U.S. history is the history of the United States of America, beginning with the first European settlements in North America in the 16th century. This history spans the early colonies under British rule and the period of independence in the late 18th century and early 19th century, when the Constitution was adopted, right up to the present day. The history of the United States includes dramatic moments of change and growth, conflict, and economic and social development. Major topics of U.S. history include the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, Reconstruction, the Great Migration, the industrial revolution, the Great Depression, World War II and the Cold War, the Civil Rights movement, and the development of modern technology.