http://www.shmoop.com/american-revolution/teaching.html The American Revolution
The Revolutionary War took place from 1775-1783. The 13 colonies broke away from Britain with the goal of obtaining independence. The major cause of the war was British taxes. The first shots were fired at the Battle of Lexington and Concord in 1775. Shortly later, Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence famously stating that "All men are created equal." George Washington was named General of the Continental Army. The war ended when Lord Charles Cornwallis surrendered his troops to Washington in Yorktown, Virgina. (http://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/revolution/section7.rhtml)
Check out the link below to learn more about the American Revolution.
Picture from the FDR, courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration.
The Great Depression
The Great Depression was the worst economic crisis in our countries history. Beginning with the Stock Market Crash of 1929, the Great Depression dragged on until WWII. At its peak more than 25% of America's workforce was unemployed. Millions of people lost their homes, while many more suffered from depression, starvation, and a life of poverty. "Hoovervilles," or make-shift shanty towns, became common living communities for the homeless. When Franklin D. Roosevelt became president, he made wipe sweeping changes to create jobs and build the countries infrastructure. This plan became known as the New Deal. The impact of the New Deal has been widely debated, however the on-set of WWII put many of our men and women back to work in factories. This event officially marked the end of the Great Depression. http://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/depression/context.html