Recent Event Highlights: World War II, World War I, The American Civil War, Pre-Civil War, and 12 more...
Created by mdavidson on Aug 30, 2009
Last updated: 03/12/10 at 05:52 AM
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PRESIDENTS: Richard M. Nixon (1969 – 1974) Rep. Gerald R. Ford (1974 – 1977) Rep. Jimmy Carter (1977 – 1981) Dem. Ronald Reagan (1981 – 1989) Rep. George H. W. Bush (1989 – 1993) Rep. EVENTS: 1970 – U.S. Invades Cambodia 1970 – Kent State Student Shootings 1970 – EPA Created 1971 – Pentagon Papers Published 1972 – Nixon Visits China and Soviet Union 1972 – Watergate Break-in 1973 – Paris Peace Accords End U.S. Involvement in Vietnam 1973 – Congressional Hearings on Watergate 1973 – Roe vs. Wade Legalizes Abortion 1973 – Yom Kippur War 1973 – OPEC Oil Embargo 1974 – Nixon Resigns 1975 – North Vietnam Invades and Conquers South Vietnam – Vietnam War Ends 1976 – Carter Elected 1979 – Three Mile Island Nuclear Accident 1979 – Shah of Iran Overthrown 1979 – Camp David Peace Treaty Between Israel and Egypt 1979 – 1980 – Iranian Hostage Crisis 1979 – Soviet Union Invades Afghanistan 1980 – Reagan Elected 1981 – “Reaganomics” Plan Approved by Congress 1981 – Assassination Attempt on Reagan 1981 – 1982 – Recession – Worst Since the Great Depression 1982 – Israel Invades Lebanon 1982 – Falklands War 1983 – Terrorists Blow Up Marine Barracks in Beirut 1983 – U.S. Invades Grenada 1984 – Economic Recovery 1984 – Reagan Aids Contras in Defiance of Congress 1986 – Iran – Contra Scandal 1987 – Stock Market “Crash” 1987 – Palestinian Uprising Begins 1988 – George H. W. Bush Elected 1989 – Tiananmen Square Massacre in China 1989 – Berlin Wall Falls 1989 – U.S. Invades Panama. DESCRIPTION: The end of the 20th century saw many significant events dealing with the issue of democracy (both in the United States and on an international level). The Watergate Scandal was perhaps the most significant threat to democracy during the time period. The scandal eventually forced Richard M. Nixon to resign, but more importantly, it proved that the constitutional system worked and that no president (or any other individual) was above the law. The United States also took a more active role in attempting to expand democracy by either aiding anti-communist forces indirectly or by intervening directly when necessary. Finally, the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 effectively ended the Cold War, becoming a symbol of democracy’s triumph over communism and oppression. Picture Citation: Author Unknown. Richard Nixon Resigns. Digital image. Wikipedia.org. United States Federal Government, 7 Aug. 2009. Web. 3 Oct. 2009. .
PRESIDENTS: Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953 – 1961) Rep. John F. Kennedy (1961 – 1963) Dem. Lyndon B. Johnson (1963 – 1969) Dem. Richard M. Nixon (1969 – 1974) Rep. EVENTS: 1960 – John F. Kennedy Elected 1960 – Freedom Riders 1960 – Lunch Counter Sit-Ins in Greensboro, N.C. 1961 – Bay of Pigs Invasion 1961 – Kennedy – Khrushchev Summit in Vienna 1961 – Berlin Wall Erected 1962 – Cuban Missile Crisis 1963 – Civil Rights March on Washington 1963 – Kennedy Assassinated – Johnson Becomes President 1964 – Civil Rights Act Passed 1964 – Gulf of Tonkin Incident 1965 – “Great Society” Programs Launched 1965 – Voting Rights Act 1965 – Immigration and Nationality Act 1965 – Watts Riots 1967 – 6-Day War Between Israel and Arabs 1967 – Race Riots in Newark, Detroit, and Other Cities 1968 – Tet Offensive in Vietnam 1968 – Martin Luther King Assassinated 1968 – Robert F. Kennedy Assassinated 1968 – Antiwar Protests Escalate 1968 – Democratic National Convention in Chicago 1968 – Soviet Union Invades Czechoslovakia 1968 – Richard Nixon Elected 1969 – Apollo 11 Lands on the Moon DESCRIPTION: The 1960’s were tumultuous years for democracy in the United States. The U.S. attempted to spread or preserve democracy throughout the world as it attempted to halt the spread of communism. Democracy also took on an increased role in the lives if the people as the federal government used its power to enforce Civil Rights laws. All U.S. citizens were given the right to vote and all citizens were given equal opportunities to fulfill the American Dream when discrimination was outlawed. President Johnson’s “Great Society” programs were also an extension of the philosophy that the power of the government should be used to directly affect/benefit the people, especially the poor. The notion that democracy was under attack on an international level also led to the highly unpopular Vietnam War. Picture Citation: Author Unknown. Martin Luther King, Jr. -- March on Washington. Digital image. Wikipedia.org. Bureau of Public Affairs, 30 Aug. 2008. Web. 3 Oct. 2009. .
PRESIDENTS: Harry S. Truman (1945 – 1953) Dem. Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961) Rep. EVENTS: 1946 – G.I. Bill Passed 1947 – Truman Doctrine 1947 – Taft – Hartley Act Passed 1947 – Marshall Plan 1948 – Communists Take Over Czechoslovakia 1948 – Truman Desegregates the Armed Forces 1948 – Berlin Airlift 1949 – NATO Formed 1949 – Communists Take Over China 1950 – Korean War Begins 1951 – Race Riots in Cicero, Illinois 1953 – Korean War Ends 1954 – Brown vs. Board of Education 1955 – Warsaw Pact Formed 1956 – Hungarian Uprising 1956 – Suez Crisis 1957 – Civil Rights Act Passed 1957 – School Desegregation Crisis in Little Rock, Arkansas 1958 – Berlin Crisis 1959 – Castro Takes Over Cuba DESCRIPTION: Post-WWII America saw democracy come under threat as the Cold War escalated and perceived threats to national security led to intrusive investigations into personal beliefs and political affiliations amongst citizens (people’s rights were restricted somewhat as a result). As the Cold War continued to heat up, the United States tried increasingly to defend democracy on both a national and international level (founded NATO, fought alongside South Korea against the Communist North Koreans and the Chinese, etc.). At the same time, the government made attempts to ensure that all citizens, especially African-Americans, could participate in democracy (Civil Rights Act, Little Rock Nine, etc.). Picture Citation: Parrish, Joseph. Post-War Political Cartoon from the collection of Joanne Knight.
PRESIDENTS: Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1933 – 1935) Dem. Harry S. Truman (1945 – 1953) Dem. EVENTS: 1941 – Lend – Lease Agreement Signed 1941 – Germany Invades the Soviet Union 1941 – Roosevelt and Churchill Sign the Atlantic Charter 1941 – Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor – U.S. Enters World War II 1942 – War Production Board Created 1942 – Battle of Midway – Turning Point in Pacific War 1942 – Japanese-Americans relocated to Internment Camps 1942 – Manhattan Project Set Up 1942 – Congress of Racial Equality Established 1943 – Battle of Stalingrad – Turning Point in European War 1943 – Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin Meet at Teheran Conference 1944 – D-Day – Allies Invade France. 1944 – Assassination Attempt on Hitler 1944 – Battle of the Bulge 1945 – Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill Meet at Yalta Conference 1945 – Roosevelt Dies – Truman becomes President 1945 – Germany Surrenders – War in Europe Ends 1945 – Truman, Churchill, and Stalin Meet at Potsdam Conference 1945 – U.S. Drops Atomic Bombs on Japan 1945 – Japan Surrenders – World War II Ends Picture Citation: Sargent, Robert F. Troops From the First Division Landing on Omaha Beach. Digital image. Wikipedia.org. United States Coast Guard, 23 Nov. 2005. Web. 3 Oct. 2009. .
PRESIDENTS: Woodrow Wilson (1913 – 1921) Dem. Warren G. Harding (1921 – 1923) Rep. Calvin Coolidge (1923 – 1929) Rep. Herbert Hoover (1929 – 1933) Rep. Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1933 – 1945) Dem. EVENTS: 1920 – 19th Amendment Ratified 1920 – 1921 – Postwar Deflation and Depression 1921 – Emergency Quota Act 1922 – Economic Recovery 1922 – Federal Government Ends Strikes by Railroad Shop Workers and Miners 1923 – 1924 – Government Scandals (Teapot Dome) 1927 – Lindbergh Transatlantic Flight 1929 – Stock Market Crash – Great Depression Begins 1930 – Smoot – Hawley Tariffs 1931 – Japan Invades Manchuria 1932 – Bonus Army Marches on Washington 1932 – Reconstruction Finance Corporation 1932 – Roosevelt Elected 1933 – First Hundred Days 1933 – Adolf Hitler Becomes Chancellor of Germany 1933 – Agricultural Adjustment Act 1933 – National Industrial Recovery Act 1933 – TVA Established 1935 – National Labor Relations Act 1935 – Italy Invades Ethiopia 1935 – Social Security Act 1936 – UAW Strike Against General Motors 1936 – Spanish Civil War 1936 – Germany Occupies the Rhineland 1937 – Sino–Japanese War Begins 1938 – Munich Conference Cedes Czechoslovakia to Germany 1939 – Germany and the Soviet Union Sign Non-Aggression Pact 1939 – Germany Invades Poland – World War II Begins 1940 – Germany Invades Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France 1940 – Battle of Britain DESCRIPTION: The 1920’s saw a radical social transformation and changes to the concept of democracy. During the 1920’s, the federal government largely avoided intervening in both social and business affairs (however, the government did attempt to enforce prohibition). However, when the Stock Market crashed and the Great Depression took over, it became clear that the government could not rely on businesses to solve the problem. Franklin D. Roosevelt saw government intervention as the only way to solve the Depression (government becomes more ”hands on” with people’s lives). In order to restart the economy (and put people back to work), Roosevelt established various government programs and agencies. Other programs, such as Social Security, were designed to ensure that the government acts for the benefit of society. Picture Citation: Lange, Dorothea. Migrant Mother. Digital image. Wikipedia.org. Library of Congress, 3 June 2005. Web. 3 Oct. 2009. .
PRESIDENTS: Woodrow Wilson (1913 – 1921) Dem. EVENTS: 1914 – World War I Begins in Europe 1915 – Germans Sink the Lusitania 1917 – Russian Revolution Begins 1917 – U.S. Enters World War I 1917 – Espionage Act Passed 1918 – Wilson Announces his “14 Points” 1918 – Sedition Act Passed 1918 – Bolsheviks Take Power in Russia 1918 – Armistice Ends World War I DESCRIPTION: World War I was thrust upon the United States. Although the U.S. saw the war as a “European problem” it wished to avoid, incidents such as the sinking of the Lusitania and the U.S.’s common background with England and France made the conflict unavoidable. Democracy was impacted directly by the Espionage and Sedition Acts, which limited free speech amongst citizens (prevented speaking out against the government, which had the right to arrest anyone who did so). The issue of free speech has been a traditional problem during times of war: there were some who disagreed with the government’s view that such acts were necessary for national security. Picture Citation: Brooke, J.W. Chesire Regiment, The Somme. Digital image. Wikipedia.org. Imperial War Museum, 14 Jan. 2006. Web. 4 Oct. 2009. .
PRESIDENTS: Theodore Roosevelt (1901 – 1909) Rep. William Howard Taft (1909 – 1913) Rep. Woodrow Wilson (1913 – 1921) Dem. EVENTS: 1895 – U.S. vs. E. C. Knight 1898 – Holden vs. Hardy 1903 – U.S. Gets Rights to Panama Canal 1905 – Russo – Japanese War 1905 – Lochner vs. New York 1906 – Hepburn Act 1906 – Meat Inspection Act 1906 – Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle” Published 1906 – Pure Food and Drug Act Passed 1908 – Muller vs. Oregon 1909 – NAACP Founded 1911 – Triangle Shirtwaist Fire 1913 – 16th Amendment Ratified 1913 – 17th Amendment Ratified 1913 – Federal Reserve Act 1914 – Federal Trade Commission Created 1914 – Clayton Anti-Trust Act 1916 – Adamson Act 1919 – 18th Amendment 1919 – 19th Amendment DESCRIPTION: The Progressive Era was essentially a reaction to the excesses of the Gilded Age. Reformers sought to end abuses of power in both business and government. Whereas previous philosophy surrounding democracy and its practice focused less on the individual, progressives believed the government should benefit the individual and act according to the peoples’ interests. The attempt to eliminate monopolies, corruption, and attacks on privilege led to the Pure Food and Drug act and the Meat Inspection Act, both of which were designed to benefit the individual (“little man”). Progressives believed that both government and society have the potential to improve individual lives. This was a big step toward defining a new notion of democracy, one in which the government was to be held responsible and intervene in social affairs for the good of the community. Picture Citation: Author Unknown. Chicago Meat Inspection, 1906. Library of Congress. Wikipedia Commons, 2009.
PRESIDENTS: Rutherford B. Hayes (1877 – 1881) Rep. James A. Garfield (1881) Rep. Chester A. Arthur (1881 – 1885) Rep. Grover Cleveland (1885 – 1889) Dem. Benjamin Harrison (1889 – 1893) Rep. Grover Cleveland (1893 – 1897) Dem. William McKinley (1897 – 1901) Rep. EVENTS: 1878 – U.S. Gains Naval Rights in Samoa 1882 – Standard Oil Trust Formed 1886 – Wabash Case 1886 – American Federation of Labor Formed 1887 – Interstate Commerce Commission Begins Regulating Interstate Shipping 1887 – U.S. Gains Naval Rights to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii 1890 – McKinley Tariff 1890 – Sherman Anti-Trust Act Passed 1893 – U.S. Stages Coup Against Queen of Hawaii 1894 – Pullman Strike 1895 – Cuban Revolution Against Spain Begins 1898 – USS Maine Blows Up in Havana Harbor 1898 – U.S. Defeats Spain in Spanish-American War 1899 – Treaty of Paris Enlarges U.S. Empire DESCRIPTION: The Gilded Age saw a period where the success of a wealthy few led to great disparity between the rich and the poor in the United States. The concept of democracy seemed to be reserved for those who had the wealth and authority to manipulate it (the rich got richer and the poor got poorer). Until this point, the federal government had not involved itself it regulating business, which resulted in the rise of monopolies such as the Standard Oil Trust. The government slowly became involved with removing trade monopolies, passing laws including the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. As the Gilded Age continued to unfold, the United States became increasingly involved in foreign affairs; The U.S. was finally stepping up onto the world stage. Events such as the Spanish-American War led to the acquisition of new colonial territories, such as Cuba and the Philippines. The United States was quickly becoming a powerful competitor on an international level. Picture Citation: Andrew Carnegie, American businessman and philanthropist. Library of Congress, 1913. Wikipedia Commons, 2009.
PRESIDENTS: Andrew Johnson (1865 – 1869) Rep. Ulysses S. Grant (1869 – 1877) Rep. EVENTS: 1865 – Johnson Becomes President Following Lincoln’s Assassination 1865 – Johnson Begins Reconstruction 1866 – Congress Passes Civil Rights Act 1867 – First Reconstruction Act Passed 1867 – Tenure of Office Act Passed 1867 – Alaska Purchase (“Seward’s Folly”) 1868 – Johnson Impeached 1868 – 14th Amendment Ratified 1868 – Grant Elected 1870 – 15th Amendment Ratified 1871 – Second Enforcement Act Passed 1871 – Ku Klux Klan Act Passed 1873 – Panic of 1873 1875 – Civil Rights Act Passed 1876 – U.S. vs. Cruikshank 1877 – Reconstruction Ends 1877 – Georgia Passes Poll Tax DESCRIPTION: The Reconstruction Era was an effort to reconcile the two sides of the Civil War, with a particular emphasis on bringing the confederacy back into the democratic system. The era also saw the first attempts to extend democracy to former slaves with the ratification of the 14th and 15th Amendments. Unfortunately, many initial attempts to extend civil rights to all citizens were rejected, and it would be almost 100 years before the promise of democracy and equal rights for all citizens would be fulfilled. Picture Citation: Brady, Matthew. Andrew Johnson Portrait. Wikipedia Commons. Brady-Handy Collection, 2009.
PRESIDENTS: James Buchanan (1857 – 1861) Dem. Abraham Lincoln (1861 – 1865) Rep. EVENTS: 1861 – 6 States Secede from the Union 1861 – Confederacy Established in Montgomery Alabama 1861 – Attack on Fort Sumter – The Civil War Begins 1861 – Battle of Bull Run 1861 – Trent Affair 1862 – Battle of Shiloh 1862 – Battle of Antietam 1862 – British Intervention on Confederate Side Averted 1863 – Emancipation Proclamation 1863 – African-American Soldiers Join the Union Army 1863 – Battle of Gettysburg 1863 – Battle of Vicksburg 1864 – Sherman’s March Through Georgia 1864 – Lincoln Re-elected 1865 – Lee Surrenders at Appomattox Court House (Civil War Ends) 1865 – Lincoln Assassinated DESCRIPTION: The American Civil War was by far the greatest challenge to democracy in the history of the United States. Conflicting views on democracy, one where the states should be independent and capable of determining their own fates versus one where the states would be subservient to a federal government, led to one of the bloodiest conflicts in U.S. history. In the end, the concept of a strong centralized government prevailed. Previous to the American Civil War, citizens considered themselves members of their state first, and their country second. This view was soon to change with the outcome of the Civil War, as the concept of a unified nation was firmly in place. In addition, Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation (effectively abolishing slavery within the states) broke major racial barriers and solidified the concept of national unity. Picture Citation: Thulstrup, Thure de. Battle of Antietam. Digital image. Wikipedia.org. Thulstrup, 8 May 2009. Web. 3 Oct. 2009.
PRESIDENTS: William Henry Harrison (1841) Whig John Tyler (1841 – 1845) Whig James K. Polk (1845 – 1849) Dem. Zachary Taylor (1849 – 1850) Whig Millard Fillmore (1850 – 1853) Whig Franklin Pierce (1853 – 1857) Dem. James Buchanan (1857 – 1861) Dem. EVENTS: 1839 – 1843 – Hard Times (Unemployment and Deflation) 1845 – Texas admitted to the Union 1846 – Mexican–American War Begins 1846 – Oregon Treaty 1846 – Wilmot Proviso 1847 – Popular Sovereignty Proposed by Cass 1848 – Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Ends Mexican – American War 1848 – Seneca Falls Women’s Rights Convention 1849 – Gold Discovered in California 1850 – Compromise of 1850 1850 – Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 1852 – “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” Published 1854 – Kansas–Nebraska Act 1854 – Republican Party Formed 1856 – Brooks Attacks Sumner in Senate Chamber 1857 – Dred Scott Decision 1858 – Lincoln–Douglas Debates 1959 – John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry 1860 – Abraham Lincoln elected President 1860 – South Carolina Secedes from the Union DESCRIPTION: The Pre-Civil War Era saw the continued struggle to reconcile the concept of democracy with slavery. The addition of new territory as a result of the Mexican-American War led to additional debates over how to maintain a balance between slave states and free states. This struggle led to tensions between northern free states and southern slave states; the South continued to justify and depend upon slavery for their economic success. The growing abolitionist movement led some citizens to take matters into their own hands, as evidenced by John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry. It soon became apparent that the struggle could no longer be resolved peacefully. Picture Citation: Schultze, Louis. Dred Scott. Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis. 2009.
PRESIDENTS: John Quincy Adams (1825 – 1929) Whig Andrew Jackson (1829 – 1837) Dem. Martin Van Buren (1837 – 1841) Dem. William Henry Harrison (1841) Whig John Tyler (1841 – 1845) Whig EVENTS: 1825 – House of Representatives Elects John Quincy Adams President 1825 – Monroe Doctrine 1828 – Tariff of Abominations Passed 1828 – Andrew Jackson Elected President 1830 – Webster – Hayne Debate 1832 – Jackson Vetoes Rechartering of the Second Bank of the U.S. 1832 – Jackson Re-Elected 1832–1833 – Nullification Crisis 1836 – Republic of Texas Established 1837 – Caroline Affair 1838–1839 – Maine–New Brunswick Border Dispute 1839–1843 – Hard Times (Unemployment and Deflation) DESCRIPTION: Democracy took a new shape when Andrew Jackson took the presidency. The populist Jackson was of the belief that the federal government should work to benefit the individual, not just the wealthy and influential. He believed in a weak federal government, but a strong President (Jackson also distrusted bureaucracy, believing instead in popular government). These led to a reduction in the power and influence of the federal government. This era also saw the rise of the two party system, as opposing views on democracy began to take shape. Picture Citation: Sully, Thomas. Andrew Jackson. Digital image. U.S. Senate. 6 Nov. 2008. Web. 4 Oct. 2009. .
PRESIDENTS: Thomas Jefferson (1801 – 1809) Dem-Rep. James Madison (1809 – 1817) Dem-Rep. James Monroe (1817 – 1829) Dem-Rep. John Quincy Adams (1825 – 1829) Whig EVENTS: 1800 – Election of 1800 1803 – Louisiana Purchase 1804 – 12th Amendment 1804 – Lewis and Clark Expedition 1812 – War of 1812 (U.S. vs. England) 1808 – Prohibition of African Slave Trade 1820 – Missouri Compromise 1823 – Monroe Doctrine DESCRIPTION: The Jeffersonian Era saw some radical changes that impacted the concept of democracy and republicanism. The Jeffersonian era saw the rise of democratic republicans in office. Jefferson (and the Democratic - Republican Party, for that matter) believed in the concept of a weaker federal government and stronger state governments. The period also saw the acquisition of Louisiana territory (Louisiana Purchase: 1803), which nearly doubled the country’s size. The Jeffersonian era also saw several threats to democracy, including the concept of slavery (slavery went against the principle of a democratic society) and the War of 1812, which forced the U.S. to defend itself against the British once again. The Jeffersonian Era also saw the country attempting to rid itself of European influence with the adoption of the Monroe Doctrine. Picture Citation: Peale, Rembrandt. Thomas Jefferson. Digital image. Wikipedia.org. United States Federal Government, 23 May 2007. Web. 3 Oct. 2009. .
PRESIDENTS: George Washington (1789 – 1797)-- Federalist John Adams (1797 – 1801)-- Federalist EVENTS: 1789 – George Washington inaugurated as 1st U.S. President 1789 – French Revolution Begins 1791 – Bill of Rights Ratified 1793 – France Declares War on Britain, Spain, and the Netherlands 1793 – Washington’s Neutrality Proclamation 1793 – Democratic – Republican Party Formed 1794 – Whiskey Rebellion 1795 – Jay Treaty with England 1795 – Pinckney’s Treaty with Spain 1796 – Adams Elected President (1st Contested Election) 1798 – XYZ Affair 1798 – Alien and Sedition Act Passed 1798 – 1799 – Quasi War with France 1800 – Franco–American Convention Ends Quasi War with France DESCRIPTION: The primary objective/goal of the new democratic government was to ensure the protection of the people’s rights, which led to the development and adoption of the Bill of Rights. The new democracy was tested by European powers, who attempted to draw the weak nation into several wars. These wars also led to the Alien and Sedition Acts, which, in the eyes of some, infringed upon individual rights (went against the Bill of Rights). The era’s presidents soon learned about the limits to their powers in attempting to suppress political opposition. These events tested and shaped the concept of democracy in the United States. Conflicting views on how the federal government should be shaped also led to the emergence of new political parties (Federalist, Anti-Federalist) and the birth of the political campaign. Picture Citation: Lansdowne. George Washington (Lansdowne Portrait). Digital image. Wikipedia.org. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, 16 July 2005. Web. 3 Oct. 2009. .
PRESIDENTS: George Washington (1789-1797)-- Federalist EVENTS: 1777 – Articles of Confederation sent to states for ratification 1781 – Articles of Confederation Ratified 1781 – Battle of Yorktown (British Surrender) 1783 – Treaty of Paris (U.S. granted independence) 1786 – Annapolis Convention 1786-1787 – Shay’s Rebellion 1787 – Constitutional Convention 1788 – Constitution Ratified 1789 – George Washington inaugurated as 1st U.S. President 1791 – Bill of Rights Ratified DESCRIPTION: Even as the revolution was being fought, the colonists were debating what form their new democracy should take. The Articles of Confederation envisioned the United States as a confederation of loosely-bound states (these states would function independent of the federal government). However, events such as Shay’s Rebellion revealed The Articles’ shortcomings and prompted a re-examination of the new government’s structure. The Constitutional Convention led to the development of our current Constitution, which focuses on a stronger federal government. Picture Citation: Constitutional Convention. First Page of The Constitution of the United States. Digital image. Wikipedia.org. Wikipedia Commons, 26 Mar. 2006. Web. 3 Oct. 2009. .
PRESIDENTS: none EVENTS: 1756-1763 – The French And Indian War 1763 – Treaty of Paris 1764 – Sugar Act 1765 – Stamp Act 1766 – Stamp Act Repealed 1767 – Townshend Act 1770 – Townshend Act Repealed 1770 – Boston Massacre 1772 – Boston Correspondence Committee Formed 1773 – Tea Act/Boston Tea Party 1774 – First Continental Congress 1775 – Battles of Lexington and Concord 1775 – Second Continental Congress 1776 – Declaration of Independence Adopted 1777 – Battle of Saratoga 1778 – French Alliance Formed 1781 – Battle of Yorktown (British Surrender) 1783 – Treaty of Paris (U.S. granted independence) DESCRIPTION: During the American Revolutionary War, the concepts of both Democracy and Republicanism were in their infancy. The colonists reacted to pressure (taxation, troop involvement, etc.) from the British Government, demanding representation in the British parliament. When Britain refused and imposed harsher regulations, the colonies expressed their desire to form a new self-regulating democratic government, free of British rule. This led to the Revolutionary War, and after seven years of fighting, the American colonies were granted the right to establish a new autonomous nation. Picture Citation: Leutze, Emanuel. Washington Crossing the Delaware. Digital image. Wikipedia.org. Wikipedia Commons, 29 Jan. 2009. Web. 3 Oct. 2009. .
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