American History and Life Database
If you’re interested in learning more about the United States, then you need to start by reading the American History and Life database. This database covers the history of the United States and Canada, and it contains information from over 2,000 journals worldwide. It includes articles, book reviews, media reports, dissertation abstracts, and more. The database’s indexing terms are based on standard authorities. This database is available for TCNJ campus users.
The founding of the nation is an important moment in American history. It is a time of change and development. America was founded on the principles of individual rights and equal government for all. With this change came the beginnings of free market capitalism, the American Dream, and the Federalist Party. The founding fathers were men of the American Revolution. George Washington, the commander of the Continental Army, served as the first President of the United States in 1789. In 1790, the national capital moved from New York to Philadelphia. By 1800, the national capital was moved to Washington DC.
Columbus came to the Americas in 1492, as a Spanish explorer. The voyage brought Old World diseases to the new land. These diseases caused massive declines in native populations. Columbus’ explorations took place from Spanish possessions, which resulted in the Spanish conquistadors forming a vast empire in Central and South America. Ponce de Leon’s landing near St. Augustine in 1513 was the first official landing in the continental United States.
In the years that followed the Revolutionary War, the country’s westward expansion changed dramatically. Slavery was abolished in the northern states, and African slaves began to receive their rights. A number of slaves were freed and the number of blacks freed increased significantly. By the end of the nineteenth century, African slaves comprised about 5% of the American population. The American Dream was not an instantaneous achievement and the American people were grateful for it.
The 1920s were a time of widespread prosperity in the United States. However, widespread economic collapse was triggered by the Stock Market Crash, or the Great Depression, on October 29, 1929. The ensuing deflation in the United States resulted in a staggering unemployment rate of 25%. Farm prices plummeted by half, and manufacturing output dropped by one-third. The President of the United States, Franklin Roosevelt, became a public figure during the Great Depression, and he visited Brazil in 1936.
The American Revolution started in the 17th century with the Declaration of Independence, which was signed by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia. General George Washington and other leaders led by George Washington reclaimed the Americas and declared independence from Great Britain. The British responded by imposing the Intolerable Acts, stripping the colonies of their rights and putting them under military rule. The Intolerable Acts created uproar in the thirteen colonies and spurred Patriot leaders from each colony to organize the First Continental Congress, calling for the boycott of British trade and publishing a list of grievances against the British. Ultimately, in the 1760s, the United States had incorporated the Louisiana Territory from France, and this move doubled its size.
The United States became the leading industrial power at the turn of the twentieth century, thanks to the contributions of thousands of immigrants and entrepreneurship. This nation also completed a national railroad system, large factories, and mines. Mass dissatisfaction led to the Progressive movement and other reforms, such as the federal income tax and direct election of Senators. Many women were granted the right to vote in 19th century and in the early twentieth century.