America in the 1880s - 1920s
The Pride and Shame
Industrialization: William Jennings Bryan
Here is a Speech William Jennings Bryan made, "Cross of Gold":
“
Having behind us the producing masses of this nation and
the world, supported by the commercial interests, the laboring
interests, and the toilers everywhere, we will answer their demand
for a gold standard by saying to them: You shall not press down
upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify
mankind upon a cross of gold.
”
The Dawes Act
The Populist Party
Here is a quote from Mary Elizabeth Lease, the daughter of Irish immigrants, was a leader of the Populist Party.
“
What you farmers need to do is to raise less corn and
more Hell! We want the accursed foreclosure system wiped
out. . . . We will stand by our homes and stay by our fire-
sides by force if necessary, and we will not pay our debts
to the loan-shark companies until the Government pays its
debts to us.
”
Immigration: Chinese Exclusion Act
The Melting Pot
Angel Island
Urbanization: Social Gospel
The Mass Transit
The Americanization Movement
Progressivism: The Seventeeth Amendment
Muckrakers
Here is a quote from Upton Sinclair's novel, "The Jungle".
“
There would be meat that had tumbled out on the floor, in the
dirt and sawdust, where the workers had tramped and spit
uncounted billions of consumption [tuberculosis] germs. There
would be meat stored in great piles in rooms; . . . and thousands
of rats would race about on it. . . . A man could run his hand over
these piles of meat and sweep off handfuls of the dried dung of
rats. These rats were nuisances, and the packers would put poi-
soned bread out for them; they would die, and then rats, bread,
and meat would go into the hoppers together.
”
Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act
Imperialism: The US gaining Hawii
Here is a quote from Queen Liliuokalani, proving her harshness and how the United States rightfully took control.
“
I, Liliuokalani, . . . do hereby solemnly protest against any
and all acts done against myself and the constitutional govern-
ment of the Hawaiian Kingdom. . . . Now, to avoid any collision of
armed forces and perhaps the loss of life, I do under this protest . . .
yield my authority until such time as the Government of the United States
shall . . . undo the action of its representatives and reinstate me in the authority
which I claim as the constitutional sovereign of the Hawaiian Islands.
”