Outline of U.S. History

A chronological look at how the United States took shape—from its origins as an obscure set of colonies on the Atlantic coast a little more than 200 years ago into what one political analyst today calls “the first universal nation.”

Flag of the United States of America.

Outline of U.S. History

A guide to the history of the United States of America.

Contents

1. Early America
2. The Colonial Period
3. The Road to Independence
4. The Formation of a National Government
5. Westward Expansion and Regional Differences
6. Sectional Conflict
7. The Civil War and Reconstruction
8. Growth and Transformation
9. Discontent and Reform
10. War, Prosperity, and Depression
11. The New Deal and World War II
12. Postwar America
13. Decades of Change: 1960-1980
14. The New Conservatism and a New World Order
15. Bridge to the 21^st Century

• Bibliography

Picture profiles

• Becoming a nation
• Transforming a nation
• Turmoil and change
• 21^st century nation
• Monuments and memorials

Acknowledgements

This book is derived from the Outline of U.S. History published by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Information Programs. (According to The State Department, “Unless a copyright is indicated, information on State Department websites is in the public domain and may be copied and distributed without permission.”) The first edition (1949-50) was produced under the editorship of Francis Whitney, first of the State Department Office of International Information and later of the U.S. Information Agency. Richard Hofstadter, professor of history at Columbia University, and Wood Gray, professor of American history at The George Washington University, served as academic consultants. D. Steven Endsley of Berkeley, California, prepared additional material.

It has been updated and revised extensively over the years by, among others, Keith W. Olsen, professor of American history at the University of Maryland, and Nathan Glick, writer and former editor of the USIA journal, Dialogue. Alan Winkler, professor of history at Miami University (Ohio), wrote the post-World War II chapters for previous editions. The edition from which this book is derived has been revised and updated by Alonzo L. Hamby, Distinguished Professor of History at Ohio University.