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The Ratification of the 15th Amendment- Washington DC
Following the Civil War, the series of amendments the Constitution culminated with the 15th Amendment, giving Americans of African descent the right to vote. By many, although not always encouraged and sometimes discouraged by awful means, this amendment finalized the rationale for engaging in the cruelty of the Civil War and the hardship which resulted in rebuilding our great nation. 1 -
Great Railroad Strike- Pittsburg, Pennsylvania
In what would become a trend in siding with big business, this event served as the platform for the government's involvement in solving labor relation disputes for the next quarter century. Despite any injustices felt by laborers in this case and many like it in the decades to follow, it would be some time and many tragic events before the realization that the government's role in solving these disputes was not as the aggressor, but as the protector of the common man. 2 -
The Turner Thesis- Chicago, Illinois
Frederick Turner identified an end to domestic expansion and suggested that the new frontier existed beyond the borders of our country. He stated, “American energy will continually demand a wider field for its exercise. Although there was no more room for these forces to proceed domestically, they would continue to find an outlet on the international stage." Agreed by many as a pivotal point in the ideals of American Imperialism, it came as the United States was emerging on the world stage. 3 -
The United States Engages the Spanish in War, The Philippines
Unexpectedly to many, the first international conflict and victory of the United States with a world military power came an ocean away as the United States challenged Spain in the Spanish-American War. The US was eager to stake their claim as the dominant power in the Western Hemisphere, but also knew of the importance in establishing a strategic settlement in Asia as a launching point for mercantile and military involvement abroad. The success only further encouraged greater expansion. 4 -
The Sinking of the Lusitania- North Atlanic Ocean
While the sinking of the Lusitania and along with it, the death of American citizens did not solely bring the United States into WWI, the further threat to US ships and the Zimmerman Telegram left the young nation with no choice but to defend its interests in the war. As it entered the war, the United States knew it must maintain relationships with warring nations after the war and emerged as the dominant world power both economically and in its military capabilities. 5,6 -
Charles Lindbergh Flies Across the Atlantic- New York to Paris
The interest in expanding its horizons did not end with WWI. In the 1920's, the United States continued to expand its reach in pushing the capabilities of travel and spreading the pioneering spirit, one of the hallmarks of western and now global expansion. Charles Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic Ocean from New York to Paris in 1927 established the possibility of airline travel and assisted in the globalization of American spirit and culture. 7
