American History

Stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific and encompassing more than 3.79 million square miles, the United States of America has a remarkable diversity of landscapes and climates, including the Southern swamps and Everglades, the immense Great Lakes, the soaring Rocky Mountains, the windswept Great Plains, the arid deserts of the Southwest and over 12,000 miles of coastline. More than 10,000 years before Christopher Columbus landed in the Bahamas in 1492, ushering in an era of European colonization of the New World, the nomadic ancestors of modern Native Americans began settling across the North American continent. In the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, immigrants who came to America seeking economic opportunity or religious freedom struggled to build thriving communities in the uncharted wilderness, often to the detriment of indigenous peoples. By the 1770s, some 2.5 million European colonists had settled in America. In 1776, those living in Great Britain’s 13 colonies declared their independence, sparking the Revolutionary War and transforming the United States of America into an autonomous nation. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added as the country expanded from coast to coast and beyond, even as internal conflicts such as the Civil War and the fight for equal rights for all citizens threatened to divide the population. In the 20th century the United States played a major role in both world wars and emerged as a leading global power. Today it boasts the largest economy on the planet and is home to 310 million people; California, Texas and New York are its most populous states.

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Jun 19

Civil War

USS Kearsarge sinks CSS Alabama, 1864

The most successful and feared Confederate commerce raider of the war, the CSS Alabama, sinks after a spectacular battle off the coast of France with the…

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The States

The United States of America comprises 50 states and the federal district of Washington, D.C., each with its own geography, traditions and history. The largest state in the country is Alaska, and the smallest is Rhode Island. Thirteen states became part of the United States of America at its inception, while others entered the union at various stages of its history.

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The Presidents

Elected every four years, the president of the United States leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the U.S. Armed Forces. Forty-three men have led the country during its 235-year history.

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U.S. Government

The U.S. government is divided into three branches: the executive (the president, the vice president and the departments that form the Cabinet), the legislative (the Senate and the House of Representatives) and the judiciary (the U.S. Supreme Court and the lower federal courts). Each has a defined set of roles under the Constitution of the United States of America, which was designed to create a system of checks and balances.

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America's Wars

Throughout the history of the United States, Americans have fought on battlefields both near and far, in clashes both large and small, alone and with allies at their sides. From the American Revolution of the late 18th century to the Iraq War in the early 21st, these conflicts have shaped the country’s policies, influenced its culture, defined its borders and cost thousands of lives.

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Notable Americans

The United States of America was settled, founded and shaped by generations of diverse and extraordinary people who defined its political, cultural and national character. They include inventors, explorers, educators, activists, entrepreneurs and military leaders, among others.

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Landmarks & Famous Places

The National Park System, part of the Department of the Interior, maintains 394 park areas across the United States, encompassing more than 84 million acres. In addition to its vast and beautiful wilderness areas, the United States contains many large cities, entertainment venues and historic landmarks that attract millions of tourists each year.

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Milestones & Events

In addition to military conflicts, American history has been profoundly influenced by a variety of decisive events and sweeping movements. These include westward expansion, numerous types of social reforms, elections, technological advances and economic booms and busts.

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Eras & Decades

Marked by events ranging from political revolutions and global conflicts to economic booms and great depressions, the eras of American history reflect the path of the nation from its pre-colonial origins to its current status as a modern global superpower.

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Science & Technology

The Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries ushered in significant developments in mass production, transportation, industry and communication. These sweeping changes paved the way for the technological leaps and bounds of the 20th and 21st centuries.

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