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When the United States declared its independence in 1776, different peoples had lived on its lands for centuries. Christopher Columbus's arrival in America in 1492 began a new era of exploration, settlement, and exchange in what Europeans saw as a new world.
The country's origins, therefore, do not begin at a specific date, nor do they involve one particular group of people. At first, most immigrants came from Western Europe in search of new riches, new freedoms, and new beginnings. As early as 1619, the importation of slaves from Africa began. In subsequent centuries, as individuals from around the globe have settled here, the country's diversity has grown further.
In many respects, the United States is always beginning anew. Here in this exhibition, you will meet those who shaped their times, from the colonial era through the Revolution and the Civil War to the end of the nineteenth century. Each contributed in extraordinary ways to the country's continuing reinvention. |