Overview
This lecture provides a comprehensive history of the United States from pre-Columbian times through colonization, independence, civil war, industrialization, global conflicts, and into the modern era, highlighting major events, movements, social changes, and political developments.
Early America and Colonization
- Native Americans developed complex societies before European arrival.
- Norse explorer Leif Erikson established settlements in North America around 1000 CE, later abandoned.
- Columbus's 1492 voyage initiated European exploration and colonization in the Americas.
- Early European settlements included Spanish St. Augustine (first permanent), English Jamestown (first successful English), and Plymouth (founded by Pilgrims seeking religious freedom).
- European diseases devastated Native populations; conflicts and alliances shaped colonial expansion.
Colonial Growth and Conflict
- Colonization expanded with English, French, Dutch, and Spanish settlements.
- Trading, agriculture, and the transatlantic slave trade (Triangle Trade) fueled economic growth.
- Colonial wars (e.g., King Philip's War, French and Indian War) shaped North America's political landscape.
Road to Independence
- Post-1763, British taxation (Sugar Act, Stamp Act, Townshend Acts) without colonial representation led to unrest ("no taxation without representation").
- Events like the Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party increased tensions.
- Intolerable Acts prompted the formation of the First Continental Congress.
- Revolutionary War began in 1775; Declaration of Independence signed July 4, 1776.
Revolution and Foundation of Government
- Continental Army led by George Washington; key victories at Trenton, Saratoga (secured French alliance), and Yorktown (British surrender).
- Articles of Confederation created a weak central government; replaced by the Constitution in 1787.
- U.S. Constitution established federal system with executive, legislative, and judicial branches; Bill of Rights added fundamental freedoms.
19th Century Expansion and Division
- The U.S. expanded westward under the concept of Manifest Destiny; acquired territories through purchase (Louisiana), war (Mexican-American War), and treaties.
- Native Americans were forcibly relocated (Trail of Tears).
- Slavery became increasingly divisive; the Underground Railroad aided escapes.
- Compromises (Missouri, 1850) tried to balance slave/free state interests; conflicts like "Bleeding Kansas" foreshadowed civil war.
Civil War and Reconstruction
- Abraham Lincoln's election (1860) led to Southern secession.
- Civil War (1861–1865): Union (North) vs. Confederacy (South) over states' rights and slavery.
- Major events: Emancipation Proclamation, battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg, Lee's surrender at Appomattox.
- Reconstruction (1865–1877): 13th (abolition of slavery), 14th (citizenship), and 15th (voting rights) Amendments; rise of Jim Crow laws after its end.
Industrialization and Gilded Age
- Rapid economic growth, urbanization, immigration, and westward expansion marked the Gilded Age (late 1800s).
- Wealth inequality, worker strikes, and labor reform gained attention.
- Progressive Era reforms addressed monopolies, labor standards, and social issues.
U.S. as a World Power
- Spanish-American War (1898): U.S. acquired Guam, Puerto Rico, Philippines, and annexed Hawaii.
- Panama Canal completed in 1914; increased U.S. international influence.
- U.S. entered WWI in 1917; contributed to Allied victory and global reordering.
20th Century Challenges and Changes
- Roaring 20s: Urbanization, new social norms, consumerism, Prohibition.
- Great Depression (1929) led to New Deal reforms under FDR.
- WWII: U.S. joined after Pearl Harbor, fought in Europe and Pacific, ended with atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
- Postwar: Cold War rivalry with USSR, Korean and Vietnam wars, Civil Rights Movement (Brown v. Board, Civil Rights Act 1964, Voting Rights Act 1965).
Modern America
- Social and technological change: Moon landing (1969), rise of computers and the internet, economic booms and busts (dot-com, Great Recession).
- Recent history: 9/11 attacks, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Great Recession (2008), first African-American president (Obama), increasing political polarization, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Ongoing issues: racial justice movements, climate challenges, and a deeply divided political landscape.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Manifest Destiny — The belief that the U.S. was destined to expand across North America.
- Articles of Confederation — The first constitution of the U.S., later replaced by the current Constitution.
- Emancipation Proclamation — 1863 declaration freeing slaves in Confederate states.
- Gilded Age — Era marked by economic growth and stark social inequality (late 1800s).
- Progressive Era — Period of social and political reform (early 1900s).
- Cold War — Period of tension and competition between the U.S. and USSR (1947–1991).
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights for foundational principles.
- Study major wars' causes, key events, and outcomes (Revolution, Civil War, WWI, WWII).
- Prepare timelines of major American social and political movements for reference.
- Read assigned primary sources: Declaration of Independence, Gettysburg Address, "I Have a Dream" speech.