Reconstruction of the South in USA History - Coursework Example

Income tax rates were raised to very high standards worth making life almost unmanageable to the southern citizens. Since the northern states had more private wealth of their own, the southern government had to borrow money from them and help restore their economy (Knowles & Healey, 2006).

By the time the civil war was coming to an end, the value of the Confederate dollar had dropped in comparison to the Union money. Life became so expensive in the South and people started starving due to the inflation of the price of even basic needs including food commodities. Slavery was also legalized with most slaves being African Americans who worked nonstop in their employers’ cotton. With the slaves no longer available, it meant that no more cotton was being produced hence no income from it (Harris, 2008).

Reconstruction of the South

In the political realm, southern leaders came back to the Washington capital and the federal government controlled each of the southern states one by one. Abraham Lincoln initialized strategic plans for reconstructing the southern states. In the year 1865, he introduced a bureau that gave the once slaves the right to get educated, be employed with better jobs, and get good healthcare. An amendment was also introduced that did away with the once-legalized slavery. On my account, I would have liked to live from the years 1866 onwards due to the good leadership implemented by Lincoln because there were job opportunities, good healthcare facilities, and also the southern and northern states were united (Gillman, 2002).

Question two

In the 20th century, the U.S. historical course changed whereby a great industrial revolution took place, to the extent of becoming the best in the world in terms of industrial management and output. Availability of land, labor, natural resources, capital, and good transport networks lead to the production and transport of many goods and services that increased the annual income of the citizens after the previous inflation. The present-day America has got large and sophisticated factories most of which were inaugurated between the years 1912 and 1922. Very complex technologies are being used in the manufacture of iron and steel that is selling at great profits with the Irish and Chinese providing labor. The communication networks have also improved production such that managers are now using telegraphs and telephones to reach a wide range of coordinators (Abrams, 2009).

In 1918, there was also immigration into the US with most immigrants coming from Russia and Central Europe. Since most of them were forced out of their countries by poverty and lack of jobs, they found America a better place because some joined various industries for job opportunities while the Chinese were deployed in the railway works. Basing my views on history, I would prefer to live between 1912 to 1950 because I would be the one to invent major machines being used in industries today hence I would live behind a good history under my name (Dal Lago, 2005).

Question three

The leader I would ever want to meet is Abraham Lincoln so that I can find out how he managed to move on considering the opposition he faced while attempting the reconstruction of the southern states. He must have been a very smart leader bearing in mind that he proposed and implemented reforms that came to improve America. Many other leaders in the country would have tried to ensure that the political situation of the United States remains stable yet they would find it so difficult but Lincoln managed even though he lived back in the 1800s, many years back ago.