The History of the USA Overview

1
The History of the USA - Overview

• The first white settlers
• Independence
• Constitution
• Civil War
• Economic growth
• Depression and its consequences
• Post War Politics

2
The History of the USA Pilgrim Fathers

• 1620 Mayflower landed escaping persecution
• Puritans simple living no extravagance
• WASPs
• USA a British colony
• East Coast settlement
• Contact with natives

3
The History of the USA Declaration of
Independence

• 1776
• Preamble We hold these truths to be self-evident
  that all men are created equal, that God has
  given them rights which cannot be taken away.
  Among these are life liberty and the pursuit of
  happiness
• American War of Independence followed
• Flag of colonies contained 13 stripes

4
The History of the USA The Constitution

• Framed by the founding fathers
• 1787 meeting in Philadelphia
• 4 main principles
• Social Contract theory
• Representation
• people
• Federalism

5
The History of the USA The Constitution

• 1791 Bill of Rights
• 10 amendments to the constitution
• Defined the limits of government in relation to
  the people

6
The History of the USA The American Civil War

• Arose in the context of US expansion
• Key issue was over whether to extend slavery to
  the new states.
• Southern states decided to leave union and set up
  a confederacy
• The other states went to war to prevent this

7
The History of the USA Reconstructing the Union

• The victorious North had an ambitious plan to
  remodel the South
• 13th amendment abolished slavery, 14th gave full
  rights of citizenship.
• Some backlash in south by those who did not want
  racial equality e.g. KKK

8
The History of the USA The expansion of the
Union

• By 1800 there were 16 US states
• By 1850 there were 31 California the last of
  these in 1850
• By 1888 still only 38 most of Plains states yet
  to join
• Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska, Hawaii all
  joined in the last 100 years.

9
The History of the USA Economic and population
growth

• 1800 5.3 million1850 23.2 million
• 1900 - 76 million1950 -150 million
• 2000 275 million
• 1870 25 urban 75 rural
• 1990 75 urban 25 rural
• Huge economic growth through late 19th century
  and since e.g GDP of California alone is 7th
  largest in world

10
The History of the USA WW1 and American
isolation

• America joined WW1 in 1917
• Huge migration of blacks from south to North
  settled in ghettos
• Did not sign Treaty of Versailles or join League
  of Nations
• Anti-immigrant backlash at home - new laws
• Red scare fear of communism

11
The History of the USA Economic boom in the
1920s

• Prosperity to a level unknown Hoover a
  chicken in every pot
• Mass production hire purchase construction
  stock market appreciation
• Not all gained
• Laissez-faire government attitude
• Came to end in 1929 overproduction effects of
  Wall Street Crash

12
The History of the USA Great Depression

• Election of F.D Roosevelt in 1932
• New Deal and Alphabet agencies
• D. Kennedy the country was, in measurable
  degree, remade
• 3 key points
• FDR founded modern idea of American Welfarism
• Strengthening of Federal government
• Presidency transformed became key focus

13
The History of the USA The Truman Years

• Truman was Roosevelts 4th choice for Vice
  President in 1944
• Continued New Deal
• Had difficulties working with Congress
• Surprise win in 1948
• Responsible for Truman doctrine and containment
  set tone for Cold War

14
The History of the USA The Eisenhower Years

• Eisenhower Allies Supreme Commander in WW2
• Seen as a do-nothing President
• conservative when it comes to money, liberal
  when it comes to human beings Eisenhower
• Brought economic stability
• McCarthyism 1950-53 House un-American
  Activities Committee