19th Century Time Line

Alina Mandzyuk

1850 1857

Landscape architect Fredrick Law Olmstead spearheaded the movement for planned urban parks. He and Calvert Vaux helped draw plan for what was selected to become Central Park, NYC.

1862

Homestead act was passed by congress, offering 160 acres of land, free to any citizen who was head of household. From 1862 to 1900, over 600,000 families took advantage of the offer.

1863

George M Pullman finalized design for the ‘Pioneer Car’. Founded Pullman Palace Car Company.

Henry Bessemer and William Kelly develop the Bessemer Process, a Technique that involves injecting air into molten Iron to remove Carbon and impurities.

Www.archives.gov

1863-64 1864 1864

Transcontinental Railroad was built across the western half of US, which linked existing railway network with eastern US. Atlantic and Pacific coasts connected for the first time.

American Railroad construction Company called the Credit Mobilier was set up. It was chartered by the federal government.

Colonel Chivington and troops descended on the Cheyenne and Arapaho on what is known as the Sand Creek Massacre. Attack was performed at dawn on November 29th, over 150 people were killed, mostly women and children.

1865

The term Political Machine came to height in the US. A political Machine is a group controlling activities of a political party in a city, they offered services to voters in exchange for political of financial support.

Www.manataka.org And www.boardsandbits.com

1868186718661866

Buffalo Soldiers formed on September 21, 1866 at Fort Leavenworth Kansas. They were originally members of the US 10th cavalry regiment of US army. The nickname was given to the “negro cavalry” by the African American tribes they fought. Synonymous with all African American regiments formed in 1866.

Social Darwinism Comes to height in US. Philosophy that grew out of the English naturalist Charles Darwins Theory of Biological Evolution. Economists found it a way to justify the Doctrine of Liassez Faire.

Oliver Hudson Kelley is father of the order of patrons of husbandry.

Tammany hall is headed by Boss tweed- Tammany halls graft.

Www.freemasonry.bcy.ca And www.stratamaxgames.com

1869

American entrepreneur and engineer George Westinghouse, invented the railway airbrake and was pioneer of electrical industry, invented in 1869. He also established the Westinghouse Airbrake Company on September 28, 1869

1870

Urbanization takes height in the US, as immigrants move to US. Cities grow rapidly, mostly in regions of northeast and Midwest.

1870

Reformers organize Civil Service Reform association to secure legislation to make reform permanent.

1870

John D Rockefellers Standard Oil Company processed 2-3% of the countries crude oil. He established the Rockefeller foundation, and provided funds for University of Chicago.

Www.biography.com.pp And www.time.com/rfeller

1871

The tweed ring--Boss Tweed was head of Tammany Hall, he led them in defrauding the city. In 1871 the tweed ring broke.

1873

The Vanderbuilt family gains wealth and fame. Cornelius Vanderbuilt was the wealthiest industrialist of his time. In 1873 he contributed 1 million to Central University.

1874

George A Custer reports that black hills have gold “from the grass roots down”, prompts gold rush. He and his troops reach Little Big Horn river and natives already awaited them, within an hour Custer and all his men of the 7th cavalry were dead.

1875

Eugene V Debbs was a spokesman for socialists. In 1875 helped organize Local Lodge of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen. He also formed the American Railway Union.

Www.biography.com.pp And en.wikapedia.org

1876

Sitting bull- “Takanka Lytanka” is leader of the Sioux. He agreed to live on the reservation along the Mississippi river.

1876

Thomas Alva Edison became a pioneer on the New Industrial Frontier when he established worlds 1st research laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey.

1876

Alexander G Bell and Thomas Watson unveil the telephone. Telephone opens the way for a worldwide communications network.

1876

Racial laws called the Jim Crow laws are passed in southern states. Made to separate white and black people in public and private facilities.

Www.Civfanatics32.com And Www.civfanatics.com/rb3 And www.pbs.com

1876

Literacy tests created for voters. Tested ability of reading, only those who passed were permitted to vote.

1876 1877

Chief Joseph and his ile long march to Canada. Journey included several imp700 followers (200 actual warriors) embarked on a 1,400 mressive victories against a US force that numbered over 2,000 soldiers. Later, exhausted, he surrendered, giving one of the greatest speeches in history.

1877

The Gilded age was a term coined by Mark Twain. It was a period from the end of reconstruction, charachterized by a greatly expanding economy and the emergence of plutocratic influences in the government and society.

1877

The Grandfather clause was created to rienstate voters who may have failed literacy test or could not afford the poll tax. Stated that if anyone encountered either issue, he could still vote if his father or grandfather were eligible to vote before January 1

Www.pinkmonkey.com/amgov Www.pinkmonkey.com Www.walking-spirit.com/chief joseph

1877

Poll tax was a requirement for voting. It was an annual tax that had to be paid before qualifying to vote. Often African Americans and poor whites prevented from voting.

1879

The dumbbell tenaments were introduced. They were cheap housing units, made in effort to reform. The first law that led to them was passed in 1879. later proved to be a failure.

1880

The National Farmers Alliance was an organized agrarian movement among american farmers. It included the farmers alliance and industrial union.

1881

Booker T Washington was a prominent African educator. He graduated from Virginia Hampton Institute. In 1881 he headed the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute.

Thegildedage.wikispaces.com

1883

Joseph Pulitzer bought “NY world war” in 1883, he pioneered popular innovations. The paper emphasized “sin, sex, and sensation” in attempt to surpass competitor William Hearst.

1884

Republican political activists who bolted the republican party by supporting democrate Grover Cleveland in election of 1884 were called Mugwumps. They switched because of finnancial corruption associated with republian James G. Blaine.

1885

Mark Twain was a novelist and humorist. He first used term “gilded age” wrote many books, including the classic “Adventures of Huckelberry finn”.

1885

The graft “system was at height, and very common. It was an illegal usage of political influence for personal gain.

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1886

Samuel Gompers led the Cigar makers International Union to join with other craft unions.

1886

The Colored Farmers Alliance was an organized agrarian movement among african american farmers in the south where the granger movement had been strong.

1887

Congress passed the Dawes Act, aiming to “americanize” native americans. Many reservations were broken. 160 acres of land were given to the head of households, 60 to those who were single. Government sold remianing reservations to settlers.

1887

Socialism origionates from the intellectual and working class. It was a political movement that criticised effects of industrialism and private property on society.

Thegrio.com and www.commons.wikimedia.org

1888

George Eastman developed a series of more convenient alternatives to the heavy glass plates previously used for photography. He introduced his Kodak camera 1888.

1889

Jacob Riis was a Danish American social reformer known for photographic and journalistic talents to help impoverished in NYC. Photographed the slums.

1889

Jane Adams was a pioneer settlement worker, founder of house in Chicago along with Ellen Gatesstar, one of the first social settlements in United States.

1890

Battle of the wounded knee took place in December. Custers 7th cavalry slaughtered 300 unarmed native americans. Brought the Indian wars/era to a bitter end.

Sparticus.schoolnet.co.uk feministezine.com

Melting Pot was a term becoming more common. More immigrants were coming in, etc. This term descirbed US as a land of different people and cultures.

1890 1890

Ida B Wells was born into slavery, later moved to Memphis where she worked as a teacher. She was later the editor of a local paper and wrote about racial justice.

1890

Sherman anit trust act made it illegal to form trusts that interfered with free trade between the states and other countries.

1890

Collective bargaining becomes a “famous” process of negotiations between a group of employers aimed at reaching agreements to regulate working conditions, a technique used for expanding industry.

Www.nativenotes.net Www.themanjimmy.blogspot.com

Settlement houses were established by a few reformers. They were community centers in slum neighborhoods that provided assistance for that area.

1891 1892

Omaha platform, a populist party, grew out of a agrarian revolt that rose because of the collapse of the aggriculture prices following the panic in1873.

1892

Ellis Island, New York harbor, a immigration station that was moved from Castle garden NY.

1895

W.E.B Dubois was the first African American to receive a doctorate from Harvard. Later on He founded the Niagra Movement.

Www.Uic.edu www.Italianamericanstudies.org

In the Plessy vs. Ferguson case, suoreme court rules sepatration of races in public was legal abd did not violate the 14th amendment. It Permitted segregation.

1896 1896

William McKinley was nominated by the republicans to run against William Jennings Bryan. Had millions of backing funds, received about 7 million votes, became pres..

1896

William Jennings bryan ran against William M. He received a low number of votes, and delivered an impassioned speech called the “cross of gold”.

1899

Andrew Carnegie was one of the first industrialists to make his own fortune. Started with nothing. Entered steel business in 1873, in 1899 the Carnegie steel company maufactured more steel than all companies in Great Britain.

Www.whitehouse.gov/25

1899

October 1899 Edwin Milton Royle hailded Vaudville Theatre as “an American invention”. Vaudville had sophisticated musicals, performances, etc

1902

Debt pionage forced some Mexicans and African Americans to work in order to pay off debt to employers.

1903

Orville brothers experimented with new engines powerful enough to keep in air. On december 17, in Kitty Hawk NC they had the first sucessful flight. It covered 120 ft and lasted 12 seconds.

1905

Construction for Angel island starts. It was an immagration station for primarily the Chinese. More harsh condition than thos of Ellis Island.

Www2.uwrf.edu www.myjetreview.com/kittyhawk1 www. Immigration.procon.org