United States History by Nona

Here is a short Essay I wrote about the beginning of the United States' history:

August 30, 2008

United States History

          The mid-to-late 15th century was known as the Age of Exploration and Discovery. It was an age in which European sailors and ships set sail to discover new lands and trade routes. It began in Portuguese when Christopher Columbus set sail with three ships and 90 men to find a new trade route to Asia. Instead of finding Asia, Christopher Columbus found the Bahamas, which led other explorers to the discovery of North America.

               The Renaissance, beginning in Italy in the late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe, was an era of classical art, architecture, literature, learning and new ideas. The Renaissance opened people’s minds, and the Age of Discovery and Exploration began. By sailing, the Portuguese explorers hoped to find new trade routs to Asia and Africa. When North America was discovered, Europeans began to arrive in North America and create a new civilization.

                 The history of the United States of America probably began on September 16, 1620, when the Mayflower set sail from England to North America. Some of the passengers were Puritans, who wanted to establish a colony of their own. On November 11, 1520 the passengers on the Mayflower signed an agreement to establish a government. That was when the United States of America was created.

After North America became known as the United States of America, the people who lived there became known as “Americans”.