APUSH Dates

1492

Columbus lands in the Americas

N/A

Beginning of the Columbian Exchange

1607

Jamestown established

N/A

First permanent English settlement in North America

1620

Founding of the Plymouth Colonies

N/A

Beginning of the New England Colonies

1639

Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

N/A

First written Constitution in U.S. history

1640

John Punch Trial

N/A

Legally set the precedent for lifetime servitude

1680

Pueblo Revolt

N/A

Forced Spanish away until 1692

1763

Proclamation of 1763

N/A

Considered the end of salutary neglect

1773

Boston Tea Party

N/A

Increased colonial support for the American Revolution

1775

Battle of Lexington-Concord

N/A

The first battle of the Revolutionary War, signifying colonial military resistance to England

1781

Battle of Yorktown

N/A

Considered the end of the Revolutionary War with the surrender of England's General Cornwallis

1783

Treaty of Paris of 1783

N/A

Established the U.S. as a country

1786

Shays's Rebellion

N/A

Highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

1787

Constitutional Convention
N/A

Drafted the modern Constitution

1791

Ratification of the Bill of Rights

George Washington

Guaranteed specific freedoms to American citizens that cannot be infringed by the government

1794

Whiskey Rebellion

George Washington

Set the precedent for federal intervention in state affairs

1798

Alien and Sedition Acts

John Adams

Caused debate over the ability of the government to infringe upon certain amendments (speech)

1800

Revolution of 1800 (Election of 1800)

John Adams/Thomas Jefferson

Established the precedent of a peaceful transition of power between government officials

1803 (1)

Louisiana Purchase

Thomas Jefferson

Physically doubled the size of the U.S.

1803 (2)

Marbury v. Madison

Thomas Jefferson

Gave the Judicial Branch teeth!

1812-1815

War of 1812

James Madison

Increased Americans' sense of nationalism

1820

Missouri Compromise

James Monroe

Set the stage for the looming Civil War

1823

Monroe Doctrine

James Monroe

Began to establish the U.S. as a global power

1830

Indian Removal Act

Andrew Jackson

Established the treatment of Native Americans by the U.S. Government

1831

Nat Turner's Rebellion

Andrew Jackson

Led to increased legislation restricting African Americans

1848 (1)

Gold Rush Begins

James K. Polk

Largest single migration in the US

1848 (2)

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

James K. Polk

increased tensions between "free" and "slave" states

1848 (3)

Seneca Falls Convention

James K. Polk

Rise of a national voice for women for suffrage

1850

Compromise of 1850

Millard Fillmore

Passage of the stricter Fugitive Slave law, which hurt abolitionists and implied the federal government supported the institution of slavery

1854

Bleeding Kansas started

Franklin Pierce

Weakened the Missouri Compromise

1857

Scott v. Sandford

James Buchanan

Implied African Americans will never be American citizens

1861-1865

Civil War

Abraham Lincoln

Ended slavery in the U.S.

1862

Battle of Antietam

Abraham Lincoln

Led to the signing and implementing of the Emancipation Proclamation

1863

Battle of Gettysburg

Abraham Lincoln

Turning point in the Civil War from a Southern-led war to a northern one

1865 (1)

Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln

Changed the plans for American Reconstruction after the Civil War

1865 (2)

13th Amendment ratified

Andrew Johnson

Legally ended the institution of slavery in the U.S. EXCEPT in cases of prison sentences

1868

14th Amendment ratified

Andrew Johnson

Clearly defined citizenship in the U.S. and promise of protection under the law

1870

15th Amendment ratified

Ulysses S. Grant

Guaranteed universal male suffrage - men of all race could vote

1877

Compromise of 1877

Ulysses S. Grant/Rutherford B. Hayes

Ended Reconstruction, most successful advancements for African Americans regressed

1886

Haymarket Square Riot

Grover Cleveland pt. 1

Major setback for worker's movement

1887

Dawes Severalty Act

Grover Cleveland pt. 1

Stimulated forced assimilation of Native Americans

1890 (1)

Sherman Antitrust Act

Benjamin Harrison

Federal government takes a strong stance against big businesses

1890 (2)

Wounded Knee Massacre

Benjamin Harrison

Ended the Native wars in the West

1894

Pullman Strike

Grover Cleveland pt. 2

Demonstrated the power of America's labor movement and would eventually lead to improved working conditions (not immediately!!!)

1896

Plessy v. Ferguson

Grover Cleveland pt. 2

Legalized segregation in the U.S.