美国历史 the history of America.pptVIP

American Culture Unit Three A Sketch of American History A Sketch of American History The two world wars in the first half of the 20th century and the Cold War that ended at the close of it all exhibited the enormous national strength of the United States. As the world enters the 21st century, America still occupies a predominant position in the international affairs. A Sketch of American History However, just over two hundred years ago, the United States was still a rather weak colony under the mighty British Empire. This chapter will trace the historical growth of the United States and examine how the country has developed into its present stage within such a short period of time. I. Discovery and English Settlement 1492-1607 I. Discovery and English Settlement 1492-1607 I. Discovery and English Settlement 1492-1607 II. The Colonial Era 1607-1776 A. Early settlements II. The Colonial Era 1607-1776 B. Conflicts between Britain and the colonies III. The American Revolution 1775-1783 IV. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights IV. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights V. Nation Building VI. The Sectional Conflict and the Civil War A. The pre-war period 1848-1860 B. The Civil War 1861-1865 B. The Civil War 1861-1865 The Civil War resolved two fundamental questions that had divided the United States since 1776. It put an end to slavery, which was completely abolished by the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. It also decided, once for all, that America was not a collection of semi-independent states, but a single indivisible nation. VII. Reconstruction 1865-1877 VII. Reconstruction 1865-1877 VIII. Industrialization and Overseas Expansion IX. The Progressive Movement and WWI IX. The Progressive Movement and WWI X. The 1920s and the Great Depression XI. The Great Depression and the New Deal XII. World War II XIII. The Cold War A. American foreign policy after 1945—anti-communist B. NATO and Warsaw Pact C. Involvement in Korean W