At aparticular period in American history, explain why i consider it so important - Term Paper Example

Important Period in US History: The 1800s The United s of America has experienced a lot in terms of social, economic and political changes in the course of its history. One of the most prominent eras in the country’s history is the 1800s which marked a major change in the social fabric of the country as it saw the establishment of various antislavery movements and the final victory against slavery as previously accepted as a norm (Chambers 54). The 1800s saw the establishment of several anti-slavery movements that laboured against the propagation of slavery.

Some of the most common movements in this respect included the American and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society, the American Anti-Slavery Society, and the American Colonization Society under the leadership of different abolitionists. Slavery and slave trade thrived in the US greatly in the periods preceding and during the 1800s. However, with the turn of the new century, many political leaders came to realise the nature of activity that was slavery (Olsen 25). They appreciated slavery as an ill, something that went against the fundamental human rights.

The leaders saw the need to free slaves, mostly Africans, and give them an opportunity to return to their native land. This change of ideals saw the American Colonization Society establish Liberia as a centre for freed slaves. Although the idea of repatriating slaves from white society was rejected in the 1840s, based on the principles propagated during the great awakening, the central idea of freedom of slavery remained a core issue in the administration of the nation. For the first time in the history of the United States, African Americans took a central role in the determination of their history as they participated actively and in some cases actually led abolitionist movements.

The 1860s marked a major turn in the history of the US as it was the climax of the war against slavery as marked by the American Civil War (Chambers 54). The Civil War that began in 1861 and ended in 1865 saw eleven states secede from the United States owing to their support for slavery (Griess 15). The Confederacy as the states came to be known in union went to war against 20 states that supported the freedom of slaves and all Americans by extension. The 20 states were in support of the federal government at some point under the leadership of Abraham Lincoln.

In order to establish the prominence of the 1800s in the History of the United States, secondary research will be conducted. The study will involve reading documents, books, journals and web sources related to the subject; both primary and secondary sources will be referred to in this study. Conclusion The 1800s saw great changes occur to the social structure of the United States of America. First anti-slavery movements propelled by the principles of the great awakening made an impact in the way leaders perceived slavery.

Since some states were ill prepared for change considering that they needed cheap labour, they opposed the notion of freeing those who were enslaved in what ended up being the American Civil War. The end of the war saw the victory of the federal government and a popular move to abolish slavery. Today, Americans and especially those of African descent enjoy a good level of freedom, this being a result of the events that occurred in the 1800s. Works Cited Chambers John. The Oxford Companion to American Military History.

Oxford University Press. 1999. Griess, Thomas. The American Civil War. Square One Publishers, Inc. 2002. Olsen Christopher. The American Civil War: A Hands-on History. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 2007.