Throughout American history there have been changes
that have shaped the way we live today. Some of them are
small things: for example the way we vote, the way
requirements for a citizenship are obtain and other minor
things that does not effect every person at any given time.
There are also many consistent ways we have lived in
America through our history such as: the two party systems
and how we are represented have been constant for a long
period of time in the United States. None of these things
are as important as the end of segregation and our
economic structure, capitalism. These two effect the entire
country continuously throughout history, no matter who you
are our what your beliefs or your political views.
Capitalism is one of the longest and most important
constants in America today. It’s emphasis around the
“America Dream” defines America and appeals to many
countries, that you can own your own land, business,
house, car, or almost anything you could ever want. This
is the very essence that has separated the United States for
the rest of the world for a long time. The idea that the
harder you work and the better of a job you do will bring
you financial success in your life.
What would happen to America if we no longer had
capitalism as our economic structure? There have been
two times in American history when capitalism was almost
taken away from us. If WWII had a different outcome, as
it almost did, wouldn’t the country be almost forced into
Fascism? This may seem as a unlikely outcome but what
would of happen to the “American Dream.” During the
Cold War it was a stand- off between Capitalism and
Communism. If was a very tense time, and some say it
was just luck or a toss of the dice that we didn’t convert
and the Soviets did. Since these changes would of happen
in the last half-century the effects would still be felt in
America. What would happen to the “American Dream”?
The way that every one lived in this country would be
completely changed. The way we did business, the way
we bought clothes, when we went out to eat, everything.
The reason of is because the Communism and Fascism are
very extreme when compared to Capitalism. Fa!
scism is extremely right wing and a dictator controls the
government and his power is enforced by his military.
Communism is extremely left of center which has many
more citizen help programs such as: health care, medicare,
welfare, in this country has a hard enough time dealing with
these problems without the economy forcing it upon us. If
Capitalism were to change to anything else in this country, it
would be the hardest adaptation the country could ever
face, or any other large economic country for example the
current situation that the former Soviet Union is in. That
kind of change is absolutely devastating to a country.
An important change in American history has to be one
that effects everyone at any given time. The period of
segregation in this country effected everyone. It effected
how we rode the bus, where we went to school, where we
lived, and it often effected peoples political views. When
major things like these effect your daily life people become
involved. Since the end of the Jim Crow era which began
to end in the late 60’s to the civil Rights Act of 1964 which
made it a federal offense to discriminate against a customer,
a patron, or in employment because of race, color, national
origin, religion, or sex. Before that we had the 14th and
15th Amendments which gave blacks the right to vote and
equal protection. Segregation took on the country
discriminating against blacks and other minorities since the
end of the Civil War when the Jim Crow era started.
Blacks had to go to different stores, schools, restroom,
neighborhoods, and even different water fountains.
Whatever ha!
ppened to the melting pot theory? How are people
supposed to learn without understanding the other point of
view?
Segregation finally did come to an end and
communities, schools, and other public places finally came
into multiracial and multicultural places. What would have
happened if such extreme segregation was still around
today and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 didn’t pass and the
case of Brown v Board of Education had a different
result? Brown v Board of Education was a court case, in
which the court emphasized that the rights protected belong
to each and every individual, not to the group to which he
or she may belong. If segregation were still around today,
the country would be completely different. Blacks would
be more suppressed would which would lead to more inner
city violence and more and more distinct ghettos in urban
America. It could also be argued that all education could
be lower cause there would half to be more schools to
build and that cost would low!
er the change of anyone getting a quality education, besides
most public schools have a hard enough time dealing with
there budget.
These two items may be the most influential
characteristics that this country has ever had. They both
effect everyone at anytime at any given situation in present
day America. To take either one of these things away in
America or to go back on how we did things in the past
would be not be ignorant but stupid. It would unnecessary
and very damaging to the citizens of this country. They
both are responsible for the American Dream, which is the
reason way so many people flew to our country. It puts us
on a pedestal in front of the entire world and sets the
standards for the rest of the countries. Without Capitalism
and the changes that ended the Jim Crow era could we call
ourselves the United States, should we call ourselves the
United States.
