History of the United States - Essay Example

?World War I and II United s Modern World Technology: silent film, no to little commercial flights, letters and newspapers major means ofcommunication and news gathering Culture: racial segregation, gender bias, baseball national pastime, radio and reading central Arts: painting, modernist literature, ragtime, big band, jazz Technology: television and internet technology, commercial aircraft, space shuttle, social media, cell phones, medical technology Culture: significant progress in terms of race, women’s suffrage and employment gains, television, football becomes central over baseball Arts: conceptual and new media art, post-modern literature rock, hip hop, and electronic music Controlling Idea The United States experienced significant change throughout the 20th century . This essay examines the differences about the United States since 1911 till 2011. Topics Covered Within this context of understanding a number of prominent differences will be examined. These differences emerge in terms of technological, cultural, and artistic change. History of the United States: Technological, Cultural, and Artistic Change The nature of progress throughout time is one of the fundamental differentiating factors between historical eras. While scholars contend that cultural and technological progress has been relatively uniform throughout human history, the explosion of industrial and digital technology throughout the 20th century constituted some of the most noticeable change in terms of lifestyle and culture. Indeed, an examination of the 20th century is impossible without an analysis of the significant progress that was achieved during the century. Through contrasting life during World War I and World II with life today, this essay constitutes a broad ranging investigation of technological, cultural, and artistic change within the United States. Perhaps the most prominent change between early 20th century America and the modern world can be witnessed in technological change. When considering the progress that has occurred during this period one must first consider the technological state during this early 20th century period. In these regards, perhaps the most noticeable technological elements are in terms of electronic and digital technology. Life in the United States in 1911 lacked both modern radios and televisions (LeFeber). While radios existed during this period, it wasn’t until 1916 that the first radio emerged where individuals could change the station, greatly expanding the nature of entertainment and radio communication (LeFeber). There were no televisions or computers during this period of American history. One considers that without such technology the means of gaining news of significant cultural events could only be gained from newspapers. Similarly, it was very difficult to remain in contact with family or friends living long distances away, as modern telephone technology and email did not yet exist. In terms of movies, while by World War II there emerged sound films, individuals living at 1911 only could watch silent films. Another important technological consideration occurred in terms of transportation. While the first airplane had been invented at the early part of the 20th century, it wasn’t until 1919 that the first commercial flights emerged, and not until many years later that they would become an affordable option for most Americans (LeFeber). Of course, neither people living during World War I or World War II experienced aeronautical space shuttle technology. When considering technology in terms of lifestyle in 2011 United States it’s clear significant progress has been made since World War II. One considers one of the major changes being the ways that technological progress has changed the way people in American society interact. Today the emergence of social media technology has profoundly changed the way that people interact. Internet sites such as Facebook have made staying in contact with old friends and family as easy as walking to a computer. Similarly economic interactions have tremendously shifted as sites such as Craigslist and eBay have made transactions much more efficient. While automobiles were a prominent part of American culture since the 1920s, the cars of 2011 are drastically more efficient in terms of gas mileage and safety measures. Space shuttle technology has also greatly expanded in 2011. Today the United States has the ability to send manned space flights to the moon and is currently developing technology designed to take astronauts to Mars. Finally, medical technology has changed considerably in the modern world. Today there is an infusion of biological approaches to mental health with anti-depressants emerging to combat depression. Hospitals are now replete with ultrasounds and brain imaging technology that have drastically improved quality of life throughout the United States. Another prominent distinction between the United States in 1911 and 2011 occurs in terms of cultural attitudes. Some of the most prominent considerations in these regards emerge in terms of race. During the early parts of the 20th century there remained considerable segregation throughout much of American culture. Indeed, even during World War II there remained a considerable divide between blacks and whites. There was segregation in terms of schools, employment, and even sports. While racism remains a problem in the modern world, it’s clear that significant progress has been made in terms of cultural attitudes. No longer is segregation an accepted policy. In addition, African Americans have made significant political gains, perhaps best exemplified by the recent election of President Barack Obama. In addition to progress in terms of cultural understandings of race, there has been significant progress made in terms of gender attitudes. During World War I and World War II gender attitudes in the United States greatly oppressed women. Indeed, it wasn’t until 1918 that Congress passed the 19th Amendment restricting states from denying voting rights based on gender (Goldfield). In 2011, women also enjoy significant employment gains in comparison to World War I and II cultural attitudes (Goldfield). For instance, it is now appropriate from women to pursue higher-level education and seek full-time jobs that were previously only the domain of men. In addition to cultural attitudes on race and gender, the United States has witnessed tremendous cultural change between 1911 and 2011 in terms of attitudes on entertainment and fashion. As examined earlier in terms of technological change, the development of the television profoundly influenced American entertainment preferences. While reading and the radio were the prominent forms of entertainment during the first half of the 20th century, the emergence of the television drastically changed interests throughout the United States. Today Americans spend countless hours watching sitcoms, dramas, and reality television shows. In addition, movies have greatly changed since 1911, as the development of sound, color, and drastically more liberal attitudes towards the depiction of sex and violence have made the contemporary film significantly different (Goldfield). Finally, the national pastime has even changed during this period. While football was played during this early period of American culture, it wasn’t until the 1960s that it subsumed baseball as the nation’s most popular sport (Goldfield). Today the National Football League’s Super Bowl constitutes five of the top ten watched television programs in history (Goldfield). Ultimately, it’s clear that substantial cultural shifts have occurred between 1911 and 2011 in terms of entertainment. In addition to technological and cultural changes, the United States witnessed tremendous change between 1911 and 2011 in terms of artistic expression. One such consideration occurs in terms of the fine arts. At 1911 the predominant mode of artistic expression remained oil on canvas forms of artistic expression, with American artists exploring cubist and surrealist styles. As the 20th century progressed forms of artistic expression increasingly abandoned painting and extended in conceptual and performance modes of expression. Today artists work in a large variety of mediums, including conceptual, performance, and new media artists who work with digital technology. Literature also witnessed tremendous changes throughout the 20th century. During World War I and II writers such as Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald were popularized through traditional narrative forms. 2011 has increasingly witnessed shifts in forms of writing. Today post-modernism has become a predominant style of literature. No longer do cutting-edge writers write the straight forward narratives that are characteristic of Hemingway or Fitzgerald’s modernist writing. Instead, literature in the contemporary world increasingly explores self-reflexivity through experimental forms of narrative, replete with flashbacks, footnotes, and other forms of transcending traditional narratives (Goldfield). Finally, tremendous cultural change has occurred in terms of musical expression. During World War I and World War II American popular music constituted such forms as ragtime, jazz, and swing. It wasn’t until the 1950s that the guitar and rock music emerged as predominant forms of musical expression (LeFeber). Today there are a plethora of music styles, including hip-hop and electronic music, as well as multi-varied forms of pop music that are entirely divergent in terms of theme and sound from the music of earlier eras. Ultimately, it’s clear that significant changes have occurred from 1911 to 2011 in terms of artistic express. In conclusion, this essay has examined changes in the United States from 1911 to 2011. In this context of investigation, technological, cultural, and artistic forms of change have been examined. It’s clear that a plethora of examples of change have emerged during throughout the 20th century until the present day world. Even as this change has occurred, it’s necessary to consider the extent that this change constitutes true progress. Ultimately, through more accepting social attitudes and technological advancements that have brought society into closer contact and understanding, it’s apparent that progress in the United States has truly occurred. References Goldfield, David. 20th Century America: A Political and Social History. New York: Templeton Press. 2004. LeFeber, Walter. The American Century. M.E. Sharpe. 2008. Read More