I chose work, trade, and technology as my topic because these elements combined have had a great influence on everyday life and the history of the United States. As a child about to enter the adult world, learning about the work and work systems of the past is really important and, personally, I would really be interested in it. Concepts like slavery are really interesting because being a minority, I always find oppression in work and acts of nativism shocking. I don't like to express my religion, culture and heritage much and I try not to stand out from others because of my ethnicity. Learning about oppression at work interests me and shows me how people rose up to protest people who set them apart from others. Interactions between people and their influence on the economy can control the course of history and the events that occur. Some of the important interactions in our lives are the small ones that shape friendships and relationships. Technology controls every teenager's life and seeing how technology has shaped America's past is really interesting. Similar to modern companies like Apple, Samsung, and Windows, technological advancements have most likely greatly influenced society and transformed some people's lives. These three themes work together and outline the history of our country and can be made evident by multiple historical events. The invention of the cotton gin's effect on society, the role of government and expansion policies, and the creation of the first American labor systems show the main theme of the AP US story: work, exchange, and technology. The cotton gin was invented in 1793 by Eli Whitney while he was in Georgia working as a tutor for Catherine Greene. After seeing the slaves toiling away trying to remove...... middle of paper...... city. Ultimately, the government's role and policies regarding the war allowed America to expand so much. Slavery was one of the most important parts of American history, but slavery obviously wasn't established overnight. The main workforce in America began with captured Native Americans. Native American groups such as the Aztecs, Incas, and Tainos knew the surrounding area and were able to easily plant crops. When the Europeans arrived, their only priority was gold and slaves and the Indians could help them with both. The Indians went out in search of gold, only to find none, as some natives were put on ships and brought back to Europe to be used as slaves. After many years, the Native American population decreased and the migrant population increased. Prisoners of war would be sent to America to establish colonies and later large cities/towns.