Emergence of Modern America 1890 - 1930

1. Emergence of Modern America1890 - 1930 The study of how the modern U.S. emerged begins with the Progressive era. This era included the nation’s most vibrant set of reform ideas and campaigns since the 1830s-40s.

2. Emergence of Modern America1890 - 1930 All Progressives focused on a set of corrosive problems arising from rapid industrialization, urbanization (growth of cities), waves of immigration, and business and political corruption. They were highly dedicated to the renewal of American democracy and great deal of them were women.

3. Emergence of Modern America 1890 - 1930 Two of the problems confronted by the Progressives are still central today: First: How to maintain the material benefits flowing from the industrial growth while bringing the powerful forces creating those benefits under democratic control while enlarging economic opportunity. Second: How to maintain democracy and national identity amid increasingly diverse influx of immigrants and amid widespread political corruption and the concentration of political power.

4. Emergence of Modern America 1890 - 1930 Of all the waves of reformism in American history, Progressivism is notable for its nearly all encompassing agenda. It stood for Progress and America was about progress. Essential Question: How did the reforms of the Progressive movement change the U.S?

5. Emergence of Modern America 1890 - 1930 While the Progressive movement was impressive, it did have it’s drawbacks. They antagonized radical labor movements and ignored the plight of African Americans and all minorities. Also, one of the most heated controversies was female equality. Essential Question: How did African Americans respond to discrimination and “Jim Crow?”

6. Emergence of Modern America 1890 - 1930 All issues of American foreign policy in the 20th century have their origins in the emergence of the U.S. as a major world power in the Spanish-American war at the end of the 19th century and in the involvement of the U.S. in World War I. Essential Question: What were the results of the Spanish American War?

7. Emergence of Modern America 1890 - 1930 American intervention in World War I cast the die for the U.S. as a world power for the remainder of the century. Much can be learned from the complexities of foreign policy today by studying the difficulties of maintaining neutrality in WWI while acquiring the role of economic giant with global interests and while fervently wishing to export democracy around the world.

8. Emergence of Modern America 1890 - 1930 Essential Question: What were the reasons for the United States becoming involved in World War I and what was the outcome?

9. Emergence of Modern America 1890 - 1930 In the postwar period the prosperity of the 1920s and domination of big business and Republican politics are important happenings of the period. The cultural and social realms also contain importance for today. First: women finally achieve equality politically and economically

10. Emergence of Modern America 1890 - 1930 Second: radical labor movements and radical ideologies provoked widespread fear and hysteria Third: recurring racial tension that led to black nationalism, the Harlem Renaissance, and the first northward migration of African Americans and the resurgence of the KKK

11. Emergence of Modern America 1890 - 1930 Fourth: a powerful movement to Americanize a generation of immigrants and the closing of the nation’s gates to more immigrants. Fifth: examine the continuing tension among Protestants, Catholics and Jews exemplified by the resurgence of Protestant fundamentalism. Essential Question: How was social and economic life in the early twentieth century different from that of the late nineteenth century?