US History Milestones: Colonization to Civil Rights Era

Posted on Mar 29, 2025 in History

Discovery and Colonization of America

Christopher Columbus reached the Americas in 1492. Following this, colonists came to the New World for various reasons, creating colonies with distinct social, religious, political, and economic structures in different locations.

The Thirteen Colonies

  • New Hampshire
  • Massachusetts
  • Rhode Island
  • New York
  • Connecticut
  • New Jersey
  • Pennsylvania
  • Delaware
  • Virginia
  • Maryland
  • North Carolina
  • South Carolina
  • Georgia

17th Century: The New World and American Values

In the 17th century, America was seen as the “New World,” a land to “start over,” contrasting with Old Europe. Original basic American values emerged, including:

  • Individual freedom and self-reliance: Independence from the power of kings, churches, priests, noblemen, and aristocrats.
  • Equality of opportunity and competition.
  • Material wealth and hard work.

18th Century: Revolution and Foundation

During the 18th century, the British Government, deep in debt due to war, led Parliament to increase tax revenue from the colonies. In the second half of the century, a climate of nervousness and anti-British sentiment grew within the American colonies.

Key documents from this era include:

  • The US Declaration of Independence, proclaiming that “all men are created equal.”
  • The US Constitution, created on September 17, 1787. Its stated reasons included forming a more perfect union, establishing justice, ensuring domestic tranquility, providing for the common defense, promoting the general welfare, and securing the blessings of liberty for citizens.

19th Century: The American Civil War (1861-1865)

The American Civil War took place during the second half of the 19th century. A significant division existed between the North and the South:

  • The South: Mainly agricultural, with a slavery-based economy and large-scale farms.
  • The North: More industrial, with abolitionist sentiment and smaller-scale farms.

Eleven southern slave states, led by Jefferson Davis, seceded and fought against the United States (the Union), which was supported by all the free states and five border slave states.

In 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected, having campaigned against the expansion of slavery. In January 1863, Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation declared the freedom of all slaves in the rebellious states, making the end of slavery a central war goal. When Lincoln freed the slaves, it severely weakened the South’s economy and workforce.

Post-War Effects

The victory of the North and its ideals led to:

  • Sudden industrial development.
  • The birth of American capitalism and imperialism.
  • Changes in social classes.
  • An extraordinary boom in literature.

Early 20th Century: Change, Boom, and Bust

Later, in the 1920s, President Warren G. Harding (1921-23), opposing the ideas of the previous president (Woodrow Wilson), promoted isolationism, a defense of “normalcy,” and the defense and development of business.

The Roaring Twenties

This era, also known as the Jazz Age, saw significant social changes:

  • The changing role of women, symbolized by “flappers.”
  • The flourishing of Jazz music.
  • The Harlem Renaissance, a major African American cultural movement.
  • The popularity of Art Deco style.
  • A rise in criminality and gangsters.
  • Increased visibility of homosexual subcultures (reflected in phrases like “Masculine women! Feminine men!”).

The Crash and the 1930s

The decade ended with the Wall Street Crash of 1929, which occurred in phases:

  • Black Thursday
  • Black Friday
  • Black Monday
  • Black Tuesday

This event was a blow to American confidence and challenged national optimism, leading into The Great Depression, characterized by the ruin of several industries, widespread unemployment, and the emergence of shantytowns known as “Hoovervilles.”

The New Deal (1933-36), initiated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, aimed to provide relief to the unemployed, reform business practices, and achieve economic recovery during the Great Depression.

Mid-Century: The Civil Rights Movement

A major cultural change later in the 20th century was the African American Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King Jr. led a peaceful fight for civil rights and voting rights for African Americans.