A Brief History of the USA Unit Two History Lesson 4 A Brief History of the USA A Brief History of the USA

The historic periods of the USA Pre-Colonial America English Colonial America (1067-1776) Forming of the USA (1776-1849) The Civil War (1861-1865) Rapid Growth of Economy (1865-1918) A Brief History of the USA

Pre-Colonial America Who were the very first Americans? The present-day United States was originally populated by people migrating from Asia via the Bering land bridge starting some 20,000 years ago. These people became the indigenous people who inhabited the Americas before the arrival of European explorers and who are now called Native Americans. A Brief History of the USA

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus was the first European to set foot on what would one day become U.S. territory when he came to Puerto Rico in 1492. He thought he had reached India, so he named the local people Indians, not knowing that he had discovered a New Continent. The Spain grabbed enormous wealth from the Indians. A Brief History of the USA

Amerigo Vespucci He proved that the land was not India, therefore the land was named America after him. A Brief History of the USA

English Colonial America (1067-1776) The first English colony in the Americas was founded at Jamstown, Virginia in 1607. (organized by the London company) A Brief History of the USA

The Second settlement In 1620, Puritans—the Pilgrim Fathers sailed for Virginia aboard the ship Mayflower. Reason to flee from England: to avoid the religious persecution Landed in what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts. A Brief History of the USA

Puritans Intolerant moralism American values (individualism, hard work, respect of education) A Brief History of the USA

Catholic Maryland (the third settlement) Lord Baltimore have his feudal plan executed. Quaker Pennsylvania (the fourth colonial place) William Penn Experiment The spirit of liberty and equality The idea of the melting-pot was first practiced here. Influence Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. A Brief History of the USA

Forming of the USA (1776-1849) The War of Independence The prelude ---13 colonies (desired more power to determine their own business), ---the British government (collect more taxes from the colonies.) conflict repealed in 1766 A Brief History of the USA

---This took away the tea business from American tea merchants. ---the British government (sell tea at a lower price in the colonies through its own people.) ---This took away the tea business from American tea merchants. --- the famous Boston Tea Party in 1773 which was considered as the prelude of the War of Independence. A Brief History of the USA

The War of Independence ---In September 1774, the First Continental Congress was held in Philadelphia, which encouraged Americans to refuse to buy British goods. Colonial militia units were oraganized. ---The shot at Lexington on April 19, 1775 started the War of Independence. A Brief History of the USA

The Second Continental Congress Held in Philadelphia in May 1775 Assume the functions of a national government Founding Continental Army and Navy under the command of George Washington. Printing paper money and opening diplomatic relations with foreign powers. A Brief History of the USA

The Declaration of Independence was drafted by Thomas Jefferson. A Brief History of the USA

Process of the War Q. How did the war develop? And which battle marked the turning point of the war? It dragged on for seven years. Obstacles for the continental army: No enough supplies. Tired and hungry, while British troops fresh and well-equipped. By the middle of December, 1776, the Revolution seemed lost. The victory at Saratoga (1777, October)—turning point. 此处加入视频文件 Movie: Patriot (爱国者)片段 A Brief History of the USA 15

On October 19, 1781, the British general Cornwallis was forced to surrender, the war came to an end. The two parts signed the Treaty of Paris in 1783—America won its independence A Brief History of the USA

The Establishment of Constitution On May 25, 1787, the constitution was drafted. In June 1789, the constitution came into effect in nine states. Ten amendments—The Bill of Rights—were added to the Constitution in 1791. George Washington became the first President of the United States. A Brief History of the USA

3.1 Causes of Civil War Q. What was the essential cause of the Civil War? 1) Economic reason: two different economic systems 2) Political reason The North— Federal Government as a union The South— The Confederate Government: the independence of each state A Brief History of the USA

The Civil War broke out on April 12, 1861 The Civil War broke out on April 12, 1861. President Abraham Lincoln won support for the Union at home and abroad by making the war a just war against slavery. A Brief History of the USA

3.3 The Fierce War Challenges Abraham Lincoln faced: first priority—keeping the United States one country freedom for black people—secondary objective He issued the famous Emancipation Proclaimation. A Brief History of the USA

Gettysburg—turning point of the war Union army defeated one Confederate army Gettysburg’s address on 1863 A Brief History of the USA

The Thirteenth Amendment After a series of battles, the Confederate army surrended on April 9, 1865, and five days later Lincoln was shot dead by actor John Wilkes Booth. In December, the Thirteenth Amendment, which banned slavery, was added to the Constitution. The Thirteenth Amendment A Brief History of the USA

4.2 Post WWI to the 1940s The booming 1920s The 1920s election—the first for women voted for a presidential candidate. prevailing prosperity A Brief History of the USA

In 1929 the stock market crashed. 4.2 Post WWI to the 1940s The Great Depression In 1929 the stock market crashed. Core of the problem—immense disparity between the productive capacity and the ability of people to consume A Brief History of the USA

4.2 Post WWI to the 1940s Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal In 1933 Roosevelt rallied the people to the banner of his program, known as the “New Deal”. It helped the country get out of the depression “fireside chat” A Brief History of the USA