American History

Every country has a story, but usually, we are most familiar with the history of whatever country we went to school in. If you went to high school in France, for example, the history you learned was probably very focused on France's story. Most countries take their history very seriously and believe it is very important to understand the events that shaped their land.

For this reason, students in the United States are taught a very US-centered approach to history, and study closely the events, wars, and movements that made America what it is today. The video below gives a very brief overview of events that are usually talked about in an American History Course:

Like many of the World's countries, the United States was first inhabited by it's indigenous peoples before being colonized by Europeans. Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, more and more Europeans arrived and due to disease and disruption, the numbers of Native Americans continued to decline.
By the 1700's, there were 13 well-established colonies of Europeans (mostly British) on the east coast of North America. However, the colonists living in "the new world" soon began to resent the British rule of the colonies and started a revolution that would eventually make the United States it's own country, with military general George Washington as their first leader.

A new government was formed, and the country started to grow and expand, with Americans moving further and further into the west. Several "minor wars" happened during the beginning of the 19th century, but they are overshadowed in the history books by the Civil War that went on during the 1860's.
The states did not agree on whether slavery should be allowed or not, and this actually split the country in two, until finally the practice was abolished by President Abraham Lincoln and eventually the war came to an end and the country was united again.

From there, the USA continued to grow, mature, and decide what position they would take in domestic and international issues. They participated as ally powers in both World Wars, stood up to Russia in the Cold War, including the Space Race, where Russia made it into outer-space first, but the USA made a comeback by being the first country to put a man on the moon.
But while some men were going to the moon, many people in the United States were still facing daily challenges due to racism and segregation. They began to demand their equal freedoms to live, work, and be part of society, which brought on the Civil Rights movement in the 1960's. Martin Luther King Jr. was an important leader of this movement, and his birthday is celebrated as a national holiday in the USA every year in January.

History is created everyday, and these days, the States continue to make history with the choices they make and the struggles they fight. Maybe you've seen on the news some recent challenges in the USA that have made international headlines. One day these events will be written in history books as well.
It's important that we understand the past and current events that a nation is facing when we plan to live, study, or visit there, so that we can better understand and respect their perspective and what's important to them. And even if we don't plan on going to the country any time soon, learning about their history can help us understand their culture and can even teach us lessons for our daily lives in our home country.

Katie Smith