Progressive era
Identity-The Progressive Era included women suffrage and prohibition. During this time women were beginning the fight for their independent rights, they began taking interest in politics and fighting for their right to vote. Women such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton created petitions and influenced Congress to pass an amendment allowing women the right to vote. Because of these courageous acts women now have the right to vote and take part in many other forms of government. We have yet to have a women president, but many predict this will change in the near future. The saying "All men are created equal" is prevalent now that women have the same rights as men. Gender equality have changed and continues to change.
Work, Exchange and Technology- In 1914, Henry Ford announced that he would pay his workers and minimum of $5 a day. Henry Ford developed his own vehicle line that would for the first time be affordable to the average person. The population of Detroit grew immensely, people traveling from all over the world in search for work. Henry Ford created the assembly line, a quick and efficient way to build the car. With the assembly line he was able to bring the average price of a car down from $850 in 1908 to $250 in 1925. The cost of living was much lower during this time period. The cost for a Ford car's nowadays are thousands of dollars more. Henry Ford treated his workers better than most companies at this time period. Not only did he pay them much more on a daily basis, but they would also work shorter days. Henry Ford shaped the culture at this time by making his workers give up there religion and ethnic backgrounds. He would make his workers take Americanization classes so that his they would become American, and English speaking.
Peopling: During the Progressive many groups of people were immigrating to the United States. The Irish and Italians were the first to come in large waves to the U.S. In Ireland there was a large potato famine, this resulted in lots of people dying of starvation forced to move. In this era there was also a large increase in the population coming from China. So much so that the U.S. had to issue a Chinese Exclusion Act that would not allow any Chinese to immigrate to America.
Politics and Power- During, the end of the Gilded Age and beginning of the Progressive Era; Captains of Industry, Robber Barons, and Political Machines were prominent. Captains of Industry and Robber Barons pretty much controlled the economy. They were the major money makers in the country at this time. For example you have Andrew Carnegie who controlled the steel industry, J.P. Rockefeller who controlled the oil industry, and Cornelius Vanderbilt who controlled the controlled the railroad and ferry business. The Captains of Industry and Robber Baron's spent a lot of time "fighting" for control of money, they always wanted to be on top of another. During this time they basically had control of the government. Nowadays tables have turned and the Government is back on the top of the food chain. Government has since increased their role in the lives of Americans.
America in the World- During, this time period a large amount of people were immigrating to the United States. Starting in 1896, people began coming from all parts of the world looking for work or religious freedoms. Large waves of people starting coming from Europe through Ellis Island and from Asia through Angel Island. Immigration was steadily speeding up until the start of World War 1 in 1914. The war suddenly stopped immigration especially for Chinese and other Asians, which didn't speed back up until 1919.
Environment and Geography- The Progressive Era brought many people migrating to the cities in search of work. Captains of Industry were creating businesses and hiring employee's to work in their factories. The movement of people to cities is called Urbanization. Urbanization and factories brought lots of pollution, air pollution and trash. Also, as urbanization skyrocketed cities faced housing, transportation, water pollution, sanitation, crime, and fire issues. Housing in the cities became overcrowded, dirty, and disease ridden. People lived in tenements sharing it with 2 or 3 other families, people also lived in row houses-single-family dwellings that shared walls with other similar houses. Water pollution was a huge problem, filth from sewers would get into the drinking causing lot's of people to get ill.
Ideas, Belief, and Culture- As people immigrated to the United States they would typically flock to the areas that had people from their home country. Areas in the city that were specific to a certain religious group or country. For example, when Italians immigrated to the U.S. they would go to wear the other Italians were. Same with the Chinese, that is why there is such thing as China town in New York city. Unfortunately, some captains of Industry would not allow for ethnic diversity, they would not hire their employees unless they took certain Americanization classes. The classes would purify them as Americans, leaving their religious beliefs and cultures behind. An example, Henry Ford, he set very specific standards for his employees. It was a requirement if you worked for him to take the Americanization classes. Values definitely changed during this time period, people especially Europeans, were now giving up their cultures for work. People valued work before they valued religion or culture.
Imperialism
Identity- During the Imperialism Era the U.S. gained new land, we took control of Hawaii, Alaska, the Panama Canal, the Philippines, and etc. The people in the new countries we controlled immigrated to the U.S. They brought diversity making America the melting pot of the world. For example, people from the Philippines immigrated to the United States as students and working in the military. Many of these people stayed after the U.S. lost control of them, still making up a percentage of our population. The new immigrants helped the country further diversify.
Work, Exchange, and Technology- In 1904, the United States began to work on the Panama Canal; the Panama Canal was a ship canal in Panama that connected the Atlantic and Pacific ocean. In the Spanish American war the U.S. battleships could travel through the canal which would greatly reduce the amount of time traveling from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean. The definition of imperialism is the domination by country of the political, economic, or cultural life of one another. Economic's gave access to markets and raft resources. During, Imperialism the economic system was capitalism. New market's during this time were exporting goods more than they were importing, hence growing our economy. In fact, the biggest advantage of imperialism was money. Many industries were booming, such as the Palm Oil, rubber, petroleum, sugar, and cotton industries.
Peopling: During Imperialism people were continuing to migrate to America. For example, during this time period there was an increase in the amount of Filipino people who immigrated to the U.S. This is because of the result of the largely forgotten Philippine American War, which paved a way for migration coming from the Philippines. The Filipino immigrants began arriving as students, farm workers, or U.S. military personnel. Today the United States is one of the world's largest Asian communities, with more than 2 million Filipinos and Filipino Americans.
Politics and Power: Americans in the early 1900's were happy with the decisions and policies laid out by President Roosevelt. In 1908 following up Roosevelt's term in office was William Howard Taft. President Taft was easily elected because a large amount of Americans believed that he would continue the policies Roosevelt laid out. However, some serious Republicans many believe they regretted their choice of election when Taft began to leave the Republican's ways. Though, Taft continued with Roosevelt's aim in expanding America's influence abroad. Senate did not agree with many things Taft was doing, they refused to sign several treaties. In this time period government seems to continue their role in the lives of Americans.
America and the World: In the 1890's America's economy was the powerhouse of the world. In 1895 Cuba began fighting for independence from Spain, and with the help of yellow journalism the U.S. went to war with Spain. This event broke out as the Spanish-American War. The War resulted with the U.S. taking control of the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam. They also had the right to intervene in Cuba to protect "life, property, and individual liberties."
Environment and Geography: The United States was a growing country, containing the world's most productive economy. The environment had lots of air pollution and trash. Although unlike the Progressive Era people were being more conscious of the earth and environment. For example, many acts such as the Clean Air Act were put in place to protect the environment.
Ideas, Beliefs, and Culture: Many ideas during the Imperialism Era were created with Republican viewpoint. Both presidents Roosevelt and Taft were republicans which may have influenced the fact that they made the certain decisions they did. Taft encouraged Wall Street investors to invest money in foreign markets, the goal in which to increase American influence abroad. Though throughout his presidency he began to urge investors to spend money in Latin American countries, this made Americans feel like they were responsible to support these financially struggling country's.