American History

Journey through the making of a nation

History of the United States

From early settlements to world superpower - explore America's remarkable journey through time

Navigate American History

Colonial Era Revolution Founding Civil War Industrialization World Wars Modern Era
1500s 1700s 1800s 1900s Today

U.S. Presidents Through History

George Washington

1789-1797

Thomas Jefferson

1801-1809

Abraham Lincoln

1861-1865

Franklin D. Roosevelt

1933-1945

John F. Kennedy

1961-1963

Ronald Reagan

1981-1989

Bill Clinton

1993-2001

George W. Bush

2001-2009

Barack Obama

2009-2017

Donald Trump

2017-2021

America's Journey Through Time

Colonial America (1607-1775)

The story begins with the establishment of European colonies along the eastern seaboard of North America.

Early Settlements

Jamestown (1607) became the first permanent English settlement in America. Plymouth Colony was founded in 1620 by Pilgrims seeking religious freedom.

Colonial Governance

Thirteen colonies formed with diverse governance systems. The Mayflower Compact (1620) established an early form of self-government.

Native American Relations

Complex relationships with Native American tribes alternated between cooperation and conflict, including King Philip's War (1675-1678).

Religious Movements

The Great Awakening (1730s-1740s) was a religious revival that emphasized personal faith and influenced democratic ideals.

Revolutionary Era (1775-1783)

A period of upheaval as colonists fought for independence from British rule.

Causes of Revolution

  • "No taxation without representation" - response to taxes like the Stamp Act and Tea Act
  • Intolerable Acts (1774) punishing Massachusetts after the Boston Tea Party
  • Enlightenment ideas about natural rights and self-governance

Key Events

  • Battles of Lexington and Concord - April 19, 1775
  • Declaration of Independence - July 4, 1776
  • Winter at Valley Forge - 1777-1778
  • Battle of Yorktown - October 1781

Founding a New Nation (1783-1815)

A critical period of building a new nation's government and identity.

Forming a Government

Articles of Confederation (1777): First constitution creating a "firm league of friendship"

Proved too weak to govern effectively due to inability to tax and regulate commerce

Constitutional Convention (1787): Drafting of the U.S. Constitution

Debates over representation resulted in the Great Compromise (bicameral legislature)

Bill of Rights (1791): First ten amendments guaranteeing individual freedoms

Federalist Papers (1787-1788): Essays promoting ratification of the Constitution

Key Founders

  • George Washington: First president, set important precedents
  • Thomas Jefferson: Secretary of State, Louisiana Purchase
  • Alexander Hamilton: Financial system architect
  • James Madison: "Father of the Constitution"

Early Challenges

  • Establishing national credit through Hamilton's financial plan
  • Whiskey Rebellion (1794) - testing federal authority
  • Partisan politics between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans
  • War of 1812 - reaffirmed independence from Britain

Civil War and Reconstruction (1820-1877)

A period of sectionalism culminating in the nation's bloodiest conflict and its aftermath.

Road to War

  • Missouri Compromise (1820)
  • Compromise of 1850 & Fugitive Slave Act
  • Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854) & "Bleeding Kansas"
  • Dred Scott Decision (1857)
  • Lincoln's election (1860) as a sectional president

The Civil War (1861-1865)

  • Battle of Fort Sumter - April 1861
  • Antietam - bloodiest single-day battle
  • Emancipation Proclamation (1863)
  • Gettysburg - turning point
  • Sherman's March to the Sea
  • Lee's surrender at Appomattox

Reconstruction

  • Presidential vs. Congressional approaches
  • 13th (abolition), 14th (citizenship), 15th (voting) Amendments
  • Freedmen's Bureau assistance to former slaves
  • Rise of the Ku Klux Klan
  • Compromise of 1877 ended Reconstruction

Modern America (1945-Present)

The United States emerges as a superpower and navigates complex global and domestic challenges.

Cold War Era (1945-1991)

1 Containment policy and Truman Doctrine

2 Korean War (1950-1953) and Vietnam War (1955-1975)

3 Space Race and moon landing (1969)

4 Arms race and nuclear deterrence

5 Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989) and collapse of Soviet Union

Late 20th & 21st Century

1 Civil Rights Movement achievements and ongoing struggles

2 End of Cold War and globalization

3 Technology boom and digital revolution

4 September 11 attacks and War on Terror

5 Great Recession (2007-2009) and COVID-19 pandemic

Social and Cultural Evolution

Civil Rights Achievements

Brown v. Board of Education (1954), Civil Rights Act (1964), Voting Rights Act (1965)

Feminist Movement

National Organization for Women (1966), Title IX (1972), Roe v. Wade (1973)

Immigration Reform

Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, shifting demographics, DREAM Act debates

Technological Revolution

Personal computing, internet, smartphones, social media transforming society

Continue Exploring America's Story

Historical Documents

Read primary sources from America's founding to modern times

Multimedia Gallery

Photographs, videos and audio recordings from history

Educational Resources

Lesson plans, interactive maps, and historical timelines