U.S. History EOC Review Mr. Websters Class Primary vs. Secondary Sources
Primary sources are descriptions or illustrations of an event by someone who actually saw or lived through that event. Secondary sources are descriptions or illustrations of an event by someone who was not present for that event. Christopher Columbus In 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered America while searching for a new route to Asia. Columbus first sighted land in the present-day Bahamas. As a result of Columbuss voyage, Spain conquered vast territories throughout the American continents. Protestantism In 1517, Martin Luther nailed a list of complaints on the door of a local Catholic church and sparked the Protestant Reformation. Jamestown Jamestown is the oldest permanent English settlement in America. Tobacco ultimately helped Jamestown become successful. The Pilgrims & the Mayflower Compact
The Pilgrims came to America seeking religious freedom. While still aboard the Mayflower, the Pilgrims created the Mayflower Compact. It is one of the earliest examples of democracy in America. Slavery Once they began settling in America, Europeans brought African slaves to work on plantations and to perform other manual labor duties. The Great Awakening & The Enlightenment
The Great Awakening was a religious revival that swept through the colonies in the mid-1700s. The Enlightenment spread the idea that knowledge, reason, and science could improve society. The French and Indian War
In 1754, the French and the British went to war as they both desired the same piece of land. Most Native Americans sided with the French as they generally distrusted the British. The British won the war, but afterwards, they were deeply in debt. Timeline of American Independence
1765 The English Parliament passes the Stamp Act. Many American colonists protest the act, and eventually it is repealed. 1770 The Boston Massacre occurs when a group of English soldiers fire their guns into a crowd of angry American colonists. 1773 The Boston Tea Party occurs when a group of colonists dump hundreds of chests of tea into the harbor. Timeline of American Independence Cont.
1774 In response to the Boston Tea Party, Parliament passes a series of laws known as the Intolerable Acts.The First Continental Congress forms to create a united response to the acts. 1775 War breaks out between Britain and the American colonies.The Second Continental Congress chooses George Washington to lead the American forces. 1776 The book Common Sense convinces many colonists they should declare independence from Great Britain.Thomas Jefferson is chosen to draft such a declaration, and it is adopted by Congress on July 4. The American Revolution Begins
The American Revolution began at Lexington and Concord. Those who sided with Britain were known as Loyalists. Those who sided with the rebels were known as Patriots. The American Revolution Major Battles
Bunker Hill was 1st major battle of the war.It convinced the British that defeating the Americans would not be quick or easy. The Battle of Trenton took place after Washington and his men crossed the Delaware on Christmas night.It gave the Americans a much-needed victory. Saratoga is often considered the turning point in the war.This battle convinced France to support the Americans in their fight for liberty. The Declaration of Independence
In 1776, a committee within the Second Continental Congress chose Thomas Jefferson to draft a Declaration of Independence. The Declaration justified independence by listing grievances against King George III. The Declaration was approved by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. The American Revolution Misc. Facts
Betsy Ross is generally given credit for making the first American flag. Many African Americans fought in the American Revolution.Those who fought had their own reasons for doing so. During the winter of , Washington and his troops suffered through the winter at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Victory at Yorktown In 1781, Washingtons forces were joined by the French. Together, they surrounded the British at Yorktown. It was at Yorktown that the Americans achieved the final victory of the war! Articles of Confederation / Shayss Rebellion
In 1777, the Articles of Confederation became the first constitution of the United States of America. It created a weak central (or national) government. Under the AOC, Congress could not tax.This weakness ultimately brought about an armed uprising known as Shayss Rebellion. The Constitutional Convention
Shayss Rebellion made it clear that the Articles of Confederation was a weak form of government. In the spring of 1787, delegates from the states met in Philadelphia to fix the Articles. At the convention, James Madisons Virginia Plan featured a strong, national government. After a great deal of compromising, the end result was the U.S. Constitution. Parts of the Constitution
The Constitution has three main parts: The Preamble (or introduction) The 7 Articles (or main parts) The 27 Amendments (or changes) U.S. Constitution - Branches of Government
The first three articles of the Constitution lay out the structure and functions of the three branches of government. The first ten amendments, or Bill of Rights, became a part of the Constitution in 1791. The First President of the United States
George Washington was the first President of the United States. Washington set the standard for how long a president should serve and for how the nation should relate to other nations. The Louisiana Purchase / Lewis and Clark
In 1803, the U.S. spent $15 million to buy Louisiana from France. The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States. Pres. Jefferson then chose Lewis & Clark to head an expedition into the newly acquired territory. The War of 1812 In the early 1800s, Britain and France were once again at war and the British began stopping American ships and forcing American sailors to join the Royal Navy. This led to the War of 1812. The War of 1812 was fought between the United States and Great Britain, and although neither side technically won, it boosted morale within the United States. War of 1812 Events During the War of 1812, the British burned Washington D.C. While the presidential mansion was being evacuated, First Lady Dolley Madison was credited with saving various artifacts of national importance. The following month, Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner after being inspired by the defense of Ft. McHenry in Baltimore. Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution refers to the period in which machines began performing the tasks that had typically been performed by humans. Eli Whitneys cotton gin brought about a huge increase in cotton production, which in turn led to an increased demand for slaves. Cotton quickly became the Souths staple crop. In 1825, the Erie Canal opened and successfully connected New York City with the Great Lakes, greatly expanding trade in the region. Railroads and the Telegraph
Railroads transformed travel and trade throughout the United States. The telegraph was a device that used electric signals to send messages. Samuel Morse developed a system for sending coded messages instantly along electrical wires.It eventually became known as Morse code. The Missouri Compromise & Monroe Doctrine
The Missouri Compromise allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state, as long as Maine was admitted as a free state. The compromise also prohibited slavery north of the MO Compromise Line. In 1823, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams wrote the Monroe Doctrine, which warned European powers to stay out of American affairs. Indian Removal Act / Trail of Tears
In 1830, President Jackson pushed the Indian Removal Act through Congress, which forced Native Americans to relocate to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma). When the Cherokee refused to relocate, the federal government sent troops to enforce the relocation. This forced journey is known as the Trail of Tears. The Seminoles Throughout the 1800s, the Seminoles and United States fought each other in a series of conflicts now known as the Seminole Wars. The wars took place in Florida. After the war, the Seminoles were forced to move to Indian Territory. Oregon Country Fur traders and mountain men were the first Americans to take up the challenge of living in the Oregon Country. They carved out several routes that played a vital role in western settlement. The most popular was the Oregon Trail. Manifest Destiny By the 1840s, many Americans believed it was the nations Manifest Destiny to extend its boundaries to the Pacific Ocean. Manifest Destiney was achieved as a result of two events: the Oregon Treaty & Mexican-American War. The Texas Revolution The Texas Revolution was fought between Texas and Mexico over the issue of Texan independence. The most famous battle of the Texas Revolution took place at a small mission called the Alamo. Although the Texans were defeated at the Alamo, they went on to win the war. The Mexican-American War (1846-1848)
In 1845, the United States annexed Texas.Shortly after, the U.S. and Mexico began to dispute the location of the Texas-Mexico border. Tensions eventually led to war. The U.S. won the Mexican-American War, and as a result, acquired a great deal of land. California Gold Rush /Mormons in Utah
In 1848, gold was discovered at Sutters Mill.People from all over the world traveled to California in search of riches. Those who arrived in 1849 were called forty-niners. The area now known as Utah was settled by Mormons seeking religious freedom. Underground Railroad Many slaves resisted authority by running away from their owners. Runaway slaves were sometimes aided by the Underground Railroad, which was a network of safe houses owned by people opposed to slavery. Harriet Tubman was the most famous conductor of the Underground Railroad. The Abolition Movement
Abolitionists were people who opposed slavery, and wanted to put an end to it. The American Colonization Society was an abolitionist society who sent freed African Americans to Africa where they founded the nation of Liberia. In 1854, the Republican Party was founded by antislavery activists. Many abolitionists were outraged over the outcome of Dredd Scott v. Sandford, which ruled that slaves were not citizens of the United States. The Confederate States of America
Following the election of Lincoln as president, South Carolina voted to secede from the Union. Ten other Southern states followed. Together, they formed the Confederate States of America. Jefferson Davis was chosen as president of the CSA. Southerners used states rights to justify secession. The Civil War Begins The Civil War began in 1861 when Confederate forces attacked the Union force at Fort Sumter, SC. At the beginning of the war, President Lincolns original aim was not to end slavery, but to restore the Union. On January 1, 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed all slaves living in rebel territory. North vs. South Union soldiers were often called Yankees.They wore blue. Confederate soldiers were often called Rebels.They wore gray. Ulysses S. Grant is the best known Union general. Robert E. Lee is the best known Confederate general. Strengths and Weaknesses
When the war began, each side had advantages and disadvantages. The North had a larger population and more resources than the South. The South had excellent military leaders, a strong fighting spirit, and the home court advantage. African American Soldiers
At first, the Union refused to let free African Americans enlist, but later they changed this policy. The Confederacy refused to consider having African Americans fight until the wars final days. The best-known African American regiment was the 54th Massachusetts. Civil War Battles The between the Monitor and Merrimack was the first battle to ever take place between ironclad warships. The Battle of Gettysburg is often described as the turning point of the war. The Battle of Olustee was fought in Florida, and it ended in a Confederate victory. Shermans March to the Sea occurred when Shermans troops burned cities and crops across the state of Georgia. Lee formally surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House, VA.