America's economic transformation in the early 1800s was linked to dramatic changes in transportation networks. Construction of roads, canals, and railroads led to the expansion of markets, facilitated the movement of peoples, and altered the physical landscape.
The United States and the Soviet Union came to the brink of nuclear war in 1962 over Soviet missile bases in Cuba. This was referred to as the "Cuban Missile Crisis". The US was mostly concerned about the very close proximity of the missiles to its shores.
