1) Emancipation Proclamation (1863): The first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, issued an order freeing all slaves in the confederacy.
2) End of the Civil War (1865): Abe Lincoln guides the north to victory in the Civil War and reunites the nation.
3) Women's right to vote (1872): Republicans Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton write the text of the 19th Amendment, which is introduced by Republican Senator Aaron A. Sargent of California. The Amendment was finally ratified in 1920.'
4) Victory in the Spanish American War (1898): Republican William McKinley achieves victory in the Spanish American War and forces Spain to give up its claim on Cuba.
5) Construction of the Panama Canal (1904): Under Republican Teddy Roosevelt, America takes control of the Panama Canal and builds it into one of the most crucial locations in world shipping.
6) First woman elected to U.S. House of Representatives (1916): "Jeannette Rankin, Republican from Montana, becomes the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives."
7) Construction of the Hoover Dam (1928): Calvin Coolidge signed a law allowing the construction of the Hoover Dam to begin.
8) Jessie Owens wins four gold medals in the Olympics (1936): Republican Jessie Owens humiliated Hitler by winning 4 gold medals in the Berlin Olympics. Owens said he "was treated marvelous by everyone. Anything any of the American athletes, including myself, wanted they got for us. My biggest thrill was when the American flag was raised after my victory in the 100 meters." FDR responded to Owens legendary victory by refusing to invite him to the White House, prompting Owens to say, "Hitler didn't snub me – it was FDR who snubbed me. The president didn't even send me a telegram." Truman also ignored Owens, but when Republican Dwight Eisenhower became President, he made him "Ambassador of Sports."
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9) Jackie Robinson becomes the first black American to play in the Major Leagues (1947): Republican Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball when the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Republican Branch Rickey, brought him up to the major leagues.
10) The Interstate Highway System (1956): Republican Dwight Eisenhower begins construction of the Interstate highway system.
11) Desegregating schools (1957): Dwight Eisenhower "deployed the 82nd Airborne Division to desegregate Little Rock’s government schools over the strenuous resistance of Governor Orval Faubus (D., Ark.)."
12) The First Asian-American U.S. Senator (1959): The first Asian-American senator, Republican Hiram Fong, is elected in Hawaii.
13) Civil Rights Act of 1960: "Eisenhower signs the GOP’s 1960 Civil Rights Act after it survived a five-day, five-hour filibuster by 18 Senate Democrats."
14) The Reagan tax cuts (1981): Republican Ronald Reagan revitalized the listless U.S. economy with tax cuts that created a massive surge of jobs, economic growth, and prosperity.
15) Collapse of the Soviet Union (1991): Ronald Reagan's tireless work against the Soviet Union finally paid off as it formally dissolved in 1991, while his former Vice-President, George H.W. Bush was in office.
16) The Gulf War (1991): George H.W. Bush formed a coalition that forced Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait.
17) Welfare reform (1996): After Clinton vetoed two previous versions of welfare reform, Republicans sent it back to him a third time and he finally reluctantly agreed to fulfill has campaign promise and sign the bill.
18) A Republican Congress balances the budget (1998-2001): Republicans in Congress forced an unenthusiastic Bill Clinton to balance the budget in his second term.
19) Retaliation in Afghanistan (2001): After the 9/11 attacks, Republican George W. Bush retaliated by driving the Taliban and their allies in Al-Qaeda from power. He then helped establish democracy in the country. Whether the nation will remain a democracy or how the war will be viewed by future generations is still unknown at this point.
20) Condi Rice becomes Secretary of State (2005): George W. Bush selected Condi Rice to be his Secretary of State. She was the first black woman ever to hold that position.
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