The United States went through dramatic economic change during and after the Civil War, as industrialization spread rapidly and changed society.
This transformation and some of the apparent abuses that developed led to an increased role of the government in regulating businesses and society.
This role was heightened as government was viewed as the arbiter between business and organized labor. One can explore these developments from 1865 on through to World War II.
Take one of the positions as suggested below, draw from the sources listed, and present a paper with specific examples and arguments to demonstrate the validity of your position.
Possible position-in each case you can take the pro or con position:
From the Progressive era through the New Deal period, political interventions generally tended to favor big corporations and hurt the common workers, leading to economic instability. (or you can argue that they helped the workers and promoted economic stability)
From 1865 to 1940, the development of labor unions was generally a negative force leading to economic disruption and unnecessary laws that stifled businesses and hindered job growth. (or you can take the position that labor unions had a necessary function and generally positive impact)
From 1865 to 1940, expansion west was devastating to Native American culture, but government policies promoted economic growth in these territories and generally equal opportunities to the settlers. (or you can take the position that government policies did not promote those benefits in those new areas)
After giving general consideration to your readings so far and any general research, select one of the positions above as your position-your thesis. (Sometimes after doing more thorough research, you might choose the reverse position. This happens with critical thinking and inquiry. Your final paper might end up taking a different position than you originally envisioned.) Organize your paper as follows, handling these issues:
The position you choose (from the list above)-or something close to it-will be the thesis statement in your opening paragraph.
To support your position, use four specific examples from different decades between 1865 and 1940.
Explain why the opposing view is weak in comparison to yours.
Consider your life today: In what way does the history you have shown shape or impact issues in your workplace or desired profession?
Length:
The paper should be 600-to-850 words in length. This normally means 3-to-4 pages for the body of the paper. (The title page and Sources page do not count in these calculations.) Double-space between lines. Format instructions are below.
Research and References:
You must use a MINIMUM of three sources; the Schultz textbook must be one of them. Your other two sources should be drawn from the list provided below. This is guided research, not open-ended Googling. You will have a list of Sources at the end, using SWS format.
You will have short, SWS-style in-text citations to those sources appropriately placed in the body of the paper.
Except as your instructor might direct, don't use other sources for your paper than those listed here. (Of course, for "starter research" you can read many sources.)
Some sources are "primary" sources from the?time period?being studied. Some sources below can be accessed via direct link?or through the primary sources links on Blackboard.?Each week has a different list of primary sources.?For others, they are accessible through the Library tab to the left of the screen in Blackboard-once in there, you may do a "key word" search of the article title.
Helen Hunt Jackson. 1881. Helen Hunt Jackson's Account of Sand Creek
S. M. Jacoby. Oct., 1983. Union Management Cooperation in the United States: Lessons from the 1920s.
R. La Follette. 1924. La Follette's Progressive Platform.
T. C. Leonard. Spring, 2009. American Economic Reform in the Progressive Era: Its Foundational Beliefs and their Relation to Eugenics.
H. D. Lloyd. June, 1884. The Lords of Industry from North American Review, 331. In Modern History Sourcebook.
E. Rauchway. 2008. The Great Depression and the New Deal: A Very Short Introduction. eBook.
Kevin M. Schultz. 2018. HIST: Volume 2: U.S. History since 1865. 5th ed.
L. Steffens. 1904. The Shame of the Cities.
Taylor, F. W. 1911. The Principles of Scientific Management.
J. Whitaker. 1871. The Impact of the Factory on Worker Health.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
This course requires use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The format is different than other Strayer University courses. Please take a moment to review the SWS documentation for details.
Be typed, double spaced between lines, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow SWS format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the professor's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the sources page are not included in the required assignment page length.
The paper must be submitted (uploaded and attached) in the course shell provided online.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:
Specify ways that women and minorities have responded to challenges and made contributions to American culture.
Examine how changes in social and economic conditions and technology can cause corresponding changes in the attitudes of the people and policies of the government.
Summarize and discuss the ways that formal policies of government have influenced the direction of historical and social development in the United States.
Recognize the major turning points in American history since the Civil War.
Use technology and information resources to research issues in contemporary U.S. history.
Write clearly and concisely about contemporary U.S. history using proper writing mechanics.