Apart from the brief visit of the Scandinavians in the early eleventh century, the Western Hemisphere remained unknown to Europe until Columbus's voyage in 1492. However, the native peoples of North and South America arrived from Asia long before, in a series of migrations that began perhaps as early as forty thousand years ago across the land bridge that connected Siberia and Alaska.

Understanding history is empowering. An incident is but the furthest ripple of an ever-expanding wave that may have started eddying outward hundreds of years ago. One who has "insight" in history is able to harness the power of that wave's entire journey.

United States of America has an early history beginning sometime prior to 15,000 years ago, as well as the past 200 years or so of rich and proud history, which is relatively short compared to other countries and nations. From Independence to the Civil War to the World Wars to the Cold War, we have a lot of things to tell and things to be proud of.