Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[chrisjh89]

Hello
I'm Chris in Korea.

I'm going to America this year.
So I have to learn about USA.

Could you teach me about history of USA?

[Bob S.]

Here is a good link with general information about U.S. History.
http://www.learner.org/biographyofamerica/

In a nutshell, the history goes something like this:
The U.S. started as a group of European colonies eventually all under the control of England. In 1776, the colonies delcared their independence from England, started a revolution that lasted a couple years, and formed a Continental Congress.
In 1789, the colonies ratified a new Constitution to form a stronger union of states. This gave us our congress, president, and supreme court and the separation of powers into 3 independent branches of government.
In 1802, the United States purchased the colonial territory formerly claimed by France. This was called the Louisiana Purchase and greatly increased the size of the United States.
In 1812 there was another little short-lived war with England.
Through the 1800's, the United States continued to push its boundaries westward (at the expense of native American tribes) and grew in size and population from European immigrants.
In 1861-65, there was a Civil War between northern states vs. southern states over issues of states' rights (sovereign powers independent of the federal government) and slavery. The north won and outlawed slavery.
Through more purchases, political treaties, and wars, the U.S. expanded across the continent to the Pacific Ocean. The new century brought Industrialization and the Labor Movement for workers' rights and labor unions.
The U.S. joined with its old enemy Great Britain against Germany in WW1.
The 1920's saw the start of Prohibition that outlawed alcohol drinks. The end of the 20's brought the collapse of the stock market and the start of the Great Depression and the near collapse of the economy that lasted through most of the 1930's. Prohibition was repealed.
The early 1940's brought another war with Germany and also with Japan to stop the expansion of fascism. The late 1940's saw the start of the Cold War to stop the expansion of communism which led to more wars in Korea (1950's) and Vietnam (1960's-70's).
The 1950's-60's saw the start of the Civil Rights movement to end racial segregation and discrimination. At the same time, a space race with the Soviet Union finished when the U.S. finally put Neil Armstrong on the moon.
That's pretty much it. The rest is details.