Essential Question:
How have the politics of America's past effected today?
What if we could predict the next president? What if we knew the political movements that will affect our country in the near future? By studying and understanding the history of our nation’s politics, we can make an educated guess on what will occur in the future. The United States has encountered numerous shifts in politics, and we can examine similarities between the past and today to comprehend the likely reaction to current events.
There are some components of our history that are well known. I am very aware about the major events in our nation such as the World Wars, the Civil Rights movement, and the Revolutionary War. To learn more about the transition in politics, I will need to learn more about the effects that the important events in our history had on our government. There were reasons the the Civil War occurred in the 1860’s and not earlier. I can analyze the the events that increased the tensions in the United States, and locate similar actions in modern history.
In order to gain a more thorough understanding of the transition in our country’s politics, I needed to access an abundance of sources to fully grasp the lesser known detail. To achieve this, I used several textbooks and scholarly article to learn about a wide variety of perspectives for each of these events. I also took a trip to Washington, D.C. where I visited America’s best monuments, museums, and memorials. Additionally I was given the chance to tour the Capitol Building by a member of Congressman Doug Collins’ staff. The overall experience was very informative and helpful to my continuing research.
At our nation’s founding, two major political parties existed. The Federalist and Democratic-Republicans comprised of almost the entirety of Congress. The Federalists believed in a stronger central government and mercantilism. The Democratic-Republicans favored a decentralized government and an agrarian society.
As the country entered the early 1800’s, the Federalist had lost virtually all influence in government. The only existing party in the United States was the Democratic Republicans. Although Congress was supposedly “unified”, deep disagreements on policy prevented the government from making large progress.
In 1860, a new party emerged victorious in the presidential election. Abraham Lincoln became the first Republican president. However, Lincoln’s belief that slavery should be abolished infuriated the southern states. Many of these states seceded and the American Civil War began.
After the country had rebuilt from the Civil War, the United States experienced a period of massive industrialization. Many European immigrants relocated to America and joined the economic boom. Monopolies began to form and market competition was greatly reduced. A new age of reform, led by Theodore Roosevelt, fought against the corrupt capitalism.
When the United States was faced massive challenges, such as the Great Depression and World War II, the usual solution was to increase the role of the Federal Government. The bureaucracy was expanded to create more jobs and benefits for citizens. These actions made the federal elections much more important, and money to run a campaign was funneled to Washington.
The 1960’s and 1970’s saw great social reform in the areas of racial and gender equality. However, the actions of certain Presidents during this time period were very damaging to our government. When Richard Nixon publicly lied during the Watergate scandal, many Americans lost faith in their government.
In today’s society, politics is at one of its most heated points in history. New ways of communication and social media allow for the messages of political figures to be carried nationwide in seconds. As the United States enters 2017 and beyond, new political challenges will continually test our beliefs and character. By looking to the past, we can accurately predict the outcome of our actions. We must remember to stay informed and aware about all our politicians now and in the future.
As the country entered the early 1800’s, the Federalist had lost virtually all influence in government. The only existing party in the United States was the Democratic Republicans. Although Congress was supposedly “unified”, deep disagreements on policy prevented the government from making large progress.
In 1860, a new party emerged victorious in the presidential election. Abraham Lincoln became the first Republican president. However, Lincoln’s belief that slavery should be abolished infuriated the southern states. Many of these states seceded and the American Civil War began.
After the country had rebuilt from the Civil War, the United States experienced a period of massive industrialization. Many European immigrants relocated to America and joined the economic boom. Monopolies began to form and market competition was greatly reduced. A new age of reform, led by Theodore Roosevelt, fought against the corrupt capitalism.
When the United States was faced massive challenges, such as the Great Depression and World War II, the usual solution was to increase the role of the Federal Government. The bureaucracy was expanded to create more jobs and benefits for citizens. These actions made the federal elections much more important, and money to run a campaign was funneled to Washington.
The 1960’s and 1970’s saw great social reform in the areas of racial and gender equality. However, the actions of certain Presidents during this time period were very damaging to our government. When Richard Nixon publicly lied during the Watergate scandal, many Americans lost faith in their government.
In today’s society, politics is at one of its most heated points in history. New ways of communication and social media allow for the messages of political figures to be carried nationwide in seconds. As the United States enters 2017 and beyond, new political challenges will continually test our beliefs and character. By looking to the past, we can accurately predict the outcome of our actions. We must remember to stay informed and aware about all our politicians now and in the future.