The making of a nation The long road to independence Native American cultures have been living on the North American continent for at least fifteen thousand years, so the history of the country did not ‘begin! in 1492 with Columbus’ ‘discovery’ of. America. However, this date is often quoted as the beginning of the history of the United States of ‘America as a nation state. European colonists, mainly from Britain, but also from Spain, the Netherlands and France, began to arrive in America after 1600. By the 1770s, there were thirteen British colonies on the northeastern coast. ALTrst the British colonies were dependent on goods and support from Europe, but over time they prospered, becoming more economically independent and increasingly dissatisfied that all ‘major political decisions were made in London without asking for the colonists’ opinions. Unrest ‘came toa head in the 1770s, when Britain set heavy taxes on certain goods. The colonists refused to pay. the taxes unless they were given representation in Parliament. Clashes with British soldiers began in the 1770s, culminating in the ‘Boston Tea Party’ in Immigration ‘The first Europeans to come to America (apart from a few intrepid Vikings in the early 11th century, ‘who did not stay) made the long journey across the Atlantic in the belief that the New World’ would offer them a better life Setters from the 17th century onwards came for many reasons, such as the desire to escape from poverty, from r political or economic oppre advantage of new opportunities. Many may have come unwillingly; but the most involuntary immigrants by far were the millions of ‘people who were transported from Africa against their will, between the early 17th century and the abolition ofthe Atlantic slave trade in 1807, and put to work as slaves on sugar, cotton and tobacco plantations oras servants to their owners, often under horrendous conditions. Other peak periods of immigration were the rid. 19th century from Northern and North- ‘western Europe, particularly Germans after the failed revolution of 1848 and Irish immigrants during the famine years of 1845-52), the early 20th which protesters sank ship full oftea from Britain. During the ensuing, successful Revolutionary War against Britain (1775-1783), committee of = statesmen referred to today asthe Founding Fathers drafted the Declaration of Independence. ‘This innovative document, edited in Congress and signed by all members on july, 1776, wasa guideline forthe Constitutionwrittenin 1787,» ensuring thatthe three branches of government ~ the president, Congress andthe Supreme Court ~ ‘would share power fairly century (mainly from Southem and Eastern Europe) and post-1965, when hanged immigration lawsled to morenon-Europeansenteringthe = ‘country. While European immigrants accounted for nearly 60% of the total foreign-born population in 1970, they made up only 15 % in 2000. This is due to steadily increasing immigration from Latin America (mainly Mexico, but also Cuba, El Salvador 2 and the Dominican Republic) and Asian countries like China, the Philippines or India, America once saw itself as a‘melting pot in which these immigrants ideally gave up their way of life, language and cultureand 2ecamepartofa = unified, monocultural and monolingual American nation. But since 1970, this metaphor has been replaced by the idea of a multicultural and diverse America ~a'salad bow! in which different cultures ix, but remain independent. Americans are often asked about their roots. Genealogical research is a widespread hobby in this ‘nation of immigrants!avacty ass, Freedom and equality Freedom and equality are cornerstones of American society The Bill of Rights, starting with asetof ten amendments to the Constitution in 1791, explicitly uarantees religious freedom, freedom of speech * and equal rights and opportunites forall American citizens, regardless of class or background, Religious freedom has led toa wide spectrum of religious creeds. The controversial Second ‘Amendment ensures the right to own weapons, Yet freedom and equality were not granted tall ‘American citizens automatically. ARer the Civil War (1861-65) between the northern and southern states, in which many states were for, but Confederates in southern states were against the ' ablition of slavery it was finally abolished in 1865 ~ butthe introduction of jim Crow’ racial segregation Jaws in 1896 again put African Americans in a Position of inequality. It took the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s to achieve equal > rights in law for descendants of feed slaves. Although Black politicians have served on state and national level throughout American history, the US saw its first Black president in 2008 and the first Black vice-president in 2021. % _Thetheory of equal opportunities forall often clashes with a more sobering reality. Black US The American Dream ‘The American Dream isa set of beliefs and ideals in which every American is— in theory-free to prosper and advance socially and financially through hard work, The concept, rooted in the + Protestant belief that God rewards hard work, is subject to many individual interpretations. Some dream of fame and fortune; others of a fulfilled life ‘orsimply a life without state interference. ‘The idea began to take hold when Thomas » Jefferson wrote in 1776 that Americans were born with the unalienable rights to“life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." The phrase “American Dream was coined by James Truslow Adams in The US -adiverse nation 6 citizens have experienced a disproportional amount of police checks and violence, leading to the Black Lives Matter social media campaign that has grown into.a movement challenging systemic racism and discrimination, Other minorities who have had to fight -and are stil fighting ~for freedom and equality are Native Americans, Hispanics and LGBTQ people as well asundocumented immigrants and their children, >> “dreamers'longing forthe right to remain inthe US and to be allowed to attend college o work legally. American women are still fighting against {inequality earning on average ust 75% of ‘American men’s wages. The pro-choice issue (supporting women's right to choose tohave an abortion) is politically polarised in the US, clashing withthe pro-life view that abortion discriminates against unborn children. The Me too' campaign ‘encouraged women to speak out against sexual abuse and expose it as systemic. Education i free and available to all, butts ‘uality often depends on where a child goes to school. Students from wealthy homes often have much better access to well-funded schoolsand =» higher education than those from poor neighbourhoods, 1931: The American Dreams that dream ofaland in which life should be better and richer and fuller foreveryone, with opportunity for each according toability or achievement. For centuries people have been and are still~ Coming to America, atracted by the American Dream: the economic dream of success and ™ prosperity (from rags to riches), the social dream of equality and opportunity, the political dream of justice and democracy. or the personal dream of freedom and self-tealisation. While for many US citizens the dream is still alive, for many others itis» anillusion or has even turned intoa nightmare. 1 SPEAKING On the basis ofthe the texts above, create a timeline you can use to talk ‘about the history of the US. Leave some space so you can add to it later 2 USTENING Outline the complexity of Bayard Rusti’ identity and his ole in US histor. Share your knowledge of other figures from US history. Choose two each and find out ‘more about them,