The united states after the civil war - Essay Example

The United s after the Civil War The cost of the Civil War to the United s was massive. The American economy boomed after the Civil war and the country witnessed remarkable economic growth and development (Peacock 11). As a matter of fact, there are only a few nations in the world history that have transformed as rapidly as the United States from a relatively isolated, agrarian, rural, and backward nation into one of the most industrially advanced pluralistic and urban societies in the world. What became apparent during this development is the realization that modernization always extracts heavy price.

The United States extracted a heavy price in regard to its natural resources, politics, environment, and landscape. In addition, this development affected the American character, as citizens became more self-serving, acquisitive, greedy, materialistic, and self-centered. The American Republic became more ethnic and race-conscious and class conscious as well (Peacock 18). In order to better understand the United States after the civil war, this paper will discuss the various dynamics that shaped the American history from 1865-1900 and what caused the dramatic changes in the American society.

Immigration and urbanization are dynamics that significantly shaped the American history from 1865-1900 and caused the dramatic changes in the American society. During this period, the United States population grew from about 24 million in 1865 to over 76 million in 1900 (Moretta, Louise and Anne 23). It is estimated that 16.2 million of this population growth was as a result of immigration. Massive immigration into the United States has been attributed to the American “pulls” that attracted foreigners into the country.

Many immigrants were attracted to religious and political freedom in the United States; economic opportunities available in the United States industrialized cities and towns; and improvement in transatlantic travel that made travel to be cheaper and faster among other factors (Peacock 39). Immigration led to increased population that widened the market for goods and services in the United States as well as providing cheap labor; these two main factors accelerated economic growth and development in the United States.

Immigration also had considerable impact on culture, food, and languages in the United States thereby causing dramatic changes in the society and affected the American character (Peacock 44). The United States also recorded fast urbanization during this period as industrial opportunities in American cities attracted people from other countries and rural areas (Moretta, Louise and Anne 30). As a result of urbanization, the Republic became more ethnic, race, and class-conscious and the American character was affected as citizens became more acquisitive and materialistic.

Apart from immigration and urbanization, reconstruction and industrialization were the other main dynamics that shaped the American history from 1865-1900. Reconstruction of the United States occurred between 1865 and 1877 and it aimed at addressing how the eleven seceding states would be reseated in Congress and regain self-government, and the legal and constitutional status of freedmen. After the end of the United States’ reconstruction, industrialization took off from nearly where it had left off prior to the Civil War (Moretta, Louise and Anne 49).

Steel and iron became important ingredients to the enhanced industrialization of the United States. During the period after reconstruction and 1900, the United States became more and more industrialized and less agricultural. Raw materials like coal significantly increased the industrialization capacity of the United States. Key people in the industrialization process such as John Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, Cornelius Vanderbilt, and Thomas Edison were instrumental in accelerating industrialization in the United States through their inventions and initiatives.

Due to the rapid industrialization process, the United States was able to catch up with the greatest industrial power- Great Britain by the end of the 19th Century (Peacock 62). The westward expansion was one of the defining themes after the Civil War in the United States and which shaped American history from 1865-1900 in a great way. Westward expansion led to expanded boundaries of the United States as she was able to acquire more states. Acquisition of more states increased the geographical territory of the United States which widened its space for bigger population and production.

As a result of the expansion, the United States was able to give Indians free land to move into (Peacock 78). Besides, it was able to improve the west mostly the “Great Plains” and increased its agricultural production that made America to become the bread basket of the world. However, it should be noted that during the 1865-1900 period the United States experienced conflicts, notably between the Whites and African Americans, as well as between the Whites Indians and Immigrants (Moretta, Louise and Anne 55).

The civil war was a significant period in the history of the United States of America. Through the war, American states abandoned their cessation ideals and forged a united, stronger and more productive country. The civil war was equally significant in giving rise to the manifest destiny philosophy that saw the country expanding westwards to acquire the current western states. All the aforementioned dynamics greatly shaped American history from 1865-1900 and affected the American character, as well as making the Republic to be more ethnic, racially charged, and class-conscious.

Works Cited Moretta, Anne. Louise Mayo and Anne Kearney. American Dreams & Reality: A Retelling of the American Story, Volume II. Abagail Press, 2005. Print. Peacock, Judith. Reconstruction: rebuilding after the Civil War. Mankato, Mn: Bridgestone Books, 2003. Print.