Essay about The United States from 1865 to 1950 - 1172 Words

The United States changed dramatically from 1865 to 1950. Many changes occurred in industrialization, foreign affairs, government, as well as in society and culture. The events that took place within this time period helped shape this country into what it is today. Industrial development began with the railroad, with the help of Republican governments, who provided subsidies, loans and tax exemptions to railroad corporations. Over 52,000 miles of railroad were laid all over the nation between 1854 and 1879. Railroads stimulated growth. They required many resources to build, such as coal, wood, glass, rubber, and brass. Most importantly, the railroad connected the country. Although small factories were already up and running three†¦show more content†¦Industrialization changed the lives of the people of this nation. By the late nineteenth century, with advances in technology, communication, and transportation, a new type of industrialization was formed, a global one. At the end of the nineteenth century an elite group containing Christian missionaries, intellectuals, business leaders, commercial farmers, and navy careerists, lobbied the White House, Congress, and the State and War departments for the United States to be more active abroad. In the 1880’s, Congress started a program to modernize the United States’ navy. With the improved navy, the country had what it took to turn into an imperial power. Missionaries set out teach natives abroad the Western culture and convert them to Christianity. Entrepreneurs expanded their businesses overseas. The Singer Sewing Machine Company sent 60,000 representatives to China to try to sell their products. Minor Keith and his Tropical Fruit Company were building railroads in Costa Rica. Foreign investments flourished, while the depression of 1893 worsened at home. America’s imperial moment arrived when they freed Cuba from Spanish rule. America had to do what was necessary to keep Spain at Bay. President McKinley cautiously lobbied to Spain that they stop destroying American property in Cuba. Since Spain was unwilling to compromise, in 1898, McKinley sent over the battleship Maine, to show that the UnitedShow MoreRelatedThe Changing Concept of Race in the South Essay580 Words   |  3 Pages Throughout the years, the concept of race has changed in the South. Slavery and the concept of â€Å"white supremacy† have largely contributed to the viewpoints of race in the southern states, as well as the rest of the country. The definition of race has changed, as well as the effects of race on a nation. Prior to the sixteenth century, race was defined as descendants of a common ancestor, or your kin. This definitionRead MoreThe Ku Klux Klan, also known as the Klan or the KKK, originated in Pulaski, Tennessee, in 1865.600 Words   |  3 Pagesoriginated in Pulaski, Tennessee, in 1865. 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