Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. Its history spans over thousands of years, from the Native American civilizations that once inhabited the area to its role in the American Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement.

The Native American tribes who lived in Alabama before the arrival of European settlers included the Creek, Cherokee, and Choctaw tribes. These tribes had complex societies and trading networks, and their way of life was disrupted by the arrival of European settlers in the late 1600s.

During the late 1700s and early 1800s, Alabama became a center of cotton production, with large plantations worked by enslaved Africans. Alabama was admitted to the Union as the 22nd state in 1819 and became one of the first Confederate states to seceded from the Union before during the American Civil War. Montgomery, Alabama was the original capital of the Confederacy. After the war, the state struggled to rebuild and enforce the rights of former slaves during the period of Reconstruction.

In the 20th century, Alabama became a major player in the Civil Rights Movement, with events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Selma to Montgomery marches helping to advance the cause of racial equality. The state also underwent significant economic and industrial development, becoming a center of steel and coal production, as well as aerospace and high-tech manufacturing.

Today, Alabama is a diverse and vibrant state with a rich cultural heritage. Its history continues to shape its present and its future, and it remains an important part of the fabric of the American South.

Discussion Questions

1. What Native American tribes lived in Alabama before European settlers arrived?
2. Why was Alabama important during the Civil War?
3. What major events happened in Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement?
4. How has Alabama's economy changed over time?

Glossary

• Confederacy: The group of southern states that left the U.S. during the Civil War.
• Reconstruction: The time after the Civil War when the South was rebuilt and former slaves gained rights.
• Civil Rights Movement: A time in the 1900s when people worked to end racial unfairness.
• Montgomery Bus Boycott: A protest in Alabama against unfair bus rules for Black passengers.
• Selma to Montgomery marches: Peaceful walks to fight for African Americans’ right to vote.