The Brief History of USA The United States of America has been a democracy for more than 200 years. Issues that were important in its early years remain so today: big government versus small government, individual rights versus group rights, free markets versus controlled trade, and connection with the world versus focusing on internal affairs. The U.S. tries to be a fair and just society, and much of the time it succeeds. Through compromise and change, the country has grown, prospered, and made progress toward its ideals.

In time, the 13 colonies developed within three distinct regions. As time went on, all the colonies developed governments based on the British tradition of citizen participation. The ideas of liberalism and democracy are the basis of the U.S. political system. As the colonists built their new society, they believed more strongly in these ideas. Britain’s 13 colonies grew in population and economic strength during the 1700s. The American Revolution and the war for independence from Britain began with a small fight between British troops and colonists on April 19, 1775. In 1778, France recognized the United States as an independent country and signed a treaty of alliance. In 1783, the 13 colonies became the United States. Before the war ended, the colonies had developed the Articles of Confederation, a plan to work together as one nation, but the connections among the 13 states were loose. It was a nation of 13 countries. George Washington became the first president of the United States on April 30, 1789. He had been in charge of the army. As president, his job was to create a working government. The American Civil War started in April 1861. The South claimed the right to leave the United States, also called the Union, and form its own Confederacy. President Lincoln led the Northern states. He was determined to stop the