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The Gold Rush
Men seeking jobs flocked to mining opportunities. They pushed farther and farther into the frontier and formed mining communities which gave way to saloons, stores, and lodging which were lucrative businesses. However, the Gold Rush's greatest show of progress started when mining turned to big business. Not only was it more lucrative but it also advanced technology with hydraulic and hard rock mining. -
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Woman's Suffrage
This movement focused on the rights of women to vote just as a man. This was huge in bringing up women as equals. It was a difficult movement to get off the ground as women involved were often seen as unfeminine, immoral, and were often under attack. Despite these difficulties, activists persevered and in 1919 accomplished their goal. Woman's suffrage was ratified as the 19th amendment. -
Transcontinental Railroad
Built to span the nation, the railroad not only gave jobs for many immigrants, mainly Chinese and Irish, but it also immensely furthered economy. It created a quicker reliable way for business to ship their goods to even further places. It also created a very lucrative business of its own. This picture was chosen because it showed what a grand scale the project was on. -
Purchase of Alaska
Known as Seward's Folly, this was the purchase of Alaska for $7.2 million dollars by Secretary of State William H. Seward. Though this was considered a folly, it turned out to be exceptionally useful. By 1896, $1 million dollars in gold had been found as part of the Klondike Gold Rush and it proved to further progress many American industries. Among these were fish canneries, lumber companies, coal and copper mining, and more currently, oil. -
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Pollution and Disease in Cities
This is truly one of the biggest downsides of Urbanization. Sewage was disposed of improperly which lead to contaminated drinking water. This caused diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever. On top of that there was horse waste left in streets and smoke and soot polluting the air left from fires and factories. -
Steel Frame Buildings
The first skyscrapers, tall steel frame buildings were easier and less costly to build. This made it easier to build cities up rather than out, progressing America to urban life. -
Labor Unions
In an effort to seek better working conditions, workers joined together to create Labor Unions. In these workers could form petitions, send letters, and even strike against their employers if they disliked the way they were being treated. One of the largest among these was the American Federation of Labor. This was the beginning of a great progression in workers' rights. This picture clearly shows what the union stood for, especially in its motto which translates to "work conquers all." -
Ellis Island
This island was used as an immigration station. It saw thousands of immigrants a day and housed over 30 buildings. Almost overly efficient, immigrants could get through in a day and it was infamous for it's “six second physical.” This could be seen as progress as it kept record of just how many immigrants and cultures were entering America at that time. This picture was chosen to show the sheer number of immigrants entering every day. -
Yellow Journalism
This is basically a term for outrageous over exaggerated reporting. Though this may seem harmless enough, yellow journalism about various Spanish countries actually lead to the Spanish-American war, a conflict that may have been avoidable otherwise. -
Open Door Policy
This was a theory on how to regulate trading rights in China. Major European powers had controal over diferent parts of CHina causing spheres of influence. The U.S. was unwilling to compete for territory but still wanted to trade. In a surprisingly peaceful negotiation, several countries showed great progress in agreeing on equal and impartial trade in all ports of China. This was important in helping many countries' economies. This picture was chosen to show how divided China was before. -
Prohibition
By this date, the Women's Christian Temperence movement had branches in 39 states working against alcohol in cities. These women believed that in order to clean up cities, and therefore the people in them, that alcohol must be disbanded. This seems like regression as it is taking away the responsibility of people. They tried to make an Amendment banning alcohol but it was very unpopular. -
Dollar DIplomacy
When William Taft came into Presidency he believed in a slightly more peaceful was of extending American influence. He believed in economic influence of military force. he argued that by increasing economic power, it would reduce the chances of European intervention in their territories. -
Wartime Bonds
In order to pay for the war, a lot of money had to be raised. In order to do this, the government sold bonds to civilians. There was a great amount of propaganda used to promote buying of bonds, such as posters, parades, and rallies. This picture represents how literally everyone was involved in some way in the buying and selling of bonds to support troops. -
Opportunities for Women
With so many men gone to fight in World War I, women found a way to support the war at home. They worked in factories, as automobile mechanics, truck drivers, metalworkers, and many more. Women's employment grew by 6% during the war, showing huge progression towards equal women's rights. -
Treaty of Versailles
This document officially brought about the end of World War I. It placed many restrictions and penalties on Germany and formed the League of Nations. The U.S. Senate however declined to join the League. This treaty formed only a temporary peace but was very affective in ending the first World War. -
Speakeasies
At this time, America fully entered the age of prohibition. To combat this, small business that created and sold illegal moonshine cropped up everwhere. These were called Speakeasies. This picture demonstrates the more illegal side to the Speakeasies -
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The Jazz Age
This was a happy time of invention and social reform. There were new entertainments such as Jazz bands, radio programs, the first videos musical performances and sporting events. People could get around easier because of their automobiles and the Harlem Rennaissance gave way to African American culture going mainstream. -
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Herbert Hoover as President
President at the time of the stock market crash, Hoover is often blamed for the Great Depression. Unfortunately, the poor man made a long string of bad decisions. He appeared inactive and insensitive during the Depression and believed in "Rugged Individualism" which did nothing to help people's less than ecstatic view of him. -
Stock Market Crash/Black Friday
Not only was this event disastrous at the time, but it also held far reaching consequences eventually causing the Great Depression. Because of this, Hundreds of banks closed resulting in bank runs. People fell in to poverty and at one point 25% of working age people were unemployed. -
Hoovervilles
This is the nickname that people at the time mockinly gave shantytowns, as they blamed President Hoover. Many people were homeless and were forced to live in these "towns" which were really no more than makeshift shelters built out of whatever people could find. This photo shows the complete despondance of the shantytowns. -
Franklin Delanore Roosevelt
When Roosevelt took presidency in 1932 he immediately started making reforms. He instituted the New Deal to address the countries immediate issues. He also started the bank holiday, Federal Deposit Insurance corporation, the Farm Credit Administration and many more. He lead America to healing from the Depression. -
Nationalism
At this point in time there was an amazing surge of pride in one's country, called nationalism. Civilians performed civil defense drills willingly and saved every spare bit of material there was. They saved things like rubber, cloth, and metal and rationed items like coffee and oil. -
Women in the Work Place
With such a shortage of men in the work force, women began taking over jobs, Some even took noncombatant jobs in the military, thus freeing up men for the front lines. Though this was grat progression for women in the Workplace most seemed to think the jobs were only temporary and there was still along way to go. -
Propaganda
In order to keep up morale and boost sales of bonds and the like, a lot of war propaganda was put up. There was a great deal of anti-nazism which often put them in a mocking or slightly terrifying light. There was also propaganda to convince people to buy bonds and ration items to support the troops. This picturing shows the rationing propaganda, which was just as important as the anti-nazism propaganda.
