The United States of America is a land of immigrants, but it wasn’t always that way. The first people to settle in what’s now the United States were from Asia and crossed over from Siberia by way of Alaska. About 15,000 BC; these people were called “Mesoamericans” or “Paleo-Indians.” These first settlers hunted big game such as mammoths and mastodons. Which are now extinct—but they did not farm or make pottery.
Rich History of America
America’s flag was designed by Francis Hopkinson and his wife, Betsy Ross. It was flown for the first time on June 14, 1777 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 13 red and white stripes represent the original 13 colonies: Delaware; Pennsylvania; New Jersey; Georgia; Connecticut; Massachusetts Bay Colony (which later became part of Maine); Maryland; Virginia Colony/Rhode Island Plantations (which later became part of Vermont); South Carolina; North Carolina Colony/Kentucky County (which later became part of Tennessee); New Hampshire Colony (which later became part of Maine).
The blue field with 50 white stars represents both states and territories that have joined since then. Kentucky (1792), Tennessee (1796), Ohio (1803), Louisiana Purchase Territory 1804-1805), Indiana Territory 1805-1809), Illinois Statehood 1818) Mississippi Statehood 1817-1822) Alabama Statehood 1819-1821) Maine Statehood 1820) Missouri Statehood 1821) Arkansas Territory & Indian Reserve 1830-1836).
Colonization & Settlement, 1585-1763
The first permanent English settlement in America was established at Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. The settlers arrived with the idea that they would grow tobacco. But were unprepared for the harsh conditions of the New World. Most of them died from disease or starvation before their first harvest. Read more about the history of England.
Some of these early colonists were indentured servants who had signed contracts to work for others for a fixed period of time, usually seven years. At times this meant that a person who was ill-equipped to survive on their own could be sent across an ocean to live as cheap labor in another country.
Early Republic of 1754-1820s
In 1754, France and Great Britain went to war over control of North America (Including Canada, here you can read about the History of Canada. The conflict eventually drew other European powers into what became known as the Seven Years War.
In 1763, with French support gone and British soldiers occupying New York City and other cities on the East Coast, representatives from several colonies met in Philadelphia for a Continental Congress called by Pennsylvania delegate John Dickinson (1732-1808). They called on King George III of England to repeal taxes that had been levied against them without their consent (the Stamp Act) or face military action by their militias.
After some negotiations with Parliament failed to produce any results, representatives from nine colonies met again at Annapolis Maryland in September 1774 where it was decided that delegates should meet again at Philadelphia if necessary next year; this second meeting became known as “The First Continental Congress.”
Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861-1877
The Civil War was a major conflict that took place between 1861 and 1865, and it was fought between the Northern (Union) and Southern states. The war stemmed from disagreement over whether slavery should be allowed in newly-created territories as well as continuing disagreements surrounding the issue of slavery itself.
The Southern states wanted to maintain their institution of slavery, which benefited them economically but also had its drawbacks: slaves were considered property, so they could not legally marry or own property; slaves’ offspring were born into slavery themselves; slaves were often used for unpaid labor on plantations; there was an extremely high rate of mortality among enslaved individuals due to poor treatment and lack of medical care; etc…
The Northern states opposed slavery because they believed it violated their belief in equality for all people regardless of race/ethnicity/religion/sex/etc… They formed an alliance called The Union Army to fight against the Confederate States Army (CSA) who supported establishing new territories where slave owners would be able to keep their human property with them when they moved westward during America’s westward expansion period (mid 1800s).
After four years of fighting, casualties reached nearly half million deaths along both sides combined: over 600k total men died within these 4 years alone! This makes it America’s deadliest war ever fought by one country against another nation state since 1900 AD. In addition, another 700k soldiers suffered serious injuries requiring medical attention after being exposed multiple times during battlefront skirmishes…”
Gilded Age, 1878-1898
The Gilded Age was a period of US history between the end of Reconstruction in 1877 and the beginning of the Progressive Era in the 1890s. The term “gilded age” is an Americanism that describes a time when economic growth was fueled by industry, much like today’s information economy.
As such, it was an era during which money was used to buy power and influence. However, there were also many positive aspects to this period as well. As industrialization increased exponentially during this time period, many Americans were able to escape poverty for good; as new technologies developed and improved our lives; as literacy rates reached all-time highs—and as we began moving into cities at a rapid pace (this being one reason why immigrants were often met with hostility).
The Progressive Era to New Era, 1900-1929
The Progressive Era was a period of america’s political reform across the United States. It began in the 1890s and lasted until the 1920s. The main goal of this time period was to get rid of corruption in government, which they accomplished by having new laws passed.
During this time period, there were many people who wanted to change things for the better: Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson and William Taft were just some examples. One important thing that happened during this time period was Prohibition; it was basically a law stating that alcohol could not be consumed anywhere in America after 1920.
The Great Depression to World War II, 1929-1945
Lasting from 1929 until 1939. The Great Depression started with the Wall Street Crash of October 1929 and rapidly spread worldwide.
Within a few years, more than 10 million Americans were out of work (compared to less than 1 million in 2008), prices fell by 25 percent and wages by 33 percent; global trade collapsed by more than 50 percent as measured in US dollars. In 1931 alone, nearly half a million Americans starved to death or died of exposure. The crisis caused social upheaval across much of the world.
History of America: Postwar, 1945-1970s
In the early post-war years, the United States enjoyed a period of prosperity and economic growth. The 1950s are often remembered as an era of conformity, with many people following a similar lifestyle based on consumerism, family life, and suburbanization. In contrast to this perceived conformity, there were also many social changes taking place during this period. For example, African Americans in particular were gaining more rights and opportunities through the civil rights movement.
The 1960s saw even greater political change: President John F Kennedy was assassinated in 1963; Martin Luther King Jr was murdered in 1968; then Richard Nixon won election as president on a promise to end racial discrimination but ended up becoming embroiled in scandal after being caught covering up his role in Watergate (a break-in at Democratic Party headquarters).
By 1970s America was experiencing economic decline due to inflation caused by rising oil prices worldwide. Coupled with increasing unemployment rates within industrialized countries like the US where most goods were manufactured overseas instead by cheaper labor abroad (e..g Asia) which meant inflationary pressures could not be brought under control easily since they impacted all consumers equally regardless their income level so when prices go up quickly e..g 10% annually then wages must increase too otherwise you’ll have inflation!
History of America: Contemporary of 1968
The contemporary United States is an immensely diverse nation. It has become the world’s third largest country, with a population of over 300 million people. There are many different types of people in America, including Americans of European descent. African Americans; Native American Indians; Asian-Pacific Islanders; Hispanics/Latinos/Chicanos/Mexican Americans; and Middle Easterners. All these groups have come from different countries around the world to live in history of America.
No matter where you look in our country today—from Hollywood to Silicon Valley—you will see evidence of this diversity. Movies about immigrants like Coco. Or music videos celebrating black heritage like “Formation”; television shows featuring Latino characters like Julia Roberts‘ portrayal of Sofia Vergara‘s maid on Modern Family; and Apple products designed by CEO Tim Cook who identifies himself as gay despite his father’s disapproval (Apple).
America is a country that has seen many changes throughout its history. And each period has brought with it new developments and experiences. As we look back on the past, we can see how important our country’s heritage has been to shaping who we are today.
