The majority of countries around the world, specifically the United States of America, worked to pave a path for their futures during the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Enlightenment, industrialization, and imperialism were all prevalent during these centuries. These factors altered history and was influential in molding the United States and others into what they are today. Although these countries were trying to create a new future for themselves, a majority of them followed the same course that previous countries had already laid out for them. The painting, American Progress, painted by John Gast, serves as a model of the events that took place during these centuries that moved America to where it is today, by using the courses set by previous …show more content…
O'Sullivan, "The Great Nation of Futurity" states, “our national birth was the beginning of a new history, the formation and progress of an untried political system, which separates us from the past and connects us with the future only; and so far as regards the entire development of the natural rights of man, in moral, political, and national life, we may confidently assume that our country is destined to be the great nation of futurity.” O’Sullivan outlines that the Unites States stood out from other nations because of the disconnection with the past and a greater influence on the future, which is untrue. Although America did focus more on the future, they still followed Great Britain’s imperialist ideologies as a model for expanding westward. During this time, the idea about the homogenous nation-state becomes prevalent and feudalism died off. The new modern system would allow for exponential growth, which, in turn, allowed people to accumulate capital. Since capital was the key factor in during the 18th century, this new modern system quickly took off. The Americans, just like the British, believed they were above all other countries and started to bring order, civilization, and morality to the rest of the world to fit the ideal version of what they thought was the imperialist
American imperialism has undergone varying transitions through its developmental stage in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, and it was interpreted to be many things, including controversial to the original colonial beliefs. The United States rapidly took up the sport of becoming involved with foreign nations, and it was clear that through influence on these nations, the United States would grow in both territorial size and power in the global sense. America helped many Polynesian, Latin American, and Asian nations during this period, and most of the conversed issues was trade and foreign relations. The desire of territorial expansion was also in response to the blossoming ideal of Social Darwinism, where expansionism was justified if the United States was aiding struggling nations with their foreign and domestic policies. Although justified, Social Darwinism was an unethical approach to world power, and many perceived this step in American Imperialism as corrupt. The Panama Canal also held a large part in building American Imperialism. Creating this canal would determine which nation dominated the sea, and the United States was more than eager to pounce on the opportunity to increase their global influence. The United States dipped its hand into many global issues during and following the Gilded Age, and these hold the honor of molding American Imperialism, but its change over time was held up to debate by scholars in the Gilded age and by contemporary
The term, progress, is synonymous with phrases that denote moving forward, growth, and advancement. It seems unorthodox then that Ronald Wright asserts the world has fallen into a progress trap, a paradox to how progress is typically portrayed as it contradicts the conventional way life is viewed: as being a natural progression from the outdated and tried towards the new and improved. Wright posits that it is the world’s relentless creation of innovative methods that ironically contributes to the progress trap rather than to progress itself, the intended objective. Wright’s coinage of the term “progress trap” refers to the phenomenon of innovations that create new complications that are typically left without resolve which exacerbate
Joseph J. Ellis starts out by stating in his preface that the American Revolution was both necessary and inevitable. The Revolution has been described as something that was already preordained, that, with the direction things had been headed in, the Revolution was bound to occur. With the size and power of the British army and navy, the rebellious disrupters in America should have been knocked down almost immediately, by logic’s rules. Adjacent to this lies Ellis’ statement that, “in the long run, the evolution of an independent American nation, gradually developing its political and economic strength over the nineteenth century…was probably inevitable” (5). While the inevitability of America’s evolution was to happen under British constraints, Ellis’ argument is that this was not the way history happened. His thesis argues that America’s success was not a result that could be clearly predicted, that the advancement of America as its own entity was not like how it is seen as today. Ellis then splits off into talking about how we need to be both farsighted and nearsighted in order to truly see America’s growth for what it is and has been. On the farsighted side, Ellis talks about how the isolation of North America and its large reserves of natural resources would have given America much potential to develop on its own. According to Ellis, if America could survive together for the first few stages of its development and then push through the British desire for control,
Looking back at American History, we can see many instances where bravery and courage combined with a leap of faith changed the course of our country's history. The declaration of independence was perhaps the most significant of all those actions. In the late 1700's Britain began abusing their colonies in America, this did not sit well with the colonists, and soon people could no longer endure such unfairness and hardship. The founding fathers were more than justified to declare independence from Britain, liberating the people of America from the tyranny and abuse of the British crown.
I leave my home and only able to pack what the army will allow, it is almost winter.
The Progressive Era turned into an unprecedented time of social activism and political development amid which convincing open issues constrained significant changes in the part of government and presidential authority. The goals of the Progressives were to “attack corrupt political bosses and irresponsible corporate barons” (Shi and Tindall 937). Progressives wanted the government to be honest, efficient, to regulate businesses, and for the low-income workers to have a better way of life. “Millions of “progressives” believed that America was experiencing a “crisis of democracy” because of the urban-industrial revolution” (Shi and Tindall 937). Poverty created the initiative for churches, charitable organizations, experts, and individuals to stand up and take action due to the unsafe working conditions of children working in mines and factories. The actions to progressively create labor laws expand beyond the role of the government because someone had to take control. Amos Pinchot, a progressive attorney and reformer said, “Corruption was destroying our respect for government, uprooting faith in political parties, and causing every precedent and convention of the old order to strain at its moorings” (Shi and Tindall 937). This was due partly because of the Progressives arguing over the rapid changes that occurred in United States (US) since the end of the Civil war. One example was the gap between the rich and the poor kept increasing.
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These words should sound familiar to most people. They were included in the Declaration of Independence, which was mainly written by Thomas Jefferson. The Declaration announced America’s separation from Britain, tyranny, and the monarchy.
At first glance, the painting above may seem very odd. There is a woman flying above what appears to be settlers on the open plains. However, after examining this image closely it begins to make more sense. The title of this painting is American Progress by John Gast. The title of this painting goes along with the painting itself very well as this painting depicts American progress.
Will racism ever come to an end or will its path go on infinitely? For the most part, the majority of people respect those who are different either in color, race, and/or heritage; however, there are those few that hold bigoted views towards people who are different than they are. The movie American History X by Tony Kaye displays an example of people who hold bigoted views. Derek, a Neo-Nazi leader, must contend with his actions relating to his past racist views and actions. This powerful movie explores its characters thoroughly and gives reasons why people become so callous and turn towards a racist group. It also exposes insight to problems that plague America when it comes to racism in
The progressive era was a time period in America after reconstruction that took place from 1900 to 1920. The progressive era focused mainly on social and political reform, trying to fix America's economy by working towards equal conditions for individuals, stopping political corruption and increasing government intervention on social and economic issues. Progressivists were social activists and political reformers working to improve conditions and the treatment of the American people. The progressive era was successful in the fight to reform the United States by improving industrialization, urbanization cities, and reforming America's social and gender classes.
The physical side is at one time they did love each other because kids were born. The shared activities are the fact they have children and they still do things as a family.
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.
America has evolved greatly since the late 1800s in its aspects of industrialism, expansionism, progressivism, isolationism, and globalization. The industrial era brought on a rise of big businesses and new opportunities through railroad transportation, and has since then given us a country of strong corporation and an ever expanding possibility of transportation of people and goods, alike. The country fought to expand its property lines, communications, and government influence throughout the 1900s. Presently, the United States focuses more on, abandoning the previous idea of isolation to keep the country out of foreign affairs, and instead aiming for more worldwide involvement through successful attempts in globalization.
social order. The Progressive movement, 1901 to 1917, was ultimately the triumph of conservatism rather than a
United States, 2006: a nation with a history of a mere 230 years, yet it stands as one of the most powerful nations in the world. Yet many of us know little about the history and cultural changes that led to the birth of this nation. We only know the bits and pieces that are taught as we sit daydreaming in our fifth grade classroom. The Puritans, the Pilgrims, Christopher Columbus, the Mayflower, we know about these people and things, yet what aspects of their lives created the change in America? The answer to this question can be found by observing the changes in religion, women's role, and colonial law as it brought about the change in the Puritan's cultural values.