Last Updated on May 29, 2023
The United States began with the Clovis people (first Americans) around 15000 BC. An ancient settlement found near Clovis gave them their name. They created interesting civilizations, forming tribes and nations and developing their own culture. Among the culture that exists are; the Adena culture, the Iroquois culture, the coles creek culture, and the Mississippian culture. In the 16th century, many saw transformations and moved towards reorganized polities elsewhere. The United States was called the United Colonies in the late 15th century when the European Colonization of the Americas began.
In 1492, a Spanish expedition headed by the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus sailed West and arrived at a place known to the Europeans as the new world. Columbus opened paths for Western Europeans, leading to the formation of nations like the US, Mexico, and Canada. The U.S. federal government granted a holiday in honor of Columbus in 1937. The United States celebrates Columbus Day on October 10, honoring Christopher Columbus’ landing in the new world.
In 1493, more ships sailed to the new world to establish colonies and trade posts. The Spaniards began building their American empire using islands such as Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola as bases. They expanded greatly, establishing colonies in East and North Americas, Caribbean islands, and a small South American coast. The first successful English Colony Jamestown was established on the James River in Virginia. The colonies expanded fast and more people settled in.
Exploration, Colonization, and the American Revolution
In 1499, an Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci explored the new nations through Columbus’s voyages. The Spanish explorers believed that the new nation at that time was a part of eastern Asia, so they referred to it as the Indies, but no name was given to it. Amerigo believed in and discovered a new continent, he called South America the New World. In 1507, America was named after him in recognition of Vespucci’s understanding. “America” is a Latinized version of Amerigo.
In 1607, the Thirteen Colonies, a group of colonies of Great Britain settled on the Atlantic coast of America. Each of the colonies had different government structures, to vote taxes and make laws. In the 1760s, the thirteen British colonies occupied 2.5 million people. The political development of the colonies caused the French and Indian War. Britain beat the french forces and the french lost their colonies, territory, Canada, and Louisiana.
The American Revolution: From Taxes to Rebellion
The war was costly and the British needed money so they imposed a series of taxes on the colonies including the Stamp Act of 1765, disapproving the constitutional argument of the colonists that the new taxes needed their approval. In resistance to these taxes, in 1773, the Boston Tea Party was held in Boston to protest against the new tax. The Parliament responded the next year stripping Massachusetts of its historic right of self-government and putting them under army rules. Armed conflicts began in Massachusetts in 1775, the colonies gathered to create their first continental congress, published their rights and grievances, and petitioned the king but this appeal had no effect. The colonies began a rebellion against the British rules.
The American Revolutionary War, Independence, and the Expansion of the United States
The American Revolutionary War was led by George Washington from 1775 – 1783 as the commander in chief, the Americas captured the British invasion army at Saratoga in 1777, secured the North East, and encouraged the french to make a military alliance with the United States. French brought in Spain and Netherlands, thus balancing the military and navy forces on each side as British had no other ally.
In 1776, in Philadelphia, the second continental congress declared the independence of the colonies as the United States. Thomas Jefferson is the first person who named and drafted the Declaration of Independence. The declaration started with “A Declaration of the Representatives of the United States of America” on July 4, 1776. The abbreviation U.S.A had its origins as a way the government inspectors approved official gunpowder and stamped the U.S.A on the casks as a mark in August 1776.
The Formation and Expansion of the United States: From Independence to Westward Expansion
George Washington was the first president and Alexander Hamilton was his chief adviser, a strong central government was created. The treaty of peace in 1783 ended the American Revolution and forced Britain to recognize the United States as an independent nation thereby establishing the borders of the new nation. A new constitution was created in 1789 and a bill of rights, the first ten amendments to the constitution were added in 1791 to guarantee inalienable rights. In 1803, a deal was made by United President Thomas Jefferson. He purchased the Louisiana Territory with up to 15 million U.S dollars from France which doubled the size of the United States. He oversaw the expansion of American territory in the West.
Key Events in United States History: Civil War, American-Spanish War, World War I, World War II, Civil Rights Movements
In 1860, after the election of Abraham Lincoln as president, the civil war began as the southern states attacked the others due to controversies over the enslavement of black people. The United States was led by Abraham Lincoln supporting the abolishment of slavery in all territories. War broke out in April 1861 when Confederate troops fired on Fort Sumter in South Carolina. After 4 years of war (1861 – 1865), the union achieved its victory and the confederate were defeated. Slowly, the nation restored national unity and created more industries.
In 1898, the American-Spanish war happened, Spain loses Cuba, Americans won in some battles and U.S.A got Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippine Islands. At the beginning of the 20th century, World War 1 started. Due to the attack of Germany on the American ship and due to the intention to make Mexico against the U.S. The Americans joined the allies. After this event, the economy was good until the depression which started in 1929 and shocked the world. Making a base on which World war II will start, the United States joined the allies after being attacked at pearl harbor on December 7th, 1941 by the Japanese empire.
World War II and Civil Rights: A Changing America in the 20th Century
Americans fought a distant war in the Europe pacific and provided supplies to Europe getting closer to the Japanese. The war ended on May 8, 1945, with Germany capitulating in May and Japan in September dropping two nuclear bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In the 1960s, the waves of civil rights movements started and freedom of movement for African-Americans and other racial minorities.
Some Interesting Facts About The United States Of America
The U.S.A is the Federal Republic of 50 States. It occupies the middle latitudes of the continent, the state of Alaska at the Northwestern extreme of North America, and the Island state of Hawaii in the mid-pacific ocean. It is bounded on the north by Canada, on the west by the Pacific Ocean, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the south by the Gulf of Mexico. The fourth largest country in the world and its capital is Washington, D.C. The United States holds immense economic power due to its rich natural resources, agricultural output, and developed industry.
The Evolution of the U.S. Flag: Symbolism and Design
The stars and stripes U.S. flag includes 13 white stripes that represent the British colonies. On June 14th, 1777, a flag resolution added a blue field with white stars, symbolizing each state. As more states joined, we included additional stars. In 1795, they made a decision to maintain 13 stripes on the flag, representing the original colonies. Currently, the flag features 50 stars, symbolizing the 50 states. Robert G. Heft designed the current U.S. flag in Lancaster, Ohio, when he was 17 years old.
Historical Landmarks and Celebrations in America
The early settlers in America introduced the first-ever Thanksgiving in 1621 to celebrate the harvest feast held by the Pilgrims of Plymouth, Massachusetts. When Henry VII became the head of the Church of England, he reformed the traditional Catholic feast days and introduced Thanksgiving days.
The people in the U.S. and Brazil now celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November as a way to give thanks for the blessing of the harvest. The feast includes turkey, mashed and sweet potatoes, and vegetables, typically followed by pumpkin pie.
The Statue of Liberty: A Symbol of Freedom and Friendship
The people of France formally gifted the Statue of Liberty, known as “Liberty Enlightening the World” to the United States as a symbol of friendship. Frederic Auguste Bartholdi sculpted the statue, while a French engineer named Gustave designed its framework. The statue stands on Liberty Island in New York and serves as a universally recognized symbol of freedom and democracy. On October 28, 1886, they established it.
The Gateway Arch: A Monument to Westward Expansion in St. Louis
Eero Saarinen, a Finnish-born architect, designed the Gateway Arch, also known as the “Gateway to the West,” in 1947. It’s a monument in St. Louis Missouri and sits along the west bank of the Mississippi River. It commemorates President Thomas Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase and St. Louis’ pivotal role in westward expansion. They initiated the construction on February 12, 1963, and completed it on October 28, 1965. It is the world’s tallest at 630 feet tall.
Conclusion
The United States of America is a country that obtained its independence on July 4th, 1776 and is located in North America, and has maintained a position of being the world’s largest economy since 1871. The economic superpower moniker often attaches to it due to its quarter share in the global economy. Its currency is the U.S Dollar. America has around 319 million people, spans 3.8 million square miles, and New York is its largest city.
Fast food’s popularity and convenience since the 1950s contributed to two-thirds of Americans becoming obese. The first American hamburger joint opened in 1921, McDonald’s opened in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant and later changed to burger in 1948. Now, McDonald’s is the world’s largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants.
America has a huge impact on global culture and Hollywood is well-known as the center of entertainment. The United States of America is a home for all with a motto of “In God We Trust“.
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