Landmarks in United States History

Discovery and Colonial Period

• 1492: Columbus discovers America
• 1607: First English settlers (Puritans) found Jamestown colony in Virginia
  • Reasons: religious persecution, political freedom, economic opportunities
• 1620: Pilgrim Fathers arrive on the Mayflower
  • Mayflower Compact created as first governing document
• 1626: First eleven African American slaves arrive in America
• 1733: British controlled thirteen separate colonies along the east coast

Fighting for Independence

• 1751-65: British passed several tax acts → rising anger among colonists
• 1770: Boston Massacre – five civilians killed by British troops
• 1773: Boston Tea Party – colonists destroy tea on British ships
  • "No taxation without representation"
• 1775: War of Independence begins (led by George Washington)
• July 4, 1776: Declaration of Independence signed

Establishing a New Nation

• 1789: Introduction of the U.S. Constitution
• 1791: Bill of Rights – 10 amendments added to the constitution

Westward Expansion

• 1850s: U.S. stretches from east to west coast (The Frontier)
  • Concept of "Manifest Destiny"
• 1830: Indian Removal Act forces Native Americans east of Mississippi to move west

Schlüsselbegriff: Der U.S. Constitution pdf ist ein grundlegendes Dokument, das 1789 eingeführt wurde und die Basis für das amerikanische Regierungssystem bildet. Es definiert die drei Regierungszweige und die grundlegenden Rechte der Bürger.

The Civil War and Civil Rights Movement

The Civil War (1861-65)

• Abraham Lincoln elected as president
• U.S. split into:
  • Union (North, against slavery)
  • Confederacy (South, pro slavery)
• Results:
  • Union maintained
  • Abolishment of slavery

The African American Experience

• Jim Crow Laws:
  • State and local laws legalizing racial segregation
  • Separate public facilities, education, health systems
  • Enforced white supremacy

The Civil Rights Movement

• Social and political movement against racial segregation
• Aimed to secure and expand civil rights through nonviolent protests
• Key figures:
  • Rosa Parks: "Mother of the civil rights movement"
    • Started the Bus Boycott ending segregation in public transport
  • Martin Luther King: Most famous leader
    • "I Have a Dream" speech advocated for equal rights
  • Malcolm X:
    • Advocated black empowerment
    • Criticized nonviolent approach

21st Century

• 2001: 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center
• 2009-17: Barack Obama – first African-American president
• 2017-21: Donald Trump presidency
• 2013-today: Black Lives Matter movement
  • Fights racism and anti-black violence
  • Demands: police reform, end to violence against Black people
• 2020: Death of George Floyd sparked widespread BLM protests

Historischer Meilenstein: When did slavery end in America? Officially, slavery ended in 1865 after the Union victory in the Civil War. The 13th Amendment to the Constitution formally abolished slavery in all U.S. states and territories, marking a turning point in American history but not ending racial discrimination.

Slavery in the US

Origin and Development

• Slavery existed in ancient civilizations like Egypt and Greece
• In America, slavery began shortly after discovery (1619)
• Millions of African people were kidnapped and enslaved
• Transatlantic slave trade:
  • Slaves transported from Africa to America by boat
  • Horrific conditions: diseases, starvation
  • Upon arrival, slaves were sold at auctions; families split up

Types of Slavery

• House slaves:
  • Domestic duties in the slave owner's home
  • Exposed to physical punishment and sexual abuse
• Field slaves:
  • Worked on plantations from sunrise to sunset
  • Planted and harvested: cotton, sugar, rice, tobacco
  • Only received 15-minute breaks

Conditions of Slavery

• Terrible living conditions: small cabins with 10-12 people, poverty
• Considered property of slave owners with no rights or legal protection
• Brutal punishment for attempting escape or disobedience
• Southern states' economies completely dependent on slave labor
• White supremacy ideology justified enslavement

The Triangular Slave Trade

1. People in Africa kidnapped and sold to merchants for European goods
2. Slaves sent to America, sold at auctions, forced to work
3. Plantation crops shipped and sold to Europe

The Underground Railroad

• Network helping enslaved people escape to the North
• Provided shelter, transportation, food
• Led by figures like Harriet Tubman, who escaped slavery in 1849

Wichtiges Konzept: Chattel slavery war die in Amerika praktizierte Form der Sklaverei, bei der Menschen als bewegliches Eigentum (Chattel) betrachtet wurden. Diese Form der Sklaverei war besonders brutal, da sie die vollständige Entmenschlichung der versklavten Personen bedeutete und durch die history of slavery in the US als Grundlage für die Wirtschaft der Südstaaten diente.

The Constitution and American Democracy

Abolishment of Slavery

• Ended during/through the Civil War (1861-1865)
• Union victory over Confederacy led to abolition
• Abraham Lincoln's leadership crucial in ending the institution that divided the country

Development of American Democracy

• Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776):

  • American colonies declared freedom from British control
  • Established democratic ideas: all men created equal
  • Guaranteed human rights: Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness

• The Constitution of the USA (September 17, 1787):

  • Nation's first constitution and oldest written national constitution still in force
  • Established fundamental laws for the 13 colonies
  • Begins with "We The People" emphasizing popular sovereignty

• The Bill of Rights:

  • 10 amendments added to address lack of personal freedoms
  • Guaranteed civil rights and liberties to individuals
  • Black people were initially excluded from these protections

Core Principles of American Democracy

1. Popular Sovereignty: Government operates only with people's consent
2. Limited Government: Free market economy, no absolute power
3. Separation of Powers: Government divided into three branches
4. Checks and Balances:
   • Executive branch (President)
   • Legislative branch (Congress)
   • Judicial branch (Supreme Court)
   • Each branch can control others (e.g., through veto power)
5. Federalism: Creates two sovereign powers (national and state governments)

Grundlegende Struktur: Der Body of the constitution besteht aus sieben Artikeln, die die grundlegende Struktur der amerikanischen Regierung definieren. Die U.S. Constitution Articles legen die drei Regierungszweige fest (Legislative, Exekutive und Judikative), definieren die Beziehung zwischen Bundesstaaten und der Bundesregierung und beschreiben den Prozess zur Änderung der Verfassung. Diese Struktur ist fundamental für das Verständnis des American Constitution summary und wird oft in AP U.S. Government and Politics notes behandelt.

Values and Beliefs in American Society

Puritanism and Religion

• Puritans: English Protestants who became frustrated with the Anglican Church

  • Separated from the established Church of England
  • Wanted to worship according to their own beliefs and practices
  • Faced religious persecution in England

• Journey to America:

  • Puritans believed they were led to America by God
  • America viewed as the "Promised Land"
  • Saw themselves as "chosen by God" with a divine mission

• Biblical Comparison:

  • Compared their journey to the Old Testament story of God leading Israelites out of Egypt
  • This religious narrative shaped early American identity

• Motivation for Immigration:

  • Not just economic opportunity
  • Religious freedom was a primary driving force
  • Set foundation for religious liberty in America

Historischer Kontext: Die Frage "When did slavery start in America?" kann mit 1619 beantwortet werden, als die ersten afrikanischen Sklaven in die Kolonien gebracht wurden. Diese Entwicklung steht im Kontrast zu den puritanischen Werten der Freiheit, die viele der frühen Siedler für sich selbst suchten. Die slavery in America timeline begann also fast zeitgleich mit der Gründung der ersten permanenten englischen Siedlungen und endete offiziell erst 1865, was einen slavery in America Zusammenfassung besonders wichtig für das Verständnis der amerikanischen Geschichte macht.