CCOT Nationalism in America from 1850 to

1975 Mick Neel, Thomas Muller, Thomas Shoup

Starting Position

• Population was growing significantly due to influx of European immigrants, caused by the Irish potato famine (1847 – 1848), persecution of Jews in Russia, and increase in poverty in Eastern Europe.• Cities were growing in size and expanding outward more as street cars and

trains allowed people to live farther away from work• Tensions between “Slave” and “Free states boiling leading up to the Civil

War• Tension over women’s rights also becoming important as many women

were involved in the newly founded Republican Party• Newly discovered steam boats and telegraph cables mad communication,

trade, and travel much easier over long distances.

Continuity #1- Constant Immigration and Struggle to Establish Identity • The large amounts of immigrants in the United States from 1850 to

1975 constantly brought in new cultures and new ideas, making it difficult for American nationalism to become prominent.• From 1850 to 1975 there were roughly 125 million foreign born

immigrants that moved to the United States.• When the immigrants arrived, they tended to move to areas where

other people from their mother country lived. In these areas the immigrants commonly maintained the culture of their mother countries.

Change #1- Isolated to World Power

• U.S. did not sign a permanent treaty from 1778 until 1949 (North Atlantic Treaty)• After joining WWI due to German ships sinking U.S. passenger vessels

the U.S. adopted a policy of Arsenal of Democracy where the U.S. government would sent financial aid and equipment to allies in need.• When the U.S. threatened to send aid to China during WWII to help

them keep out the invading Japanese, the Japanese responded by bombing Pearl Harbor. The bombing forced the U.S. to join the war. After the Allied powers won the war, the U.S. was seen as the dominant world power militarily and economically.

Continuity #2- Struggle for Equality

• Throughout the time period of 1850 - 1975 there was a constant struggle for equality• From 1850 - 1865 African Americans fought to abolish slavery• In the 1960s, African Americans like MLK struggled to end racism with

the civil rights movement• Women fought for their rights behind leaders like Susan B. Anthony

and Elizabeth Cady Stanton• Women finally gained the right to vote in 1920

Change #2- Finding Cultural Identity

• The United States was separated from 1861 - 1865 due to the South seceding and beginning the civil war (Pg. 666)• Throughout the civil war, there were over 600,000 deaths (Pg. 666)• After the Union's victory, slavery was abolished and the United States

improved as a whole (Pg. 666)• The U.S. finally came together as one as they discovered their national

identity• Another example of Cultural/National identity in the US is in the 60s when

President Johnson gained congressional support for an unlimited military to fight in vietnam. Men all over the country went to fight for the US straight out of high school (Pg. 893)

Map of America in 1861

End Situation

• With the melting pot of cultures all blended and the country going through several wars, which were large contributors to American nationalism, the United States finally had a recognizable national identity. • In 1975 the U.S. was in the Cold War, which brought citizens together

against the communist, Soviet Union. • 1975 marked the end of the Vietnam War, which was very

controversial and caused some Americans to dislike the country. • Immigrants continued to bring different cultures into America and

continued to change the face of American nationalism.

Bibliography

Bulliet, Richard W. The Earth and Its Peoples: A Global History. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997. Print.

"Tech Paper 29: Table 2. Region of Birth of the Foreign-Born Population: 1850 to 1930 and 1960 to 1990." Tech Paper 29: Table 2. Region of Birth of the Foreign-Born Population: 1850 to 1930 and 1960 to 1990. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2015.

"U.S. Entry into World War I, 1917 - 1914–1920 - Milestones - Office of the Historian." U.S. Entry into World War I, 1917 - 1914–1920. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.