Week 14 - Vietnam War

The Vietnam War is known as one of the more memorable conflicts in the history of the United States in which our country's involvement played a huge role in how the war played out. Albeit the Vietnam War happening more than fifty years ago, the effects live on up until present day and brought attention to the consequences of a country's intervention in the political affairs of another country. All the years of guerrilla warfare in the thickets, jungles, and villages of Vietnam ended with a North Vietnamese victory and a Vietnam unification. People of all sorts, American and Vietnamese, died by the hundred-thousands in the war and the country still has issues trying to regroup after the damages to the land and the government after the war. The American government became involved in the war effort to prevent the spread of communism within Vietnam. The US was involved in the push for Vietnamese independence, but the idea was not to get its military involved in the war. Historians believe that the Geneva Settlement is the reason for continued American involvement in the  international affair. Some believe that America should have had signed the conference which would have split Vietnam into two; the North which was communist and the South which was not. However, historians also believe that America enforced its right not to sign because they did not want communism falling to the Vietnamese. While the actions carried out by US troops were justified by the situation at the time, the war is looked at as being insignificant due to the fact that the war was so costly in terms of both the lives of humans and money. The overall consensus pertaining to the effort is that there is no true winner in this war because of the drastic repercussions that each side had obtained through ten long years of battle. America called for the removal of its troops in Vietnam and ended the war on its own accord. The Paris Peace Accord followed soon after and 're-birthed' the political life in Vietnam, but the accord could not wipe away from the destruction and hardships that plagued the Vietnamese people and the land after the war had ended. The Vietnamese war was a decade-long battle that could have been avoided or at least shortened if both sides were able to handle matters in a peaceful manner and move forward with their negotiations instead of orchestrating military attacks against one other to solve their problems.

Image information: Picture by LINEAGOTICA1944.

Source: Kissinger, Henry. Ending the Vietnam War: A history of America's involvement in and extrication from the Vietnam War. Simon and Schuster, 2003.

Week 13 - Intro to the Black Freedom Movement

Black freedom moments gained momentum in 1960s America. African Americans orchestrated  protests against the unfair treatment they received from White Americans since the outlawing of slavery. Strides were made towards the freedom for African Americans, but many blacks still were not satisfied. They believed that the end of segregation did not equal freedom just yet. There were two types of ideals that split African Americans down the middle at this time; those who advocated for violence because they believed it was the best way to liberate blacks and those who believed peaceful negotiations would bring change. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Elijah Muhammad and Stokely Carmichael spearheaded the black freedom movements during the era. King was a firm believer in non-violence acts while Muhammad and Carmichael were supportive of the radical style like violence. Malcolm X approved of violent acts in order to negotiate the rights of the oppressed at the beginning of his activism, but would later adapt to a more peaceful approach. The Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, or SNCC were front and center in the black power movement and established itself as the sole negotiator of the rights of black people in the 60s in which their goal was to empower the black people. The blacks had been made out to believe that they were an inferior race compared to whites throughout the slavery periods, and later through segregation. SNCC made sure to glorify what it meant to be black. Slogans that empowered blacks were coined and chanted. They  instilled a sense of pride and a sense of belonging for African Americans alongside the whites. As a result of all their accomplishments, SNCC was instrumental in advocating for the rights of blacks in peaceful manners. They organized bus rides through predominantly white states to demonstrate the black freedom of movement. They organized the freedom ballots that led to the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party in 1963. They also organized peaceful gatherings where civil rights leaders would address the people. For many African American children in Birmingham in the 60s, the civil rights movement was already part of their lives. While many parents and civil rights leaders were very cautious about involving young people in the protests, it turned out that the brave actions of these children helped make lasting change in Birmingham at a key turning point in the movement. Early in 1963, civil rights leaders in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and other civil rights groups developed a plan to desegregate Birmingham and the goal of their plan was to use a non-violent protest to get the city of Birmingham leaders and officials to agree to desegregate. The protest started in April 1963 with thousands of African American protesters in Birmingham. The protesters and hundreds of children were harmed and arrested. Also in 1963, Martin Luther King and six other leaders organized and led the march on Washington. The purpose of the march was to end racial discrimination in schools, employment, and public transportation. It was the largest event in Washington’s history. Martin Luther King gave his most iconic speech in America’s history, known as “I have a Dream”  during this event. The speech was successful and impacted the American government while helping diminish discrimination. The Black Panther party, another black power movement advocated for violence in order to negotiate for their freedom. They employed violent activities towards the government. Due to volatile nature of their acts against whites, the government  systematically designed programs that brought down the Black Panthers. Many of the group’s leaders were either assassinated or jailed. In conclusion, this time period illustrated how African Americans came together in order to to fight against the white race and against racism. African Americans joined hands with organizations and civil right leaders that promoted integration and peace among all races, primarily whites. These civil right heroes helped contribute to the freedom for blacks and showed them how to fight for their rights.

Image information: "Rushmore Digital Art" Picture by Phoenix Jackson. Source: pixels.com/featured/black-rushmore-phoenix-jackson.html

Gaines, Kevin. "A World to Win: The International Dimension of the Black Freedom Movement." OAH Magazine of History 20.5 (2006): 14-18.

Week 12 - 1950s America

1950's America focused on the modernization of the country after the second World War. The baby boom and the suburban boom ran simultaneously during this period. Almost as soon as World War II ended, William Levitt, whose “Levittowns” in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, would become the most famous symbols of suburban life in America. People began to buy land on the outskirts of cities and built cheap and modest homes there. The G.I. Bill also cut costs on mortgages for soldiers returning home from battle, which made buying a house cheaper compared to renting an apartment in the city. These houses were ideally designed for young families as they were the majority who lived in them. One huge advance made by the country at this time was the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways. This changed transportation methods in the United States, but affected certain cultural landscapes across the country. Eisenhower believed that with the rise of automobiles, the ‘superhighways’ could connect cities in order to minimize traffic problems. However, the Interstate could not be placed within highly concentrated urban areas because the government would have to buy out civilian properties in order to begin construction in those areas. Rural and lower income surrounding downtown areas were cheaper locations to build these 'beltways' around cities like Houston, Texas. This led to the drastic decrease of urban downtowns and the rise of the economy around these once-rural locations. One of the most important political developments in the country during the 1950's was the Sun Belt. The Sun Belt stretched from the southeastern part of the US all the way across the continent through Texas, Arizona and New Mexico to the West Coast. This opened up many opportunities for businessmen in the United States. The warm winters of the Sun Belt reduced the heating costs for people. The founding of air-conditioning made the hot summers manageable. Numerous amounts of workers were available, with more waiting in Mexico. American industries built state-of-the-art, efficient factories in an attempt to surpass its foreign competition. Most importantly, the Sun Belt states lowered taxes to attract newer sources of business to the area. The Interstate System in the United States is known as one of the most, if not the most innovative form of technology and networking in the United States. These new beltways were either positive or negative changes in cultural and urban landscapes which were influenced by the establishment of the Federal Highway system. The system allowed the United States economy to flourish under the modern way of life, which centered around automobiles and fast travel.

Image information: Picture by Jeremy Woodhouse/Blend Images/Corbis. Source: https://www.wired.com/2016/04/widening-highways-never-fixes-traffic-darnit-texas/

Cox, Wendell, and Jean Love. The best investment a nation ever made: A tribute to the Dwight D.               Eisenhower system of interstate and defense highways. DIANE Publishing, 1998.

Week 11 - The US and World War II

World War II represented a pivotal turning point in world history. All nations around the world were affected by the outcomes of this particular war even after the war had ended. The United States went through the Great Depression from 1929 leading up to the war. The Depression took a huge toll on society because many Americans faced issues with hunger, homelessness, undernourishment, as well as unemployment. In the year 1933, the financial collapse of the government triggered a worldwide depression that affected the economy of the country. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt did his best to help America survive the financial collapse but it would take more than his "New Deal" plan to end the Great Depression. However, by the late 1930s, America’s financial system had regrouped and was more stable compared to other "industrialized" nations. During the global depression, dictators such as Adolf Hitler, Hirohito, and Benito Mussolini rose to power to spread their distinctive forms of government across the world. America was divided on its involvement in the war but the attack on Pearl Harbor forced the country to take action. The United States entered the war against the 'Axis' nations (Germany, Japan, and Italy). The United States joined the war effort to help stop the spread of Nazism and expose its scheme of racial superiority to the world. In achieving this goal, the United States played an integral role in liberating the concentration camps in Europe. At these camps, American soldiers witnessed what horrors the Nazis had accomplished. Thousands of malnourished bodies and bruised limbs of the victims showed that these people had been tortured by the Germans. News was spread and pictures were taken that exposed the evidence of the Nazi-ran camps to the world and everyone was able to see what was happening in the camps. In the end, the United States managed to stop the spread of the “superior race disease” and the Allies won the war over the Axis Powers. This was a win for democracy.  However, this war took the lives of around sixty million soldiers and civilians. During the war, soldiers became tired and hungry from sleepless nights and endless combat. The destruction from the war left major cities in Asia and Europe burned to the ground while the United States was left in a better position compared to the other nations President Roosevelt suggested that Americans help contribute towards the war effort and to not discriminate against women or African Americans in their employment practices. This allowed for women to enter the workplace for the first time. The war also restricted civil liberties at home, mostly for Japanese Americans. These people were put into internment camps with the the fear that they might engage in spying and sabotage the United States in support of the enemy. World War II also brought economic recovery to the United States far beyond what FDR's New Deal could bring. It was a time of prosperity for the United States. Through the GI bill, returning Americans soldiers were able to attend college and purchase homes with low mortgages. Many of these soldiers started their own families due to this, leading to the baby boom era. The post-war aftermath increased the foreign demand for American exports. As the other nations were rebuilding after the war, the needs of these nations could only be met by the United States. World War II, in a nutshell, was a important point in history which put the American economy back on its feet. WWII resulted in the creation of the United Nations, which was was created to prevent another world war. The United States joined the war effort for a good reason and the Allied victory set up the United States for years of prosperity.

Image information: Picture called "Eligio Ramos is pictured here with his platoon during World War II." by The Ramos Family. Source: https://abcnews.go.com/US/wallet-left-70-years-ago-austria-world-war/story?id=32900470

Brown, Louis. Technical and Military Imperatives: A Radar History of World War 2. Crc Press, 1999.

Week 10-The Great Depression and the New Deal

Men by the thousands are lined up desperately waiting for work so they could make money to provide for their families. People are begging for food to eat in order to survive through tough times. This was the United States of America during this particular time of struggle. Jobs were relatively easy to come by when the country wasn’t difficult, but the country was experiencing an economic failure known as the Great Depression. Before the Great Depression, our country went through what some considered a “Golden Age”. Also known as the Roaring Twenties, the American economy and stock market were at its peak. The Roaring Twenties was an era of peace and prosperity and the United States was also wealthier than it had ever been. When people were spending all of their money on luxuries and investing just for fun, the stock market crashed on October 29, 1929. The crash sent the country into the Great Depression. Banks, stores, and factories closed and left millions of Americans unemployed and homeless. Many Americans became dependent on the government to provide them with food and job opportunities. During the Great Depression, the unemployment rate increased at rapid speeds. This left millions of Americans unemployed with no jobs. Even the Americans who were fortunate enough to have jobs received drastic pay cuts as well. Families neglected medical and dental care just to save money. The Great Depression is one of the largest struggles in American history that no one ever wants to see happen again. Both President Hoover and President Roosevelt made their best attempts to help the people and dig the nation out of its recession. During the Great Depression, President Hoover called business leaders and talked them into keeping wages high, instead of cutting them. “Hoover contacted churches, charities, and local governments to help out the poor as the economic conditions insisted. As the nation continued on a downward spiral, Americans were unsatisfied because Hoover wasn’t doing a good job as president and they believed a change had to be made. However during the election of 1932, presidential candidate Franklin Roosevelt promised that he would use the federal government to create jobs and in an effort to regulate the high levels of unemployment and to prevent another recession from happening. He promised a “new deal” for Americans. After hearing his pledge, the decision was easy for voters after seeing what a poor job Hoover did as President and FDR became president soon after. The New Deal did not necessarily end the Great Depression but it only provided relief instead of recovery for the state of the economy. The New Deal did bring jobs back to help the unemployment rate drop, however it didn’t give enough jobs back to end the Depression. World War II created new jobs for Americans because the country needed help making supplies for the war. These jobs ultimately helped end the Great Depression. Most people had jobs again and were bringing sufficient incomes back into their households. They began saving their money wisely as a result. FDR's New Deal did a better job in helping America recuperate from the mess that the Great Depression made opposed to the plan Herbert Hoover had in place. The deal succeeded in preventing a future widespread economic collapse.

Image information: Picture called "What America looked like during the Great Depression" by Dorothea Lange. Source: https://www.thetelegraph.com/lifestyle/article/What-America-looked-like-during-the-Great-15068691.php#photo-19057786

Bell, Walter. “The New Deal: A Success?: The New Deal Did Not End the Great Depression.”                     American History.ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 4 Jan. 2013.

Exhibit Introduction - The War in IRAQ

THE WAR IN IRAQ

The main cause of the U.S. invasion of Iraq was due to the Americans attempt at overthrowing the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein. The western world spearheaded by the U.S. were against Iraq of course for more than the main reason but the other forms of reasoning were announced to the world. More than 150 members of Parliament signed a Commons motion prohibiting any attacks that weren't backed by the United Nations. The European countries and United States legalized for invasion of Iraq due to Saddam being "a very bad man and should not be trusted an inch." With these words, the United Stated invaded and interfered Iraq claiming self-defense for their reasoning behind the invasion. The United States clearly was in offense and did not have a clear right to self-defense. However, administrations confirmed that the U.S. was in fact entitled to defend itself against any potential attack that may take place in the future. President Bush referred to Saddam Hussein’s regime as “a grave and gathering danger” during his speech back in 2002. He explained that Saddam’s regime had mass destruction weapons and that he provided weapons for terrorists. The U.S. administration also said that the United States had a right to self-defense on grounds because the Iraqi regime was related to Al Qaeda. U.S. administration confirmed that Al-Qaeda was responsible for the 9/11 attacks on the United States back in 2001. The second allegation on the attack was that the U.S. believed that Iraq had chemical and nuclear weapons programs and were in the midst of developing long range missiles as well. However, it was found that weapons of mass destruction were not used by Iraq first hand and the United Nations did not discover any weapons of mass destruction before the war began or in the middle of the war. U.S. intelligence suggested that those weapons were distributed and armed with established command and control by Iraqi forces. Observers saw that U.S. forces toppled the Iraqi military and overturned the authorization to use such weapons. Other people believed that Iraq had little incentive to use those types of weapons because they had a limited military against U.S. forces, Iraq had special delivery options given to them by the U.S. and allied forces; and the use of such weapons would flip the world’s opinion against Iraq. The allegations were not considered justified and the attacking by the United States was still perceived as an unprovoked invasion of Iraq. It actually caused more retaliated terrorism against U.S. targets. Invading Iraq would only increase the number of radical Islamists around the world, acting almost as a recruitment of some sort for Al-Qaeda. The Bush administration wanted to put all its resources and efforts together  in order to fight the enemy Al-Qaeda. No other cause for the U.S. were seen credible for invading Iraq at that time. Another cause to invade Iraq at the time, was because of the economic benefit through oil resources. Iraq had the potential to produce huge volumes of oil than it was producing before the U.S.'s invasion. A set of "historic circumstances and conditions" were believed to have decreased production of Iraqi oil including the devastation caused by the Iran-Iraq war, the first Gulf War, and the UN sanctions that followed that war. Saddam also decreased oil exports in order to gain leverage over the American and Israeli foreign policies. The US combined with other countries and formed coalitions in order to prove that their claim for an invasion on Iraq was legal.The invasion was not legal due to UN not giving them authorization to use force. The acts against Iraq placed a huge dilemma on the U.S. and weakened its position and powers with the UN due to it's illegal invasion. However, the US invasion of Iraq removed an evil dictator from power and led to positive political and economic changes in Iraq soon after.

Image information: Picture called “U.S. soldiers in Sāmarrāʾ, Iraq.' by Johan Charles Van Boers/U.S. Department of Defense.” Source: britannica.com/event/Iraq-War

Week 8 - The Roaring Twenties

The 1920s were a time of change in our country. It was a period of time called The Roaring Twenties, where America urbanized itself, primarily the people. During the Roaring Twenties, new forms of social culture were established, the economy prospered during this period, social reform occurred, and people found a better way to enjoy their lives and improve their everyday lives. Americans were making and spending more money during this time also. Labor reforms allowed Americans more free time because there were only eight hours in a typical work-day now. People also bought different appliances and cars, which gave them even more free time and made their lives even easier, with Henry Ford's new model T. The number of cars increased quickly as a result and education also increased with many states passing laws requiring children to attend school in order to remove children out of workplaces. Throughout the era, people were becoming more and more infatuated with music and the time period was also deemed“The Jazz Age”. The core of jazz music originated in Harlem; a musical form played by black people. During the decade, women were reinvigorated. A new form of woman was created. Women smoked, danced, and wore make-up. They were called “flappers" mostly because of their upbeat attitudes and their choices of clothing resembling those of boys. Flappers lived in the cities mostly although rural people read about them in magazines. The 1920s were a prosperous time, however not for everyone. There were new restrictions on immigration, minority groups were still being discriminated against, and the Ku Klux Klan was growing powerful in the South. In addition to having too much free time and influences of new lifestyles and modernization, alcohol consumption became excessive. First, government officials tried to moderate the consumption, but then agreed to a complete prohibition of alcohol. Many Americans supported the idea of Prohibition at first. They believed that Prohibition would reduce the number of divorces, deaths, accidents and poverty. Americans had various opinions on the Prohibition of alcohol but drinking was part of everyday life and people enjoyed being able to have alcohol when they wanted and they did not want that right to be taken away from them.

Image information: Picture called “Roaring 20's Neon,' by Dana Price.” Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/317151998729627166/

“Roaring Twenties.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/topic/Roaring-Twenties.

Week 7 - Women's Suffrage Movement

Women never always had the right to vote in the United States. It took women roughly 144 years of hard work and dedication for the U.S. government to grant them suffrage. Back in 1776, only white men were allowed to vote. Black men were given the right to vote in 1870 due to the Fifteenth Amendment. Women were eventually given the right to vote with the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920. However, this result was not as easy to accomplish as it took the efforts of strong women dedicated to the cause for the amendment to be ratified. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, a leading figure of the women’s suffrage movement, was one of the first to address the issue of women not being able to vote. In 1869, Susan B. Anthony and Stanton formed the National Women’s Suffrage Society, an organization dedicated to gaining women’s suffrage. To encourage people to move out west, western territories began to offer women the right to vote. The first state to do so was Wyoming in 1869 and when it officially became a state, it continued to allow women to vote. Utah continued the trend of allowing women to vote as they were the next state to follow. Women’s higher level of education and their awareness of other suffrage movements also played a major role in their right to vote. The press also played an important role in women’s suffrage. The press covered important stories about the movement, from violence towards women, influencing citizens to join the fight for women’s suffrage, and helping women empathetically for the struggles they faced in society.
The fight for women’s suffrage in America was a very long process that began as early the country declaring independence back in 1776. The struggle required numerous sacrifices as women had to given the ultimatum between having a family or fighting for their rights. However, this result would not have been possible without westward expansion, the higher education of women and their awareness of other suffrage movements and the involvement of the press in reporting on the movement. Without these three factors, women gaining suffrage would likely have been delayed and gained only years after 1920. If it had been delayed, the advances of women since then may have also been delayed and we may not have seen the great achievements of women in multiple fields.

Image information: Picture called “Suffragists in Greenwich Village,' by Bettmann Archive/Getty Images.”     Source: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2018/08/27/opinion/how-to-celebrate-a-complicated-win-for-women.amp.html

Woman Suffrage and the 19th Amendment.” National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives and Records Administration, www.archives.gov/education/lessons/woman-suffrage.

Week 6 Reflection - US Imperialism and WWI

The main goal of US Imperialism in the 19th century was to drive the country’s economy and increase the benefits for the nation's economy. The country's objective consisted of executing policies for expansion as well as grabbing political, economic, and military control of other foreign nations. The main target was to find nations and markets in which they could easily colonize. They sought out numerous opportunities in other countries like the Philippines as these were deemed attractive investments for the country. Americans also established imperialism in the 19th century due to the fact that the American West was shutting down and there was a demand for the opening of new markets. American imperialism operates on the idea that stronger nations are there to seize control of

weaker nations. The weaker nations would in turn help the stronger nations in order to gain wealth that would be passed along to the nation or colonies which they would then take over, a cycle of some sort. During the 19th century, the American government was able to realize the potential of other countries and states which can serve as their 'helper' colonies during their global imperialism. These colonies included Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. Some significant events that occurred during the period were the advantage of the imperial nations being able to expand foreign commerce and being able to improve the economies of the nations under their colonization. Exports were greater than the imports, contributing to increased wealth across the nations.World War I, often referred to as “The Great War", began in 1914 and ended in 1918. America witnessed much devastation in this time period with nearly 9 million people dying and millions psychologically scarred due to the after effects. World War I was deemed "the first man-made catastrophe of the twentieth century". The causes and effects of the war altered the lives of many individuals who lived in the countries affected. World War I began as a European conflict with growing tensions between the European countries being caused by alliances, imperialism, nationalism, and militarism between nations. Historians believe the immediate cause of the war was because of the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary. They believed Archduke Ferdinand's death was the result of a conspiracy. The empire immediately suspected the Serbians of the assassination and sought to punish Serbia, and put Austria-Hungary’s prestige and determination at the center of attention for all European nations to see. After the loss of many lives over a four-year span, the war was finally over. In the aftermath of World War I, new countries were formed, old ones were abolished, and new international organizations were established. Inflation plagued the continent of Europe because of the war costs. The optimistic outlook of previous decades soon were forgotten and a feeling of  discouragement was later adopted after the casualties and the overall brutality of warfare.

Image information: Picture called “Readying Fire,' by Galerie Bilderwelt/Getty Images.”     Source: https://www.history.com/news/wwi-color-photos#&gid=ci023cb7dd800027dc&pid=wwi_color_getty152594329

Royde-Smith, John Graham, and Dennis E. Showalter. “World War I.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 3 Feb. 2020, www.britannica.com/event/World-War-I.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Imperialism.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 6 Jan. 2020, www.britannica.com/topic/imperialism.

Week 5 - The Progressive Era

The Progressive Era was a time period based on nationwide social activism and political reform across the country. The Progressive Era was a time period between the years 1900-1920 and it marked a time in American history in which society was bursting with enthusiasm to improve life in the industrial age by making political and social changes through government action that ultimately led to a higher quality of life for American citizens. Progressives were known for their beliefs in limiting the power of big business, strengthening the power of the states, and were advocators against corruption and social injustice. These progressive reformers as well as the Federal Government successfully managed to improve the quality of life and establish a precedent for a move active government.

The Progressive period is known for its successful efforts in having unforgettable impact on American economy and society by the changes at the social, economical, and political levels. The reformers of this movement belonged to a diversified group from labor and religious leaders, journalists, politicians, and teachers and the goals of these individuals were to protect people, solve problems of urbanization and industrialization, and concentrate on social welfare of American people. The Progressivism movement definitely had an everlasting impact on America changing American values and lifestyles.

Image information: Picture called “The Progressive Era.”     Source: http://www.americanyawp.com/text/20-the-progressive-era/

Chapters, All. THE AMERICAN YAWP, 7 June 2013, www.americanyawp.com/text/20-the-progressive-era/.

Week 4 Reflection: Native Americans and the West

Since the beginning of the 18th century, White Americans have tried to strip the Native Americans of their culture and forced numerous the Natives into assimilating into their Caucasian culture, they lost their rights and their land due to unfair policies and laws that affected the lifestyle of the Natives. There used to be an abundance of Native American tribes spread throughout North America and due to laws such as the Indian Removal Act of 1830, these tribes are scattered worldwide and are camouflaged along with other cultures. The lives of Native Americans were heavily affected due to the inception of relocation programs, boarding schools, and social class structures which were ways to identify which tribe an individual is from. Indian removal in the 19th century, was a strategic plan  devised by the United States government--primarily President Andrew Jackson, to force Natives Americans to migrate from their homelands in the eastern United States to west of the Mississippi River. Most Natives were moved to modern-day Oklahoma. In 1838, President Martin Van Buren ordered General Winfield Scott and his soldiers to move the Cherokees out of their homeland. Scott and his army forced the Cherokees to move while their homes were raided for their personal belongings. The Indians then had to march more than one thousand miles to a newly-christened Indian Territory across the Mississippi. Native Americans have endured tons of hardship throughout the 18th and 19th centuries and they have normally have had all of these issues happen to them as a result of their ethnicity. Whites during this time did not consider the Native American ways of life as ethical. Natives were given barren land which couldn't help them survive with the way they lived their lifestyle. They lived on reservations where most Natives struggled below poverty levels. The urban relocation programs were created to move Natives to the cities for possible job opportunities.

Image information: Picture called “Trail of Tears,' by Max D. Standley.”     Source: https://newsmaven.io/indiancountrytoday/archive/trail-of-tears-from-a-middle-school-student-s-perspective-ZP5k4MZvvEel4ld-j1QQFA

“History & Culture.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 2019,

www.nps.gov/trte/learn/historyculture/index.htm.

Week 3 Reflection: Industrial Capitalism

Industrial capitalism is considered both social and economic where industry and resources are owned by certain individuals for revenue. America watched the growth of this type of capitalism back in the late 19th century through the early 20th century. During this time, property was privately owned and protected by the judicial law of a specific state. The rise of Industrial Capitalism in many parts of the world were results of control over production and consumers as United States officials believed that Americans were using the resources incorrectly. The scramble to acquire in America was the root cause of industrial Capitalism. Certain people believed that Industrial capitalism was unfair and an inefficient distribution of wealth between the states was creating imperialism and other issues such as social and cultural alienation, unemployment, and economic instability. After Industrial Capitalism, the world has seen another form of capitalism almost similar as the former. This was deemed financial capitalism. This affected Americans in a multitude of ways, especially African-Americans, who were viewed as outsiders were not allowed to settle in the North and could not own property. Capitalism put a focus on concentrating resources to only whites during this time period. Labor strikes happened a lot during this period. Unsatisfied workers, who were upset with work conditions or their pay grades, would go on strikes to force their employers to change their policies. Two labor strikes during the Industrial Capitalism period were the Homestead and Pullman Strikes. The Homestead Strike took place Homestead, Pennsylvania and the workers went on strike because Andrew Carnegie refused to increase workers' pay. The strike ended in favor of the owner, however. The Pullman Strike occurred because of the way George Pullman, founder of the Pullman Palace Car Company, treated his workers. Lots of conflict between employers and employees were the sources of these strikes.

Image information: Picture called “Carnegie Steel Works during the 'Battle of Homestead,' July 1892”. Source: http://projects.vassar.edu/1896/strikes.html

The Development of the Industrial United States (1870-1900), americanhistory.si.edu/presidency/timeline/pres_era/3_657.html.

Week 2 Reflection - History of Reconstruction and the Rise of Jim Crow

When the American Civil War approached its demise, the leading officials of the US began "revamping" the country in what became known as Reconstruction. Throughout the Reconstruction era, authorities were attempting to fix the country in three aspects: politically, economically, and physically. Reconstruction can be considered as a success and a failure also. It can be considered a success due to the bills and laws passed during the era, and a failure due to so many steps taken back by the states during this period. The 15th Amendment gave voting rights to black men, restoring all eleven confederate states back into the Union and the Reconstruction Acts that were passed are viewed as major accomplishments when looking back in time. The Black Codes, which were set up to deny African-Americans the freedom to purchase or rent land and the heavy belief in white supremacy in the era are among some of the major failures of Reconstruction. As stated previously, one of the greatest accomplishments of Reconstruction was bringing all 11 Confederate states back to the Union. In 1868, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee were readmitted into the Union, and by 1877, Mississippi, Georgia, Texas, and Virginia joined the previous seven. The first public school systems in the South were developed as a result of Reconstruction. Major foundations of the black community in the South were established; black churches and black landowners, businessmen, clergymen, and teachers found new jobs as a result. However, with all the newfound success, there were also negatives from the Reconstruction period. Racism increased and violence peaked and kept immigrants from moving into the South. Jim Crow was a character created by a white male to make a mockery of African Americans. The Jim Crow era, restricted the daily lives of African-Americans, making it difficult for them t
o flourish in society. After the Civil War, Southern states stripped basic rights away from African Americans. The laws were created to keep African Americans segregated from whites after slavery ended. These laws affected education, health care, as well as social and cultural events for black individuals.

Image information: Picture called “Jim Crow/Jump Jim Crow” by Cassandra Waggoner on November 20, 2007. Source: https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/jim-crow/

Foner, Eric. “Reconstruction.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 6 Jan. 2020, www.britannica.com/event/Reconstruction-United-States-history.

Introduction to a Future Sneaker Marketing Executive

My name is Tariq and I am currently a junior majoring in Sport Management. I became a Sport Management major because I absolutely have a love for sports, primarily football and basketball. I've played sports all throughout my middle and high school years. My dream profession was to become a professional athlete ever since I was young, but once I got to college, I wanted to venture more into marketing in sports. I now want to be able to sign potential superstars to sneaker deals like Sonny Vaccaro. I am the middle child in my family. I have four brothers and two sisters. I listen to a lot of rap music. Rap is my favorite genre of music because it can convey lots of different emotions with the lyrics. I also like to unwind and relax by listening to R&B sometimes as well. In my spare time, I like gaming, drawing, sneaker shopping, and watching sports. My favorite video games are Grand Theft Auto, Madden, and NBA 2K. I like playing sports video games because in my mind, I get to live out the dream I had as a kid being able to play in the NFL and the NBA in virtual reality. I also like shopping for and collecting sneakers. My favorite pairs of sneakers range from any Nike products and Retro Jordan sneakers.

Image Information: Picture called "Zion Williamson Joins Jordan Brand Family." taken on July 23, 2019. Source: Nike.

Testing New Blog

Hello, my name is Tariq White and this is my test post.