American history
American history
The first colonization - it started 15 000 years ago
- the first inhabitants of this area were Native Americans - Indians
- they came from
Siberia across a land bridge to Alaska
- they settled all parts of today’s USA
- the sources of their livelihood
were hunting, fishing and later agriculture
The first discovery of America continent - it was in the year
1000 A.D.
- the inhabitants were Vikings under the leadership of Leif Erickson
-
they didn’t settle there, because they didn’t be able to attack to Indians
The second discovery of America
continent - it was in October 1492
- the discoverer was Christopher Columbus and his expedition
- they discovered Caribbean
- Columbus wanted to find western way to India
- he proclaimed it as a Spanish
territory
- from this day, America became colonial land for many European countries
Colonies -
the colonial period started during the reign of Elizabeth I.
- the first colony was established in 1584 in
Virginia
- all settlers died because of lack of food
- the first town was Jamestown
which was built in 1607
- other colonies were built in 17th century
Pilgrim
Fathers - he came from Britain to America in 1620
- they looked for religious freedom
- they
made friends with Indians and settled here
- they eat roasted turkey, apple or pumpkin pie and gave thanks God
- they celebrate the great harvest on fourth Thursday in November ( now festival )
17th century -
in 1636 was founded the Harvard College
- in 1626 the Dutch bought
Manhattan island form the Indians for 24 Dollars
- in 1664 the British attacked this Island and took the town
of New Amsterdam
and renamed it New York
18th century - country along Mississippi
become the French territory - Louisiana
- later Napoleon sold this area to USA for 15 millions
dollars
- in 1754 there was a Seven Year’s War - between French and England
- after signing the
peace, the French lost Canada and the American Midwest
The Boston Tea Party 1773 - the first attack
-
English king pushed up the entrance duty from the colonies
- then started the war of independence of the 13 American colonies
- on
4th July 1776 was signed the Declaration of Independence which was
written by Thomas Jefferson
- the first elected president of independent USA became George Washington
- the capital became Washington D.C.
Colonies - the colonies expanded to the west and discovered the California
- northern
colonies: industrial - textile factories, where worked free workers
- southern colonies: agricultural - cotton plantations, black
slaves from Africa
- black slaves were unprivileged peoples without laws who must work
Gold
rush - gold was found in California
- many of men became rich, but many of them died
- it changed the picture of the west,
because many new towns were founded
Civil war - Abraham Lincoln wanted to abolish the
slavery and was assassinated
- there was a civil war which is called the North against the South
- this war
finished on 1866 by victory of North
Time of prosperity - after the finishing of the
civil war
- there were many inventions: Edison’s electric bulb, Bell’s telephone, railway
- the new social rank -
businessmen ( factories, banks, mining industry )
Great Depression - the stock
market in New York crashed in 1929
- many Americans lost their jobs and homes
- president Franklin D.
Roosevelt introduced his plan of the economic and
social policy called New Deal
The First World War - USA wanted to stay neutral
- when German submarines sank Lusitanian, they joined war
-
Americans were the ally of Great Britain
The Second World War - the emigrants from
Europe came to America
- Americans wanted to be neutral
- they only supported Allies with material
- but after Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor, they dropped the Atom bombs on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
-
Americans were the ally of Great Britain, France and Soviet Union
After the Second World War - began the great
development of the USA
- there were two world’s superpowers - the USA and the Soviet Union
- America financially
supported countries of communism
- the USA formed NATO
Cold War - war between the USA and the Soviet
Union
- two conflicts between communistic and American blocks:
1. The Korean War ( 1950 - 1953 )
-
started as a local conflict
- the Soviet Union and China supported North Korea
- Americans sent their troops to South Korea
- the peace treaty was signed, but it didn’t change anything
2. The Vietnam War ( 1960 - 1973 )
-
the North-Vietnamese attacked American destroyers at Gulf of Tonkin
- America sent its soldiers to Vietnam
-
there died about 46 000 Americans
- in the USA there is a Vietnam memorial
- it meant the end worst relationship between America
and Soviet Union
Afghanistan 1979 - the Union Soviet attacked Afghanistan
-
the USA condemned this act
- relations between both countries were impaired
- the presidents R.W. Regan and G. Bush
lessened these bad relations
Zones.sk – Zóny pre každého študenta