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Essay on American Imperialism

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Since its inception, America as a nation has developed and progressed according to trends of change that collectively define an era. Like all other eras, the time period of 1875-1925 experienced growth, changes, movements, and new ideals. It is the way that these changes came about that defines this era. Americans started to push for changes in many arenas of life that were previously unchallenged. New experiences and opportunities were also presented to America that caused tributaries in the former American ideal. These pressures for change could not be ignored and thus America continued its maturity in a new and unique manner. The changes in the American sphere of life and the development of greater …show more content…

The immigration was considered not to be easy to assimilate, and therefore a bigger problem than before. Nativist developed, as immigrants increased the urbanization problems and formed ethnic ghettos throughout the city while competing for jobs and working at lower wages than native-born citizens. This immigration brought on an increased fight for labor power, urban machines for maximizing the immigrants' large collective power, another form of organization, and plans for urban reform especially the 'Wisconsin idea", and the city-manager plan.

All the reforms suggested to remidy these problems are known as progressive reforms. Progressivism is what the time period is most known for. A major feature of the progressive reform, is that a great deal of it came from the middle-class. A middle-class reform carries a great deal of weight, and also means that it is not a great class struggle, but that a higher class is looking to improve soical injustices. Progressivism is a general term that encompases the reforms of women's movements, granger movements, labor movements (including socialism), racial movements (pro and anti-black), nativism movements, moral/religious movements, and anti-trust movements. Later on, at the national government level, Theodore Roosevelt became the first true progressive president and brings to the forefront the idea of neofederalism, the square deal, and the new nationalism (later). He started to

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