Source: Kaplan GED Test Prep 2022–2023 by Caren Van Slyke Authority Tier: Commercial Preparation (
TIER_3_COMMERCIAL) | License: Restricted Reference (RESTRICTED) Coverage: Chapter 2: U.S. History (Pages 970–990) Curriculum Standard: High School Equivalency Preparation
Kaplan Reference: Chapter 2: U.S. History
Lesson 1: Exploration, Colonialism, and the American Revolution
(Page 970)
CHAPTER 2 U.S. History Lesson 1: Exploration, Colonialism, and the American Revolution Key Ideas European explorers sought wealth and conquest in the New World from the 1400s to the 1600s. The Thirteen Colonies declared independence from England in 1776. America won its independence in 1783 and ratified the U.S. Constitution in 1788. The first Americans traveled from Asia across the Bering Strait into North America and, over many generations, down to South America. Called Native Americans , they established extensive tribal cultures and several advanced civilizations. In the late 1400s, explorers from Europe searched for a sea route to Asia so they could trade for Asian gold and spices. They traveled around the tip of