B Y: R O G E R A G U I L E R A

FIVE MOST SIGNIFICANT

D AY S I N A M E R I C A N
HISTORY

CALIFORNIA
GOLD RUSH
When gold was discovered in 1848,

people poured into California to

prospect the "golden mountains."

The gold rush created a major labor

shortage as many Californians left

their jobs and went to the gold fields

more opportunities in the economic

scheme of things. Manufacturing,

trade, merchant businesses,
agriculture, entertainment market,
and the newly formed banks and
financial institutions all flourished and
prospered because of the gold rush

BATTLER OF
A N T I E TA M
W A S T H E B L O O D I E S T S I N G L E D AY I N

A M E R I C A N H I S T O R Y, W I T H M O R E T H A N
6 , 0 0 0 U N I O N A N D C O N F E D E R AT E
S O L D I E R S K I L L E D O R M O R TA L LY
WOUNDED

A N T I E TA M W A S T H E M O S T I M P O R TA N T

TURNING POINT OF THE WAR

A N T I E TA M E N D E D T H E
CONFEDERACYS BEST CHANCE FOR
FOREIGN INTERVENTION.

T H E B AT T L E R A L L O W E D A B R A H A M

LINCOLN TO ISSUE THE

E M A N C I PAT I O N P R O C L A M AT I O N
S AV E D A B R A H A M L I N C O L N F R O M A

R E S O U N D I N G D E F E AT I N M I D T E R M
ELECTION

HOMESTEAD
STRIKE
B AT T L E B E T W E E N S T R I K E R S A N D

P R I V AT E S E C U R I T Y A G E N T S O N J U LY 6 ,
1892

WORKERS SOUGHT TO KEEP CARNEGIE

STEEL FROM DISBANDING THE UNION,

CUTTING WAGES, AND SCALING BACK
WORKERS' CONTROL IN THE
WORKPLACE

W H I L E T H E H O M E S T E A D E V E N T U A L LY

L O S T I T S B AT T L E , T H E Y M A N A G E D T O
TA K E C O N T R O L O F T H E T O W N A N D T H E
PLANT FROM ONE OF THE UNITED
S TAT E S L A R G E S T C O M PA N I E S F O R
FOUR MONTHS, EVOKING THE
S Y M PAT H Y A N D S O L I D A R I T Y O F
A C T I V I S T S N AT I O N W I D E .

ALBERT EINSTEIN
LETTER TO FDR
T O L D F D R T H AT U R A N I U M C A N B E

U S E T O C R E AT E N U C L E A R B O M B S
T H E R E S U LT: T H E U . S . D R O P P E D A

NUCLEAR WEAPON ON HIROSHIMA,

J A PA N , O N A U G . 6 , 1 9 4 5 , A N D T H E
GERMANS NEVER DEVELOPED A
WEAPON OF THEIR OWN.
EINSTEIN TOOK FULL

RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS

CONSEQUENCES, CALLING IT "THE
G R E AT E S T M I S TA K E " O F H I S L I F E .

THE GREAT
DEPRESSION
FDR INTRODUCED PROGRAMS BETWEEN 1933

AND 1938, DESIGNED TO HELP AMERICA PULL

O U T O F T H E G R E AT D E P R E S S I O N B Y
A D D R E S S I N G H I G H R AT E S O F U N E M P L O Y M E N T
AND POVERTY

S T R I C T T R A D I N G A N D B A N K I N G R E G U L AT I O N S

WERE PUT IN PLACE, AS WELL AS FINANCIAL

P R O T E C T I O N S , E N F O R C E D B Y T H E N E W LY
FORMED SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION (SEC) AND THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT
I N S U R A N C E C O R P O R AT I O N ( F D I C ) .

E X PA N D E D R O L E O F G O V E R N M E N T
M A S S M I G R AT I O N PAT T E R N S E M E R G E D D U R I N G

T H E G R E AT D E P R E S S I O N , W I T H P O P U L AT I O N S
SHIFTING FROM RURAL AREAS TO URBAN
CENTERS.