American History in 1865 - 1929 - Essay Example

10 October US History From 1865 - 1929 1865-1929 is recognized as the era in which US underwent great political and socioeconomic changes. This era is particularly significant because of the changed status of African Americans in US and the massive in-pour of immigrants into US. This paper aims to identify the answers to these questions; What did it mean to be a minority in the US during 1865-1929? What is US diplomacy during 1865-1929? And where did race relations domestically and US diplomacy intersect during 1865-1929? 1865 marked the death of slavery and birth of racism in US which appalled as decades passed by while the 20th century highlighted the diplomatic side of US. Slavery in US was officially banned after 1865, yet that was the time of birth of racism in US. African Americans, Asian Americans and Chinese were some of the minorities in US between 1865 and 1929. White Americans formed the majority of US. 1865 and onwards was the era when US opened the gates to immigration and people started to pour into US from all parts of the world. That was also the time when slavery was considerably abolished from US after a long struggle of the states and US had been proven indivisible. Nevertheless, the abolition of slavery gave birth to racism because not all Americans were pleased to see the past slaves acquire the right to vote and fill positions in the government. This raised new challenges not only for the African Americans, but also for all other migrants that were in a minority in the US. After the slavery was legally abolished and the rich culture of America was eradicated, African Americans felt uncomfortable while using their right to vote. Although they had physically been released from the chains of slavery, yet they required decades of psychological therapy to break free of the hold of the trauma of slavery. However, things changed for the better as time passed. Many of them introduced the black codes with puts constraints on their freedom. By 1870, a lot of African Americans were allowed entry into politics and the Congress. But a vast majority of the white Southerners was not in the favor of reconstruction. The culmination of the Reconstruction Period in 1877 sanctioned a new constitution. In spite of the guarantees made by the new constitution, African-Americans and the immigrants had the status of second-class citizens in US. With limited civil rights, they made subordinates to the white Americans that were in majority. Racism was omnipresent in schools, offices, hospitals, recreational spots and public stations. As the 19th century approached its end, racism in US reached its apogee. Strict segregation in public places, sports, theaters, transportation and cemeteries was supported by law. A vast majority of the African Americans had been denied the right to vote as a result of their inability to pay the poll taxes, which had been primarily enforced to keep them from participating in the policy. African Americans were subject to violence by the mobs and they were put into forced labor in jails if they were made complaint against. Although law had declared them free, yet the majority of African Americans had hardly managed to escape slavery. Start of the 20th century brought industrial revolution to the US. In fact, things had started to change in favor of technological advancement right from the last two decades of the 19th century. Industrialization also made more room for the workers. The American Federation of Labor was established in 1882. Workers were dissatisfied with the low wages and long working hours till the end of the 19th century. Immigrants made a significant proportion of the industrial workforce. Almost 25 million immigrants had settled in different cities of America between 1865 and 1910. Although immigrants were offered lower wages than the native Americans and they had to worker more than them, yet the living conditions in America were better than those in their homelands. Immigrants in America had more political and religious freedom along with increased opportunities of schooling and employment than they had in their native countries. The first settlers spent most of their life in poverty. The real beneficiaries were the descendants of the immigrant settlers because they were able to seek education in the American schools and had greater control over the American English as compared to their ancestors. Hence, to be a minority in the US between 1865 and 1929 meant that you have to compromise upon your integrity, values, norms, trends and traditions for the sake of better future for your generations. “Cartoon 5. After the First Mile” (Evans in Martinez-Fernandez 53). US actively participated in the international political affairs wherever it saw injustice in the 20th century. The claim that an imperial State forcibly subjugating other peoples and their lands does so for the purpose of rendering services to the conquered equal to those which she exacts is notoriously false: she neither intends equivalent services nor is capable of rendering them, and the pretence that such benefits to the governed form a leading motive or result of Imperialism implies a degree of moral or intellectual obliquity so grave as itself to form a new peril for any nation fostering so false a notion of the nature of its conduct. (Hobson 368). US started to realize that it has gained enormous strength of influencing international affairs by the end of the 19th century. Till then, US had become world’s leader in the production of cotton and wheat. Within few decades, US had become a big industrial power and had a record of formulating international treaties in support of their desires in the past. This provided the US leaders with sufficient reason to expand and gain the status of an imperial power. US needed to evolve as an imperialist country before Europe gained full colonial hold of the world. The ever-increasing economic strength caused the US to find ways to establish trading posts across the globe that would enable her to benefit from the wealth of other countries. “In the 1890s, it seemed silly for the United States to remain isolationist, so they decided to change that and take their place as one of the world powers” (“American Imperialism 1). Right from the start of the 20th century, American foreign policy underwent big changes which became more intense as the century progressed. US saw a mix of successes and failures in the 20th century. This was the century in which US progressed “from the position of relative novice in international politics to world leader” (Carroll and Herring xiv). Early 20th century US was the favorite destination of immigrants because it promised better lifestyle, opportunities and facilities as compared to their native countries. After the breakout of the World War 1 in Europe in 1914, Wilson headed for neutrality in the foreign policy. At the beginning of the Great War, the US’s diplomacy was neutrality. President Wilson wanted the country to act as a mediator for the belligerents, finding a compromising end to the war that would end the war and create positive, modern international relations among the warring countries. US was upset with the German invasion into Belgium. Americans revolted against the Germans killing the Belgian citizens. In 1917, Germany announced that she would indulge in submarine warfare irrespective of the country the ships belonged to. In response to the growing tension, Wilson declared war against Germany through Congress in 1917. Wilson did this not only to protect the rights and independence of the people of other countries but also considered it a necessary step in the way of establishment and restoration of democracy for the betterment of mankind. Wilson saw this as a “war to end all wars” (Coffman 364). In order to accomplish that, US felt the need to increase the authority of the federal government. As the war went on the US began to realize this peaceful solution to the war was not possible, that US intervention would be needed. After the war, US neither sanctioned the Treaty of Versailles nor promoted the League of Nations. The results of war had put the American people into devastation and by 1920, US had started to withdraw from Europe and revert to her personal affairs. The idea of race influenced US diplomacy because the US was looked at by other nations as an ideal country that would take stand and fight for the protection and safeguard of the interests of other nations, but on the issue of race America had failed to establish a good example. The US being a world power would often intervened in conflicts among the warring nations that often fought for equality or racial/ethnic acceptance of one group or another. Even the mere thought of US that she was trying to help resolve the problems of other countries made the US hypocritical because while trying to resolve the problems of race elsewhere, US leaders could not deal justly with the issue of race itself and often showed unfair treatment to particular racial groups. These actions lead to questionable relationships with certain countries that could not fully understand the discriminatory nature of the US. Works Cited: “American Imperialism in the 20th Century: Turning from Isolationism.” 29 July 2008. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. . Carroll, John M., and Herring, George C. Modern American diplomacy. UK: SR Books, 1996. Print. Coffman, Edward M. The war to end all wars: the American military experience in World War I. USA: The University of Kentucky Press, 1998. Web. Hobson, J. A. Imperialism: A Study. NY: Cosimo, 2005. Print. Martinez-Fernandez, Luis. “The Birth of the American Empire as Seen Through Political Cartoons (1896-1905).” 1998. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. . Read More