US History Task 3
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Western Governors University *
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Course
C121
Subject
History
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
Pages
2
Uploaded by BrigadierPowerAnt100
A.
Three major changes in race relations that resulted from Reconstruction were Black
education, sharecropping, and Black Codes.
Reconstruction brought about educational opportunities for Black Americans that did not
previously exist. Education was reserved for whites, but free African Americans were
ready to see their community educated. They began founding schools. Children
attended elementary school during the day while adults attended at night (Norton,
2015).
Another change in race relations was sharecropping. Former slaves needed a way to
earn money and survive. They did not have money or a way to purchase land to live
and work on. Instead, Black farmers began to “rent” farmland from white
landowners. This was called sharecropping. They farmed the land and paid the
landowner by giving him a share of the crop. However, this system created a debt
that bound them to the landowner, not entirely unlike slavery (Norton, 2015).
Black Codes were a controversial change that came from Reconstruction era legislation,
specifically Johnson’s Reconstruction plan. They contained restrictive language
about freedmen, imposing strict curfews and rules surrounding work. They aimed to
keep Black people in servitude and working on plantations. This was in part why
Johnson’s plan was scrapped, and the congressional Reconstruction plan introduced
(Norton, 2015).
B.
One consequence of Industrialization was economic imbalances. Because of the way business was being
done, workers remained in poverty while business owners were gaining wealth. Land became more
valuable because of the need for rapid expansion since Industrialism was causing cities to grow
quickly. Therefore, property owners increased rents and were profiting while workers’ lives and
conditions were not improving. This influenced later legislation, although we can still see the effects
of this today
(Norton, 2015)
.
Another consequence of Industrialization was poor working conditions. Since workers were no longer
skilled producers (for example, farmers and craftsmen), they were expected to be as efficient as
possible. Industrial workers were subject to accidents. Hundreds of thousands of workers died due
to these accidents each year. If they didn’t die, they were permanently disabled or ill. Disability
insurance and/or workers compensation did not yet exist. Employers were so demanding and strict
that in some jobs, the workers were not allowed to speak to one another. They lived in fear of being
fired
(Norton, 2015)
.
C.
1.
Progressive reforms were supported by social morality because those that agreed that
certain behaviors should be limited or outlawed believed there were clear right and
wrong ways to live. They strove to limit corruption and immorality and maintain a
certain standard of society. This was often evident in middle-class reformers who
wanted to protect the welfare of all people.
Some of these reformers were religious. For example, the Social Gospel was a religious
movement that believed “What would Jesus do?” was the ultimate question to guide
humanity (Norton, 2015).
2.
The Labor Reform movement was motivated by poor working conditions and the rise of
child labor.
The National Child Labor Committee pressed most states to pass laws
detailing a minimum employment age and limiting the hours that minors could work.
There were also factory inspection laws, meant to ensure safe working conditions.
Demands for protection extended to the elderly and states began enacting pensions
(Norton, 2015).
Another Reform movement was Prohibition. This was a famous movement that wanted
to regulate “immoral” behavior, specifically the consumption of alcohol.
Organizations such as the Anti-Saloon League framed the issue as a family one,
linking drunkenness to health, domestic violence, accidents, poverty, and work
problems (Norton, 2015).
3.
One impact of the Progressive movement on American politics was the 18
th
Amendment.
Prohibition-supporting reformers influenced Congress into outlawing the
manufacture, sale, and transportation of liquor. This was a nationwide ban that
affected American life in many ways. The 18
th
Amendment was passed in 1918,
ratified in 1919, and implemented in 1920. Even though not all Prohibitionists were
Progressive reformers, this Amendment was a symbol of the Progressive movement,
the goal of which was to influence legislation to protect the workplace and families
(Norton, 2015).
D.
• Hawaiian Annexation
American Imperialism influenced the annexation of Hawaii in a few ways. The sugar
industry on the island was an economic motivation. The United States wanted to
make money from the island. There were also military interests relating to Pearl
Harbor, which was a great place for the military to install a command center for a
war (Norton, 2015).
• Spanish-American War
Imperialism fueled the Spanish-American War.
The war was seen as an opportunity to
expand and gain more territories for the United States. Conservatives had political
/social motivations, viewing war as a unifier of our nation as it increased patriotism.
There were economic motivations surrounding Cuba but they were minimal(Norton,
2015).
E.
Norton, M.B. (2015).
A people & a nation.
Retrieved from
https://lrps.wgu.edu/provision/53540310
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