First Americans
The first people appeared in America 10-15 thousand years ago, having got to Alaska through the frozen or shallow Bering Strait. The tribes of the mainland of North America were divided and periodically feuded with each other. The famous Icelandic Viking Leif Erikson discovered America, naming it Vinland. The first visits to America by Europeans did not have an impact on the life of the indigenous population.
Discovery of America by Europeans
After the Vikings, the first Europeans in the New World were the Spaniards. In October 1492, a Spanish expedition led by Admiral Christopher Columbus arrived on the island of San Salvador. At the end of the XV - beginning of the XVI century. Several expeditions were made to the regions of the Western Hemisphere. The Italian Giovanni Cabot, who was in the service of the English King Henry VII, reached the coast of Canada (1497-1498), the Portuguese Pedro Alvares Cabral discovered Brazil (1500-1501), the Spaniard Vasco Nunez de Balboa founded the first city on the American mainland and left to the Pacific Ocean (1500-1513), who was in the service of the Spanish king Ferdinand Magellan in 1519-1521. circumnavigated America from the south.
In 1507, the Lorraine geographer Martin Waldseemüller proposed that the New World be called America in honor of the Florentine navigator Amerigo Vespucci. At the same time, the development of the mainland began. In 1513, the Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de Leon discovered the Florida peninsula, where the first permanent European colony arose in 1565 and the city of St. Augustine was founded. In the late 1530s, Hernando de Soto discovered the Mississippi and reached the Arkansas River valley.
By the time the British and French began to colonize America, the Spaniards were well established in Florida and the American Southwest. The power and influence of the Spaniards in the New World began to decline after the defeat of the Spanish Invincible Armada in 1588. During the 16th century, information was collected about new lands, documentary sources were translated into many European languages.
The first English settlement in America arose in 1607 in Virginia and was named Jamestown. The trading post, founded by members of the crews of three English ships under the command of Captain Newport, served at the same time as an outpost on the path of the Spanish advance deep into the continent. In just a few years, Jamestown turned into a prosperous village thanks to the tobacco plantations laid there in 1609. Already by 1620 the population of the village was about 1000 people. European immigrants were attracted to America by the rich natural resources of a distant continent, and its remoteness from European religious dogmas and political predilections. The exodus to the New World was financed primarily by private companies and individuals who received income from the transportation of goods and people. In 1606, the London and Plymouth Companies were formed in England, which took up the development of the northeast coast of America. Many immigrants moved to the New World with entire families and communities at their own expense. Despite the attractiveness of the new lands, there was a constant shortage of human resources in the colonies.
Over the course of 75 years after the appearance of the first English colony of Virginia in 1607, 12 more colonies arose - New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
colonial period
The first colonists of North America were not distinguished by either common religious beliefs or equal social status. For example, shortly before 1775, at least a third of the population of Pennsylvania was already made up of Germans (Lutherans), Mennonites and representatives of other religious beliefs and sects. English Catholics settled in Maryland, French Huguenots settled in South Carolina. Swedes settled Delaware, Polish, German and Italian artisans preferred Virginia. Also, many criminals were sent to America: murderers, robbers, thieves, rapists. Wage workers were recruited from among them. The colonists often found themselves defenseless against Indian raids, one of which served in 1676 as the impetus for an uprising in Virginia, known as "Bacon's rebellion." The uprising ended inconclusively after the unexpected death of Bacon from malaria and the execution of 14 of his most active associates.
Trade and economic relations of the colonial period
Beginning in the mid-17th century, Great Britain tried to establish complete control over the economic operations of the American colonies, implementing a scheme in which all manufactured goods (from metal buttons to fishing boats) were imported into the colonies from the mother country in exchange for raw materials and agricultural goods. Under this scheme, English entrepreneurs, as well as the British government, were extremely uninterested in the development of industry in the colonies, as well as in the trade of the colonies with anyone other than the mother country.
Meanwhile, American industry (mainly in the northern colonies) made significant progress. Especially American industrialists succeeded in building ships, which made it possible to quickly establish trade with the West Indies and thereby find a market for domestic manufactory.
The English Parliament considered these successes so threatening that in 1750 it passed a law forbidding the construction of rolling mills and iron-cutting workshops in the colonies. Foreign trade of the colonies was also subjected to harassment. In 1763, the Shipping Laws were passed, which allowed goods to be brought in and out of the American colonies only on British ships. In addition, all goods destined for the colonies had to be loaded in the UK, regardless of where they were taken from. Thus, the metropolis tried to put all the foreign trade of the colonies under its control. And that's not counting the many duties and taxes on goods that the colonists brought home with their own hands.
Background of the War of Independence
By the second half of the 18th century, the population of the American colonies more and more clearly acted as a community of people who were in confrontation with the mother country. The development of the colonial press played a significant role in this. The first American newspaper appeared in April 1704, and by 1765 there were already 25. Fuel was added to the fire by the Stamp Act, which hit American publishers hard. Dissatisfaction was also shown by American industrialists and merchants, who were extremely dissatisfied with the colonial policy of the mother country. The presence of British troops (remaining there after the seven-year war) in the territory of the colonies also caused discontent among the colonists. Demands for independence were increasingly heard.
Feeling the seriousness of the situation, both Great Britain and the American bourgeoisie sought a solution that would satisfy the interests of both the mother country and the colonies. So in 1754, on the initiative of Benjamin Franklin, a project was put forward to create an alliance of the North American colonies with their own government, but headed by a president appointed by the British king. Although the project did not provide for the complete independence of the colonies, it caused an extremely negative reaction in London.
The spark that ignited the American Revolution was the Boston Tea Party. Boston, like the rest of the Massachusetts colony, has long been considered "troublemakers" in Britain. Therefore, the British government took the most decisive steps to pacify the rebels. The port was blocked until the city troops paid compensation for the destroyed cargo. The British stubbornly did not want to notice the breadth of the rebellion, believing it to be the work of a group of radical fanatics.
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But the punitive action against Boston not only did not pacify the rebels, but also served as a call to all American colonies to rally together for the struggle for independence.
First Continental Congress
On September 5, 1774, the First Continental Congress began its work in Philadelphia with the participation of 55 representatives from all the colonies, with the exception of Georgia. One of Virginia's seven delegates was George Washington. During the congress, which continued until October 26, requirements for the metropolis were formulated. The "Declaration of Rights" drafted by Congress contained a statement of the rights of the American colonies to "life, liberty and property," and the Continental Association document drafted at the same Congress authorized the renewal of the boycott of English goods in the event of the British crown refusing to make concessions in its financial and economic policy. The declaration also expressed the intention of a new convocation of the Continental Congress on May 10, 1775, if London remained adamant in its intransigence. The retaliatory steps of the metropolis were not long in coming - the king put forward a demand for the complete subordination of the colonies to the power of the British crown, and the English fleet began to blockade the northeast coast of the American continent. General Gage was ordered to put down the "open rebellion" and enforce the Repressive Laws by the colonies, resorting to the use of force if necessary. The First Continental Congress, and especially the reaction of London to its decisions, convincingly demonstrated to the Americans that their strength lies in unity and that one should not count on the favor of the British crown and its condescending attitude towards their demands for independence. Less than six months remained before the start of active hostilities of the War of Independence.
War of Independence (1775 - 1783)
The formation of the American state (1783 - 1841)
Louisiana Purchase
In 1803, thanks to the successful actions of American diplomats, a deal was concluded between the United States of North America and France, called the Louisiana Purchase, which allowed the States to almost double its territory.
Missouri Compromise
On March 6, 1820, members of the US Congress, representing the slave-owning South, on the one hand, and the North, which sought to limit the spread of slavery, on the other, approved an Act "permitting the population of the territory of Missouri to form a government and adopt the Constitution of the state, accepting this state into the Union, on an equal footing with former states, and prohibiting slavery in certain territories"; this compromise actually turned out to be a concession on the part of the North.
International environment
The formation of American statehood was accompanied by the strengthening of the international position of the United States. Allied relations with the leading European countries have already ensured their diplomatic recognition of the United States, and with it the exchange of official representatives. But this did not mean that a military alliance and diplomatic recognition would be followed by post-war cooperation. The contradictions between the United States and their European allies began to manifest themselves in the process of concluding the Paris Peace Treaty and became noticeably more complicated already in the first post-war years.
Slavery in the USA
The first initiatives to abolish the slave trade were put forward as early as the 1770s, especially since the Declaration of Independence set out the idea that God created all people equal. And many Americans extended it to black slaves as well. In 1774, a proposal to abolish the slave trade was considered at the first Continental Congress, but it met with resistance from the southern colonies. The southerners were so conservative in this matter because the most important component of the economy of the southern colonies were cotton and tobacco plantations, and black slaves were an indispensable labor force. Even then, the contradictions between the northern and southern colonies on the issue of slavery could develop into a confrontation. But the American nation needed unity in view of the extremely tense relations with the mother country.
The southern colonies (soon states) were allowed to keep the slave trade. Moreover, the Second Continental Congress already made concessions to the slave owners and on February 12, 1793, passed the law on fugitive slaves, which allowed the owners of runaway slaves to be pursued and returned even from the territory of other states (including those where slavery was abolished). Also under this law, Americans were forbidden to shelter fugitives or prevent their arrest. During these years, the profession of hunters of runaway blacks was born in the United States. The beginning of the Abolitionist movement, supporters of the abolition of slavery, also dates back to this time.
The Fugitive Slave Law was revised in 1820. At 36 degrees and 30 minutes north latitude, a border was drawn separating the slave-owning and non-slave-owning areas of the United States. Crossing it, a slave from the south gained freedom.
Anglo-American War 1812-1814
Administration of J. C. Adams (1825-1829)
John Quincy Adams - 6th President of the United States (1825-1829) Won the election implicitly. The votes of the American electorate and the Electoral College were divided among four candidates. The final decision was left to the US House of Representatives. One of Adams' rivals, G. Clay, gave him his votes, bargaining for himself the post of US Secretary of State. As a result, Adams was declared the winner. In his inaugural address on March 4, 1825, he called on Congress to allocate funds for the construction of canals and roads, a national university and an observatory, for the exploration of the United States and natural resources. But the president failed to fulfill his election promises. In particular, the problem of building communication lines was not solved. Failure to comply with this paragraph was of particular importance for the country, whose territory was growing significantly. The steam engine invented in England has already gained recognition in the United States, but for its effective use in rail and river transport, it was necessary to more actively develop the construction of transport arteries, in which the Adams administration did not succeed. The popularity of the president was also reflected in his promiscuity in the selection of leading personnel, as a result of which unsuitable officials ended up in responsible government posts. However, the President did not dare to replace them with more worthy people. Also, Adams did not show sufficient decisiveness in the implementation of the already begun program of resettlement of Indians beyond the Appalachians. The President's attempts to acquire Texas from Mexico and strengthen US influence in Latin America were unsuccessful.
Background of the Civil War (1841-1861)
Civil War (1861-1865)
In the middle of the 19th century, white Americans of the North and South were unable to reconcile fundamental differences in approach to the state, economy, society, and the institution of slavery. The issue of slavery in the new territories was raised by the Compromise of 1850 between Henry Clay and Democrat Stephen Douglas. The "compromise" included recognizing California as an independent state and making it easier for masters to return escaped slaves. In 1854, the proposed Kansas-Nebraska Act amending the Missouri Compromise decreed that each new state must choose whether to be a slave state or not. Following Abraham Lincoln's victory in the 1860 election, eleven southern states seceded from the United States between the end of 1860 and 1861, establishing a rebellious state, the Confederate States of America, on February 8, 1861.
By 1860 there were approximately 4 million slaves in the United States, about eight times the number in the 1790s during the same period, and cotton production had risen from less than a thousand tons to almost a million in a year. There were several slave rebellions - including those of Gabriel Prosser (1800), Denmark Vesey (1822), and Nat Turner (1831) - but they all failed and led to sharper surveillance of the slaves. White abolitionist John Brown tried, and failed, to free a group of black slaves at Harper's Ferry, Virginia - for which he was hanged. Harriet Beecher Stowe, daughter of Minister Liman Beecher, published Uncle Tom's Cabin in response to Clay's Compromise. The purpose of the novel was to show her views on the cruelty of slavery. The novel sold nearly 300,000 copies during its first year of publication. Many believe that this book marked the beginning of the Civil War. Also, a large number of slaves escaped from their masters via the "Underground Railroad", a term used to define a secret route where abolitionists smuggled escaped slaves into free territory.
The fighting began on April 12, 1861, with the battle for Fort Sumter in Charleston Bay, in the Confederate state of South Carolina. Together with northwestern Virginia, four of the five slave states did not secede from the United States and became known as the Border States. Encouraged by the Second Battle of Bull Run, the Confederacy made its first foray into the North when General R. E. Lee led 55,000 troops of the Army of Northern Virginia along the Potomac River into Maryland. The Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862 was the bloodiest day in American history. In early 1864, Abraham Lincoln appointed Ulysses Grant as a lieutenant general in the army. General William Sherman traveled from Tennessee to Atlanta, Georgia defeating Confederate generals John Joseph and Hood Bell. Sherman's army destroyed about 20% of all farms in Georgia during their "March to the Sea", and reached the Atlantic Ocean in Savannah in December 1864. Lee surrendered with his army on April 9, 1865. According to the 1860 census, 8% of all white males aged 13 to 43 died during the war, including 6% in the Army of the North and 18% in the Army of the South.
Reconstruction and industrialization (1865 - 1890)
Reconstruction took place almost a decade after the Civil War. During this era, the "Reconstruction Amendments" were introduced to expand civil rights for black Americans. These amendments include the Thirteenth Amendment, which outlaws slavery, the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to all those born or naturalized in the United States, and the Fifteenth Amendment, which guarantees the right to vote for men of all races. In response to Reconstruction, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) emerged in the late 1860s, a white supremacist organization opposed to civil rights for blacks. Increased violence from organizations such as the Klan influenced both the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1870, which classified the KKK as a terrorist organization, and the Supreme Court's decision in 1883 that overturned the Civil Rights Act of 1875, however, in a Supreme Court case court "USA v. Cruikshank" The Fifteenth Amendment declared civil rights to be the concern of the states themselves.
The end of the 19th century was the time of the powerful industrial development of the United States. The "Gilded Age," as the classic of American literature, Mark Twain, dubbed this era. The development of the American industrial industry, led to the fact that, by the end of the 19th century, per capita income in the United States was the highest in the world, leaving behind only Great Britain. Later, an unprecedented wave of immigrants brought not only the labor force for American industry, but also created a diversity of national communities that inhabited the sparsely populated western territories. Inhumane industrial practices have played a major role in the upsurge of violence emanating from the labor movement in the United States. The influential figures of the time were Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie.
Progressivism, imperialism, World War I (1890 - 1918)
After the "Gilded Era" came the "Era of Progress", whose followers called for reform against industrial corruption. Progressive demands included federal regulation of antitrust laws and control of the meatpacking, pharmaceutical, and railroad industries. Four new constitutional amendments - from the 16th to the 19th - are the result of the activities of the progressives. The era lasted from 1900 to 1918, the year of the end of the First World War.
Beginning with the administration of James Monroe, the U.S. federal government resettled native populations outside of white settlements on a series of Indian reservations. The tribes were mostly relocated to small reservations, so their land went to white farmers.
During this period, the United States began its rise as an international power with a substantial population and industrial growth at home and numerous military adventures around the world, including the Spanish-American War, which began when the US blamed Spain for the sinking of the USS Maine. The United States had an interest in freeing Cuba, an island nation fighting for freedom from Spain, as well as Puerto Rico and the Philippines, also Spanish colonies, seeking liberation. In December 1898, representatives from Spain and the United States signed the Paris Peace Treaty to end the war, according to which Cuba gained independence, and Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines became US territories. President Woodrow Wilson announced his entry into World War I in April 1917, after a long neutrality.
1920s and the Great Depression
In the 1920s, the United States became the first country to experience mass motorization. In 1929, 5.4 million cars were produced, in total about 25 million cars were produced in the 1920s (the population was 125 million people).
In 1929, a severe world economic crisis broke out, which lasted until the middle of 1933 and shook the entire system of capitalism to its foundations. Industrial production during this crisis decreased in the US by 46%, in the UK by 24%, in Germany by 41%, in France by 32%. Stock prices of industrial companies fell in the US by 87%, in the UK by 48%, in Germany by 64%, in France by 60%. Unemployment reached colossal proportions. According to official data, in 1933 there were 30 million unemployed in 32 capitalist countries, including 14 million in the USA. The world economic crisis of 1929-33. showed that the contradiction between the social nature of production and the private form of appropriation of the results of production has reached such a sharpness that the capitalist economy can no longer function more or less normally. This circumstance required state intervention in the economy, the use of methods of state influence on spontaneous processes in the capitalist economy in order to avoid shocks, which accelerated the development of monopoly capitalism into state-monopoly capitalism.
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World War II (1941-1945)
As in World War I, the United States did not enter World War II until the rest of the active Allies had done so. The first US contributions to the war were cutting off supplies of oil and raw materials vital to Japan to support the offensive in Manchuria, and increasing military and financial aid to China. The first aid to the Allies came with the creation in September 1940 of the Lend-Lease program together with Great Britain.
On December 7, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, citing the American embargo as justification. The next day, Roosevelt successfully arranged a joint session of Congress to declare war on Japan. Four days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Nazi Germany declared war on the United States, dragging the United States into a war on two fronts.
Beginning of the Cold War and the Civil Rights Movement (1945 - 1964)
After World War II, the United States became one of the world's two superpowers. On December 4, 1945, the US Congress approved entry into the United Nations, thereby moving away from the traditional policy of isolationism towards greater involvement in international relations. The post-war era in the United States around the world has been defined as the beginning of the Cold War, in which the United States and the Soviet Union tried to increase their influence at the expense of other countries, building up their nuclear arsenal and the doctrine of mutual destruction. The result was a series of conflicts, including the Korean War and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Within the United States itself, the Cold War raised concerns about the influence of communism, and also culminated in efforts to support math and science for such ventures as the "space race."
Decades after World War II, the US has become a global influence in the economy, politics, military affairs, culture and technology. In the middle class culture since the early 1950s, there has been an obsession with the consumption of goods.
John Kennedy was elected president in 1960. Famed for his charisma, he was the only Catholic president of the United States. During his tenure, the Cold War reached its highest point during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Kennedy was shot dead in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963.
In the meantime, the American people have completed their great migration from farms to cities, enjoying a period of sustained economic growth. At the same time, ingrained racism throughout the United States, and especially in the South, was challenged by the growing Civil Rights Movement, as well as by African American leaders such as Martin Luther King. During the 1960s, the Jim Crow Laws, which legalized segregation between whites and blacks, were repealed.
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Martin Luther King delivers a speech at a civil rights marchCountercultural revolution and détente (1964 - 1980)
During the Cold War, the United States became involved in the Vietnam War, whose unpopularity fueled social movements, including movements among women, minorities, and youth. President Lyndon Johnson's "Great Society" social programs and Chief Justice Earl Warren's legal activism brought about a wide range of social reforms throughout the 1960s. Feminism and the environmental movement became political forces, and the progress of civil rights for all Americans continued. The countercultural revolution swept through all of America and much of the Western world in the late 1960s, further dividing the dissenting society, but also bringing more liberal public attitudes.
Richard Nixon succeeded Lyndon Johnson in 1969, increasing involvement in the Vietnam War, but was soon ready to sign a peace treaty in 1973, successfully ending American involvement in the war. The Americans lost 58,000 people during the war, the Vietnamese - millions. Nixon used the conflict in the Communist bloc between the Soviet Union and China, which was beneficial for the United States, by maintaining relations with the People's Republic of China. A new era of the Cold War, known as détente, has begun. The embargo affected a period of economic recession in 1973. The Nixon administration left in disgrace because of the Watergate political scandal in August 1974. Under his successor, Gerald Ford, the pro-American South Vietnamese regime collapsed.
Jimmy Carter was elected in 1976 because he was not part of the Washington establishment. The US suffered from recession, energy crisis, slow economic growth, high unemployment and high interest rates. On the world stage, Carter brokered the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt. In 1979, Iranian students took over the American embassy in Tehran and took 52 American hostages. Carter lost the 1980 election to Republican Ronald Reagan, who promised to "bring morning to America".
The Reagan Revolution and the End of the Cold War (1980 - 1991)
In 1980, the Reagan coalition was made possible by the loss of Democrats in most socioeconomic groups. "Reagan Democrats" was the name given to those who normally voted Democratic but were drawn to his policies, personality, and leadership. The implementation of the Economic Recovery Tax Act reduced income tax from 70% to 28% over a seven-year course. Reagan continued to reduce government taxation and regulation. In 1982, the US went through a recession with unemployment and bankruptcies close to those of the Great Depression. The following year, the situation changed dramatically: inflation fell from 11% to 2%, unemployment to 7.5%, and economic growth increased from 4.5% to 7.2%.
Reagan took a hard line against the Soviet Union, declaring it the "Evil Empire". He shared many views and goals with friend and ally Margaret Thatcher, the British Prime Minister. Reagan met with Mikhail Gorbachev four times. Gorbachev tried to maintain socialism in the Soviet Union by first ending a costly arms race with America and then freeing the countries of the Eastern European bloc. The collapse of the USSR in 1991 ended the Cold War.
Articles from Wikipedia- free encyclopedia.
In the 16th century, the territory of the United States was inhabited by Indian tribes, and during this period the first Europeans appeared here. By the 18th century, the entire North American continent was colonized by Europeans, as a result of which three zones of influence were formed. The British zone appeared in the areas of the Atlantic coast, the French zone appeared in the Great Lakes region, and the Spanish zone arose on the Pacific coast, in and.
In 1774, 13 English colonies began hostilities in the struggle for independence and achieved their goal on July 4, 1776 - the date of the formation of the new sovereign state of the United States of America. On September 17, 1787, the Constitution was adopted with the main convictions of the democratic formation of the country. The approved Constitution contained the rights of "free" states with powerful state power.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the territory increased due to the acquisition of Louisiana from the French, Florida from the Spaniards and the conquest of colonies of other lands, for example,. The capture of local states was accompanied either by the forced eviction of the Indian people in the reservation, or the complete destruction of the population.
In 1861, disagreements arose between the southern and northern states related to economic and cultural issues, as a result of which the Confederation of 11 southern states arose, declaring its separation. In the beginning, the southerners won several victories, but in the end it ended with the victory of the northern states and the preservation of the federation. In 1867 the United States bought the Aleutian Islands and Alaska from Russia. The end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century were distinguished by the grandiose rise of the United States into a strong economic state, thanks to the influx of immigrants from other continents. By 1914, the population of the state already amounted to 95 million inhabitants.
April 4, 1917 America entered the First World War. Until that time, the state preferred to take a neutral position in relation to the events that were taking place at that time in Europe, since the United States was engaged in the creation of zones of influence in the countries of the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean, as well as Central America. At the end of the war, the US Senate refused to vote for the Treaty of Versailles.
After the war in 1929, a sharp jump in the country's economy gave way to a terrible crisis. During the Great Depression, production dropped significantly and unemployment increased. On December 7, 1941, the US Army entered World War II with Japan as a result of the bombing of the American base at Pearl Harbor by Japanese fighters. After December 11, 1941, America entered into a military conflict with Italy and Germany. The Americans deployed all their military operations mainly in the Pacific. After the Tehran Conference on June 6, 1944, the US Army figured in the defeat of the German army on the Atlantic coast of France. The fighting against Japan successfully took place in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. On August 6, 1945, the Americans dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, and on August 9, a bomb was dropped on another Japanese city - Nagasaki. On September 2, 1945, the Japanese Emperor Hirohito signed an act of surrender.
After the war, the strongest world state, the United States, contributed to the economic recovery of the countries of Western Europe and launched the Cold War, preventing the spread of communist influence around the world, and especially in Europe. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, directly within the state, the American authorities persecuted all those suspected of participating in the communist movement.
In the future, America, one way or another, got involved in international conflicts: Cuba, Vietnam, the Arab-Israeli war. A pacifist movement emerged in the United States against military action against the Vietnamese, which coincided with the struggle of African American residents against racial discrimination. In April 1968, the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., was committed, urging the peaceful resolution of the issue of upholding their civil rights of the African American population. His constructive political activity did not go unnoticed, as African Americans subsequently became integrated into the American public.
The 1970s saw a significant political turnaround with the resignation of President Nixon, fueled by the Watergate scandal. In 1979 China's relations with the United States normalized, of which J. Carter was president during this period. This, in turn, favorably influenced the signing of a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. But, since an unsuccessful operation was carried out to free American citizens who were hostages in the US Embassy in Tehran, the Democratic Party failed in the elections. As a result of these events, R. Reagan was elected President of the United States in 1980. Thanks to negotiations with the USSR, initiated by R. Reagan and picked up by George W. Bush, who took over as president in 1989, the arms race was localized and the Cold War ended.
The United States of America plays a leading role in the world community. Researchers call this state an empire that influences the politics of Western countries. Tourists who plan to visit the American states should familiarize themselves with the history of its formation.
The United States of America is easy to find on the map - they are located on the continent called North America and occupy a large part of it. A state in the United States is a territorial unit, by joining them over a number of years, the United States of America was formed.
The exact answer to the question of how many states are in the United States can be given to those who are seriously engaged in the study of this state. To be precise, today the USA consists of 50 states. Colombia, sometimes listed as the 51 states, is actually a federal district, an independent federal unit. In addition to this, the United States has several island territories that also have sovereignty, they are not subordinate to any state. Each state is divided into districts administered by city municipalities. Rural areas may consist of townships.
Each state is a federation, and they all have equal rights. There is nothing unusual in this, a similar structure can be found in other large states. It is interesting that all states are equal, but they have their own branches of government and their own constitution. Therefore, for the same crime in each state, there may be a different punishment.
US state names, detailed alphabetical list
When studying the United States, questions may arise from a person who knows English well. The thing is that the word "state" can be translated not only as "states", but also as "state". In the middle of the 17th century, when the United States was in the formative stage, individual colonies were considered states.
Each state has not only its own capital, but also a flag and a motto. Next, we list the US states and their capitals.
| # | State name (in Russian) | State name (in English) | State capital (in Russian) | State capital (in English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Idaho | Idaho | boise | Boise |
| 2 | Iowa | Iowa | Des Moines | Des Moines |
| 3 | Alabama | Alabama | Montgomery | Montgomery |
| 4 | Alaska | Alaska | Juneau | Juneau |
| 5 | Arizona | Arizona | Phoenix | Phoenix |
| 6 | Arkansas | Arkansas | Little Rock | little rock |
| 7 | Wyoming | Wyoming | Cheyenne | Cheyenne |
| 8 | Washington | Washington | Olympia | Olympia |
| 9 | Vermont | Vermont | Montpelier | Montpelier |
| 10 | Virginia | Virginia | richmond | Richmond |
| 11 | Wisconsin | Wisconsin | Madison | Madison |
| 12 | Hawaii | Honolulu | Honolulu | |
| 13 | Delaware | Delaware | Dover | Dover |
| 14 | Georgia | Georgia | Atlanta | Atlanta |
| 15 | West Virginia | West Virginia | Charston | Charleston |
| 16 | Illinois | Illinois | springfield | Springfield |
| 17 | Indiana | Indiana | Indianapolis | Indianapolis |
| 18 | California | California | Sacramento | Sacramento |
| 19 | Kansas | Kansas | Topeka | Topeka |
| 20 | Kentucky | Kentucky | frankfort | frankfort |
| 21 | Colorado | Colorado | Denver | Denver |
| 22 | Connecticut | Connecticut | Hartford | Hartford |
| 23 | Louisiana | Louisiana | baton rouge | Baton Rouge |
| 24 | Massachusetts | Massachusetts | Boston | Boston |
| 25 | Minnesota | Minnesota | Saint Paul | St. Paul |
| 26 | Mississippi | Mississippi | Jackson | Jackson |
| 27 | Missouri | Missouri | Jefferson City | Jefferson City |
| 28 | Michigan | Michigan | Lansing | Lansing |
| 29 | Montana | Montana | Helena | Helena |
| 30 | Maine | Maine | Augusta | Augusta |
| 31 | Maryland | Maryland | Annapolis | Annapolis |
| 32 | Nebraska | Nebraska | Lincoln | Lincoln |
| 33 | Nevada | Nevada | Carson City | carson city |
| 34 | New Hampshire | New Hampshire | Concord | Concord |
| 35 | New Jersey | New Jersey | Trenton | Trenton |
| 36 | New York | New York | Albany | Albany |
| 37 | New Mexico | New Mexico | Santa Fe | Santa Fe |
| 38 | Ohio | Ohio | Columbus | Columbus |
| 39 | Oklahoma | Oklahoma | Oklahoma City | Oklahoma city |
| 40 | Oregon | Oregon | Salem | Salem |
| 41 | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Harrisburg | Harrisburg |
| 42 | Rhode Island | Rhode Island | Providence | Providence |
| 43 | North Dakota | North Dakota | Bismarck | Bismarck |
| 44 | North Carolina | North Carolina | Roles | Raleigh |
| 45 | Tennessee | Tennessee | Nashville | Nashville |
| 46 | Texas | Texas | Austin | Austin |
| 47 | Florida | Florida | Tallahassee | Tallahassee |
| 48 | South Dakota | South Dakota | Pyrrhus | Pierre |
| 49 | South Carolina | South Carolina | Colombia | Columbia |
| 50 | Utah | utah | Salt Lake City | Salt Lake City |
Moreover, the state capital is not necessarily the largest city. The word "state" has been used in its modern sense since 1776, after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. At that time, the United States consisted of 46 states. Although you can still find indications that these were separate states. For example, the official flag of California has the inscription "Republic of California".
Confederate States of America
There was a period in the history of the United States when the state was practically divided into two parts. And although this lasted only 4 years, the fact remains: in 1861, the Confederate States of America (CSA) appeared. This is a self-proclaimed independent state, which was also called "Confederation" or "Dixie". It existed until 1865. What was the reason for its occurrence?
It is sometimes believed that the Confederation was formed as a result of the abolition of slavery in the United States, which started the Civil War. This is not entirely correct, because the CSA appeared after Abraham Lincoln won the presidential election. As a result, 6 southern states announced their withdrawal from the United States. A month later, Texas joined them. And when Abraham Lincoln announced that he intended to achieve the preservation of the Union, 4 more states announced that they would join the Confederacy.
Sometimes it is believed that the Confederation included not 11, but 13 American states. This is partly correct. The fact is that Kentucky and Missouri turned out to be “border states” between the USA and the CSA. For a while, there were two governments, one on the side of the United States, and the second supported the Confederation. Basically, the CSA included states that did not want to abandon the slave system. Although Maryland was a slave state, martial law was introduced in time, so it remained part of the United States. Delaware remained neutral until the very end of the war. In 1865, the Confederation, having suffered a defeat in hostilities, ceased to exist. These states changed the constitution and abolished slavery.
Texas is a state in the southern United States. It is in second place in terms of territory (only Alaska is larger) and in second place after California in terms of population. At first, this territory belonged to Mexico, and then there was a separate state that existed for almost 10 years - from 1836 to 1845. It appeared as a result of the war in the north-east of Mexico.
Several reasons are given as to why problems in Mexico led to war. On the one hand, the dictatorship of the Mexican president, on the other, the adoption of a new constitution in the country, thanks to which slavery was abolished in 1835. As a result, Texas gained independence in 1836. The state was recognized by the international community as a separate state. But the hostilities did not stop.
Clashes between Mexico and Texas continued for another 10 years. And only as a result of the US victory in the war with Mexico (1846-1848), the issue of territorial claims was settled - Texas received freedom. But most Texans have wanted to join the United States before. Texas is the only independent state in the United States recognized by other countries. Although the separatist movements seeking the independence of this state of America are still active. They believe that Texas was annexed by the United States.
Kingdom and Republic
are islands located in the Pacific Ocean. They are located at a distance of 3700 km from the continental part of America. This is the most recent state that became part of the United States, and this happened already in the 20th century - in 1959. But at first it was a kingdom, and then a separate republic. Why did the islands, located far from the USA, become part of this state as one of the states?
In the 18th century, Hawaii had several semi-state structures. Then King Kamehameha I managed to unite the islands by force and establish a single kingdom. Since 1810, for 85 years, one dynasty ruled here. In 1893, a coup d'état took place in Hawaii with the support of American sailors. But the United States refused to annex the islands, believing that it was contrary to the popular will of the Hawaiians. As a result of the coup, a republic appeared instead of a kingdom. But in 1898 they fell under the protectorate of the United States, and already in the middle of the 20th century they became one of the states. It is considered to be the “sugar” state of the USA.
The most amazing states in the US
What American states can be distinguished and what should you pay attention to? It is difficult to find an unambiguous answer to this question, because each of them has a “zest”. The absence of a state language is also a hallmark of America.
The names of many states have unusual origins.
- As the researchers note, 25 or 26 names have Indian roots.
- The name of the northernmost state of Alaska is taken from the language of the Eskimos.
- Only 20 states have names of European origin: 11 are English, 6 are Spanish and 3 are French.
- There is an assumption that Rhode Island is a Dutch toponym.
But what about the Americans, did they really not give a name to a single state? It turns out that there is one, and we are talking about the state of Washington. It is named after President D. Washington.
There are states that are distinguished by their extraordinary beauty.
- Florida is the southernmost part of North America. It is often referred to as the "Sunshine State".
- Oregon is full of contrasts and variety of landscapes. He could easily compete with the panoramas presented in the film "The Lord of the Rings".
- Michigan is known for its natural beauty. In addition, there are many large lakes.
- Colorado is famous for rocky mountains and unusually beautiful canyons. This state is often called the home of wonderful national parks.
- stands out for its richness of flora and fauna.
- Arizona has amazingly beautiful canyons. They are visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.
The United States was formed in 1776 when 13 British colonies signed the Declaration of Independence. From that moment on, England lost power over them. In order to regain the colonial territories again, troops had to be sent in. This provoked the war, thanks to which the United States gained independence. But some of the colonies still remained loyal to the English crown. In 1787, the Constitution was adopted, which was ratified by 9 of the 13 states. During the late 18th and throughout the 19th century, other states joined. In the 20th century, the United States included the remaining five: Oklahoma (1907), New Mexico (1912), Arizona (1912), Alaska (1959) and (1959).
Why is the District of Columbia (Washington) not part of any state
The District of Columbia is the capital city of the United States of Washington, as well as the territory adjacent to it. Repeated attempts were made to make it a separate state, but American legislators have not come to an unequivocal decision. The last time this issue was submitted for discussion in Congress was in 1993. But the project was rejected. This is also due to the fact that only one person is delegated to the House of Representatives from the district. Yes, and without the right to vote.
Conclusion
Can it be argued that the number of US states will remain the same tomorrow? There is no specific answer to this question. For more than 100 years, this figure has been unstable. Today, several territories and states would not refuse to join the United States as separate states. The most likely candidate is Puerto Rico. It is quite possible that the 51st state under this name will soon appear. The Philippines, Haiti, and Yucatan are also candidates.
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At the end of the fifteenth century (1492), the navigator Christopher Columbus discovered a continent in the Caribbean. The unexplored mainland began to be explored and colonized by European countries, first Spain and then Great Britain. These events are the beginning of the history of the emergence of the United States.
For the natives, colonization was a disaster. With the advent of Europeans, the culture and way of life of the indigenous population inevitably began to collapse. At the same time, foreign conquerors brought numerous diseases to the continent, to which the locals did not have immunity. And for the first 150 years of living together with strangers, a huge number of Indians died. Previously unknown infectious diseases have taken lives 95 % original population.
The city of San Augustin became the first European settlement on the continent (1565). Especially great success in the conquest of new lands was achieved by England. She became subject to large territories on the eastern coast of the ocean. In the first century of American settlement, life in the colonies was in its infancy and not too conflicting. But at the end of the eighteenth century, a movement began to emerge, caused by dissatisfaction with the policy of the English leadership, led by the king. The excessive oppression of England in the subject colonies became the pretext for the beginning of an armed struggle for their independence.
The First Continental Congress, meeting at the beginning September 1774 year, made several petitions to the English king. In them, the congressmen expressed the desire of the representatives of the colonies living in the localities to preliminarily coordinate excessive taxes with them. But the British government categorically disagreed with the just demands of the colonists and sent mercenaries to the American continent. The conflict between the mother country and the colonies flared up with renewed vigor, turning into hostilities that continued from 1774 years to 1776.
10 May 1775 2009, the Continental Congress met again, the second in a row. For him, the current situation was a good reason for taking on the role of government. By his decision, detachments of American militias were created on the territory of the colonies. George Washington was appointed commander in chief. In the same month, the Congress put forward a proposal to abandon the oath of allegiance to the English king.
The Americans came to the conclusion that it was not possible to wage war with the British and at the same time be a colony of England. In the middle May important decisions were made to eliminate all old forms of colonial power and create new revolutionary bodies with the authority to adopt a democratic constitution.
A special committee headed by Thomas Jefferson prepared a draft called the Declaration of Independence and submitted it to Congress. The majority of congressmen approved the document, and it was adopted 4 July 1776 of the year. For the first time, the colonies were documented as the United States of America. The adoption of the Declaration became a public holiday of the new country. And in 1883 Europe has recognized the United States as an independent sovereign state.
