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The Louisiana Purchase was one of the milestones in American history wherein, in 1803, the United States purchased from France approximately 828,000 square miles of land to double the size of the country. President Thomas Jefferson wished to expand westward, and the deal began when France, under the control of Napoleon Bonaparte, took the land from Spain. He had only wanted to buy New Orleans for the trade routes and later agreed to buy the whole territory for 15 million dollars. Some questioned whether he had the constitutional right; he felt it was too important to the growth of the nation to pass up the offer. Adding new lands to be settled and explored by people, the Westward movement began in large numbers. It also laid the ground for future conflicts over slavery and the rights of Native Americans. In totality, the Louisiana Purchase was among the biggest land sales ever made in the history of the world and very vital in shaping up the United States.

One of the best things to have happened in America is the Louisiana Purchase because it did not change the size alone but altered its power. The nation's territory was doubled by an immense tract of land purchased from France in 1803 for $15 million. The tract would prove a valuable resource and space for farming. Contrary to the usual beliefs concerning the Constitution, President Thomas Jefferson went ahead to okay the purchase. That is just one example of a rule versus smart country decision. While it did encourage westward movement to explore new lands, it also provided slavery and Native American rights issues for the future. The Purchase helped to secure important trade routes, especially along the Mississippi River. In all, the Louisiana Purchase was a big step for the U.S. as it became a stronger and larger nation in the 19th century.

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The Monroe Doctrine was one proposed in the year 1823 by the then U.S. President James Monroe, in which he sought protection for the Americas from prevailing European influences, stating the intent of a European nation to colonize or even show an interest to interfere in any aspect of the Americas would be considered being against the United States of America. It is considered a doctrine because this just showed that the U.S. did not want to be involved in any European conflicts and vice-versa, Europe should leave the Western Hemisphere alone. A milestone in the foreign policy history of the U.S. because it clearly demonstrated an implicit signal that the U.S. now regarded itself as a leading power in the Americas. The Monroe Doctrine saved the U.S. from participation in any wars within Europe, which would give an opportunity for the country to pay more attention to its development. Later on, it became part and parcel of the U.S. policy with Latin American countries defining a form of U.S. behavior towards the whole world.

While the Monroe Doctrine did protect the Americas from further European colonization, it also created tension. In other words, the Doctrine took it for granted that the U.S. was able to control what happened in Latin America, sometimes turning out to be interference with other countries' affairs. The U.S. justified its military operations in the Caribbean and Central America using the doctrine. Some believe the Monroe Doctrine served the interest of the U.S. alone instead of taking care of the safety of other nations. This created problems in that many Latin American countries did not always appreciate the U.S. imposing its will on them.

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Monroe Doctrine 101 | What is the Monroe Doctrine?

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The Temperance Movement was a social and political movement that rose during the early 1800s with the aim of reduction or abolition of the intake of alcohol in the United States of America. Most people considered it to be responsible for the worst of society's ills: poverty, violence, and crime. Led primarily by religious groups, women's organizations, and social reformers, the movement sought to preserve families and social values. The temperance supporters argued drinking harmed individuals and families, men especially who spent money on liquor instead of paying to support their families. Building influence eventually made changes in local and state laws restricting the sale of alcohol and with passage of the 18th Amendment in 1920 the use of alcohol was illegal in the U.S. But this prohibition created some unwanted problems as well, like illegal productions of alcohol and organized crime. Later, the 21st Amendment lifted the ban in 1933 and legally, alcohol was sold again. Though challenging, the Temperance Movement made many people aware of the dangers regarding alcohol and initiated further social reform movements.

The movement though of a good intention was not all successful. However, it did shine a spotlight on the negative impact alcohol had on society, concerning women and children in particular. Prohibition that came out of the movement brought on their set of problems: people continued drinking alcohol illegally; organized crime and unsafe practices became its result. It also is harmful to businesses, bars and breweries, which depend on alcoholic drink sales. It felt that, in targeting liberty of the individual, it had been unfairly singled out and did little to answer deeper problems such as poverty or violence. The end result was that while the Temperance Movement brings much-needed awareness regarding the harms of alcohol amongst people, little gets solved by the means and statutes brought about.

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The Indian Removal Act of 1830 was an important law that allowed the government to forcibly remove Native American tribes from their homes in the southeastern United States and relocate them to land called "Indian Territory" west of the Mississippi River. This was an act forced through by President Andrew Jackson to open up more land for white settlers and farming, an example of the concept of Manifest Destiny: Americans were meant to expand across the continent. While the government said it would negotiate treaties, there were many Native Americans who were removed against their will. Terrible consequences occurred because of this, including loss of life and culture. Of course, the worst event has to be the Trail of Tears, whereby thousands were forced to make a treacherous trek across land to their new territory, with many not surviving en route. Such was indicative of the total disregard Native American rights held under the U.S. government and a very bad example as to how the indigenous people would henceforth be treated.

The sad but important portion of America's history is the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which shows a glimpse of the harsh manner that the Native Americans are usually subjected to. Advocated by President Andrew Jackson, the law gave the government mandate and power to force the Native American tribes to relocate their homelands in the Southeast to across the Mississippi. It aimed at opening up farming land for white settlers. This led to the removal of many Native Americans, many of whom suffered at very devastating costs in life at times, such as with the Trail of Tears where thousands of Cherokee were forcibly taken to their new territory. This Act represents many of the governmental lack of regard for Native Americans and their rights as well as promises that had been made in treaties. It was a trend-a pattern of foul play that kept going on for the years to come. Understanding the Indian Removal Act helps in understanding more the tough history of the United States, and how because of the quest for lands and power, many times hurt native peoples in one way or another.

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The Indian Removal Act Explained in 5 Minutes: US History Review

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Manifest Destiny refers to the 19th-century belief in the United States' destiny to expand across the North American continent, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. To many Americans, this expansion was to spread democracy and civilization, with the concept often justified as a divine right. This, in turn, made people move westward and begin claiming land and forming new communities. This belief took place in several crucial events of the Louisiana Purchase, the annexation of Texas, and Oregon Trail. On the other side, Manifest Destiny led to plenty of evil, especially in respect to the Native Americans and other people living there: their lands were taken over, and they become victims of violence and banishment. The idea of Manifest Destiny has set a mark not only in American history but also in the relations of the country with other nations. It was a very controversial subject in view of the fact that this expansion meant the encroaching upon the rights of people already living in the land.

Manifest Destiny was a potent doctrine during the period, showing in vivid detail the ambitions and cruelties of the age. While it spurred many settlers to pursue new opportunities and seek adventure in the west, it also provided a justification for aggressive expansion often at the expense of suffering Native American tribes and other groups. The belief in divine expansion not only fueled territorial growth but also contributed to conflicts such as the Mexican-American War, which points out the violent outcomes that come with pursuing the goals of a nation. Moreover, Manifest Destiny was about a sort of American exceptionalism in believing that the United States played a peculiar role in extending democracy and civilization. Of course, that perspective often blurred and even attempted to eliminate any claims to rights and histories by peoples over lands being claimed. Therefore, wrestling with the legacy of Manifest Destiny raises many moral and just questions about the consequences brought upon populations by an ambitious nation.

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Manifest Destiny Explained in 5 Minutes: US History Review

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The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed on February 2, 1848, marked the end of the Mexican-American War. This treaty truly ended hostilities between the United States and Mexico with new borders. With this treaty, Mexico ceded a lot of land that became present-day California, Arizona, New Mexico, and much of the southwestern states of today. In return, the U.S. paid $15 million to Mexico and promised to protect the rights of the Mexicans who stayed behind in those territories. The Treaty brought about peace and signified the solving of the issues of territories which had brought about the declaration of war. It altered the map of North America, with the United States becoming much larger. Although it was intended to be a fair treaty, it did pose somewhat of a predicament for the majority living within the new territories that were now part of the United States-majority Mexican and Native American citizens. Nevertheless, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was one among many in an endless stream of important events in which, from then on, the fate of the United States joined rather staunchly with that of Mexico's.

While the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo helped end the Mexican-American War, it brought about many problems. Though Mexico received $15 million, the U.S. gained a lot of land that was quite valuable for farming, resources, and settlement. The treaty promised the protection of the Mexican citizens in the new territories, but most of the Mexicans were victims of discrimination and ill-treatment. The Native Americans were even more so ignored, with many of their rights to the land violated time after time. More tension was also consolidated between the U.S. and Mexico in later years. At a certain degree, the treaty was not honored in its entirety and both countries remained with unresolved issues for several years thereafter.

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Women's Suffrage Movement - 1848 to 1920

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Women's Suffrage Movement - 1848 to 1920

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The Women's Suffrage Movement-for women to vote in the United States of America-started around the mid-1800s and extended into 1920. The desire was that women felt like they needed the same rights as their fellow male counterparts with the ability to vote for those running in government. Organized protests, rallies, and writing petitions by women began giving rise to the movement. The main participants of this movement were Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Lucretia Mott; all of these ladies fought relentlessly for their rights. Centuries passed before the fruit of effort was availed by the U.S. Constitutional 19th Amendment in the year 1920, through which a woman's right to vote was allowed. Indeed, not only did the women but also society receive a victory with one huge step toward parity between both genders. The women's suffrage movement inspired the other movements of equal rights in pursuance not only in education but also in jobs, aside from providing voting rights to women.

While the Woman's Suffrage Movement was a major success, it did not solve all of the problems of its members. While the 19th Amendment granted many women the right to vote, many-more importantly, African American women-were continued to be deprived of this right through a variety of racist impediments to voting, including literacy tests and poll taxes. The main composition of and orientation toward white, middle-class women also meant excluding the voices and concerns of colored women and poor women. Even after the vote had been won, women took their fight for full equality in many other aspects of life. In this case, a suffrage movement was demanded, and its echo would later be seen in today's continuing struggles regarding women's rights.

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The Gold Rush is the period in the 1800s where people ran towards California because of the finding of gold within that state in 1848. News spread like wildfire, and many people from around the world went to California with expectations of finding gold and making money. This event transformed California's economy and population, as it filled the place with new people coming into the towns and opening businesses. This period also saw the building of new railroads and towns and California's promotion as a state in 1850. Nevertheless, this led to enormous wealth for some miners; it did show the rest of the miners the worst labor conditions: dangerous mining conditions, lack of food, inclement weather, and so forth. Besides, native-born Americans suffered as many had to flee off their lands. Although only a few struck it rich, the impacts of the Gold Rush were many: it developed California into an important state that would shape its future in the U.S.

While the Gold Rush was what brought people out to California and helped the state to grow, it also led to many problems. The land became overpopulated, and mining was really destructive to the environment. It pushed Native American groups from their land and led to some violence against them as settlers made their way in. Finally, while many came to find gold, not very many did, and it ultimately created a lot of disappointment and hardship. The Gold Rush also brought diseased-filled camps and crime due to the large number of occupants. As exciting as the concept of the Gold Rush was, there were negative effects on the people who originally lived there and long-lasting harm to the land and environment.

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The Homestead Act was passed in 1862 and allowed citizens of the United States to claim land that was located in the western part of the United States. The government virtually gave 160 acres to any adult who agreed to make his home on and improve his newfound land. He must be willing to live on it for five years, place a house upon the land, and work the land in order for him to receive the land. This act encouraged thousands of settlers, including farmers, immigrants, and former slaves to move westward and start new lives. It helped spread the United States and opened up new towns, farms, and communities. Many took that opportunity, even though a great number were not able to make good of this offer. In the very start, settlers had to face several adversary conditions of drought, excessive winter seasons, and many resources were hard to access. Yet in spite of that, Homestead Act remained pivotal in settlement of West America and also shaped future significantly.

Even though the Homestead act provided the opportunities to so many; on the contrary, several negative results cropped up. Firstly, the land promised to settlers very often could not be cultivated due to poor soil or inclement weather. Many had a hard time surviving and there were those who lost their farms. It also did not take into consideration Native American rights to the land as settlers would be allowed to take areas that were already settled by the same. This was one of the reasons for conflict and forced removals of the communities. Others manipulated the loopholes in the law and claimed far larger portions than the small family-sized plots intended by the law. In a nutshell, the Homestead Act was to settle the West but ended up hurting Native Americans and putting many settlers at a disadvantage.

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The Homestead Act of 1862 Explained: US History Review

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Until the year 1869, the First Transcontinental Railroad finally connected the eastern part of the United States to the west. Traveling across the continent up to that time had taken several months, where people and goods were transported by wagon or ship. It was considerably faster by railroad, reducing the travel time from several months down to just one week. It was a big engineering challenge, and two railroad companies, the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific, were building it from opposite ends. The railroad greatly contributed to western migration: brought settlers, supplies, and opportunities into new territories; enabled economic growth through better means of moving crops, cattle, and manufactured products across the nation. The First Transcontinental Railroad was really helpful in the growth and development of the American West and the establishment of towns and cities along the railroad.

Whereas the First Transcontinental Railroad came with several benefits, a number of negative impacts accompanied this railroad. The laying of this railroad disrupted Native American lands and communities, making many tribes change from their respective traditional territories. Construction on the railroad was extremely hazardous, with the majority of the workers, particularly Chinese immigrants, working in poor conditions and receiving minimal pay. Much of the immigrant laborers worked in building this railroad, yet they were paid unfairly. Furthermore, the spread of the railroad meant more westward settlers, which furthered Native American loss of land and resources. While the railroad was an outstanding feat, it also contributed to mistreatment of certain groups and the displacement of Native people.

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Coast to Coast: America’s First Transcontinental Railroad

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History of Standard Oil Company: Ida Tarbell - 1870 to 1911

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History of Standard Oil Company: Ida Tarbell - 1870 to 1911

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One of the biggest and most influential corporations engaged in oil production, Standard Oil was founded in 1870 by John D. Rockefeller. Because of this-the company was virtually an owner of almost all the refineries in the country-Rockefeller managed to accumulate an incredibly great fortune. One of the major ways he expanded his business was by buying out his competition and through astute business methods that enabled this firm to control the price of oil. However, this 'Oil Company' malpractice came into light through a series of articles by a journalist, Ida Tarbell in the beginning of the 20th-century. She mentioned various misdeeds on Rockefeller's part like the destruction of smaller businesses and even the bribing of politicians to get favorable decisions from the government authorities. Her investigation showed how big monopolies, such as Rockefeller's oil company, could destroy their smaller competitors along with their consumers. Tarbell's reporting and articles had a last longing impact on the regulating of big businesses. Later in 1911, the government issued a dissolve for Standard Oil into smaller corporations to diminish the operation of monopolies. The Ida Tarbell report on Standard Oil did give a breakthrough change to America.

Even then, this also brings out certain queries and issues. Because, though her articles widely exposed the viciousness of the monopoly system, it ended targeting a single business owner -John D. Rockefeller -instead of targeting the very idea of monopoly. There was even a belief that Tarbell had a personal tie/dislike to Rockefeller due to her father being injured by the company and was evident in her writing. Also, the dissolution of Standard Oil did not entirely siphon it of its powers, and further, her writings did not satisfactorily handle the problem of big corporations using illegitimate business methods to quell competition. Though there are some concerns, the revelations brought about by Ida Tarbell constitute a milestone in the struggle for fairness in business and control of monopoly.

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Second Industrial Revolution - 1870 to 1914

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Second Industrial Revolution - 1870 to 1914

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The Second Industrial Revolution occurred in the late 1800's into the early 1900's. This was going to be an era of much significant change for the United States. It was focused around rapid industrialization, technological changes, new inventions, and the growth of the industries of oil, steel, and electrical manufacturing. It is now during this period that most of the major inventions which we use today saw the light of day, amongst others : the light bulb by Thomas Edison, the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell, the airplane by the Wright brothers. Not less importantly, during this time, the railroad system extended, as new factories opened bringing about the economic prosperity as more jobs were made available. Another contributing factor is migration from rural areas into cities for employment. The rise of cities also started taking place at a very fast rate. The Second Industrial Revolution also brought in the big businesses that helped shape the modern economies. It led to success for many and also brought poor working condition, child labor and an expanding difference and disconnect between rich and poor. Despite this, the Second Industrial Revolution transformed society and helped create the modern and advanced world we live in today.

Besides leading to amazing inventions and growth, one of the problems that the Second Industrial Revolution brought about was that many of the factory workers, including children, had to work for long, grueling hours in unsafe conditions with very low wages. Strikes and protests together on account of unfair working conditions finally led the workers to demand better treatment. Furthermore, rapid growth in industry caused a lot of overcrowding in cities along with unsanitary living conditions. Large businesses also took full advantage of the small companies during this time hence making the economy unfair as well. While new technologies during the revolution did improve day-to-day living for citizens, the adverse effects on laborers and society showed that industrial growth was in need of better legislation and protection for workers.

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Social Darwinism refers to a belief that applied Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection to society and economics in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The idea is that, much like in nature, only the strongest people and businesses would survive and thrive while weaker ones would fail. Social Darwinists believed that it was through natural talents or abilities of a person whether he succeeds or fails and that government should not intervene in this process. This concept was then used to explain inequality, be it racism, class differences, and poor working conditions, since there were claims that some groupings naturally held superiority over others. Social Darwinism was primarily used to justify the success of wealthy business owners who claimed that their success was due to their "fitness." The concept of Social Darwinism also extended into colonialism, whereby many people felt it was only natural for the survival of the fittest to mean that the stronger countries should control the weaker ones. Social Darwinism gained a great deal of criticism in the 20th century because it has disregarded the principles of fairness, cooperation, and support for the less fortunate in society.

Social Darwinism becomes condemned for having been deaf and blind to the realistic perceptions of inequality but manipulated them using science as an alibi towards discrimination. It stereotyped poorer people and minorities as "inferior," hence bringing them into stereotypical judgments and practices that are harmful. To assume success is simply an act of individual strength dismisses this perspective of the constructed system of society and its impacts. As a result, poor and discriminated people had fewer opportunities for their betterment as compared to others, and Social Darwinism contributed to worsening their situations. Further, it supported ideas like racism and colonialism that resulted in the oppression of people. Overall, Social Darwinism was used to excuse unfairness rather than promote true equality.

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DARWINISM & Social Darwinism, Explained [AP Euro Review—Unit 7 Topic 4]

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In 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act passed by the United States government did just that-exclude Chinese immigrants from entering the country. It was the first law within the history of the country to exclude one single group of immigrants due to their nationality. This was made by the government of the moment, due to the beliefs of the American people-who widely believed that Chinese workers took away the opportunity of them being employed-mainly in the construction of railroads and mining. Racist attitudes against Chinese too had been based on their "foreignness" and difference. This Exclusion Act extended for decades and was even bolstered by further legislation. Only in 1943 was this law abolished and the small quota of Chinese immigrants allowed again to come into the United States. It was not an isolated act but part of the broader pattern of discrimination against immigrants, in particular those coming from Asia, and forms one of the important examples of how immigration laws have been utilized to bar certain groups based on their race and nationality from coming into the country.

The Chinese Exclusion Act is one clear case in which racism and fear of foreigners led to the making of unfair laws. It was quite unfair to the Chinese, who contributed a lot to the building of the U.S. economy, especially in the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad. This act completely bypassed the fact that many Chinese immigrants came to the U.S. to escape poverty and create better lives. It has also reflected the discrimination of the age inasmuch as its very underlying premise was to consider Chinese inferior compared with other humans. Basically, this harmed not only the immigrants themselves but their families and their communities in general. The Chinese Exclusion Act shows that even the law can sometimes take sides because of prejudice. It points out something quite important in regard to fairness and equality toward each human, whatever the background.

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The dark history of the Chinese Exclusion Act - Robert Chang

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The Dawes Act of 1887 authorized the president to divide the tribal lands in order to allot land in severalty to the natives for the purpose of cultivating them into farming. In doing so, the government felt that by parceling the land out in smaller portions, Native Americans would engage in the farming lifestyle and would integrate into American society. The Dawes Act gave the government permission to take non-allotted land and sell it to settlers. Due to this policy, Native American tribes lost much of the control they had over their own lands. The law also attempted to force European-style farming on Native Americans, which was very different from the Native Americans' ways of life. A lot of the Native Americans were not accustomed to this kind of farming on little, private plots and had much difficulty with it. This finally resulted in the loss of millions of acres to Native American land and long-lasting harm to cultures and communities. It was finally superseded by the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, which attempted to restore some of the lands and gave Native Americans more control over their own affairs.

The Dawes Act was catastrophically destructive to the lives of Native American communities: it took away their homeland and culture, trying to turn them into farming communities, which was not consistent with their traditions. The policy of "civilizing" Native Americans was a one-sided decision by the government, based on its complete misunderstanding of their culture. Many Native Americans had no desire to live like Europeans, and the land they received was often poor and very hard to farm. Further, much of the land meant for the Native Americans was taken by the government and then sold to settlers, causing millions of acres to be lost. The Dawes Act is the best example of how the government tried to impose assimilation policies on Native Americans, without understanding or respect for their cultures, furthering long-lasting impacts on their communities.

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The Gospel of Wealth is a book that was written by Andrew Carnegie, a wealthy industrialist, in 1889. In his book, Carnegie claimed that the people who amassed wealth should take full responsibility in using their wealth with some purpose to better society. He held the view that the rich had a duty of not spending all their wealth in the gratification of their vain desires but to use the same for such worthy causes as education, establishment of libraries, and scientific research. Carnegie firmly believed that with the rich helping others, the community at large would prosper. In his lifetime, he donated the majority of his wealth to the founding of thousands of libraries and educational institutions. Carnegie's ideas caught on with the public, finding an honored place in the ongoing discussion over the role of wealth in society. His philosophy was that those who were rich should act as "trustees" of their wealth, administering it for the benefit of others. The Gospel of Wealth would indeed influence many of the other wealthy in giving to charitable causes, and it is still a forerunner in many ideas on philanthropy today.

Though Carnegie's Gospel of Wealth certainly persuaded rich people to share with society, his gospel has its flaws: he had faith that rich people knew best regarding what the use of their money is for, sometimes this translating to giving to causes representative of his interests and not for the needs of poor people. Some critics say that in his paper, Carnegie ignores the very fact that what the poor needed was a decent wage with good working conditions rather than simple charity. And neither has his theory spoken about correcting the imbalances that amass such fortunes for him and other industrialists. For some, while philanthropy is necessary, it has no substitute to ensure right laws and fair opportunities to all. The Gospel of Wealth is often used as a means for the rich to justify their wealth without resorting to more serious changes in social and economic systems.

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The Sherman Antitrust act of 1809 is a law prohibiting business monopolies that would reduce competition in the market. When the market economy is a monopoly, one corporation is the exclusive proprietor of a whole industry. The unintended consequences of this are higher prices and consumers being treated poorly. This act was to make sure that the business’s played by the rules and no one business could monopolise the market. Decreasing trade practices like price-fixing – companies ganging up on prices of goods – forbade combining firms into a single giant corporation that was competition-killer. So too was the Sherman Antitrust Act, one of the critical requisites for a good deal in business, that is, something that gives the consumer a shot at competition. It was passed to dissolve megacorporations for allegedly being anti-competitive-see Standard Oil and American Tobacco. Through this act, in time, the state regulated all commercial areas and maintained most industries at par.

The Sherman Antitrust Act, as it was known, did help stimulate competition, though the Act itself had several drawbacks: often vague about what actually constituted a monopoly or unfair business practice, it was extremely hard to enforce; through equally canny lawyers, some large companies managed to get around the law entirely. The act also did not fully catch up with the growth in big corporations, and some critics felt it did little to protect workers and consumers. Though the law helped to break up some monopolies, it did not always check the tendency of big businesses to become too powerful. In fact, the Sherman Antitrust Act was a very good start, though at times it was not quite effective in ensuring fair competition.

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Why the Sherman Antitrust Act Matters - @MrBettsClass

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The Wounded Knee Massacre took place on December 29, 1890, in South Dakota and formed one of the saddest moments in Native American history. Due to the premonition made by the U.S. Army that the Native American tribe was to start an uprising, the army managed to surround many Lakota Sioux - mainly women, children, and older men. The soldiers demanded that the Native Americans surrender their arms; in the resulting melee, someone fired a shot. The soldiers opened fire on the gathering, killing at least 150 Native Americans, though estimates are higher. Many were unarmed and innocently exposed. The massacre marked the end of armed Native American resistance in the Great Plains. The wounds made it a painful symbol of poor treatment and violence that Native Americans had been through at the hands of the United States government. In the future, Wounded Knee became and continued to be a battlecry for unfair treatment toward Native Americans and helped shed awareness regarding the struggles of the group.

The massacre at Wounded Knee serves as a perfect example of the mistreatment of Native Americans by the United States government. For the soldiers to have brutally attacked the unarmed Lakota Sioux was wholly unnecessary, and this just further exposed how violently the government handled and attempted to subjugate each Native American tribe to quash their culture. Some even say that if the government had listened to Native American rights and negotiated peacefully with them, there would have been no massacre at all. This was one of the chapters of resistance in Native American history, which after their massacre came to an end and left deep scars amongst them. Though remembered as a sad moment in history, it underlines how deeply the Native Americans were treated unjustly during that period.

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How the other Half Lives: Jacob Riis - 1890

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How the other Half Lives: Jacob Riis - 1890

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The photographic-journalism book, "How the Other Half Lives," written in 1890 by the reporter Jacob Riis, develops a real picture of great squalor in which the living conditions are plunged on the part of immigrants and a wage-earning family in New York. He focuses his attention on the so-called tenement buildings: highly crowded, unsanitary conditions-most with no light, poorly ventilated, and a lack of basic plumbing. Riis tried to direct public attention to poor people's problems and reform. His pictures shocked many readers because now they were truer realities of life in the slums. Riis's book drew much-needed attention to the problems of poverty and the need for social reform. It was influential in rousing the government and charitable organizations to remedy housing conditions and work for better living standards among the poor. How the Other Half Lives was a seminal work for social reformers and stands generally as an example of early photojournalism.

While "How the Other Half Lives" brought attention to the problems of poverty, it also has been criticized because it focuses on the struggles of immigrants while often using negative portrayals. It is contended that Riis did not really give credit to the systemic problems laying at the root of the causes of poverty, which would include low wages and unfair labor practices. His emphasis on the "other half" at times oversimplified the causes leading to their hard life. Further, though the book called for an improvement in living conditions, it lacked wide-ranging solutions to the very roots of poverty. Despite these criticisms, the book was an important step in highlighting the hard realities of the poor and changing the same.

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The Homestead Steel Massacre occurred in Pennsylvania at the Homestead Steel Works in 1892, protesting their bad working conditions and low salaries. This was one of the very famous industrialist Andrew Carnegie's factories and one of the biggest steel mills in the country. But also in an attempt to reduce these workers' salaries, Carnegie had simultaneously engineered the destruction of the workers union called the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers. Hell-bent on breaking up the strike, Carnegie commissioned the private security agents from the Pinkerton Detective Agency who was tasked to guard the factory with an agenda for getting workers back to work. From that day onwards things only went from bad to worse, as the violent clash between the two groups on 6 July,, saw even the extreme level of violence. A huge amount of workers died while a much larger group was severely injured. Voices of violence echoed through the entire nation, further bringing the movement of the labor union within the steel industry to an extremely low for many decades to come. The Homestead Massacre is important in the United States labor history for the indication it gave of how uphill a battle workers had and what employers would stop at to keep the upper hand in labor relations.

The massacre shows how tense the relations were between workers and industrialists during the late 1800s. Harsh conditions in the factory, meager salaries, were among the reasons for this protest. The strike was violently dealt with in an unfair way, which showed that Carnegie still could not believe in workers' rights, hiring armed forces to attack them rather than negotiate with them. Though the company felt they had a right to protect their property and continue production, force used against them really showed the employers' valuation of little safety and well-being for workers. This massacre also revealed how labor unions were not protected, making it harder for workers to demand better conditions. The incident outraged many people, but it also highlighted the hard reality of workers' fighting for their rights in the face of powerful businesses.

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Homestead Strike of 1892: Andrew Carnegie, Henry Frick, and Workforce Retaliation

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Henry Ford was an American entrepreneur who transformed the face of automobile manufacturing. He is specifically known for establishing the Ford Motor Company in 1903 and introducing the Model T car to the market, thereby making many Americans afford automobiles. Ford is also noted for developing the assembly line, a method for mass-producing goods that expedited production and reduced production costs. This was an innovation that changed the automobile industry and influenced many other industries worldwide. Ford's assembly line allowed workers to perform one task, thus quickening production and reducing the costs. Ford also raised his workers' wages to $5 a day, which was more than what most other companies paid at that time, and shortened the workweek to 40 hours. This helped the workers out with the affordability of very products they made, thus giving them a better quality of life. Through his immense impact on the automobile industry, mass production, and labor practices, Ford easily became one of the most influential figures in American History.

While Henry Ford's innovations were important, they also had some rather darker sides. Ford's assembly line made workers do repetitive tasks, which could be boring and exhausting. Though he raised wages, Ford controlled many aspects of his workers' personal lives, including what they could and could not do outside of work. He was also criticized for being anti-union, failing to support workers organizing in demand of better conditions. While the mass production methods adopted by Ford made reasonably priced cars available to many, his business practices often showed little concern for the well-being of his workers beyond their wages. Despite his contributions, his methods also revealed the challenges of balancing efficiency and workers' rights.

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The USS Maine was famous for exploding in Havana Harbor, Cuba, on 15 February 1898. It had been stationed in Cuba to protect U.S. interests in the War of Cuban Independence, in which Cuban rebels were fighting the Spanish colonial forces. A total of 266 American seamen aboard the ship died; the impact sent shock through the nation. The causes were not well defined for this action, but the majority in the United States blamed Spain, and the battle cry became "Remember the Maine!" This incident dragged the nation toward war with Spain and was a starting point for the United States in the Spanish-American War. As a result of this war, places like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines became the property of the United States. Although it was postulated later in the war that the loss may have come from an internal accident and not enemy action, it stirred great emotion and helped America establish itself as a world power.

But the explosion of the USS Maine proved to be a turning point based on limited evidence and emotional reactions. Most people then took it for granted that Spain was to blame without proper evidence, which meant war by the U.S. This rush to judgment serves to demonstrate how sometimes war is fueled by public outrage and miscommunication rather than the truth. This incident, in a sense, tells how powerful emotions and media can be in influencing decisions when the true cause is unknown. Although the Maine tragedy played a role in bringing the U.S. to the fore of world affairs, it also reflects how hazardous a leap to conclusions may prove without investigation.

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The Spanish-American War of 1898 was between the United States and Spain. A number of causes have been attributed to this war; they include among others, the explosion of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor, Cuba, and the urge to support the self rule movement by Cubans against the Spanish rule. The Americans were also justified in being concerned by the harsh way the Spanish treated the Cubans. The Spanish -American War, although only lasted four months but brought enormous dividend where United State defeated the Spain not only at Cuba but also in Philippine hence forward now it was now upon Spain to cede Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and Philippine to United States, this fashion victory would establish united states as a world power with overseas territory. The realization of how much military might he had wrapped up in this thing called the U.S., a number of controversies given birth to many thoughts concerning imperialism, hence whether United States must impart their control upon them, etc., was told.

While the Spanish-American War put the U.S. out there as a world power, significant questions concerning imperialism and considerations toward other nations were awakened. Many accused the United States of being an imperial master to countries like the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and even Guam, against American ideals that stand for freedom and self-governance. It also became the reason for the Philippines rising up in a fight against the United States for self-independence shortly after the war had ended. Moreover, the race to war following the explosion of the USS Maine illustrates how feelings and media can at times spur decisions without evidence. The victory in war brought debates on the place of the U.S. in the world.

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Annexation occurred in the year 1898 during which time the Hawaiian Islands were officially under the United States possession. In its precedent state, Hawaii had always been an independent kingdom reigned by a monarchy but the American businessmen and planters of sugar were influential in that particular region. In 1893, American businessmen overthrew the Hawaiian queen, Liliuokalani, and established a provisional government with the aim of working their way into having the U.S. annex Hawaii in order to protect their interests. Annexation or not by the U.S. was debated for many years. Till the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, during 1898, the U.S. saw its strategic values in Hawaii for military and trade purposes and annexed it. The islands were annexed to the United States, becoming the 50th state in 1959. Annexation was an unpopular act on the part of many Hawaiians who saw it as a manifestation of imperialism and denial of rights to indigenous peoples.

Annexation was a very controversial topic as many Hawaiians did not want to become a part of the United States, for it was taking away their sovereignty. Annexation should not have happened given that the overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani came by American interests and not those of the people in Hawaii.  For the U.S., such annexation was justified with the importance of Hawaii to trade interests and military purposes, when very often the motive was actually to protect American businesses. It is the perfect example of how sometimes imperialism subjugates the will of people from any other country, and strong will takes advantage of the small one because of their strength. Annexation in Hawaii showed just how American expansion would highly bring change in the life and rights of people from any other nations.

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The Open Door Policy was the diplomatic policy announced by the United States in 1899 to keep China open to all powers, ensuring equal trading opportunities within China. By then, a number of European nations and Japan had already been putting pressure on China with their various special trading rights and spheres of influence in parts of that country. The United States was afraid if one nation gained too much control over China, it would block American businesses from trading there. To protect its interests, the U.S. proposed all should have equal access to China's markets, with no one nation dominating. That policy was called the "Open Door" because all nations could trade freely and openly with China. Although this policy was never agreed upon by all countries, it helped to keep the U.S. strong in China and also opened up the doors to trade for American business. At the same time, however, it showed the growing role of the U.S. internationally during this period.

Although seemingly promoting equity, the Open Door Policy was largely one of protecting American economic interests. The policy, in particular, had been forced on China without its consent to show how the U.S. sought to control Asian trade to its benefit. No consultations with China were made upon its proposal, and her sovereignty had been ignored. This policy also showed the imperialistic attitude of the U.S. at that time, which was trying to expand its influence all over the world. While it benefited American businesses, the Open Door Policy can be seen as a way for the U.S. to push other countries aside and use China for its own economic advantage.

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In 1901 the Platt Amendment was passed-a United States law that gave it great controls over the affairs of Cuba. Following the Spanish-American War, Cuba gained independence; the United States wanted to make sure it would not fall into other foreign hands. The Platt Amendment maintained that Cuba could not make any treaties with other nations to the detriment of the interests of the United States. This would enable the U.S to meddle with Cuba's government where need be, for purposes of restoring order. The amendment granted the U.S. the right to create military bases in Cuba; therefore, the renowned Guantanamo Bay. While the amendment was intended for protecting Cuba against foreign aggression, this plunged Cuba into the strict clutch of the U.S. It was the Platt Amendment, one may say, through which the U.S. was going to continue enjoying influence in Cuba even after the Spanish-American War. It was repealed in 1934 but its impact on US-Cuba relations lasted for many years.

The Platt Amendment showed how the U.S. exercised imperialistic control over Cuba, despite Cuba's official independence. While claiming to protect Cuba, this amendment actually limited Cuba's freedom by giving the U.S. the power to interfere in its government and military. The right to establish military bases in Cuba allowed the U.S. to control important strategic locations. This arrangement was not fair for Cuba because their sovereignty was bypassed, and it treated them as if they were a dependent nation instead of an independent one. The Platt Amendment underlines how, even under the protection umbrella, powerful nations often use the law to continue having a hold on smaller countries.

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The "Square Deal" was a set of reforms proposed by President Theodore Roosevelt during the early years of the 1900s. Roosevelt's aim was to bring fairness in treating all Americans, especially the working class. He aimed at consumer protection, control of big businesses, and environmental conservation. Among the major components of the Square Deal was regulation of business, most particularly for those huge trusts which started taking advantage of the workers and their consumers. He also tried his best with regard to improvement of labor situation and breakdown of monopoly; he made sure of proper utilization of natural resources via national parks and implementation of conservation laws. This is where the Square Deal gives workers better rights and the establishment of laws to prevent the cheating of customers or workers. That was important, because it provided one of those few scenarios where the government actually did step in to balance the books, as it were, in society between the rich and the poor. These reforms that were initiated during the tenure of Roosevelt have irrevocably altered the country and a regular American's protection against corporate fraud.

While the Square Deal helped many workers and consumers, it did not resolve all of the nation's problems. Many businesses tried to get around new regulations; their reforms benefited mostly white Americans. Roosevelt's actions also failed to address issues such as racial equality or reach all classes of workers. While the Square Deal was an advancement in big business regulation and worker protection, it serves to show just how hard it is to create a perfect system of fairness. It was a positive step forward, but there was still much work to be done to ensure fairness for everyone in America.

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United Fruit Co. (Banana Republics) - Early 1900's

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United Fruit Co. (Banana Republics) - Early 1900's

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The United Fruit Company was an American company that played a leading part in the economies of the countries of Central America, principally in the production and export of bananas. Founded at the end of the 1800s, United Fruit controlled large tracts of lands in countries like Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica for growing bananas on their large plantations and shipping the produce to the United States, where they gained great popularity. Because the United Fruit Company had control over so much land and managed to have so much power inside these countries, the United Fruit Company went by the common nickname of "Banana Republic." This was a terminology that described countries in which a heavy reliance on one company or product existed. This company always had a close relation with the local government; working its influence inside them to protect their interests. This control helped the company to amass much wealth but also brought about the unfair treatment of workers and locals. Many workers experienced poor conditions, low wages, and were treated badly. The influence wielded by the United Fruit Company in Latin America is one example of how large businesses sometimes exploited smaller countries for profit.

The United Fruit Company had a huge impact on Central America, but there were also criticisms against them for their unfair practices. They had so much influence upon the local governments that hardly any country could make decisions because the company often controlled their economy. Workers on banana plantations faced bad conditions, low pay, and even abuse. While the company immensely prospered, the profits were not equitably distributed. The natives suffered, and the countries became too dependent on this one fruit-the banana. The term "Banana Republic" refers to the way such a company took control over those nations, making them unstable economies at the mercy of one crop. This is how strong corporations at times take undue advantage of weak countries to further their interests, without having regard for the well-being of the people.

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Creation of the Panama Canal - 1904 to 1914

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Creation of the Panama Canal - 1904 to 1914

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It has been termed as one of the biggest engineering projects ever seen. The Panama Canal basically is a broad canal serving the connection between both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans by means of the Isthmus of Panama. This canal has saved a prior detour of having to sail around the southern tip of South America, which was an extremely time-consuming and also hazardous deal. A vision of the canal had long existed, but it really got under steam in the early 1900s. Under the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt, the United States wished to build and facilitate quicker and easier trade and travels by constructing a canal. After the failure of the French, this building was led by the U.S. in 1904. In 1914, after 10 strenuous years of thousands of workers and the disease caused by hard geography, this canal was finished. The Panama Canal also made world trade a bit faster and efficient and gave power to the United States by making it one of the major countries of international trade.

While the creation of the Panama Canal was a huge success of global trade, it bore its toll. The United States took over the ground of Panama to build the canal, which led to tensions with the inhabitants of Panama. The United States helped Panama gain independence from Colombia, but many thought that the United States had taken advantage of them in doing so. The workers, especially the Caribbean ones, were put to work in harsh conditions and dangerous working environments. Besides, the U.S. controlled the canal zone for almost a century, thus limiting the sovereignty of Panama. While the canal was important for trade and military purposes, the way it was built does speak volumes about how powerful countries sometimes take advantage of weaker ones for their own interests.

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Dollar diplomacy was one of the policies adopted in the early 1900s by President William Howard Taft to further American interests abroad. This policy had one major objective: it aimed at encouraging American businesses to invest in Latin American and Asian countries instead of depending on military means. In return, according to Taft, the U.S. would raise the economies of those countries and develop trade while at the same time protecting American investments. These were U.S.-government-and-finance-backed investments designed to try and influence countries in the Western Hemisphere. For example, American businesses would lend money to Latin American countries, and the U.S. government would ensure those debts were paid. While the policy did help in building influence for the U.S., it was often criticized for sometimes leading to American control of other countries' economies. This policy demonstrated the U.S. utilizing its economic powers in an effort to influence the world, rather than using military powers.

While Dollar Diplomacy was supposed to promote peace and stimulate economic growth, it often had the opposite effect on the countries in which it was applied. Many Latin American nations believed they were being manipulated by the U.S. through loans and economic influence, thus fostering hatred. The policy also didn't always lead to long-term prosperity in the countries receiving the loans, and some ended up in debt to the U.S. Besides, Dollar Diplomacy didn't really support local independence; it allowed the U.S. to get its way through the threat of economic pressure. That shows how sometimes powerful nations use financial influence to control weaker nations, often at the expense of their independence.

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Dollar Diplomacy |History of USA Part 41|

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The 17th Amendment to the United States Constitution became law in 1913. It altered how senators are elected to the United States. Until then, senators were selected by state legislatures; sometimes corruptly so-and as part of political backroom deals in which the will of the people was not reflected in the choice. The 17th Amendment said senators are to be chosen by popular election by the people of the various states. This meant that it held the election of senators should be carried out with direct votes by the people, just like presidential or representative elections. Such an amendment was supposed to make the government more democratic and give senators a more representative approach towards the people's interest and not on some state politicians or wealthy elites behalf. The 17th Amendment gave power to the public more than ever in choosing their leaders and made the Senate more accountable to the people.

Although the 17th Amendment made the Senate more democratic in the right direction by giving it direct elections, it also deprived the original system of some checks and balances. Before the amendment, state legislatures were allowed to elect senators who would then cooperate closely with the state governments and represent their interests. With direct elections, the 17th Amendment removed some of that power from state governments and gave it to the people who do the electing. Many critics would argue that the modification diluted states' roles within the federal system. Nevertheless, the amendment still made the Senate more accountable to the public and helped to curb corruption that was very pervasive before its passage.

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The 17th Amendment Explained in 2 Minutes

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The Jungle is a famous book written by Upton Sinclair in 1906 on the inhuman and unhygienic atmosphere within the meat industry of Chicago. Sinclair wrote this novel to point out and depict sufferings of poor immigrant workers who labored within the meatpacking factories. It describes the miserable lives of poor immigrants. His focus was to display how companies were concerningly more worried about their profit than welfare of their employees. The book was a shock to the readers as the conditions described involved unsanitary meat processing, spoiled and contaminated meat sold in the public market. The Jungle, upon its publication, was able to raise public outrage and finally compelled the government to pass laws regarding food industries: the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act in 1906. These laws improved the conditions of food safety and treatment of workers in the industry.

While The Jungle played an essential role in making food safer for people, it also resulted in several less positive consequences. While the primary goal of Sinclair was to describe workers' struggles and injustices towards them, most of his readers were more disgusted with descriptions of unsanitary industry, preparing food for them. So, it led the public to mostly show their concern about the problems related to food safety but not the worker's rights- Sinclair's initially expressed concern. This shows that sometimes a message can be misinterpreted, and the problem which you are trying to solve might not get the attention it needs.

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The Jungle by Upton Sinclair | Brief Plot Summary

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The Pure Food and Drug Act was enacted in 1906 to ensure that both food and medicine in America were safe and of appropriate quality. Prior to this law, there was no sort of regulation on what could and could not go into foods and drugs, and most of what was sold was unsafe-even deadly. Food could be sold with chemicals that were harmful, and medicines could contain dangerous ingredients with no warning. It required proper labeling on all food and pharmaceuticals, which included outlawing any harmful ingredient within such consumable foodstuffs or in medicine. The federal government could inspect factories producing those kinds of items. In this way, it protected consumers and guaranteed the safety of their use as well as accurately labeled packaging information. It was a significant step toward the improvement of public health and started a trend of government regulations in many industries.

While the Pure Food and Drug Act cleaned up food and medicine, it did not solve all the problems. Many companies learned to bypass the law with misleading labels or low-quality products that were never tested. The Act improved food safety, but it also proved just how hard it would be to ensure every product would be safe for consumers. This shows that while government laws are important, they have to be carefully enforced and constantly updated to meet the new challenges. The Act was an important step but merely the beginning of making the food and drug industries safer.

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1906 Pure Food and Drug Act: An Introduction

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The NAACP stands for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, started in 1909 by a group of activists, principally W.E.B. Du Bois, to bring up the civil rights question of African Americans. The stated primary objective of the NAACP was to eradicate racial discrimination and achieve equality in the application of the law for African Americans. They struggled hard to stand against unjust laws, oppose segregation, and fight for Blacks' voting rights. Through such means as litigation, public demonstration, and education, they helped to draw the attention of others to the cause in order to effectively address the various injustices against African Americans. Very huge cases that the NAACP was responsible for were: Brown v. Board of Education, which ended school segregation. It would be some time yet before the NAACP gained status as one of the major civil rights organizations in the country but continued to fight for the elimination of racial inequality and persecution.

The NAACP did a great job fighting for racial equality, though it had to overcome numerous obstacles. Very often, political leaders gave little support to the organization, and powerful forces, defenders of segregation, tried to stand in the way of the NAACP's efforts. Moreover, the NAACP focused its efforts primarily on legal battles and challenges. While these were important, they did not necessarily affect people's attitudes or the deeply ingrained racism in society. The work of the NAACP was vital to struggle for civil rights, but it put into perspective how hard ingrained systems of inequality are. Despite the NAACP garnering key legal victories, absolute racial equality was still so far away, and until today, its work still goes on.

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How the NAACP Fights Racial Discrimination | History

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Lusitania(Unrestricted Submarine Warfare) - 1915

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Lusitania(Unrestricted Submarine Warfare) - 1915

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Lusitania was a passenger ship of Britain torpedoed by a German U-boat on May 7, 1915, during World War I, killing nearly 1,200 people aboard it including 128 citizens of the United States of America. This act invoked outrage across the world against the Germans. What really made this worse was that Germans had been practicing "unrestricted submarine warfare," where every vessel, even civilian ones, in waters around Britain did not have any warning to be sunk. They felt this would cut off the supplies to Britain and therefore, weaken its war effort. Lusitania, too, was carrying passengers with munitions, adding to its controversy as Germany argued that it was a legitimate target of military attack. The Lusitania Attack was one of the determining factors in the change of attitude by the public toward Germany and in bringing the U.S. closer to entering World War I. While this did not bring about an immediate declaration of war, this sinking underlined the dangers of unrestricted submarine warfare and helped mold U.S. involvement in the conflict.

While the tragedy of Lusitania helped the U.S. turn toward declaring its participation in World War I, things were not that clear: to some, Germany's use of unrestricted submarine warfare looked brutal, but others suggested that the ship was carrying munitions and thus it was a legitimate target. This was a violation of international law, but it raised other questions about military strategy and protection of civilian lives. The sinking of the Lusitania epitomized certain ways in which wartime tactics could affect the non-combatant public and contributed to the incremental escalation of tensions between the United States and Germany. Of course, after this action, the United States would not have joined the war immediately; however, the event did play a very important part later in America's entering it.

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The Sinking of RMS Lusitania: The Tragic Attack That Changed World War I

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The Great Migration was the movement of millions of African Americans from Southern rural areas to urban centers up North between the years 1916 and 1970. Most blacks left the South in search of better working conditions, a decent living, and liberty from racism and segregation. To many of them, the South epitomized unfair treatment with the Jim Crow laws of segregation and limitation of rights among Blacks. Other opportunities entailed seeking employment in factories, attending better schools and suffering under lesser discrimination, though racism was very much alive, in cities like Chicago, New York, and Detroit. The Great Migration irrevocably altered the social and cultural dimensions within America; it propelled the communities in the North into being as Black communities and simultaneously gave an opportunity for greater vistas for many African Americans who wanted to better their plight. It further contributed to the molding of what became known as the Harlem Renaissance, a cultural event that celebrated African American art, music, and literature. Great Migration was an important chapter in American history when finally African Americans gained some rights and new opportunities, though still in the face of challenges.

Though the Great Migration opened many opportunities to African Americans, all was not easy. Overt racism was less in the North, but in most occasions, African Americans still had their kind of discrimination in housing and jobs and schools. Still, cities like Chicago, New York, had really congested populations and the ground space was less, which made living very misanthropic for many Black families. Moreover, the Great Migration could not solve all the problems of African Americans since they were still estimated as inferior in many aspects of society. Although it was an important step in the lives of African Americans for a better life, it also showed how hard it was to break out of racial prejudice, even in the North. This migration helped to change American culture, but it brought out the deep and pervasive racism that was still part of this country.

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The Zimmermann Telegram is the secret message from Germany to Mexico during the course of World War I, in January of 1917. By this, the Germans sought the joining of forces with Mexico in this war against the United States, and in return, would get them a regain of all its lost lands at the hand of the U.S.-like Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. The British intercepted the telegram and sent it to the United States. The American public became outraged when they learned about the message. The implication of Germany urging Mexico to attack the U.S. had the effect of making many Americans fear that the country was in danger. This revelation of the telegram is actually one of the main reasons the United States joined World War I on the side of the Allies. To the U.S. government, this was an act threatening national security, hence compelling the country to plunge into the war as a measure to protect itself and its interests.

The Zimmermann Telegram, while an important turning point in World War I, equally shows how easily countries can use secret messages to influence others. While the telegram helped push the U.S. into the war, it wasn't the only reason. Already, the United States had already been upset with Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare that was sinking American ships. While the telegram accelerated a need to take action, at the same time, it showed how quickly tensions mounted because of communications not widely known. The entry by the U.S. into war was not just because of the telegram but also reactions to the continuing attacks from Germany. The message added fuel to anti-German sentiment, but it even shows how diplomatic actions get changed in course when presented to the public.

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It has also been argued that the Harlem Renaissance was a cultural phenomenon from New York City's neighborhood in Harlem during the 1920s. During this time, African American artists, musicians, writers, and other thinkers joined in a celebration of culture to give expression to experiences binding them together into one. It is about the same period which saw jazz music record huge upsurge in fortunes by performers like Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. Think about those telling powerful poetry, novels, and plays touching on African American identities and the trials to which both Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston were subjected. It is through this Harlem Renaissance outlet that many Africans actually come into limelight and celebrated for contributing to the development of American culture. It altered a large number of thoughts that took place for the Blacks and let them take more pride in their heritage than was earlier perceived. In one way it was a prefiguration of the later Civil Rights movement to be seen in the 20th century.

The Harlem Renaissance was an important period for African American culture, yet it had its limitations as well. Although many artists became recognized, much of the movement was contained within Harlem, which is to say that not all African Americans across the country had equal opportunities. Additionally, the movement did not solve the racial inequality that many African Americans were still facing. While it gave rise to important cultural achievements, it also showed how difficult it was for Black people to achieve full equality in a society still deeply divided by racism. The Harlem Renaissance made an impact, but the struggle for racial equality continued long after it ended.

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Did You Know: The Harlem Renaissance | Encyclopaedia Britannica

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Beginning in 1918 and carrying over into 1919, another form of flu, one that would be popularly referred to as the Spanish Flu, spread to practically all regions of the world, infected millions, and was also a virus responsible for influenza, but it originated in Spain. The flu spread at such a rapid pace, also because of the mobilization of troops in World War I. People of all ages became exceedingly sick, and many eventually died due to complications associated with pneumonia. Estimates say that close to 50 million people worldwide succumbed to the Spanish Flu. The hospitals were filled to full capacity, and physicians and nurses were also not available in sufficient numbers for the treatment of sick people. Most of the public places, such as schools and theaters, were not allowed to be opened for the general public with the aim of preventing any type of viral outbreak. Although the pandemic was already over, the remnants did live on for a long while afterward in service to public health and the betterment of medicine, which also included the making of vaccines.

While the Spanish Flu turned out to be a devastating factor in world health, it also showed how underprepared the world was for pandemics. There were no vaccines or therapeutic options for the flu at that moment, and medical science was behind the times. Many couldn't get the care they required, and governments were slow in response to the crisis. The Spanish Flu also illustrated how diseases can quickly take hold across a connected world, particularly in the midst of war. While the flu did spur key changes in public health, the world was not prepared for such a killer pandemic and thus showed the need for better medical systems and planning for the future.

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The Fourteen Points are a set of proposals that Woodrow Wilson put before the world in 1918, meant to help bring a stop to the World War I hostilities and prevent any war from ever happening in the future. The 28th President of the United States considered that the war should be finished not just with a peace treaty but with the creation of a fairer and more peaceful world. His points were the conceptions of free trade, open diplomacy-no secret agreements-self-determination for countries, which meant that they were supposed to govern themselves. Important among his ideas was that an institution named the League of Nations should be brought into being and seek resolution to conflicts amicably. Whereas some of his proposals were taken into the treaty of Versailles, many others were not taken up entirely. Thus, the League of Nations was born, but the United States never joined, and many of the other points in his formula were either disregarded or thrown out. However, his ideal of a world without conflict inspired future relations and eventually the formation of the United Nations following World War II.

Although the Fourteen Points developed by Wilson were based on the establishment of lasting peace, they did not entirely succeed. Some countries, especially European ones, were more anxious to punish Germany for the war and to increase their power than to work towards lasting peace. Besides, the United States did not enter the League of Nations, which seriously weakened the possibility for this organization to help avoid further conflicts. His points also ignored such issues as colonialism, which had left many people in the colonies under foreign rule. While the Fourteen Points introduced important ideas for international cooperation, they show just how difficult it is to create a fair and peaceful world, especially when countries have different interests.

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Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points | History

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Indeed, since 1919, along with the 18th Amendment, it was forbidden legally by the United States Constitution to manufacture and sell alcoholic beverages across transporting in the United States. Well, this was prohibition called designedly to help reduce crime; thus making society better by reducing access to alcohol. The result was criminal organizations manufacturing and selling now illegal alcohol, with prevalent violence and lawlessness. Most of the social ills faced during this period were blamed on consumption of alcohol, from domestic violence to poverty; hence this amendment was advocated in its stead. Instead of prohibition reducing crimes, the opposite happened and with prohibition came crimes. Despite the law, many drank liquor in clandestine bars, known as "speakeasies." The 18th Amendment did not accomplish its intent but caused more problems than it cured. The 21st Amendment passed in 1933; it rescinded the 18th Amendment, thus ending Prohibition.

Whereas the 18th Amendment was supposed to better society, it simply created more problems. With Prohibition came a whole new wave of organized crime in the name of illegitimate production and distribution of alcohol. Rather than decreased crime, it increased; many found a way around it, and the government could enforce only so many laws. This amendment only proved that such laws created to regulate behavior often result in outcomes not intended. Unable in the end to solve such social issues, prohibition went down in defeat as a constitutional failure and was repealed.

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Eighteenth Amendment: Speakeasy to Me - U.S. Constitution Series | Academy 4 Social Change

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The Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919 to give a legitimate end to World War I. Constructed by the Allied Powers, including France, Britain, and the United States, it places blame for the war on Germany. Some of the significant terms were that Germany had to take the blame for the war, had to pay huge amounts as compensation to the Allies, and it had to give up some of its land and reduce its military strength. A League of Nations was established in the Treaty, an assemblage meant for maintaining peace and avoiding the occurrence of another war in the future. This is not as big of a deal with the DOW because the treaty ended the war; there is much resentment and anger, particularly in Germany. These harsh terms threw the country into economic hardship that contributed to the rise of Adolf Hitler and to World War II. Furthermore, the treaty was criticized on the grounds that all nations did not accept the terms and the United States refused to join the League of Nations. Most importantly, the Treaty of Versailles was supposed to end the First World War but created the ground for further wars.

Although the Treaty of Versailles may have ended World War I, for all critical intents and purposes, it had a number of problems. The harsh punishment upon Germany created anger and economic problems, eventually leading to World War II. The treaty also failed to address the needs of all countries, and many nations, like Italy, were unhappy with the results. The United States never joined the League of Nations, thus weakening the Treaty's effectiveness in preventing a future war. In any case, the limited peace established under the auspices of this treaty demonstrates the difficulty in striving for fairness in international negotiations when countries have different goals and interests.

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Treaty of Versailles - Video Infographic

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The League of Nations was the very first international organization which came into being in the aftermath of the First World War. In 1919, when the Treaty of Versailles took place, this body was officially begun to take shape. It aimed to let different nations work out on their problems through the gathering of their masses together without resorting to the wars and fights. This would eventually lead to no wars, improve social and economic conditions worldwide, and would be a means to solve international disputes. It was headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and its membership included most countries. The League had some brilliant successes in the areas of diseases, human rights, and international trade. However, it failed to prevent aggressions by countries such as Japan, Italy, and Germany. Since the League did not have its own military force and since decisions of the League were not always observed, the League's powers to act were limited. It became even weaker since the United States, one of the key founders of the League, never joined it. The League of Nations was replaced by the United Nations in 1945, after World War II.

Although the League of Nations, upon its inception, took a very idealistic and high-minded approach, for all its lofty ideals and grand speeches, it was clearly incapable of preventing a recurrence of a world war. First and foremost, there was a serious lack of authority and an underpinning military authority to give weight to League decisions. Countries that disagreed merely disregarded its regulations and, without the support of the United States, did not hold as much power. The League also failed at keeping all the nations united since countries were more concerned about what was happening in their borders than in the global peace issue. Overall, the League of Nations has shown the impossibility of keeping peace in this world, especially when all its countries are not in tune with that goal. Its failure to prevent World War II underlined the need for a stronger and more effective international organization that resulted in the establishment of the United Nations.

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The Teapot Dome Scandal was a government political scandal the U.S. government was involved in within the 1920s. It originated with the Secretary of Interior under President Warren G. Harding named Albert Fall, who covertly gave two sites of government lands rich in oil to private oil companies in exchange for bribes. One of these sites was an area called Teapot Dome located in Wyoming. This should have been reserved for the U.S. Those were supposed to be reserves to be used by the Navy in case of a lack of oil, instead Fall allowed private companies to prospect for oil there. When this was finally discovered, it would go on to become known as a huge scandal: Fall was convicted for accepting bribes, turning him into the first Cabinet member in U.S. history to have been convicted of a felony. The scandal tarnished the image of the Harding administration and exposed to what degree corruption can happen at such a high level of government. This led to more rigid restrictions that barred government officials from receiving bribes in the future, too.

The Teapot Dome Scandal brought to the fore some serious issues regarding the corruption of government, as one high-ranking official had taken bribes for his personal gain. It led to the conviction of Albert Fall and some reforming, but it did prove that even leaders within the government could abuse their power. It questioned politicians and the need for transparency within government. Although it brought some change, such as strictures against the conduct of government officials, it left a searing impression on public perceptions of the Harding Administration and American politics. It highlights how corruption can undermine the confidence people have in government.

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During the Harding administration, Secretary of Interior (Albert B. Fall) used his position in order to make money. The name of this scandal is associated with a famous landmark that identifies the land at the center of this scandal.

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The Immigration Act of 1924, more popularly known as the Johnson-Reed Act, was one of those numerous setups for legislation laid by the government of the United States. It laid the bedrock foundation for laying strict limits on immigration into the country and regulating the number and kind of people admissible into the country. It was a law set that quotas were to be established limiting immigrants coming from a particular country based on 2% of the people from the same country residing in the U.S. based on the census made in 1890. This preference given to immigrants of Northern and Western Europe and restrictions implied to the immigrants coming from Southern and Eastern Europe and Asia. The Immigration Act of 1924 epitomizes anti-immigrant hysteria brewing in the United States during that time period and represents a move on the part of the country to preserve itself against what was seen as threats to its racial and ethnic composition. The consequences for immigration would be profound as it drastically reduced immigration from much of the world.

Although the Immigration Act of 1924 was a law to control immigration, it had a discriminating nature. It favored people migrating from Northern and Western Europe by limiting the number of immigrants from other regions, especially Asia and Southern/Eastern Europe. This act was quite true to the racist thinking of the era and denied all the contributions made by those immigrants completely. It also placed a restriction on many families who wanted to join relatives in the U.S. It has also shown how the law is prejudiced, instills fear, and brought a lot of harm to people who came to make their lives better in America. In later years, especially in the 1960s, it became fairer for the people in most parts of the world through the revisions to the restrictions it had set.

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Black Tuesday occurred on October 29, 1929, when the stock market collapsed. This marked the most catastrophic single-day loss in stock market history at the time. It followed years worth of economic growth in the early 1920's when consumer spending and growth of industries rose. The stock market grew as millions of dollars were invested, with people often buying on the margin. This speculation that the prices were destined to rise, pushed stock price far beyond its actual value. By late October of 1929, public confidence started dying and panic began. On Black Tuesday, nearly 16 million shares were traded, as investors rushed to sell plummeting stocks, causing billions of dollars in losses. Due to this, many Americans lost their life savings while banks and businesses that were heavily invested collapsed. Technically, the stock market crash didn't not directly cause the Great Depression, but it was the main turning point that caused the economic collapse. In response, the US government introduced many reforms to try and restore financial stability, including the Securities and Exchange Commission(SEC), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation(FDIC), and several New Deal programs. These reforms helped re-structure the relationship between the government and the economy, trying to prevent future financial disasters.

Black Tuesday was not only one day of economic failure, but it reflected deeper flaws of the U.S. economy during the time. The stock market crash exposed how unchecked speculation, widespread use of credit, and a lack of regulation in the market created an unstable financial system. The majority of American's did not gain from the decades of economic growth, and this inequality led to weaker consumer demand. When the market collapsed, it brought pre-existing economic problems faster like overproduction and the instability of banks. Although Black Tuesday wasn't the sole cause of the Great Depression, it mainly contributed to its severity. In its aftermath, the federal government ditched they're laissez-faire or hands-off approach, introducing more reforms and creating a more active role for the government in the economy.

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History Brief: Black Tuesday (The Stock Market Crash)

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The Dust Bowl was an environmental disaster during the 1930's. It happened in the central United States, in states like Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Texas, and New Mexico. The Dust Bowl came as a result of long period of drought and poor farming. It all started with farmers who plowed up natural grassland to plant crops. When the rain stopped, the soil on top dried. When strong winds came, they blew the dry topsoil into huge clouds of dust. They covered homes, ruined crops, and made the air difficult for people to breathe in. Many people and families lost their comes and were forced to move to other states to look for work and a better life. These people were called Okies and often moved to California. Eventually, the government created programs that helped farmers and taught them ways to better maintain their land. In the moment, the Dust Bowl caused difficulties, but led to important changes in farming and land keeping to prevent future disasters.

Asides from being a horrible natural disaster, the Dust Bowl was also a result of mistakes from people. Leading up to the Dust Bowl, farmers would remove original grass and over use their land without considering the long-term affects of their decisions. When the Dust Bowl came, the land could no longer hold all the soil, and the wind took over, turning the dry land to storms. This disaster highlighted the dangers of disregarding or ignoring nature, and the consequences of using poor farming methods. Additionally, it also exposed how fast peoples lives, specifically farmers, could crumble simply because of the environment and its poor condition. Although the government did aid in coming from the Dust Bowl, it had already affected so many peoples and damaged so many families. The Dust Bowl taught, and still teaches all Americans about the importance of taking care, and having pride in your land, and treating it with such care and pride. On a broader scale, it shows the consequences of actions and negligence, and how important it is for a good plan to be put in place.

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The Hawley-Smoot Tariff was a U.S. law passed in 1930, that raised taxes on imports into America. It was created by Senator Reed Smoot and Representative Willis Hawley in response to the early years of the Great Depression. The goal behind the tariff was to protect businesses and farmers in the U.S. from international competition. By enforcing these high tariffs on products coming from outside the United States, people, and businesses were encouraged to buy products made domestically. Although this was the goal, it didn't necessarily work to plan. Instead, other countries raised their tariffs on imports coming from America, as a response and sig of resilience. Because of this, the economy got worse and trade dropped globally. Many historians and economists believe that the Hawley-Smoot Tariff worsened the U.S. economy and lengthened the Great Depression, despite the goal of protecting American business and citizens.

The Hawley-Smoot Tariff is often referred to as a mistake made by the United States government that worsened their economic policy. Although it was created with the idea of aiding American farmers and businesses it ended up effecting them and others even more by worsening the great depression. By raising their own tariffs, other countries felt the need to respond with their own, which greatly affected and slowed down international trade. The policy proved that the United States government lacked an understanding of how global trade works, and how it intertwines with economies. Rather than solving internal economic issues, the Hawley-Smoot Tariff isolated the U.S. economy, and gave them less change to recover.

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The Hawley-Smoot Tariff in Under 5 Minutes - Hasty History

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Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation(FDIC) - 1933

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Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation(FDIC) - 1933

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The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, otherwise known as FDIC, was created in 1933 during the Great Depression, in order to help restore trust in the American banking system. Before the FDIC was created, many Americans had lost their savings when the baks failed following the start of the Great Depression. There was no way for Americans to get their money back, creating panic and leading to people rushing to take out their money from banks. This led to even more bank failures because the banks were running out of money. The FDIC was created through the Banking Act of 1933. The act guaranteed that if banks failed and people lost access to their saving, they would be guaranteed to get their money back up to a certain amount. The guaranteed amount always changes, but today it is up to $250,000. Because of this policy of insurance, peoples started to gain confidence in the banking system which helped stabilize the economy. The FDIC also also monitors banks to ensure they are keeping up with the rules and managing risk. If a bank were in trouble, the FDIC helps manage the situation in a way that prioritizes the customers. Over time, the FDIC has helped restore faith in banks and the economy, especially during a difficult time of the Great Depression.

The FDIC has played a crucial role in keeping the U.S. banking system stable, especially during times of economic crisis. By insuring bak deposits, the FDIC prevents panic and fear like the kind during the bank failures in the 1930's. Now, people are less likely to rush to withdraw their money knowing that it is protected. On the other hand, critics often argue that this insurance can lead to "moral hazard" where banks take larger risks because they lean on the deposit insurance. This gives banks the idea that they can behave recklessly with little to no consequences. Despite this, the FDIC has continued to prove themselves as an effective tool for protecting citizens and keeping trust in the banking system.

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The Deposit Insurance Fund - How it Works

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The Agricultural Adjustment Act(AAA) was a law passed in 1933 meant to help farmers by raising the prices of crops and livestock. This act was passed during the Great Depression as a part of FDR's New Deal programs, at a time where the economy, especially farmers took a big hit. Farmers were overproducing, causing prices too fall because they were desperate to get rid of their product in time. This drop in prices made it difficult for farmers to make a living. The AAA paid farmers to produce less and destroy any extra food or animals. The government hope that through reducing the supply, prices would go up and farmers could make good money again. This program aided many farmers financially and brought structure to agriculture as a whole. Despite this, the AAA also faced criticism, along with legal issues. In 1936, the Supreme Court deemed portions of the AAA unconstitutional. Later, a new, fully legal version was passed that led to long-terms changes in how the U.S. handle and support farmers.

The AAA was extremely crucial for farmers during the Great Depression, but it also become a bit controversial. Many people felt uneasy about the fact that the government was indirectly destroying food while others were starving. Yes paying farmers to not grow food helped lower supply, but it didn't help tenant farmers or sharecroppers who lost their work and/or land. The AAA mainly supported and helped large landowners, but didn't help the smaller scale farmers and land owners. This greatened the wealth gap between the upper and lower class. Still, the policy ignited a great shift in how the government got involved in the economy. It showed that federal policy can be used to maintain and control the supply of specific industries.

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- INFOGRAPHIC ANIMATED HISTORY - The Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933

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Work Progress Administration(WDA) - 1935

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Work Progress Administration(WDA) - 1935

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The Works Progress Administration(WPA) was a New Deal program crated by FDR. It was crated in 1935, and helped Americans survive the Great Depression by providing jobs in public projects for the millions of unemployed. The WPA did all types of public jobs like building roads, schools, parks, bridges, and public building throughout all different states in the country. Additionally, the administration supported actors, musicians, artists and writers through special programs where they were given the tasks of performing plays, making murals, or writing books. The program ended in 1943, and leading up to that point, the program had given jobs to over 8 million Americans. The WPA ended up becoming one of the most successful job programs in U.S. history, and was important in helping the country come back from the setbacks of the Great Depression.

The WPA was a prime example of how the government can successfully take actions and support their citizens during an economic crisis. The program helped millions of Americans get back into the workforce and gave them a sense of pride and purpose after being unemployed for years. Not only did the WPA help the unemployed, but it improved communities and left behind lasting results that people benefit from to this day like schools, parks, roads, and others. Although the WPA did many good things for people and their communities, many people often criticized the program. Some critics claimed that it cost too much and led to increased taxes, in order to create unnecessary jobs. In spite of the criticism, the WPA continued to show that large job programs could be beneficial during rough economic times, balancing emergency relief with useful work, boosting morale, and creating national unity.

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The Second Sino-Japanese War was a long and major conflict between China and Japan from 1937 to 1945. The conflict began when Japan invaded China near Beijing with the idea of expanding their empire and gaining more land to gain access to more resources. Quickly, the war spread across eastern China where Japan was capturing big cities like Shanghai. During the war, the Japanese forces often committed brutal acts on the Chinese including the Nanjing Massacre where they killed hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians. Although China was weaker, they were able to resist and gained support from the Soviet Union and United States. With world superpowers now being involved, the war eventually transitioned into World War II. This transition mainly happened when japan attacked other Asian countries, along with the U.S. at Pearl Harbor. Later, in 1945, the war officially ended when Japan surrounded following the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

The Second Sino-Japanese War highlighted the dangers of unchecked militarism and imperialism. Japan's invasion of China was motivated by their want and more power and resources. Rather, it led to suffering on both sides. The war is often remembered by the harsh tactics used by Japan and it's military and its affects it has n relations with China today. The war also signified a turning point for China, as it brought two opposite political parties together with a common enemy. Despite this, the war also weakened China's economy and infrastructure. The Second Sino-Japanese War continues to serve as a reminder of the importance of international cooperating when fighting against aggression, and how conflicts like this can affect nations for decades.

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Second Sino-Japanese War | 3 Minute History

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The Munich agreement was an agreement with Britain, France, and German signed in September of 1938. It allowed Nazi Germany to take control of a part of Czechoslovakia was made without their consent. Britain and France signed this deal because they believed that if they gave Hitler what he wanted, they would be avoiding another war in Europe. This approach was called "Appeasement". Despite the belief in Britain that it had work, the agreement did not stop Hitlers aggression. Later, in March of 1939, Germany invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia and broke the rest of the agreement in doing so. To this day, the Munich Agreement is viewed as a failed attempt at preventing World War II, which came shortly after when Germany invaded Poland. The agreement gave Hitler the idea that he could do whatever he pleased and that he was unstoppable.

The Munich Agreement is often looked at as a failure of appeasement and seen as one of the main starting points for World War II. During the making of teh agreement, britain and France showed weaknesses as they allowed and encouraged Hitler's aggreseion wthout involving Czechoslovakia in the decision. Rather than simply pleasing Hitler and stopping future war, the agreement made Hitler even more land hungry and give him the confidence he needed to expand. Some critics arguye that Britain and France were just trying to buy time as they got ready for war but in return they gave up important land and a country with an important defence in Czechoslovakia.

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The Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact was an agreement signed between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. The pact promised that both countries would not attack each other, hence it being called the nonaggression pact, or support any country that were looking to attack the other. Additionally, a secret side of the pact showed that they agreed to split parts of Eastern Europe between the two. Only days after the pact was signed, Germany invaded Poland from the west in late 1939, while the Soviet Union invaded them from the east. The invasion led to Britain and France declaring war on Germany, which marked the start of World War II. This pact came as a surprise to most because the Soviet Union and Germany were looked at as enemies due to their opposite government ideologies, Germany enforced nazism while the Soviet Union enforced communism. The deal was a way for both countries to buy time and gain land. The deal lasted until June of 1941 when Hitler broke the pact by planning and executing a surprise attack on the Soviet Union.

For Hitler and Stalin, the Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression pact was a smart and strategic move, but it had consequences. For Stalin, the pact gave him and the Soviet Union time to prepare for future conflicts they expected with Germany. For Hitler, the pact allowed Germany to avoid a two-front war when they invaded Poland. Although the pact was good for both leaders, it also showed that they were willing to ignore ideology in order to gain power. The secret part of the pact where they divided Eastern Europe led to the suffering of millions. Despite being beneficial for both sides, the pact failed when Hitler attacked the Soviet Union, and created a greater reason to start World War II.

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The Nazi-Soviet Pact: Path to World War II | GCSE History

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The Lend-Lease Act was a law by the U.S. in March of 1941 before they got involved in World War II. This act allowed them to send food, weapons, and supplies to their allies fighting in WWII. This included countries like China, the Soviet Union, and Britain. The goal of this act was to aid the fight against the Axis powers without directly intervening and using their military. The name of the act, Lend-Lease, suggests that the money or materials given was a loan and that they would be returned or paid for later. This act was important in helping the war because it allowed the U.S. to aid countries survive German attacks and fight back. Specifically, one of the main countries it helped was the Soviet Union after they had been invaded by Germany. The Lend-Lease act proved that the U.S. was willing to help in teh war and fight against the Axis powers of Germany, Italy, and Japan.

The Lend-Lease Act signified a shit in U.S. foreign policy. The act is often praised for helping the allies during critical times in WWII where survival was necessary. It also put the U.S. in a good position, helping their allies while not directly entering the war. Despite helping strengthen the military power of their allies, the U.S. was criticized for their enactment of the Lend-Lease Act Many argued that the brought the U.S. closer to war and that they gave away too many resources. Others also were concerned about whether the lease would ever be repaid. Overall, the benefits of the act take over the downsides, helping defeat Nazi Germany and showed the U.S. as a global leader.

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The Manhattan Project was a secret research and development program during World War II that looked into building the first atomic bomb. Led by the United States the project began in 1942 and was named after the Manhattan Engineer District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. They worked in many locations including los Alamos and New Mexico where physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer directed the production. The goal of the project was to build two atomic bombs. Before being used, it was originally tested in New Mexico in July of 1945. One month later, the two bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki leading to Japan surrendering at the end of WWII. The Manhattan Project introduced the world to the power of nuclear weapons and changed warfare between countries.

Despite being a scientific breakthrough, the Manhattan Project was a very controversial topic. The project helped end World War II, but also killed over 100,000 peoples. Some say that Japan would've surrendered even without the bombs, especially because the Soviet Union was entering the war against Japan. On the other hand, people say that the project and bombs saved many lives by avoiding a full invasion. Additionally, tje project began a global arms race, with other countries staring to developing nuclear weapons, which led to decades of tension between countries during the Cold War with the idea of Mutually Assured Destruction. The Manhattan projects showed the power and development of science, but also showed the danger of using such a powerful weapon in war. To this day, it remans as one of the hottest topics regarding military decisions.

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Why the 1st Atomic Bomb Was Called the "Manhattan Project"?

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The Attack on Pearl Harbor took place on December 7, 1941. The goal of the attack was for Japan to weaken the U.S. pacific fleet so that Japan could expand their empire. They attempted to reach this goal by launching a surprise attack on the U.S. army at their naval base in Hawaii. The attack used up over 350 Japanese planes and caused massive damage including 2,400 Americans killed, 20 ships destroyed, and over 300 aircrafts hit and shot down. As a direct response, the United States got involved in World War II. This happened when FDR called the attack "a date that would live in infamy" followed by the U.S. declaring war on Japan. Following that, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States, giving them no choice but to involved in this global conflict. The attack on pearl Harbor served as a turning point which started U.S. involvement in WWII.

Initially, the attack on Pearl Harbor was a win for Japan, but long-term it showed to be the opposite. Despite hitting the U.S. hard and causing lots of damage, the attack gave the United States an edge and feeling to get revenge, causing them to go into WWII with full force and a strong military. Additionally, the attack highlighted flaws in the U.S. military in terms of awareness, readiness, and preparation. On the other hand, the attack also forced the United States to rapidly move and prepare their military which ended up being a key factor for the end of WWII. Overall, the attack was unsuccessful in the long term, destabilizing the American military temporarily put giving them an opportunity to come back stronger permanently.

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Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

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The Battle of Midway spanned over 3 days from June 4 to June 7 1942. It took place during World War II and only six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Battle of Midway was a battle all fought on water between boats between the United States and Japan. Similar to the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan's main goal was to surprise the United States and take down their navy in order to completely control the pacific. However, Japan's plan was unsuccessful due to U.S. codebreakers who had cracked Japanese communication lines and informed the American nNavy before the event took place. With the knowledge they now had, the U.S. decided to strike first and ambush Japan. They were able to sink four Japanese aircraft carriers while only losing one of their own. The win for the United States at Midway was a huge win. They were able to stop Japan completely from attempting to take over the Pacific and shifted the overall power in WWII to the allies.

The Battle of Midway was an important turning point in WWII, as it showed how important good intelligence, strategy, and timing is in modern warfare. The United States' victory was not pure luck, rather it was an outcome of technical and smart codebreaking and planning, followed by the courage of American fighters, sailors, and pilots. When losing four aircraft carriers, Japan began immensely weak in naval strength and began their military decline in the Pacific where they initially intended to control. Many people say that Japan's strategy underestimated the U.S.' intelligence and and military by overextending their forces. Additionally, the Battle of Midway proved that having power in the air was more important than having power in the water. Although the battle may have not ended WWII, it gave great momentum for the United States and gave all the allies a good position in the war.

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The Battle of Midway: Where America's March to Victory Began

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Executive Order 9066 was signed in 1942, during World War II by FDR. The order was put in place to give the U.S. military authority over restricted areas, where they remove people if seen as a threat. Technically, the order did not mention any specific group but it mainly targeted Japanese Americans who lived on the west coast. As time went on, over 110,000 Japanese Americans were displaced from their homes, families, and communities and were placed in internment camps where they endured harsh living conditions and limited privacy. The government explained their actions by claiming that this was a necessary to prevent internal spies and sabotages. All of this was a result of the Attack on Pearl Harbor which resulted in the government not trusting anyone who was Japanese, even if they were American citizens. Today, Executive Order 9066 is seen as a breech of U.S. civil rights despite being thought of as a necessary precaution at the time.

Executive order 9066 is seen as a big mistake and judgment call made by the U.S. government. It is seen as an idea made strictly our of fear and hatred rather than for security reasons. The American government forcibly removed thousands of Japanese Americans from their homes without any evidence or real reason. Most affected were loyal American citizens who lost everything because of their race. Some people agreed with the tactic at the time, but now agree that it was unnecessary and unjust. Decades later, in 1988, the American government publicly admitted that it was wrong and issued an apology. Executive order 9066 is an example of how keeping national security is important, but it doesn't come before civilian rights.

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Executive Order 9066 - Japanese American Incarceration

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The Battle of Stalingrad took place during World War II, and was one of the most important battles, along with being one of the deadliest. The battle happened between August of 1942 and February of 1943 in the city of Stalingrad. The battle was between Germany and the Soviet Union. Germany's goal in this battle was to take control of Stalingrad, which was in the Soviet Union, in order to access the large amount of oil. Additionally, Germany wanted this land to relief and diminish resistance from the Soviets. Unsurprisingly, the Soviets refused to give up their land, and planned a surprise attack in November of 1942 in order to retaliate. This surprise attack worked, surrounding German forces, and eventually cutting off their supply from supplies to the point where Germany later surrendered in February 1943. During this battle, roughly 2 million soldiers and civilians were effected, being either killed or wounded. Despite being so deadly, the Battle of Stalingrad played an important role in ending World War II and stopping German dominance.

The Battle of Stalingrad proved to be a key turning point in World War II. The battle was a showing of a major Nazi Germany weakness, showing that Hitler's plan to quickly attack the Soviet Union worked against him. Additionally, Hitler mainly focused on Stalingrad rather than regrouping his army, which eventually led to the defeat of the German army. This win was a big one for the Soviet Union and all the Allied Powers, showing that Germany is beatable. The win also showed how much it took to beat Germany, as millions of lives were ended and the city of Stalingrad was nearly destroyed. By the end of the Battle of Stalingrad, it was clear that planning and resilience was enough to take down even the largest attacks and strongest militaries, and gave a huge shift of momentum towards the Allied Powers.

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The Yalta & Potsdam Conferences were two important global meeting near the end of World War II. These meeting were where the leaders of the Allied Powers decided what to do post-war. At the Yalta Conference in February of 1945, leaders like FDR of the United States, Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union, and Winston Churchill of Britain discussed what to do with Germany. They came to the decision of splitting Germany into four parts, hold war crimes trials, and control and ensure all of Germany's disarmament. Additionally, they discussed creating the United Nations and directing the future of Eastern Europe. Months later, in July of 1945, the Potsdam conference took place, where again the United States, Britain, and Soviet Union were represented. This time, Harry Truman came instead of FDR because he died prior to the conference. This change in presidency was one contributing factor the high tension, as Stalin and Truman didn't have an established connection contradictory to Stalin & FDR's great relationship. Additionally, tensions were high because the war in Europe was now over and this was shortly after the U.S. created and tested the atomic bomb. Together, the three leaders agreed on how to demilitarize Germany, but disagreed on what do do with Eastern Europe and Japan.

The goal of the Yalta & Potsdam Conferences were to bring the Allied Powers together, rather it brought them into deep arguments. At the Yalta conference, all the leaders walked away with an agreement on peace, but Stalin broke one of his promises, not fulfilling free elections in Eastern Europe. This shows the distrust between countries, and how Stalin wanted to continue his control and communistic ideals why the U.S. and Britain strived for democracy and choice. By the time the Potsdam conference came only months later, the entire mood changed. There were now different leaders with different relationships, and WWII was entering a delicate time period towards the end. The conference was missing clear agreements, and mistrust between the Soviet Union and other Allied countries showing that peace couldn't last for long, eventually contributing to the start of the Cold War.

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The Yalta Conference - World War II History

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Churchill's "Iron Curtain" Speech - 1946

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Churchill's "Iron Curtain" Speech - 1946

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Winston Churchill's "Iron Curtain" speech wad delivered on March 5, 1946 in Fulton, Missouri. The speech was given shortly after WWII ended, and was officially called "The Sinews of Peace", before it got the legendary name is has now. In his speech, Churchill warned the public about the Soviet Union and the influence and power they are gaining in Eastern Europe. Churchill used the term of "iron curtain" to symbolize the secrecy of the Soviet Union, and how political views are diving Europe into a democratic West and communist East controlled by the Soviets. Churchill had a strong belief that the Soviets were creating fear and trying to control all of Europe. Furthermore, he mentioned the United States, asking for peace in order to resist Soviet dominance. This speech was the beginning of a new era full of tension between some of the worlds superpower countries.

Winston Churchill's "Iron Curtain" speech is constantly regarded to as a moment/action that shaped the Cold War. Churchill made it clear that there was no longer peace between the Allied Powers from WWII, now there was a new fight between communism and democracy. Many critics believed Churchill was too aggressive in his speech, while other say he was just being honest about Soviet intentions. The Speech brought the United States and Britain together, over the common enemy of communism and a need to stop the spread of it. Churchill's speech did not technically start the Cold War, but it was the first showing of what was soon to come.

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The Truman Doctrine was made by President Harry Truman on March 12, 1947. The Doctrine came as a response to political problems occurring in Greece and Turkey, and allowed the U.S. to give money to countries in order to fight off communism. The Doctrine was a sign that the United States would take a strong stance against communism early into the Cold War. In total, Truman asked and was cleared to give $400 million to countries fighting off communism. Truman said that it was Americas responsibility to get involved where necessary, to prevent other countries falling to communism against their will. The Truman Doctrine signified a huge change in U.S. foreign policy, getting involved in the business of other countries for the first time in a while. The doctrine was based around the idea of containment, which influenced America for decades.

The Truman Doctrine set an expectation of U.S. involvement for all of the Cold War. The doctrine displayed that the U.S. was no longer staying neutral, rather taking charge and playing a leading role in stopping communism. The Doctrine helped countries stay free and independent, and started a pattern of American involvement that stayed steady for years. Critics argue that Truman and the U.S. thought of the conflict too simply. They argue that Truman saw it as a fight between being free or being under another countries rule. Because of this method of thinking, the U.S. ended up supporting governments that weren't democratic, simply because they weren't communist either. Despite this, the Truman Doctrine played a big role in showing U.S. commitment to stopping communism.

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Here's How the Truman Doctrine Established the Cold War | History

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The Second Red Scare was a time of heightened communist fear in the United States following World War II and extending through the 1950's. It was fueled in large part by heightened tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union in early Cold War decades. Americans believed that underground communist spies were infiltrating he government, military, and other institutions. This fear was also heightened by occurrences like the initial Soviet Union atomic bomb tests in 1949 and the Chinese communist revolution. The movements received its face when Senator Joseph McCarthy alleged there were many communists present within the U.S. government. This saw fast investigations, public humiliation, and destroyed careers, when with no or minimal evidence. It effected many in Hollywood, education, and the government as communist or communist sympathizers. The House Un-American Activities Committee(HUAC) made the suspects testify before hearing. The Second Red Scare produced an era of fear, suspicion, and restriction.

The Second Red Scare demonstrated the methods by which fear could be used to forfeit basic liberties and rights. While it is a fact that America was threatened by the Soviet Union, most of the allegations at the time were based on suspicion and not evidence. Senator McCarthy's tactics, which became characteristic of McCarthyism, created guild by association and destroyed many innocent lives People lost their lives, and liberty simply because of their political views. Panic also caused people to hold back from speaking their mind with the fear of being deemed un-American. Even as the government was allegedly protecting national security, it seemed to be encroaching on individual liberties. Ultimately, the Second red Scare did teach a valuable lesson that democracy is kept by upholding civil liberties, even in times of fear.

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History Brief: The Second Red Scare (Part 1)

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The Korean War began on June 25, 1950, when North Korea, aided by the Soviet Union and China, invaded South Korea with assistance from the United States and some United Nations troops. The North's plan was to convert the country into communist, but the South wanted to stay free and non-communist. The war soon became involved in the global Cold War struggle between communism and democracy The UN and U.S. were successful in pushing back North Korean forces, but when they reached the Chinese border, the Chinese troops entered into combat and pushed back the UN forces. The war continued for three years with huge losses and little being achieved. An armistice was signed only on July 27, 1953, which shut down hostilities but not the war. The North-South border or Korea was left near to the original division on the 38th parallel. The Korean War was highly significant as it showed that the U.S. would utilize military forces to stop the spread of communism. It also left Korea divided and highly militarized, as it is today.

The Korean War was the first major armed battle during the Cold War and showed the lengths the U.S. would go in order to stop the expansion or communism. Though it save South Korea, the war was a tie with no winner. It cost a lot, leaving millions injured or dead but did nothing to break the split in the country. Many blamed the U.S. for overstepping in taking a domestic issue and turning it foreign an blowing it up into a war with China or the Soviet Union. Other claimed it was necessary in order for the prevention of the expansion of communism and the protection of small nations. It also broadened the power of the President for sending troops without a declaration of war.

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The Korean War Explained in 60 Seconds | BFBS

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Brown v. Board of Education was the historic Supreme Court ruling in 1954 that changed the direction of American education and civil rights for the United States forever. nIt began with Oliver Brown and a few parents suing the Board of Education in Topeka, Kanda, because their children were required by law to attend segregated schools by race. Segregation was legal at the times based on the theory of "separate but equal" establish in the prior 1896 ruling of Plessy v. Ferguson. Brown and others argued the separate schools were unequal and in violation of the 14th Amendment, which guaranteed equality under the law. The Supreme Court agreed, ruling the separate schools for Black and White students were "inherently unequal". The ruling ended legal segregation in schools in the United states and was a major victory for the civil rights movement. It offered hope and momentum for further legislation and societal changes. While met with opposition in some places, Brown v. Board of Education was the tipping point for American history that facilitated the beginning of the desegregation of public schools as well as the battle against the remaining elements of race inequality.

Brown v. Board of Education was a giant stride for civil rights, but its realization was a long time coming. Its ruling was clear in finding segregation in the schools illegal, but the manner and timing of integrating schools was unclear. Southern states ignored the change, and there were protests, court fights, and bloodshed. Although the ruling overturned the precedent set by the notorious and flaws ruling in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, it sed solid legal example of how real progress remained in the hands of activism. Nevertheless, the case illustrated that the legal system can be used as a force fighting racism and creating equality, and it did create the greater cvil rights movement of the 1950's and 60's Overall, the care was a solid confirmation of the fact that separate is not equal, it's one of the most important Supreme Court ruling in American history.

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National Interstate & Defense Highways Act - 1956

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National Interstate & Defense Highways Act - 1956

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The Interstate Highway Act was signed into law by President Eisenhower in 1956 under the national Interstate and Defense highways Act. It established the Interstate Highway System, a massive system of highway in the United States with the intention or providing transport, stimulating the economy, and having an arrangement of rapid movement for military troops and weapons in the event of emergencies, most notably in the Cold War period. The highways linked cities and the states, and American traveled more comfortably and faster. It facilitated the expansion of industries such as the transport industry, the construction industry, and the tourism industry, and enabled suburbanization since one was allowed to move further from the cities and travel to their places of employment. American life was transformed with the act since traveling on roads became easy and popular. Within the next few decades, the Interstate System became the biggest highway sistem in teh entire globe. It enabled the organization of the economy, culture and geography of the United States, linking towards and bring together innovations in all different fields.

While the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act was an improvement in all ways pertaining to transportation, there were some consequences. It tended to displace and destroy inner city poor and minority communities and make them homeless, causing them to lose their sense of belonging. It also encourage the usage of motor cars, which would be able to contaminate and make people rely on fossil fuel. In addition, the emphasis on highways negatively affected public transport and it became harder by the day to go around as a non-car owner. Although that, the law was able to successfully modernize America's infrastructure and enable America to defend itself in preparation for future attacks. The Highway transformed the economy and everyday life but at the same time, raised questions on city planning and social justice than can still be asked today.

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Jim Crow laws were a set of laws in the United States that enforced racial segregation. These laws were primarily enacted in the South, giving the "Separate but Equal" ideology. This means that society would be segregated, but both sides get the same, fair treatment. Black people primarily were segregate from whites in many public places including schools, buses, bathrooms, and more. In reality, Black people didn't actually get the same, fair treatment as they were supposed to. Facilities for Black people were worse and they had less opportunities. Additionally, under the Jim Crow laws, it was more difficult for Black's to vote, being forced to take unfair literary tests and pay poll taxes. Despite having the ideology of "Separate but Equal", the Jim Crow Laws created a wider disparity between Black Americans and White American and caused more racial inequality.

Jim Crow laws were an example of how government enforced rules can be used to cause racism, inequality and segregation. Jim Crow laws lied, claiming to enact "Separate but Equal" treatment, despite making living conditions for Blacks much worse and far more difficult. They were stripped of their right to fair education, jobs, and basic dignity. These laws had ulterior motives of keeping Black people in a lower social and economic status in order of protecting the White American who were so loved. The Jim Crow Laws supported hate crimes against Black Americans and were usually supported or ignored by the police. In order to get rid of these laws, people spent decades protesting and showing all forms of activism. These laws prove that justice and equality is not necessarily always guaranteed, sometimes they have to be fought for.

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Freedom Riders were civil rights movement activists who, starting in 1961, rode interstate buses in the racially segregated South of the United States to demonstrate against segregation legislation that made segregation on public buses mandatory between Black and White citizens. The riders were both White and Black activists and aimed to challenge a Supreme Court decision which prohibited segregation on interstate buses. Despite the law, all southern states ignored it and continued practicing segregation. The Freedom Riders were violently attacked, arrested, and harassed but continued with the rids to generate national publicity for the movement. They fulfilled the role of making the violent opposition to civil rights public, and they forced the federal government to impose desegregation laws more forcefully. The freedom riders' actions sparked further activity and allowed for more progress in racial equality in public facilities to be made.

The Freedom Riders showed that nonviolent protest could be powerful to make people angry and to force change but had a painful and dangerous ride. The riders were greeted by angry mobs and arrested by local authorities, illustrating the extent of the racism in the South. Others had blamed the riders are irresponsible but had courage and showed the what segregation truly was, rather than what it looked like behind propaganda. The reaction of the federal government was slow but did build up under the pressure that the Freedom riders and media put on it. The campaign also cemented divisions in the civil rights movement over the best way of combating segregation. Overall, the Freedom Riders were an extremely successful direct action campaign that brought American one step closer to equality.

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The feminine Mystique is a 1963 volume written by Betty Friedan. It is often held responsible for initiating the second wave of feminism in the Unites States. In the book, Friedan described what she called "the problem that has no name" the widespread discomfort among many suburban housewives of the 1950's and early 60's. As society required women to achieve complete satisfaction though marriage, childbirth, and homemaker role, Friedan concluded that women felt restricted and dissatisfied in such roles. The book refuted the stereotypical views about women's role and inspired women to seek education, jobs, and person growth outside their homes. The feminine Mystique caused many women to challenge gender norms and helped start a movement that fought for women's rights, including equal pay, reproductive freedoms, and increased workplace and school opportunities.

While The Feminine Mystique was revolutionary, it has also been criticized. One critique is that Friedan only wrote about middle-class white women's experiences and largely ignored women of color, working women, and lesbians. This limited the scope in such a way that the book did not present the full range of women's experiences in America as widely as it might have. In addition, critics also believed that the book emphasized personal self-realization through work and education but did not sufficiently address the structural impediments of racism and economic disparity. Despite those weaknesses, the book was crucial in reshaping public discourse around gender role and inspired many woe to break stand norms. It established an important model for future feminist movements that would expand to become larger and address a broad range of issues.

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The United States Congress voted into law the Civil Rights act of 1964. this was a landmark legislation that ended color, race, religion, sex, or national origin discriminatory treatment. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the law into practice after years of protest and campaigns by civil rights movement leaders cuh as Martin Luther King Jr. The act banned segregation in public facilities such as schools, restaurants, and on buses and trains. Additionally, discrimination in hiring was also banned. The act also granted federal government authority to enforce civil rights laws more forcefully, especially the use of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission(EEOC). The law was a significant step towards equal races since it constituted the start of the end of legal barriers that cause Black Americans and othrr minorities to be segregated.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a very powerful instrument with which to fight discrimination, but it did have an effect right away. Many people resisted the new laws, primarily in the South. It was not easy to enforce, and year passed, with ongoing dispute and litigation through the courts becoming inevitable. Moreover, although the act touched upon race and colour, there were other such as Native American and the LGBTQ community who were still being discriminated against. Many people fault the law for reducing legal equality to mainly the dimension of individuals being treaty unfairly by the law when indeed much social and economic inequality is not tackled. Despite all these issues, the Act remained a milestone in the history of America as one step towards civil rights and social justice for tens of millions of Americans.

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60 Years Later | The Civil Rights Act of 1964

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Medicare & Medicaid(Social Security Amendments) - 1965

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Medicare & Medicaid(Social Security Amendments) - 1965

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Medicare and Medicaid were enacted into law by the Social Security Amendments of 1965, which were enacted by President Lyndon B. Johnson as a port fo his Great Society initiative The programs were started to expand health insurance to vulnerable Americans. Medicare makes health insurance more accessible to Americans over the age of 65. Medicaid, on the other hand, makes health insurance more accessible to poor children, pregnant women, and the disabled. Both Medicare and Medicaid were tremendous expansion of the federal government's presence in healthcare. Both are now integral parts of the United States healthy care system, insuring tens of millions Americans. Medicare has introduce coverage, such as prescription drug plans, while Medicaid is state funded and supported federally. Both plans have contributed to poverty reduction and the greater access to healthcare for the majority of Americans.

Medicare and Medicaid were both super important programs instilled by LBJ's great society. Both programs gave underrepresented groups amore accesible way of getting healthcare, but the programs also brought challenges. Critics often argue that thee programs can't last long term because of the high finances that come along with it. Not only does it cost the government a lot of money, which some gets reflected onto citizens through taxes, but both programs also come with fraud and overuse. Political debates constantly argue wether to continue and grow these programs or shut them down all together. Despite these issues, Medicare and Medicaid continue to aid Americans who can't necessarily pay for it themselves.

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Medicare Bill Signed - 1965 | Today In History | 30 July 17

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The Voting Rights Act of 1965 became a landmark law protecting the rights to vote for African Americans and minority communities. The majority of the Southern States used discriminatory practices such as literary test, poll taxes and other restrictions. Prior to the law's passage, these practices stopped Black people from voting despite it being their right. Also, the law allowed the federal government to oversee elections within states where voting discrimination occurred historically. Following the passage of the Voting Rights Act, millions of African American were allowed to register to vote and to participate democratically. With it, American elections saw greater equality and fairness. The Act displayed the government's dedicated to the gaol of securing voting rights as well as to making every citizen's vote count.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a big step for America, but it also encountered challenges and criticism. Specifically, some states refused to follow the law or weren't quick to enact it. Additionally, the Supreme Court would weaken the act by having stricter ID laws and making the steps to voting different. Critics will often say that the law did not fully solve voter inequality despite helping voter registration. Additionally, they will say that the Act did not focus on groups that encounter struggles when voting, rather it just focused on voter discrimination. Although the act may have not solved every problem, it is still one of the most influential laws in U.S. history.

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What Is the Voting Rights Act of 1965? | CountyOffice News

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Immigration & Nationality Act of 1965 - 1965

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Immigration & Nationality Act of 1965 - 1965

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The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 symbolized a huge shift in American immigration law. Prior to the enactment of this law, there was a limit on the amount of immigrants that can come from each country, with more immigrants being allowed from certain countries than others. The Immigration Act eliminated these limits and gave everyone from around the world a more equal chance to migrate to the U.S. This law was created with the goal of being more fair to everyone no matter their country of origin, and truly reflecting the American democratic ideals they have fought for. Because of this act, the U.S. saw huge jumps in immigrants coming form Asia, Latin American, and Africa, making the United States more diverse and a mini melting pot.

Following the Immigration Act's creating in 1965, the United States took a step towards true fairness. On the other hand, this policy created new problems. Due to a rule that said you can come to the country if you had family living in the U.S., the immigration process became slower, delaying the process for immigrants who were coming to work. This affected both the workers and the companies. Additionally, the Act set no limits at all for immigrants coming from the Western Hemisphere, which led to large amounts of immigrants migrating from Latin American which led to political problems. Many critics continuously argue that although the act was trying to make the U.S. more inclusive, it created more immigration problems seen today. Asides from this, the Act ended discriminatory in the immigration process and shows that the U.S. was giving everyone an equal opportunity.

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The Tet Offensive took place during the Vietnam War and was a military campaign by the North Vietnamese Army, along with Viet Cong in early 1968. At the of the attack, there was thought to be a ceasefire in Vietnam. Rather, North Vietnam and the Viet Cong surprise attacked South Vietnam, launching attacks on over 100 cities and tows, including the U.S. embassy in Saigon. This shocked everyone in the U.S. and began to sway the public opinion on them. It looked as though there was another country stronger and more prepared than the the U.S., leading to many people doubting the American government. Despite being able to push back the attacks, the U.S. had suffered so much politically and in the eyes of the world that they had to became less involved and eventually pull out of the Vietnam War. This was a major turning point for North Vietnam's win in the Vietnam war.

Technically, the Tet offensive was a militarily win for North Vietnam, bit their biggest win was psychologically. Following the attacks, South Vietnam and the United States were able to regain control swiftly and reduce the impacts of the surprise attacks, but the fact that they were caught off guard contradicted their response and gave a signal that the war was coming to an end. Critics argue that the war highlighted flaws in the U.S. military and war strategy. On the other hand, many will say that the American troops showed resilience and heart, fighting back depsite being hit with surprise attacks. The war showed how much politics and public opinion can effect a country, and how not every win in necessarily won on foot but in the mind.

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The Brezhnev Doctrine was a policy created under new Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev in 1968. The policy said that the Soviet Union was allowed to intervene in any communist country if their rule was threatened. This policy came as a response to the Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia where reformers attempted to make the government more open and democratic. The Soviet Union, followed by other countries in the Warsaw Pact invaded Czechoslovakia to put an end to this idea and changes. This policy directly proved that the Soviet Union was continuously looking to have control over all the communist countries, not allowing them to become independent or change their ideology. This doctrine allowed the Soviet Union to control countries until the late 1980's.

The Brezhnev Doctrine was and is criticized for not allowing countries to have freedom and become independent. Many saw the doctrine as a way for the Soviet Union to keep control and oversight of many European countries, and not allow them to change their political ideology from communism. Additionally, this doctrine can be seen a sign of fear during the Cold War. The USSR was scared of other Eastern European countries turning towards democracy and they saw it as them losing power to the United States. Some supporters will argue that it was a necessary step to keep Eastern Europe against Western influence. Overall, the doctrine added tension to the Cold War and to Eastern Europe.

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Reaganomics is the economic policies that were implanted by President Ronald Reagan during his presidency in the 1980's. The policies that came with Reaganomics focused on limiting government spending, lowering taxes, and cutting regulations to help businesses grow. The belief behind this was that by cutting taxes and essentially giving people more money, they would invest it either into the market or into their businesses, which would boost the economy. This approach was called "supply-side economic". The main goals were to reduce and control inflation, grow the economy, and reduce unemployment. All of these happened during Reagan's presidency. One downside was that the government also increase military spending which contributed to the countries national debt.

Reaganomics is a concept that can and has been criticized and praised. This economic policy reduced inflation and grew the economic, but critics will say that it also made the economic gap bigger between lower and upper class. This is because most of the tax cuts only aided the wealthy and big businesses. The idea was that the excess wealth the rich made would trickle down to other who did not benefit right away. Additionally, part of Reaganomics was cutting money that went to social programs which affected vulnerable groups, who needed the programs created for them in the first place. Additionally, the national debt grew much higher because of increase military spending. Despite making the rich richer and not helping the lower economic classes, Reaganomics helped reshape the U.S. economy and its policy.

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How Reaganomics Changed the Economic Landscape

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Strategic Defense Initiative(SDI) - "Star Wars" - 1983

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Strategic Defense Initiative(SDI) - "Star Wars" - 1983

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The Strategic Defense Initiative(SDI), nicknamed "Star Wars", was a program announced by President Ronald Reagan in 1983. The goal of the program to create a system that could detect missiles and nuclear attack, and protect the U.S. from them. Specifically, the program was created out of concern for the Soviet intercontinental ballistic missiles(ICBMs). The plan was centered around using things like lasers and missiles to detect any enemy missiles or bombs, and destroy it in the air before they could reach the United States. The goal was to make nuclear weapons ineffective and reduce the threat of a nuclear war. Many scientists saw this project as not very possible or realistic. Because of this, the program was used more as pressure towards the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

The SDI faced lots of criticism for many reason. Experts said that it wasn't realistic or even possible because of the highly advanced technology that was necessary to track and detect missiles in space. May also considered the fact that it could hyper escalate the ongoing arms race the U.S. had with the Soviets because it would encourage them to make more weapons in reaction. Additionally, the program was extremely expensive, and some saw it as a false sense of security. Despite the issues that came long with SDI, it played an important role in the politics side of the Cold War, by placing pressure on the Soviet Union.

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Star Wars in the Cold War: Reagan’s Space Defense Gamble

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Glasnot, the Russian word for "openness", was a policy introduced by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in the 1980's. The policy's goal was to promote freedom and speech and information within the Soviet Union, and increase transparency. This policy worked to counteract the Brezhnev Doctrine. Prior to the installation of glasnot, the Soviet government had control over all the media, so if something happened that they wanted to keep a secret, they would. This opened questions about the truth. With glasnot, people were free to talk about whatever they wanted, talk about government mistakes, and the media could publish what used to be government secrets. Glasnot was part of Mikhail Gorbachev's goal to reform the Soviet Union and make it stronger through that openness and truth.

Despite promoting freedom and transparency, glasnot brought to light deep problems with the Soviet Union that would have been better to hit. The openness exposed information about the Soviet government that invited criticism and made Soviet republics take nationalist movements. Critics argue glasnot weakened the Soviet government's control of their rupublics, and is the reason many countries left to become independent, leading to the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. On the other hand, peoples said that the openness was necessary, after hiding secrets for decades. Despite improving freedom and expression, glasnot created an unstable Soviet government, and made them weak leading to the fall of the Soviet Union.

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Glasnost: Opening the Doors to Change | GCSE History

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The Iran-Contra Affair was one of the biggest political scandals from the United States during the 1980's under President Ronald Reagan. The scandal consisted of two operations. The first was when the U.S. secretly sold weapons to Iran even they they weren't allowed to buy or sell any weapons, and Iran was considered an enemy to the United States. The goal behind the U.S. selling Iran weapons was to hopefully free American hostages held in the Middle East. Second, the United States took the money from their sale of weapons to Iran and funded the Contras, a group fighting communism in Nicaragua. This was a big problem because there was a law stating that the U.S. couldn't give any money to the Contras. By no surprise, when the scandal was revealed the United States government received immense backlash and hatred, and were lost political respect for. This affair raised many questions about the Reagan as a president and about the American government as a whole, later questioning, and investing many government officials.

The Iran-Contra affair showed a bad side of the American government, painting the picture that they were willing to meet their foriegn policy goals no matter what, even if it meant breaking the law. Many critics claim that President Reagan knew about the scandal and purposely ignored checks and loss of money going through Congress. The scandal damaged the trust between the United States and many countries. Supporters will say that Reagan had the goal of freeing hostages, making the scandal noble and respectable, even if it was illegal. Reagan was held largely responsible, despite claiming to not have known about it.

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What Was the Iran-Contra Affair? | History

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The European Picnic was a nice, peaceful protest held on the border of Hungary and Austria on August 19, 1989. The picnic served as a symbolic event, and was organized by both Hungarian and Austrian activists to represent freedom in Eastern Europe. The idea was to open a small port in the Iron Curtain, a border dividing East & West Europe, for a short period of time, in order to promote, peace in Europe and an end to fighting and hatred. Many East Germans used this as an opportunity to escape to the West. This symbolized a step towards the fall of the Berlin Wall, which symbolized an end to communism in Eastern Europe. Now the European pIcnic is used as a sign of hope, freedom, peace and happiness, showing that one small change can make a difference.

The European Picnic is looked as as a peaceful moment, that shows hope and helped end the Cold War. It also showed some flaws in the communist system. The event was meant to be symbolic and heart warming, but the real impact was shown when a myriad of East German risked their lives for freedom. This shows how much people opposed communism, and did whatever they could to get away from it. Some critics wills say that the Hungary allowed this to happen sneakily as a sign that the old ways were no longer present. Other people will see it as a demonstration on how a nonviolent action cause real political change.

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19th August 1989: The Pan-European Picnic opens the Cold War border between Hungary and Austria

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The collapse of the Berlin Wall was one of the most powerful symbols that showed the end of the cold War. The wall had been in Germany for decades, separating the communist East and democratic west Germany. The wall represented the distance and seperation between Soviet control in Eastern Europe and democratic nation in the West. Towards the late 1980's, the rise of protests, reforms, and a need for freedom across Eastern Europe weakened East Germany's government. After the many countries like Hungary relaxed their borders, more and more East Germans fled West. Mainly because of confusion and pressure on the East German government, they spontaneously allowed people to cross the wall freely, allowing people to chose the lifestyle they wanted to live. That same night, people began to tear the wall, reuniting families and making cause for celebration.

The fall of the Berlin Wall represents more than an event, it represents the fall of a rivalry, and system of restricted freedom that had been in place for decades. Additionally, it showed that governments that are based on evoking fear could not withstand the people forever. Although the wall did fall peacefully, critics argue that the wall suddenly falling symbolizes how Eastern Europe wasn't prepared for changes like a change in policy. Other will say that it was the Western countries that weren't ready for the economic and social challenges of gaining a lot of new people looking for change. In the grand scheme of things, the fall of the Berlin wall is seen as a positive moment in history, showing the fall of a rivalry between communism and democracy, rather all being united.

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The Gulf War, also knows as Operation Desert Storm, took place in 1991 following Iraq's invasion of their neighbouring country, Kuwait. Internationally, many countries stood against what Iraq did, especially the United States. The United Nations demanded that Iraq pull out of Kuwait, but Saddam Hussein, leader of Iraq, refused. In response, the United States launched a military operation removed Iraq forces from Kuwait. Operation Desert Storm began in early 1991 with a massive airstrike followed by a ground assault. The war only lasted six weeks. This war was the first major war since the end of the Cold War, and was a wide showing of the power of the U.S. military technology and intelligence, showing their strength as the world superpower.

The Gulf War was seen as a military success for the U.S., but provoked some questions about their use of force and long-term military strategy. Critics will argue that although the U.S. freed Kuwait, they left Saddam Hussein in power which proved to hurt them later. Some believe that the U.S. got involved in the war for selfish reasons of protecting oil in Kuwait rather than saving lives and defending rights. The war also displayed how strong the U.S. military was, and how they picture themselves as the world police, ready to save anyone in danger. Additionally, the war caused environmental damage and civilian suffering. Yes the quick win proved to everyone and themselves that the U.S. was strong, it set the stage for future conflicts in the Middle East.

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What Happened in the Persian Gulf War? | History

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North American Free Trade Agreement(NAFTA) - Signed in 1992, Went into effect in 1994

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North American Free Trade Agreement(NAFTA) - Signed in 1992, Went into effect in 1994

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The North American Free Trade Agreement(NAFTA) is a deal signed by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and went into affect January 1st, 1994. The goal was to make trade between the three countries easier and cheaper to encourage more business withe each other, to help the economy of all three countries. The deal does his by removing trade barriers and lowering or completely removing tariffs and important taxes. In addition to boosting the economies of all three countries, NAFTA is also designed to create jobs and make good cheaper to buy and sell. The agreement includes labor rules, environmental standards and rules regarding how to protect intellectual property. Trade between these three countries had gone up. NAFTA remained in effect until it was replaced by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement(USMCA) in 2020.

NAFTA came with both good and bad sides. On one hand, it helped make each countries economy stronger and more stable, increased trade and lowered prices. It also helped establish good relationships between the three countries. On the other hand, critics will say the NAFTA actually hurt the American worker because companies were encouraged to outsource their production or work to Mexico because the U.S. had a good relationship with them and wages were cheaper. In Mexico, although they were getting more jobs, it barely helped the working conditions and it was still difficult to work in poor areas. Ultimately, NAFTA increased trade overall, and some countries waked away bigger winners than others.

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What does the North American Free Trade Agreement do?

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Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act - 1994

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Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act - 1994

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The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act was signed by President Bill Clinton in 1994 and became the largest crime bill in American history. The bill had a goal of lowering violent crime by increasing the money put into police departments, making new prisons, and implementing tougher sentencing laws. The bill added 100,000 police across the country and gave billions of dollars towards crime prevention programs. Additionally, this act implemented the federal "three strikes" rule which gave longer sentences, up to life, for repeating criminals, and allowed the death penalty as consequence for certain crimes. The bill addressed violence against women through the Violence Against Women Act(VAWA) which supported victims. Though the goal of the bill was to make neighbourhoods safer, it has been argued that it targets people of colour and gives unnecessary sentences, all while not reducing crime.

The 1994 Crime Bill is one of those acts that have a really good intention but get criticized for the long-term effects. Specifically, the cirme bill led to an increase in mass incarceration, despite looking to reduce crime. The "three strikes" rule gave judges less flexibility when sentencing criminals, thus resulting in harsher punishments. Though the bill included important precautions like the Violence Against Women Act, its approach of being specifically tough on crime took the government's attention away from problems like poverty. Today, this bill is seen as an example of why law reform is still needed, and should be a government focus.

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What Is The 1994 Crime Bill? | NBC News Now

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Knowledge Economy/"Google" founded - 1998

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Knowledge Economy/"Google" founded - 1998

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The rise of the knowledge economy signified a change from industries based on manufacturing to those based on technology, innovated, and information. During this time, companies began to focus more on research, and technological tools because they realized that knowledge and skills are the most valuable resources. One of the best examples of this is Google, made in 1998 by Larry page and Sergey Brin, which based its whole company around information, research and data. Google completely changed how people learn, gain new information and access that information. Over time, as the knowledge economy expanded, so did Google, branching out into ads, phones , computing and many more. With all these innovations, during a time full of advancements and new technology, Google was able to cement themselves a centre piece of how people work, learn, and communicate in the coming of the technological era.

The knowledge economy and companies like google have widened the range of knowledge that can be consumed and different way to access that information. On the contrary, they can also raise concerns. Critics will argue that there are issues with privacy when using Google, because when you see information or share information you can sometimes see what others are doing. Additionally, sites like google track what you search and like so it continuously gives you similar information. Additionally, the digital economy both created new jobs and left some old ones behind. Jobs that are based around manual labor, or jobs that can be easily replaced with robots became in jeopardy when the knowledge economy came around. Overall, the growth and rise of the knowledge economy and Google shows just how rewarding and scary it is to live in a world that runs on information.

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On September 11, 2001, one of the deadliest terror attacks happened in the United States. Known as 9/11, an extremist group called al-Qaeda took over four airplanes and flew two of them into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, flew a third plane into the Pentagon close to Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed into a random field in Pennsylvania thanks to passengers on board who fought back. In this attack, close to 300o peoples were killed and thousand were left injured. Many emergency personal were left hurt or killed as well, attempting to save the lives of other trapped in the buildings. These attacks left the world speechless, and instantly invoked fear and sadness into everyone in the United States. In response, President at the time George W. Bush declared a "War on Terror" where the first actions was to invade Afghanistan and remove the Taliban. These attacks led to many changed in U.S. security, like the security lines at airports.

The 9/11 attacks had a huge impact on global politics and security, especially in the Middle East. The attacks also raised concerns. Following the attacks, the U.S. made a point to improve safety both internationally and domestically. They did this by increasing military actions abroad and creating new laws domestically like the Patriot Act. While these precautions did help with safety, many critics argued that they took away some personal freedom of American citizens, as surveillance was too constant. The later wars in both Afghanistan and Iraq became too long and cost too much, both money and lives, and Americans started to question if it was even worth it. The action taken right away by the United States following 9/11 was understandable because of the damage that was done, but it also led to the government creating policies and conflicts that still affect the U.S. today.

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The Patriot Act was signed by President George W. Bush on October 16, 2001, shortly after the 9/11 attacks. The act was signed as a direct response to potential internal threats following 9/11. At the time, tension in the country was very high and it was difficult to know who to trust. That is why the Patriot Act was put in place, to give the government more ways to detect terrorism and stop it before it starts. The act allowed federal agencies watch and track people easily by being able to tap phone calls, access personal records, monitor emails and more. Additionally, it made the communication between intelligence agencies and law enforcement much faster and easier, and allowed for immigrants who are as little as suspected terrorists to be deported. The act was thought of to make the country safer, but it became very controversial. Many people worried about how much the act allowed the government to essentially spy on you and invade your privacy. Over time, the conditions of the act were changed as people brought attention to what the government was doing to track citizens.

The Patriot Act, similarly to the second red scare, created debate between keeping national security or perserving personal privacy, because it seemed difficult to do both. Supporters of the Patriot Act will say that the lengths the government went to was necessary to ensure that there were no terrorists in the country and to prevent future attacks. However, critics will say that the government went too far, allowing agencies to track and spy on civilians. Whistleblowers would later reveal the amount of information that agencies and the government were gathering on each person, which sparked public outrage and calls for reform. Although the Patriot Act did conserve national security, it raised too many concerns about personal privacy.

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What Is The Patriot Act In Simple Terms? - CountyOffice.org

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The War in Afghanistan began in October of 2001, shortly after the 9/11 attacks. With support from NATO and other allies, the United States entered Afghanistan in a war to eliminate the Taliban from power. The plan was to eliminate the Taliban, so they could destroy al-Qaeda because the Taliban had been sheltering al-Qaeda. When the U.S. got into Afghanistan, they quickly took down the Taliban, but the war lasted nearly 20 years. As the U.S. stayed in Afghanistan, their mission continued to grow, going from simply looking to eliminate the Taliban and al-Aqeda to also rebuilding the Afghan government, training local forces, and supporting democracy. Despite all these efforts to neutralize the powers in Afghanistan, the Taliban started to regain power in many areas. The War in Afghanistan ended up being the longest war in American history, it cost thousands of lives and trillions of dollars. In August 2021, the U.S. withdrew their troops from Afghanistan, and the Taliban regained control of the country.

At first, the War in Afghanistan had a very clear and simple goal, taking down terrorists. But over time, no one was sure what victory would look like. Critics argue that the U.S. kept their troops in Afghanistan for too long and tried to do too much by attempting to force political change rather than focusing on their original goal. While the U.S. army did kill Osama bin Lade, the leader or al-Qaeda, in 2011, The Taliban's regaining of power in 2021 made people question if the U.S. was actually successful. Additionally, the war caused lots of civilian suffering and caused people to be displaced from their homes. Additionally, many Americans believe that the U.S. rushed their military exit and did it poorly. This conflict showed the struggle of winning a war.

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The Iraq war began in March of 2003. The United States, along with a group of allies, invaded Iraq. The U.S. and it's allies invaded Iraq because they had reason to believe that Iraq's leader Saddam Hussein was hiding Weapons of Mass Destructions(WMD) that could threaten the world. Additionally, the U.S. wanted to promote democracy in Iraq, which they planned on doing by removing Saddam Hussein from power. Initially, the U.S. was able to defeat Iraq's forced and eliminate Saddam Hussein, but that was followed up with years of violence and chaos, as multiple different groups within Iraq fought for power. The country was very unstable, getting attacked from external sources and battling internally, with a civil war breaking out between the Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurds. The combination of conflicts resulted in many civilian deaths and displaced millions of people from their homes. The U.S. officially ended combat in Iraq in 2011, but had been slowly retreating for a while before that. Despite eliminating Saddam Hussein, the war seemed unsuccessful because no weapons of mass destruction were found and it caused long-term consequences for Iraq.

The Iraq war is a very controversial war because of the reason of invasion. The U.S. invaded simply off the suspicion of weapons of mass destruction but had no real evidence. Critics will will bash the American government for following through with the invasion, as no WMD's were found and the war caused the U.S. to lose resources and destabilized Iraq. On the other hand, supporters will suggest that the invasion was worth while, they were able to eliminate the head of the snake in Saddam Hussein, and it was better to check for WMD's are there be non rather than not there are there be there. Overall, the war displayed the risk of using military force without clear post-war planning. Additionally, the war raised questions about the U.S.'s law of international intervention.

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The events that led to war in Iraq  - BBC News