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"How the Other Half Lives” by Jacob Riis
Jacob Riis’ “How the Other Half Lives” was a monumental in changing and reforming the United States socially. It brought attention to the poor conditions that most of the US had to live in and even brought new attention to the new immigrant waves starting to come into the nation and build the system we have today of diversity. Riis; book help bring light to the dire needs right in our own country they people had no idea were there. -
First Controlled Flight
When the Wright Brothers had created the first Controlled flight it had completely revolutionized the way of transportation forever. Not only had it helped considerably in WWI, but it also helped improve the way Americans and the world traveled. It had cut down previous journeys that could take days into under an hour sometimes and had changed the lives of many. -
Meat Inspection and Purefood Acts
The Meat Inspection and Purefood Acts had changed the way companies made their products. It guaranteed sanitized and healthier items on the racks at the grocery stores for the average American. It began to hold companies to a higher standard in what they put in their food and what could be allowed. Instead of making meat that made many sick, companies couldn’t be cheap and had to start being truthful in their packaged food and goods. -
The 16th Amendment
The 16th amendment had changed the way our country is built today. It gave power to the federal government and meant US working citizens had to start paying taxes out of their annual income. This gave money to the federal government to pay for schools, roads, and government assigned buildings. It also gave the government more power internationally, because with the growing population of the United States, meant more money the US had through it’s working citizens -
First Transcontinental Call
The first transcontinental call came in from New York City, New York to San Francisco, California by Alexander Graham Bell to Thomas A. Watson. This revolutionized the way of electronic communication in the United States. It changed the way we are able to communicate and talk long distanced. This lead to the wireless cell phones we have today and the media that connects most of the world. -
Victory Gardens
Victory gardens are important today because it was the first time our nation came together in a time or crisis. It shows the power of the regular civilians and the people. While the gov may control our laws the power lies with the people. Throughout WW1 the Victory Garden campaign served as a successful means of boosting morale, expressing patriotism, safeguarding against food shortages at home, and easing the burden on the commercial farmers working arduously to feed troops overseas. -
US enters WW1
The Unites States had entered World War 1, or The Great War, when Germany had begun to lose it’s rise to power and decided to sink any and all ships going into the UK. Germany had sunk 10 US merchant ships. With the United States in the war it ended quickly showing just how powerful the United States was, beginning to lead the US to the world power we became and still are today -
Worldwide Spanish Influenza
The Spanish Influenza Pandemic had many social and economic impacts on the United States. Not only had it killed nearly half a million Americans but it had shut down everything economically which combined with elevated inflation had caused a large decline in stocks and government bonds. But it has also improved modern medicine so now American citizens get shots to protect us from past diseases. -
Panama Canal Opens
The Panama Canal opening was a revolution in trading and great for the United States economy and worldwide. Opening the Panama Canal had meant that there was now a link to travel and trade between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. This had created a new route for international trade and military transport and remains vital for the US then and now. -
Harlem Renaissance begins (Jazz Age)
The Harlem Renaissance brought new art and music and culture for the United States and Black Americans all over the nation. It was a golden age for Black artists, writers and musicians. It gave these artists pride in and control over how the Black experience was represented in American culture and set the stage for the civil rights movement. This was the starting point for African Americans to start taking pride in the color of their skin instead of the shame ideas that were forced upon them. -
Prohibition
When Prohibition had begun it had a multitude of impacts on the United States. It caused a rise in organized crime associated with the illegal production and sale of alcohol, an increase in smuggling, and a decline in tax revenue with the government. The organized crime that had risen in the 1920’s stands to this day which had lead to many deaths today. -
Women begin Voting
In 1920, the 19th amendment was passed which gave women the right to vote in governmental elections. After decades of hard work and pushing from thousands of brave women, Women were finally given the right they should've had long ago. This was a big step in gender equality in the United States and impacts the country today by allowing a group of people that make of fifty percent of the country to vote for our leaders. -
Stock Market Crash
In 1929 the Stock Market had crashed causing severe economic trouble for the United States and starting the decade long Great Depression. Nearly a quarter of all Americans were unemployed and starving, International trade collapsed, banks failed, homeless statistics shot through the roof, and deflation soared. But the Great Depression had brought us Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, regulation of securities markets, the birth of the Social Security System and the first national minimum wage. -
Dustbowl begins
The dustbowl created drought, winds and dust clouds of the Dust Bowl killed important crops like wheat and corn, caused ecological harm, and resulted in and exasperated poverty. Prices for crops plummeted and began causing a widespread panic for farmers and their families out the affected regions. Banks began failing on a massive scale and since deposits were uninsured, many people lost all of their life's savings. The gov. has put laws in place to help the economy if this were to happen again. -
Star Spangled Banner
In 1931 President Woodrow Wilson had signed and declared that the Star Spangled Banner would be the United States’ national anthem. This is important to us today because it shows who we are as a country and sums up what we fought for. The Star Spangled Banner is an example of patriotism and brings us together no matter the fight against us. This is important to us today because this same message that was written in 1814, still holds the same strength in the US as it did then. -
Banking Failure
Nearly four thousand United States Banks had failed in 1933, only 3 years into the Great Depression. While the US had been slowly declining economically, this sealed the deal. When the banks had shut down it caused mass chaos and even more economic failure. This is important to us today because this had brought us the new banking system we have today. -
FDR Inaugurated and New Deal
In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected as the new president of the US and had a plan to end the Great Depression. FDR's New Deal, Relief, Recovery, and Reform was a series of federal programs launched to reverse the nation's decline. New Deal programs put people back to work, helped banks rebuild their capital, and restored the country's economic health. This impacts us today by bringing us economic deals and new banking system we have. -
Fair Labor Standards Act
The Fair Labor Standards Act brought workers fair working standards and the first minimum wage. While the first minimum wage was only 25 cents it guaranteed to all workers that no matter where or how they worked, they were always guaranteed to be paid and provide for families. This impacts us today because the minimum wage has only raised which promises to all working Americans some kind of income. -
Pearl Harbor Attack
When Japan attacked the United States in Pearl Harbor, it meant the US entered World War 2. World War 2 had brought the US out of the Great Depression by manufacturing guns, submarines, tanks, airplanes and many other types war machines. While the attack itself had tragically killed thousands of American soldiers, it had fueled the patriotism and motivation the country needed to pull through dark times. It lead to the end of isolationism and eventually NATO. -
Japanese Internment Camps
The Japanese Interment camps were placed in a time of fear for the US and are a topic of shame for our nation. Thousands of innocent Japanese-Americans were sent into internment camps for simply their race or ancestral race. It had a huge impact on society with racial problems only getting worse amongst people of different colors. Internees were sent to better homes and were given better wages to make up for the losses they were forced to take because of fear. -
D-Day
D-Day was the most remarkable alliance of the 20th century and put the US as a leading superpower in the world for some time. It changed the course of the war forever and also opened up lasting alliances with Eastern Europe. It had showed the World just how powerful the United States can be and that we were not as country to be messed with. D-Day landings broke the Atlantic wall which was thought to be unbreakable and allowed the Allies to successfully complete the liberation of Western Europe. -
1944 G.I Bill of Rights
The G.I Bill of Rights were established by the US gov. as a way of saying thanks to soldiers. The G.I bill include many benefits for army members and their families. The gov. pays for education for soldiers like college or trade school, give low interests/ home loans, and provide low interest business loans. This is important to the US today because this encourages many soldiers to go into the military today and ensure that soldiers will be well taken care of for their sacrifices. -
United Nations Established
The United Nations is an international organization founded after the Second World War by many countries committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendlyrelations among nations and promoting social progress,and human rights. Creating the United Nations is important because it established the US as a world superpower and lead to strong alliances that stand today. If any country is in trouble including the US, then other countries will get involved to fight for peace. -
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
To end World War 2 completely the United States ended its claim to war with Japan by dropping the first Atomic bomb ever on Hiroshima. Both that bomb and the bomb of Nagasaki were the only atomic bombs ever used in warfare. This impacted the worlds view on the our country forever by showing the when you mess with the United States, they will mess back only worse. It showed how truly strong this country is and how much power we truly have. -
Baby Boom Generation
After World War 2, many soldiers had come home from war and many couples had been reunited, resulting in the baby boom generation. Between 1946-1963 the US population had increased over 30 million and there was a recorded birth every 10 seconds. The Baby Boom impacts then and now by creating thousands of new in demand jobs and creating new situations and solutions when the generation gets older. For example now it’s retirement and social security. -
Hollywood 10
The Hollywood 10 were a group of filmmakers that were accused of being communist and trying to bring communism into the Hollywood movie industry to influence the American population. HUAC, had tried to forced them to answer questions and they didn’t talk and were accused and got black listed. This is important today to show how much our government had changed and what power the they do and don't have over us, simply for not answering questions. It shows the fear and mistrust we had as a nation. -
Jackie Robinson
In 1947 Jackie Robinson was the first black baseball player to enter a previously all white league. He made the Dodgers the first integrated American sports team and showed that you shouldn’t be judged to play based on the color of your skin. . There was a lot of back lash but it was the first necessary step into equality that many have fought so hard for. This impacted our society heavily back then and have since opened opportunities to everyone equally. -
Operation Vittles
Operation Vittles impacted the view the world had on the US back then and to this day continues to hold good international relations with many European countries, especially Germany. Operation Vittles proved above all that airlift could sustain a large population surrounded by hostile forces. East of Berlin escaped the USSR and communism while the western zones of Germany continued moving toward unified democratic statehood. -
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was the most effective ever of U.S. foreign aid programs. It was an effort to prevent the economic deterioration of European countries after WWII. It also helped stop the expansion of communism, and keep the flow of world trade. The Marshall plan was meant to rebuild countries in Europe without having to pay the US back. It was a smart way to build trust between countries and build allies. It also helped solidify the United States’ role internationally. -
N.A.T.O Established
N.A.T.O stands for The North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It was created by the US, Canada, and Western European nations to provide security against the Soviet Union. It was originally made to stop the spread of communism but because of article 5, it creates lasting peace for any country in NATO. NATO was the first peacetime military alliance the US entered into. It’s important today because it provides the US with extra protection if needed and solidifies peaceful international relations. -
Korean War
North Korea wanted to go communist and South Korea wanted to go capitolist after Japan had released it’s control. When the United States swore to stop the spread of communism, they helped fight the North over territory and control. This is important because it worsened international relationships with China and North Korea to the hostile relations the US is on today. -
McCarthyism
Joseph McCarthy had started McCarthyism and had scared the US citizens that their were soviet spy and sympathizers in the US government and other influential institutions. Because of him hundreds were accused and lost their jobs and lives. McCarthyism had created a culture of uniformity and paranoia that feared anything slightly different that remains slightly true to this day. Even though the United States had healed since form this, we as a country still fear those who’re different. -
Levitt and Son’s Suburbia
In 1951 a company called Levitt and Sons had bought a large field and started building very similar houses in close proximity. This started the suburbs which is what the majority of today’s US population live in. Each house was semi cheap ot make and they could build it quickly for the growing population of families who wanted more space and out of the cities. It also lead to the idea of the classic American Dream and home ownership. -
Bert the Turtle
Bert the Turtle was significant in the cold war because it was a cartoon figure to warn kids on what to do if their was a nuclear bomb dropped by Russia. It shows the true fear and paranoia the United States lived in. While today, Russian US relations aren’t the best it shows how far along we’ve come as 2 nations and our disagreements. Bert the turtle showed that even though our nation is and was strong, we aren’t perfect and in times we need to live in a little bit of fear. -
Federal-Aid Highway Act
President Eisenhower had signed the act to create major roads and highways that connected every small and large town in the US. While it was the largest public works project in history, it impacts many American lives on a daily basis by providing easy access transportation routes to, before, unreachable places. It updated and modernized America’s roadways and connects the country. It also played into cold war fears because it made mass evacuations easier and acted as emergency runways. -
Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education
Linda Brown was a young Black school girl that had to walk past 2 white school just to get to her own school. In Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education the Court declared that racial segregation in public schools violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment,effectively overturning the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson decision mandating "separate but equal." This is important in today’s society because it was a first step to the equality and diversity all public schools should have today. -
Little Rock 9
The Little Rock Nine were a group of 9 Black High School Students that fought in the Civil Rights Movement simply by going to school. They had been the first students to start desegregation of public schools. This was a huge inspiration for many other public areas to desegregate and it inspired many African Americans to stand up for themselves and for those who were persecuted for years over something they couldn’t control. This was the step needing to be taken to end racism. -
Space Race
The Space Race was important to the US today because it didn't just leave an impact on space research, it left a wider impact in the field of technology for what we have today. Technology has improved significantly over the past few decades because of the superiority both the US and the USSR wanted to hold. Both countries rushed to the dominance of space and it was deemed a necessity for national security. While Russia made it into space first, the US had made it to the moon first -
Fall of Berlin Wall
When the Berlin wall fell between East and West Germany, it showed the end of the communist hold in most of Europe. This is important to the United States because it meant the start of end of the Cold War. It showed that the communist party was falling and that the effort that all the United States put into stopping the spread of communism was for good reason. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
When Castro had taken over Cuba he had been talking to the Soviet Union about an alliance and that scared the United States with communism and atomic weapons being so close to home. President Eisenhower planned to overthrow the Cuban government with Cuban exiles but JFK pulls back, thus leaving the US humiliated on the world stage. This is important today to show that while were a leading world power, were not perfect and it show no country is. -
Klu Klux Klan
The Klu Klux Klan had been a widely known white supremacists group that were known for their hate against African Americans. They tortured, killed, and terrorized African Americans any age or gender. While horrific, it’s an important part of the United States history to see how far we’ve come as a nation from then until today. The US stands together as a diverse nation thanks to the things the past had to endure. -
March on Washington
More than 200k Americans of all colors had showed up for the March in Washington DC. They were fighting for equality for Jobs and Freedom in the nation's capital. The march was successful in pressuring the administration of John F. Kennedy to initiate a strong federal civil rights bill in Congress. But not only were they fighting for a bill they were fighting to be seen as equal human beings no matter what you look like. This is important to the equality, freedom, and rights we hold today. -
Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act was the first of many big necessary steps to improve life for fellow American born citizens. Black Americans were tormented on for centuries for simply having a different skin color and this Act prohibited discrimination in public accommodations and federally funded programs. It also strengthened the enforcement of voting rights and the desegregation of schools. This act is the nation's benchmark civil rights legislation, and it continues to resonate in America to this day. -
Vietnam War
The Vietnam war was the first war where US citizens used their right to protest. The War caused tons of turmoil at home because of the protests and left many citizens in a state of chaos and conflict because it was the first war that took place on televisions reaching millions of Americans at home. The movie industry was also effected by this and continues today by bringing films and movies out of the sunny optimisms into an era of violence, chaos, horror, distrust, paranoia, and cynicism. -
Water Quality Act
The water quality act helped improve the bad water qualities and standards in the US. It has made billions of pounds of pollution kept out of our rivers and the number of waters that meet clean water goals nationwide has doubled – with direct benefits for drinking water, public health, recreation, and wildlife. This has not only helped animal populations in the US but also helped public health alot due to the drinking water not causing health issues. -
Elementary and Education Act of 1965
The Elementary and Education Act of 1965 it vital for students and public government funded schools. The act provides federal funding to primary and secondary education, with funds authorized for professional development, instructional materials, resources to support educational programs, and parental involvement promotion. It also provides scholarships for college students. It has helped raise the graduation rate a lot in the past few decades due to the good quality of schools today. -
Medicare and Medicaid Act
The Medicare and Medicaid Act is vital to American’s health now. The act helped provide Americans with the necessary money to pay for costs of hospital bills and health checks that would other wise be unobtainable. It also removed the racial segregation practiced by hospitals and other health care facilities, and they helped deliver better health care. By ensuring access to care. Medicare has contributed to a life expectancy that is years higher than it was when the law went into effect. -
Immigration and Nationality Act
This act is incredibly important to the US today because the law had abolished the National Origins formula of allowing only 2% of each country into the United States. This act had repealed the Immigration Act of 1924 and had allowed many to come and become US citizens. The act removed de facto discrimination against Southern and Eastern Europeans, Asians, and other ethnic groups. -
Voting Right's Act
The Voting rights act is incredibly important to the voting process in government elections to this day. It outlawed the discriminatory voting practices adopted in many states, especially southern states after the Civil War, including literacy tests as a requirement to voting. This act was written to enforce the fifteenth amendment that was signed into law ninety-five years before this act existed. -
Clean Air Act
The Clean Air Act signed into effect in 1967 by president Richard Nixon and has improved American public health a lot. It continues to cut pollution and protect the health of American families and workers. This means fewer premature deaths and illnesses which then means Americans experience longer lives, better quality of life, lower medical expenses, fewer school absences, and better worker productivity. This had overall improved us as a nation to work healthier and more productively.