An introduction to the main events of American history from the beginnings of English colonisation in the early seventeenth century to the present, this lecture-only module is divided chronologically in two parts. Among topics covered are the colonial period; the establishment of American independence; the US constitution; slavery; the Civil War; and industrialisation, urbanisation, and the problems of a multi-ethnic society. Changes in American popular culture are considered, as are the emergence of US foreign policy and the country's transformation into a world power.