American history

[pitstopbunny]

After watching Millionaire last night, I am shocked by how rubbish my knowledge of American history is! Can anyone recommend a good website on American history so I can brush up on it

[n00dles]

Hi psbunny

Google American History

At least you won't have too much to research, most records date from 1498.........

[vehelpfulguy]

It is worth thinking carefully about the name of the US: The United States of America.

It is in fact a group of 50 states that are now one country. Rather like Europe is trying to get with the EU.

How these states grew and developed, and gradually merged into one country, is fascinating.

Before they were one country each state had its own language, its own money and so on, so it was not easy.

Try reading up on the American Civil War, this is obviously an important event in US history.

Also read up on the Louisiana purchase. This is where the US bought 800,000 miles of land from the French.

The west (San Francisco etc) of the US and the East (New York etc) were already developed, but a huge mass of the centre of the US was not.

This land was owned by the French (how ?) but was sold and this in effect made the US.

Good web site on Louisiana Purchase

http://www.louisianapurchase2003.com/history/overview/index.htm

[vehelpfulguy]

In fact here is a fascinating map of the early US.

Note the east has a lot of the States already, but the middle does not, and the left hand side is owned by Spain.

http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/maps/louisianapurchase/bwmap.jpg

Of course the fact that the Spanish owned much of the west is why cities over that side are called names like San Fransico, Los Angeles, and San Diago.

Also note some of the states are named after English people, like Georgia (King George) and Carolina.

And of course New York was named by the English after the English town, as it was originally named by the Dutch as New Amsterdam.

I think New York sounds better.

[jno]

New York was named after the Duke of York.

[vehelpfulguy]

> New York was named after duke of York.

I did not know that.

Mind you, he was named after the English town so I was sort of correct.

[jno]

this was the Duke of York who became James II and was later run out of Britain.

After the town was renamed NY it was briefly recaptured by the Dutch, and this time they called it New Orange, until it fell to the British again. Imagine a town known as both the Big Apple and the New Orange. True story, it's on Wikipedia

[mouse53]

Hi pitstopbunny, I would agree with nOOdles, just go to Google and search for USA. history.

Just remember it is now run by a bad guy who is screwing all the people there. Soon we will even catch up to your gas prices in a matter of months. Just heard the Supreme Court says police can enter your house with out announcing themselves. Great place.

[Rock'n'Roll]

I find this interesting
http://www.infoplease.com/
lots of stuff,from attempted assassination attempts,history of US flag to the entry dates of various states into the Union

[spudqueen]

Not exactly history, but by going on the geography section of http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/ I learnt all the American states, and their location and all the State capitals. You can also learn interesting facts (which are often historical facts) about each State.

[cunny]

Check out this Dvd http://www.cuttingedge.org/video/testimonies/t estimonies.html