The Progressive Era/ The Now Era

 From 1890 to 1920, the era of reforms and advances, thanks to that time we have now:

o   F. D. A.

o   National Parks

o   Libraries/ Library System

o   City Pluming

o   Law Enforcement

o   Prohibition

o   Transportation

o   Work Laws

o   Labor Unions

o   Women Voting

o   Public Schooling

Some of these upcoming reforms and organizations were only found in the states that could afford them like New York and as the economy grew they expanded to the other states. Now it’s just common to find these organizations throughout, except prohibition of curse.

This new organizations cost money so then Income Tax was also created.

The most outstanding issues of the time were the meat factories and women’s rights.

The Meat Factories

With the publication of Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle which exposed the dirtiness of the factories and with that their unsanitary handling of the meat was exposed. Many reforms were made for the meat packing industry and from there expanded to what is now the F. D. A.

In the meat factories issue the movie of today is called Fast Food Nation. YouTube trailer.

Though this movie is recent, just as in the reforming era it deals with immigration. Most of the low-payment jobs back in the Progressive era as well as now were given to immigrants and mistreatment and abuse were common.

As progressive we are today we still take advantage of workers. We do have improved but we still have some points against us and that shows us how much we have NOT change.

American Expansion and the Beginning of The War of 1898

Also known as the Spanish-American War of 1898, it was probably one of the most important in the American history. It gave to the expansion of America as well as the rice in the economy after the Civil War.

It all started with the colonization of places like Puerto Rico, Philippines, Cuba and others, all belonging to Spain. But it all exploded when the USS Maine literally exploded in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898 and the ‘yellow press’ blew things out of proportion blaming Spain without an actual prove that it had been involved. In result the U. S. declared war to Spain.
This video in YouTube shows real footage and pictures taken on battle.

But why was the Spanish-American war important?

  o   American expansion.

  o   Makes American very popular and powerful.

  o   There are many American bases throughout the globe.

     Racialist thinking was common at the time and many cartoons portrayed the other countries’ people as savages and as the American duty to educate them.

  

But expansion was not only in the mind of America, but other powerful countries as well, example: Germany, Britain, France, and Japan; all of them colonizing frontier countries for mostly their resources. This is why in many parts of Africa French is spoken.

This created a sort of competition among this countries and the US for their expansions and exploitation of other countries’ resources and from that- profit, the wealthier the more power they had.

The US was interested, again, in assimilating the natives to the American way, as if it were their responsibility, (sounds familiar to the Native Americans? Yes!) Many, just like the Native Americans, were not happy with the American men entering and taking over their land and trying to change their cultures. Though, this time it wasn’t as harsh, leaving some part of their cultures intact.

How Families Survived in the Industrial Revolution

Though throughout most of my searching I found the industrial revolution been mostly portrayed as a great improvement in manufacturing of goods with the assembly line and machines that could do the work of 50 or more men; what I was really looking for was to know more about the people, workers, families and from that –children.

Living was harsh in those times:

·         Poor and dirty working conditions, long hours, low payments

·         Families crowded into one single apartment, one toilet room for the whole three to four story building!

  

         ·         Kids had to work as early as five years of age.

Most of the families had an income lower than their expenses. Their expenses might just be bread coffee and meat, sometimes vegetables and other food or miscellanies and everyone ate the same thing even through all three meals.

Children worked the same as adults, many suffered from injuries and none had any kind of protection gear. Regulations had not yet been established, not for workers nor for food production and packaging.

Unfortunately this time there wasn’t any time left to watch a movie in class, so IOU; but I did find some good movies about the industrial revolution:

Oliver Twist (2005) IMDb, YouTube.This movie is on Netflix as well.

Modern Times (1936) IMDb, YouTube

Indian Assimilation or Extermination?

Even nowadays this question still races controversy in respect of what the American government did to or for the Native Americans. It all comes down to one’s point of view.

This week I watched an HBO film “Burying My Heart at Wounded Knee.”

The heart breaking story that may tribes had to face as the American people expanded to the west.

This film focuses on the Sioux tribe and the territory given to them including the sacred Black Hills.

Go to HBO- for the trailer, making of and more. If you have an HBO subscription you can watch the movie, or.

YouTube for trailers and segments but I’m not saying to go find the movie there, rent it!

There is:

·        Assimilation to society. To save them from being killed by the troops or starvation the U.S. government set up reservation territories where Native American tribes where:

o    converted to Christianity

o     given land to farm and

o    given education to their children.

But would you give up your truth; that is your believes, your way of society and start a new living in a way that someone else dictated?

Or did they face:

·         Extermination, purposefully; some Americans did want them out of specific lands, for example gold-rich lands like the Black Hills in South Dakota.

o   In mid-1800’s gold was discovered and the government tried to make adjustments to the Fort Laramie Treaty to make the Black Hills and a stretch of land connecting them to outside of the reservation.

The treaty stated that the Black Hills were part of the Sioux reservation in Dakota.

o   Many battles continued until in 1877 the government confiscated the land.

To this day the Black Hill’s ownership is matter of legal argument between U.S. government and the Sioux.

The Sioux tribes were faced with the decisions of conforming or starve -because they depended on the government for food and supplies; or don’t agree with what the government offered them and go to war. Chiefs had to think for their people and that forced them to accept anything the government wanted.

Sioux Indian Chiefs/leaders Sitting Bull, Red Cloud, Red Horse, and Spotted Eagle.

What if The South Won the Civil War?

Have you wondered how life would be if a significant part in history would have happen differently. Take for example the Civil War; the North won and the slaves were freed, changing the course of history to what society is now. But what if the South had won? How would that have affected life today? In a 2004 mockumentary directed by Kevin Willmott, shows us what that would be.

Before you click the link let me remind you that this is a “mockumentary”, what would have been a documentary in the alternate world were the Civil War was won by the South, so it is NOT true; my professor emphasize this very much for those who don’t know their history, it is to be enjoyed and have a laugh.

Here’s the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJJtH_5vcmM

I liked this video because it includes the documentary as well as the commercials. You may find interesting that some of the commercial’s products or places actually did existed.

To watch only the commercials click here

The Gold Dust Washing Powder

Sambo Axle Grease

Darkie Toothpaste; later renamed Darlie

Niggerhair Tabacco; later renamed Biggerhair

Coon Chicken Inn

In my opinion I don’t think this video completely represents how it would be if the South had won the Civil War. I believe that there would have been also a Civil Rights movement, campaigns and people speaking out for their rights and equality. It happened back then and it is happening now, and what it’s not to say that I would happen in an alternate reality.