Historical Challenges in the United States from 1620s to 1960s Session 5

Historical Challenges in the United States from

1620s to 1960s

Session 5

Table of ContentsI. The Mayflower Voyage & Mayflower Compact

II. Constitutional Convention and Birth of the Constitution

III. Economic Crisis in the 1920s

IV. Racial Crises from 1860s to 1960s

I. Mayflower Compact BackgroundMartin Luther and the Protestant Reformation

1517

Background 2: Reformation in England

The Church of England: The separation of the Church of England (or Anglican

Church) from Rome under Henry VIII, beginning in 1529 and completed in 1537.

a middle way (via media) between the Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions.

Bloody Mary (1553-1558) Virgin Elizabeth (1558-1603) James VI & I (1603-25)

Puritans • Seeking to bring the Church to a state of purity

that would match Christianity as it had been in the time of Christ.

• During Elizabeth's reign the Marian exiles (Protestants who'd fled England during "Bloody Mary's" reign) had returned from the Continent, full of enthusiasm to set the Anglican church straight. By the end of her reign, these believers were still committed to working within the Church of England to "purify" it (hence the term "Puritans").

The SeparatistsJames I’s anti-Protestants policy:

Smaller groups of the Puritans came to the conclusion that it was fruitless to struggle any more within the Church of England. These were named Separatists, and it was this group to which American Pilgrim ancestors belonged.

Separatists not only had given up on trying to reform the Anglican church, they also wanted to separate themselves from the corruptions of the world. They believed they were chosen of God and wanted to set up an environment where they could worship as they wished.

II. The Mayflower Voyage & Crisis

Voyage to the new world: 9/20/ 1620- 11/21/1620

What to do?How to survive?

See the movieA land without a government

Separatists in Holland

The Birth of the Mayflower Compact:Crisis turned into an opportunity

The Mayflower Compact was signed by 41 male adults on 11 November 1620 on board the Mayflower

The Mayflower Compact"In the name of God, Amen. We, …… covenant and

combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid; And by Virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the General good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience."

The Mayflower Compact: A solid foundation for a great nation and

civilization in the world

Creation and opportunity:

The Mayflower Compact is the first document in American history demonstrating the attempt to form a government based of the concept that government should derive its power from the “consent of the governed.” It not only led to survival, success and prosperity of this community, but it also turned out to be the foundation of the American constitution and corner stone of the American government.

The Mayflower Compact: A solid foundation for a great nation and civilization in the

world

Only 53 of 102 passengers was alive by November, 1621

John Winthrop, the New World would become a beacon of religious light, a model of spiritual promise, a "citty upon a hill.”

Comparison between China and U.S.The Mayflower Compact, Foundation of American Democracy

Great Yu, Founder of China’s Authoritarian Rule

Mayflower Descendants (1)

Politicians John Adams and John Quincy Adams - John Alden

President Zachary Taylor - Issac Allerton

President Ulysses S. Grant - Richard Warren

President James Garfield-John Billington

President Franklin D. Roosevelt-Richard Warren

Presidents George Bush Senior and Junior-John Howland

Politician Sarah Palin-Henry Samson

Politician Dan Quayle-Myles Standish

Mayflower Descendants (2)Astronauts

Alan B. Shepard-Richard Warren

Actors and Singers

Marilyn Monroe-John Alden

Orson Welles-John Alden

Clint Eastwood-William Bradford

Alec and Stephen Baldwin-John Howland

Humphrey Bogart-John Howland

Dick Van Dyke-Myles Standish

Christopher Lloyd-John Howland

Richard Gere-Samuel Fuller

Christopher Reeve-William Bradford

Singer Bing Crosby-William Brewster

Mayflower Descendants (3)

Authors and Publishers• Noah Webster of Webster's dictionary-William

Bradford• Poet Ralph Waldo Emerson-Elizabeth Tilley• Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow-John Alden• Publisher Hugh Hefner-William BradfordInventors• George Eastman of the Eastman Kodak Company-William Bradford

• Military Commander• George McClellan-William Bradford• Religious Leaders• Joseph Smith-John Howland

Discussion

What would happen if the Mayflower arrived in Jamestown,

Virginia instead of Plymouth?

II. Constitutional Convention: A New Opportunity

from Crisis

1780s

Table of Contents

I. America’s New Crises before 1787

1. Failure of the Confederation

2. Debts crisis & economic depression

3. Military revolt (the Newburgh Conspiracy)

4. Shay’s rebellion

5. Foreign threats

II-1. The Confederation: A Failure of National Government

Confederation: A product of the war to gain its independence.Power belongs to the parts rather than to the

whole. A league of friendship rather than a nation, because "Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence.”

No power to tax its citizens.Expenditures by the United States of America

will be paid by funds raised by state legislatures, and apportioned to the states based on the real property values.

But no an authority to enforce it.

Continue

Any amendment to the Articles needs to be unanimously approved by all the 13 states.

To avoid a too powerful leader like British Crown, there was no executive officer as the national leader.

II-2. Financial & Economic Difficulties

Financial difficulties:

To support the war, the Congress issued the continental currency:

By the end of 1778, Continentals retained from 1/5 to 1/7 of their face value. By 1780, the bills were worth 1/40th of face value. Later the paper money had the expression “not worth a continental”

Continue

• Huge debt • Economic depression from 1784-1785

• Domestic market shrank due to loss of 20% population, and state tariffs blocked free trade

• Market abroad was blocked by Britain• Home industry was no match to English

cheap products

II-3. Military Revolt in 1783Newburgh Conspiracy in 1783http://www.encyclopedia.com/video/UHY1kDirTx4-libertys-kids-38-man-who.aspx

Washington would not use the army to threaten the civil government: a course, which he believed, would violate the principles of republicanism for which they had all been fighting.

His message was that they should oppose anyone "who wickedly attempts to open the floodgates of civil discord and deluge our rising empire in blood."

The outcome: a peaceful solution - a life pension of half pay became a five years full pay.

ContinueNo power to tax its citizens.Expenditures by the United States of

America will be paid by funds raised by state legislatures, and apportioned to the states based on the real property values.

But no an authority to enforce it.

Any amendment to the Articles needs to be unanimously approved by all the 13 states.

I- 4. Shay’s RebellionShay’s rebellion in 1787A soldier in the Continental Army:• Battle of Lexington• Battle of Bunker Hill • Battle of Saratoga

The political struggles were primarily between "the class with, and [the] class without, property." James Madison

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=3ImIEcsTEVo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=23vQjYzyx9Q

II-5. Foreign Threat

• Threat from Great Britain• trade blockage and • its army in Detroit & NY

• North Africa pirates threat• Disputes with Spain

because of Florida and the Mississippi River

Conflicts at the Convention

1. Conservative vs. democratic camps

2. Federalists/nationalists vs. anti-feralists

3. Large vs. small states

4. North commercial vs. south agricultural interests

5. Free states vs. slave states

6. ……

AchievementA Government of “Checks and Balances”

“Checks & balances” of the executive, the legislative and the judiciary.

while the Congress (legislative) has the power to create law, the executive (President) can veto any legislation -- an act which, in turn, can be overridden by Congress.

The President nominates judges to the nation's highest judiciary authority (The Supreme Court), but those nominees must be approved by the Congress.

The Supreme Court, in its turn, has the power to invalidate as "unconstitutional" any law passed by the Congress

Each branch has its powers specifically described, and each would be tied into the other two in such ways as to prevent any one branch from taking over supreme power.

Comparison

George Washington’s example

Emperor/lifelong ruler in the Republic of China & People’s Republic of ChinaYuan ShikaiChiang Kai-shek Mao

ConclusionThe paralysis of the Confederation made the US into a critical crisis from 1783-1787

The constitutional convention seek a solution to solve the challenges.

The birth of Constitution created an opportunity for this new nationThe thirteen states became a unified nationA powerful and also a checks & balanced federal

government was establishedA solid political foundation led to a powerful country

in the future

III. Economic Challenges to the US

1920s

Table of ContentsBackgroundAmerica’s territorial expansion Industrialization & Inventions Immigration & Military Victory

The Great Depression

Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal

The Impact of FDR’s New Deal

Conclusion

III-1. Territorial expansionThe Spanish-American War in 1898

Industrial Revolution & Inventions

• Industrial revolution• Transcontinental railroad: For settlers along the railroad's

path, the tracks were a lifeline. More than 7,000 cities and towns west of the Missouri began as Union Pacific depots and water stops. President Lincoln would never see the completion of the transcontinental railroad, but perhaps he foresaw how it would change us. How it would draw Americans together – by trade, by travel and even by thought.

• Inventions: electricity, lights, telegraph, refrigerator & typewriter

• Ford’s mass production, Tailor’s scientific management, corporations

• New energy-oil• Leading industrial country surpassing Great Britain in 1890,

American industry produced twice as much as Britain

Immigration & Military Victory• Immigration:

• From 1865 through 1918 an unprecedented and diverse stream of immigrants arrived in the United States, 27.5 million in total

• Economic prosperity• The average annual income (after inflation) of nonfarm workers

grew by 75% from 1865 to 1900, and then grew another 33% by 1918

Military victory

With the involvement of the US, the Allies won WWI

People’s mentality Laissez-faire

Coolidge: "The business of the American people is business."[19]

Hoover: A believer in the efficacy of individualism and business enterprise, with a little coordination by the government, to cure all problems.

Optimistic to the future

III-2. The Great Depression

Stock market crashed in Oct.29,1929, 89 percent decline in stock prices

In the United States between 1929 and 1933, unemployment soared from 3% of the workforce to 25%

Industrial production had fallen by over half from 1929 to1933

744 banks failed from Oct. to July, 1930. (In all, 9,000 banks failed during the 1930s).

Dust Bowl from 1930-1936/40)

III-3. Roosevelt’s New Deal

Relief - provided instant relief for those who needed (short term).

Recovery - put the United States' economy on a footing that would make it strong like it was in the 1920s. (Recovery means that it gets back to a previous state).

Reform -fix the economy so that it would never fail to the level that it did in 1929.

III-4. Impact of the New Deal

The doctrine of laissez faire lost its domination. The government began to interference into private business. The Securities Act, which created the Securities and

Exchange Commission placed regulations on the stock market, the most classic of examples of the free market system

The Tennessee Valley Authority, provider of navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley , would create a means by which the federal government would compete with private business, a most revolutionary concept

Banking regulation, the TVA, SEC, and Social Security have become part of the American way of life.

Continue

Economically, the Social Security Act introduced the modern welfare state into the US; pensions at retirement; unemployment benefits; aid to families with dependent children; and some public health care and disability benefits.

Continue

Politically, it transferred power from Wall Street to the nation’s capitol (specifically the White House).

The Wagner Act helped give unions a dynamic voice in American society. The union movement still today is a solid backer of the Democratic Party.

Continue

Socially, the government laws Eliminated sweatshops and deterred child labor. Laws enforcing work hour standards and wages as well as working conditions.

Moreover, the New Deal rescued the American farmer and aided African-Americans more than any other government had done since the end of the Civil War.

ContinueConserved and protected American corporate capitalism by diffusing American radicals charged with bringing increased socialist reformHuey Long’s “Share-Our-Wealth” proposal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYOHDM7SN5U&feature=related

III-5. ConclusionThe Great Depression put the US into another

critical crisis. Facing huge unemployment, psychological fear, economic stagnation, and civil unrest, the New Deal was an effort and solution to deal with this crisis. The New Deal turned the crises into another opportunity: on one hand, it created a more fair society; on the other hand, it conserved and protected American corporate capitalism.

IV. Racial Challenges to Americans up

1860s - 1960s

Table of ContentsOrigin of slavery in America from perspectives of economy and racism

Founding Fathers’ dilemma and a temporary solution

The Civil War in 1860s, a critical crisis

The Civil Rights Movement in 1960s, another serious crisis

The Achievements of the Civil Rights Movement

A Long Journey of Racial Equality

Conclusion

IV-1. Origins of Slavery in America from the Perspectives of Economy and Racism

• Early history • Africans came to Jamestown, Virginia in 1619 as

indentured servants• Massachusetts recognized legal slavery in 1641• Virginia Rule: A slave mother’s children would

remain slaves in 1662

• Economic root• Racial root

“The white man’s burden” a poem by Rudyard Kipling justifies to civilize

“savages.”• Movie: African Americans: Terrible Transformation

IV-2. Founding Fathers’ Dilemma and Solution

“All men are created equal” did not cover African American slaves.

The Constitutional Convention:Southern States’ argument: slaves are only

property, so they do not need to pay taxNorthern states’ argument: proportion

number of Congress representatives would be reduced if slaves are not regarded as human beings

Compromise: each slave is regarded as 3/5 free person.

IV-3. Events Escalated to the Civil War Territory expansion intensified conflicts between free sta

tes and slave statesLouisiana Purchase in 1803The Mexican-American War in 1846-1848 Missouri Compromise of 1820

Compromise of 1850-Fugitive Slave Act

Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852

Lincoln’s speech: "A house divided against itself cannot stand." I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.

The last straw -Abraham Lincoln’s election in 1860

Lincoln: "So this is the little lady who started this great war”

IV-4. The Civil War & the Construction Era1861-1876

Goals of the Civil War: to preserve the union first to emancipate all the slaves as the second

goal

The Cost of the War One of the earliest true industrial wars Resulting in the deaths of 620,000 soldiers. Historian

John Huddleston estimates the death toll at ten percent of all Northern males 20–45 years old, and 30 percent of all Southern white males aged 18–40

Psychological scars in America's collective memory

ContinueThe Emancipation Proclamation in 1863Strengthened the Union at the cost of

ConfederationConfederation lost international support

13th Amendment: abolished all the slaves in the US

14th Amendment: All persons born in the United States are citizens……

15th Amendment: granted African Americans the right to vote

Lincohn’s Gettysburg Address:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Dlggkx6mks&feature=related

IV-5. Post-Construction EarJim Crow laws from 1876-1965

Racial segregation in public places

Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896"Separate but equal" remained standard doctrine in U.S. law until its repudiation in the 1954 Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education

Disfranchisement through literacy test

mass racial violence against blacks by Ku Klux Klan

Movie: the Rise and Fall of the Jim Crowhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChWXyeUTKg8

IV-6. The Civil Rights Movement 1955-1968

• Brown vs. Board of Education in 1954• Non-violence resistance strategy

• Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott, 1955–1956• Desegregating Little Rock, 1957• Sit-ins, 1960• Freedom Rides, 1961• March on Washington in 1963

IV-7. Achievements in law

Civil Rights Act of 1964John F. Kennedy in his civil rights speech of June 11, 1963, "giving all Americans the right to be served in facilities which are open to the public—hotels, restaurants, theaters, retail stores, and similar establishments," as well as "greater protection for the right to vote."

Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed discriminatory voting practices that had been responsible for the widespread disenfranchisement of African Americans in the U.S.

IV-8. Achievements of the Civil Rights Movement

Barack Obama, the first African American president of the US.

Thurgood Marshall &Clarence Thomas became the 1st & 2nd African-American Supreme Court Justice.

Douglas Wilder became the first African-American elected governor in U.S. history in 1989.

Deval Patrick, current governor of Massachusetts. Carol Moseley-Braun the first Senator in 1992. 8,936 black officeholders in the United States in 2000,

showing a net increase of 7,467 since 1970. 484 black mayors in 2001. Chancellor and provost at UMass Boston. Make “All men are created equal” a reality Build a more fair & harmonious society.

IV-9. A long journey of racial equality & harmony

Clyde Kennard (June 12, 1927–July 4, 1963)

1956, 57, 59 to Southern Mississippi College

1959 reckless driving by a perjury 1960 “paid theft” sentence of 7 years in

prison by a accomplice Died in 1963 2005: Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour’s

decision not to pardon him 2006: the Mississippi State Parole Board’s

decision 2006: Judge Bob Helfrich’s decision:

"To me, this is not a black and white issue; it's a right and wrong issue. To correct that wrong, I am compelled to do the right thing."

ConclusionRacial challenges put America into a civil war. With the cost of hundreds of thousands people’s lives, American leaders and people avoided a national split, and established a foundation for a rapid industrial development in the second half of the 19 century, and made the US the largest economy by 1890s.

ContinueAgain racial conflicts put America into social disturbances and violence in 1960s. The success of the Civil Rights Movement made the statement “all men are created equal” become true. However, racial equality & harmony is still an incomplete journey in the history of the United States.

Discussion

Why did the Civil Rights Movement succeed?

What is the significance of the Civil Rights Movement?

Is racial issue still a problem in today’s America?

Conclusion

American people experienced quite a few critical crises in the history. With the wisdom, courage, experience and vision, American people overcame these challenges. They moved forward one step further after solving each crisis.

Questions?

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