Vinyard's allegiance to the swastika is an allegiance to an idea that the America of today is perhaps not as equal, peaceful or harmonious as the average American would like to believe. The image is a shattering of the idea that the past was terrible, but the present is better. Rather, Vinyard's right hand pressed against his swastika-inscribed heart both repels and evokes revulsion. Iconic photographs stir a sense of nationalism and pride "they also illustrate the ways that visual communication can underwrite polity by providing resources for thought and feeling that are necessary for constituting people as citizens and motivating identification with and participation in specific forms of collective life" (Hariman & Lucaites, 2002). An iconic photograph can invoke a sense of inspiration and a commitment to collective ideals, and a sense of history, perhaps bloody and unjust a one time, but now reformed, improved and all together…...

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Bibliography

Hariman, R., & Lucaites, J. (2002). Performing Civic Identity: The Iconic Photograph of the Flag Raising at Iwo Jima. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 363-392.

Wrage, E. (1947). Public Address: A Study in Social and Intellectual History. The Quarterly Journal of Speech, 451-457.

American History, 1820-1920
Five positive events that influenced the history of the United States between 1820 and 1920.

One of the most important processes that influenced the development of the United States is the process of industrialization that took place after the end of the Civil War. The United States had to undergo an increased process of modernization after the Civil War largely due to the fact that the country was divided between two different types of countries: one based on agricultural processes and another one on the industrial practices. Therefore it was extremely important that a unity be created among the two parts of the United States. This industrialization process from 1860s to the 1920s was essential because the North was able to advance its technology in terms of industrial power whereas the South would be able to break away from the agricultural traditional means of existence. The results were immediate,…...

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References

Jenkins, Philip. A history of the United States. New York: Palgrave, 1997.

Katers, N. "Industrialization of America 1860-1900." Associated Content. 2006. Available at  http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/28613/industrialization_of_america_18651900.html

Unemployment
b. Deflation

c. High railroad rates

d. Rising interest rates

14. Which issue led to the organization of the Populist Party?

a. The desire to lift the burden of debt from farmers and other workers

b. The collapse of the Second Bank of the United States

c. An increase in immigration

d. Limited availability of land in the West for use by new farmers

15. Which factor contributed most to the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882?

a. Lack of mining jobs

b. Economic war in Asia

c. Overcrowded neighborhoods

d. Rise of nativism

16. What was the impact of westward expansion on American Indians during the Jacksonian era?

a. Most American Indians were forced to move to Canada

b. Most American Indians were assimilated into U.S. society

c. Most American Indians were relocated to lands west of the Mississippi River

d. Most American Indians were able to negotiate to keep their land.

17. Which statement best explains the increase in sectionalism between 1820 and…...

American History:
The aftermath of the World War II from 1945 to 1965 was a period of intense change in the United States that changed socially, politically, and economically. This period was characterized by the rebuilding of various aspects in the country since the war was destructive on political, social, and economic fronts. Socially, there was the need to return to normalcy in the United States as the dislocations that resulted in the war were put aside for some time. As many men and women returned from the war and women returned home, a new generation began in the country. Since the United States was the only industrial power that was undestroyed during the war, the country experienced extraordinary economic growth after the war. America's economy was greatly stimulated by the war as new industrial complexes were developed across the country with the decisive end of depression ("Effects of World War…...

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References:

"Assess the Effectiveness of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal." (n.d.). UMSL -- University of Missouri. Retrieved from University of Missouri -- St. Louis website:  http://www.umsl.edu/~hurleya/Samout.htm 

"Chapter Summary: Frank D. Roosevelt and the New Deal." (n.d.). America Past and Present.

Retrieved November 30, 2011, from  http://wps.ablongman.com/long_divine_appap_7/23/5931/1518562.cw/index.html 

"Effects of World War II." (n.d.). HS -- 102 Readings. Retrieved from Suffolk County

It was a give and take society of inherent fairness and justice as each individual stood forth to do their part in the interest of all concerned....for the sake of America. While freedom should have meant for one and all, it is unfortunate, but as well expected in the human condition that the standards and beliefs of the Founding Fathers as to freedom failed to consider independence and its' meaning in reality to women in the country, to black slaves and poor white farmers, and the Native American individual. Yet, the standard of belief held by the Founding Fathers was superior than the standard held in England, at least to some extent.
Consider the statement of Thomas Jefferson (1790):

Every man, and every body of men on earth, possess the right of self-government."

Surely this statement did not intend to leave out the independence of the black slaves, poor white farmers, Native…...

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References

Hoffert, Robert W. A Politics of Tensions: The Articles of Confederation and American Political Ideas. Niwot: University Press of Colorado, 1992.

Jensen, Merrill. The Articles of Confederation: An Interpretation of the Social-Constitutional History of the American Revolution 1774-1781. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1970.

Jensen, Merrill. The New Nation: A History of the United States during the Confederation, 1781-1789. New York: Knopf, 1950.

Wood, Gordon S. The Creation of the American Republic, 1776-1787. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1969.

American History Final Exam
Stages of the American Empire

Starting in the colonial period and continuing up through the Manifest Destiny phase of the American Empire in the 19th Century, the main goal of imperialism was to obtain land for white farmers and slaveholders. This type of expansionism existed long before modern capitalism or the urban, industrial economy, which did not require colonies and territory so much as markets, cheap labor and raw materials. It was also a highly racist type of policy that led to the destruction of Native Americans and the enslavement of blacks, as well as brutal counterinsurgency campaigns in overseas colonies like the Philippines and Haiti. Northeastern capitalists in the United States, dating back to the nascent period in the late-18th Century, were not particularly enthusiastic for this type of territorial expansion to the West or the growth of the agrarian sector of the economy. The party of…...

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3) Conclude the anthology with a short statement in which you explain which text or reading assignment or movie was most important for your education for the second half of the semester. Explain how and why it changed, altered, expanded, or reconstructed your vision of American history, literature, culture or the "American character."

Cumings, Dominion from Sea to Sea: Pacific Ascendancy and American Power -- A+

I really like the work of Bruce Cumings, including his earlier book about the Korean War, so I gave this one an A+. I agree with him that America is a highly aggressive, expansionist empire, and that the Manifest Destiny variety of expansionism was mainly about control of land and territory -- and control over slave labor in the South. America was not really a global power or capitalist hegemon until 1945, when all its former rivals and competitors were badly damaged or destroyed, but it had already begun its overseas expansionism in the 1890s. By that time, though, I think that Wall Street and industrial, corporate capitalists were really in charge of the government and politics -- and indeed that they still are today. Their needs in foreign policy were not lands, territories and slaves, but markets, labor supplies and raw materials, so their version of imperialism was different from the Manifest Destiny type. They also had to work to develop new policies for a global capitalist empire, which was not really a problem that had confronted their predecessors in the 19th Century.

ecause of the loss of so many men during this war, the country suffered economically. With the abolishment of slavery, the south's economics suffered tremendously. lacks could no longer be force to work the cotton and agricultural fields for free and many migrated north for better opportunities. This left the south with limited economic opportunities as they were not quick to become industrialized like the north was. Many immigrants settle in the northern region of the United States were job opportunities were much better. The cotton industry of the American south not only affected the economy of the southern states, it also affected countries overseas. Scotland is one of those countries. ecause of the American Civil War and the loss of slave labor, Paisley, a city in Scotland suffered a major loss to its economy (Peters, 2001).

Since the Union won the American Civil War, it stands to reason that they…...

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Bibliography

Foner, Eric. (2008). Reconstruction lessons. Nation, 286(4), 4-6.

Peters, Lorraine. (2001). Paisley and the cotton famine of 1862 -- 1863. Scottish Economic & Social History, 21(2), 121-139.

These five natives and their tribes are significant because they all fought against the white settlers in one way or another; even though there were times when they attempted to make peace with them. Eventually, they all lost land and lives to the whites, and today they represent the resiliency of the Native Americans, and the ruthlessness of the colonists who overran the natives and took their lands, their livelihoods, and their people as if they did not matter at all. They show a dark side of American history that many people would like to overlook, but cannot.

Indentured Servants. Shay's Revolt. Bacon's Revolt

Salem. Alien & Sedition Act

All of these items have to do with another part of American history that a lot of people overlook. Indentured servants were a long-standing tradition that helped form the new colonies, and they were essentially slaves that had to work to pay back debt…...

American History
The Reconstruction exacerbated the regional differences between the northern and southern states. The exact conflicts that led to the Civil War in the first place remained for decades after General Lee surrendered at Appomattox, and shortly after President Lincoln was shot dead. The Reconstruction project illuminated the still-existing conflicts between Lincoln's successor Andrew Johnson and the Republican congress. Johnson attempted to straddle the fence and simultaneously appease the South while banishing slavery. In so doing, Johnson supported the so-called Black Codes, which perpetrated the practice of slavery under a different name. Although the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments marked major improvements for former slaves, the Radical Republicans in Congress hoped for a stricter attitude toward the rebel states. Thus the Reconstruction conflict weakened the credibility of the federal government and thwarted progress for African-Americans.

The overall tone of the Reconstruction period in American history closely mimics that of modern-day Iraq.…...

American History
The book, American Past and Present, which recounts U.S. history up to 1877, begins with nine pages (xxv-xxxiii) of very succinct summary material, taking 50 years at a time and offering, at a glance, American history from post Ice Age to 1995. This is good information to digest prior to reading through the book itself, as it offers a glimpse and taste of what is to come, and important points to look for and focus upon.

As one should expect, the peoples (Native Americans) who lived on the continent prior to the arrival of the Europeans are described in some specific detail. Also of interest to readers of this U.S. history book is the fact that (page 7) "Ethnocentric Europeans tried repeatedly to 'civilize' the Indians" by insisting they dress like the colonists, that they go to colonists' schools and "accept Christianity." In hindsight, the fact that the colonists thought…...

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Works Cited

Divine, Robert A.; Breen, T.H.; Fredrickson, George M.; & Williams, R. Hal. American Past

And Present: Volume One to 1877. New York: HarperCollins, 1995.

Reading this piece is particularly interesting, as it is a direct account of the events during that day in 1773. The article describes very clearly the images that could be seen during the "tea party" and its after effects. It is particularly funny to read about things like people trying to take some of the tea for themselves, and then being very "roughly handled." In terms of today's general newspaper articles, the tone of the piece is also interesting. It appears to be both humorous and factual about the event, describing the events surrounding the tea party, as well as the "party" itself. It describes the tea staining the water so clearly that the reader can almost see the remains of the tea and chests, as well as the color of the water for miles around the coast. I really enjoyed reading this, because of the direct descriptions of…...

Thus, the latest influxes of immigrants from Europe prior to the war may have been the worst off. The Revolution shifted the social realities for all indentured servants in the colonies, and only less so for Blacks.
Only war could undermine the social structure that enabled the restrictive hierarchies to exist. The war led to forced migrations of people, the disruption of established avenues and systems of trade, and political upheavals (Fogelman 58). Fewer whites would be employed as servants following the war, even though for Blacks in the new America slavery remained a way of life. Indeed, the Revolution meant freedom and justice for some but not all. Fogelman notes that after the war slave imports temporarily increased, at the same time that indentured servitude for whites became less acceptable (61). The irony would become quintessentially American.

Similarly, Zuckerman points out the tremendous impact that the war would have on…...

The rise of Progressivism during this era also influenced domestic policy. The threat of Big Business loomed large and Big Government was perceived to be a perfect solution to keep business interests in check (Johnson 634, 636-637).
Industrialization created an enormous working class in the United States, generally impoverished and localized in urban centers. Urban Progressives influenced domestic policy and helped enact new laws and regulations designed to protect the working poor and ensure their well-being. In the short-term, these new policies did have the effect of improving the lot of many in the working class. Over the long-term, these policies helped centralize more power in the hands of the federal government, power which would ultimately be employed in ways contrary to the original Progressive intent.

Foreign policy was no less affected than domestic policy by the social and economic changes that were occurring in the United States at the end…...

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Works Cited

Johnson, Paul. A History of the American People. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1997.

The Role of Federalism, Foreign Tariffs and the Western Territories:

The period before the American Civil war coincided with the evolution of the modern American federal court system, particularly with respect to the nature of the relationship and the respective authority of the federal government and sovereign state courts (Murrin 2006). Landmark Supreme Court cases had begun chipping away at the rights of states to decide issues related to slavery, but equally serious were the other threats imposed by federal authority on the economic independence of the southern states.

In general, the concept of political democracy and government by the people was embraced much more in the American North than in the South. Specifically, the southern (white) population was largely uneducated poor who owned no land of their own but worked for wealthy plantation owners from whom they leased small parcels of land. The political climate of the South resembled European aristocracy…...

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Hartshorne, T.L. (2005) the Social Fabric. Longman.

Lakwete, a. (2004). Inventing the Cotton Gin: Machine and Myth in Antebellum America. Johns Hopkins University.

Murrin, J.M. (2006) Liberty, Equality, Power, Vol. 1 Wadsworth.

Nevins, J., Commager, H.S. (1992) a Pocket History of the United States.

American in the New Millennium, American History
The world is in constant change. The civilization that we experience today would have been hardly envisaged by the people living in the beginnings of the 20th century. This is largely due to economic, political, social, and technological advancements. These elements will most likely impact the way in which the world evolves in the new millennium as well. The United States is still considered to be the most important democratic pole of the world and the largest economy. The elements mentioned above are the ones that will influence the development of the United States in the future.

Despite the fact that the U.S. is the most important country in the world by most standards and the "land of all opportunities," given the economic recession, the political and economic life in the country may affect the way in which this millennium starts for the United States.…...

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Bibliography

Gans, Herbert. "The Age of the Superfluous Worker." The opinion pages. The New York Times. November 24, 2011. Available at  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/25/opinion/the-age-of-the-superfluous-worker.html?ref=unitedstateseconomy 

Ikenberry, John. "The rise of China and the future of the West: can the liberal system survive?" Foreign Affairs, January -- February 2008, available at  http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/63042/g-john-ikenberry/the-rise-of-china-and-the-future-of-the-west

One of the more shameful moments in American history was the establishment of internment camps for Japanese-Americans during World War II.  Ostensibly started because the United States was at war with Japan, it is interesting to note that there were no similar internment camps for people of Italian or German descent, despite the fact that Italy and Germany were also part of the Axis powers that fought against the Allies in World War II. 

Prior to World War II, Japanese began immigrating to America for work opportunities.  They initially immigrated to Hawaii, which was annexed by the United....

In turn-of-the-century America, there were some major civil rights advances for some groups, while other groups saw no advances in their civil rights and even saw advances that had been made begin to erode.  The time period was well after the end of the Reconstruction era and the beginning of Jim Crow laws, the rise of the suffragette movement, and a continued assault on rights for Native Americans.  There was also a significant increase in anti-Asian discrimination. Here are some suggested titles and thesis statements for an essay about civil rights in this era.

Essay Title....