Emilee Page

HIST 1700
4/22/2021
Changes and Evolutions in the American Civilization

America has changed and evolved since its initial foundation. To change something is to

become different than it once was. Evolution is similar, but it is a gradual development of

something that was once simple becoming more complex. The American Civilization can be

defined by people from around the globe coming together on American soil to create social

development and organization that advances society. Obviously American has changed and

evolved many times over and over again, which I will go in depth about.

Let us start from the beginning, America was initially inhabited by it is Natives, also

known as Native Americans. This land was wild and untamed, everything was free to do so as it

pleased. Once the settlers and the rediscoverers of America step foot on this land was the initial

launch of rapid evolution in this country. Christopher Columbus was among many settlers who

first established colonies here. The Natives were mostly trusting and wanted peace between the

explorers, but this quickly changed due to their land being stripped to make way for the

immigrants settling.

There were 13 original colonies that began to make their homes and use the resources of

this untapped and abundant land. Initially they were reliant on the help from the Natives with

surviving because they did not have the resources they needed, but the Natives knew the secrets

of the land. They would trade guns with the Natives in exchange for gold, silver, and other

valuable goods to take back to Europe. This allowed the Natives to have an upgrade in their

weaponry. The original people of this land would continue to be pushed out toward the west due

to mass murders of their people for land.

Emilee Page
HIST 1700
4/22/2021
This country started to flourish with more and more settlers, especially from Europe who

would advance this land through farming and industry. America would need immense help to get

the mass production of raw materials to send back to Europe. This labor resulted in slavery of

Africans. Europe would give America and Africa manufactured goods in this triangular trade.

Slavery lasted longer than it should have in my opinion, but it allowed America a quick spot on

the world stage of trade.

During slavery, the 13 colonies would develop freedom from Europe and come up with a

new government and rules to run this new land. These rights and establishment of independence

from Europe is still the basis for what our country relies on governing us today. We would

continue many wars and treaties with places like Spain, Britain, and France to continue to

expand westward and conquer more territory. This resulted in even more Natives taken from

their land and changing the original composition of America.

The civil war is what would eventually free Africans and create more unalienable rights

that we still hold true today on this land. This resulted in the most deaths in America thus far.

War always leads to advances in technology, and this war was no different. The gilded age was

soon after and this gave way to new inventions in transportation, communication, and other

technologies. This was the time of monopolies and cities rising up from the dirt. How far we

have come from small settlements and barely scrapping by to survive to wealth gaps and dense

populations crowded in across America.

America has become from this era of the gilded age to now one of the biggest industrial

powers in the world. During the first and second world war America was a production

powerhouse, the need for labor was so high that even women began working in the factories. The
Emilee Page
HIST 1700
4/22/2021
nation’s wealth could not stop growing during these times. Of course, there was the great

depression, but this created more laws and regulations that we live by today to help us during

these low points.

As you can see this was once a rural and wild land that was free in it’s own definition.

We can call America free today, but to me the wild nature of America before it was greatly

populated was truly free. This land has evolved from tribes of Natives to metropolises of

immigrants from around the globe. It has become an industrial power that uses its natural and

technological resources to its advantage of continuous growth. America has and will continue to

change and evolve, creating new laws and rights for the land and the people that inhabit it.