The debt will be increased like it always does and life will go on. If the us defaulted on debt then every country around the world would be in big trouble and nobody wants that.
Internet is a great tool to learn about economics too from top-notch books for free. The easiness and widespread availability of news will change the whole scenario.
Countries will soon move on gold because everyone analyzes that it's mistake to depend on the paper that belongs to another country or probably exclusively to FED. If the USA defaults, it will be a terrible experience for every country. Don't forget that the USA exports its debt in another countries and it will be hard for these countries to pay.