UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

On 4 July 1776 the American Continental Congress passed the Declaration of Independence, and war with Britain resulted in the United States of America.
Canada remained in British hands, with much of western and southern America remaining Spanish. 1789 brought in a new style of government with George Washington as the first President.

THE CONSTITUTION

Based on the written United States Constitution and subsequent Bill of Rights containing the first 10 amendments, this new government was revolutionary in itself, based on the initial philosophy of John Locke.
Guaranteeing total separation between the executive, judiciary and legislature, it confirmed at the centre of its being the freedom of speech, religion and assembly as well as the right of all to be tried by their peers and to petition the government.
Federal in nature, at all levels of administration, elections were to take place, the system hoping to be the ultimate form of democracy.

EXPANSION

Deteriorating relations with Britain led to further war in 1812, and following this, the US began an expansionist policy, moving out from the initial colonies. Spain ceded Florida in 1819, Louisiana being purchased from France 16 years earlier.
From this point onwards the colonisation of the ‘wild west’ began. 1845 saw the US annex Texas from Mexico, leading to war. The state had been an independent republic sine 1836, the time of the Alamo.
American victory led to the acquisition of California. Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Colorado followed. Future years were to see the gold rush to the Rocky Mountains and the subjugation of the Native American tribes.

SLAVERY AND ECONOMY

Much of US wealth came from the plantations of the south, worked by slaves, but the slavery question arose in the early 19th century with the move to bring Missouri into the Union.
The North wanted to prevent admission to states who dealt in the slave trade. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 allowed this state to join, but slavery was banned above the 36th parallel.
The issue resurfaced in 1860 when South Carolina held a convention in which they declared their intention to leave the Union. The example was followed by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas.
In 1861 Abraham Lincoln became President and asserted that no state could leave the Union. By this time the states had rebelled and the American Civil War became inevitable, following the declaration of the Confederate States of America on 8 February 1861.

CIVIL WAR

Fighting began at Fort Sumter on 12 April, followed by the rebellion of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas. The North attempted an invasion of Virginia but were repelled by the South at Bull Run in July.
Although massive volunteer armies had formed, they were a rabble, not getting it together until the following year, the first war of attrition being the outcome when the North began to starve the South by naval blockade whilst taking the major river routes.
Lee turned back two invasion attempts in 1862, carrying the war into the North, finally stopped at Antietam, Maryland, in September.
A further crushing defeat of the Southern forces in July 1863 at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, led to Northern control of the Mississippi and Tennessee rivers, allowing invasion of the lower South.
In 1864 Grant invaded Virginia whilst Sherman marched through Georgia and South Carolina, the South defeated by the Spring of 1865.

A RISING ECONOMY

The American Civil War led to unification and social advantages vital to the future of the nation. Although cultural differences continued to stew under the surface, economic growth could now begin.
The west was opened up, the Native Americans were totally subdued and the pioneers gave way to farmers. Urban growth advanced, fuelled by immigration from Europe, and the US industrial revolution ensued.
By 1890 they had the largest railway network in the world and the period 1877-92 saw production tripled, the US rising as the largest world economy following the First World War. Then tragedy struck.

DEPRESSION

The problems began following the First World War with non-European nations increasing their productive capacity. However, demand did not increase in kind. This led to a decrease in prices with a corresponding, drop in the level of earnings.
Home markets slumped and the new industries, such as the automobile factories, found themselves struggling. To ease the situation the Gold Exchange Standard replaced the pre-war fixed exchange rates, but to no effect.
In October 1929 the bubble burst. Stock prices slumped and Wall Street crashed. Billions were wiped off the economy, worldwide a quarter of the working population was unemployed and the Great Depression of 1929-39 hit. And in Germany, itself in economic crisis of Depression, a painter-cum-war veteran smiled. His chance had come.

© Anthony North, January 2008

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