About the Book

The Americas were settled by people migrating from Asia at the height of an Ice Age 15,000 years ago. There was no contact with Europeans until Vikings appeared briefly in the 10th century, and the voyages of Christopher Columbus from 1492. America's Indigenous peoples were the Paleo-Indians, who were initially hunter-gatherers. Post 1492, Spanish, Portuguese and later English, French and Dutch colonialists arrived, conquering and settling the discovered lands over three centuries, from the early 16th to the early 19th centuries. The United States achieved independence from England in 1776, while Brazil and the larger Hispanic American nations declared independence in the 19th century. Canada became a federal dominion in 1867.

Also in this Book

United States history began with the migrations of Indigenous people prior to 15,000 BC. Christopher Columbus's 1492 expedition enabled European colonization, with most colonies formed after 1600. By the 1770s, 13 British colonies held 2.5 million people along the Atlantic coast east of the Appalachians. The British government imposed new taxes after 1765 and would not agree to the colonists having a say in their determination. The American War of Independence, 1775–1783, ensued, resulting in independence, and another war was declared against Britain in 1812. The next 50 years saw the expansion of American states and territories through the west, however growth was curtailed by the costly American Civil War, which broke out in 1861 over the Confederate States' wish to continue the practice of slavery, and the Union's wish to preserve the union. By 1865 some 620,000 people died, making it the most costly in US history. Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867. The next decades up to World War 1 saw large migrations from Europe and massive growth in the US economy. The US had a short but decisive influence on World War 1, suffered during the Great Depression, and had an even greater decisive influence on the outcome of World War 2. The US then engaged in a Cold War with its military and ideological adversary, the USSR, which disintegrated in 1991. Over the 20th century the US was not just a dynamo of technological advancement, but also contributed greatly to world growth.

About us

Leopold Classic Library has the goal of making available to readers the classic books that have been out of print for decades. While these books may have occasional imperfections, we consider that only hand checking of every page ensures readable content without poor picture quality, blurred or missing text etc. That's why we:

• republish only hand checked books;
• that are high quality;
• enabling readers to see classic books in original formats; that
• are unlikely to have missing or blurred pages.

Happy reading!