The victory
of the thirteen American colonies over their mother country in 1781 and the
declaration of their independence were followed by a long period of
organization for the new nation. In 1789 the constitution of the United States
was ratified and George Washington was elected first President.
The first
half of the 19th century was marked by considerable territorial
expansion: Louisiana was bought from Napoleon for $ 14,500,000 and Florida from
Spain for $ 5,000,000. Texas and California were annexed from Mexico.
The Far
West was explores and reports of rich gold mines in California started the
famous “Gold Rush” which is one of the most colourful pages in the history of
the Far West. People began moving westwards. Pioneers packed their families and
furniture into big covered wagons, crossed the Appalachians and set out to the
West. This Expansion was marked by a long and bitter conflict against the
Redskin Indians, who attempted bravely to defend their hunting grounds from the
invaders. Many were the great Indian chiefs who led their people against the
white men: Black Hawk was the hero of the resistance to the Palefaces east of
the Mississippi; Sitting Bull was the great Sioux leader who defeated Colonel
Custer; and Cochise at the head of his warlike tribe, the Apaches, spread
terror among the Whites in Arizona.
But the
Indians’ struggle was a vain one. They were practically exterminated by the
white men and only a few survived the massacre. Their descendants can still be
found in the reservations of Arizona, Utah, Nevada and Oregon, where they are
nothing but a tourist attraction. They welcome foreign visitors and entertain
them with their colourful dances, their rainbow-hued costumes, the beat of
their drums and their ancient chants. Some are willing to pose for photographs.
This is all
that is left of the culture, the customs, the beliefs of a proud and ancient
people.
Source: R.
Colle – I. Vay, L’esame di inglese, Lattes, an old Italian book 1974.
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