Chapter 2, The Founding of America Summary and Analysis

Human progress was steady but slow. There had been great accomplishments, such as fire and the wheel. But nothing would rival the colonization and democratization of the new world. This process can be understood according to several dates. In 1492, Columbus discovered America, although this isn't really true. In 1620, the Pilgrims landed in the United States and established the first lasting American colony. It also brought religious fanaticism to the New World. In 1776, the United States broke with England and signed the Declaration of Independence.

This general period also brought the Tea Party in 1773 where the British government substantially increased the tax on tea. The English-American relationship had been deteriorating for some time, partly since the 1765 Stamp Act. Things worsened during the 1770 Boston Massacre.

The Declaration of Independence was the document that Thomas Jefferson wrote which declared independence...