The Progressive Era

By the 20th century the American people were confronted with another reform movement known as the Progressive Era. The government played crucial roles in reforming America socially, economically, and politically. These reforms ranged from the federal level, the state level, and the local level. The Bureau of corporations, the salvation army, and the Home Rule Charters are all examples of the social, economic, and political reforms.
The Bureau of Corporations was a reform at the federal level that had an economic impact. The Bureau of Corporations was created to investigate antitrust violations. Economic reforms focused mainly on corrupt corporations which is why the Bureau of Corporations had an economic impact.
The Salvation Army was a reform movement at the state level that had a social impact. The Salvation Army focused on helping the poor and socially underprivileged. The Salvation Army’s social impact was so great that it is still around today assisting the needy.
The Home Rule Charters was a reform movement at the local level that had a political impact. The Home Rule Charters took away a lot of power from the state governments and allowed the local governments to make their own plan of government. This reform limited the corruption within the government.
The Bureau of corporations, the salvation army, and the Home Rule Charters were all reforms by the government that had social, economic, and political affects on the American people.

The Spanish-American War

In the decades after the Civil War, the United States continued to expand to territories across the continent, but by the late nineteenth century it turned its attention to non contiguous territories (Epstein pg. 229). One of those contiguous territories was Spain. The Spanish-American war made the United States a global power in possession of an over seas power. This war came about because of the cruel treatment of the Cubans from Spain, The DeLome’ letter, and the sinking of the Main. These are all valid reasons. Therefore, the United States was justified in going to war against Spain.
Cubans rose up against their Spanish oppressors in 1895. Sugar production was crippled when the American Tariff of 1894 restored high duties on the product. Driven to desperation, the Cubans torched cornfields and land mills. Spanish general herded many civilians into barbed wire concentration camps so that they could not give assistance to the rioters. Many of them died like dogs due to poor sanitation. American sympathies, ever on the side of fighting for freedom, went out to the Cuban underdogs.
In 1898, a U.S. newspaper published private letters stolen from the Spanish minister in Washington DeLome’. In the letter, the minister made derogatory comments about President McKinley which outraged many American people. This only added to the already explosive situation.
To make matter even worse a week after the DeLome’ incident a massive explosion blew up the U.S.S. Main. This explosion killed over 250 American Sailors. Since the American people were already upset about the DeLome’ incident, they quickly jumped to the conclusion that Spain was the obvious culprit. Although, to this day the cause of the explosion s a mystery.
Taking into account the Cruel treatment of the Cubans, the DeLome’ letter, and the sinking of the Main, The Spanish American war was justifiable. These are all valid reasons as to why the war was necessary. The Cubans were granted their independence and it made the United States a global power.
In my opinion, the constitution is the backbone of America. It gives the Unites States structure and character. If the constitution did not exist then America would not have made it so far. The constitution plays a very important and essential role in the destination of the American future. I guess you could call it the main character.

Trade Union Movement

Prior to the Trade union Movement in the Post-Civil War era, America had just finished the Reconstruction period and was leading in Industrial output. Eventually the relationship
Between Government and Business took on two forms. State and Federal courts were used to prevent regulation of business and Trade Unions were suppressed. A trade Union is an organization of workers who have banned together to achieve common goals. During the Post-Civil War era trade unions agitated for change within the working environment in areas such as the wages they were receiving. The Trade Union movement was not a phenomenal success but it did have its success. Four major trade unions were The National Labor Union(NLU), The Knights of Labor, the American Federation of labor(AFL), and the Industrial Workers of the World(IWW).
The National Labor Union was formed right after the end of the Civil War. The NLU was the first Trade Union to organize workers regardless of there race, gender, or skills. This is to be considers one of the successes of the Trade Unions. Goals of the NLU were higher wages, shorter workdays, and gender and racial equality. During this time a ten hour work day was very common but the NLU was able to achieve its goal of the eight hour work day. After this union came to an end the Knights of Labor stepped up. The Knights of Labor was organized in 1869 and led by Terence Powderly. The Knight of Labor had a more radical approach but often very modest goals. The Knights of Labor did not believe in strikes but this did not stop some radical members from going on strike when the railroads cut wages in 1884. By this time the Knights of Labors members peaked at nearly three-quarters of a million but at the time of the Haymarket riots its members started to decline and the Knights of Labor came to an end in 1886.
Unlike the NLU and the Knights of Labor the American Federation of Labor was not out to change the world but sought to achieve what it considered more realistic and attainable goals(Epstein pg.206). The AFL was open only to skilled workers. Its president Samuel Gompers used the power of his membership(1 million) to win concessions from management. Which at this time was more successful than the other major unions. The AFL’s goals were centered around improvements to the immediate work environment such as better wages, hours, and working conditions.
Industrial Workers of the World leaned towards the more radical approach. Founded in 1905, they represented mainly unskilled workers. They were not satisfied with simply increasing work wages. They wanted ownership of the means of production by the working class. Within the IWW many workers used violent means while others were victimized by the government. Few Unions could match the view of labor and social agitation.
Although the Trade Union Movement was not a phenomenal success it did have its successes through the NLU, Knights of Labor, AFL, and IWW. Strikes often influences the actions of the trade unions and some were more radial than others. Others were prejudice in areas such as race or skill level and many of their goals were not accomplished in that time. Trade Unions were more successful in organizing their workers than achieving their goals.

"What They Fought For"

The first chapter in this book talks of the South’s fighting spirit. Many confederates fought for their freedom from the Union. Confederates had great pride and honor in their independence and often felt that they were being “enslaved” by the Yankees and were willing to die for their freedom. I found this to be hypocritical because the same thing that they felt the Yankees were doing to them is what they were doing to blacks.
While the south was fighting for their independence, the North fought to save the Union. Many Northerners stated that they were fighting to uphold the legacy of the American Revolution. They often viewed secession as a deadly challenge to the foundation of law and order on which all societies must rest if they are not to degenerate into an anarchy(pg.32). Yankees felt that their fight in the war was for a patriotic cause.
Since the issue of slavery divided both the North and the South, Lincoln came to the conclusion that the only way to end the war was to abolish slavery. Confederate soldiers often expressed in their letters that they were fighting for liberty and against slavery(pg.49). Not to mention that the slaves often fought in the war to gain their freedom.

The Civil War

Prior to the Civil War, there was the Age of Reform. The Age of Reform (also known as the Grass Roots movements) shaped and greatly affected the North. While intelligent, inspired idealist were changing the North for the Better the South remained untouched and unaware, leading to tension between the two. In order to know the nations history, you must first know the cause of the Civil War. Slavery caused the Civil War in many ways such as, the Missouri Compromise of 1820, the compromise of 1850, and the Kansas-Nebraska act.
The Missouri Compromise was put into place to balance out the free states and the slave states. Anything above the longitude 36 30 was a free state and anything below it was a slave state. This compromise helped to avert war for forty years. Even though war was averted the issue of slavery would soon rise again.
It just so happened that what everyone was fearing rose up in 1850. When free soil California came knocking on the door to be admitted into the Union, not wanting California to enter as a free state, “fire-eaters” in the South were voicing ominous threats of succession. Within the compromise of 1850 California became a free state and New Mexico and Utah were given popular sovereignty. After the compromise both the North and the South were determined that this should be a “final” and the explosive issue of slavery should be buried. But this placid period of reason proved all to brief.
The drastic new Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 stirred up a storm of opposition in the North. The Fugitive Slave Act stated that the government would return run away slaves free of charge. This law awakened a spirit of antagonism in the North against the South.
It was because of this new spirit that Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote the famous novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” which also caused a lot of tension between the North and the South.
In 1854, Senator Stephen A. Douglas came up with the “brilliant” idea of extending a railroad from Illinois to Nebraska. In order to do so he would need the support of the south. He proposed the idea of cutting the Nebraska territory into the Kansas-Nebraska territory. Kansas and Nebraska were to be given popular sovereignty but the compromise of 1820 stood in their way. Since the Compromise forbid slavery above the sacred 36 30 line, the only way to open the reign to popular sovereignty was to repeal the ancient contract. By this time the North had come to regard the sectional compact as almost as sacred as the constitution itself and were not going to go down without a fight. The Kansas-Nebraska territory was one of the most momentous measures to pass congress and it greased the slippery slope to Civil War.
The Missouri Compromise of 1820, The compromise of 1850,and the Kansas-Nebraska Act, each played crucial roles in leading to the Civil War. The slavery question continued to churn the cauldron of controversy. Attitudes on both sides progressively hardened leading to the Civil war.

Fed up!!

There are two sources of reform. The first is the government and the second is grassroots movements. More often than not, grassroots movements have influenced the government on several of the decisions that it makes. Following the war of 1812, the Federalist were destroyed. The decade or so following the war is often referred to as the “Era of Good Feelings”; the assumption being that social relations in the United States were characterized by consensus and relative social harmony. Despite this, sectionalism and slavery issues were always under the surface ready to disturb the tranquility. The grassroots movements in the age of the Reform were profoundly successful in achieving their goals. Women’s rights were successful through the Seneca Falls Convention, abolition through the likes of William Lloyd Garrison, and public education through Horace Mann.
The women’s rights movements emerged as a result of shared discontent by those who no longer tolerated subjugation. Prior to the women’s rights movement, women were not allowed to own property, vote, or seek professional job opportunities. They were considered second class citizens and inferior to the white race. Led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott among many others, women’s rights advocates met at Seneca Falls, New York in 1848. It was here that they expressed in the “Declaration of Rights Sentiments” their demand to be enfranchised.
Slavery was very common within the southern states. Some may justify slavery a being economically acceptable because so many southern stated thrived off of the production of cotton. But from an emotional standpoint the institution of slavery is simply barbaric. It was often that slaves were treated cruel through whippings, rape, and many other severe punishments. Major abolitionist leaders such as, Fredrick Douglas, Harriett Tubman, and William Lloyd Garrison( William Lloyd Garrison’s newspaper “The Liberator” was very influential in abolitionist circles) played important roles in the abolition of slavery.
Prior to the education reform, the only schools available were private so only the rich could afford an education. One of the most outspoken advocates of the education reform was Horace Mann. His book “ Annual Reports” promoted the creation of a public school system. Giving everyone the opportunity to receive an education.
The grassroots movements caused a very important social change within the American society through women’s rights, the abolition of slavery, and the education reform. The period of Reform shaped the nation in a drastic way. It eventually led to the freedom of Blacks, more rights to women, and an education for all.

DBQ

The French and Indian war left Americans questioning the decisions of their mother country. Americans soon wanted to become independent and move out on their own, eventually leading to a revolution. By the eve of the Revolution Americans were more unified and banding together. There unity was shown through the Albany Congress, their resistance, the first continental congress, and finally the declaration of their independence.
The Albany Congress occurred in 1754 in Albany New York. It was here that Benjamin Franklin proposed a plan(Albany Plan of union) to unify the colonies. The picture shown in (Doc A) was printed in the Pennsylvania Gazette the same year as the congress because it was a representation of how the colonies were divided.
A major concern to American citizens was taxation without representation, as shown in (Doc B). Delegates from nine colonies met in New York and issued a declaration of rights. Stating, that Britain could not tax without representation in parliament.
A symbol of American unity would be the boycotts. The boycotts consisted of no importation and non consumption. As is (Doc D) Americans were tired of not being represented in Parliament and being given unreasonable tax increases. So they banned together and came up with the solution of boycotting.
The intolerable acts upset many colonist as shown in (Doc D). In response to these acts, the first continental congress met in 1774. By this time the delegates fell into three distinct groups known as the Radicals, Moderates, and Conservatives. They still had not mad a complete break from Britain but they were close to it.
Americans finally claimed their independence in 1774. (Doc H) was published in response to this newly found independence. Many Americans had no idea what lay in store for them and the British were highly upset. So as Hector St. John Crevecoeur put it, “ What then is the American, This new man?”
Despite the obstacles that an independent country had to face, America was prepared to take that step. Through the Albany Congress, boycotts, and the first continental congress they were now unified and ready to fight.