Chapter 11: The Modernization Of New America

     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

During the years between 1920 and 1960, America saw change in many aspects of life. The United States was a part of two major wars and a crash of the banking system that crippled the economy greater than ever seen in this country’s history. Also the country had new insecurities to tackle such as immigration and poor treatment of workers. These events led to the change of America lives socially, economically, and politically. The people of America changed their ideas of what the country’s place in the world should be. The issues challenging America led the country to change from isolation to war, depression to prosperity, and social change. The threats to American way of life, foreign and domestic, were the changing forces to the

In America’s pastime, there were many conflicts that continued to help shape America. Citizens were becoming more aware and concerned about how America was managed, as conflict was becoming a regular misfortune for the country. Events such as progressivism, the roaring twenties, and the stock market crash may have seemed like a negative time in the United States at face value, but the overall impacts and effects helped establish innovations that still positively influence the lives of citizens today.

In the 1920s, Americans were trying to figure out what was everyone’s role in society. During this time women started to take on bigger jobs then housekeeping and African Americans are finally standing up for their race. Once 1929 hit, Herbert Hoover, America’s newest president, was viewed as an ‘American Superhero’ at that time because of everything he promised society; however, America gets hit by the Great Depression leaving society in a hole. While banking systems were unstable and overproduction were leaving people bankrupt, Herbert Hoover was blaming Europe and was failing to keep society financially stable. As his presidency went on, filmmakers made film cycles and gangster pictures like Little Caesar that portrayed America’s corrupt society during the Great Depression. By the end of his campaign, Hoover was known as the worst American ever which led to the rising of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933. Roosevelt saw the struggling society as an opportunity to help his campaign in which he created the New Deal. America was given an opportunity that allowed them to look forward to the future. During Herbert Hoover’s presidency, America did not support the federal government, but after Franklin D. Roosevelt ran for president and promised a New Deal, they began to look more favorably on the government.

The antebellum era (also referred to as the plantation era) between 1800’s to 1860 was a period of slave driven farming, marking the economic growth of the south. During this period in 1815, cotton was the most valuable traded produce in the United States and by 1840, it was more valuable compared to all other imported and exported goods combined. In 1860, one year before the Civil War, the South was predominantly reliant on the sale of agricultural products, such as tobacco, rice, sugar, and cotton estimated at 5,344,000 bales, to a worldwide market. while the southern states generated two-thirds of the world's cotton supply, the South had little industrial capability (manufactured good estimated to the value of$156,000,000), consisting of an estimated 29 percent of the railroad tracks or 14484.1km, and only 13 percent of the nation's banks. The South attempted slave labour in manufacturing, but were mainly content with their agricultural economy. Their delay in industrial expansion was not the result of any integral economic disadvantages, there was a vast amount of wealth in the South, but it was mainly bound to slave labour. In 1860, the financial value of slaves in the United States surpassed the participated value of all of the land's railroads, factories, and banks combined. the day before the Civil War, the value of cotton was at its peak, the Confederate aristocrats were confident that the significance of cotton on the world market, especially in England and France,

After the war, the American people made the change from "old" ways to "new" ways. Many factors, such as new technology, fundamentalism, new looks and church led to tension between the old and the new. The 1920s were a time of conflicting viewpoints between traditional behaviors and new and changing attitudes.

The country was broken into two prominent factions: the north, and the south, that adhered to two different lifestyles. On one hand, the north was favored by climate that was indicative to small scale, subsistence farming that provided enough for a family. The north, in addition to small scale farming, was also the center for industrialization and infrastructure within the country. The north’s economy was based on manufacturing and shipping, leading to more industrialized cities and factories. Also, the north had abolished slavery since the early 1800’s, and thought of slavery as an evil that was to be eradicated.

Although the South produced the huge amounts of cotton needed, and exported it as a primary product to the rest of the world, it did not lead the way in industrialisation-this was dominated by the Northeast. What America lacked was manufacturing efficiency and as the Historian J.G.Rayback explains the war made 'Americans profoundly aware of other areas besides their own; in the post-Revolutionary period they made a vigorous effort to increase their knowledge of the entire nation and to take advantage of its limitless opportunities.'

An ongoing sense of sectionalism between the growing North and traditional South was created due to the drastically different economies. At this time, the North became a manufacturing and commercializing empire due to it’s technological advancements and abundance of resources. After the creation of the cotton gin, an increase in manual labor was needed in order to further carry out the South's agricultural driven

Americans established a new social identity of trying to allow more men the ability to climb the social ladder and being given more opportunities, but still experienced problems of the

The atmosphere of America during the pre-Civil War period can be describe as a time of great changes and distress. Remnants of manifest destiny resided as a fraction of the common belief. The desire of wanting further developments and utilizing more land reached its highest potential. At the same time, a revolution occurred in the North making a shift from the agricultural work to a market based economy. The North now less focused on expanding are more focused on business, trade, and service. On the other hand, the South with the new invention of Eli Whitney 's cotton gin made gathering cotton more efficient than ever before. With the uprising growth of the cotton industry, the Southerners wanted more land to make a larger sum of profits. The South dissatisfied with the territory of land they possessed now has a high hoped to acquire more land through the ideal of expansionism.

With the economic system, the south had a very hard time producing their main source “cotton and tobacco”. “Cotton became commercially significant in the 1790’s after the invention of a new cotton gin by Eli Whitney. (PG 314)” Let

Last week we talked about the North during 1815 to 1860, this week we are going to explore the South during 1815 to 1860. The situation between the North and the South are very different during 1815 to 1860. People in southern America were live depend on agricultural (plant cotton), as the cotton production increased cause the cotton economy rise meanwhile the demand of slavery also expanded in the North. In contrast people in northern America are more industrialized, they experienced industry revolution and abolished slavery. How was the cotton economy created in the South？ Starting from the year of 1815, cotton has become the most valuable export in the United State.

This essay will examine the rise of “modern America”, there were economic, religious, and aspect of life changes took place and it was greatly changed the Americans society’s perceptions, specifically, the north and the south. The rise of “modern America” was greatly motivated immigrants to come to the United States for economic opportunity, industrialization in the North after the civil war created new businesses and job regulations, and the demand for social changes; all of these factors shaped America socially, politically, and economically.

Almost one hundred and fifty years after the birth of the United States of America, the country and its people stepped unabashed into the modern age. Following years of gloom and war, the public desired change. Though it took some years after the close of World War 1, the United States began to evolve. With high tariffs, federal tax cuts, and the increase of mass production among other things, America’s economy began to grow rapidly. Economic growth occurred simultaneously with social and cultural growth and these factors brought WW1 America toward the modern age.