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The discovery of gold in California was seen as one of the many divine reasons for Westward Expansion. The idea of going west to find riches was enticing to many, but it resulted in the discrimination and violence against the people who had been living on that land. -
The 13th Amendment officially abolished slavery in the United States, ending a horrifying system. While it was a huge step forward, it did not guarantee true freedom for formerly enslaved people. Many still did not see them as freed people, and new forms of oppression would be created.
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The 14th Amendment granted birthright citizenship and equal protection under the law. In theory, it ensured that formerly enslaved people had the same legal rights as any American. But southern racists would not allow this, and created legal loopholes to deny these rights and protections to black Americans.
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The 15th Amendment gave Black men the legal right to vote. This should have been a major step forward, but white lawmakers in the South quickly created barriers like literacy tests and poll taxes. The amendment promised inclusion, but its enforcement was weak, and violence was used to block Black political participation.
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After the Civil War, sharecropping became the main labor system in the South. It trapped freed people in cycles of debt, poverty, and dependence that was essentially slavery. White landowners used violence as a threat to keep many controlled. -
The Haymarket Riot began as a peaceful worker rally for an eight-hour workday, but turned violent a bomb was thrown at the police. The police responded with violent force, and the organizers were blamed without proper evidence. -
The Homestead Strike was a major conflict between steelworkers and Andrew Carnegie’s company. When workers demanded fair wages, they were retaliated against with armed guards, which ended violently. -
Muckrakers were journalists corruption and injustice through their journalism. They brought to light horrible working conditions and other depravities to the public, and played a major role in the battle for labor rights and protections. -
The Roosevelt Corollary expanded the Monroe Doctrine, claiming the U.S. had the right to intervene in Latin American countries. Veiled for the purpose of protection, it established the United states as the dominant force of the West. -
World War I was triggered by European political tensions that spiraled into a global conflict. The U.S. eventually joined, and the war would only create a resentment that would lead to an even larger atrocity in the years to come. -
The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural explosion led by Black writers, musicians, and artists. Despite racism still being extremely prevalent, it was able to exert a beautiful influence on American culture. -
The 19th Amendment finally granted American women the right to vote after years of protest. While it was a massive step forward, not all women benefitted equally.
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The Scopes Trial focused on whether evolution could be taught in public schools. The trial, which was a debate of furthering scientific research and religious fundamentalism, set the precedence for future trials of a similar nature. -
The stock market crash triggered the worst economic crisis in U.S. history. Millions lost jobs, homes, and savings almost overnight. It would become clear that the U.S government would need to strengthen to allow for proper services and intervention when needed. -
World War II was a global conflict driven by fascism, expansionism, and racial ideology. In this war, a massive genocide against Jews and others considered unworthy was enacted, and nuclear weapons were used for the first time. -
Rosie the Riveter was a symbol of the working woman, which was most woman during World War ll, as most men were at war abroad. However, these women were not properly recognized, and were expected to go back to being subservient homemakers after the war. -
The Cold War started as the U.S. and the Soviet Union competed for global influence. The fear of the Soviets and their communist ideology invaded every aspect of American culture, from politics to daily life. -
The Counterculture Movement was driven by the young generation at the time, fighting against the rigid societal norms popularized in the 50s. -
The My Lai Massacre exposed the brutal reality of the Vietnam War when American soldiers killed hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese civilians. When news broke of what was really happening in the 'War", public support of it plummeted. -
President Nixon resigned after evidence proved his involvement in the Watergate scandal. It was a monumental display of corruption in the highest level of American government.