American history from 1492 to 1877 provides an opportunity to make an exploration of the cultural, social, economic, military, political, and legal history of the Native Americans’ first contacts with the Africans, Europeans, and the American Revolution. The era also gives a clear chance to know the establishment of the constitution of the US and the process of development all through the Reconstruction and the Civil War periods (Turner & Bogue, 2010). The following ten events, occurrences or events thus were some of those that were important to the nation during this period.
American Discovery on 12th October 1492
Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer was leading three ships across the Atlantic Ocean from Port Palos in Spain on 2rd August 1492. He was intending to sail westwards until he could reach Asia, or the Indies in search of spices, pearls and gold. On the morning of 12th October, he sighted land, a factor that began the European expansion and exploration as pointed out by Turner & Bogue, (2010). Together with the other two ships, they ventured into the Bahamian Island, which he came to name the San Salvador. He was rewarded greatly by the Spanish authorities, with the United States marking the Columbus Day since12th October 1792 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The day was organized by the St. Tammany Society, regarded as the Columbian Order, and it usually commemorates the landing of Columbus (Turner & Bogue, 2010).
The founding of Jamestown on 1st January 1607
After expeditions arrived at present-day Virginia, the colonists selected Jamestown Island as their location of defence against European States’ attacks. The island had the exact features desired, as it offered good visibility, as well as being far enough to minimize conflicts with the enemies from their ships. The adjacent waters were also very deep for ship anchorage and quick escapes. Construction of a fort commenced later by the settlers. Despite numerous attacks from enemies, Jamestown survived and came to be known as the first English colony that was successful in Northern America. The town was the centre of spread of the laws, secular and religious institutions and the English language across North America and globally (MacMillan, 2008). Here, people were learning the English of how colonies should be kept going.
The Great Awakening on 1st January 1734
Also known as the Evangelical Revival, the Great Awakening was a series of revivals by Christians, sweeping Britain and the thirteen North American colonies. The move, as discussed by Kidd, happened between the 1730s and the 1740s (2008). The mass effects of this move were its permanent effect on Protestantism when those who adhered to this side were striving to make a renewal of their piety and devotion religiously. During this movement also, Anglo-America evangelicalism emerged in the protestant churches as a trans-denominational movement. In the United States presently, this term is used often with the UK referring to it as the Evangelical Revival. The long term effects of this move were the decline of the Anglicans, Congregationalists and Quakers, as the Baptists and Presbyterians increased. Black Protestantism, denominationalism, the emphasis of inner experience and religious toleration also emerged in the United States (Kidd, 2008).
Boston Massacre on 5th March 1770
This massacre was as a result of a confrontation that led to the mass shooting of several Americans by the British Soldiers due to harassment. These British troops had been stationed since 1768 on the Massachusetts Bay Province in the support of the crown-appointed officials, as well as enforcing the Parliamentary legislation that was unpopular (Allison, 2011). The crowd was protesting for the British troops to be withdrawn from the Castle Island. After the troops became angry, shots were fired into the crowd, killing several Americans and injuring many others. This massacre is regarded as one of the most important events that resulted in the turning of the colonial sentiments against the British Parliamentary authority and King George III. Many scholars also wrote that the foundation of independence in America was laid on the same day, encouraging American sentiments towards their self-governance. The event is re-enacted every year on 5th March under the Bosnian Society auspices as Allison points out (2011).
American Revolution on 19th April 1775
The Concord and the Lexington Battles were the first engagements in the military of the American Revolutionary War. These battles occurred in Massachusetts Bay Province, Middlesex County. The towns that experienced the wars were Lincoln, Concord, Lexington and Menotomy, presently called Arlington and Cambridge (Allison, 2011). The war marked the onset of a heated clash between the Great Britain Kingdom and the thirteen American colonies. The war was very crucial to the American government as the faulty image of the British and the innocent image of Americans were portrayed and maintained for the first round of the war. Since there was no exact-fact on who was to blame for starting the war, it was taken as a myth in the consciousness of the Americans, therefore causing a legend to overtake the truth. Patriots were taken as people fighting for their cause and not as innocent sufferers. The “Concord Hymn” was created to help Americans learn about revolution and forge the national identity. The Lexington Battle Green, the Lexington battle site has been listed as a National Historic Landmark with many commemorations memorials being set there as brought out by Allison, (2011).
Declaration of Independence on 4th July 1776
The US declaration of independence was a Second Continental Congress meeting pronouncement that took place in Pennsylvania on 4th July 1776 (Turner & Bogue, 2010). This declaration gave a reason why the thirteen American British colonies had regarded themselves as sovereign states that were no longer held by the British rule. The Americans regarded themselves as equal with the colonialists, thus the word sovereignty that came to be the best-known English term that contained the most consequential and potent meaning in American history. It also served as the primary model for other independence declarations around the world, starting from Latina America, Europe, Africa and Oceania as pointed out by Turner & Bogue, (2010). The view that all people were created equally later came to be the basis of the abolishment of slavery, as well as championing for human rights across the nation.
The Ratification of the United States Constitution on 21st June 1788
The constitution of the United States was set to become the official government framework after the New Hampshire state ratified the document as the ninth state out of the thirteen states. The process had been an arduous and a long one in the view of giving the nation a clear path of guidance and identity on the running of the affairs. The nation was being run by Confederation Articles before the ratification as discussed by Maier, (2010). The new document thus was designed for the newly formed country made up of states that were more of sovereign and independent countries, therefore calling for a government that was more strong, stable and centralized. This event, therefore, gave room for the inclusion of the bill of rights for the Americans. This process was thus based on Magna Carta (1215) and common law that came to be a basis of English liberty against the arbitrary power being led by a head of state (Maier, 2010). It also came to be an influence as a governance model worldwide.
Battle of New Orleans from 8th January 1815
This war was fought between the British army headed by Major General Sir Edward Pakenham against the US headed by Brevet Major General Andrew Jackson (Kanon, 2014). The war happened southeastern side of New Orleans, just 8km away and near Chalmette in Louisiana. The war happened just 18 days after the Ghent Treaty was signed that had ended the 1812 war as the agreement allegedly had not been recognized by the Americans from Europe. Despite America having a significantly weaker force, they won the war, suffering 330 casualties while the British having suffered about 2,000 casualties (Kanon, 2014). This battle is significant to the nation as it forced the British to recognize the US’ claim over West Florida and Louisiana as well as the ratification of the Ghent Treaty that brought an end to the war. The war also helped the US to be incorporated politically into the Union as pointed out by Kanon, (2014).
The Trail of Tears from 16th May 1831 – 1st June 1839
The Trail of Tears was a series of movement where about 60,000 US Native Americans were forcefully relocated from the Southeastern US, their ancestral homeland to the Indian Territory, west of the Mississippi River. After the Indian Removal Act was passed in 1830, the government set out to relocate the Cherokee, Choctaw, the Chickasaw, Seminole and the Muscogee nations and the slaves from Africa (Sturgis, 2007). About 4,000 people died on their journey before they could reach their destination, after suffering from starvation, exposure, and diseases having been made to walk for about 97 kilometres. This event came to be regarded as a symbol of the history in America as it signified the callousness of the policymakers in the nation towards the Native Indians (Sturgis, 2007). The major effect of this event was the significant decline in the Native American population in the nation.
The Reconstruction of the United States from 1st December 1863 – 31st March 1877
It was a period in the US that followed the American Civil war as very crucial even in the history of the nation’s civil rights. This period saw the ending of the Confederate secession remnants and the abolition of slavery. Additionally, the period was defined by the attempts in the transformation of the former 11 Southern Confederate states through the direction of the Congress, and the function of the united states in the process of the transformation (Bois, 2001). This period was majorly focused on restoring the Union as well as transforming southern society. In the end, the reconstruction period became a major success in the history of America as the power of the 14th and the 15th amendments helped the African Americans be granted total civil rights