During the years following the American Civil War (1861–1865), a period known as Reconstruction, the country’s racial climate saw dramatic shifts. As a result of the renovation, three significant alterations occurred: The ratification of Amendments Thirteen, Fourteen, and Fifteen to the United States Constitution. These amendments made it illegal for states to discriminate against voters based on race ended slavery, and awarded African Americans full citizenship (Lash, 2021). These alterations were made to guarantee that African Americans would be afforded equal protection under the law and to safeguard their civil liberties.
However, while these amendments were significant steps forward, they were often ignored or circumvented by southern states, particularly after the end of Reconstruction. After Reconstruction, Southern states used Jim Crow laws to enforce racial segregation and discrimination, which kept African Americans from using public services and getting chances (Lash, 2021). The Jim Crow system persisted until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. During and after Reconstruction, many African Americans moved from the South to the North and West in search of better jobs and to get away from racism and violence. This great migration significantly affected the population, culture, and politics of the United States. It also made it possible for the Civil Rights Movement to happen.
Industrialization in America led to new social classes and economic inequality (Opoku & Boachie, 2020). The wealthy industrial bourgeoisie gained significant economic and political power, while many workers experienced low wages, poor working conditions, and little job security. This economic disparity fueled social unrest and political movements such as labor unions, socialists, and populists. Business owners and government authorities often violently repressed these movements, which demanded better working conditions, wages, and job security. Industrialization also increased corporate and political power. Big corporations and corporate empires concentrated economic power in the hands of a few wealthy people. These influential businesspeople shaped politics through direct lobbying and media ownership. As a result, many politicians began prioritizing regular people’s demands over business elites’ interests.
This led to political corruption and called for corporate power limitations. The government created antitrust laws and regulatory agencies like the Interstate Commerce Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to address corporate power and influence. These laws and organizations prevented monopolies and other economic abuses while promoting fair competition. The Progressive Movement started in the United States at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. It was a reaction to the changes in the economy and society caused by industrialization and the growth of cities. The movement was led by people who wanted to fix social and economic inequality, clean up government corruption, and improve working-class Americans’ lives. Religion and social morality played an essential role in promoting these reforms.
Religion and social morality played a significant role in promoting progressive reforms. Many reformers believed that society’s problems could be addressed through Christian morality and social justice (Schäfer, 2022). The Social Gospel movement, which emerged in the late 19th century, emphasized the importance of social justice and the obligation of Christians to address the problems of poverty, inequality, and injustice. The movement was led by prominent Protestant ministers, who argued that Christian morality required social reform and that Christians had a duty to work towards improving the lives of the less fortunate. Two reform movements that helped define the Progressive Era were the women’s suffrage and labor movements.
The women’s suffrage movement, which began in the mid-19th century, fought for women’s right to vote and played a crucial role in securing the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920. The labor movement, which started in the late 1800s, fought for workers’ rights, such as better working conditions, higher wages, and the right to form unions. The labor movement was a big reason why laws like the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 were passed. This law set a minimum wage and maximum hours a worker could work weekly. The 16th, 17th, and 19th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution were passed because of the Progressive Movement, a significant change in American politics.
The 16th Amendment, passed in 1913, set up the federal income tax. This gave the government a steady way to get money and allowed social welfare programs to grow. The 17th Amendment also ratified in 1913, provided for the people’s direct election of U.S. Senators rather than by state legislatures. This helped to reduce corruption and increase accountability in government. Finally, the 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, granted women the right to vote, a significant victory for the women’s suffrage movement that helped advance women’s rights more broadly.
Hawaiian annexation and the Philippine War were caused by U.S. imperialism. American imperialism was based on the idea that American principles and culture were superior and must be spread abroad. This worldview shaped late 19th- and early 20th-century American foreign policy (Foster, 2019). American imperialism began with the Hawaiian annexation. Hawaii, then a kingdom, came under U.S. influence in the 1890s. American sugar growers and businesspeople wanted Hawaii annexed to preserve their investments. American planters and businesspeople deposed the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893 and installed a provisional administration with U.S. help. The U.S. annexed Hawaii in 1898. U.S. imperialism was evident in the Philippines’ war. Once the USS Maine sank in Havana Harbor in 1898, the U.S. declared war on Spain. The U.S. conquered various Spanish possessions, notably the Philippines, in the Caribbean and Pacific. Filipinos, who had fought the Spanish for years, opposed American rule. U.S. forces fought Filipino insurgents from 1899 through 1902. The war killed tens of thousands of Filipinos and Americans. U.S. imperialism drove the Hawaiian Annexation and Philippine War. Hawaii and the Philippines were annexed to increase American power. The U.S. claimed to deliver civilization and democracy to these territories, but economic and strategic goals drove them.
American imperialism lives on in Hawaii and the Philippines, where the U.S. dominates politics and business. During the Reconstruction period in the United States, slavery was finally ended, and African Americans were given citizenship and the right to vote. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when industrialization began, it caused significant changes in politics and society, such as the rise of big businesses and the growth of cities. These changes helped start the Progressive movement, which pushed for women’s right to vote, worker safety, and laws against monopolies. The movement created a welfare state for the poor, old, and crippled. These historical periods continue to affect American politics and society today.
References
Foster, J. B. (2019). Late imperialism. Monthly Review, 71(3), 1-19. https://classstruggle.in/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/classstruggle-jun-july-2019-doc-late-imperialism.pdf
Lash, K. T. (2021). Teaching the History of the Reconstruction Amendments: Syllabus and Teachers Manual for the Reconstruction Amendments: Essential Documents. Available at SSRN 3818810. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3818810
Opoku, E. E. O., & Boachie, M. K. (2020). The environmental impact of industrialization and foreign direct investment. Energy Policy, 137, 111178. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301421519307645
Schäfer, A. (2022). Cultural backlash? How (not) to explain the rise of authoritarian populism. British Journal of Political Science, 52(4), 1977-1993.https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-political-science/article/cultural-backlash-how-not-to-explain-the-rise-of-authoritarian-populism/FFE9742798D8CC4BF6ED325FDBAFA251
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