Turning Points in American History
Introduction
The history of the USA can be traced better from 1565 when the first Europeans settled permanently in St Augustin, present-day Florida. In 1607, Virginia Company founded the first English settlement at Jamestown, Virginia, along the banks of James River and begun growing tobacco. Later in 1620 Pilgrim Fathers founded Plymouth Colony. At the start of the 17th century, Africans were sold as slaves to work on the tobacco and cotton plantations in North America. In 1763, Britain defeated France and took control of territory up to the Mississippi River. The history then goes through the American war of Independence fought between 1775 and 1785 which won independence for the original 13 colonies, freeing them from Britain. To understand the turning points in the history of America, it is important to describe the three events that mostly affected the development of the USA up to reconstruction.
The first significant event believed to have changed the US into the country it is today is the American Revolution. As stated in the first paragraph, it refers to the American war that won political independence to colonies of Great Britain. It began as a civil war within the “British Empire” but it turned into an international war, with France and Spain joining to assist the colonies in defeating Britain. Netherland which was by then offering financial support to the US also started a war against Britain. The cause of the war is said to be the new laws passed by England’s Congress (Parliament) placing a high tax on the colonists in America. The reason for high taxation on colonists was to help Great Britain to pay the bills resulting from the French and India War that ended in 1763. The great legacy of this Revolutionary war is the adoption of the US constitution. It also led to the establishment of a government that could allow debate and differences of opinion. The colonies remained independent from Great Britain.
The second event that affected the development of the US is the unanimous election of the first US president George Washington in 1789. During his two terms in the office, he shaped the future roles and powers of future presidents as well as setting both formal and informal precedents. He believed that “it was necessary to strike a delicate balance between making the presidency powerful enough to function effectively in a national government, while also avoiding any image of establishing a monarchy or dictatorship.” Thus, Washington’s ruling greatly influenced the path for the progression of the presidency. He began the roles of the presidency and set standards in various aspects, including economic policy, political power, and military practice.
The third event on the development of the US is the Industrial Revolution. It started in Great Britain in the late 1790s and later advanced to the US, changing its economic focus and their way of manufacturing products. The driving force for the full-scale Industrial Revolution in the US was a style textile factory opened by Samuel Slater in Rhode Island. The factory increased productivity and the wages were much higher than farm rates. More was opened in the 18th century creating many job opportunities for Americans. The economy expanded rapidly leading to the creation of international markets. The Industrial Revolution created great wealth in the US resulting in an increased population and leading to the beginning of the reconstruction process in December 1863.
Conclusion
As observed, the US is a nation with a vast and complex history. It is much interesting to learn the events that mostly affected its development, placing it to the position it is today. The Revolutionary wars led to the creation of a new government, whose powers were placed in the people and not in a monarch as observed in Great Britain. The Wars also led to the Declaration of Rights that guaranteed personal freedom. The constitution provided a procedure for holding public office and voting. The first president paved the way for other presidents and discouraged dictatorship and monarchial forms of government. Lastly, the Industrial Revolution increased both wealth and population and accelerated the reconstruction process and enables the US to maintain its powerhouse status.