Introduction
Period 6 of American history covers the tumultuous events that shaped the United States from 1865 to 1980. This article provides a comprehensive timeline of key events during this period, helping APUSH students navigate its complexities and gain a deep understanding of the transformative era.
Reconstruction and the New South (1865-1877)
- May 1865: Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrenders to Union General Ulysses S. Grant, marking the end of the Civil War.
- April 1865: President Abraham Lincoln is assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, plunging the nation into mourning.
- 1865-1877: The Reconstruction Era begins, with the goal of reintegrating the South into the Union and establishing equal rights for African Americans.
- 1865-1868: President Andrew Johnson’s Reconstruction plan emphasizes the preservation of white supremacy and state autonomy.
- 1867-1877: The Radical Republicans in Congress pass a series of Reconstruction Acts, including the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, which grant citizenship and voting rights to African Americans.
- 1870: Congress passes the Fifteenth Amendment, prohibiting states from depriving citizens the right to vote based on race.
- 1877: End of Reconstruction with the Compromise of 1877, which ensures Republican support in the South in exchange for withdrawing federal troops.
Industrialization and Urbanization (1877-1900)
- 1877: Invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell.
- 1879: Thomas Edison invents the incandescent light bulb.
- 1880: The population of the United States reaches 50 million, with the rise of large cities and industrial centers.
- 1881: Andrew Carnegie establishes Carnegie Steel Company, becoming a leading figure in the steel industry.
- 1883: The Brooklyn Bridge opens, connecting Brooklyn and Manhattan.
- 1890: Congress passes the Sherman Antitrust Act, aimed at preventing the formation of monopolies.
Imperialism and Expansion (1890-1914)
- 1890: The United States annexes Hawaii.
- 1898: The Spanish-American War breaks out, leading to Spain ceding Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States.
- 1899: The United States acquires control of the Panama Canal Zone from Colombia.
- 1900: The Platt Amendment gives the United States the right to intervene in Cuban affairs.
- 1903: The Wright brothers make the first successful airplane flight.
- 1904: Theodore Roosevelt becomes President, advocating for a strong military and national expansion.
Progressive Era (1900-1917)
- 1901: Upton Sinclair publishes “The Jungle,” exposing the horrors of the meatpacking industry.
- 1906: Congress passes the Pure Food and Drug Act, establishing regulations for food and drug safety.
- 1913: The Sixteenth Amendment is ratified, instituting a federal income tax.
- 1913: The Federal Reserve System is created, giving the government control over the monetary system.
- 1914: The Panama Canal opens, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
World War I and Its Aftermath (1914-1929)
- 1914: Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria is assassinated, triggering World War I.
- 1917: The United States enters World War I on the side of the Allies.
- 1918: The United States passes the Espionage Act, limiting free speech and dissent during the war.
- 1918: Armistice Day (now Veterans Day) marks the end of World War I.
- 1919: The Treaty of Versailles is signed, ending the war and establishing the League of Nations.
- 1920: The Nineteenth Amendment is ratified, granting women the right to vote.
- 1929: The Great Depression begins with the stock market crash on Wall Street.
Great Depression and New Deal (1929-1939)
- 1932: Franklin D. Roosevelt is elected President, ushering in the New Deal.
- 1933: Roosevelt declares a bank holiday, temporarily closing all banks.
- 1933: The Federal Emergency Relief Administration is established to provide relief to the unemployed.
- 1935: The Social Security Act is passed, establishing a system of social welfare programs.
- 1938: The Fair Labor Standards Act is passed, setting minimum wages and maximum hours for workers.
World War II and Its Aftermath (1939-1949)
- 1939: World War II begins with the German invasion of Poland.
- 1941: The United States enters World War II after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
- 1942: The Japanese American internment camps are established, imprisoning Japanese Americans without trial.
- 1944: D-Day (June 6) marks the Allied invasion of Normandy, France.
- 1945: The atomic bombs are dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, ending World War II.
- 1945: The United Nations is founded as a global peacekeeping organization.
- 1947: The Truman Doctrine is announced, pledging American support for countries threatened by communism.
- 1948: The Marshall Plan is launched, providing economic aid to war-torn Europe.
Cold War and Civil Rights (1949-1968)
- 1949: The Chinese Communist Party comes to power, establishing the People’s Republic of China.
- 1950-1953: The Korean War takes place between communist North Korea and South Korea supported by the United States.
- 1955: Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
- 1957: The Soviet Union launches Sputnik, the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth.
- 1960: John F. Kennedy is elected President, promising a “New Frontier” of progress and equality.
- 1961: The Berlin Wall is built, dividing communist East Germany from democratic West Germany.
- 1962: The Cuban Missile Crisis brings the United States and the Soviet Union to the brink of nuclear war.
- 1963: Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas.
- 1964: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is passed, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
- 1965: The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is passed, providing federal oversight to ensure equal access to voting for all citizens.
Vietnam War and Social Unrest (1968-1980)
- 1968: The My Lai Massacre occurs in Vietnam, involving the killing of unarmed civilians by American soldiers.
- 1968: Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.
- 1969: Neil Armstrong becomes the first person to walk on the moon.
- 1973: The United States withdraws from Vietnam, ending the Vietnam War.
- 1974: Richard Nixon resigns as President due to the Watergate scandal.
- 1975: The Helsinki Accords establish a framework for cooperation between Western and Eastern Europe.
- 1976: The United States celebrates its bicentennial.
- 1979: The Iranian Revolution begins, leading to the overthrow of the Shah and the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Conclusion
Period 6 of American history witnessed transformative events that shaped the nation’s identity and standing in the world. From the Civil War to the Cold War, from industrialization to civil rights, this period of change and upheaval left an enduring legacy on the United States. Understanding the timeline and key events of Period 6 is crucial for APUSH students as they navigate the challenges and triumphs of this pivotal era.
