African American History

Go to the following website

https://www.infoplease.com/history/black-
history/timeline-key-moments-in-black-history
and make notes under the following questions.

* You will need to research some terms further.

1. What happened in 1619? What is slavery? *

In 1619, the first African slaves arrive in Virginia. Slavery means a person owned by
another person.
2. In 1793, which machine was invented? Why is this significant? *
In 1793, the cotton gin was invented. This is significant because it greatly increases the
demand for slave labour.
3. List the years there was a slave revolt. What is a slave revolt? *
There were slave revolt in the year 1800, 1822 and 1856. A slave revolt is an armed
uprising by slaves.
4. Briefly describe the American Civil War. What was its cause? *
In 1861, the Civil war was fought because of the slavery issue, the rights to ban slavery
in states.
5. What did President Lincoln do in 1863? Why was this significant? *
In 1863, President Lincoln declared freedom on slaves. This was significant because it
could be justified as a means of winning the war and suppressing the Southern rebellion.
6. In 1865, the KKK was formed. What does KKK stand for? * Who is this group? *
KKK stands for Ku Klux Klan. This group is a bunch of American white supremacist hate
group whose target are African-Americans.
7. List the significant events in 1868, 1869 and 1870.
1868: Black people were not recognised as citizens.
1869: Howard University was the country’s first black law school.
1870: Black people had the right to vote.
* Please turn over

8. What happened in 1931?

S.Singh 08/2019
 In 1931, Nine black youths are indicted in Scottsboro, Ala., on charges of having raped
two white women. After three trials, four boys are freed but five are sentenced to long prison
terms.
9. In 1955, what did Rosa Parks do?
In 1955, Rosa Parks refuses to give her seat at the front of the “coloured section of a
bus to a white passenger.
‘

10. Who were the Little Rock Nine? * (1957)

The Little Rock Nine was a group of nine black students who were blocked from
entering the school on the orders of Governor Orval Faubus.
11. Who was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr? * Which speech did he deliver in 1963? * What was
his speech about? *
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a social activist and Baptist minister. In 1963, he
delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. His speech was about civil & economic rights
and an end to racism in the United States.
12. What happened in Los Angeles in 1992? Who was Rodney King? *
In 1992, the first race riots in decades erupt in south-central of Los Angeles after a jury
acquits four white police officers for the videotaped beating of Rodney King. Rodney King was
an African-American construction worker who turned into a writer after surviving an act of
police brutality.
13. List some achievements by people who are of African-American background. *
1773: Phillis Wheatley is the first African-American who made the first book of poems
on various subjects (religious and moral).
1831: Nat Turner, an enslaved African-American preacher, leads the most significant
slave uprising in American history.
1870: Hiram Revels is elected as the country's first African-American senator.
1983: Gulon Bluford Jr. was the first African-American in space.
2001: Colin Powell becomes the first African-American U.S Secretary of State.
2002: Halle Berry becomes the first African-American woman to win the Best Actress
Oscar.
2002: Denzel Washington earns the Best Actor award.
2009: Sen. Barack Obama becomes the first African-American president of the United
States.
S.Singh 08/2019
 2015: Michael Bruce Curry becomes the first African-American Presiding Bishop of the
Episcopal Church.
2016: Simone Biles becomes the first African-American and woman to bring home four
Olympic gold medals in women's gymnastics at a single game.

S.Singh 08/2019