The Earliest settlers to America probably came across the Bering Sea land bridge 20,000 years ago. The descendants of these migratory peoples became the Native American tribes. These tribes were varied in their cultures and where they lived. Some groups were hunter gatherers, and some tended towards agriculture. They lived off the land and the sea. Some tribes interacted peacefully, while others had a warlike tradition.

In 1620 a group of people from England known as the "Pilgrims" came to America to escape religious persecution in their homeland. Several groups of adventurous European pioneers had tried setting up colonies before, but were forced to go back to Europe because of the many hardships they faced. At first, life was difficult for the Pilgrims. However, with some help from friendly Native Americans, the Pilgrims learned how to use new farming and survival techniques and eventually were able to make their colony a success.

Over the next two centuries, there was a power struggle between the European powers for control of land in America. Spain, France, Portugal, the Netherlands and Great Britain all had claims to different parts of present day America. Some of the land was fought for, but much of the land was bought and sold to each other peacefully. Native Americans, who had lived for centuries upon this land were considered "savages" and quickly became the victims in the European conquest of America. Tribes were kicked off of their land and forced to move, thousands were killed in wars and by the strange new diseases that the colonists brought with them.

Colonists from Europe continued to immigrate to America. Of all the European countries, the British controlled the majority of land along the Eastern coast. When the US formed, these land holdings became the Thirteen Original Colonies that broke away from England. They were: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia. Today, each of these colonies is an American state.

The states announced in their Declaration of Independence that "we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, and among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." The Declaration of Independence was a revolutionary document that continues to inspire democracy and democratic thought.

Not long after that, British troops marched on Lexington and Concord in the state of Massachusetts and the Revolutionary War ( 1776-1781) began. At the start of the war, the British Army was considered the strongest military in the world. They were fighting against colonists who lacked a standing army. The British believed they would stop the uprising in a matter of weeks. However, the American colonists adapted guerilla warfare techniques to which the British were unaccustomed. After five year, the American Revolution was won by the hard fighting colonists.

After the war, business quickly turned to setting up a permanent government. The US Constitution is oldest federal constitution in existence. It was written by a convention of delegates from twelve of the thirteen original states in the city of Philadelphia in May 1787. The first section of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, has particular historical importance. The Bill of Rights enumerated the individuals rights, and guaranteed that they would not be violated by the newly formed government. Since the document was written, many other countries have modeled parts of their own constitutions on that of the United States.

General George Washington, a decorated general who helped lead the colonists to victory, presided over the session, which lasted for five months. By 1789 the US Constitution became the law of the land. That same year, George Washington became the first U.S. President.

A major issue that was ignored during the American Revolution was slavery. Although the U.S. outlawed the importation of Africans for sale as slaves in 1807, ownership of slaves was not uncommon at that time. Hundreds of thousands of imported Africans and American-born slaves of African descent were living and working without wages, mostly in the Southern states. They worked at many different tasks, most frequently involving tedious and physically demanding manual labor, like picking cotton.
During the Nineteenth Century, tensions rose between the primarily agricultural Southern States and the more industrialized Northern States. No issue was more divisive, however, than slavery. The 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln had campaigned on an anti-slavery platform. When he won the 1860 election, the Southern States decided they did not want to be part of the United States anymore. However, Lincoln felt it was important to keep the United States intact, and would not accept their withdrawal. The Civil War began in 1861 between the Northern States who were fighting to preserve the Union and end slavery and the Southern States who were fighting for independence and for the right of each state to decide whether slavery should be permitted.
The Civil War lasted from 1861-1865 and 620,000 people lost their lives in this bloody fight. When the war ended the North had won and slavery permanently abolished within the United States. However, one hundred years later, Americans of African descent were still fighting for equal rights under the law.

After the Civil War, the USA expanded westward by purchase and annexation of territory. During this period, waves of immigrants came to the United States in hope of a better life. Many arrived in New York and were greeted by the Statue of Liberty which became a symbol to newly arriving immigrants of their new freedom in America. Major cities became a "mixing bowl" of people from many countries around the world. It would not be unusual for cities to have newspapers printed in several languages to serve newly settled immigrants, who had not yet learned English.

When the First and Second World Wars flared, there was debate in the US whether to adopt an isolationist policy or become embroiled in issues arising in Europe or Asia. After the Second World War, America had little choice. America had become a key cultural, industrial and military player on the world stage.

During the 20th Century, the US embarked on many programs to improve the lives of its citizens, particularly the most vulnerable members of its society. In response to the global stock market crash of 1929, the government created work programs and developed a retirement system that provided benefits to the elderly. Social programs and spending increased throughout the 20th century, extending the government's role in funding healthcare, education, and other social services.

America used its military frequently during the 20th Century to protect its interests both at home and abroad. After WWII, the cold war arose, and the US position was largely defined by its opposition to communist expansion, typified by the Soviet Union or China. This concern led to an invasion of Cuba, and wars in Korea and Vietnam. The US also intervened in the Americas, when it felt threatened, invading Panama, the Dominican Republic, and Grenada. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the US military became increasingly involved in Middle Eastern affairs, culminating in the last decade of the century with invasions of Kuwait and Iraq, and strained relations with the Islamic world.

At the same time, the US made great strides in protection of civil rights. During the 1960s in particular, Americans became aware of societal inequities and worked to correct them. Although slavery did not exist after the US Civil War, Americans of African descent had limited legal rights and were frequently the victims of discrimination. Several civil rights leaders, the most notable of whom was Dr. Martin Luther King, became prominent in the 1960s and demanded redress of these inequalities. Women gained the right to vote in the 1920s, and issues of gender equality were still hot at the close of the century.

The 20th Century was a period of invention and technologic advancement in the US, which resulted in a progression from an industrial economy to a service economy. The harnessing of atomic energy, the development of space travel, and advances in computer technology changed the world.

It remains to be seen how America will define itself in the new millennium. Doubtless, with the globalization of world trade and the interconnection of people through instantaneous electronic communication, in particular the Internet, the US will need to reinvent itself yet again to keep pace with a world that is progressing beyond the 19th century concept of nations and borders.