Major Problems in American History: to 1877 Essay

During the post-civil war era, America, specifically the south, was undergoing a period of reconstruction. The general goal of reconstruction was to successfully readmit the former Confederacy back into the Union as smoothly as possible, as well as enacting specific safeguards of freedmen’s liberties. The social and constitutional developments in America between 1860 and 1877 were very minor. The lack of change between pre and post civil war status could hardly be considered a revolution.

     During 1790-1860, there were many reformations taking place and many events that lead up to the reformation of this very inexperienced country, of America. All these events effected the United States different ways and caused many grievances for the young people living in America. In 1790 we firmly incorporated the first American cotton mill which led to the economic augmentation of the United States. In 1791 we established the Capital of the United States in Washington D.C., and Alexander Hamilton establishes the first bank of America. In 1794 in Pennsylvania there was an uprising called the Whiskey Rebellion. People were rejecting the taxes on their way of life, and that was whiskey.

“The United States emerged from a virulent, intense, and inhumane civil war and evolved into a new nation during this period. This transition was the culmination of political, economic, social, and cultural movements which transformed the nation. E Pluribus Unum - out of many United States, one nation; the United States was forged in the cauldron of these revolutions."     -Arnold Toynbee, A Study of History

Although at the time the land seemed perfect, many problems came about for the colonists. For starters, the selection of the land although warm and abundant was surrounded by swamps bringing in a majority of mosquito carrying diseases, including

Throughout American history, politics changed with the times, forming and growing as new situations and environments took place. However, the most drastic differences occurred between 1815 and 1840. During this time, the North and South develop different economic systems, which created political differences between the regions. Between 1815 and 1840, the number of eligible voters drastically increased as politicians utilized a wider variety of campaigning methods in order to appeal to as many voters as possible, all essentially caused by economic growth. Politics grow to include universal white male suffrage, a strong national government, and nationalism versus sectionalism. Economic Growth (American System, Industrial Revolution,

With the establishment of the first successful English colony of Jamestown by the Virginia Company in the New World and the creation of the other thirteen original colonies during the seventeenth-century, the colonists of America were originally immigrants from Europe who sought to escape hardships whether it be religious persecution or material gain. This created regional differences between the New England colonies of the north and the Chesapeake colonies of the south. The diverse population of these colonies continued to grow and prosper while under the rule of Britain. While the colonists were European in origin, they developed a uniquely American identity that was different from the mother country due to the abundance of land and the absence of Parliamentary authority. Although the colonists failed to

In the 1700’s it was time for the United States to start something new and change. Like every other country it needed to be its own and have a well structured government. Before, the U.S. was controlled by the British who have already brought in their culture without any doubts. As the Americans tried so hard to gain their own country, they faced more problems. Soon they were finally free and on their own. The United States had made drastic changes to create a great country by fighting and for their independence, creating a constitution, and creating a well organized government.

In the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography the article Indentured Servitude in the Chesapeake is taken from the court records of Virginia that describe what happened to indentured servants that ran away. This article also suggests historical events of the social order in the seventeenth century.

When the eager colonists of Europe came to Jamestown to settle, they had no idea about the outrageous death toll that awaited them. This occurred from 1607-1611. Jamestown became the first permanent settlement in North America when 100 passengers arrived on Chesapeake Bay. This achievement, although, did not come without its troubles. Some interesting things about this settlement were these.

The degree of success for reforms in 1800 to 1860 varied in urban and rural areas. Reforms that called for institutional changes were, for the most part, successful in reaching their goals however; reforms that dealt with only institutional changes were less significant and successful than reforms that called for institutional and individual changes.

African-Americans may sometimes wonder at the contradictory facts about their history presented in many standard history texts. These texts state that blacks were given the right to vote in 1870, yet the same texts will acknowledge that this right did not really exist for African-Americans until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.

Richard Frenthorne, an indentured servant from England wrote a letter in 1623 to his parents. In the letter “Indentured Servitude” he explains the hardships he went through on his journey from England to Jamestown, Virginia. Frethorne describes the struggles he had to cope with such as starvation, diseases, being penniless, yearning for home, and loneliness. Seeking American shore was a difficult task because of the poor conditions on the ship. On the ship gruel and peas made up the indentured servant’s diet. The shipboard mortality rate of 15 percent reflects the inhumane shipboard conditions. Once the ship reached the New World, indentured servants were heavily exploited by their owners. Working hours included all twenty four hours in a day. Servants continued to die off the ship

Throughout history there are many examples of hardship and sorrow. The Frethorne’s letter expressed the true expression of an indentured servant opinion and its conditions. The letter stressed a life or death situation for a man on his last hope. Frethorne was about a man that traveled from England to the Americas to claim land on behalf of his parents. The promises of the English government made this venture enticing on their promises.

In the years of 1865-1877 United States went through political, economic and society changes. This period is known as the Reconstruction of the 1865-1877. After the Civil War was over the south and the north was still divided. President Abraham Lincoln came up with a plan to bring the nation together. The plan was to reconstruct the Nation and it was known as the 10% Plan. This plan offered the idea in which the Nation would be brought back to unity and changes within it.

Many of the colonial hopefuls hopped onto the Mayflower wishing to experience an idyllic life freed from the oppression of the British rule. For example, Richard Frethorne was an Englishman who made the journey to the New World as an indentured servant. He settled in Virginia, near the Jamestown colony, in 1623. Over the course of his indentured servitude he wrote three letters to his parents, but other than that there is no record of his life. His letters paint a vague picture of how grueling life was in the colonies, especially among his social class. Frethorne,