Week 6 Assignment 2: The United States Went Through Dramatic

Week 6 Assignment 2the United D States Went Through Dramatic Economic

The United States went through dramatic economic change during and after the Civil War, as industrialization spread rapidly and changed society. This transformation and some of the apparent abuses that developed led to an increased role of the government in regulating businesses and society. This role was heightened as government was viewed as the arbiter between business and organized labor. One can explore these developments from 1865 on through to World War II.

Take one of the positions as suggested below, draw from the sources listed, and present a paper with specific examples and arguments to demonstrate the validity of your position.

Possible position—in each case you can take the pro or con position:

• a. From the Progressive era through the New Deal period, political interventions generally tended to favor big corporations and hurt the common workers, leading to economic instability. (or you can argue that they helped the workers and promoted economic stability).
• b. From 1865 to 1940, the development of labor unions was generally a negative force leading to economic disruption and unnecessary laws that stifled businesses and hindered job growth. (or you can take the position that labor unions had a necessary function and generally positive impact).
• c. From 1865 to 1940, expansion west was devastating to Native American culture, but government policies promoted economic growth in these territories and generally equal opportunities to the settlers. (or you can take the position that government policies did not promote those benefits in those new areas).

After giving general consideration to your readings so far and any general research, select one of the positions above as your position—your thesis. (Sometimes after doing more thorough research, you might choose the reverse position. This happens with critical thinking and inquiry. Your final paper might end up taking a different position than you originally envisioned.)

Organize your paper as follows, handling these issues:

1. The position you choose (from the list above)—or something close to it—will be the thesis statement in your opening paragraph.
2. To support your position, use four specific examples from different decades between 1865 and 1940.
3. Explain why the opposing view is weak in comparison to yours.
4. Consider your life today: In what way does the history you have shown shape or impact issues in your workplace or desired profession?

The paper should be 600-to-850 words in length. This normally means 3-to-4 pages for the body. Double-space between lines, in Times New Roman font size 12, with one-inch margins on all sides. Use a MINIMUM of three sources, including the Schultz textbook, and cite appropriately using Strayer Writing Standards (SWS) format. The sources should include credible scholarly or primary sources from the provided list, and in-text citations should be used accordingly.

Paper For Above instruction

The dramatic economic transformations in the United States from 1865 to 1940 played a pivotal role in shaping contemporary society, particularly concerning government regulation, labor, and territorial expansion. For this essay, I argue that from 1865 to 1940, government policies and interventions primarily favored big corporations and economic growth at the expense of workers and Native American cultures, leading to significant inequalities and disruptions that have lasting implications today.

Historically, the Progressive era and the New Deal marked periods where government intervention aimed to regulate business practices and improve labor conditions. However, these interventions often served the interests of large corporations. For instance, during the early 20th century, trusts and monopolies like Standard Oil wielded immense power, influencing legislation and resisting regulation that could threaten their dominance. The Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 was a step toward regulation, yet enforcement was inconsistent, and many monopolies continued to grow, consolidating wealth and power at the expense of smaller businesses and workers (Schultz, 2018). This limited the effectiveness of early regulatory efforts and favored big business interests.

Moving into the 1920s, the rise of the commercialized economy saw government policies that often prioritized business growth over robust worker protections. The Republican administrations of the decade generally favored laissez-faire policies, leading to economic disparities and labor unrest. The failure to adequately regulate working conditions resulted in incidents like the Factory Acts’ inadequate protections, which contributed to strikes and instability (Del Mar, 1998). These policies underscored the tendency of government to implicitly support big corporations while neglecting the welfare of working-class Americans.

During the 1930s, the backdrop of the Great Depression prompted significant government intervention via Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal policies. While these efforts, such as the Wagner Act of 1935, sought to empower labor unions and regulate industries, they also reflected a recognition of the imbalance created by previous policies that benefited big corporations at the workers’ expense (Rauchway, 2008). However, even in this period, big business retained considerable influence, often delaying or diluting reforms. The Agricultural Adjustment Act and National Industrial Recovery Act aimed to stabilize the economy but often favored large agribusinesses and industrial giants, again demonstrating the enduring skewed relationship between government and big business.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, westward expansion was hailed as promoting economic growth and opportunity. However, this expansion had devastating effects on Native American cultures, as seen in policies like the Dawes Act of 1887, which aimed to assimilate Native Americans by dividing reservations into individual plots. This policy systematically dismantled Native social structures and cultural practices while opening lands for white settlers. Despite claims of promoting opportunity for settlers, the government’s approach largely marginalized indigenous populations, leading to cultural loss and dislocation (Harjo, 1996).

These historical examples demonstrate that, overall, government policies from 1865 to 1940 tended to prioritize economic growth and corporate interests over the well-being of workers and Native Americans. The persistent favoritism toward big business resulted in economic instability, inequality, and cultural devastation—outcomes that continue to influence American society and policy debates today. Conversely, although some reforms addressed these issues, they often faced resistance from powerful corporate interests, rendering them less effective.

The opposition might argue that government interventions like the New Deal helped stabilize the economy and improve conditions for workers and Native Americans. While this is true to some extent, the overall historical trend shows that economic and political power remained largely skewed toward corporations, which often delayed or watered down reforms. Furthermore, structural inequalities persisted beyond this period, indicating that government policies were not sufficiently transformative to balance these interests.

Reflecting on contemporary issues, the historical patterns of government privileging corporations over ordinary citizens inform current debates about corporate influence and economic inequality. In my workplace, understanding this history emphasizes the importance of advocating for fair labor practices and regulatory policies that protect workers and marginalized communities, ensuring that economic growth benefits all sectors of society equally.

References

• Del Mar, D. P. (1998). Region and Nation: New Studies in Western U.S. History.
• Harjo, S. G. (1996). Now and Then: Native Peoples in the United States.
• Rauchway, E. (2008). The Great Depression and the New Deal: A Very Short Introduction.
• Schultz, K. M. (2018). HIST: Volume 2: U.S. History since 1865 (5th ed.).
• Jackson, H. H. (1881). Helen Hunt Jackson’s Account of Sand Creek.
• Jacoby, S. M. (1983). Union Management Cooperation in the United States: Lessons from the 1920s.
• La Follette, R. (1924). La Follette’s Progressive Platform.
• Leonard, T. C. (2009). American Economic Reform in the Progressive Era: Its Foundational Beliefs and their Relation to Eugenics.
• Lloyd, H. D. (1884). The Lords of Industry. North American Review.
• Rauchway, E. (2008). The Great Depression and the New Deal: A Very Short Introduction.