elián and reluctantly handed him over to the U.S. Coast Guard, as they feared he would be sent back to Cuba under the wet foot, dry foot policy since he had not yet reached land. The Coast Guard assured them that Elián would be taken "ashore for medical reasons," deeming him eligible to stay.

Henry Wells and George Fargo found express service, 1844

William George Fargo (May 20, 1818 - August 3, 1881) was a pioneer American expressman who helped found the modern day financial firms of American Express Company and Wells Fargo with his business partner, Henry Wells. He was also the 27th Mayor of Buffalo, serving from 1862 until 1866 during the U.S. Civil War.

03/26/1937: William H. Hastie becomes the first black federal ...

William H. Hastie becomes the first black federal judge.

11/03/1908: William Howard Taft elected

William Howard Taft is elected President over Democrat William Jennings Bryan. Running for his third and last shot at the presidency, Bryan garners 162 electoral votes, far behind Taft's winning total of 321. Taft sweeps the Northeast and the Midwest, while Bryan wins every state south of the Mason-Dixon line. The Democrats gain one seat in the Senate, but still trail the Republicans 61 to 32. In the House, the Republicans lose three seats but maintain a 219-172 advantage.

Bill Clinton, 1993-2001 Democrat VP - Albert Gore

William Jefferson Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Prior to his presidency, he served as governor of Arkansas and as attorney general of Arkansas. Major Events: Yugoslavian Civil War Rwanda Genocide NAFTA & WTO Impeachment of Clinton

Joseph F. Glidden markets his first barbed wire during a grasshopper plague and solves the problem of fencing the cattle range, ending the era of the Open Range, 1874

Wiron Aayush Barbed Wire In Sanskrit, 'Aayush' means long life and 'Wiron Aayush' is today ... He rounded barbed wire : Invented by Joseph Glidden in 1874. com. ... Glidden markets his first barbed wire during a grasshopper plague and solves the problem of fencing the cattle range, ending the era of the Open 31 May

Wisconsin enters Union, 1848

Wisconsin enters the Union. Following approval of statehood by the territory's citizens, Wisconsin enters the Union as the 30th state. ... Finally, in 1848, Wisconsincitizens, envious of the prosperity that federal programs brought to neighboring Midwestern states, voted to approve statehood.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. establishes the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, 1957

With the goal of redeeming "the soul of America" through nonviolent resistance, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) was established in 1957 to coordinate the action of local protest groups throughout the South (King, "Beyond Vietnam," 144).

05/12/1933: With unemployment hovering at around 14 million, C...

With unemployment hovering at around 14 million, Congress passes the Federal Emergency Relief Act (FERA). It provides immediate grants to states for relief project, unlike Hoover's earlier proposals, which only provided loans. The legislature also passes the Agricultural Adjustment Act, establishing the Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA), which restricts the production of certain crops and pays farmers not to till their land. Roosevelt hopes that the AAA will reduce agricultural production, raise prices, and aid suffering farmers.

Charlotte Perkins Gilman publishes Women and Economics, 1898

Women and Economics: A Study of the Economic Relation Between Men and Women as a Factor in Social Evolution by Charlotte Perkins Gilman was publishedin 1898. Far ahead of its time, the book held the position that humans are the only species in which the female depends on the male for her survival.

The Woman's Christian Temperance Union formed, 1879

Women's organization whose members visited schools to educate children about the evils of alcohol, addressed prisoners, and blanketed men's meetings with literature.

03/04/1913: Woodrow Wilson inaugurated

Woodrow Wilson is inaugurated as the twenty-eighth President of the United States. He proclaims it his duty "to cleanse, to reconsider, to restore, to correct the evil without impairing the good, to purify and humanize every process of our common life without weakening or sentimentalizing it."

World's first streetcar begins service in New York, 1832

World's first streetcar began operation in lower Manhattan on November 14, 1832. On this day in 1832, the John Mason, a horse-drawn streetcar, began its route between Prince and 14th Streets.

07/02/1937: World-famous American aviator Amelia Earhart vanis...

World-famous American aviator Amelia Earhart vanishes over the Pacific Ocean during her round-the-world flight after radio contact with her comes to a sudden stop. No trace her or her plane is ever found.

Rush on Sioux lands in South Dakota, 1890

Wounded Knee, South Dakota, where in 1890, over 100 North Lakota Sioux were massacred by the US cavalry.

Wyoming Territory extends suffrage to women, 1869

Wyoming was the first place in the entire world to give women the vote. A U.S. territory in 1869, Wyoming's first territorial legislature voted to give women the right to vote and to hold public office. A legislature made entirely of men passed a woman suffrage bill in 1869.

Force Bill provides for supervision of federal elections by the national government to protect black voters in the South fails in Senate, 1890

Yet all five black Representatives from this era attempted to defend the ... blamed the disenfranchisement of black (and mostly Republican) voters in the South for ... Lodge submitted the federal elections bill to the House on June 14, 1890. ... and toward the elevation and protection of the race is to take it out of national party

Yosemite National Park established, 1890

Yosemite National Park established. On October 1, 1890, an act of Congress creates Yosemite National Park, home of such natural wonders as Half Dome and the giant sequoia trees. ... Yellowstone became America's first national park in 1872.

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), 1947

a 1948 agreement that established an international forum for negotiating mutual reductions in trade restrictions

Lincoln signs Enrollment Act to recruit soldiers, 1863

a controversial act passed to provide new recruits to the Union Army. It was very controversial and required the enrollment of every male citizen and those immigrants who had filed for citizenship between 20-45.

27th Amendment ratified, 1992

congressional pay raises are not begun until the next election

Alaska Purchase (1867)

ended Russian territorial presence and completed U.S. expansion on North American mainland.

The Force Act of 1833

gave the president authority to use military personnel to collect tariffs

Grant establishes Civil Service Commission, 1871-1886

government agency created by the Pendleton Act of 1883 to fill federal jobs on the basis of merit

Independent Treasury Bill, 1840

government would hold its revenues rather than deposit them in banks, thus keeping the funds away from private corporations; "America's Second Declaration of Independence"

stories about the US Presidents

https://bestlifeonline.com/craziest-things-presidents/

Naturalization Act, 1798

increased the period necessary for immigrants to become naturalized citizens in the U.S. from 5 to 14 years.

Standard Oil Company of New Jersey v US, 1911

of New Jersey v. United States, 221 U.S. 1 (1911), was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States found Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey guilty of monopolizing the petroleum industry through a series of abusive and anticompetitive actions.

Alien Act and Sedition Act, 1798

passed by federalists making it harder to become citizens and to deport any immigrant deemed dangerous. the second one outlawed the writing, speaking, or publications of false, scandalous, or malicious statements against the government

Tariff of 1824

represented a major victory for those advocating the protection of American manufacturing. This tariff, however, clearly worked to the benefit of manufacturing interests of the New England and Mid-Atlantic States at the expense of the South and West.

First cabinet positions

secretary of state secretary of treasury secretary of war

Gold Standard Act of 1900

signed by McKinley. It stated that all paper money would be backed only by gold. This meant that the government had to hold gold in reserve in case people decided they wanted to trade in their money. Eliminated silver coins, but allowed paper Silver Certificates issued under the Bland-Allison Act to continue to circulate.

Northwestern Alliance formed, 1880

similar to Southern Alliance but against secrecy and separate organizations; social and economic programs; organized People's Party

Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner's "Crime Against Kansas" Speech, 1856

speech given by Charles Sumner where he calls out several congressmen by name, very empowered speech against the pro-slavery camp

Truman Doctrine (1947)

stated that the U.S. would support Greece and Turkey with economic and military aid to resist internal left-wing (and therefore it was assumed "communist") movements and prevent them from falling into the Soviet sphere. Early example of application of "containment" doctrine - that the US would take action to stop spread of communism. Some see this as beginning of Cold War.

Lecompton Constitution (pro-slavery), 1857

supported the existence of slavery in the proposed state and protected rights of slaveholders. It was rejected by Kansas, making Kansas an eventual free state.

Department of Agriculture established, 1862

the federal department that administers programs that provide services to farmers (including research and soil conservation and efforts to stabilize the farming economy)

Indian Removal Act of 1830

Passed by Congress under the Jackson administration, this act removed all Indians east of the Mississippi to an "Indian Territory" where they would be "permanently" housed.

Helsinki Accords for international cooperation and security, 1975

August 1,1975 The Helsinki Accords, Helsinki Final Act, or Helsinki Declaration was the final act of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe held in Finlandia Hall of Helsinki, Finland, during July and August 1, 1975. The Helsinki Accords were primarily an effort to reduce tension between the Soviet and Western blocs by securing their common acceptance of the post-World War II status quo in Europe. The Conference was hailed as a success and the Helsinki Accords was viewed as a significant step towards reducing Cold War tensions.

Establishment of the US Geological Survey, 1879

Established in (1879) A federal agency that studies landscapes and maps the land and its natural resources, looking for any possible natural hazards through the disciplines of biology, hydrology, geography, and geology. This is a non-regulatory agency of the Department of the Interior. Operates the famed "Board of Geographical Names".

Gitlow v. New York (1925)

Established precedent of federalizing Bill of Rights (applying them to the states); states cannot deny freedom of speech --protected through due process clause of Amendment 14

Munn v. Illinois (1877)

Established that states may regulate privately owned businesses in the public's interest

Interstate Commerce Act, 1887

Established the ICC (Interstate Commerce Commission) - monitors the business operation of carriers transporting goods and people between states - created to regulate railroad prices

05/09/1936: Ethiopia succumbs to Italy after its capital falls...

Ethiopia succumbs to Italy after its capital falls and Emperor Haile Selassie flees. The inability of democratic nations to counter fascist aggression encourages Mussolini and Hitler to pursue further gains.

Reverend Jerry Falwell establishes conservative Moral Majority movement, 1979

Falwell and Weyrich founded the Moral Majority in June 1979. ... By 1982, Moral Majority surpassed Christian Voice in size and influence. The Moral Majority'sheadquarters were in Lynchburg, Virginia, where Falwell was the presiding minister of the nation's largest independent Baptist church, Thomas Road Baptist Church.

Moses Farmer demonstrates first electric light in Salem, MA, 1859

Farmer, Moses G. Moses Gerrish Farmer (1820-1893) an inventor who perhaps was the first person to have a room in his house lighted by electric incandescent sources. He lighted a room in his house at 11 Pearl St. Salem every night during the month of July, 1859.

12/16/1907: The Great White Fleet

Under Roosevelt's orders, the Great White Fleet (so named because of the boats' color) embarks on a voyage around the world from Hampton Roads, Virginia. The fleet returns triumphantly on February 22, 1909, having been enthusiastically welcomed at many ports and underscoring America's growing naval strength. The voyage would serve as Roosevelt's proudest accomplishment while in office.

Treaty of Paris ends Spanish-American War; confirms Spanish concessions and sale of the Philippines for $20 million, 1899

Under it, Spain relinquished all claim of sovereignty over and title to Cuba and also ceded Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States. The cession of the Philippines involved a compensation of $20 million from the United States to Spain.

CIA orchestrates overthrow of Salvador Allende's regime in Chile, September 1973

United States president Richard Nixon feared that Chile could become "another Cuba" and the US cut off most of its foreign aid to Chile. The US government believed that Allende would become closer to socialist countries, such as Cuba and the Soviet Union.

07/17/1936: Units of the Spanish Army in Morocco proclaim a re...

Units of the Spanish Army in Morocco proclaim a revolution against the government in Madrid, headed by the leftist Popular Front that has been unable to consolidate its control over Spain. General Francisco Franco emerges as the leader of this reactionary force in a conflict that will foreshadow World War II in terms of weapons, tactics, and ideologies. Again, the United States and other countries announce their neutrality in the conflict.

Rodney King riots in Los Angeles, 1992

Unrest began in South Central Los Angeles on April 29, after a trial jury acquitted four officers of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) for usage of excessive force in the arrest and beating of Rodney King, which had been videotaped and widely viewed in TV broadcasts.

"Don't ask, don't tell" policy toward gays in the military, 1994

"Don't ask, don't tell" (DADT) was the official United States policy on military service by gays, bisexuals, and lesbians, instituted by the Clinton Administration on February 28, 1994, when Department of Defense Directive 1304.26 issued on December 21, 1993, took effect, lasting until September 20, 2011.

Elvis Presley becomes the national rage, 1954

"Heartbreak Hotel" was the first single recorded by Elvis Presley for RCA Victor. Released in February 1956, it spent seventeen weeks at #1 on the Billboard national country & western singles survey. This makes it easily the biggest country hit in Presley's career.

67 Native American tribes sign "Declaration of Purposes," demanding recognition of Indian civil rights and land titles, 1961

"The Purpose of this Fraternity shall be to form a strong bond uniting students and teachers of the law with members of the Bench and Bar in a fraternal fellowship designed to advance ideals of liberty and equal justice under the law; to stimulate excellence in scholarship; to inspire the virtues of compassion and courage; to foster integrity and professional competence; to promote the welfare of its members; and to encourage their moral, intellectual, and cultural advancement, so that each member may enjoy a lifetime of honorable, professional and public service"

The Grangers issue their Declaration of Purpose, a statement of their goals, 1874

"The Purpose of this Fraternity shall be to form a strong bond uniting students and teachers of the law with members of the Bench and Bar in a fraternal fellowship designed to advance ideals of liberty and equal justice under the law; to stimulate excellence in scholarship; to inspire the virtues of compassion and courage; to foster integrity and professional competence; to promote the welfare of its members; and to encourage their moral, intellectual, and cultural advancement, so that each member may enjoy a lifetime of honorable, professional and public service"

Compromise of 1850

(1) California admitted as free state, (2) territorial status and popular sovereignty of Utah and New Mexico, (3) resolution of Texas-New Mexico boundaries, (4) federal assumption of Texas debt, (5) slave trade abolished in DC, and (6) new fugitive slave law; advocated by Henry Clay and Stephen A. Douglas

Henry Bessemer invents process of converting iron to steel, 1856

(1813-1898) An English engineer who created the Bessemer procces, a process of producing steel, in which impurities are removed by forcing a blast of air through molten iron.

Mormon Church founded, 1830

(1830) - religious denomination Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints based on the Book of Mormon started by Joseph Smith in Ohio. Taken over by Brigham Young in 1844 and moved to Utah where they started a prosperous community. Had problems with the federal govt.

Second Battle of Bull Run, 1862

(1862) a Civil War battle in which the Confederate army forced most of the Union army out of Virginia

Reconstruction Proclamation of Amnesty (Presidential Reconstruction), 1865

(Dec. 1863) issued by Lincoln: offered full pardon to Southerners who would take oath of allegiance to the Union and acknowledge emancipation

Peace Corps established, 1961

(JFK) , volunteers who help third world nations and prevent the spread of communism by getting rid of poverty, Africa, Asia, and Latin America

Stock market crash, 1987

(RR) 1987, due to use of computerized program trading in stocks and stock-index futures by a few large institutional investors, however spring of 1988 steady growth but many jobs were lost

James A Garfield, March 4 to September 19, 1881 Republican VP - Chester A. Arthur Secretary of State - James A. Blaine

* 20th president of the U.S. * Republican * Key Issues: Civil service reform, Chinese immigration * Assassinated by a man who was angry because he did not get a job in the government * His assassination led to the passage of the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act

Lecompton (pro-slavery) v Topeka (anti-slavery) legislatures in Kansas, 1855

- two rival legislatures that were formed in Kansas - Lecompton: slavery - Topeka: free soil - President Pierce sided with Lecompton

10/15/1964: Khrushchev resignsNikita Khrushchev is forced to resign as leader of the Soviet Union and is replaced by Leonid Brezhnev.

11/03/1964: Lyndon B. Johnson electedLyndon B. Johnson is elected President of the United States.

08/25/1968: Democrats nominate HumphreyHubert H. Humphrey is nominated in Chicago as the Democratic candidate for President. Demonstrators and police clash in violent confrontations. 11/05/1968: Nixon electedRichard M. Nixon is elected President of the United States, and Spiro Agnew is elected vice-president.

11/12/1968: Brezhnev DoctrineLeonid Brezhnev announces that the Soviet Union has the right to intervene anywhere in its sphere of influence. This "Brezhnev Doctrine" becomes central to Soviet foreign policy.

The First Seminole War (Andrew Jackson), 1816-1818

1817-1818 war between U.S. soldiers and Seminole Indians in Florida

Prosser Rebellion, 1800

1800, A large scale slave uprising inspired by a slave revolt in the Caribbean. Prosser, a slave with blacksmith skills, had been allowed to travel extensively for work. Over the course of his traveling he organized hundreds of slaves into a coordinated uprising. It led to increased criticism of slavery in the north, and tightening of slave laws in the south.

Louisiana enters Union, 1812

1812, led to westward expansion and a change in political power.

Granger Movement (The Patrons of Husbandry) founded, 1867

1867 - Nation Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry. A group of agrarian organizations that worked to increase the political and economic power of farmers. They opposed corrupt business practices and monopolies, and supported relief for debtors. Although technically not a political party, local granges led to the creation of a number of political parties, which eventually joined with the growing labor movement to form the Progressive Party.

First Transcontinental Railroad

1869 *Completed with Golden Spike at Promontory Point, Utah *Marked the meeting of the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific railroads *During construction, the Union Pacific used Irish labor, while the Central Pacific used Chinese labor *The connection of the railroads opened national markets and met growing economic needs

The Brooklyn Bridge opens, 1883

1883 Designed by John Roebling. Combines two structural systems, steal cables(tension) and the arches themselves (comprassion). established the structural basis for all modern suspension bridges; it also employed the first steel used in an American structure.

Ready-made clothing industry booms with Singer, 1883-

1883-1886 • Rise of southern textile production (New England retains 75% of industry), 1883- • Ready-made clothing industry booms with Singer,

Dependent Pension Act passes, 1890

1890 passed in Congress and signed by President Harrison. It was the same bill that Cleveland had vetoed, allowing veterans dependent on manual labor and unable to work, whether or not the reason was connected to military service, to collect pensions. Pension rolls doubled between 18890 and 1893 causing the treasury to start draining

Insurgent Republicans side with Democrats in the mid-term elections, 1910

1912 election The Progressive Party was a third party in the United States formed in 1912 by former president TheodoreRooseveltafter he lost the presidential nomination of theRepublican Partyto his former protégé and conservative rival, incumbent president William Howard Taft.

Soviet blockade of Berlin, 1948

1948. Berlin the city was divided up into different sections, though the city was in the middle of the Soviet-occupied area of Germany. The Soviets put a blockade on all rail and road traffic to and from West Berlin. Worried about getting supplies to people there, the US made an airlift of supplies. The blockade lasted for a year, and then was lifted. One of the starting points to cold war, and the lifting of the blockade was seen as a US victory. Blockade increased anti-Soviet feelings.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) created, 1949

1949 alliance of nations that agreed to band together in the event of war and to support and protect each nation involved

Sweatt v Painter tests the "separate but equal" principle, 1950

1950 separate but equal formula generally unacceptable in professional schools

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, 1954

1954 - The Supreme Court overruled Plessy v. Ferguson, declared that racially segregated facilities are inherently unequal and ordered all public schools desegregated.

Anti-Slavery Society, 1833

1st national antislavery organization to be devoted to immediate abolition and racial equality

Execution of Sacco & Vanzetti (1927)

23, 1927, Italian-born anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were executed in Boston for the murders of two men during a 1920 robbery. They were exonerated in 1977 by Gov. Michael S. Dukakis of Massachusetts.

Yitzhak Rabin, Israeli Prime Minister and architect of Mideast peace process, assassinated, 1995

4, 1995. Emanuel Adler was at the fateful pro-peace rally in Tel Aviv 20 years ago today, when two shots from the gun of a radical right-wing Israeli law student ended the life of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and altered the peace process for years to come.

03/07/1966: Supreme Court upholds Voting Rights ActThe U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upholds the Voting Rights Act of 1965. 06/01/1966: White House pushes Congress for legislationThe White House Conference on Civil Rights urges Congress to pass further civil rights legislation.

6/06/1966: James Meredith shotJames Meredith, known for integrating the University of Mississippi as its first black student, is shot on his solo march from Memphis, Tennessee, to Jackson, Mississippi. While Meredith was hospitalized, other civil activists organized to complete his march, which Meredith rejoined along with 15,000 other marchers. As a result, 4,000 black americans in Mississippi were registered to vote; it was also during this demonstration that activist Stokely Carmichael first uttered the phrase "black power," a mantra in later waves of black activism.

Senate establishes committee to investigate the Watergate break-in, 1973

60, in 1973, to investigate the Watergate scandal, with the power to investigate the break-in at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters at the Watergateoffice complex in Washington, D.C., and any subsequent cover-up of criminal activity, as well as "all other illegal, improper, or unethical conduct .

House sends articles of impeachment to the Senate, December 1998

611, Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives on December 19, 1998on grounds of perjury to a grand jury (first article, 228-206) and obstruction of justice (third article, 221-212).

Helen Hunt Jackson publishes A Century of Dishonor, 1881

A Century of Dishonor. Injustices to the Native Americans in the United States. A Century of Dishonor is a non-fiction book by Helen Hunt Jackson first published in 1881 that chronicled the experiences of Native Americans in the United States, focusing on injustices.

American Party/The Know-Nothings, 1853

A Republican movement that believed in a stop of immigration of Europeans and Catholics into the United States. During the temperance movement, this party found huge success, people believed it helped ease issues with liquor and other evils. The party though failed in the face of slavery as it's northern and southern wings split apart.

Handsome Lake, 1799

A Seneca Iroquois prophet. Preached against alcoholism by appealing to religious traditions. Had Quaker missionaries teach agricultural methods to the Iroquois men.

06/28/1914: Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated

A Serbian nationalist assassinates Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in Sarajevo, Serbia. This event serves as the proximate cause for the termination of diplomatic relations among the major European nations, contributing to the start of World War I. One month later, Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia.

Kansas-Nebraska Bill and "popular sovereignty," 1854

A belief that ultimate power resides in the people.

05/12/1902: Coal miners strike

A coal-miners strike begins in Pennsylvania, during the course of which 140,000 workers would leave their jobs.

Legal Tender Act issues greenbacks, 1862

A currency backed only by the federal government's word. It allowed the government to print greenbacks and inflate the pool of available currency without having to have an equivalent amount of gold and silver. The greenback was popular among American farmers and debtors as it was cheaper to pay back loans with a cheaper currency.

04/18/1906: San Francisco earthquake

A devastating earthquake strikes San Francisco, California, killing 452 and leveling 490 blocks.

The first McDonald's franchise opens in Illinois, 1955

A fast food revolution took place in the Chicago suburb of Des Plaines on this day in 1955, when Ray Kroc, a seller of milkshake machines, opened his first franchise McDonald's restaurant.

Freedmen's Bureau veto and overruling, 1866

A follow-up Freedmen's Bureau Bill[2] was vetoed by U.S. President Andrew Johnson on February 19, 1866, and Congress failed to override that veto on the following day.[3] That failed 1866 Freedmen's Bureau bill was closely related to the Civil Rights Act of 1866. On March 9, 1866, Congressman John Binghamexplained that, "the seventh and eighth sections of the Freedmen's Bureau bill enumerate the same rights and all the rights and privileges that are enumerated in the first section of this [the Civil Rights] bill.

Civil Rights Act of 1875

A law that required "full and equal" access to jury service and to transportation and public accommodations, irrespective of race.

In response to unfulfilled government promises, Sioux return to their hunting grounds and kill about 700 white settlers; results in army intervention, hanging, and jailing of Indian leaders, 1862

A member of a group of Native American peoples, comprising the Lakota, the Santee, the Yankton, and the Yanktonai, inhabiting the northern Great Plains from Minnesota to eastern Montana and from southern Saskatchewan to Nebraska. Present-day Sioux populations are located mainly in North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, and Nebraska.

National Labor Union becomes National Labor Reform Party, 1872

A minor party founded by Ross Perot in 1995. It focuses on national government reform, fiscal responsibility, and political accountability. It has recently struggled with internal strife and criticism that it lacks an identity.

Nixon "silent majority" speech, 1972

A phrase used to describe people, whatever their economic status, who uphold traditional values, especially against the counterculture of the 1960s

Bear Flag revolt in California, 1846

A revolt of American settlers in California against Mexican rule. It ignited the Mexican War and ultimately made California a state.

American System, 1824

A plan proposed by Henry Clay, in 1824, to work on economic reform. Henry Clay wanted to help stabilize the country and begin the pursuit for worked recognition. The plan called for a protective tariff to be put in place for the manufacturers, a new Federal Bank to be put in place, and to begin work on many internal improvements.

Ku Klux Klan founded in Pulaski, Tennessee, 1866

A secret society created by white southerners in 1866 that used terror and violence to keep African Americans from obtaining their civil rights.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858)

A series of seven debates for US Senate in Illinois between Lincoln (R) and Senator Douglas (D). The debates previewed the issues that Lincoln would face in the aftermath of his victory in the 1860 presidential election. The main issue discussed in all seven debates was slavery as it related to popular sovereignty in the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the Lecompton Constitution and the Dred Scott decision. Douglas won election, but Lincoln's fine showing made him a national figure and helped him win Republican nomination in 1860

War of 1812 (1812-1814)

A war between the U.S. and Great Britain caused by American outrage over the impressment of American sailors by the British, the British seizure of American ships, and British aid to the Indians attacking the Americans on the western frontier. Also, a war against Britain gave the U.S. an excuse to seize the British northwest posts and to annex Florida from Britain's ally Spain, and possibly even to seize Canada from Britain. The War Hawks (young westerners led by Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun) argued for war in Congress. The war involved several sea battles and frontier skirmishes. U.S. troops led by Andrew Jackson seized Florida and at one point the British managed to invade and burn Washington, D.C. The Treaty of Ghent (December 1814) restored the status quo and required the U.S. to give back Florida. Two weeks later, Andrew Jackson's troops defeated the British at the Battle of New Orleans, not knowing that a peace treaty had already been signed. The war strengthened American nationalism and encouraged the growth of industry.

YMCA established in US, 1851

A spiritual organization meant to provide healthy activities for young workers in the cities

Pullman Strike (1894)

A staged walkout strike by railroad workers upset by drastic wage cuts. The strike was led by socialist Eugene Debs but not supported by the American Federation of Labor. Eventually President Grover Cleveland intervened because it was interfering with mail delivery and federal troops forced an end to the strike. The strike highlighted both divisions within labor and the government's continuing willingness to use armed force to combat work stoppages.

Underground Railroad, 1831

A system that helped enslaved African Americans follow a network of escape routes out of the South to freedom in the North

Oklahoma Territory established, 1890

A territory that was once set aside for use by Native Americans that was thrown open for settlement in 1889.

Proposal for a national health care system dies in Congress, 1993-1994

According to an address to Congress by then-President Bill Clinton on September 22, 1993, the proposed bill would provide a "health care security card" to every citizen that would irrevocably entitle him or her to medical treatment and preventative services, including for pre-existing conditions.

Aaron Burr and treason trial, 1804-1807

Aaron Burr and Thomas Jefferson tied House of Reps has to decide between the two Hamilton preferred Jefferson Aaron burr was offended and him in a duel in 1804

Roe v. Wade (1973)

Abortion rights fall within the privacy implied in the 14th amendment

Gettysburg Address (1863)

Abraham Lincoln's oft-quoted speech, delivered at the dedication of the cemetery at Gettysburg battlefield. In the address, Lincoln framed the war as a means to uphold the values of liberty.

Teton Sioux kill 80 soldiers on Bozeman Trail connecting Wyoming to Montana gold mines, 1866

According to the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851, most of the Bozeman Trail ran across Crow Indian treaty territory. ... They had invaded the western Powder River area during the 1850s and after "large scale battles" won this buffalo rich Indian land from the original tribe around 1860.

Amendments enacted to Social Security Act of 1935, 1954

Acting on those recommendations, in 1935, Congress enacted the Social Security Act. In addition to offering states grants for cash relief for the needy aged, the blind, and dependent children, the Act established social insurance programs, financed by payroll taxes, for the unemployed and the aged.

06/17/1916: After U.S. forces enter his country, the Mexican c...

After U.S. forces enter his country, the Mexican consul at Brownsville, Texas issues an ultimatum for their withdraw. Four days later, on June 21, American troops come under fire from Mexican forces in Carrizal with seventeen troops killed or wounded.

Fidel Castro comes to power in Cuba, 1959

After Batista's overthrow in 1959, Castro assumed military and political power as Cuba's Prime Minister. ... Adopting a Marxist-Leninist model of development, Castroconverted Cuba into a one-party, socialist state under Communist Party rule, the first in the Western Hemisphere.

Stephen S. Austin founds first American settlement in Mexican province of Texas, 1821

After Moses Austin's death in 1821, Stephen Austin won recognition of the empresario grant from the newly independent state of Mexico. Austinconvinced numerous American settlers to move to Texas, and by 1825 Austin had brought the first 300 American families into the territory.

08/27/1913: Foreign policy with Mexico

After considerable political instability in Mexico, following the assassination of President Francisco Madero, President Wilson declares the United States policy towards Mexico to be one of "watchful waiting." Wilson refuses to recognize the new government of General Victoriano Huerta, who led the coup against Madero on February 22.

11/16/1933: After meeting with Soviet commissar for foreign af...

After meeting with Soviet commissar for foreign affairs Maxim Litvinov at the White House, Roosevelt announces that the United States will establish diplomatic relations with the U.S.S.R.

US signs a lease with Hawaii to use Pearl harbor as a naval base, 1887

After several failed treaty attempts, the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 was signed; it entered into force on Sept. 9, 1876. When the treaty was renewed in 1887, the United States received exclusive rights to enter and establish a naval base at Pearl Harbor.

Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, and Tennessee secede from the Union, 1861

After the American Civil War began in April, four slave states of the Upper South—Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina—also seceded and joined the Confederacy. ... The war began on April 12, 1861, when the Confederates attacked Fort Sumter, a Union fort in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina.

Radical Republicans capture Congress, 1866

After the Civil War, a group that believed the South should be harshly punished and thought that Lincoln was sometimes too compassionate towards the South.

Brigham Young leads Mormons to Utah, 1846

After the assassination of Joseph Smith in 1844, Young was chosen leader of the Mormons and continued as president until his death. He directed the migration of 16,000 Mormons from Illinois to Utah from 1846 to 1852, and became governor of the territory in 1851.

Kennedy-Khrushchev summit focuses on disarmament

After the talks, Kennedy told James "Scotty" Reston, a New York Times columnist, about how disappointed he was with how things had gone. Khrushchev "thought that anyone who was so young and inexperienced as to get into that mess [i.e., the Bay of Pigs] could be taken," the president said

North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Washington join Union, 1889

After years of serving as territories, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Washington all join the Union as new states in November 1889. Congress agreed to allow Montana and Washington to become states and they split the Dakota territory into two new states. Idaho soon followed, gaining statehood in July 1890

Alabama enters Union, 1819

Alabama became the 22nd state on Dec. 14, 1819, the only state added to the United States that year. The young United States acquired the British claims to all lands east of the Mississippi River, including present-day Alabama, as part of the treaty that ended the American Revolution.

Alain Locke publishes The New Negro, 1925

Alain LeRoy Locke is heralded as the "Father of the Harlem Renaissance" for his publication in 1925 of The New Negro—an anthology of poetry, essays, plays, music and portraiture by white and black artists. Locke is best known as a theorist, critic, and interpreter of African-American literature and art

Progressive Party formed, 1948

Also known as the "Bull Moose Party", this political party was formed by Theodore Roosevelt in an attempt to advance progressive ideas and unseat President William Howard Taft in the election of 1912. After Taft won the Republican Party's nomination, Roosevelt ran on the Progressive party ticket.

Presidential Succession Act, 1887

An Act To provide for the performance of the duties of the office of President in case of the removal, resignation, death, or inability both of the President and Vice President.

Katherine L. Bates' poem "America The Beautiful" is published, 1895

America's amber waves of grain inspired teacher Katharine Lee Bates to write the poem later used in the song "America the Beautiful." ... It was first a poem written in 1893 by a teacher, Katharine Lee Bates (1859-1929), after a visit to Pike's Peak in Colorado. It first appeared in print in 1895.

10/15/1915: American bankers loan to Europe

American bankers, organized under J.P. Morgan & Company, authorize a $500 million loan to the British and French governments.

"New Imperialism" embraced by Assistant Secretary of the Navy TR (R-NY), Senator Henry Cabot Lodge (R-MA), and Secretary of State John Hay (Indiana), 1898

American imperialism comprises policies aimed at extending the political, economic, and cultural influence of the United States over areas beyond its boundaries

Office of Commissioner of Immigration established, 1864

An Act to Encourage Immigration, signed by President Abraham Lincoln on July 4, 1864, was the first major American law to encourage immigration.

Fair Deal announced, 1949

An economic extension of the New Deal proposed by Harry Truman that called for higher minimum wage, housing and full employment. It led only to the Housing Act of 1949 and the Social Security Act of 1950 due to opposition in congress.

03/14/1907: Inland Waterways Commission formed

An executive Inland Waterways Commission is appointed to study the relationship between forest preservation and commercial waterways.

US halts aid to Chinese nationalists as they evacuate to Taiwan; Mao declares the establishment of the People's Republic of China, 1949

An important KMT tactic was to promote limited, local-level political reforms to enhance the party's authority with the Taiwanese people. To legitimize the Republic of China(ROC) as the central government for all China, Taiwan's Nationalist governmentneeded elected representatives for all China.

Oil boom in Ohio and Pennsylvania, 1867-1911

An oil boom is a period of large inflow of income as a result of high global oil prices or large oil production in an economy. Generally, this short period initially brings economic benefits, in terms of increased GDP growth, but might later lead to a resource curse.

American Temperance Society established, 1826

An organization group in which reformers are trying to help the ever present drink problem. This group was formed in Boston in 1826, and it was the first well-organized group created to deal with the problems drunkards had on societies well being, and the possible well-being of the individuals that are heavily influenced by alcohol.

Competition automobile manufacturers allows for yearly new models, 1923-

As a result , " the industry is characterized by inflated selling costs , product imitation , higher than competitive prices, Yet the introduction of these new vehicleshas been suppressed by the Big Three

National Security Act places armed forces under Secretary of Defense, establishes US Air Force, and creates Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Council, 1947

Aside from the military reorganization, the act established the National Security Council, a central place of coordination for national security policy in the executive branch, and the Central Intelligence Agency, the U.S.'s first peacetime intelligence agency.

Pressure leads to the opening of Cherokee lands in Indian Territory to "Boomers;" within a few hours, on April 22nd, 1,920.000 acres were settled, 1884

Baby boomers are the demographic cohort following the Silent Generation and preceding Generation X. The generation is most often defined as individuals born between 1946 and 1964, during the post-World War II

Baker v. Carr calls for legislative reapportionment to end segregation, 1962

Baker v. Carr, 369 U.S. 186 (1962), was a landmark United States Supreme Court case in which the Court held that redistricting qualifies as a justiciable question, thus enabling federal courts to hear redistricting cases.

US Post Office issues first official stamp, 1847

Benjamin Franklin — George WashingtonThe First U.S. Postage Stamps, issued 1847. The first stamp issues were authorized by an act of Congress and approved on March 3, 1847. The earliest known use of the Franklin 5¢ is July 7, 1847, while the earliest known use of the Washington 10¢ is July 2, 1847.

02/12/1909: NAACP formed

Black intellectuals, including W.E.B. DuBois, and white progressives, led by Oswald Garrison Villard, form the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Colored National Labor Union formed, 1869

Black labor organization that briefly flourished in the late 1860s

Russian President Boris Yeltsin resigns in favor of his Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, December 31, 1999

Boris N Yeltsin unexpectedly resigns as president of Russia and names ... sour and erode his strong popularity; Putin, who remains prime minister, ... Since his appointment in August, Mr. Putin, a former K.G.B. official, has ... ''He did it at the most appropriate time, when popular support for Putin is at a high.

04/12/1937: By a narrow 5-4 majority, the Supreme Court finds ...

By a narrow 5-4 majority, the Supreme Court finds the National Labor Relations Act to be constitutional. Along with a decision the following month which upholds the legality of the Social Security Act, these rulings help to deflate some of the antagonism between the Court and FDR.

2/02/1934: 02/02/1934: By executive order, FDR establishes the Export-Imp...

By executive order, FDR establishes the Export-Import Bank to encourage commerce between the United States and foreign nations, especially Latin America.

C. Julius Guiteau shoots and kills the president, 1881

Charles Julius Guiteau (September 8, 1841 - June 30, 1882) was an American writer and lawyer who assassinated United States President James A. Garfield on July 2, 1881. Guiteau falsely believed he had played a major role in Garfield's victory, for which he should be rewarded with a consulship.

Florida passes Jim Crow laws, 1887

Common Jim Crow laws included literary tests, poll taxes, and the grandfather clause, which were all restrictions on voting meant to keep black men from casting a ballot. Bans on interracial marriage and separation between races in public and places of business were also common parts of Jim Crow

Chinese Immigration peaks (75,000 over 1854-1868)

Chinese immigrants pour in after 1848. By 1880, 200,000 were living in the U.S. They were too industrious, causing hostile treatment from white Americans, later becoming racism from white Americans competing for jobs on the west coast.

Colored Farmers' Alliance formed, 1888

Colored Farmers' National Alliance and Cooperative Union was formed in 1886 in Texas. ... By 1888 the alliance received a charter from the US Federal Government. They quickly after began to spread and found chapters in different states

01/02/1915: Literacy tests for immigrants approved

Congress approves a bill requiring literacy tests for all immigrants to the United States, although President Wilson vetoes the bill on January 28. Proponents of immigration restriction argue that the United States is allowing too many ill-qualified immigrants into the country, and justify their positions by appealing to religious, ethno-cultural, or racial prejudice.

05/07/1914: Mother's Day established

Congress establishes Mother's Day as the second Sunday in May.

05/28/1908: Child labor law

Congress passes a child labor law for the District of Columbia.

01/30/1934: Congress passes the Gold Reserve Act, allowing the...

Congress passes the Gold Reserve Act, allowing the President to fix the value of the U.S. dollar at between 50 to 60 cents in terms of gold. The next day, FDR signs the Farm Mortgage Refinancing Act, establishing the Federal Farm Mortgage Corporation, designed to help farmers pay their mortgages by granting them easier terms of credit. Both efforts illustrate the federal government's increasing control over the nation's currency.

David Sarnoff establishes National Broadcasting Company (NBC), 1926

David Sarnoff, American pioneer in the development of both radio and television ... sets. In 1926 RCA formed the National Broadcasting Company (NBC).

Charles Dawes and Owen Young, nominated to a committee to study post-war German finances to assess the realism behind war damages payments, suggest a gradual schedule of payments paralleled by loans to invigorate the German economy—Dawes Plan, 1924

Dawes) was an agreement between the Allies and Germany. The basic idea behind the plan was to make it easier for Germany to pay reparations and had two key parts. As a result, reparations payments resumed, and the French occupation of the Ruhr ended.

Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963, by Lee Harvey Oswald

Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas, U.S. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, was assassinated on November 22, 1963, at 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time in Dallas, Texas, while riding in a presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza.

"Kitchen debate" between Vice-President Nixon and Soviet Premier Khrushchev comparing technological advances in the two countries, 1959

Debate between Nixon and Khrushechev. The two men discussed the merits of each of their respective economic systems, capitalism and communism. The debate took place during an escalation of the Cold War, beginning with the launch of Sputnik in 1957, through the U-2 Crisis in 1960. Most Americans believed Nixon won the debate.

Eugene V. Debs forms the Socialist Party of America, 1900

Debs helped motivate the American Left to organise political opposition to corporations and World War I. American socialists, communists, and anarchists honor his work for the labor movement and motivation to have the average working man build socialism without large state involvement.

Martin Van Buren (1837-1841) Democrat VP - Richard M. Johnso

Democratic Domestic Affairs: Panic of 1837 Continued Jackson's policy of Indian Removal Specie Circular—hard currency Aroostook War Foreign Affairs: Opposed annexation of Texas Webster-Ashburton Treaty

McKinley Tariff raised average level to 49.5%, 1890

Description. After 450 amendments, the Tariff Act of 1890 was passed and increased average duties across all imports from 38% to 49.5%. McKinley was known as the "Napoleon of Protection," and rates were raised on some goods and lowered on others, always in an attempt to protect American manufacturing interests.

Eli Whitney granted patent for the cotton gin, 1794

Designed to separate cotton fiber from seed, Whitney's cotton gin, for which he applied for a patent on October 28, 1793, and received a patent on March 14, 1794, introduced a new, profitable technology to agricultural production in America.

President Hayes declares US has jurisdiction over any canal built across Panama, 1880

During the Hayes administration, the United States had few problems with ... With the incursions stopped, Hayes, on February 24, 1880, revoked his 1877 ... no research, he proposed that a sea-level Panama Canal be built by 1892 for $240 million. ... inspected the proposed route, and declared that the canal would be built.

US signs treaty with Hawaii obtaining the rights to use Pearl Harbor as a port, 1884

During the reign of King Kalākaua the United States was granted exclusive rights to enter Pearl Harbor and to establish "a coaling and repair station." ... The United States and the Hawaiian Kingdom signed the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 as supplemented by Convention on December 6, 1884. This treaty was ratified in 1887.

Panic of 1819

Economic panic caused by extensive speculation and a decline of Europena demand for American goods along with mismanagement within the Second Bank of the United States. Often cited as the end of the Era of Good Feelings.

Emancipation Declaration, 1863

Effective on January 1, 1863, declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebel states "are, and henceforward shall be free." The statement also called for the recruitment and establishment of black military units among the Union forces. An estimated 180,000 African Americans went on to serve in the army, while another 18,000 served in the navy. After the change in federal policy, backing the Confederacy was seen as favoring slavery. It became impossible for anti-slavery nations such as Great Britain and France, who had been friendly to the Confederacy, to get involved on behalf of the South. The proclamation also unified and strengthened Lincoln's party, the Republicans, helping them stay in power for the next two decades.

Eisenhower Doctrine (1957)

Eisenhower proposed and obtained a joint resolution from Congress authorizing the use of U.S. military forces to intervene in any country that appeared likely to fall to communism. Used in the Middle East.

In his farewell address, Eisenhower warns against the a threat from "the military industrial complex," 1961

Eisenhower used the term in his Farewell Address to the Nation on January 17, 1961: A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. ... In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.

Davis signs Conscription Act, 1862

Enacted in April of 1862, it subjected all white males between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five to military service for three years. It was repealed in 1863.

The Compromise of 1877

Ended Reconstruction. Republicans promise 1) Remove military from South, 2) Appoint Democrat to cabinet (David Key postmaster general), 3) Federal money for railroad construction and levees on Mississippi river

Treaty of Ghent (1814)

Ended the War of 1812. Did not address grievances that led to the war (stalemate for both sides).

01/24/1936: Ending a more than decade-long battle, Congress pa...

Ending a more than decade-long battle, Congress passes the Adjusted Compensation Act over Roosevelt's veto. The bill provides immediate cash redemption of the bonus certificates first issued to veterans in 1924. The certificates were due to mature in 1944 but, due to the recent economic downturn--dubbed the "Roosevelt Recession"--Congress finally gathered enough support to override FDR's veto.

Naturalization Act of 1924 excludes Japanese from citizenship

Existing nationality laws dating from 1790 and 1870 excluded people of Asian lineage from naturalizing. As a result, the 1924 Act meant that even Asians not previously prevented from immigrating - the Japanese in particular - would no longer be admitted to the United States.

08/05/1933: FDR establishes the National Labor Board, with Sen...

FDR establishes the National Labor Board, with Senator Robert Wagner of New York as its head. The NLB is created to enforce the right of organized labor to bargain collectively. Its existence marks a sharp change in the federal government's stance toward labor.

The USS Maine explodes in Havana Harbor, 1898

February 16 1898: Battleship U.S.S. Maine Explodes At 9:40pm on February 15,1898,the battleship U.S.S.Maine exploded in Havana Harbor, killing 268 men and shocking the American populace. ... On March 28,1898, the United States Naval Court of Inquiry found that theMainewas destroyed by a submerged mine.

Department of Justice created, 1870

Federal department responsible for enforcing federal laws (includes FBI, Civil Rights Division, Antitrust Division, Drug Enforcement Administration...)

Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986

Federal law requiring employers to verify and maintain records on applicants' legal rights to work in the United States

John Adams (1797-1801) Federalist VP - Thomas Jefferson

Federalist Domestic Policy: Alien and Sedition Acts 1798 Kentucky and Virginia resolutions-nullification Fries Rebellion (new taxes) Foreign Policy: Instability in France XYZ Affair Quasi-War--France

George Washington, 1789-1797 VP - John Adams Secretary of State - Thomas Jefferson Secretary of Treasury - Alexander Hamilton

Federalist Domestic Policy: National Bank-Hamilton Whiskey Rebellion Formation of Supreme Court—Judiciary Act Bill of Rights Pinckney's Treaty Foreign Policy: French wars in Europe--Neutrality Jay's Treaty Battle of Fallen Timbers Isolationist—Farewell Address

First Battle of Bull Run (1861)

First major battle of the American Civil War; Confederate victory. *Historical Significance:* Proved that the war would be longer and more brutal than either side had imagined.

Rise of manufacturing in the North, 1830s-

Five factors that spurred industrial growth in the late 1800's are Abundant natural resources (coal, iron, oil); Abundant labor supply; Railroads; Labor saving technological advances (new patents) and Pro-Business government policies. Several factors led to the rise of U.S. industrialization in the late 1800's.

Fort Sumter, SC, incident; Lincoln calls volunteer troops, 1861

Following Beauregard's bombardment in 1861, Confederate forces occupied Fort Sumter and used it to marshal a defense of Charleston Harbor. Once it was completed and better armed, Fort Sumter allowed the Confederates to create a valuable hole in the Union blockade of the Atlantic seaboard.

Platt Amendment (1901)

Following its military occupation, the United States successfully pressured the Cuban government to write this amendment into its constitution. It limited Cuba's treaty-making abilities, controlled its debt, and stipulated that the United States could intervene militarily to restore order when it saw fit.

Tootsie Rolls, Cracker Jacks, Welch's Grape Juice, and Michelob beer are introduced, 1896

Food industries

10/01/1908: Ford introduces the "Model T"

Ford introduces the "Model T" automobile, which costs $850, making Henry Ford's mass-produced cars available to the average wage earner.

Dollar Diplomacy

Foreign policy created under President Taft that had the U.S. exchanging financial support ($) for the right to "help" countries make decisions about trade and other commercial ventures. Basically it was exchanging money for political influence in Latin America and the Caribbean.

US resumes diplomatic relations with Vietnam, 1995

Formal normalization of U.S.-Vietnam diplomatic relations took place in 1995, followed by booming trade volumes between the two countries in the subsequent years. In 1997, President Clinton appointed former-POW and U.S. Congressman Douglas "Pete" Peterson as the first U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam.

Negro American Labor Council formed, 1960

Founded in 1960, the NALC sought to address the failure of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) to end racial discrimination in some of its unions. ... In July 1959 Randolph called a meeting of African American labor leaders who agreed to form the NALC.

Woolworth's "5-to-10-cent" store opens in Utica, NY, 1879

Frank Woolworth brought chain stores throughout the nation

Sherman Silver Purchase Act reflects steady decline in the market price of silver and the competition between gold and silver standard supporters in the legislature, 1890

Free silver was the central issue for Democrats in the presidential elections of 1896and 1900, under the leadership of William Jennings Bryan, famed for his Cross of Gold speech in favor of free silver. The Populists also endorsed Bryan and free silver in 1896, which marked the effective end of their independence.

Freeman's Journal first black-run newspaper in US founded in New York, 1827

Freedom's Journal was the first African-American owned and operated newspaperpublished in the United States. Founded by Rev. John Wilk and other free black men in New York City, it was published weekly starting with the 16 March 1827 issue.

Citizen Genet, 1793

French diplomat who in 1793 tried to draw the United States into the war between France and England (1763-1834)

03/15/1916: Pershing invades Mexico

General John Pershing begins a punitive expedition into Mexico, without the approval of the Mexican government, to capture Pancho Villa and his bandit force. Villa had staged raids along the U.S.-Mexico border after President Wilson failed to support his claims on the leadership of the Mexican government.

George Eastman markets a camera that uses rolled film, 1888

George Eastman invented flexible roll film and in 1888 introduced the Kodak camerashown to use this film. It took 100-exposure rolls of film that gave circular images 2 5/8" in diameter. In 1888 the original Kodak sold for $25 loaded with a roll of film and included a leather carrying case.

George Selden applies for a patent for the gasoline-powered automobile (granted 1895), 1879

George Selden granted 1st US patent for an automobile, November 5, 1895. George B Selden, a patent lawyer and inventor from Rochester, NY, was granted a US patent (No. 549,160) in late 1895 for an "improved road engine" powered by a "liquid-hydrocarbon engine of the compression type

Division of Forestry created in Department of Agriculture (conservationist pressure), 1887

Gifford Pinchot, under TR, was the head of this federal bureau dealing with conservation that was part of the Agriculture Department.

Girls Scouts of America, 1912

Girl Scout founder Juliette Gordon Low and a group of Girl Scouts ... In 1912, in the midst of the Progressive Era—and at a time when women in the ... which tells the story of Girl Scouts during key moments in American history.

James Baldwin publishes Go Tell It On the Mountain, 1953

Go Tell It on the Mountain is a 1953 semi-autobiographical novel by James Baldwin. It tells the story of John Grimes, an intelligent teenager in 1930s Harlem, and his relationship to his family and his church.

Second Sioux wars begin due to Black Hills gold rush and extension of Northern Pacific RR route, 1875-1876

Gold was discovered in the Dakotas' Black Hills, and so thousands of miners went into the plains searching for gold. Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse were the leaders of the tribes in the Black Hills. Before the Sioux went down to defeat, they ambushed and destroyed Col. George Custer's command at Little Big Horn in 1876. Chief Joseph courageously tried to lead a band of the Nez Perce into Canada but led to a defeat and surrender in 1877

07/19/1964: Wallace drops out of presidential race

Governor George Wallace of Alabama drops out of the presidential race despite strong showings in several Democratic primaries.

Fall of Richmond (1865)

Grant causes Lee's army to collapse around Petersburg, VA, Richmond left vulnerable

Hollywood studios implement a 'blacklist' naming 10 industry figures who refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee on alleged communist affiliations, 1947-

Group of people in the film industry who were jailed for refusing to answer congressional questions regarding Communist influence in Hollywood

Cleveland vetoes Veterans' Dependent Pension Bill, 1887

Grover Cleveland Presidency. February 11, 1887: Veto of Military Pension Legislation ... 10457, entitled "An act for the relief of dependent parents and honorably discharged soldiers and sailors who are now disabled

Nixon advisers (John Mitchell, John Ehrichman, HR Haldeman) are sentenced to prison, 1975

H. R. Haldeman - White House chief of staff, considered the second-most powerful man in the government during Nixon's first term; faced a maximum of 25 years in prison and $16,000 in fines; in 1975, he was convicted of conspiracy and obstruction of justice, and received an 18-month prison sentence.

Harriet Beecher Stowe publishes Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852)

Harriet Beecher Stowe's widely read novel that dramatized the horrors of slavery. It heightened Northern support for abolition and escalated the sectional conflict.

Charles Parsons invents the steam turbine engine, 1884

He developed a turbine engine there in 1884 and immediately utilized the new engine to drive an electrical generator, which he also designed. Parsons' steam turbine made cheap and plentiful electricity possible and revolutionised marine transport and naval warfare.

Sydney McClure creates first news syndicate, 1884

He worked his way through Knox College, where he co-founded its student newspaper, and later moved to New York City. In 1884, he established the McClure Syndicate, the first U.S. newspaper syndicate, which serialized books. McClure created a whole new form of writing for his journalists that we still use today.

Worcester v. Georgia (1832)

Held that Native Americans were entitled to federal protection from the actions of state governments which would infringe on the tribe's sovereignty; ignored by the Jackson administration.

Pacific Railroad Act authorizes the Union Pacific RR to build a line from Nebraska to Utah, where it was to meet the Central Pacific, building east from California. The Union Pacific used Irish immigrants; Central Pacific used Chinese immigrants, 1862

Helped fund the construction of the Union Pacific transcontinental railroad with the use of land grants and government bonds.

Department of Labor established, 1888

Helps workers get fair wages and working conditions

Henry Ford produces his first automobile, 1896

Henry Ford test-drives his "Quadricycle" At approximately 4:00 a.m. on June 4, 1896, in the shed behind his home on Bagley Avenue in Detroit, Henry Ford unveils the "Quadricycle," the first automobile he ever designed or drove.

First black member of Congress elected (Hiram Revels of Mississippi), 1870

Hiram R. Revels was born on September 27, 1827, in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Revels was a minister who, in 1870, became the first African-American United States senator, representing the state of Mississippi. He served for a year before leaving to become the president of a historically black college.

Judiciary Act of 1789

In 1789 Congress passed this Act which created the federal-court system. The act managed to quiet popular apprehensions by establishing in each state a federal district court that operated according to local procedures.

Vermont Enters Union, 1791

In 1791, Vermont joined the federal Union as the fourteenth state—becoming the first state to enter the Union after the original thirteen colonies, and as a counterweight to slaveholding Kentucky, which was admitted to the Union the following year.

Kentucky enters Union, 1792

In 1792, Kentuckybecame the 15th state admitted to the Union, splitting from Virginia in the process.

Denmark Vasey's Rebellion, 1822

In 1822, Vesey was alleged to be the leader of a planned slave revolt. Vesey and his followers were said to be planning to kill slaveholders in Charleston, liberate the slaves, and sail to the black republic of Haiti for refuge.

Joseph Smith leads Mormons from Ohio toward Missouri, 1838

In 1838, Joseph Smith and the Ohio Mormons arrive. On October 27, 1838, Missourigovernor Lilburn Boggs takes a dramatic stand to end violence. His executive order calls for the expulsion or extermination of all Mormons from the state.

Bible Riots (1844)

In 1844 in Philadelphia, sixteen people were killed and thirty buildings were destroyed by Protestant mobs over the issue of which version of the Bible should be used in predominantly Catholic schools.

California enters Union, 1850

In 1849, Californians sought statehood and, after heated debate in the U.S. Congress arising out of the slavery issue, California entered the Union as a free, nonslavery state by the Compromise of 1850. California became the 31st state on September 9, 1850.

Democratic party divides along north-south lines, 1860

In 1860, the Democrats split over the choice of a successor to President Buchanan along Northern and Southern lines. ... The Southern Democrats nominated John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky, the pro-slavery incumbent Vice President, for President and General Joseph Lane, former governor of Oregon, for Vice President.

American Federation of Labor founded by Samuel Gompers, 1886

In 1886 Gompers fostered the separation of the cigar makers and other craft unions from the Knights of Labor to form the AFL, of which he was president from 1886 to 1924 (except for one year, 1895). He distrusted intellectual reformers, fearing their influence would divert labour's efforts away from economic goals.

Battle of Little Bighorn 1876

In 1876, Indian leaders Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse defeated Custer's troops who tried to force them back on to the reservation, Custer and all his men died

George Westinghouse establishes Westinghouse Electrical and Manufacturing Company, 1885

In 1881 he founded the Union Switch and Signal Company to manufacture his signaling and switching inventions. Electric power distribution

Sears and Roebuck Company founded, 1886

In 1886 Richard W. Sears founded the R.W. Sears Watch Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to sell watches by mail order. ... In 1889 Sears sold his business but a few years later founded, with Roebuck, another mail-order operation, which in 1893 came to be known as Sears, Roebuck and Company.

Cleveland approves then revokes (due to Republican and military pressure) an order for the return of captured Confederate flags (TR returned the flags in 1905), 1887

In 1887, during the first Cleveland Administration, the U.S. Government proposed to return to Southern states Confederate flags captured by Union units in. ... of every American citizen is due to the American flag under all circumstances, and if ... Theodore Roosevelt ordered the flags returned to hometowns.

Alfred Thayer Mahan publishes The Influence of Sea Power Upon History 1660-1783, arguing for the necessity for American sea power to take the country to world leadership, 1890

In 1890, Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan, a lecturer in naval history and the president of the United States Naval War College, published The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660-1783, a revolutionary analysis of the importance of naval power as a factor in the rise of the British Empire.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) established by WEB DuBois, Mary White Ovington, and Oswald Garrison Villard, 1909

In 1909, Du Bois was among the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and from 1910 to 1934 served it as director of publicity and research, a member of the board of directors, and founder and editor of The Crisis, its monthly magazine.

Massachusetts introduces minimum wage law, 1912

In 1912 Massachusetts passed the nation's first minimum wage law, applicable only to women and children under 18, but it had little effect. ... The court reversed its decision in 1937, and in 1938 the Fair Labor Standards Act set a federal minimum wage at 25 cents an hour—$11 for a 44-hour workweek.

01/24/1916: Brushaber v. Union Pacific Railroad

In Brushaber v. Union Pacific Railroad, the federal income tax survives a Supreme Court challenge.

Eugenics movement affirmed in Buck v Bell, 1927

In Buck v. Bell, decided on May 2, 1927, the U.S. Supreme Court, by a vote of 8 to 1, affirmed the constitutionality of Virginia's law allowing state-enforced sterilization. ... In 1924, Buck was committed to the Virginia State Colony for Epileptics and Feeble-Minded, near Lynchburg , and there ordered sterilized.

Supreme Court decrees equal pay for men and women doing equal work, 1974

In Corning Glass Works v. Brennan , the Supreme Court holds that under the Equal Pay Act the allocation of proof in a pay discrimination case requires the plaintiff to prove that an employer pays an employee of one sex more than an employee of the other sex for substantially equal work.

Fletcher v Peck and the Yazoo Land Scandal decision, 1810

In Fletcher v. Peck, the Court ruled that Georgia did not have the constitutional authority to revoke a corrupt land sale. Above, an illustration of Georgia State Senator James Jackson destroying records connecting him to the Yazoo landsale.

02/20/1905: Jacobson v. Massachusetts

In Jacobson v. Massachusetts, the Supreme Court recognizes the legality of compulsory vaccination laws

04/17/1905: Lochner v. New York

In Lochner v. New York, the Supreme Court rules that state laws limiting working hours are illegal.

02/03/1908: Loewe v. Lawlor

In Loewe v. Lawlor, the Supreme Court rules that antitrust law applies to labor unions.

01/06/1936: In U.S. v. Butler, the Supreme Court rules ...

In U.S. v. Butler, the Supreme Court rules the Agricultural Adjustment Act to be unconstitutional. The dissenting justices accuse the majority of ruling on personal belief since the AAA enjoyed wide public support. Within two months, Congress will pass the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, providing services similar to that of the AAA through slightly different means.

South Carolina demands right to nullify federal laws, 1828

In November 1832, the Nullification Convention met. The convention declared the tariffs of 1828 and 1832 unconstitutional and unenforceable within the state of South Carolina after February 1, 1833. It was asserted that attempts to use force to collect the taxes would lead to the state's secession.

Gustavus Swift makes the first refrigerated railcar for the transport of meat, 1881

In the 1800s he enlarged fresh meat markets through branch slaughterhouses and refrigeration. He monopolized the meat industry.

US sponsors a Southeast Asia collective security agreement (South East Asia Treaty Organization, SEATO), 1954

In September of 1954, the United States, France, Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines, Thailand and Pakistan formed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization, or SEATO. The purpose of the organization was to prevent communism from gaining ground in the region.

05/19/1913: Webb Alien Land-Holding Law

In a discriminatory measure against the Japanese, Gov. Hiram W. Johnson signs the Webb Alien Land-Holding Law, prohibiting Japanese ownership of land in California. The statute is enacted despite the objection of President Wilson and the Japanese Government.

07/05/1935: In a major victory for organized labor, Roosevelt ...

In a major victory for organized labor, Roosevelt signs the National Labor Relations Act, creating the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The NLRB ensures the right of labor to organize and bargain collectively.

03/15/1934: In a show of confidence in the...

In a show of confidence in the nation's economic recovery, Henry Ford restores his $5 per day minimum wage to 47,000 of his 70,000 workers.

05/22/1964: Johnson's Great Society

In a speech at the University of Michigan, Johnson announces his intention to create a Great Society by extending American prosperity to all its citizens.

03/14/1904: Sherman Anti-Trust Act

In accordance with the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, the Supreme Court, in Northern Securities Company v. United States, orders the dissolution of the Northern Securities Company. The decision is major victory for TR and his belief in the necessity of trust-busting.

12/06/1904: Roosevelt sends annual message to Congress

In his annual message to Congress, the President issues the "Roosevelt Corollary" to the Monroe Doctrine. Roosevelt augments the justification for U.S. intervention in the Western Hemisphere "in flagrant cases of wrongdoing or impotence," arguing that America might be obliged to carry out "the exercise of an international police power."

President Cleveland orders the lowering of the US flag in Hawaii, 1893

In his last month in office, Harrison sent an annexation treaty to the Senate for confirmation, but the new president, Grover Cleveland, withdrew the treaty "for the purpose of re-examination." He also received Queen Liliuokalani and replaced the American stars and stripes in Honolulu with the Hawaiian flag.

01/04/1935: In his third State of the Union Address,FDR effec...

In his third State of the Union Address, FDR effectively announces the beginning of a second stage of his New Deal. This new phase will focus on long-term gains such as a system of social security--for the aged, the unemployed, the ill--and for improved housing and tax reform. In general, Roosevelt seeks to move away from purely relief programs toward more sustained measures for the nation's most vulnerable citizens.

Investigatons into the Clinton-Gore 1996 campaign financing issues, 1998-1999

In late 1996, a Justice Department task force started investigating allegations of campaign fund-raising abuses by the Clinton reelection campaign. Critics accused Attorney General Janet Reno of botching the investigation and demanded that she appoint an independent counsel. In a Dec. 3, 1997, Post story, Roberto Suro wrote about Reno's decision not to appoint an independent counsel to investigate telephone fund-raising by President Clinton and Vice President Gore.

First American kindergarten opens in Watertown, MA, 1856

In the United States, Margarethe Schurz opened the first kindergarten in Watertown, Wisconsin, in 1856 for her immigrant German commu- nity. This kindergarten caught the attention of Elizabeth Peabody, who started the first American English-language kindergarten in Boston in 1860.

04/09/1914: Tensions at Tampico

In the port of Tampico, Mexican officials detain several U.S. Marines from the U.S.S. Dolphin. Despite the their quick release and an expression of regret by President Victor Huerta, U.S. Admiral Henry T. Mayo demands that Mexican troops salute an American flag as a sign of contrition. President Huerta refuses the demanded salute on April 11; three days later President Wilson orders American warships to Tampico Bay.

Treaty of Fort Laramie ends Powder River War (First Sioux War); sets aside Great Sioux Reserve in Dakota Territory "in perpetuity," 1868

In the spring of 1868 a conference was held at Fort Laramie, in present day Wyoming, which resulted in a treaty with the Sioux. This treaty was to bring peace between the whites and the Sioux who agreed to settle within the Black Hills reservation in the Dakota Territory.

Irish and German immigration begins, 1827-1838

Irish and German immigrants began coming to America in colonial times, but the early Irish were mostly Protestants from the north of Ireland who settled on the frontier, while the Germans were mainly religious refugees who clus- tered in Pennsylvania.

Ghost dance war in the Black Hills, 1890

It involved the Wounded Knee Massacre wherein the 7th Cavalry massacred around 300 unarmed Lakota Sioux, primarily women, children, and elders, at Wounded Knee on December 29, 1890. The Ghost Dance War ended when Sioux leader Kicking Bear surrendered on January 15, 1891.

Tennessee entered the Union, 1796

It was admitted to the Union on June 1, 1796, as the 16th state. Tennessee was initially part of North Carolina, and later part of the Southwest Territory. Tennessee was the last state to leave the Union and join the Confederacy at the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861.

Tenure of Office Act repealed (shows Cleveland's attempts to reassert executive authority, 1887

It was repealed in 1887 and declared unconstitutional by the ... The repeal of the Tenure of Office Act strengthened the power of the executive branch of ... In 1887, President Grover Cleveland challenged the constitutionality of

Theodore Roosevelt appointed Civil Service Commissioner, 1889

Its most famous commissioner was Theodore Roosevelt (1889-95). The new law prohibited mandatory campaign contributions, or "assessments", which amounted to 50-75% of party financing in the Gilded Age. Second, the Pendleton Act required entrance exams for aspiring bureaucrats.

US Steel formed as a holding company as JP Morgan and others buy Carnegie Steel. US Steel becomes the world's first billion-dollar company, 1901

J. P. Morgan formed U.S. Steel on March 2, 1901 (incorporated on February 25) by financing the merger of Andrew Carnegie's Carnegie Steel Company with Elbert H. Gary's Federal Steel Company and William Henry "Judge" Moore's National Steel Company for $492 million ($15.12 billion today).

12/29/1934: Japan denounces the Washington Naval Treaty of 192...

Japan denounces the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 and the London Naval Treaty of 1930; it will declare its complete withdrawal from each by December 1936.

Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki; Japan surrenders; WWII ends, 1945

Japan surrendered to the Allies on August 15, six days after the Soviet Union's declaration of war and the bombing of Nagasaki. The Japanese government signed the instrument of surrender on September 2 in Tokyo Bay, which effectively ended World War II.

Lewis and Clark expedition (1804-1806)

Jefferson sent Merriwether Lewis and William Clark to investigate the resources the U.S. had acquired with the Louisiana Purchase on "Voyage of Discovery". They crossed the Rockies and reached the Pacific Ocean by way of the Columbia River. They recorded the types of wildlife, plants, and the number of Indian tribes. They mapped the region and promoted fur trading

Louisiana Purchase (1803)

Jefferson sent Monroe to Paris to purchase New Orleans; Monroe ended up spending $15 million, because he was able to get all of Louisiana, Jefferson conflicted about the purchase, since he didn't feel he had the authority to do so under the Constitution, but the deal was too good to pass up and provided more than enough land to fulfill his dream of an America populated with small farmers.

Repeal of Embargo Act 1809

Jefferson's Embargo Act destroyed the US economy and was repealed during Madison's presidency

John C. Fremont surveys Oregon Trail, 1842

John Charles Frémont (1813-1890) was an American explorer, politician, and soldier. Through his explorations in the West he stimulated the American desire to own that region. He was the first presidential candidate of the Republican party.

John F. Kennedy, 1961-1963 Democrat VP - Lyndon B. Johnson

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, often referred to by his initials JFK and Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from January 1961 until his assassination in November 1963.

Department stores in New York (Macy's, Lord and Taylor), Philadelphia, and Chicago, 1876

John Wanamaker Department Store was one of the first department stores in the United States. ... John Wanamaker's in 1876 ... This was Philadelphia's first modern-day department store, and one of the ... This was to prepare the way, in 1997, for New York-based Lord & Taylor, another division of May Department Stores

11/27/1963: Johnson addresses Congress

Johnson addresses a joint session of Congress calling on legislators to fulfill Kennedy's legacy and pass civil rights and tax legislation.

11/29/1963: Commission to investigate Kennedy assassination created

Johnson creates a special commission chaired by Chief Justice Earl Warren to investigate the Kennedy assassination.

Repeal of Judiciary Act of 1801

Judiciary Act of 1801, which had been adopted by the Federalist majority in the previous Congress, but was repealed by the Democratic-Republican majority.

Joseph Stalin dies; Nikita Khrushchev is new Soviet premier, 1953-1964

Khrushchev charged Stalin with having fostered a leadership cult of personality despite ostensibly maintaining support for the ideals of communism. The speech was leaked to the west by the Israeli intelligence agency, the Mossad, which received it from the Polish journalist Viktor Grievsky.

Lincoln creates national bank and currency system to sustain war efforts, 1863

Later amendments created a new system of federally chartered banks called (national banks) -they issued notes -they were regulated by the Comptroller of the Currency -state notes taxed out of existence -state banks survived by creating checking accounts -thus were have the dual banking system today: state and federal

Good Housekeeping magazine begins publication, 1885

Launched on May 2, 1885 in Holyoke, Massachusetts, Good Housekeeping magazine described its lofty mission as "to produce and perpetuate perfection — or as near unto perfection as may be attained in the household."

Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia and Tennessee pass Jim Crow laws, 1891

Laws designed to enforce segregation of blacks from whites

Jim Crow laws enacted in Tennessee, 1875

Laws designed to enforce segregation of blacks from whites

Mississippi passes first Black Codes, 1865

Laws passed throughout the South to restrict the rights of emancipated blacks, particularly with respect to negotiating labor contracts. Increased Northerners' criticisms of President Andrew Johnson's lenient Reconstruction policies.

Lee DeFrost demonstrates live radio broadcasting from the Metropolitan Opera in NY, 1909

Lee de Forest, American inventor of the Audion vacuum tube, which made possible live radio broadcasting and became the key component of all radio,

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Legalized segregation in publicly owned facilities on the basis of "separate but equal."

Civil Rights Cases (1883)

Legalized segregation with regard to private property.

McKinley was assassinated by Leon Czolgosz, an anarchist, 1901

Leon Frank Czołgosz (Polish pronunciation: [ˈt͡ʂɔwɡɔʂ], roughly "CHOW-gosh"; May 5, 1873 - October 29, 1901) was an American steelworker and anarchist who assassinated American President William McKinley on September 6, 1901 in Buffalo, New York. Czolgosz was executed seven weeks later on October 29, 1901.

Midway islands annexed, 1867

Located about 3,000 miles off the coast of California. This island served as an important stopping point for American ships on their way to China.

Chesapeake and Delaware canals open, 1829

Loss of water in the locks was a problem from early on. As boats passed through at Chesapeake City, the equivalent of a full lock of water was lost to the lower-lying portion of the canal.

Lyndon B. Johnson, 1963-1968 Democrat VP - Hubert Humphrey

Lyndon Baines Johnson (August 27, 1908 - January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969.

11/22/1963: Lyndon Baines Johnson inaugurated

Lyndon Baines Johnson is sworn in as the thirty-sixth President of the United States following the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and Columbia Pictures are founded, 1924

MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures, and Louis B. Mayer Pictures. ... The company was spun out in 1979, with the studio's then owner Kirk Kerkorian maintaining a large share, but it ended all affiliation with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1986.

Madeleine Albright becomes first female Secretary of State, 1996

Madeleine Jana Korbel Albright (born Marie Jana Korbelová; May 15, 1937) is an American politician and diplomat. She is the first female United States Secretary of State in U.S. history, having served from 1997 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton.

Macon Act, 1810

Madison This reopened trade with both France and Great Britain; if one of them dropped its restrictions, then non-intercourse would resume with the other.

Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) Republican VP - George Bush

Major Events: Reagan Doctrine Sandra Day O'Connor appointed to the Supreme Court Strategic Defense Initiative Iran-Contra Affair Glasnost & Perestroika Reagan-Gorbachev Summit Talks

Discovery of gold in California, 1848

Many people in California figured gold was there, but it was James W. Marshall on January 24, 1848, who saw something shiny in Sutter Creek near Coloma, California. He had discovered gold unexpectedly while overseeing construction of a sawmill on the American River.

US withdraws combat troops from Vietnam, 1972

March 10, 1972 - The U.S. 101st Airborne Division is withdrawn from Vietnam. ... April 4, 1972 - In a further response to Eastertide, President Nixon authorizes a massive bombing campaign targeting all NVA troops invading South Vietnam along with B-52 air strikes against North Vietnam.

Marcus Garvey establishes the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), 1911

Marcus Garvey and his organization, the Universal Negro Improvement Association(UNIA), represent the largest mass movement in African-American history. Proclaiming a black nationalist "Back to Africa" message, Garvey and the UNIA established 700 branches in thirty-eight states by the early 1920s.

Massive strikes in heavy industries and mines, 1946

Mine, steel, auto workers were involved in some of the biggest strikes in American history United Mine Workers of America Strike of 1946. The Steel Strike of 1959. The Steel Strike of 1919. The Railroad Shop Workers Strike. United Auto Workers Strike of 1945. American Association of Advertising Agencies Strike...

Harding vetoes a veterans' bonus bill (the differential between their wages and the wages they would have earned had there been no war), 1922

Momentum had been building for several years for the federal government to ... servicemen for the difference they lost between pay in the military versus their civilian ... respectfully petition Congress to pass the soldiers' bonus act without further ... Congress passed a bonus in 1922but President Warren Harding vetoed it.

Apache and Navajo wars end as leaders surrender; reservations established, 1866-1867

Navajos who surrendered were taken to Fort Canby and those who resisted werekilled. Some Navajos were able to escape Carson's campaign but were soon forcedto surrender due to starvation and the freezing temperature of the winter months. The "Long Walk" started in the beginning of spring 1864.

New Mexico enters Union, 1912

New Mexico joins the Union. On January 6, 1912, New Mexico is admitted into the United States as the 47th state. Spanish explorers passed through the area that would become New Mexico in the early 16th century, encountering the well-preserved remains of a 13th-century Pueblo civilization.

06/07/1916: Republicans nominate Hughes

New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes earns the nomination for President at the Republican National Convention. Delegates select Charles Warren Fairbanks of Indiana as Hughes' running mate.

New York Times v US (Pentagon Papers), 1971

New York Times Co. v. United States, 403 U.S. 713, was a landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court on the First Amendment. The ruling made it possible for The New York Times and The Washington Post newspapers to publish the then-classified Pentagon Papers without risk of government censorship or punishment

CIA orchestrates coup to topple Diem in response to large-scale Vietnamese opposition, 1963

Ngo Dinh Diem assassinated in South Vietnam. ... His increasingly dictatorial rule only succeeded in alienating most of the South Vietnamese people, and his brutal repression of protests led by Buddhist monks during the summer of 1963 convinced many American officials that the time had come for Diem to go.

The Organization for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) forms, 1960

OPEC. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC, /ˈoʊpɛk/ OH-pek) is an intergovernmental organization of 13 nations, founded on 14 September 1960 in Baghdad by the first five members (Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela), and headquartered since 1965 in Vienna, Austria.

US and allies extend NATO membership to Eastern Europe, 1995

Obstacles within the Central and Eastern European countries 5-6 ... My thesis is that NATOshould expand its membership in order to stabilize the Central ... when it proposed to its NATO allies the Partnership for Peace (PfP) program, which is ... Knight, Robin, "Knock, Knock," USNews and World Report, 9 October 1995.

11/16/1907: Oklahoma becomes a state

Oklahoma is admitted to the Union as the 46th state.

US participates in air strikes in Bosnia, 1994

On 10 and 11 April 1994, UNPROFOR called in air strikes to protect the Goražde safe area, resulting in the bombing of a Bosnian Serb military command outpost near Goražde by two US F-16 jets. This was the first time in NATO's history it had ever attacked ground targets with aircraft.

First trans-Atlantic cable exchanged between Buchanan & Queen Victoria of Great Britain, 1858

On 16 August 1858, Queen Victoria and U.S. president James Buchanan exchanged telegraphic pleasantries, inaugurating the first transatlantic cable connecting British North America to Ireland.

TR dines at the White House with Booker T. Washington, 1901

On 16 October 1901, shortly after moving into the White House, Theodore Rooseveltinvited his adviser, the African American spokesman Booker T. Washington, to dinewith him and his family, and provoked an outpouring of condemnation from southern politicians and press.

10-hour work day extended to all laborers, 1840

On 31 March 1840 President Martin Van Buren issued an executive order mandating that all manual workers employed on government contracts would be required to workonly 10 hours per day.

Soviet astronaut Yuri Gagarin becomes first man to orbit Earth, 1961

On April 12, 1961, aboard the spacecraft Vostok 1, Soviet cosmonaut YuriAlekseyevich Gagarin becomes the first human being to travel into space. During the flight, the 27-year-old test pilot and industrial technician also became the first man to orbit the planet, a feat accomplished by his space capsule in 89 minutes.

Kansas enters Union, 1861

On January 29, 1861, Kansas is admitted to the Union as free state. ... The struggle between pro- and anti-slave forces in Kansas was a major factor in the eruption of the Civil War. In 1854, Kansas and Nebraska were organized as territories with popular sovereignty (popular vote) to decide the issue of slavery.

Alaska joins the Union, 1959

On January 3, 1959, after much struggle and through the efforts of many, Alaska finally became the 49th state of the United States of America after President Eisenhower's signing of the official declaration.

West Virginia secedes from Virginia and enters Union, 1863

On June 20, 1863, West Virginia entered the Union as the nation's 35th state. Although some Western Virginians had been frustrated with the Virginia state government in Richmond for decades, it took Virginia's secession from the Union in April 1861 to get the West Virginia statehood process moving.

Johnson Introduces Voting Rights Act

On March 15, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson addressed a joint session of Congress to introduce voting rights legislation. In a moving oration, Johnson called on white Americans to make the cause of African Americans their cause too. Together, he explained, echoing the anthem of the civil rights movement, "we shall overcome." After winning reelection in 1964, President Johnson realized the need for significant voting rights legislation, but, as he explained to Martin Luther King, Jr., he felt that such a bill would hold up the passage of other programs in his domestic program. Still King and other civil rights leaders sought ways to bring the issue of voting rights to the attention of the American people. Selma, Alabama, provided the perfect opportunity for civil rights organization such as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) to stage a nonviolent campaign on the issue of voting rights. The city of Selma had 15,000 African Americans of voting age but only 355 were registered to vote. Furthermore, the city's board of registers used blatantly racist tactics to keep African Americans off the voting rolls. SNCC and SCLC leaders decided to lead a march from Selma to Montgomery, the capital of Alabama, to protest the gross disenfranchisement of African Americans. On March 7, 1965, more than 500 marchers attempted to cross the Edmund Pettis Bridge, when state troopers confronted them and demanded that they turn around. The marchers halted facing the troopers, and the troopers advanced on the marchers, attacking them with nightsticks and tear gas. SNCC leader John Lewis was clubbed in the head and suffered a skull fracture. Images of the attacks on the peaceful marchers were broadcast throughout the country, and the incident became known as "Bloody Sunday." Two days later, Martin Luther King, Jr., led a group of protestors on another march from Selma. When police confronted them, however, they knelt in prayer and turned around. In his address to Congress on March 15, President Johnson used stirring oratory to create support for voting rights legislation. He spoke of events in Selma as a historic moment and continually pressed the right to vote as a fundamental American right, proclaiming, "Every American citizen must have an equal right to vote." He stressed that denying the right to vote to African Americans cheapened the ideals of America for everyone. (Click here to read and listen to his speech in its entirety.) The Voting Rights Act passed both houses of Congress with bipartisan support. On August 6, 1965, President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act. The act outlawed practices, such as literacy tests, that had been used to keep African Americans from registering to vote. The Justice Department gained the power to intervene where discriminatory practices had kept less than 50 percent of eligible voters from registering to vote. If this intervention failed to fix the situation, federal registers could take over the local voting systems. President Johnson, the master legislator, pushed for the passage of a strong bill to end the disenfranchisement of African Americans in the South. Together with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act effectively ended the systematic segregation of the South.

US facilitates a peace agreement over Bosnia-Herzegovina at Dayton, Ohio, 1994

On March 18, 1994, the United States brokered the Washington Agreement between Herzeg‐Bosnia and BiH that created a Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It aimed to end hostilities between Bosnian Croats and Bosniaks, thus allowing them to concentrate on their common enemy, the Serbs.

Assassination attempt against President Reagan, 1981

On March 30, 1981, United States President Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded by John Hinckley Jr. in Washington, D.C. as he was returning to his limousine after a speaking engagement at the Washington Hilton Hotel. Hinckley believed the attack would impress actress Jodie Foster, whom he had become obsessed with.

Alexander Graham Bell receives a patent for the telephone, 1876

On March 7, 1876, 29-year-old Alexander Graham Bell receives a patent for his revolutionary new invention-the telephone. The Scottish-born Bell worked in London with his father, Melville Bell, who developed Visible Speech, a written system used to teach speaking to the deaf.

Supreme Court frees black rebels in Amistad case, 1841

On March 9, 1841, the Supreme Court ruled 7-1 to uphold the lower courts' decisions in favor of the Africans of the Amistad. ... But the Court did not require the government to provide funds to return the Africans to their homeland, and awarded salvage rights for the ship to the U.S. Navy officers who apprehended it.

Johnson Announces Decision Not to Seek Reelection

On March 31, 1968, President Lyndon Johnson, during a prime-time televised address, announced that he would not seek reelection. "There is division in the American house now. There is divisiveness among us all tonight." Johnson explained. "And holding the trust that is mine, as President of all the people, I cannot disregard the peril to the progress of the American people and the hope and prospect of peace for all people. . . . I do not believe that I should devote an hour or a day of my time to any personal partisan causes. . . . Accordingly, I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your President." The Vietnam War had shattered Johnson's political future. The domestic reaction to the Tet offensive launched by the North Vietnamese in January 1968 created great strain on his presidency. In March, when former Truman advisor Clark Clifford became Johnson's new Secretary of Defense, the President requested a reevaluation of the war. The generals were calling for an additional 206,000 American troops to join the half a million soldiers already in Vietnam. Clifford thought such a move would be both politically and economically disastrous. The cost of any further escalation would threaten America's economic standing in the world and could detract from then nation's ability to maintain its strategic commitments in Europe. Clifford advised Johnson against large scale escalation, requesting that he send only about 20,000 additional soldiers. Meanwhile, displeasure with Johnson's war policy became part of the 1968 presidential race. On March 12, Senator Eugene McCarthy of Minnesota, running on a platform opposed to continuing the war, won 41 percent of the vote in the New Hampshire Democratic Primary. While Johnson won the primary, McCarthy's strong showing against a sitting President demonstrated the displeasure with the Johnson administration. On March 16, Robert F. Kennedy, Johnson's long-time political rival, announced that he too would challenge the President for the Democratic nomination. While Johnson was still the most likely Democratic nominee, this intraparty competition threatened to shatter the party. In late March, Secretary Clifford assembled some of the top foreign-policy experts to discuss the future of the war in Vietnam. Known as the "wise men," the group included Dean Acheson, Maxwell Taylor, George Ball, McGeorge Bundy, Matthew Ridgeway, and Henry Cabot Lodge. Some of the wise men supported the idea of increased escalation in the war. Most, however, concluded that Vietnam was, in Bundy's words, "a bottomless pit." Additional U.S. troops would not quickly lead to an end of the war, only an increase in American casualties. Following their advice, Johnson chose to call for a partial halt in the bombing of North Vietnam and agreed to consider peace talks with the North Vietnamese. In his announcement on March 31, President Johnson also told the American people about the partial bombing halt in North Vietnam. He stated that there would be no bombing of North Vietnam except in the area near the demilitarized zone and asked Ho Chi Minh to respond positively to this gesture. Johnson finished his announcement on Vietnam; then he paused dramatically before launching into his decision not to run for reelection.

Lusitania Sinks (1915)

On May 7, 1915, the German submarine U-20 torpedoed the British luxury liner Lusitania within sight of the Irish coast. The largest passenger ship in wartime transatlantic service at the time, the Lusitania was struck by a single torpedo and sank in twenty minutes after a second internal explosion. Of the more than 1,900 people on board, nearly 1,200 died, including 128 Americans. After the outbreak of World War I in Europe in the summer of 1914, Britain laid a blockade upon German ports. In response, Germany deployed experimental attack submarines, called U-boats, in the Atlantic Ocean. The German government declared the waters around the British Isles a war zone in February 1915 and cautioned that its U-boats would sink any ship entering the zone without warning. Germany justified the action of unrestricted submarine warfare by claiming that Britain had violated its own freedom of the seas with the blockade. The German government also argued, correctly, that the British used neutral and civilian ships to transport munitions. With the outbreak of World War I, President Woodrow Wilson led the United States in its declaration of neutrality. However, this stance began to be tested when Germany began unrestricted submarine warfare. Shortly afterwards, four American citizens were killed in three U-boat attacks. Wilson debated a proper response to German violations of American neutrality with advisor Robert Lansing and Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan. While Wilson and his advisers debated, the Germans torpedoed the Lusitania. The scale of the disaster shocked and enraged the American public and moved Wilson to take a defensive stand against Germany's violation of American neutrality rights at sea. The President issued a note to the German government demanding that it stop its policy of unrestricted submarine warfare and pay reparations for the deaths of those Americans lost on the Lusitania. The German Imperial Government defended itself by reminding Wilson that the ship had been illegally carrying contraband munitions. It claimed it was the explosion of such munitions that so rapidly sank the ship. Wilson found Germany's reply unconvincing and drafted a second note over Bryan's objections that urged Germany again to respect civilian and neutrals' "rights of humanity" and warned of his will to defend his own citizens. Bryan resigned rather than sign the second note because he felt that Wilson was not balancing both British and German violations of American neutrality. He was also concerned that the President was taking too hard a stance towards Germany that would leave the United States no alternative except to enter the war. After Bryan's resignation, Wilson promoted Lansing to secretary of state and issued a third note to Berlin warning that the United States would regard another sinking of a passenger liner as a "deliberately unfriendly" act. Germany never accepted culpability for the loss of the Lusitania. While the German government maintained its position that it sank the ship within the conventions of war, it wanted to keep the United States from entering the war and issued secret orders to its submarine captains to stop sinking large passenger liners. Nevertheless, the Lusitania issue remained a lingering sore spot in American-German relations as the two nations drifted closer to war.

Large anti-war demonstration/March on Washington, 1969

On Nov. 15, 1969, the Vietnam Moratorium Committee staged what is believed to be the largest antiwar protest in United States history when as many as half a million people attended a mostly peaceful demonstration in Washington. Smaller demonstrations were held in a number of cities and towns across the country.

Woodstock marks heyday of Counterculture movement, August 1969

On Nov. 15, 1969, the Vietnam Moratorium Committee staged what is believed to be the largest antiwar protest in United States history when as many as half a million people attended a mostly peaceful demonstration in Washington. Smaller demonstrations were held in a number of cities and towns across the country.

US and Germany sign a bilateral peace agreement in lieu of the Treaty of Versailles, 1921

On November 19, 1919, a group of Democratic senators joined the Irreconcilables to defeat the treaty. The United States never ratified the Treaty of Versailles, nor did itjoin the League of Nations. In 1921 Congress approved resolutions formally ending hostilities with Germany and the Austro-Hungarian government.

06/16/1933: On this, the final day of FDR's "Hundred Days," Co...

On this, the final day of FDR's "Hundred Days," Congress passes a number of bills. The most important of these is the National Industry Recovery Act (NIRA), the centerpiece of Roosevelt's efforts to revive American industry. It establishes two of the early key agencies of the New Deal: the Public Works Administration (PWA) and the National Recovery Administration (NRA). The PWA focuses on providing jobs through the construction of roads, public buildings, and other projects, while the NRA's goal is to stimulate competition to aid both consumers and producers. In addition to the NIRA, Congress passes the Banking Act of 1933, which establishes the Federal Bank Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Farm Credit Act.

First US immigration law passed, establishing a registration system and a process, 1819

One of the United States' first immigration laws, the Steerage Act, passed on March 2, 1819, was a half-hearted attempt to improve such transatlantic travel conditions. ... Men, women and children in bunks between decks on board an immigrant ship in the mid 19th century.

Ex Parte Merryman (1861)

Only Congress can suspend habeas corpus, not the President.

US troops restrore Jean-Bertrand Aristide to haiti, 1994

Operation Uphold Democracy was a military intervention designed to remove the military regime installed by the 1991 Haitian coup d'état that overthrew the elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The operation was effectively authorized by the 31 July 1994 United Nations Security Council Resolution 940.

07/16/1934: Organized labor calls for a "general strike"--the ...

Organized labor calls for a "general strike"--the first ever in U.S. history--after 12,000 members of the International Longshoremen's Association have already walked out in San Francisco. Numerous strikes will occur across the nation during the summer.

Housing Act of 1961 provides funding for low income housing, 1961

Originally this liberal mortgage insurance for sales and rental housing was limited to families displaced by urban renewal or other Government activity, and was made available for low and moderate income families generally by the Housing Act of 1961.

03/29/1937: Overturning its 1923 ruling in...

Overturning its 1923 ruling in Adkins v. Children's Hospital, the Supreme Court, in Coast Hotel v. Parrish, upholds the constitutionality of a minimum wage law for women.

Communist Party seizes control of Czechoslovakia in local elections, 1948

Parliamentary elections were held in Czechoslovakia on 30 May 1948. They were the first elections held under undisguised Communist rule; the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ) had seized complete power three months earlier. ... His Communist colleagues occupied the offices of the non-Communist ministers.

Philadelphia as the nation's capital , 1790

Philadelphia County Courthouse, it was converted in 1790for the use of the federal congress when Philadelphia became the nation's capitalthrough the Residence Act of 1790. After the federal government moved to Washington, D.C., in 1800, Congress Hall became a county municipal building.

Greenback Labor Party emerges from merger of Greenback Party with Labor Reform Party, 1878

Political party devoted to improving the lives of laborers and raising inflation, reaching its high point in 1878 when it polled over a million votes and elected fourteen members of Congress.

Greenback Party founded, 1873

Political party devoted to improving the lives of laborers and raising inflation, reaching its high point in 1878 when it polled over a million votes and elected fourteen members of Congress.

In "New Nationalism" speech, TR maintains "that every man holds his property subject to the general right of the community to regulate its use to whatever degree the public welfare may require it," 1910

Practical equality of opportunity for all citizens, when we achieve it, will have twogreat results. ... Second, equality of opportunity means that the commonwealth willget from every citizen the highest service of which he is capable.

Repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act to stem the drain on the gold reserve, 1893

President Cleveland called Congress to a special session to repeal the Sherman Silver Purchase Act, in order to stop the drain on US gold reserves. The repeal was passed in the House by a vote of 239-108, and by a vote of 48-37 in the Senate.

President Hayes suspends Chester Arthur, head of New York Port Authority for corruption under the protection of Senator Roscoe Conkling's machine, 1878

President Grant in 1871 appointed him Collector of the Port of New York. ... under his supervision on behalf of Roscoe Conkling's Stalwart Republican machine. ... In 1878 President Hayes, attempting to reform the Customs House, ousted Arthur. ... The system protected employees against removal for political reasons.

Enlargement of commitment of US advisers to Vietnam, 1961

President Kennedy announces intent to increase aid to South Vietnam. In a public exchange of letters with South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem, President John F. Kennedy formally announces that the United States will increase aid to South Vietnam, which would include the expansion of the U.S. troop commitment.

04/25/1914: Resolving the Tampico controversy

President Wilson accepts the offer of arbitration presented by the "ABC Powers" of Argentina, Brazil, and Chile to resolve the Tampico controversy. The mediation proves unnecessary when Mexican President Huerta is forced to resign on July 15.

04/08/1913: Wilson speaks on tariffs

President Wilson appears before Congress to speak about revising tariffs. Not since John Adams in 1800 had a President addressed Congress personally.

05/02/1913: Republic of China recognized

President Wilson extends official recognition to the new Republic of China.

12/18/1915: President Wilson marries Edith Bolling

President Wilson marries Edith Bolling Galt in a Washington, D.C., ceremony. The two honeymoon briefly in Virginia.

09/26/1914: Federal Trade Commission established

President Wilson signs legislation establishing the Federal Trade Commission, which is designed to regulate business conglomeration.

Gag Rule (1836)

Prevented anti-slavery discussions in Congress by tabling all abolitionist petitions.

Turnpikes proliferate, 1811-1818

Privately built roads that charged a fee to travelers who used them

20th Amendment, 1933

Procedures for outgoing president and the new president coming in

Expiration of the First National Bank's charter, 1811

Proposed by Alexander Hamilton, the Bank of the United States was established in 1791 to serve as a repository for federal funds and as the government's fiscal agent. Although it was well managed and profitable, critics charged that the First Bank's fiscal caution was constraining economic development, and its charter was not renewed in 1811. The Second Bank was formed five years later, bringing renewed controversy despite the U.S. Supreme Court's support of its power. President Andrew Jackson removed all federal funds from the bank after his reelection in 1832, and it ceased operations as a national institution after its charter expired in 1836.

Tenure of Office Act (1867)

Radical attempt to further diminish Andrew Johnson's authority by providing that the president could not remove any civilian official without Senate approval; Johnson violated the law by removing Edwin Stanton as secretary of war, and the House of Representatives impeached him over his actions.

Ralph Waldo Emerson delivers his "American Scholar" address at Harvard, 1837

Ralph Waldo Emerson's address at Harvard College, in which he declared an intellectual independence from Europe, urging American scholars to develop their own traditions.

Corrupt Bargain

Refers to the presidential election of 1824 in which Henry Clay, the Speaker of the House, convinced the House of Representatives to elect Adams rather than Jackson.

Non-Intercourse Act of 1809

Replaced the Embargo of 1807. Unlike the Embargo, which forbade American trade with all foreign nations, this act only forbade trade with France and Britain. It did not succeed in changing British or French policy towards neutral ships, so Macon's Bill No. 2 replaced it.

Bureau of Indian Affairs (1836)

Responsible for distributing land and adequate supplies to anyone willing to farm as well as maintaining peaceful between the reservation and its neighbors. A school and other communal buildings were promised by the treaty.

The first railroad locomotive enters service, 1829

Rocket was designed by Robert Stephenson in 1829, and built at the Forth Street Works of his company in Newcastle upon Tyne. Though Rocket was not the first steam locomotive, it was the first to bring together several innovations to produce the most advanced locomotive of its day.

03/05/1933: Roosevelt declares a four-day "bank holiday" in or...

Roosevelt declares a four-day "bank holiday" in order to stop the panic "run" on the nation's banks. He also summons Congress to a special session on March 9.

02/01/1905: National Forest Service established

Roosevelt establishes the National Forest Service.

11/03/1936: Roosevelt wins reelection to the presidency in stu...

Roosevelt wins reelection to the presidency in stunning fashion, gaining 523 electoral votes (27,750,000 popular) to Landon's 8 (16,680,000 popular). The Union Party candidate, William Lemke, garners just under 900,000 popular votes, while Communist Party candidate Earl Browder wins only 80,000. The overwhelming public support for FDR's New Deal is mirrored in the congressional elections as the Democrats retain their majorities in both houses of Congress.

03/04/1909: Taft inaugurated

Roosevelt's administration ends with the inauguration of William Howard Taft as the twenty-seventh President. Roosevelt leaves on a yearlong African safari in order to avoid charges that he was attempting to run the White House from the shadows.

Ex parte Milligan (1866)

Ruled that a civilian cannot be tried in military courts while civil courts are available.

Slaughterhouse Cases (1873)

Ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment safeguarded a person's rights only at a federal level, not at a state level.

CIA mission established in South Vietnam, 1954

Saigon Military Mission On 26 June 1954, CIA established the Saigon Military Mission under Air Force Col. Edward Lansdale. Lansdale operated from the US Embassy in Saigon as an air attaché and was charged with shoring up the Bao Dai/Diem regime.

09/08/1935: Senator Huey Long of Louisiana falls to an assassi...

Senator Huey Long of Louisiana falls to an assassin's bullet. Although Long never found a national constituency for his populist politics, he enjoyed wide regional political power, enabling him to push for various national reforms.

First nationwide TV broadcast covers a speech by the president, 1951

September 4, 1951 - The first national live television broadcast in the U.S. took place when President Harry Truman's speech at the Japanese Peace Treaty Conference in San Francisco, California, was transmitted over AT&T's transcontinental cable and microwave radio relay system to broadcast stations in local markets.

Pardons Richard Nixon, 1974

September 8, 1974 The pardon of Richard Nixon (formally known as Proclamation 4311) was a presidential proclamation issued by President of the United States Gerald Ford on September 8, 1974. "Full, free, and absolute pardon... for all offenses" Nixon committed or may not have committed," while president. Ford ends the Watergate scandal of Nixon.

Black Hawk War (1832)

Series of clashes in Illinois and Wisconsin between American forces and Indian chief Black Hawk of the Sauk and Fox tribes, who unsuccessfully tried to reclaim territory lost under the 1830 Indian Removal Act.

Gerald Ford, 1974-1976 Republican1st appointed President VP - Nelson Rockefeller Neither President nor Vice-President had been elected

Served for only two years Known as a bad president for putting America into a recession Major Events: Pardoning Nixon OPEC & the Oil Crisis Helsinki Accords

Henry Shrapnel receives the patent for shell ammunition, 1803

Shrapnel projectiles contained small shot or spherical bullets, usually of lead, along with an explosive charge to scatter the shot as well as fragments of the shell casing. Henry Shrapnel invented his shrapnel shell for cannons in 1784, which was later adopted by the British army in 1803 for cannons and rifles.

Baghdad Pact is signed as a mutual defense pact joining, under US sponsorship (but not membership), Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, and Great Britain, 1955

Similar to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the Southeast Asia TreatyOrganization, the main purpose of the Baghdad Pact was to prevent communist incursions and foster peace in the Middle East. It was renamed the Central TreatyOrganization, or CENTO, in 1959 after Iraq pulled out of the Pact.

Time magazine begins publication, 1923

Since its debut in New York City on March 3, 1923, Time magazine was first published based in New York City by Briton Hadden and Henry Luce, making it the first weekly news magazine in the United States. The two had previously worked together as chairman and managing editor, respectively, of the Yale Daily News.

Battle of Antietam (1862)

Single bloodiest day of the American Civil War; Union victory that turned back a Confederate invasion of the North. *Historical Significance:* Allowed Lincoln to issue the *Emancipation Proclamation* proclaiming the freedom of slaves in the ten states then in rebellion and shifting the war objectives of the North.

Hawley-Smoot Tariff sharply increases tariffs on imports, 1930

Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act. An Act To provide revenue, to regulate commerce with foreign countries, to encourage the industries of the United States, to protect American labor, and for other purposes. The Tariff Act of 1930 (codified at 19 U.S.C. ... The act raised US tariffs on over 20,000 imported goods.

Southern Alliance and Northwest Alliance mobilize farmers, 1884-1892

Southern Alliance and Northwest Alliance mobilize farmers 1884 1892 George from HIST 018 at Saint Mary's College of California.

"New Immigration" peaks (Eastern and Southern Europe: Poles and Hungarians concentrate in Chicago; Italians and Jews in New York; Irish and Greeks in Boston), 1885-1914

Southern Alliance and Northwest Alliance mobilize farmers 1884 1892 George from HIST 018 at Saint Mary's College of California. ... 1885 • "New Immigration" peaks (Eastern and Southern Europe: Poles and Hungarians concentrate in Chicago; Italians and Jews in New York; Irishand Greeks in Boston), 1885-1914

Camp David summit between President Eisenhower and Premier Khrushchev, 1959

Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev caps his trip to the United States with two days of meetings ... Khrushchev arrived in the United States on September 15, 1959, for an ... and President Eisenhower met at Camp David in Maryland to begin two days of ... A summit meeting scheduled for Geneva was scrapped, as were plans for

Soviets explode their first atomic bomb; era of nuclear competition begins, 1949

Soviets explode their first atomic bomb; era of nuclear competition begins, 1949

Cuba declares independence from Spain, 1851

Spain conquered Cuba and appointed Spanish governors to rule in Havana. ... However, the Spanish-American War resulted in a Spanish withdrawal from the island in 1898, and following three-and-a-half years of subsequent US military rule, Cuba gained formal independence in 1902.

Emilio Aguinaldo is captured, 1901

Spindletop. The Lucas gusher at Spindletop, January 10, 1901: This was the first major gusher of the Texas oil boom. ... Gulf Oil and Texaco, now part of Chevron Corporation, were formed to develop production at Spindletop. According to Daniel Yergin, the Spindletop discovery led the United States into the oil age.

Representative Preston Brooks (SC) attacks and beats Senator Sumner with a cane on the floor of the US Senate, 1856

Sumner criticized another senator from the south. Preston Brooks, the nephew of the man who was insulted, came after Sumner with a cane. Southerners approved of Brooks' behavior.

In re Debs (1895)

Supreme Court approved the use of court injunctions against strikes, which gave employers a very powerful weapon to break unions.

Dred Scott v Sanford/Dred Scott decision, 1857

Supreme Court case that established: ● African Americans were not citizens of the U.S. ● Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional (slavery could not be prohibited in territories) ● Slaves could not file lawsuits (Scott was not granted his freedom) ● Increased sectionalism

Pinchot-Ballinger controversy (conservation v. reclamation), 1910

Taft consulted with Attorney General George Wickersham before issuing a public letter in September, exonerating Ballinger and authorizing the dismissal of Glavis on grounds of insubordination. At the same time, Taft tried to conciliate Pinchot and affirm his administration's pro-conservation stance.

Tariff of Abominations (1828)

Tariff with such high rates that it set off tension between northerners and southerners over tariff issues (called the Nullification Crisis)

US invasion of Panama, 1989-1990

The United States Invasion of Panama, codenamed Operation Just Cause, lasted over a month between mid-December 1989 and late January 1990.

Jackson enacts 10-hour day for federal workers, 1834

The 10 hour movement was a movement to limit long working hours in a factory and it began amongst the skilled craftsmen of America and England.

Favorite Sons Election(Jackson, J.Q. Adams, Crawford, Clay), 1824

The 1824 United States presidential election was the tenth U.S. presidential election. It was held from Tuesday, October 26 to Wednesday, December 1, 1824. Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay and William Crawford were the primary contenders for the presidency. The result of the election was inconclusive, as no candidate won a majority of the electoral vote.

US and Russia establish boundary along Pacific coast of Oregon Territory

The 1846 Oregon Treaty established the border between British North America and the United States along the 49th parallel until the Strait of Georgia, where the marine boundarycurved south to exclude Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands from the United States.

Oregon boundary settled with Great Britain, 1846

The 1846 Oregon Treaty established the border between British North America andthe United States along the 49th parallel until the Strait of Georgia, where the marine boundary curved south to exclude Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands from the United States.

Abraham Lincoln is elected president, 1860

The 1860 United States presidential election was the 19th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 6, 1860. ... The 1860 Republican National Convention nominated Lincoln, a moderate former Congressman from Illinois, as its standard-bearer.

Contract Labor Act forbids import of contract laborers, 1885

The 1885 Alien Contract Labor Law (Sess. II Chap. 164; 23 Stat. 332), also known as the Foran Act, was an act to prohibit the importation and migration of foreigners and aliens under contract or agreement to perform labor in the United States, its Territories, and the District of Columbia.

The 4-way election of 1912

The 1912 United States presidential election was the 32nd quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 5, 1912

US troops land in Lebanon to threaten a Soviet-backed coup in Baghdad, Iraq, 1957-1958

The 1958 Lebanon crisis was a Lebanese political crisis caused by political and religious ... American and Lebanese government forces successfully occupied the Port of Beirut ... Nasser felt that the pro-western Baghdad Pact posed a threat to Arab ... Lebanese Sunni Prime Minister Rashid Karami supported Nasser in 1956 .

Cuban Missile Crisis, October-November 1962

The 1962 confrontation bewteen US and the Soviet Union over Soviet missiles in Cuba.

Woman's suffrage amendment introduced in Congress for first time, 1878

The 19th Amendment (PDF, 33KB) to the Constitution granted women the right to vote and was ratified by the states on August 18, 1920. A women's suffrage amendment was first introduced in Congress in 1878. ... Carrie Chapman Catt, speech, "Suffrageas a War Measure," 1918.

Congressional prohibition on slave trade into the US, 1808

The Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves of 1807 (2 Stat. 426, enacted March 2, 1807) is a United States federal law that provided that no new slaves were permitted to be imported into the United States. It took effect in 1808, the earliest date permitted by the United States Constitution.

Northern frustrations over Fugitive Slave law, 1850-1861

The Act was one of the most controversial elements of the 1850 compromise and heightened Northern fears of a "slave power conspiracy." It required that all escaped slaves, upon capture, be returned to their masters and that officials and citizens of free states had to cooperate.

US Embassy in Lebanon blown up, 1983

The April 18, 1983 United States embassy bombing was a suicide bombing in Beirut, Lebanon, that killed 32 Lebanese, 17 Americans, and 14 visitors and passers-by. The victims were mostly embassy and CIA staff members, but also included several U.S. soldiers and one U.S. Marine Security Guard.

Berlin Airlift results in lifting of Soviet blockade, 1948-1949

The Berlin Airlift, 1948-1949. ... The United States and United Kingdom responded by airlifting food and fuel to Berlin from Allied airbases in western Germany. The crisis ended on May 12, 1949, when Soviet forces lifted the blockade on land access to western Berlin.

Berlin Wall comes down; Germany is unified, 1989

The Berlin Wall: The Fall of the Wall On November 9,1989, as the ColdWarbegan to thaw across Eastern Europe, the spokesman for EastBerlin'sCommunist Party announced a change in his city's relations with the West. Starting at midnight that day, he said, citizens of the GDR were free to cross the country's borders

Use of Bessemer process in making of steel expands nationwide, 1873

The Bessemer Process was an extremely important invention because it helped made stronger rails for constructing the railroads and helped to make stronger metal machines and innovative architectural structures like skyscrapers. The United States Industrial Revolution moved from the Age of Iron to the Age of Steel.

Opening of Black Hills, South Dakota, to gold seekers after Custer's exploratory expedition, 1875

The Black Hills Gold Rush took place in Dakota Territory in the United States. It began in 1874 following the Custer Expedition and reached a peak in ... Prospectors found gold in 1874 near present-day Custer, South Dakota, but the ... The large placer gold deposits of Deadwood Gulch were discovered in November 1875

Impressment, 1806-1812

The British practice of taking American sailors and forcing them into military service

Cable Act grants American women who had married foreigners (especially Asians) the right to keep their US citizenship independent of their husbands' status, 1922

The Cable Act of 1922, also known as the Married Women's Independent Nationality Act, said women kept their citizenship if they married a man who could become a citizen even if he opted not to. "It sounds as though the Cable Act fixed it, if they married a man eligible for citizenship," Kerber says.

Egypt and Israel sign Cam David Agreements, 1979

The Camp David Accords, signed by President Jimmy Carter, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in September 1978, established a framework for a historic peace treaty concluded between Israel and Egypt in March 1979.

Eisenhower creates departments of Health, Education, and Welfare, 1953

The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was created on April 11, 1953, when Reorganization Plan No. ... The Reorganization Plan abolished the Federal Security Agency and transferred all of its functions to the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare and all components of the Agency to the Department.

02/19/1903: Northern Securities Co under federal prosecution

The Department of Justice announces that the federal government would prosecute the Northern Securities Company (a subsidiary of J.P. Morgan) for violating the Sherman Antitrust Act.

02/08/1907: Reaching an agreement with the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic and the United States sign a treaty empowering American agents to collect Dominican customs taxes for the purpose of satisfying the nation's creditors. The Senate ratifies the treaty on February 25; in 1905, it had refused to ratify a similar agreement.

Gold on Klondike River, Yukon Territory (Alaska/Canada border), triggers gold rush, 1896-1898

The Effects of the Gold Rush The influx of people to Dawson turned it into a legitimate city. It also led to a population boom in Yukon Territory, Alberta, British Columbia and Vancouver. TheKlondike Gold Rushis credited for helping the United States out of a depression.

First National Origins Act establishes quota principle in immigration, 1921

The Emergency Quota Act of 1921 established the nation's firstnumerical limits on the number of immigrants who could enter the United States. The Immigration Act of 1924, also known as the National Origins Act, made the quotas stricter and permanent.

Omnibus Bill (North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Washington enter the Union), 1889

The Enabling Act of 1889 (25 Stat. 676, chs. 180, 276-284, enacted February 22, 1889) is a United States statute that permitted the entrance of Montana and Washington into the United States of America, as well as the splitting of Territory of Dakota into two states: North Dakota and South Dakota.

Opening of the Erie Canal (1825)

The Erie Canal, which linked the Hudson River and the Great Lakes, greatly increased the ease of transport between East and West and made New York City the capital of American business. Other canals, roads, and railroads soon followed, linking the Eastern seaboard with the frontier.

Abraham Lincoln delivers "A House Divided" speech at Republican State Convention, 1858

The House Divided Speech was an address given by Abraham Lincoln, later President of the United States, on June 16, 1858, at what was then the Illinois StateCapitol in Springfield, after he had accepted the Illinois Republican Party's nomination as that state's US senator.

Housing Act of 1954 authorizes the construction over a 1-year period of 35,000 homes for low- income families, 1954-1957

The Housing Act of 1949 was passed to help address the decline of urban housingfollowing the exodus to the suburbs. The legislation provided governance over how federal financial resources would shape the growth of American cities.

The International Ladies' Garment Workers Union forms, 1900

The ILGWU was founded on June 3, 1900 in New York City by seven local unions, with a few thousand members between them. The union grew rapidly in the next few years but began to stagnate as the conservative leadership favored the interests of skilled workers, such as cutters.

McCarran-Walter Immigration and Nationality Act, 1952

The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, also known as the McCarran-Walter Act, codified under Title 8 of the United States Code, governs immigration to and citizenship in the United States. It has been in effect since June 27, 1952.

Jazz Age, 1922-1940s

The Jazz Age was a period in the 1920s and 1930s in which jazz music and dance styles rapidly gained nationwide popularity in the United States. The Jazz Age's cultural repercussions were primarily felt in the United States, the birthplace of jazz. Originating in New Orleans as a fusion of African and European music, jazz played a significant part in wider cultural changes in this period, and its influence on popular culture continued long afterward.

Kellogg-Briand Pact outlaws war as a means to solve international disputes, 1928

The Kellogg-Briand Pact (or Pact of Paris, officially General Treaty for Renunciation of War as an Instrument of National Policy) is a 1928 international agreement in which signatory states promised not to use war to resolve "disputes or conflicts of whatever nature or of whatever origin they may be, which may arise

Kentucky (Jefferson) and Virginia (Madison) Resolutions, 1798

The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions of 1798 were written secretly by Vice President Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, respectively. ... The Kentucky Resolutions of 1798 argued that each individual state has the power to declare that federal laws are unconstitutional and void.

Charlie Chaplin's movie, The Kid, appears in movie theaters, 1921

The Kid is a 1921 American silent comedy-drama film written, produced, directed and starring Charlie Chaplin, and features Jackie Coogan as his foundling baby, adopted son and sidekick.

Edison introduces the kinetoscope motion picture viewer, 1894

The Kinetoscope is an early motion picture exhibition device. The Kinetoscope was designed for films to be viewed by one individual at a time through a peephole viewerwindow at the top of the device. ... In 1895, Edison introduced the Kinetophone, which joined the Kinetoscope with a cylinder phonograph.

Knights of Labor hold national convention under Terence Powderly, 1878

The Knights of Labor barred five groups from membership: bankers, land speculators, lawyers, liquor dealers and gamblers. Its members included low skilled workers, railroad workers, immigrants, and steel workers.

Marshall Plan launched at initiative of Secretary of State George Marshall, 1947

The Marshall Plan Speech To clarify the American position, a major address by Secretary of State George Marshall was planned. Marshall gave the address at Harvard University on June 5, 1947. He offered American aid to promote European recovery and reconstruction.

Maysville Road Veto, 1830

The Maysville Road Bill proposed building a road in Kentucky (Clay's state) at federal expense. Jackson vetoed it because he did not like Clay and he pointed out that New York and Pennsylvania paid for their transportation improvements with State money. Jackson applied a strict interpretation of the Constitution by saying that the federal government could not pay for internal improvements.

Southern Plains Indians sign a treaty at Medicine Lodge Creek, Kansas, promising to live in reservations (in present-day Oklahoma), 1867

The Medicine Lodge Treaty is the overall name for three treaties signed near Medicine Lodge, Kansas, between the Federal government of the United States and southern Plains Indian tribes in October 1867, intended to bring peace to the area by relocating the Native Americans to reservations in Indian Territory and away from European-American settlement.

Starr investigates the Monica Lewinskey sex scandal, 1998-1999

The Monica Lewinsky scandal in the late 1990s involved President Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, a White House intern in her early 20s.

Nixon visits the USSR, 1972

The Moscow Summit of 1972 was a summit meeting between President Richard M. Nixon of the United States and General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. ... The summit is considered one of the hallmarks of the détente at the time between the two Cold War antagonists.

Karl Friedrich Benz tests the first gasoline-powered automobile, 1885

The Motorwagen was patented on 29 January 1886 as DRP-37435: "automobile fueled by gas". The 1885version was difficult to control, leading to a collision with a wall during a public demonstration. The first successful tests on public roads were carried out in the early summer of 1886.

12/08/1936: The NAACP wins its case, Gibbs v. Board of Educ...

The NAACP wins its case, Gibbs v. Board of Education, against the state of Maryland, ensuring that white and black teachers are paid equally.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) established (the "race for space"), 1958

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the United States government agency responsible for the civilian space program as well as aeronautics and aerospace research.

Indian Territory and Oklahoma District within the Indian Territory opened to "Boomers," 1889

The Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889 was the first land rush into the Unassigned Lands. The area that was opened to settlement included all or part of the Canadian, Cleveland, Kingfisher, Logan, Oklahoma, and Payne counties of the US state of Oklahoma.

Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel sign peace agreement on White House Lawn, 1993

The Oslo Accords and the Arab-Israeli Peace Process. On September 13, 1993, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Negotiator Mahmoud Abbas signed a Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements, commonly referred to as the "Oslo Accord," at the White House.

08/15/1914: The Panama Canal officially opens

The Panama Canal officially opens after decades of toil, controversy, and diplomatic maneuvering.

Depression of 1819-1821

The Panic of 1819 was the first financial crisis in the United States and some historians have called it the first Great Depression. It was followed by a general collapse of the American economy that persisted through 1821.

10/22/1907: The Panic of 1907

The Panic of 1907 begins when shares of the United Copper Company begin to fluctuate wildly. Rumors spread like wildfire about the Kinckerbocker Trust Company, which triggered a run on several New York Banks. Panic sets in, destabilizing the shaky foundation of the American banking system.

Paris Accords end US involvement in Vietnam, 1973

The Paris Peace Accords, officially titled the Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Viet Nam, was a peace treaty signed on January 27, 1973, to establish peace in Vietnam and end the Vietnam War.

09/29/1906: Platt Amendment invoked over Cuba

The Platt Amendment is invoked, authorizing U.S. military control of Cuba. Future President William Howard Taft serves as provisional governor.

05/22/1902: Crater Lake National Park

The President establishes Crater Lake National Park in Oregon.

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina readmitted into the Union, 1868

The Reconstruction Acts established military rule over Southern states until new governments could be formed. ... Southern states were required to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment before being readmitted to the union. The Fifteenth Amendment guaranteed African American men the right to vote.

03/18/1903: Report of the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission

The Report of the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission, appointed by TR to investigate the mining industry, declares that workers cannot be discriminated against because they belong to a union.

Republic of Texas proclaimed (the Alamo, the Battle of San Jacinto), 1836

The Republic of Texas (Spanish: República de Tejas) was a sovereign nation in North America that existed from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846, although Mexico considered it a rebellious province during its entire existence.

06/21/1904: Republicans nominate Roosevelt

The Republican Party nominates Roosevelt for the presidency, along with Charles Fairbanks as his vice presidential running mate.

06/16/1908: Republican Party nominates William Howard Taft

The Republican Party nominates William Howard Taft for the presidency and James Sherman for the vice-presidency. Republicans were far from united in their support for Taft; party chairman Henry Cabot Lodge speaks in praise of President Roosevelt, touching off a forty-five minute demonstration among the delegates.

Sierra Club established as a wilderness protection group, 1892

The Sierra Club was founded in 1892 by a group of Californians who wished to sponsor wilderness outings in "the mountain regions of the Pacific Coast." The naturalist John Muir was its first president (1892-1914) and very soon involved the club in political action to further nature conservation.

US forms mutual defense pact with Taiwan, 1955

The Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty, formally Mutual Defense Treatybetween the United States of America and the Republic of China, was a defense pact between the United States of America and the Republic of China effective from 1955-1979. ... Some of its content was carried over to the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979.

USSR and China sign treaty , 1950

The Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance, or Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance for short, is the treaty of alliance concluded between the People's Republic of China and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on February 14, 1950.

Soviet Union invades Afghanistan, 1979

The Soviet-Afghan War was a conflict wherein insurgent groups known collectively as the mujahideen, as well as smaller Maoist groups, fought a guerrilla war against the Soviet Army and the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan government for over nine years, throughout the 1980s, mostly in the Afghan countryside.

Space shuttle Challenger explodes, 1986

The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster was a fatal incident in the United States space program that occurred on Tuesday, January 28, 1986, when the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, killing all seven crew members aboard.

The Soviet Union launches Sputnik, the first orbiting satellite, provoking concerns over a "missile gap," 1957

The Sputnik crisis was a period of public fear and anxiety in Western nations aboutthe perceived technological gap between the United States and Soviet Union caused by the Soviets' launch of Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite.

Statue of Liberty dedicated, 1886

The Statue of Liberty, 'Liberty Enlightening the World,' was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States and was dedicated on October 28, 1886, designated as a National Monument in 1924 and restored for her centennial on July 4, 1986.

02/23/1903: Champion v. Ames

The Supreme Court hands down a decision in Champion v. Ames, making federal police power superior to that of the states. The ruling became the basis for the future federal regulation of food, drugs, and narcotics.

Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831)

The Supreme Court ruled that Indians were not independent nations but dependent domestic nations which could be regulated by the federal government. From then until 1871, treaties were formalities with the terms dictated by the federal government.

05/27/1935: The Supreme Court rules in Schechter Poultry Co...

The Supreme Court rules in Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States that the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933 is unconstitutional. The decision is an obvious setback for FDR and his New Deal programs. The National Recovery Administration, established under the NIRA, will be officially terminated at the end of the year.

01/04/1904: Citizens of Puerto Rico, not of the U.S.

The Supreme Court rules that citizens of Puerto Rico are not aliens and therefore cannot be denied entry to the continental United States. But the Court also holds that they are not U.S. citizens.

Bailey v Drexel Furniture Company, 1922

The Supreme Court struck down a tax on companies that used child labor holding that only states may regulate employment. Since the New Deal, however, the Court has refused to inquire about the motives of Congress in passing tax laws.

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

The Supreme Court upheld broad congressional power to regulate interstate commerce. The Court's broad interpretation of the Constitution's commerce clause paved the way for later rulings upholding expansive federal powers.

Teapot Dome Scandal, 1921-1923 (unraveled during Coolidge's administration, 1924)

The Teapot Dome scandal was a bribery scandal involving the administration of United States President Warren G. Harding from 1921 to 1923. ... Convicted of accepting bribes from the oil companies, Fall became the first presidential cabinet member to go to prison; no one was convicted of paying the bribes.

Texas annexation 1844-1845 (completed under President Polk)

The Texas annexation was the 1845 annexation of the Republic of Texas into the United States of America, which was admitted to the Union as the 28th state on December 29, 1845. ... Through secret negotiations with the Houston administration, Tyler secured a treaty of annexation in April 1844.

Texas enters Union, 1845

The Texas annexation was the 1845 annexation of the Republic of Texas into the United States of America, which was admitted to the Union as the 28th state on December 29, 1845. The Republic of Texas declared independence from the Republic of Mexico on March 2, 1836.

Thorstein Veblen's Theory of the Leisure Class published, 1899

The Theory of the Leisure Class: An Economic Study of Institutions (1899), by Thorstein Veblen, is a treatise on economics and a detailed, social critique of conspicuous consumption, as a function of social class and of consumerism, derived from the social stratification of people and the division of labour, which are

Spain accepts cease-fire, agrees to Cuban independence, cedes Guam and Puerto Rico, and agrees to talks on the status of the Philippines, 1898

The Treaty of Paris of 1898 (Filipino: Kasunduan sa Paris ng 1898;Spanish: Tratado de París de 1898) was a treaty signed by Spainand the United States on December 10, 1898, that ended the Spanish-American War. Under it, Spain relinquished all claim of sovereignty over and title to Cuba and also ceded Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States. The cession of the Philippines involved a compensation of $20 million from the United States to Spain.

The Manhattan Project scientists secretly detonate the first atomic bomb in New Mexico, 1945

The Trinity Test. At 5:30 a.m. on July 16, 1945, Los Alamos scientists detonated a plutonium bomb at a test site located on the U.S. Air Force base at Alamogordo, New Mexico, some 120 miles south of Albuquerque. Oppenheimer chose the name "Trinity" for the test site, inspired by the poetry of John Donne.

Revenue Act reduces personal income and inheritance taxes, 1926

The United States Revenue Act of 1926, 44 Stat. 9, reduced inheritance and personal income taxes, cancelled many excise imposts, eliminated the gift tax and ended public access to federal income tax returns. Passed by the 69th Congress, it was signed into law by President Calvin Coolidge.

05/29/1934: The United States and Cuba sign a treaty releasing...

The United States and Cuba sign a treaty releasing Cuba from the Platt Amendment, which had made Cuba a U.S. protectorate following the Spanish-American War in 1903.

Trade unions and mass demonstrations disrupt the World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle, Washington, demanding an end to unfair labor practices in developing countries and protesting the proposed membership of China into the WTO, Novembr-December 1999

The WTO Ministerial Conference of 1999 was a meeting of the World Trade Organization, convened at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle, Washington, USA, over the course of three days, beginning Tuesday, 30 November 1999. A week before the meeting, delegates admitted failure to agree on the agenda and the presence of deep disagreements with developing countries. Intended as the launch of a new round of multilateral trade negotiations that would have been called "The Millennium Round", the negotiations were marred by poor organization and controversial management of large street protests.

Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr appointed to investigate Whitewater land sales scandal and the involvement of the President and the First Lady, 1994

The Whitewater controversy, Whitewater scandal, or simply Whitewater, was an American political controversy during the 1990s. It began with an investigation into the real estate investments of Bill and Hillary Clinton and their associates, Jim McDougal and Susan McDougal, in the Whitewater Development Corporation. This failed business venture was incorporated in 1979 with the purpose of developing vacation properties on land along the White River near Flippin, Arkansas.

Wilmot Proviso (1846)

The Wilmot Proviso was a rider to a bill proposed by Pennsylvania Congressman David Wilmot in 1846 that sought to ban slavery in any territories or new states acquired from Mexico. Essentially the argument was over whether there would be slavery in Texas, New Mexico, California, and other new western states. The debate is considered a crucial part of the lead-up to the Civil War.

Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri loyal slave states, 1861

The border states during the Civil War were the slave states that didn't leave the Union. These statesincluded Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, and Missouri. West Virginia, which separated from Virginia during the war, was also considered a border state.

Lincoln signs Internal Revenue Act imposing federal tax program on liquor jewelry, corporate gains, stamps, inheritance, and a 3% income tax on incomes exceeding $800), 1862-1872

The branch of the U.S. Treasury Department in charge of collecting taxes

Anti-Imperialist League established by Jane Addams, William Jennings Bryan, Mark Twain, and Andrew Carnegie, 1899

The anti-imperialists opposed expansion, believing that imperialism violated the fundamental principle that just republican government must derive from "consent of the governed." The League argued that such activity would necessitate the abandonment of American ideals of self-government and non-intervention—ideals

Kiowa, Commanche, and Cheyenne raids on Adobe Walls trading post in Texas panhandle lead to Red River War, 1874-1886

The campaign called the Red River War was the last major conflict between the U.S. ... of 1867 had settled the Southern Cheyenne, Arapaho, Comanche, and Kiowa on ... Indian desire for revenge for losses sustained in earlier raids, continued ... hunters at the site of Adobe Walls, an old trading post in the Texas Panhandle.

New Orleans captured, 1862

The capture of New Orleans by Union forces occurred during the American Civil War (1861-1865) and saw Flag Officer David G. Farragut run his fleet past Forts Jackson and St. Philip on April 24, 1862 before capturing New Orleans the following day.

Army officer Richard H. Pratt establishes the Carlisle Indian School in PA to give Indians skills and cultural attitudes necessary to succeed in mainstream ("kill the Indian, save the man"), 1879

The boarding schools had a bad effect on the self-esteem of Indian students and on the well being of Native languages and cultures. However, not all boarding schoolexperiences were negative. Many of the Indian students had some good memories of their school days and made friends for life.

End of the cattle boom as big business comes to control ranching, 1883-1886

The cattle industry grew tremendously in the two decades after the Civil War, ... cattle ranchingwas in fact a big business that attracted foreign investment and ... and sought to control water sources and the ranchers whose livelihood depended on ... A combination of factors brought an end to the cattle kingdom in the 1880s.

International Business Machines (IBM) is established, 1924

The company began in 1911, founded in Endicott, New York, as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR) and was renamed "International Business Machines" in 1924. ... IBM has continually shifted business operations by focusing on higher-value, more profitable markets.

Robert H. Goddard launches the world's first liquid fuel rocket, paving the way for long-range missiles and space travel, 1926

The first man to give hope to dreams of space travel is American Robert H. Goddard, who successfully launches the world's first liquid-fueled rocket at Auburn, Massachusetts, on March 16, 1926. The rocket traveled for 2.5 seconds at a speed of about 60 mph, reaching an altitude of 41 feet and landing 184 feet away.

Land speculation makes receipts of public lands a main source of government revenue, 1830-1835

The favorite object of speculation in America before the era of big business was public land. Investors could buy it cheaply in large quantities and withhold it from market, if they had sufficient capital to carry it, until rising prices brought profits

Owen Young and JP Morgan are names to Committee on German reparations suggest reducing the amount, 1929 (90% were canceled in 1932)

The final plan was a generous attempt to support German through her financial pain. The Young Plan further reduced reparations to 112 billion Gold Marks - then equal to about $8 billion. The money was set to be paid over 59 years with the equivalent of $473 million paid each year.

First Cattle Drive on Chisholm Trail, 1866

The first cattle drives from Texas on the legendary Chisholm Trail headed north out of DeWitt County about 1866, crossing Central Texas toward the markets and railheads in Kansas. The trail was named for Indian trader Jesse Chisholm, who blazed a cattle trail in 1865 between the North Canadian and Arkansas rivers.

Cumberland Road (National Road) debate and veto, 1822

The first highway built by the federal government. Constructed during 1825-1850, it stretched from Pennsylvania to Illinois. It was a major overland shipping route and an important connection between the North and the West. Funded by Congress

First inter-city telephone lines connect Salem to Boston and Chicago to Milwaukee, 1877

The first intelligible words to be ever recorded on a telephone on March 10, 1876, were 'Mr Watson, come here. I want to see you. ' Summoning his assistant Thomas Watson, Alexander had placed his first-ever phone call in his Boston laboratory.

Buffalo Bill's Wild West show begins performance in Omaha, Nebraska, 1883

The first public performance of William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody's Wild West show was May 19, 1883, in Omaha. A dress rehearsal had taken place May 10 in Columbus. Several residents of Sidney, however, enjoyed an even earlier preview of a few of the show's attractions.

Station WGY of New York begins first regularly scheduled television broadcasts, 1928

The first regular schedule of television programming begins in Schenectady, New York by the General Electric's television station W2XB (the station was popularly known as WGY Television; after its sister radio station, WGY).

01/25/1915: First transcontinental telephone call

The first transcontinental telephone call is made by the same men who had made the original telephone call in 1876. Speaking from New York City, Alexander Graham Bell tells Dr. Thomas A. Watson in San Francisco, "Mr. Watson, come here, I want you."

Edison receives a patent for wireless telegraph, 1891

The invention of radio communication, although generally attributed to Guglielmo Marconi in ... In April 1872 William Henry Ward received U.S. Patent 126,356 for a wireless telegraphy system where he theorized that ... Thomas Edison's 1891 patent for a ship-to-shore wireless telegraph that used electrostatic induction.

New York Stock Exchange, 1792

The largest stock exchange, located in New York City. Most of the companies on this exchange are larger companies with higher-priced stock.

Apache War in New Mexico and Arizona begins (involves the "Buffalo Soldiers"), 1871

The last indians to remain organized and resist the whites were the Chiricahua Apaches. The two most ablest cheifs of this fierce tribe were Mangas Colorados and Cochise. Mangas was murdered during the Civil War by white soldiers who tricked him into surrendering. In 1872 Cochise agreed to preace in exchange for a reservation that included some of the tribe's traditional land. He died two years later, but his successor, Geronimo, continued to fight for a decade more, with many raids.

Frederick Law Olmsted completes New York's Central Park, 1876

The late 19th century saw the appointment of landscape architect Samuel Parsons to the position of New York City parks superintendent. Parsons, a onetime apprentice of Calvert Vaux, helped to restore the nurseries of Central Park in 1886.

U.S. v. Cruikshank (1876)

The national government could not punish someone for violating the civil rights of individuals - only the states had that power

Berlin Wall erected after talks between Kennedy and Khrushchev fail over the authority of the USSR in East Berlin, 1961

The powerful voice of JFK resounded in the war-torn Berlin - 'Ich bin ein Berliner. ' Back in 1963, America was talking about tearing down walls not building them. The sentiments were so powerful that they would be echoed by another president, Ronald Reagan, 24 years later in his famous "tear down this wall" speech.

Jimmy Carter (1977-1981) Democrat VP - Walter Mondale

The presidency of Jimmy Carter began at noon EST on January 20, 1977, when Jimmy Carter was inaugurated as the 39th President of the United States, and ended on January 20, 1981. Carter, a Democrat from Georgia, took office after defeating incumbent Republican President Gerald Ford in the 1976 presidential election. Major Events: Panama Canal Treaty Bakke Decision Three Mile Island Nuclear Disaster Camp David Accords Iranian Hostage Crisis

Haymarket Riot (1886)

The riot took place in Chicago between rioters and the police. It ended when someone threw a bomb that killed dozens. The riot was suppressed, and in addition with the damaged reputation of unions, it also killed the Knights of Labor, who were seen as anarchists.

Savings and Loan Scandal, 1989-1990

The savings and loan crisis of the 1980s and 1990s (commonly dubbed the S&L crisis) was the failure of 1,043 out of the 3,234 savings and loan associations in the United States from 1986 to 1995: the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation (FSLIC) closed or otherwise resolved 296 institutions from 1986 to 1989 ...

George Pullman introduces railroad sleeping cars, 1859

The sleeping car or sleeper (often wagon-lit) is a railway passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more comfortable. George Pullman was the American inventor of the sleeper car.

Rise of southern textile production (New England retains 75% of industry), 1883-

The southward migration of industry from New England has too frequently taken ... over a period of time, less than the outmoded Federal minimum wage of 75 cents an hour. ... Since 1946, in Massachusetts alone, seventy textile mills have been ... the old plants lost to the Southhas retarded New England's economic growth.

Viet Cong (South Vietnamese Communists) activity intensifies in South Vietnam, 1963

The term "South Vietnam" became common usage in 1954, when the Geneva Conference provisionally partitioned Vietnam into communist and non-communistparts. Other names of this state were commonly used during its existence such as Free Vietnam and the Government of Viet Nam (GVN).

The New Frontier speech, 1961

The term New Frontier was used by Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy in his acceptance speech in the 1960 United States presidential ... Kennedy's legislative record in 1961-63 was the best of any President since

Jordan and Israel sign a peace agreement on White House Lawn, 1996

The treaty settled relations between the two countries, adjusted land and water disputes, and provided for broad cooperation in tourism and trade. It included a pledge that neither Jordan nor Israel would allow its territory to become a staging ground for military strikes by a third country.

The ten-story Home Insurance Building in Chicago, the world's first skyscraper, completed, 1885

The world's first skyscraper was the Home Insurance Building in Chicago, erected in 1884-1885. The so-called "Father of the Skyscraper" towered all of 10 stories with its peak at 138 feet, miniature by today's standards but gargantuan at that time.

Embargo Act, 1807

This act issued by Jefferson forbade American trading ships from leaving the U.S. It was meant to force Britain and France to change their policies towards neutral vessels by depriving them of American trade. It was difficult to enforce because it was opposed by merchants and everyone else whose livelihood depended upon international trade. It also hurt the national economy, so it was replaced by the Non-Intercourse Act.

Lincoln assassinated on April 14th/John Wilkes Booth, 1865

This man was a well known stage actor and Southern sympathizer who shot and killed Lincoln April 14, 1865 to revive the Confederate cause. Lincoln was killed close to the end of the Civil War. He was also the first American President to be assassinated.

Credit Mobilier scandal, 1872

This scandal occurred in the 1870s when a railroad construction company's stockholders used funds that were supposed to be used to build the Union Pacific Railroad for railroad construction for their own personal use. To avoid being convicted, stockholders even used stock to bribe congressional members and the vice president.

Wilson-Gorman Tariff, 1894

This tariff provided a moderate reduction in tariff rates and levied a 2 percent income tax. (p. 388)

US troops land in China to protect US interests (withdrawn in March), 1925

This timeline of United States government military operations, based in part on reports by the ... 1853: Nicaragua: March 11 to 13, US forces landed to protect American lives and ... 1855: China: On May 19-21, U.S. forces protected American interests in ... After three days he was ordered by US Government to withdraw.

Pinckney's Treaty with Spain (1795)

This treaty between the U.S. and Spain which gave the U.S. the right to transport goods on the Mississippi River and to store goods in the Spanish port of New Orleans

Southern Homestead Act of 1866

This tried to break the cycle of debt by offering low-cost land to Southerners who would farm it.

The Salvation Army begins activity in US, 1880

This welfare organization came to the US from England in 1880 and sought to provide food, shelter, and employment to the urban poor while preaching temperance and morality.

Mark Twain publishes Tom Sawyer, 1875

Though it is considered one of the most durable works in American Literature, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was actually first published in London by Chatto and Windus in June of 1876.

Ku Klux Klan Act (Enforcement Act), 1870

Threatened southern states with federal military action unless they stopped terrorizing blacks and denying them the right to vote.

Ku Klux Klan Act (Enforcement Act), 1871

Threatened southern states with federal military action unless they stopped terrorizing blacks and denying them the right to vote.

Booker T. Washington founds the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama as a private, coeducational college for vocational and teacher training, 1881

Tuskegee Institute was founded by Booker T. Washington in 1881 under a charter from the Alabama legislature for the purpose of training teachers in Alabama. Tuskegee's program provided students with both academic and vocational training.

Texas passes Jim Crow laws, 1889

Twenty-nine Jim Crow laws were passed in Texas. The state enacted one anti-segregation law in 1871 barring separation of the races on public carriers. This lawwas repealed in 1889.

Congress approves funding for the US Navy's first steel-hulled vessels, indicating ambitions of naval supremacy, 1883

Two hundred and seventeen years ago today, March 27, 1794, the United States Congress authorized the construction of six frigates, the first ships of the United States Navy, the USS Constitution, the USS Chesapeake , the USS Constellation , the USSPresident, the USS United States, and the USS Congress.

03/21/1907: Political disturbances in Honduras

U.S. Marines land in Honduras to protect life and property during a series of political disturbances.

NAACP begins campaign to reverse the "separate but equal" doctrine, 1948

Using a combination of tactics including legal challenges, demonstrations and economic boycotts, the NAACP played an important role in helping end segregationin the United States. Among its most significant achievements was the NAACP Legal Defense Fund's challenge to end segregation in public schools.

12/05/1933: Utah becomes the thirty-sixth state to ratify the ...

Utah becomes the thirty-sixth state to ratify the Twenty-First Amendment, officially ending the "noble experiment" of prohibition in the United States.

09/14/1901: Roosevelt takes office

Vice President Theodore Roosevelt (TR) takes the oath of office in Buffalo, New York, after President William McKinley is assassinated. Roosevelt becomes the twenty-sixth President of the United States and the youngest President yet at 43 years old. Roosevelt's succession appalls Republicans who blanched at his liberal leanings; TR was nominated for the vice presidency in 1900 partly because Republican leaders were attempting to relegate him to a harmless position.

Board of Indian Commissioners (1869)

Was a committee that advised the federal government of the United States on Native American policy and it inspected supplies delivered to Indian agencies to ensure the fulfillment of government treaty obligations to tribes

West Germany admitted into NATO, 1955

West Germany joins NATO. ... On May 5, 1955, the American, French, and British forces formally ended their military occupation of West Germany, which became an independent country. Four days later, West Germany was made a member of NATO. For U.S. policymakers, this was an essential step in the defense of Western Europe.

CIA-sponsored coup in Iran overthrows democratically-elected nationalist government and returns the shah to power (a US puppet, he duly restores Iranian oil wells to the British and the Americans), 1953

What did the US do to Iran in 1953? It was the first covert action by the United States to overthrow a democratically-elected government during peacetime. Mosaddegh had sought to audit the documents of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC), a British corporation (now part of BP) and to limit the company's control over Iranian oil reserves.

Reagan, on a visit to West Berlin, demands that Gorbachev "tear down the Berlin Wall," 1987

What does Reagan demand of Gorbachev in West Berlin? With the wall as a backdrop, President Reagan declared to a West Berlin crowd in 1987, "There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace." He then called upon his Soviet counterpart: "Secretary General Gorbachev, if you seek peace-if you .

Reagan describes USSR as "the evil empire," and proposes antiballistic missile defense system or "Star Wars," 1983

What was Reagan's view of the Soviet Union? The Reagan Administration implemented a new policy towards the Soviet Unionthrough NSDD-32 (National Security Decisions Directive) to confront the USSR on three fronts: to decrease Soviet access to high technology and diminish their resources, including depressing the value of Soviet commodities on the world market;

House Speaker Newt Gingrich launches his "Contract with America" program of reforms, 1995

What was the intention of Newt Gingrich's Contract with America? Proponents say the Contract was revolutionary in its commitment to offering specific legislation for a vote, describing in detail the precise plan of the Congressional Representatives, and broadly nationalizing the Congressional election.

Carter stablishes diplomatic relations with China and ends recognition of Taiwan, 1978

When did the US normalize relations with China? On January 1, 1979, the United States changed its diplomatic recognition of China from Taipei to Beijing. In the U.S.-PRC Three Communiqués that announced the change, the United States acknowledges that all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China.

William Henry Harrison (1841) Whig VP - John Tyler Secretary of State - Daniel Webster

Whig Exhaustive outline of goals with criticism of previous policies—Inaugural address Died of pneumonia a month after taking office War of 1812 Tippecanoe v. Tecumseh

Zachary Taylor (1849-1850) Whig VP - Millard Fillmore

Whig Domestic Affairs: Pushed for Compromise of 1850 Hard stance on secession Gold Rush Died of food poisoning after party Foreign Affairs: Clayton-Bulwer Treaty-Canal across Nicaragua (agreement with Britain)

06/07/1915: William Jennings Bryan resigns

William Jennings Bryan resigns as secretary of state in protest over the Wilson administration's handling of the Lusitania sinking. Bryan thinks Wilson is acting too boldly and calls on him to take a more moderate approach, banning American travel on belligerents' ships. Wilson names Robert Lansing acting secretary of state.

7/07/1908: Democratic Party nominates William Jennings Bryan

William Jennings Bryan wins the Democratic nomination for the presidency, with John Kern as his vice-president running mate. Bryan had lost much of the glamour in this, his third run for the office.

Scopes Trial in Dayton, Tennessee (Clarence Darrow defending Johns Scopes v William Jennings Bryan), 1925

William Jennings Bryan, three-time presidential candidate, argued for the prosecution, while Clarence Darrow, the famed defense attorney, spoke for Scopes.

01/28/1916: Wilson appoints Louis B. Brandeis

Wilson appoints Louis B. Brandeis to the Supreme Court. He is the first Jewish justice in American history.

Winston Churchill's "Iron Curtain" Speech, 1946

Winston Churchill had been the Prime Minister of Great Britain during World War II. It was Churchill who coined the term Iron Curtain in a 1946 speech he delivered in Missouri. It refers to the fact that Eastern Europe was more or less controlled by the Soviet Union. ... Churchill's speech influenced President Truman.

05/06/1935: With funds from the Emergency Relief Appropriation...

With funds from the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act, FDR issues an executive order establishing the Works Progress Administration (WPA); the new agency falls under the direction of Harry Hopkins, ex-head of the CWA. Perhaps the best known and most successful of Roosevelt's New Deal programs, the WPA provides work and income for millions of Americans through the construction and repair of roads, bridges, public schools, post offices, parks and airfields. The WPA will also establish projects to employ artists and scholars. Critics view it as the symbol of federal waste and inefficiency under the Roosevelt administration.

Payne-Aldrich Tariff (1909)

With the fear of foreign competition gone, it lowered rates to 38%. Democrats felt it did not go far enough and passed the Underwood Tariff in 1913 to further lower taxes.

Judges' Bill allows Supreme Court control of cases it would hear through a writ of certiorari granted or denied to cases emerging from Courts of Appeals at the discretion of the Court, 1925

Writs of Certiorari Parties who are not satisfied with the decision of a lowercourtmust petition the U.S. SupremeCourtto hear their case. The primary means to petition thecourtfor review is to ask it togrant a writ of certiorari.

Wyoming enters Union, 1890

Wyoming became the 44th state to join the union in 1890. Wyoming was the first U.S. state to allow women to vote-an achievement that represented oneof the early victoriesof the Americanwomen's suffrage movement. ... In 1869, Wyoming became the first territory to allow women to vote.

Ostend Manifesto (1854)

a statement by American envoys abroad to pressure Spain into selling Cuba to the United States; the declaration suggested that if Spain would not sell Cuba, the United States would be justified in seizing it. It was quickly repudiated by the U.S. government but it added to the belief that a "slave power" existed and was active in Washington.

Insured of US support, Diem rejects the possibility of unification with North Vietnam, 1955

a strong anti-communist, South Vietnam's president, had the support of the United States even though he was a dictator who rigged elections. ... In 1952, he refused to take part in country wide elections. The United States also blocked public electionsbecause because they believed it spelled victory for Ho Chi Minh.

Treaty of New Echota (1835)

a treaty between the U.S. Government and a minority representation of the Cherokee tribe that ceded all Cherokee land in the Southeast to the United States and allowed for their move to Indian territory (Oklahoma); three of the Cherokee signers of the treaty (Major Ridge, John Ridge, and Elias Boudinot) were killed for signing over Cherokee land for personal profit.

Cession of Florida / Adams-Onis Treaty, 1819

aka Transcontinental Treaty. It settled the land border between US and Spanish Florida by giving the US west Florida.

Fugitive Slave Act, 1850

allowed government officials to arrest any person accused of being a runaway slave; all that was needed to take away someone's freedoms was word of a white person; northerners required to help capture runaways if requested, suspects had no right to trial

Fugitive Slave law, 1793

allowed owners to reclaim runaway slaves., Enacted by Congress in 1793 and 1850, these laws provided for the return of escaped slaves to their owners. The North was lax about enforcing the 1793 law, with irritated the South no end. The 1850 law was tougher and was aimed at eliminating the underground railroad.

Panic of 1893 caused by failure of British banks (leading to British investors unloading their US investments), a sharp fall in US revenues attributed to McKinley Tariff Act, and the depletion of the government surplus due to the Dependent Pension Act under President Harrison, 1893

already explained

Indians at Sand Creek, southern Colorado (Chivington Massacre), 1864

an attack on a village of sleeping Cheyenne Indians by a regiment of Colorado militiamen on 29 November 1864 that resulted in the death of more than 200 tribal members

Boy Scouts of America founded, 1910

an outdoor youth organization formed partly as a response to growing desire for conservationism

Acute divisions within Republican party pit "Stalwarts" against "Half-Breeds" as President Garfield tries to undermine the Conkling machine in New York, 1881

corruption under the protection of Senator Roscoe Conkling's machine, 1878 • Thomas Edison ... James A Garfield, March 4 to September 19, 1881 Republican VP - Chester A. Arthur ... Acute divisions within Republican party pit "Stalwarts" against "Half-Breeds" as President ... You've reached the end of your free preview.

Sherman's march into Georgia begins, 1864

during the civil war, a devastating total war military campaign, led by union general William Tecumseh Sherman, that involved marching 60,000 union troops through Georgia from Atlanta to Savannah and destroying everything along there way.

New York banks (JP Morgan) loan $62 million to the government to increase its gold reserves in exchange for government bonds, 1895

formed a syndicate in 1895 to sell $65 million in gold bonds for the U.S. Treasury. On February 20, 1895, J.P. Morgan & Co. led a bond offering that helped rescue the United States from a severe two-year economic depression. ... By 1895, the country'sgold reserves had dwindled.

Standard Oil Company of Ohio established, 1870

founded in 1970, grew to monopolize 90-95% of all oil refineries. it was a vertical monopoly-which ment he cut out the middle man

Socialist Labor Party formed, 1878

founded in the 1870s and led for many years by Daniel De Leon, an immigrant from the west indies. He attracted a modest following in the industrial cities, but his party never became a major one. In 1901 they eventually broke away and formed the American Socialist Party.

Hawaii joins the Union, 1959

is a statute enacted by the United States Congress and signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower which dissolved the Territory of Hawaii and established the State of Hawaii as the 50th state to be admitted into the Union. Statehood became effective on August 21, 1959.

Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882

law that suspended Chinese immigration into America. The ban was supposed to last 10 years, but it was expanded several times and was essentially in effect until WWII. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was the first significant law that restricted immigration into the United States of an ethnic working group. Extreme example of nativism of period

Antitrust actions against IBM and AT&T force the two giants to restructure, 1982

laws that encourage competition in the marketplace

Louisiana passes Jim Crow laws, 1890

laws that segregated the races of blacks and whites.

Million Man March on Washington sponsored by Nation of Islam, 1995

leader Louis Farrakhan The 1995 Million Man March on Washington, D.C. was a life-changing event for many. Organized and headlined by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, the gathering was a call to black men to seek atonement for their discretions as well as encouragement to become better husbands, fathers, sons, brothers and friends.

Mississippi Enters the Union, 1817

n 1817 elected delegates wrote a constitution and applied to Congress for statehood. On Dec. 10, 1817, the western portion of Mississippi Territory became the State of Mississippi, the 20th state of the Union. Natchez, long established as a major river port, was the first state capital.

First exchange of ambassadors between US and Great Britain, 1893

n 1893, the United States followed the French precedent and upgraded its relations with other Great Powers to the ambassadorial level. The United States Legation in London became the United States Embassy, and the United States Minister to Great Britain became the United States Ambassador to Great Britain.

Standard Oil of New Jersey emerges as a holding company, 1892

n 1896, John Rockefeller retired from the Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey, the holding company of the group, but remained president and a major shareholder.

Department of Agriculture raised to cabinet status, 1889

of Agriculture gets Cabinet status, Feb. ... On this day in 1889, President Grover Cleveland signed legislation elevating the Department of Agriculture to the Cabinetlevel. President Abraham Lincoln had established an independent Department of Agriculture in May 1862, headed by a commissioner who lacked Cabinet status.

Civil Rights Act of 1866 (vetoed and overruled)

outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

the Supreme Court upheld the power of the national government and denied the right of a state to tax the federal bank using the Constitution's supremacy clause. The Court's broad interpretation of the necessary and proper clause paved the way for later rulings upholding expansive federal powers

A patent for the QWERTY typewriter keyboard granted, 1868

the most common keyboard arrangement, named for the first letters across the top row

Treaty of Guadeloupe-Hidalgo, 1848

the peace treaty, largely dictated by the United States[1][2] to the interim government of a militarily occupied Mexico, that ended the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). The treaty provided for the Mexican Cession

Rise of popular press, 1840-

the term newspaper became common in the 17th century. However, in Germany, publications that we would today consider to be newspaper publications were appearing as early as the 16th century.

Log Cabin and Hard Cider Campaign, 1840

to symbolize harrison's humble origins, the whites put log cabins on wheels and paraded them down the streets of cities and towns. they also passed out hard cider for boters to drink and buttons and hats to wear

Charles Macune forms Farmers' National Alliance & Industrial Union (Southern Alliance), 1889

was a militant organization of farmers in the great agricultural belts of the West and South; root of the new Populist Party

Smithsonian Institution established in Washington, DC, 1846

was founded for the increase and diffusion of knowledge from a bequest to the United States by the British scientist James Smithson, who never visited the new nation. The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute

Fall of Atlanta (1864)

was important in the eventual victory for the Union in the Civil War. It boosted morale in the North and insured the reelection of President Abraham Lincoln which meant that the war would continue to the South's capitulation. Sherman continued across the South waging "total war" and destroying all resources in the region.