The Creation and Development of USA
- American continent was settled from Asia in prehistory
- discovered by Vikings in the 10th ct. – forgotten
- for Europe, it was discovered by expeditions of Christopher Columbus in 1492.
Colonization efforts in North America (15th – 18th ct.)
- Spain: Mexico, Florida, territories west of the Mississippi
- Netherlands: part of the Eastern coast – New Amsterdam
- France: Canada, Midwest – along the Mississippi - Louisiana
- England: colonization of the Atlantic coast
Early settlers from England
- 1607 – John Smith – Virginia
- 1620 – Puritans from England (Pilgrim Fathers) on a ship called Mayflower arrived to Cape Cod,
Massachusetts – founded first colony – Plymouth (later area of Boston)
- Britain and France in war for territories in the half of 18thct., 7 years´ war (1756-1763), the British
gained part of French settlements in North America (Hurons on the side of the French, the Iroquois on
the side of the British – James Fenimore Cooper´s Last of the Mohicans)
The War for Independence and creation of USA
- 1773 - 13 British colonies on the East coast
- the British raised the taxes and duties, but colonists did not have representation in the parliament, they
increased duty on products from other parts of the world (tea, coffee, salt)
- 1773 Boston tea party – as a protest the colonists threw the loads of tea into the sea
- 1774- 1st continental congress in Philadelphia : deputies of the settlers challenged to fight the British
- 1775- the war between colonists and Great Britain started
- the colonists organized voluntary troops – „minute men“ (militia), supported by France – French
commanders
- 4th July, 1776 the 2nd Continental Congress published Declaration of Independence – (written by
Thomas Jefferson) proclaimed the formation of the United States of America
- 1777 – assembly accepted the confederation articles - constitution
- Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin – signators are called “Founding Fathers”
- 1st constitution in the world in 1789:
- democratic form of government, republic with free elections (for white, rich men) and the
union of 13 states
- „every man has a right for life, freedom and pursuit for happiness“
Task: What does it mean?
- legislative power - acts were accepted by the Congress – every member state has a vote, it
caused problems, the congress was divided into 2 houses – the House of Representatives (MPs
from all USA, elected by people within political parties) and the Senate (representatives of
member states)
- as executive power - institution of the president was created –– George Washington
- as judicial power – Supreme Court – can impeach the president
- gradually two political parties were formed : Democratic Party (donkey) vs. Republican Party
(elephant)
- The war for independence ended in 1783, the British accepted the USA as an independent country
Territorial expansion of the USA
In the half of 19th ct. territorial expansion of the USA in west and south
- 1803 – purchase of Louisiana: bought from Napoleon ´s France (Midwest, 15mil. $)
- Florida bought from Spain in 1819 (5mil. $)
- in 1845 Texas was annexed
- in wars against Spain - California (gold rush 1848) and against Britain - Oregon, Washington
- Alaska bought from Russia – 1867 (7mil. $, 2nd gold rush)
- during 19 ct., USA supported the national liberation struggle in South America against Spain
(Simon Bolívar), in order to fight outside of the US territory, the president James Monroe published
the Monroe doctrine in 1823 - protection of US interests in western hemisphere against European
countries, they can intervene anywhere in the world
- beginning of 20th ct., president Theodore Roosevelt, expansion in the Caribbean (Cuba, Haiti), in
the Pacific ocean (Hawaii, Japan, Philippines)
Population of USA
- the USA was established by colonists from Great Britain, in 1st half of 19th ct. immigration from
western Europe, in second half of 19th ct. from Italy, Ireland and Eastern Europe
- the original inhabitants (Indians, native Americans, indigenous) were being banished from their
territories, they were given territories beyond the Appalachian mountains, but later they were expulsed
to the west, behind the Mississippi (Cherokee -„Trail of Tears“), tribes had to settle in desert lands
- Indian revolts: the Sioux tribes revolted under command of chieftains Sitting Bull and Crazy
Horse, won in the battle of Little Big Horn in 1867 – the greatest victory for Indians
- the last tribe, which was resisting until beginning of 20th ct. the Apache: led by legendary chieftain
Geronimo
- all native Americans were forced to live in reservations in desert parts of USA, social problems until
today
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Native-American-Indian-Old-Photos/10150102703945578
- for labour on plantations, Americans imported black slaves from Africa to America
American Civil War (1861-1865)
- black slaves were used in Southern states - cotton plantations, in the North Europeans were used in
factories
- since 1820´s - movement for abolishment slavery- Abolitionism
- in Africa Liberia was established for freed slaves from USA
- slavery was refused by the Congress, but each state had different law about slavery and each new state
changed the ratio of votes in the Senate – when Abraham Lincoln became the president, 11 southern
states announced separation and formation of Confederate states of America , the civil war broke up in
1861
Union Confederation
- industrialised states in the North - agricultural Southern states
- numerous free European population - small white population, lots of slaves
- dense railway net - countryside, lack of food and industry
- commander: Ulysses Grant - commanders: Robert Lee, Stonewall Jackson
The Union had 3 goals to defeat the South:
1.) seize of the confederate capital city Richmond
2.) isolate Texas with occupation of the Mississippi
3.) naval blockade of South
- battles: Chattanooga, Yorktown, Bull Run, Gettysburg
- despite of better moral and due to supplies troubles Confederate armies lost the battles and
Confederation surrendered in 1865
- a few days after the end of war Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, he was shot at theatre
performance by John Wilkes Booth: „Sic Semper Tyrannis! “
USA until WWI
- abolition of slavery did not vanish racism, breaking human rights until 1960´s, attacks of racist
organization Ku-Klux-Klan
- period of reconstruction: 1865-1877 - restoration of South and bounding to the North, right to vote to
freedmen (liberated slaves)
- immigration from Europe (1,5 mil. Slovaks)
- fast growth of cities ( New York, Chicago, Philadelphia , Boston, San Francisco) and industries
(electricity, vehicles , telegraphy)
- USA became world power until WW 1
