A Chronicle of America: Through the Eyes of a World War-II Veteran

By Major (Retd.) S. D. Nanavati

The United States of America has undeniably attained the status of the world’s leading superpower, oftentimes dictating the narrative of the progress of modern society. And just like any other nation, the US also has its share of history that is hard to find compiled in a single place.
This book shares with readers the continent’s history starting from the prehistoric era to the visits by Marco Polo and the explorations of Columbus to the christening of cities and landmark historical events.
The author, Major (Retd.) S. D. Nanavati (World War II veteran), visited the American sub-continent in the late nineties of the last century. Many of the author’s relatives, having been born and brought up in India, have settled in the USA and have prospered here. Broad-mindedness, the ability to embrace all cultures regardless of bias, the spirit of patriotism and progressive history were some of the features of the country that appealed to him.
While completing the visa and travel formalities for his visit, he came across many Indians pursuing visas for immigrating to the USA. Their longing to settle there was intense but little did they know about the history of this country. Having learnt this, he took upon himself the task of gathering and compiling information that gave a fair idea of the Chronicle of America. He kept collecting information from fliers, brochures, information leaflets and the publicity material of places he toured and by visiting libraries during his travel across the country. He compiled all this information in his handwriting. He had a desire to publish this and pass it on to all who made America their abode. This could not be fulfilled during his lifetime. His youngest son, Kiran Nanavati took up the publishing task.
Suramya Munshi, his grandson, decided to fulfill this long dream. He edited the content and put it into a chronology and perspective that reader could digest.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kiran Nanavati
• Release date: Mar 16, 2020
• ISBN: 9781625905932

Book preview

A Chronicle of America

Through the Eyes of a World War-II Veteran

By Major (Retd.) S. D. Nanavati

Edited by Suramya Munshi

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2020

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Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. You are welcome to share it with your friends. This book may be reproduced, copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes, provided the book remains in its complete original form. If you enjoyed this book, please return to your favorite ebook retailer to discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

Disclaimer

The author has collected this information from various sources while moving across the length and breadth of the United States of America during the end of the last century. The author was neither a historian nor an authority on historical events. This book is the result of a personal collection and recollection of facts and events, and is not intended to serve as a reference for specific dates or events.

This is a humble endeavor to enlighten people on the history of a continent that succeeded in steering the progress of the world, as we know it today.

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For Sagunrai Nanavati, the greatest man I knew.

-Suramya Munshi

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Table of Content

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Till 1599

1600-1699

1700 to 1776

Independence

1860 to 1915

World War I and after

1948 to 1993

About the author

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Introduction

The United States of America has undeniably attained the status of the world’s leading superpower, oftentimes dictating the narrative of the progress of modern society. And just like any other nation, the US also has its share of history that is hard to find compiled in a single place.

This book shares with readers the continent’s history starting from the prehistoric era to the visits by Marco Polo and the explorations of Columbus to the christening of cities and landmark historical events.

The author visited the American sub-continent in the late nineties of the last century. Many of the author’s relatives, having been born and brought up in India, have settled in the USA and have prospered here. Broad-mindedness, the ability to embrace all cultures regardless of bias, the spirit of patriotism and progressive history were some of the features of the country that appealed to him.

While completing the visa and travel formalities for his visit, he came across many Indians pursuing visas for immigrating to the USA. Their longing to settle there was intense but little did they know about the history of this country. Having learnt this, he took upon himself the task of gathering and compiling information that gave a fair idea of the Chronicle of America.

He kept collecting information from fliers, brochures, information leaflets and the publicity material of places he toured and by visiting libraries during his travel across the country. He compiled all this information and put it into a chronology and perspective that reader could digest. He had a desire to publish this and pass it on to all who made America their abode. This could not be fulfilled during his lifetime and his youngest son Kiran Nanavati, with the help of his grandson, Suramya Munshi, decided to fulfill this long dream.

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A Chronicle of America

Through the Eyes of a World War-II Veteran

Till 1599

23000 BC – Asians cross from Siberia through the Bering Strait to seek the New World.

4000 BC – Poultry farming develops.

200 BC – The Hopewell chiefs build great burial grounds. The first toolmakers appear in the North-Eastern Woods. Natives of the far west start become food gatherers.

900 AD – Maize cultivation begins.

1000 AD – Vikings land in the Vine land (North most Canada).

1275 – Marco Polo travels across Siberia to visit Emperor Kublai Khan of the Mongol Empire.

1491 – Spanish Monarchs display new power.

1488 – Bartholomew Diaz discovers the Cape of Good Hope.

1490 – North America, the New World is a crazy quilt of 240 tribes and 300 languages with a population of around 1.5 million.

1492 – October 12, San Salvador – Christopher Columbus, seeking India, lands on distant shore of the New World.

1492 – October