Important Events in American History
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- Columbus lands in America
- 1492: Europe begins to colonize the Americas
- Jamestown founded
- 1607: First permanent English settlement in the Americas
- Mayflower Compact
- 1620: Helps establish idea of self-government and majority rule
- King Philip's War
- 1675-1676: War between New England colonists and Native Americans allows settlers to expand further into Indian lands
- Bacon's Rebellion
- 1676: Earliest rebellion of colonists against English colonial control
- French and Indian War
- 1754-1763: British defeat the French and gain control of most of the northern and eastern parts of North America
- First Continental Congress
- 1774: First colonial effort to act together to protest English policies; precedent for the first American government
- Battles at Lexington and Concord
- 1775: First battles of the American Revolution
- Declaration of Rights signed
- 1776: Colonists break away from England
- Articles of Confederation ratified
- 1781: Becomes the first American government
- Treaty of Paris signed
- 1783: Ends American Revolution
- Shays's Rebellion
- 1786-1787: Makes politicians realize that they need a stronger national government
- Constitution ratified
- 1788: Becomes blueprint for American government
- Cotton gin invented
- 1793: Makes producing cotton much cheaper
- Whiskey Rebellion
- 1794: National government proves that it has the power to enforce the laws
- Louisiana Purchase
- 1803: More than doubles the size of the country
- Lewis and Clark Expedition
- 1804: Expedition explores America's new territories
- War of 1812
- 1812-1815: America proves it can defend itself
- Missouri Compromise
- 1820: Preserves balance between free and slave states
- Monroe Doctrine
- 1823: States that Europe should stay out of the Americas
- Tariff of Abominations
- 1828: Leads Sountherners to create the doctrine of nullification, an extreme states' rights position
- Nat Turner's Rebellion
- 1831: Causes Southern states to pass stricter slave laws
- Texas Independence
- 1836: Texas revolts from Mexico
- Trail of Tears
- 1838: Cerokees forced to move to the West
- War with Mexico
- 1846-1848: America acquires much of the Southwest
- California Gold Rush
- 1849: Many Americans settle the west coast
- Dred Scott Decision
- 1857: Increases tension between North and South
- Lincoln becomes president
- 1860: Causes southern states to secede
- Shots fired at Fort Sumter
- 1861: Beginning of the Civil War
- Emancipation Proclamation
- 1863: Freed the slaves in Confederate states
- Lee surrenders at Appomattox Court House
- 1865: Ends the Civil War
- Reconstruction ends
- 1877: White Southerners regain control of their stat governments