The Americans

A Rich History The first Americans lived all over the continent and developed different ways of life using local natural resources. Around A.D. 1500, Europeans arrived in the Americas. Because of the abundance of raw materials, European countries set up colonies in the Americas.

A Rich History The British colonists began to see themselves as Americans by the mid-1700s. From 1775 to 1781, the Americans fought a war and won their independence from Great Britain.

A Rich History In 1787 a group of leaders from the newly formed United States of America met to create the Constitution of the United States, a document used as a model for many countries’ constitutions.

A Rich History The United States is a representative democracy and a federal republic, or a government divided between national and state powers with a president who leads the national government.

A Rich History In 1861 the issues of slavery and states’ rights led several Southern states to secede, or withdraw from the national government, bringing about the Civil War (Union vs. Confederacy). At the end of the war, the Southern states were brought back into the Union, and slavery was abolished.

A Rich History Following the Civil War, economic growth attracted a great wave of immigrants. During the early 1900s, the United States became one of the leading economies in the world.

A Rich History The United States participated in two world wars. After World War II, the United States enjoyed great influence around the world. At home, however, some groups of Americans—women, African Americans, and Hispanic Americans—struggled for equality.

One Out of Many About 285 million people live in the United States, making it the third most populous country in the world. Americans have a very high standard of living.

One Out of Many Because the United States is a nation of immigrants, it has a diverse population with various ethnic groups. An ethnic group is a group of people who share a culture, language, or history that is different from the rest of the country’s population.

One Out of Many The official language of the United States is English, but you can hear many different languages spoken on American streets. The debate about bilingual education has not been settled to most peoples’ satisfaction one way or the other.

One Out of Many Americans have always been resilient. One of the first laws passed by the new country forbade the government to say which religion people should follow. At one time, our nation was made up entirely of rural, or countryside, areas.

One Out of Many Now we are a nation of urban, or city, dwellers. Americans often move from cities to the suburbs, or smaller communities surrounding a larger city. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Americans no longer felt as safe as they once had.

American Culture Many American artists and writers captured their environments with their works. Artists like Georgia O’Keeffe painted desert scenes. Winslow Homer painted the stormy waters of the North Atlantic.

Georgia O’Keeffe

Winslow Homer

American Culture Another theme in American literature focuses on the diversity of Americans that settled here. For example, the poetry of Langston Hughes and the novels of Toni Morrison portray the triumphs and sorrows of African Americans.

American Culture Many Americans visit national parks, areas set aside to protect wilderness and wildlife and offer recreation.