preview

The Spring Of 1865 And Its Impact On Society

Decent Essays

The spring of 1865 would mark a change in society because the Civil War had just ended; the North had won victory over the South. The time period after the war ended would be known as the Reconstruction Era, which would last until 1877. During this time, America would try to bring an angered South back into the Union, and transform ex-slaves into equal citizens. After the Reconstruction Era, the Gilded Age emerged. The word Gilded means to be covered up with a gold leaf or paint. This is exactly how this time can be described because many of the social problems that existed were masked over with the new profound wealth that America had. The culture of America would begin to move from a rural, agricultural lifestyle to an urban, overcrowded lifestyle. The new urban lifestyle would lead into the Progressive Era, which began in 1890. This time period had progressives who "wanted to reform and regulate their capitalist society, not destroy it" (Shi and Tindall 706). As time got closer to 1929, the society became more equitable because women began to gain their rights, racial issues began to subside, and consumer consumption began the "New Era." During the time between the Reconstruction Era through the beginning of the Gilded Age, many women were under-educated. The Gilded Age helped grow the middle-class. As the middle-class began to grow the female presence in the workforce began to grow as well. This was partly because the women were beginning to gain access to education;

Get Access