Homeschooling and American Heritage Girls has sparked an interest in history. Our Patriots recently completed the Our Heritage merit badge. Requirement #19 has them create a timeline of events between the founding of our country and the start of the Civil War. Each girl selected one event to research and share with the unit. We then compiled the pictures they brought to create a timeline.
Here is a list of events between 1787, when our constitution was written, and 1860, when Lincoln was elected president. I know I missed a few but these are some of the major events.
- Constitutional Convention drafts the US Constitution (1787)
- George Washington becomes president (1789)
- First 10 amendments to the Constitution written (1791)
- Eli Whitney’s cotton gin invented (1793)
- US capital moved to Washington DC (1800)
- Louisiana Purchase (1803)
- Lewis and Clark expedition (1804-1805)
- War of 1812 (1812-1814)
- Star Spangled Banner written (1814)
- Missouri Compromise (1820)
- Erie Canal (1825)
- Indian Removal Act (1830)
- Texas declares Independence from Mexico (1836)
- Trail of tears (1838)
- Mexican War (1846-1848)
- Gold Rush (1848-1855)
- Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852)
- Lincoln elected president (1860)
If you are looking to complete the Our Heritage Merit badge, check out these resources as well:
NOTE: The requirements have been simplified here. Please be sure to read the full text in the American Heritage Girl Handbook to make sure you fully understand the requirements.
