A Guide to America History
Many Americans attribute the development of America to the values and virtues of their ancestors. Some attribute this to liberal democracy and the Founding Fathers’ wisdom. Others attribute it to the brutal treatment of native people and the importation of slaves from Africa. Regardless of the cause, Americans’ 400-year history is a fascinating look at the human condition. And, as an added bonus, it can be fun to learn about!
The United States is a relatively young country – it is only about 250 years old – and it only reached its current size in the mid-twentieth century. As the first European colony to achieve independence, it was a unique moment in history. It was also the first nation to establish sovereignty over its citizens. It was also a time of territorial expansion, economic growth, and social debates, and was plagued by both wars and peace. A period of healing from both the Civil War and the Reconstruction is still underway.
Another database containing scholarly articles on American history is America: History and Life. It is an index to citations for articles published in over two thousand journals from all over the world. It covers key English-language journals, major countries, and state and local history journals, as well as a targeted selection of hundreds of humanities and social science journals. The guide also contains a list of online collections, including newspapers, books, and monographs.
There are many important events in American history. The Emancipation Proclamation by Abraham Lincoln declared the slaves of the Confederate States free. The Thirteenth Amendment subsequently abolished slavery. During this period, the US gains the territories of Cuba, the Philippines, and the Philippines. The United States also annexes Hawaii and Puerto Rico. And after World War I, it intervenes in World War I and rejects the League of Nations. During the Prohibition era, the USA is plagued with gangsterism and illegal drinking joints.
The American RevolutionARY WAR was not the bloodiest war in the history of the United States, but it had more of an impact on the population. Neither side was particularly well equipped to fight it. George Washington wasn’t an exceptional general, but he managed to hold the country together until the British tired of the war and allowed it to end peacefully. The British, too, were tired of Napoleon and pushed aside the American Revolution.
In the early years of the twentieth century, the US becomes a major player in the world. It launches massive air strikes against Afghanistan to help the opposition forces defeat the Taliban regime. In the same year, President George H.W. Bush signs the Department of Homeland Security bill, which is the largest reorganisation of the federal government in fifty years. In addition to military interventions, the US also launches the space shuttle Columbia, which ends in tragedy when it breaks up in the atmosphere. Seven astronauts lose their lives as a result of the incident.
During this time, the United States began to expand and develop as an independent nation. The United States began as a group of marginal European outposts, weak, and fractious when it gained its independence. The thirteen original colonies quickly spread across North America, conquering many new territories, and creating the world’s largest economy. The ascent continued until the end of the twentieth century, when the country’s power surge was capped by the Cold War victory.