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History >>World War 2 for Kids Women played an important role for the United States in World War II. Although they did not enter combat as soldiers, many women helped by serving in thearmed forces. They also helped to keep the country together at the home front. Women worked in factories producing ships, tanks, munitions and other much needed products for the war effort.

Poster recruiting women for the armed forces
Source: National Archives

Women in the Armed Forces

Many women served in the armed forces during the war. Some served as nurses in the Army Nurse corps. This could be a dangerous job as some nurses worked in hospitals that were close to the war front. They served in a variety of areas including field hospitals, ship hospitals, medical transport planes, and evacuation hospitals. Many soldier's lives were saved by these brave nurses.

Women also served in the Women's Army Corps or WAC. This was a branch of the armed forces started up in 1942. Women served in non-combat areas such as mechanics repairing vehicles, army post offices sorting mail, and working in communications and warning systems. There were 150,000 women in the WAC by the end of the war. They served throughout the military, even landing in Normandy only a few weeks after D-Day.

Nurses in the Army
Source: National Archives

At first many men did not want women in the armed forces. It was Eleanor Roosevelt and General George Marshall who eventually got the WAC approved. Later, women troops were such good soldiers that some leaders suggested that women should be drafted.

Women's Air Force Service Pilots

Women also served as pilots as Women's Air Force Service Pilots or WASPs. These were women who already had pilot's licenses. They flew military planes between army bases and flew cargo planes carrying supplies. This freed up male pilots for combat missions.

Rosie the Riveter
Source: National Museum of American History

Rosie the Riveter

Perhaps one of the largest contributions of women during World War II was keeping our factories running. With 10 million men in the army, many women were needed to run the country's factories. They produced much needed planes, tanks, warships, guns, and other munitions for the war.

In order to inspire women to work in the factories, the US government came up with the "Rosie the Riveter" campaign. Displayed on posters and magazines, Rosie the Riveter was a character that portrayed a strong patriotic woman who worked in the factories to help the country. There was even a popular song called "Rosie the Riveter". The campaign was successful as hundreds of thousands of women entered the work force taking on jobs that had been previously done by men.

Famous Women

Here are a few of the women from around the world who became famous during World War II:

Eleanor Roosevelt - The First Lady and wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Eleanor was a strong supporter of the troops and for civil rights. She opposed the internment camps of the Japanese Americans and was active in boosting moral on the US home front.

Eleanor Roosevelt on a plane
Source: National Park Service

Queen Elizabeth - The Queen was a symbol of unity for the British against Hitler. She was a great source of moral for the troops. When she was advised to take her children and flee London, she refused saying that the King would never leave and neither would she.

Tokyo Rose - This was the name given to the Japanese women who voiced radio propaganda to the US Troops fighting Japan. She tried to demoralize the troops by continuously telling them that they could not win the war.

Eva Braun - Eva was Hitler's mistress. She married him at the end of the war, right before they committed suicide together.

Sophie Scholl - Sophie was a German woman who actively opposed the Nazis and the Third Reich. She was arrested for protesting the war and later executed. She is considered a great hero giving her life to try and stop the Nazis.

Anne Frank - Anne Frank was a Jewish girl who became famous for her diaries written while hiding from the Nazis for two years in a secret room. She eventually was caught and died in a concentration camp.

Activities

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History >>World War 2 for Kids

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Kids learn about the history of United States women during World War II. How they contributed to the fight.

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At the time of the First World War, most women were barred from voting or serving in military combat roles. Many saw the war as an opportunity to not only serve their countries but to gain more rights and independence. With millions of men away from home, women filled manufacturing and agricultural positions on the home front. Others provided support on the front lines as nurses, doctors, ambulance drivers, translators and, in rare cases, on the battlefield.

One observer wrote that American women "do anything they were given to do; that their hours are long; that their task is hard; that for them there is small hope of medals and citations and glittering homecoming parades."

On The Homefront

The nations at war mobilized their entire populations. The side that could produce more weapons and supply more troops would prevail in the end. Women took on new roles in the work force, notably in war production and agriculture.

In 1914, the German armaments producer Krupp employed almost no women. By 1917, women made up nearly 30 percent of its 175,000 workers and a nationwide total of nearly 1.4 million German women were employed in the war labor force. Britain also stepped up its arms production by expanding the employment of women. In July 1914, 3.3 million women worked in paid employment in Britain. By July 1917, 4.7 million did. British women served in uniform as well in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. In fact, the last known surviving veteran of World War I was Florence Green of the RAF, who died in 2012.

As women took traditional male jobs in the United States, African American women were able to make their first major shift from domestic employment to work in offices and factories. Recent research also shows that a limited number of African American women served overseas as volunteers with the YMCA.

"The women worked as ammunition testers, switchboard operators, stock takers. They went into every kind of factory devoted to the production of war materials, from the most dangerous posts in munition plants to the delicate sewing in aeroplane factories."

- Alice Dunbar Nelson, American Poet and Civil Rights Activist, on African American women's efforts during the war, 1918

But even women in more traditional roles contributed to the war effort. Every housewife in the U.S. was asked to sign a pledge card stating that she would "carry out the directions and advice of the Food Administrator in the conduct of my household, in so far as my circumstances permit." This meant canning food for future use, growing vegetables in the backyard and limiting consumption of meat, wheat and fats. Most of all, women were expected to bolster the morale of their families at home and loved ones overseas.

Doctors, Nurses and Ambulance Drivers

The Salvation Army, the Red Cross and many other organizations depended on thousands of female volunteers. The American Red Cross operated hospitals to care for war casualties, staffed by nurses, hundreds of whom died in service during the war. Thousands of women also served in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps and the Navy Nurse Corps. While the American Expeditionary Forces were still preparing to go overseas, U.S. Army nurses were sent ahead and assigned to the British Expeditionary Force. By June 1918, there were more than 3,000 American nurses in over 750 in British-run hospitals in France.

While nurses were accepted at the Front, women physicians faced obstacles putting their hard-earned skills to work. When these women were rejected from service in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, many sought other opportunities to serve the war effort: as civilian contract surgeons, with the Red Cross or other humanitarian relief organizations and even in the French Army.

The Medical Women's National Association, for example, raised money to send their own doctors overseas to work in hospitals run by the American Red Cross. By the end of the war, nearly 80 women doctors from this organization were at work in the devastated regions of Europe, caring for civilians and soldiers and treating diseases such as influenza and typhoid.

During the last Allied offensive in the summer and fall of 1918, many woman doctors, nurses and aides operated near the front lines, providing medical care for soldiers wounded in combat.

"I had just given this poor boy anesthesia when a bomb hit. We were supposed to hit the floor, but he was out and didn't know what was going on. I took a tray and put it over our heads. It wasn't because I was brave. I was just scared."

- Medical Corps anesthetist Sophie Gran. Gran was one of the first woman anesthetists with the A.E.F. in France and the only woman anesthetist with Mobile Hospital Unit #1. She went on to become the first president of California Association of Nurse Anesthetists in 1931.

The automobile age was just getting underway in WWI, and motorized ambulances became key to medical treatment on the battlefield. Many women who knew how to drive volunteered to go overseas to serve as ambulance and truck drivers or mechanics. They delivered medical supplies, transported patients to hospitals and drove through artillery fire to retrieve the wounded.

Many of the women drivers of the Red Cross Motor Service and other ambulance groups used their own cars, including Marie Curie. Curie invented a mobile X-ray unit, radiological cars nicknamed "little Curies," and ultimately trained 150 women to be X-ray operators on the battlefront, of which Curie herself was one - an act that she believed contributed to her later death from radiation exposure.

Edith Cavell

Learn about the life and death of the British nurse who helped soldiers escape from German-occupied Belgium.

Female Yeoman

Despite thousands of new recruits, the U.S. Navy was short-handed at the beginning of World War I. Vague wording in a section of the Naval Act of 1916 outlining who could serve created a loophole: women were able to join the ranks as Yeomen, non-commissioned officers. Around 12,000 women enlisted in the Navy under the title, "Yeoman (F)."

Most women Yeomen served stateside on naval bases, replacing men who had deployed to Europe. While many female recruits performed clerical duties, some worked as truck drivers, mechanics, radio operators, telephone operators, translators, camouflage artists and munition workers. They had the same responsibilities as their male counterparts and received the same pay of $28.75 per month.

The "Hello Girls"

Aiming to improve communications on the Western front between the Allied Forces, General John J. Pershing called for the creation of the Signal Corps Female Telephone Operators Unit. The unit recruited women who were bilingual in French and English to serve as telephone switchboard operators on the Western front. The women received physical training, observed strict military protocol, wore identity discs and worked very close to the front lines. These female recruits were nicknamed the "Hello Girls" (a term which some of them felt disparaged their efforts) and became known for their bravery and focus under pressure. However, upon their return to the United States after the end of the war, the "Hello Girls" did not receive veteran status or benefits. It wasn't until 1977, when President Jimmy Carter signed legislation, that the few surviving women telephone operators received recognition of their veteran status.

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With millions of men away from home, women filled manufacturing and agricultural positions on the home front.

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Fun Kids - the UK's children's radio station

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In our series The Great War - Through a London Child's Eye, we're following "The Private Diary of Edward Hampton" to learn about life as a child in London 1916, half way through the First World War.
But what was it also like for women in 1914?

Well, the First World War brought many changes to the lives of British women.

Over eight million men were out fighting in the trenches and so women were actively recruited to take on roles traditionally occupied by men.

Factory work
Not all of the opportunities the war provided to women were entirely positive or long lasting.
Many women were already in paid employment by 1914 - before the First World War a significant number worked in industry, although mainly in textile manufacture.

After 1915, when the demand for ammunition shells grew, women were recruited to manufacture weapons known as 'munitions'. By 1918 almost a million women were employed in some aspect of munitions work.

Factory work was relatively well paid - especially for women previously employed in domestic service - but it was often unpleasant, dangerous and involved working long hours.

Women in large shell-filling factories worked with an explosive called TNT which could cause a fatal condition called toxic jaundice. There were also several devastating explosions in munitions factories in which women workers were killed.

Services
The first women police officers served during World War One and many women began working in transport with jobs such as bus conductors, ticket collectors, porters, carriage cleaners and bus drivers.
During the war the number of women working on the railways rose from nine-thousand to fifty-thousand!
Click here to find out more on The Geffrye Museum website!
While these new opportunities became available to women during wartime, many jobs were closed to them after the war as servicemen returned to resume work.
You can hear The Great War - Through a Child's Eye on Fun Kids Radio or listen to the series below!

...or you can listen here:
GO TO ALL PODCASTS The Great War - Through a London Child's Eye is supported by The National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund.
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Women at War in 1914 - Fun Kids - the UK's children's radio station

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In our series The Great War - Through a London Child's Eye, we're following "The Private Diary of Edward Hampton" to learn about life as a child in London 1916, half way through the First World War. But what was it also like for women in 1914?

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The Russia-Ukraine Conflict Explained | Nightly News: Kids Edition

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On February 24, Russian forces launched an attack on Ukraine. The next day, Russian troops reached the edge of the country's capital, Kyiv. The move came after weeks of Russian troop buildup along Ukraine's borders.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy is Ukraine's president. He has called on world leaders to provide military assistance and sanctions against Russia. A sanction is a punishment, often one designed to hurt a country economically.

PRESIDENCY OF UKRAINE/HANDOUT/ANADOL AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES

World leaders have condemned Russian president Vladimir Putin for his actions. The United States and many other countries have sent military aid to Ukraine and put sanctions in place. U.S. president Joe Biden called the attacks "unprovoked and unjustified." He has said the sanctions will "impose a severe cost on the Russian economy."

SERGEI GUNEYEV-SPUTNIK/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

"This is a dangerous moment for all of Europe, for freedom around the world," President Biden said at a news conference on February 24.

Crisis in Context

Ukraine, a country in Eastern Europe, shares a long border with Russia, and is home to nearly 44 million people. Ukraine was once part of the Soviet Union. So was Russia. Ukraine and Russia became separate countries after the breakup of the Soviet Union, in 1991.

Putin claimed the attack was necessary to protect people in two parts of eastern Ukraine. These regions are controlled by separatist groups. The groups want their regions to break away from Ukraine. Before invading the country, Putin recognized the two regions as independent republics. Other countries have not.

Putin has also accused the U.S. and its allies of ignoring Russia's demand that Ukraine be stopped from aligning with them. Ukraine has hoped to join NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty × treaty MEDITERRANEAN-GETTY IMAGES an official agreement between countries or parties (noun) My sister and I signed a peace treaty and promised to quit fighting. Organization. NATO is made up of 28 European countries, plus the U.S. and Canada. And Ukraine has applied to join the European Union. It's made up of 27 European countries. If Ukraine were part of these groups, it would get more direct support.

The U.S. says Russia's claims are an excuse for a wider invasion of Ukraine. "This was never about genuine security concerns," Biden said. "It was always about . . . Putin's desire for empire × empire BETTMANN-GETTY IMAGES a group of countries and territories under the control of a single ruler or government (noun) The original 13 colonies were part of the British Empire. by any means necessary."

The World Responds

SEAN GALLUP-GETTY IMAGES

Large anti-war protests have taken place in cities around the world, including in Russia. Thousands of Russians have taken to the streets to protest their country's decision to invade Ukraine. On February 24 alone, more than 1,700 people across 53 Russian cities were detained by authorities. At press time, protests continue daily.

PIERRE CROM-GETTY IMAGES

As of March 3, more than a million people had fled Ukraine for safety in neighboring countries, according to the United Nations refugee agency. Aid groups are helping Ukrainians (see "Helping Hands"). One is the United Nations Children's Fund. Another, Nova Ukraine, is providing food and medical supplies. Both accept online donations.

KRYSTIAN DOBUSZYNSKI-NURPHOTO/GETTY IMAGES

World leaders continue to show support. As war broke out, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg called on Russia to end its attacks. "We stand with . . . Ukraine during this terrible time," he said.

Helping Hands

WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN

World Central Kitchen is providing hot meals to refugees at border crossings in Poland, like the one shown above. The group is also helping to feed people still in Ukraine.

World Central Kitchen was founded in 2010 by chef José Andrés. On February 27, he posted a video on social media, from the Poland-Ukraine border. "People are cold. . . . They carry with them whatever they can bring," he said. "They have a smile, with hope, when the situation is so dire."

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On February 24, Russian forces launched an attack on Ukraine. The next day, Russian troops reached the edge of the country's capital, Kyiv. The move came after weeks of Russian troop buildup along Ukraine's borders. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is Ukraine's...

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Kids learn about the history of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II. America is forced to go to join WW2.

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Before the attack, relations between the United States and Japan had been poor. In 1940 Japan joined the Axis powers ( Germany and Italy), which were fighting the Allied powers in World War II. The United States had not yet entered the war, but it supported Great Britain and the other Allies. In 1941 the United States stopped doing business with Japan. In response, the Japanese government decided to attack the United States.

On the morning of December 7, nearly 200 Japanese aircraft appeared over Pearl Harbor. They sank or crippled eight big battleships and damaged a number of other ships. They also destroyed more than 180 aircraft. More than 2,300 Americans were killed in the attack. The Japanese lost a few dozen planes, several submarines, and fewer than 100 men.

The day after the attack, Congress voted to declare war on Japan. Three days later Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. The United States entered World War II on the side of the Allies. The Allies defeated Japan and the other Axis powers in 1945.

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Pearl Harbor is an inlet, or bay, on the southern coast of Oahu Island, in Hawaii. The harbor lies just west of Hawaii's capital, Honolulu. It is the site of a U.S. Navy...

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Sunday, December 7, 1941, was supposed to be a day of rest for the military soldiers at Hawaii's Pearl Harbor naval base on the island of Oahu. But at 7:55 a.m., Japanese fighter planes zoomed in without warning and attacked the United States Pacific fleet, or naval vessels, moored in the harbor. Thousands of lives would be lost that day.

It was, as then President Franklin Delano Roosevelt would call it, "a date which will live in infamy."

THE PLAN

The sudden attack in Hawaii-at the time a territory of the United States, not a state-might have taken many by surprise, but the Japanese had been planning the operation for months.

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, commander in chief of the Japanese naval forces and architect of the Pearl Harbor attack, didn't want a fight with America. But much of Europe and Asia, including Japan, were involved in World War II at the time. Yamamoto wanted to take over certain countries in southeastern Asia and use their oil to help fuel Japan's military vehicles and naval fleet.

But because the U.S. base in Hawaii was relatively close to these countries, the Japanese worried that the United States would send soldiers from Pearl Harbor to defend the nations if they were attacked. By destroying the U.S. military presence in the region, the countries Japan wanted to target would be left vulnerable. So Yamamoto decided to move forward with a surprise attack on the U.S. fleet in Hawaii.

So on November 26, 1941, 31 warships carrying fighter planes and bombers slipped from Japan into the North Pacific. They moved silently until they closed in on the Hawaiian Islands. A small Japanese plane made a loop around the target and radioed back: "Pearl Harbor sleeps."

THE ATTACK

At dawn on December 7, 350 planes launched in two waves from Japan's ships. The bombers dropped bombs on American warships below, while the fighter planes targeted the U.S. aircraft on the ground so they couldn't fight back.

Following both attacks, 19 U.S. naval vessels were sunk or damaged; 188 aircraft were destroyed. In all, 2,280 servicemen and women were killed, 1,109 were wounded. Sixty-eight civilians-people who are not in the military-also lost their lives. The attack lasted just under two hours.

THE AFTERMATH

Repair crews went to work on the ships. Except for the U.S.S. Arizona, Utah, and Oklahoma, every damaged ship returned to sea.

The day after the attack, the United States declared war on Japan, officially entering World War II. In the nearly four years that followed, the U.S. Navy sank all of the Japanese aircraft carriers, battleships, and cruisers that participated in the Pearl Harbor attack.

The United States and its allies- Britain, France, and Russia, among other countries-eventually won the war, defeating Japan and its allies, Germany and Italy.

Today visitors can tour the Pearl Harbor National Monument, built on the water above the wreckage of the U.S.S. Arizona, one of the eight battleships attacked and damaged during the fight. From there you can still glimpse at the remains of the sunken ship 40 feet below the water, a memorial to the brave people who fought in this important battle.

TEXT ADAPTED FROM PEARL HARBOR: A RETURN TO THE DAY OF INFAMY, OIL AND HONOR AT PEARL HARBOR, AND NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CONCISE HISTORY OF THE WORLD: AN ILLUSTRATED TIMELINE

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Learn about this historic event that caused the United States to enter World War II.

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The Troubles

Political map of Ireland

Belligerents

Irish Defence Forces

Gardaí

Irish republican paramilitaries

Provisional IRA

Official IRA (1969-1972)

Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) (1974-1998)

Irish People's Liberation Organisation (IPLO) (1986-1992)

Continuity IRA (1994-)

Real IRA (1997-)

Ulster loyalist paramilitaries

Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)

Ulster Defence Association (UDA)

Red Hand Commando (RHC) (1972-1994)

Ulster Resistance (UR) (1986-1989)

Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) (1996-1999)

Casualties and losses

Irish Army: 1
Gardaí: 9
IPS: 1
Total: 11

PIRA: 292
INLA: 38
OIRA: 27
IPLO: 9
RIRA: 2
Total: 368

UDA: 91
UVF: 62
RHC: 4
LVF: 3
UR: 2
Total: 162

Civilians killed: 1,840 (or 1,935 inc. ex-combatants)

The Troubles ( Irish: Na Trioblóidí) was a guerrilla/ nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland during the late 20th century.

It is also known as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an "irregular war" or "low-level war".

The conflict began in the late 1960s and many said it ended with the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. Although the Troubles primarily took place in Northern Ireland, at times the violence spilled over into parts of the Republic of Ireland, England, and mainland Europe.

A key issue was the state of Northern Ireland. Unionists/ loyalists (most of whom were Protestants) wanted Northern Ireland to remain within the United Kingdom. Irish nationalists/ republicans (most of whom were Catholics) wanted Northern Ireland to leave the United Kingdom and join a United Ireland.

More than 3,500 people were killed in the conflict. Of those: 52% were civilians, 32% were members of the British security forces, and 16% were members of paramilitary groups.

Images for kids

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The Troubles Political map of Ireland Belligerents Irish Defence Forces Gardaí Irish republican paramilitaries Provisional IRA Official IRA (1969-1972) Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) (1974-1998) Irish People's Liberation Organisation (IPLO) (1986-1992) Continuity IRA (1994-) Real IRA (1997-) Ulster loyalist paramilitaries Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) Ulster Defence Association (UDA) Red Hand

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the Troubles, also called Northern Ireland conflict, violent sectarian conflict from about 1968 to 1998 in Northern Ireland between the overwhelmingly Protestant unionists (loyalists), who desired the province to remain part of the United Kingdom, and the overwhelmingly Roman Catholic nationalists (republicans), who wanted Northern Ireland to become part of the republic of Ireland. The other major players in the conflict were the British army, Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), and Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR; from 1992 called the Royal Irish Regiment), and their avowed purpose was to play a peacekeeping role, most prominently between the nationalist Irish Republican Army (IRA), which viewed the conflict as a guerrilla war for national independence, and the unionist paramilitary forces, which characterized the IRA's aggression as terrorism. Marked by street fighting, sensational bombings, sniper attacks, roadblocks, and internment without trial, the confrontation had the characteristics of a civil war, notwithstanding its textbook categorization as a " low-intensity conflict." Some 3,600 people were killed and more than 30,000 more were wounded before a peaceful solution, which involved the governments of both the United Kingdom and Ireland, was effectively reached in 1998, leading to a power-sharing arrangement in the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont.

Deep origins

The story of the Troubles is inextricably entwined with the history of Ireland as whole and, as such, can be seen as stemming from the first British incursion on the island, the Anglo-Norman invasion of the late 12th century, which left a wave of settlers whose descendants became known as the "Old English." Thereafter, for nearly eight centuries, England and then Great Britain as a whole would dominate affairs in Ireland. Colonizing British landlords widely displaced Irish landholders. The most successful of these "plantations" began taking hold in the early 17th century in Ulster, the northernmost of Ireland's four traditional provinces, previously a centre of rebellion, where the planters included English and Scottish tenants as well as British landlords. Because of the plantation of Ulster, as Irish history unfolded-with the struggle for the emancipation of the island's Catholic majority under the supremacy of the Protestant ascendancy, along with the Irish nationalist pursuit of Home Rule and then independence after the island's formal union with Great Britain in 1801-Ulster developed as a region where the Protestant settlers outnumbered the indigenous Irish. Unlike earlier English settlers, most of the 17th-century English and Scottish settlers and their descendants did not assimilate with the Irish. Instead, they held on tightly to British identity and remained steadfastly loyal to the British crown.

The formation of Northern Ireland, Catholic grievances, and the leadership of Terence O'Neill

Of the nine modern counties that constituted Ulster in the early 20th century, four- Antrim, Down, Armagh, and Londonderry (Derry)-had significant Protestant loyalist majorities; two- Fermanagh and Tyrone-had small Catholic nationalist majorities; and three- Donegal, Cavan, and Monaghan-had significant Catholic nationalist majorities. In 1920, during the Irish War of Independence (1919-21), the British Parliament, responding largely to the wishes of Ulster loyalists, enacted the Government of Ireland Act , which divided the island into two self-governing areas with devolved Home Rule-like powers. What would come to be known as Northern Ireland was formed by Ulster's four majority loyalist counties along with Fermanagh and Tyrone. Donegal, Cavan, and Monaghan were combined with the island's remaining 23 counties to form southern Ireland. The Anglo-Irish Treaty that ended the War of Independence then created the Irish Free State in the south, giving it dominion status within the British Empire. It also allowed Northern Ireland the option of remaining outside of the Free State, which it unsurprisingly chose to do.

Thus, in 1922 Northern Ireland began functioning as a self-governing region of the United Kingdom. Two-thirds of its population (about one million people) was Protestant and about one-third (roughly 500,000 people) was Catholic. Well before partition, Northern Ireland, particularly Belfast, had attracted economic migrants from elsewhere in Ireland seeking employment in its flourishing linen-making and shipbuilding industries. The best jobs had gone to Protestants, but the humming local economy still provided work for Catholics. Over and above the long-standing dominance of Northern Ireland politics that resulted for the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) by virtue of the Protestants' sheer numerical advantage, loyalist control of local politics was ensured by the gerrymandering of electoral districts that concentrated and minimized Catholic representation. Moreover, by restricting the franchise to ratepayers (the taxpaying heads of households) and their spouses, representation was further limited for Catholic households, which tended to be larger (and more likely to include unemployed adult children) than their Protestant counterparts. Those who paid rates for more than one residence (more likely to be Protestants) were granted an additional vote for each ward in which they held property (up to six votes). Catholics argued that they were discriminated against when it came to the allocation of public housing, appointments to public service jobs, and government investment in neighbourhoods. They were also more likely to be the subjects of police harassment by the almost exclusively Protestant RUC and Ulster Special Constabulary (B Specials).

The divide between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland had little to do with theological differences but instead was grounded in culture and politics. Neither Irish history nor the Irish language was taught in schools in Northern Ireland, it was illegal to fly the flag of the Irish republic, and from 1956 to 1974 Sinn Féin, the party of Irish republicanism, also was banned in Northern Ireland. Catholics by and large identified as Irish and sought the incorporation of Northern Ireland into the Irish state. The great bulk of Protestants saw themselves as British and feared that they would lose their culture and privilege if Northern Ireland were subsumed by the republic. They expressed their partisan solidarity through involvement with Protestant unionist fraternal organizations such as the Orange Order, which found its inspiration in the victory of King William III (William of Orange) at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 over his deposed Catholic predecessor, James II, whose siege of the Protestant community of Londonderry had earlier been broken by William. Despite these tensions, for 40 or so years after partition the status of unionist-dominated Northern Ireland was relatively stable.

Recognizing that any attempt to reinvigorate Northern Ireland's declining industrial economy in the early 1960s would also need to address the province's percolating political and social tensions, the newly elected prime minister of Northern Ireland, Terence O'Neill, not only reached out to the nationalist community but also, in early 1965, exchanged visits with Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Seán Lemass-a radical step, given that the republic's constitution included an assertion of sovereignty over the whole island. Nevertheless, O'Neill's efforts were seen as inadequate by nationalists and as too conciliatory by loyalists, including the Rev. Ian Paisley, who became one of the most vehement and influential representatives of unionist reaction.

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The Troubles, violent conflict from about 1968 to 1998 in Northern Ireland between the overwhelmingly Protestant unionists (loyalists), who desired the province to remain part of the U.K., and the overwhelmingly Roman Catholic nationalists (republicans), who wanted Northern Ireland to become part of Ireland.

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Kids learn about the Geography of Chile. The history, capital, flag, climate, terrain, people, economy, and population.

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When seen on a map, the republic of Chile looks like a long piece of narrow ribbon on the southwestern coast of South America. Chile is a land of physical extremes. Its desert north is one of the driest places on Earth. Its windswept and rainy south is roughly comparable to the Pacific coast of Canada. Chile is bordered by Peru in the north, Bolivia in the northeast, and Argentina in the east. The Pacific Ocean shapes its western coastline. The origin of the country's name is uncertain, but it may have derived from an American Indian word meaning land's end. The capital and largest city of Chile is Santiago. Area 291,930 square miles (756,096 square kilometers). Population (2020 est.) 18,149,000.

Chile administers several South Pacific islands that are far to the west of its coastline. The most notable of these are the Juan Fernández Archipelago and Easter Island, which is famous for the massive stone heads that were carved many centuries ago. Chile also claims a pie-shaped slice of Antarctica, much of which overlaps with the claims of Argentina and Great Britain.

From north to south, Chile stretches more than 2,600 miles (4,200 kilometers). Its narrow width is as remarkable as its length. On average, the country is only about 110 miles (180 kilometers) wide.

Chile has been a regional political power since the late 1800s. It also is a prominent cultural and economic influence. Chilean culture is a vibrant mix of its historical European and American Indian traditions. Some of its important economic products are copper, fish, and wine.

Almost three-fourths of Chile is mountainous. The ocean forms its western and southern boundaries. Chile's narrow coastal strip is dominated by cliffs and mountain ranges that give way further inland to lower-lying areas. Running along the country's eastern boundary are the towering Andes Mountains.

The Andes form a natural barrier between Chile and the countries to the east. The highest peaks are snowcapped and reach more than 20,000 feet (6,000 meters). Among them are numerous volcanoes, but most are dormant or extinct. Flanking the mountains are steep, water-carved gorges as well as U-shaped valleys that were formed by glacial action.

Geographers typically divide Chile into five regions that are bounded from north to south by their ranges of latitude. In a more general classification, the country can be divided into three regions: the northern desert, central Chile, and the desolate southern section.

The Tamarugal Plain and the Atacama Desert are major features in northern Chile. Part of the Atacama, the plain is a broad desert plateau about 3,000 feet (910 meters) above sea level. Chile is famous for the Atacama Desert, within which some places have never recorded rainfall. Just east of the desert are many Andean peaks, some exceeding 16,000 feet (4,900 meters), as well as Chile's highest peak, Ojos del Salado, at 22,615 feet (6,893 meters).

Central Chile occupies an area roughly between 30° and 40° S. latitude. It is located in a valley (known as the Central Valley or Vale of Chile) that is cradled between the coastal mountains and the Andes. This heavily populated area is the economic, political, and agricultural core of Chile. The valley's fertile soils produce most of the country's food supply. The climate of central Chile is temperate, with most rainfall occurring from May to August, during the Southern Hemisphere's wintertime. Summers are warm and typically rainless. To the east of Santiago is the towering, snowcapped Mount Tupungato. Crossed by low hills, the valley continues southward before reaching the sea near Puerto Montt.

Just below the Central Valley is the beautiful Lake District, an area of crystal-blue mountain lakes. Melting glaciers formed the lakes thousands of years ago. Looming above the lakes are several picturesque Andean peaks, including the cone-shaped volcanoes Copahue, Osorno, and Tronador.

In the southern third of Chile the coastal mountains end abruptly as they descend into the ocean. The higher slopes of these submerged mountains form the many islands called Archipelagic Chile. This chain of islands continues southward for hundreds of miles. The area is a cold, wet, and windy region of fjords and sea cliffs. On the southern mainland, the mountains give way to grassy hills in an area called Chilean Patagonia. Between the mainland and the island of Tierra del Fuego lies the hazardous Strait of Magellan. On a smaller island farther south is the tip of the continent at Cape Horn, only about 400 miles (640 kilometers) north of Antarctica.

There are three major climatic regions in Chile: the northern desert, the temperate central zone, and the humid, but cold, southern region. Temperatures drop in a regular pattern from north to south. Rainfall increases from north to south. Many places south of the city of Concepción receive more than 160 inches (400 centimeters) of precipitation per year.

Chile's climatic variety is influenced by latitude, the ocean, and elevation. Located below Earth's Equator, Chile stretches downward through approximately forty degrees of latitude. Its great length passes through several zones of global wind and atmospheric pressure. The cool Peru (or Humboldt) Current flows from south to north along the coast. Because of the upwelling of cold waters from the ocean's depths, the current cools winds from the west. As they sweep over the land, the winds heat up and absorb moisture from the surface-forming the Atacama Desert and the semiarid area south of it.

Elevations vary greatly within such a narrow country, from sea level to over 20,000 feet (6,000 meters). The dizzying heights of the snow-capped Andes are much colder than the lowlands below.

The vegetation of Chile varies considerably from the desert north to the humid south. Along the coast in the far north, heavy winter fogs account for some seasonal desert plant life, but little grows in the interior. An exception is the Tamarugal Plain, south of Iquique, where remnants of a once-extensive thornwood forest survive. On the Andean slopes to the east are scattered cacti and desert shrubs.

In the lowlands of central Chile blackberry thickets and scrub vegetation are common. Along the coast grow stunted palm trees. Vegetation becomes heavier toward the south. However, many of the once-great forests have been replaced, or at least broken up, by cultivated fields and pastures. The remaining forests and stands of trees include beeches, myrtle, and a variety of evergreens. One of the more distinctive hardwoods is the monkey puzzle tree, or Chile pine. In the southern third of Chile hardy lichens and grasses predominate.

Wildlife also varies from north to south. In the northern Andes are several South American relatives of the camel- guanaco, llama, alpaca, and vicuña. Other animals include the large huemul deer, the Andean wolf, and the puma. Among native mountain rodents is the endangered chinchilla. The southern forests shelter the Darwin fox, the pudú (a small deer), and several kinds of marsupials.

Among Chile's birds are the perdiz, which resembles the partridge, and the giant condor, which is Chile's national bird. Saltwater fishes abound in the cool waters off the coast, including game fish such as marlin, swordfish, and tuna.

Chile has more than 18 million people. As in other Latin American countries, American Indian settlement, Spanish colonial life, nationhood, and the ongoing forces of globalization have had a significant cultural impact on Chile.

Chile's ethnic makeup is largely a product of Spanish colonization. About three-fourths of Chileans are mestizo, a mixture of European and American Indian ancestries. One-fifth of Chileans are of white European (mainly Spanish) descent. Mapuche (Araucanian) Indians make up the largest Indian group in the country. Other Indian populations include the Atacameño, Aymara, and Quechua. A small number of ethnic German communities have existed in southern Chile since the 1800s.

Spanish is the official language. English is taught in most schools. Many Chileans know the Mapuche language. German is often spoken in parts of southern Chile.

The dominant religion in the country is Christianity. Roman Catholicism is the primary denomination. Evangelical Christian churches and other Protestant groups have grown rapidly since the late 1900s, however. Although most of the Mapuche are at least nominally Christian, some have maintained elements of their traditional religious beliefs.

Chile's customs and heritage are revealed in its literature and art, entertainment, and foods. Chile has a proud literary tradition, beginning with one of the most famous epic poems in the Spanish language: La Araucana. It was written in the mid-1500s by the Spanish soldier Alonso de Ercilla y Zúñiga. In 1945 the Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded to Gabriela Mistral, the first Latin American woman to win the prize. Pablo Neruda, often referred to as the "poet of enslaved humanity," won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971. Other internationally renowned writers include Ariel Dorfman, who created the 1991 play Death and the Maiden, and novelist Isabel Allende.

Chileans enjoy a variety of music and dances, including the spirited cueca folk dance. One of the most-famed Chilean musicians was pianist Claudio Arrau. Among the most popular Chilean singers were Violeta Parra, who died in 1967 and whose picture is still seen throughout Chile, and Victor Jara, who was killed by the regime of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet in 1973. More recently, Chilean musical groups such as Los Prisioneros (The Prisoners) garnered attention throughout Latin America.

Soccer (association football) is Chile's main sport, and thousands cheer their teams on television and in large urban stadiums. Chileans also enjoy rodeos featuring huasos (Chilean cowboys) in colorful costumes. The most fashionable seaside resorts include Concón, Viña del Mar, San Antonio, Zapallar, and Cartagena.

Chileans have a generally varied diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and seafood. Among the typical seafood dishes are sea urchins ( erizo de mar), abalone ( locos), and conger eel ( congrio). Other traditional dishes include empanadas, numerous types of cooked potato, mashed sweet corn steamed in corn leaves ( humitas), and meat-and-vegetable soups.

Education is free and compulsory until the age of 17. As a result, more than nine-tenths of Chileans age 15 and over can read and write. Most Chileans attend eight years of grade school followed by four years of secondary or vocational school. Chile's university system is one of the best in Latin America. The University of Chile has campuses in Santiago, Arica, Talca, and Temuco. The University of Santiago of Chile and the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile in Santiago are among the country's other leading institutions of higher learning.

Chileans' basic health needs are generally met by its government-controlled healthcare and welfare system. There are also several private health providers and insurance programs. Most Chileans have access to safe drinking water, sanitation systems, and hospitals or clinics. Many contribute to retirement (pension) plans and a social security system.

About nine out of ten Chileans live in cities. More than one-third of the population lives in the greater Santiago area. Santiago is the capital and largest city. It also hosts the most prominent commercial centers and cultural institutions, such as the National Museum of Fine Arts, National Library, and the Chilean Symphony Orchestra. Viña del Mar is one of Latin America's most famous coastal resorts. Valparaíso, La Serena, Talcahuano, and Concepción are also important cities.

Antofagasta is the northern center for mineral exports, refining, and fishing. Valdiva is a manufacturing and service hub for southern Chile. Farther south, Puerto Montt is a destination for tourists in the Lake District. The world's southernmost city of appreciable size is Punta Arenas, on the Strait of Magellan.

Chile has a mixed, free-market economy. It conducts substantial foreign trade with the United States, Argentina, China, Japan, and Brazil. It is a major producer of minerals, fruits, and wines.

Grapes, sugar beets, apples, corn (maize), wheat, and potatoes are among the leading crops of Chile. Large vineyards support Chile's wine industry. Because of its Southern Hemisphere growing season, Chile's food crops have a ready off-season market in the countries of the Northern Hemisphere.

Significant numbers of cattle and chickens are raised. Sheep ranching is important on the grassy hills of Chilean Patagonia. Chile's fishing fleet brings in large catches of saltwater fish. Fish farms have increased in number. Farmed salmon and trout are important export products.

Chile is the world's largest exporter of copper, which is vital to the national economy. Its largest mines are in the Atacama Desert, including Chuquicamata, one of the largest open-pit mines on Earth. Chile also produces great amounts of iron ore, gold, silver, molybdenum, and nitrates-also mostly from northern Chile. A large iron and steel mill is located at Huachipato, near Concepción.

The service sector of the economy has been growing in importance since the late 1900s. In addition to jobs in the government and military, thousands depend on jobs in health care, education, retail stores, banking, telecommunications, and tourism. Skiing and other winter sports are lucrative in the Andes near Santiago. The southern Lake District attracts visitors to areas such as Puyehue National Park. Many of the foreign visitors to Chile are from Argentina, Brazil, Europe, and the United States.

Chile has some of the better highways in Latin America. The paved Pan-American Highway connects Arica with Puerto Montt more than 2,100 miles (3,400 kilometers) away. From this main artery secondary routes connect numerous cities, including Santiago, with the ports of San Antonio and Valparaíso. Airlines also link the main cities of the country. All major South American airlines, plus others from the United States and Europe, handle the flow of international passengers to the Arturo Merino Benítez Airport near Santiago. The most traveled sections of the railway system connect Santiago with Valparaíso and Puerto Montt. Santiago also has a subway system. International rail lines cross the Andes to Bolivia, giving it access to the Chilean ports of Arica and Antofagasta.

Communications in Chile are well developed The country is served by numerous radio and television stations. Much of the country's population has access to the Internet, and the use of cell phones is widespread.

Chile is a democratic republic. All citizens aged 18 and over are required to vote. The legislative branch is divided into a Senate and a Chamber of Deputies. The president, who serves a four-year term, is the head of state and leader of the government. A Supreme Court heads the judiciary. Local government is carried on through 16 administrative regions, including the metropolitan region of Santiago. The president appoints the intendents ( intendentes) who head the administrations of the regions.

Native American fishers and hunter-gatherers inhabited what is now Chile for thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans. By about 2000 bc farming and herding communities had developed in many areas. The Tiwanaku, a major pre-Columbian civilization known from ruins of the same name that are situated near the southern shore of Lake Titicaca in Bolivia, eventually spread to northern Chile. In the 1400s the Inca empire spread as far south as the Maule River of central Chile. However, the Inca were unable to conquer or control the fiercely independent Mapuche people beyond that point.

In 1541 Pedro de Valdivia founded Santiago, the first European settlement in the area. However, the Spanish population grew very slowly, in part because there was very little gold to make Chile profitable for Spain. In addition, the Spanish could not overcome the resistance of the Mapuche and other American Indians in areas south of the Bío Bío River.

The Spanish governed Chile from Lima, Peru, but paid little attention to the southern land. English and Dutch pirates who prowled the coasts, however, often threatened Spanish colonists. They also faced intermittent warfare with the Mapuche, who had adapted Spanish war tactics. The Mapuche resisted the invaders in a bitter guerrilla war that would last for more than 300 years.

On September 18, 1810, Chile declared independence from Spain. In 1818 victory was finally achieved with the leadership of generals Bernardo O'Higgins and José de San Martín. O'Higgins became dictator and attempted to make several reforms to help the poor. But the oligarchy (wealthy landowning elites) opposed him. He was forced to resign in 1823. In 1833 Chile adopted a constitution that called for a centralized government. Chile became known as a relatively stable democracy, but real power remained concentrated in the hands of the oligarchy.

The census of 1835 counted more than one million Chileans. By the end of the 1800s the population had tripled, partly because of immigrants from Germany, Ireland, Scotland, France, and other (mainly European) countries. At the same time, there were major changes in technology, and foreign investors expanded Chile's industry. A new merchant class with a more liberal political outlook arose. They typically favored free-market trade policies, whereas conservatives favored more traditional policies, including restrictions on imports. Conservatives dominated Chilean politics until 1861. Liberals then ruled until 1891.

During this period, disputes over nitrate mining in the Atacama region led to the War of the Pacific (1879-1883). Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia and took their sections of the Atacama. As a result, Bolivia lost its land access to the Pacific. Despite these victories, strife continued between Chile's conservatives and liberals and was partly responsible for the civil war of 1891.

The 20th century brought further political and economic challenges. Chile increased its nitrate exports despite the unpredictable boom and bust cycles of world markets. Profits from sales to Europe and the United States boomed during World War I. However, the market later declined, depressing Chile's economy for several years.

Political strife and workers' demands for better living conditions led to a new constitution in 1925. It provided for the most progressive social legislation in Latin America, including a social security system. However, the Great Depression of the 1930s caused Chile's copper exports to plummet and contributed to a period of great political turmoil.

World War II and the Korean War of the early 1950s revived Chile's economy. The increased demand for copper permitted a rise in incomes. Copper profits also funded the expansion of public education and aided industrial development. Some political reform also occurred during this period-women won the right to vote in 1949.

Destructive earthquakes struck Chile in 1960 and in 1965, at a time when the country was again struggling economically. President Eduardo Frei initiated far-reaching economic and social reforms in 1965, though both left- and right-wing political radicals criticized his efforts.

In 1970 Salvador Allende became the first freely elected socialist president in the Western Hemisphere. His program included agricultural reform and state control over mining and banking. However, many of the changes were poorly planned. In addition, Allende was opposed by Chile's powerful wealthy classes and the United States, which cut off aid, suspended trade, and covertly undermined the Allende government. As the economy began to collapse, there was a bloody military takeover in 1973. During the revolt, Allende died in the presidential palace. It is uncertain whether he was killed by the military or committed suicide.

The military regime that ruled Chile under the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet was very repressive. The regime shut down political parties and labor unions. Human rights were abused as well. The dictatorship's security agents tortured and killed thousands of political prisoners. In regards to the economy, the regime ended government control over industry and commerce. It also embraced low tariffs and other incentives that successfully attracted foreign investors. Because of continued civil protest, and a popular vote in 1988 rejecting his rulership, Pinochet finally allowed a return to democracy in 1989.

The subsequent presidents Patricio Aylwin and Eduardo Frei, Jr., helped move Chile toward a more stable democracy while tackling difficult economic issues. However, Pinochet remained influential within the government until 1999 and the early 2000s, when hundreds of charges of humans rights abuses were filed against him in Chilean and foreign courts. He died in Santiago in late 2006, without ever having stood trial.

In 2000 Ricardo Lagos was elected as Chile's first socialist president since Salvador Allende. He pursued modest policies aimed at improving the economy, reducing poverty, and funding social programs. In 2005 several nondemocratic elements were removed from the 1980 constitution that was drafted during the Pinochet regime. One major change gave the Chilean president the power to dismiss the chiefs of the armed forces and national police. Another reform reduced the presidential term in office from six to four years.

Chilean political history was made in 2006 when voters elected their country's first woman president, socialist Michelle Bachelet. Ironically, she had been one of the many political prisoners who suffered during the Pinochet era. Bachelet won high approval ratings for her economic policies, which helped Chile to easily weather the global financial crisis of 2008. She was also credited with reducing poverty and improving early childhood education during her tenure. In 2010, with the end of her term approaching, Bachelet oversaw relief efforts after a magnitude-8.8 earthquake struck the country, causing extensive damage. Her successor, Sebastián Piñera, took over the presidency the next month. Later in the year, the country held its breath during a months-long effort to rescue 33 miners who had been trapped more than 2,000 feet (610 meters) below ground by a mining accident. Shortly after midnight on October 13, after 69 days underground, the first of the 33 miners was rescued. Efforts continued until the last miner was rescued nearly 23 hours after the mission began.

Despite Chile's continued economic growth under Piñera's leadership, the country experienced great economic inequality. Much of his term was characterized by social unrest. Piñera left office in 2014. He was succeeded by Bachelet, who had defeated conservative Evelyn Matthei in a runoff election to become the first two-time president of Chile since the end of the Pinochet regime. Bachelet oversaw a number of legislative successes, including tax and education reform. Her second term, however, was marred by a series of political scandals and an economy weakened by declining world copper prices. Piñera ran again for the presidency in 2017. He was the winner of the December runoff election against Alejandro Guillier, the candidate of Bachelet's New Majority coalition. Piñera began his second term as president in March 2018.

Bizzarro, Salvatore. Historical Dictionary of Chile, 4th ed. (Rowman & Littlefield, 2017).Burgan, Michael. Chile (Children's Press, 2017).Kwek, Karen, and others. Welcome to Chile (Gareth Stevens, 2004).Orr, Tamra. We Visit Chile (Mitchell Lane, 2011).Owings, Lisa. Chile (Bellwether Media, 2012).Shields, Charles J. Chile (Mason Crest, 2016).

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When seen on a map, the republic of Chile looks like a long piece of narrow ribbon on the southwestern coast of South America. Chile is a land of physical extremes. Its desert north is one of the driest places on Earth. Its windswept and rainy south is roughly comparable to the Pacific coast of Canada.

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The American Revolution was not fought over paying taxes. It was fought over who had the authority For Kids: to impose taxes - Britain or colonial governments. To colonial leaders, taxation without representation was a major cause of the Revolutionary War. Other causes were restriction of free trade and restriction of free speech.

By 1770, although some colonists were still loyal to the British crown, many others were upset about taxes, the arrogance of British troops stationed in the colonies, and the continued disregard the British Parliament had shown for the needs of the American colonists. Jobs were lost. Monies were tight. Taxation without representation was the cry heard everywhere. Tension was growing.

By 1776, America was at war, fighting for her independence from Britain. This is the story of the American Revolution and the birth of a new nation - The United States of America.

Events Leading Up To & Causes of the American Revolutionary War
British Parliament
Colonial Government Proclamation of 1763 The Sugar Act 1764 The Stamp Act & The Stamp Act Congress 1765 - No taxation without representation!
The Sons of Liberty
Repeal of the Stamp Act
The Declaratory Act
The Townshend Act 1767
Boston Massacre 1770
Repeal of the Townshend Acts
(except for the tea tax) Committees of Correspondence The Boston Tea Party 1773
The Intolerable Acts, 1774
First Continental Congress
Boycott of British Goods
Minutemen & Militia
The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott, April 18, 1775 Battles of Lexington and Concord, Shot Heard Round the World, April 19, 1775 - Start of the American Revolution (1775-1783) Green Mountain Boys
Fort Ticonderoga, NY (canons!) May, 1775 Second Continental Congress, May, 1775
Appointment of Washington
as Commander of Continental Army, June 1775 The Declaration of Independence, 1776 The Articles of Confederation, 1777, finally radified by all 13 colonies in 1781
Key Battles of the American Revolution

Treaty of Paris ends the war, Results of the American Revolution 1783
Take the Quiz, interactive, with answers

Revolutionary Battles & Happenings 1776-1783

Bunker Hill
Naval Battles New York, New York Battle of Saratoga Battle of Trenton Winter Encampment at Valley Forge War in the South Treaty of Paris, Results of the Revolutionary War Battle Maps, Timelines, Games The Importance of Canons The Constitution of the United States Take the Quiz, interactive, with answers
Daily Life During the American Revolution
Colonial Daily Life - What was life like during the events leading up to war, and during the war itself? Revolutionary Recipes
Famous Folks of the American Revolution
Names in the News Benedict Arnold Crispus Attucks Benjamin Franklin Bernardo de Galvez King George III Nathanael Greene Green Mountain Boys Nathan Hale John Hancock General William Howe (British) Thomas Jefferson John Paul Jones General Marquis de Lafayette Thomas Paine Paul Revere, William Dawes, Samuel Prescott Sons of Liberty George Washington Women Soldiers, Spies, and Patriots Yankee Doodle Dandy Famous Quotes Join, or Die.
and other cartoons
Test Yourself

Causes of the American Revolution - Interactive Quiz with Answers

The Importance of Geography during the American Revolution - Interactive Quiz with Answers

Revolution Battles & Happenings - Interactive Quiz with Answers
More Quizzes about The American Revolution, plus Online Crossword Puzzles, Hangman, Millionaire, Jeopardy, and more
For Teachers

Free Lesson Plans and Units about the Revolutionary War for Teachers

Free Classroom Activities and Project Ideas for Teachers

Powerpoints: Free Use Presentations in PowerPoint format about the American Revolution

Free Online Interactive Games about the American Revolution for Kids and Teachers

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The American Revolution was not fought over paying taxes. It was fought over who had the authority For Kids: to impose taxes - Britain or colonial governments. To colonial leaders, taxation without representation was a major cause of the Revolutionary War. Other causes were restriction of free trade and restriction of free speech.

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Learn about the American Revolution including causes, battles fought, timeline, Boston Massacre, Stamp Act, Continental Congress, important people, daily life, and fun facts.

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DK Find Out! | Fun Facts for Kids on Animals, Earth, History and more!

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Visit DK Find Out! to learn about dinosaurs, space, animals, nature & more. Fun learning activities for kids with videos, quizzes & galleries at DKFindOut.com

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Afghanistan War, international conflict in Afghanistan beginning in 2001 that was triggered by the September 11 attacks and consisted of three phases. The first phase-toppling the Taliban (the ultraconservative political and religious faction that ruled Afghanistan and provided sanctuary for al-Qaeda, perpetrators of the September 11 attacks)-was brief, lasting just two months. The second phase, from 2002 until 2008, was marked by a U.S. strategy of defeating the Taliban militarily and rebuilding core institutions of the Afghan state. The third phase, a turn to classic counterinsurgency doctrine, began in 2008 and accelerated with U.S. Pres. Barack Obama's 2009 decision to temporarily increase the U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan. The larger force was used to implement a strategy of protecting the population from Taliban attacks and supporting efforts to reintegrate insurgents into Afghan society. The strategy came coupled with a timetable for the withdrawal of the foreign forces from Afghanistan; beginning in 2011, security responsibilities would be gradually handed over to the Afghan military and police. The new approach largely failed to achieve its aims. Insurgent attacks and civilian casualties remained stubbornly high, while many of the Afghan military and police units taking over security duties appeared to be ill-prepared to hold off the Taliban. By the time the U.S. and NATO combat mission formally ended in December 2014, the 13-year Afghanistan War had become the longest war ever fought by the United States. American military casualties included some 2,400 service members killed and some 20,700 others wounded.

Prelude to the September 11 attacks

The joint U.S. and British invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001 was preceded by over two decades of war in Afghanistan ( see Afghan War). On December 24, 1979, Soviet tanks rumbled across the Amu Darya River and into Afghanistan, ostensibly to restore stability following a coup that brought to power a pair of Marxist-Leninist political groups-the People's (Khalq) Party and the Banner (Parcham) Party. But the Soviet presence touched off a nationwide rebellion by fighters-known as the mujahideen-who drew upon Islam as a uniting source of inspiration. These fighters won extensive covert backing from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United States and were joined in their fight by foreign volunteers (who soon formed a network, known as al-Qaeda, to coordinate their efforts). The guerrilla war against the Soviet forces led to their departure in 1989. In the Soviets' absence, the mujahideen ousted Afghanistan's Soviet-backed government and established a transitional government.

The mujahideen were politically fragmented, however, and in 1994 armed conflict escalated. The Taliban emerged and in 1996 seized Kabul. It instituted a severe interpretation of Islamic law that, for example, forbade female education and prescribed the severing of hands, or even execution, as punishment for petty crimes. That same year, al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was welcomed to Afghanistan (having been expelled from Sudan) and established his organization's headquarters there. With al-Qaeda's help, the Taliban won control of over 90 percent of Afghan territory by the summer of 2001. On September 9 of that year, al-Qaeda hit men carried out the assassination of famed mujahideen leader Ahmad Shah Masoud, who at the time was leading the Northern Alliance (a loose coalition of mujahideen militias that maintained control of a small section of northern Afghanistan) as it battled the Taliban and who had unsuccessfully sought greater U.S. backing for his efforts.

The September 11 attacks and the U.S.-British invasion

The hijacking and crashing of four U.S. jetliners on September 11, 2001, brought instant attention to Afghanistan. The plot had been hatched by al-Qaeda, and some of the 19 hijackers had trained in Afghanistan. In the aftermath of the attacks, the administration of U.S. Pres. George W. Bush coalesced around a strategy of first ousting the Taliban from Afghanistan and dismantling al-Qaeda, though others contemplated actions in Iraq, including long-standing plans for toppling Pres. Saddam Hussein. Bush demanded that Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar "deliver to [the] United States authorities all the leaders of al-Qaeda who hide in your land," and when Omar refused, U.S. officials began implementing a plan for war.

The campaign in Afghanistan started covertly on September 26, with a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) team known as Jawbreaker arriving in the country and, working with anti-Taliban allies, initiating a strategy for overthrowing the regime. U.S. officials hoped that by partnering with the Afghans they could avoid deploying a large force to Afghanistan. Pentagon officials were especially concerned that the United States not be drawn into a protracted occupation of Afghanistan, as had occurred with the Soviets more than two decades prior. The United States relied primarily on the Northern Alliance, which had just lost Massoud but had regrouped under other commanders, including Tajik leader Mohammed Fahim and Abdul Rashid Dostum, an Uzbek. The Americans also teamed with anti-Taliban Pashtuns in southern Afghanistan, including a little-known tribal leader named Hamid Karzai.

The CIA team was soon joined by U.S. and British special forces contingents, and together they provided arms, equipment, and advice to the Afghans. They also helped coordinate targeting for the air campaign, which began on October 7, 2001, with U.S. and British war planes pounding Taliban targets, thus marking the public start of Operation Enduring Freedom. In late October, Northern Alliance forces began to overtake a series of towns formerly held by the Taliban. The forces worked with U.S. assistance, but they defied U.S. wishes when, on November 13, they marched into Kabul as the Taliban retreated without a fight.

Kandahar, the largest city in southern Afghanistan and the Taliban's spiritual home, fell on December 6, marking the end of Taliban power. It had been besieged by a force led by Karzai that moved in from the north and one commanded by Gul Agha Sherzai that advanced from the south; both operated with heavy assistance from the United States. As the Taliban leadership retreated into Afghanistan's rural areas and across the border to Pakistan, anti-Taliban figures convened at a United Nations (UN)-sponsored conference in Bonn, Germany. With behind-the-scenes maneuvering by the United States, Karzai was selected to lead the country on an interim basis.

An intensive manhunt for Omar, bin Laden, and al-Qaeda deputy chief Ayman al-Zawahiri was undertaken. Prior to the killing of bin Laden by U.S. forces in 2011 ( see below), the Americans were believed to have come closest to bin Laden in the December 2001 battle of Tora Bora (bin Laden's mountain stronghold). But bin Laden was thought to have managed to have slipped into Pakistan with the help of Afghan and Pakistani forces that were supposedly helping the Americans. Critics later questioned why the U.S. military had allowed Afghan forces to lead the assault on the cave complex at Tora Bora rather than doing it themselves. (Indeed, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry made this criticism repeatedly during the 2004 general election campaign.) Al-Qaeda subsequently reestablished its base of operations in the tribal areas that form Pakistan's northwest border with Afghanistan. Omar and his top Taliban lieutenants settled in and around the Pakistani city of Quetta, in the remote southwestern province of Balochistān. One of the final major battles of the first phase of the war came in March 2002 with Operation Anaconda in the eastern province of Paktia, which involved U.S. and Afghan forces fighting some 800 al-Qaeda and Taliban militants. The operation also marked the entrance of other countries' troops into the war: special operations forces from Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, and Norway participated.

Iraq takes centre stage

With the ouster of the Taliban and al-Qaeda, the international focus shifted to reconstruction and nation-building efforts in Afghanistan. In April 2002 Bush announced a " Marshall Plan" for Afghanistan in a speech at the Virginia Military Institute, promising substantial financial assistance. But from the start, development efforts in Afghanistan were inadequately funded, as attention had turned among U.S. officials to the looming confrontation in Iraq. Between 2001 and 2009, just over $38 billion in humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to Afghanistan was appropriated by the U.S. Congress. More than half the money went to training and equipping Afghan security forces, and the remainder represented a fraction of the amount that experts said would be required to develop a country that had consistently ranked near the bottom of global human development indices. The aid program was also bedeviled by waste and by confusion over whether civilian or military authorities had responsibility for leading education, health, agriculture, and other development projects.

Despite military commitments from dozens of U.S. allies, the United States initially argued against allowing the other foreign forces-operating as the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)-to deploy beyond the Kabul area. That choice was directed by the Pentagon, which insisted on a "light footprint" out of concern that Afghanistan would become a drag on U.S. resources as attention shifted to Iraq ( see Iraq War). When ISAF did begin to venture beyond Kabul, its efforts were hampered by the "caveats" of its component countries-restrictions that kept all but a handful of the militaries from actively engaging in the fight against the Taliban and al-Qaeda. The force, overseen by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the organization's first mission outside Europe, was also hamstrung by a lack of troops as international commitments to Afghanistan flagged.

The United States consistently represented the largest foreign force in Afghanistan, and it bore the heaviest losses. By spring 2010 more than 1,000 U.S. troops had been killed in Afghanistan, while the British troops suffered some 300 deaths and the Canadians some 150. Both Britain and Canada stationed their troops in Afghanistan's south, where fighting had been most intense. More than 20 other countries also lost troops during the war, though many-such as Germany and Italy-chose to focus their forces in the north and the west, where the insurgency was less potent. As the fighting dragged on and casualties escalated, the war lost popularity in many Western countries, creating domestic political pressure to keep troops out of harm's way or to pull them out altogether.

Initially, the war appeared to have been won with relative ease. On May 1, 2003, U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld announced an end to "major combat" in Afghanistan. On the same day, aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, President Bush announced that "major combat operations in Iraq have ended." At that time, there were 8,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. The first democratic Afghan elections since the fall of the Taliban were held on October 9, 2004, with approximately 80 percent of registered voters turning out to give Karzai a full five-year term as president. Parliamentary elections were staged a year later, with dozens of women claiming seats set aside for them to ensure gender diversity. The 2004 constitution provided Afghanistan with a powerful central government and weak regional and local authorities-a structure that was in opposition to the country's long-standing traditions.

Despite vast powers under the constitution, Karzai was widely regarded as a weak leader who grew increasingly isolated as the war progressed. He survived several assassination attempts-including a September 2004 rocket attack that nearly struck a helicopter he was riding in-and security concerns kept him largely confined to the presidential palace in Kabul. Karzai's government was beset by corruption, and efforts to build a national army and a police force were troubled from the start by inadequate international support and ethnic differences between Afghans.

Beginning in 2005, violence climbed as the Taliban reasserted its presence with new tactics modeled on those being used by insurgents in Iraq. Whereas early in the war the Taliban had focused on battling U.S. and NATO forces in open combat-a strategy that largely failed to inflict significant damage-their adoption of the use of suicide bombings and buried bombs, known as IEDs ( improvised explosive devices), began to cause heavy casualties. Between January 2005 and August 2006, Afghanistan endured 64 suicide attacks-a tactic that had been virtually unknown in the country's history before then. At first the attacks caused relatively few casualties, but as training and the availability of high-powered explosives increased, the death toll began to climb: in one particularly vicious attack in November 2007, at least 70 people-many of them children-were killed as a parliamentary delegation visited the northern town of Baghlan. Less than a year later, a bombing at the Indian embassy in Kabul killed more than 50; the Afghan government accused elements of Pakistan's intelligence service of complicity in the attack, a charge Pakistan denied.

The Taliban's resurgence corresponded with a rise in anti-American and anti-Western sentiment among Afghans. Those feelings were nurtured by the sluggish pace of reconstruction, allegations of prisoner abuse at U.S. detention facilities, widespread corruption in the Afghan government, and civilian casualties caused by U.S. and NATO bombings. In May 2006 a U.S. military vehicle crashed and killed several Afghans, an event that sparked violent anti-American riots in Kabul-the worst since the war began. Later that year NATO took command of the war across the country; American officials said that the United States would play a lesser role and that the face of the war would become increasingly international. This shift reflected the greater need for U.S. troops and resources in Iraq, where sectarian warfare was reaching alarming levels. By contrast, the war in Afghanistan was still regarded in Washington as a relative success.

For commanders on the ground in Afghanistan, however, it was apparent that the Taliban intended to escalate its campaign, launching more frequent attacks and intensifying its fund-raising from wealthy individuals and groups in the Persian Gulf. Another source of money was Afghanistan's resurgent opium industry. International pressure had forced the Taliban to curb poppy cultivation during their final year in power, but after their removal in 2001 the opium industry made a comeback, with revenues in some areas of the country benefiting the insurgency. Western-backed campaigns to eliminate poppy cultivation or to encourage farmers to grow other crops had little discernible impact; Afghanistan soon became the supplier of over 90 percent of the world's opium.

The United States, meanwhile, had had only limited success in killing or capturing Taliban commanders. In early 2007, Mullah Obaidullah Akhund-the Taliban's number three leader-was captured in Pakistan, and months later Mullah Dadullah-the Taliban's top military commander-was killed in fighting with U.S. forces. But those were the exceptions. Top insurgent leaders remained at large, many of them in the tribal regions of Pakistan that adjoin Afghanistan. This reality prompted the United States to begin targeting insurgent leaders who lived in Pakistan with missiles fired from remotely piloted drones. The CIA program of targeted killings was publicly denied by U.S. officials but was widely acknowledged in private. Pakistani officials in turn denounced the strikes in public but privately approved of them as long as civilian casualties were limited. The United States repeatedly threatened to expand its drone strikes beyond Pakistan's tribal areas and into regions such as Balochistān if Pakistan did not demonstrate greater cooperation in battling the Taliban, a group it had long fostered.

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Afghanistan War | History, Combatants, Facts, & Timeline

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Afghanistan War, international conflict beginning in 2001 that was triggered by the September 11 attacks. U.S. forces quickly toppled the Taliban (the faction that ruled Afghanistan and provided sanctuary for al-Qaeda) in the first months of the war, only to face years of insurgency led by a reconstituted Taliban.

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Afghanistan was settled around 7000 B.C. and has been in transition for most of its history. Alexander the Great conquered Afghanistan in 330 B.C. and brought the Greek language and culture to the region. Genghis Khan's Mongols invaded in the 13th century. In 1747, Pashtun elders held a council meeting called a Loya Jirga and created the kingdom of the Afghans.

The British and Afghans fought in three wars in the 19th and 20th centuries, but the Afghans finally defeated the British in 1919 and formed an independent monarchy in 1921.

In 1978, the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) seized power in the country, setting in motion a series of events that would turn the poor, mostly peaceful country into a breeding ground for terrorism. The PDPA's occupation of Afghanistan eventually led to civil war, or a war between citizens of the same country.

Afghan fighters called the mujahedin fought against the PDPA; these rebels later received aid from the United States, Pakistan, China, and Iran. The Soviet Union, now called Russia, supported the PDPA regime. Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan in 1979 and remained in the country until 1989. Civil war continued in Afghanistan after the Soviet departure until the fall of the PDPA regime in 1992.

After the PDPA's fall, various groups fought to gain control of the country. The Taliban emerged in 1994 and quickly began to take over cities across Afghanistan, with military support from Pakistan. During the Taliban's rule, the group was condemned by the international community for murdering innocent Afghan civilians and denying food supplies to starving citizens.

In 2001, following the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11 of that year, the U.S. government demanded that the Taliban hand over Osama bin Laden, the leader of a terrorist group called al Qaeda, which was based in Afghanistan. The Taliban refused. The United States and its allies then took military action in Afghanistan and drove the Taliban from power in December 2001.

Both the Taliban and al Qaeda fled Afghanistan and relocated to nearby Pakistan, where they set up political and military outposts. Meanwhile, in Afghanistan, the United States and its allies worked with Afghans to set up schools, hospitals, and public facilities following the Taliban's departure. Thousands of girls-who were banned from being educated under Taliban rule-went to school for the first time. Women were free to get jobs and take part in government activities, both of which were forbidden under the Taliban.

In 2004, Afghanistan adopted its current constitution and became an internationally recognized government, electing Hamid Karzai as its first president. Under its constitution, the president and two vice presidents are elected every five years. But the government struggled to extend its authority beyond the capital city of Kabul because the Taliban forces continued to try to regain control of the country.

In 2020, the Taliban and the Afghan government began to discuss a peace treaty, and though some people were concerned that the talks wouldn't progress, U.S. president Donald Trump planned to remove U.S. troops from the country by May 2021. His successor, Joe Biden, extended the date for the withdrawal to August 31 of that year. After nearly 20 years of U.S. occupation in Afghanistan, the United States' longest war was going to end.

But the people who were concerned about the peace treaty talks stalling were right: Following Biden's official announcement in July and the start of the withdrawal of international troops, the Taliban quickly took over multiple cities by force and brought back their extreme practices. By August 15, 2021, the Taliban had taken control of all major cities, including the capital of Kabul. President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, and the Afghan government all but collapsed.

The United States sent military troops to the country to help the American diplomats and support staff at the U.S. embassy in Kabul evacuate safely.

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Afghanistan Country Profile - National Geographic Kids

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Afghanistan is located in Central Asia with Iran to the west and Pakistan to the east.

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Kids learn about the War in Afghanistan including what led up to the war, the Taliban, al-Qaeda, the U.S. invasion, the Northern Alliance, Osama bin Laden, and interesting facts. Educational article for students, schools, and teachers.

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Known as the World Trade Center (sometimes referred to as the Twin Towers) the complex of several buildings around a central plaza in New York City was in 2001 the site of the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil in American history. The complex-located at the southwestern tip of Manhattan, near the shore of the Hudson River and a few blocks northwest of Wall Street-was built by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as a central facility for businesses and government agencies involved in international trade. Until the 2001 attack, it was notable for its huge twin towers, each of which had 110 stories, that formed a distinctive feature of the New York City skyline. The roof of One World Trade Center reached to 1,368 feet (417 meters), and Two World Trade Center was 1,362 feet (415 meters) tall. Designed by architect Minoru Yamasaki and officially opened in 1972, the towers were the world's tallest buildings until surpassed in 1973 by the Sears (now Willis) Tower in Chicago, Illinois. Each of the twin towers had 97 passenger elevators, 21,800 windows, and roughly an acre (0.4 hectare) of rentable space per floor. An observation deck was situated on the 107th floor of the south tower (Two World Trade Center), and a television-broadcasting mast 360 feet (110 meters) high was attached to the north tower (One World Trade Center).

Prior to 2001 the complex had sustained a major terrorist attack. On February 26, 1993, a large bomb planted by terrorists exploded in the underground garage of Two World Trade Center, damaging the base of the building (subsequently repaired), killing 6 people, and injuring some 1,000. The attack that occurred on September 11, 2001, was much more destructive. Hijackers deliberately flew two commercial airliners into the towers, the first striking the north tower at 8:46 am (local time) and the second hitting the south tower at 9:03. Badly damaged and engulfed in flames, the weakened south tower collapsed at 9:59; the north tower fell about a half hour later. Debris from the towers also destroyed or damaged other buildings in and around the complex. Some 2,750 people were killed. ( See below.)

Workers spent nearly a year removing the debris and recovering bodies from the ruins at the World Trade Center complex site, and an intense national discussion ensued on how best to rebuild it. Two design competitions were launched, beginning in the summer of 2002: one to replace the fallen towers and the other for a memorial to the victims of both the 1993 and 2001 attacks. A winning building design was announced in early 2003. Named "Freedom Tower," it was planned to rise to a height of 1,776 feet (541 meters). The tower's design underwent further modification (though the height remained the same), which was made public in June 2005 (with further refinements appearing a year later). The building was later renamed One World Trade Center; it opened in 2014. Several other buildings were slated for the complex site, and 4 World Trade Center, with a height of 978 feet (298 meters), opened in 2013.

The winning design for the memorial was announced in January 2004, and revised plans for it were unveiled in June 2006. The memorial was dedicated on September 11, 2011, and was opened to the public the next day. Called "Reflecting Absence," the memorial consists of two reflecting pools (one in each tower's footprint void) surrounded by white oak trees and by walls inscribed with the names of the victims.

Because the September 11 attacks caused such massive destruction and intensely hot fires, the remains of many victims were never recovered, and others remained unidentifiable. Consequently, the precise number of victims-particularly the number of those killed at the World Trade Center-has remained unclear. Flight manifests provided information on the number of passengers and crew on each of the ill-fated airliners, and tight security procedures at the Pentagon gave investigators a clear picture of who was in the building at the time of the attacks. Access to the World Trade Center, however, was not thoroughly documented or tightly monitored, and there was no clear way to determine who exactly was in either of the towers at the time of their collapse. That issue was compounded by the fact that hundreds of those who worked in the towers were foreign nationals-including perhaps some who were undocumented workers-which made exact identification difficult if not impossible. In addition, the generous financial remuneration that the U.S. government offered the families of the deceased motivated some unscrupulous individuals to make fictitious claims that loved ones or family members had been among those killed.

On the first anniversary of the attacks, in 2002, the official toll of those killed in New York (including the passengers and crew of the two aircraft that struck the towers) rested at 2,801, but that number was soon amended when several names were determined to have been erroneous or listed twice. The new death toll of 2,792 remained unchanged until late 2003, when it was lowered to 2,752 after 40 more names were deemed either to be inaccurate or fraudulent. Given the 184 victims killed at the Pentagon and the 40 killed in Pennsylvania, the overall death toll of the September 11 attacks was reckoned at that time to be 2,976 persons. That number is likely to change, if only marginally, since many of the New York City victims still have not been identified. Most estimates of the September 11 death toll, whether official or unofficial, do not include the 19 hijackers in their calculations.

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Known as the World Trade Center (sometimes referred to as the Twin Towers) the complex of several buildings around a central plaza in New York City was in 2001 the site of the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil in American history.