HISTORY OF USA

The first men who discovered America was Christopher Columbus. He was an Italian navigator serving the Spanish King and Queen. Columbus arrived in America in 1492. He wanted to get to India mainly because of spice, so he didn´t realise he found the New World. Thanks to him, native inhibitants are called indians.

Americe is named after Amerigo Vespucci, who made many voyages to South America. The Italian sailor became famous because of many details of the New World.

In 17century many colonist settled in the country. The most important were the British, Frensh and Spanish colonists. In 1619 the first African slaves were brought to Virginia.

As the colonies grew economically, UK tryed to reduce their power. They heavily taxed the american colonies and limited their business freedom. The American colonists with their slogan „no taxation without representation!“ refuse to pay these taxes and as a result British soldiers were sent to Boston. In 1773 a group of patriots dressed as indians threw tea into the Boston Harbor, that is known as „Boston tea party“. On July 4^th 1776 the Declaration of Independence (written by Thomas Jefferson) was signed. Between the years 1775 and 1783 the War of Independence was fought. In the end, the British signed the peace treaty and recognized USA as a sovereing³⁾ state.

During 19^th century the US expanded it´s terrirory westward. They bought a huge part of Louisianna from the French, doubling the size of the nation. They made a deal with Spain and Florida was added to the USA. During a war with Mexico, the US gained¹⁾ Texas, California, New Mexico, Nevada and Arizona.

Economic and political differences grew between the Northern and Southern states. In the North the economy was based on manufacturing and banned slavery, the economy of the South depended on agriculture with slaves growing cotton, rice, robacco etc. These differences created greater tensions²⁾ between the two halves of the country. The South tried to set up its own authorities – an independent confederation, and this was the start of Civil War – War between the North and the South (1861-1865). The North was the winner of the war and slavery was banned. Five days after the end of the Civil War in 1865 president Lincoln was shot dead in the Ford’s Theatre.

In 1941 Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour in Hawaii and that´s the reason, why USA entered the World War II. To revenge US forces dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

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