A-Z

The Battle of the Alamo continued on February 29, 1836. On this day, Santa Anna sent troops to block Texan reinforcements while Mexican forces surrounded the Alamo.

The Battle of the Alamo continued on March 1, 1836. On this day, Texan reinforcements arrived from Gonzales. Cold temperatures continued, and Mexican forces moved closer to the walls of the Alamo.

The Battle of the Alamo continued on March 2, 1836. On this day, the Texas Provisional Government at Washington-on-the-Brazos declared independence from Mexico.

The Albany Congress took place in Albany, New York, in June and July of 1754. It was a meeting between colonial leaders and leaders of the Iroquois and restored the Covenant Chain between the Six Nations and the colonies. During the proceedings, Benjamin Franklin presented the Albany Plan of Union, which proposed an intercolonial government for the British Colonies in America.

The Albany Plan of Union was proposed by Benjamin Franklin and called for the formation of a permanent federation of the American colonies.

This draft of the Albany Plan of Union was called "Short Hints towards a Scheme for a General Union of the British Colonies on the Continent" and was produced by the Albany Congress Committee on the date of June 28, 1754. This is the original text.

The Albany Plan of Union was approved by the Albany Congress Committee on the date of July 10, 1754. This is the original text.

Alcohol was integral to society and culture in Colonial America. Settlers from Europe maintained their drinking habits while developing uniquely American beverages and customs. Alcohol consumption, including beer, cider, and spirits, was frequent, widespread, and helped shape American norms in culture, politics, religion, and relations with Native American Indians and other minorities.

The Battle of Aldie was fought on June 17, 1863, during the Gettysburg Campaign. Union cavalry under Judson Kilpatrick clashed with Confederate cavalry near Aldie, Virginia. Union forces gained control of the town after fierce fighting but suffered heavy casualties and failed to discover the location or movements of Robert E. Lee’s main army. The inconclusive battle allowed Lee to continue his march northward, leading to the Battle of Gettysburg.

William Alexander was a Major General in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He rose to prominence for his brave defense of the American retreat at the Battle of Long Island and helped expose the Conway Cabal. He referred to himself as the Right Honorable William, Earl of Stirling, or Lord Stirling, because he believed he was the rightful heir to the title.

The Alien Act, also known as the Alien Friends Act of 1798, was the second of the Alien and Sedition Acts passed by the Fifth Congress in the wake of the XYZ Affair. It allowed the expulsion of people deemed dangerous during peacetime and applied to people from foreign nations that were not at war with the United States.

The Alien and Sedition Acts were four laws passed by the Federalist-controlled Congress and signed by President John Adams intended to reduce foreign influence in the United States and public criticism of the government. However, the laws were controversial and contributed to the rise of the Democratic-Republican Party to power in 1800.

Ethan Allen was a Revolutionary War hero, and leader of the Green Mountain Boys. He was also a key figure in the push for independence and statehood for Vermont.

The Battle of Amelia Springs was fought in Amelia County, Virginia, on April 5-6, 1865, during the Appomattox Campaign. Union and Confederate cavalry clashed after Union troops returned from a raid on the Army of Northern Virginia’s supply train near Painesville. The battle ended without a clear winner but helped force General Robert E. Lee’s retreating army to move around Jetersville.

America Secedes from the Empire documents the road the United Colonies took, from the Siege of Boston to the victory at Yorktown, to the 1783 Treaty of Paris. Although there were high and low points in the American war effort, George Washington and the Continental Army eventually prevailed, leading to the establishment and recognition of the independent United States of America.