What themes stood out most to you in the assigned readings and lecture this week? What questions did the lectures and readings raise for you? Please post your responses in the comment section below.
The theme that stood out to me was the transformative power that mining and railroad companies had in the West. These companies where able to create towns such as Virginia City, Nevada, in what would have otherwise been sparsely populated range land. The labor demands of mines and railroads brought people from all around the world to the American West. The immigrants that these companies brought in forever changed the demographics of states in the American West. I was left wondering how the labor strife in the west and workers organizations in the west would impact the factory workers in the Gilded Age and their efforts to organize.
The theme that I found to be most prevalent was the speed of Western expansion and development. The rapid industrialization spurred by the Homestead Act and the discovery of gold and hard-rock mining did not allow for systematic growth of a society. As a result of this chaos and lack of organization, it became easier for Native Americans to be removed from their land, other minority groups to be subjugated, and a system of exploitative capitalism to develop in the industrializing West during this time period.
One of the most defining themes in the westward expansion is the idea and spirit of Manifest Destiny; not only were people now able to move, but the spirit and enthusiasm spread out through the west. The thought of being on the frontier and claiming land for yourself and being self sufficient was an idea that many people grew excited about; this increased sense of spirit, ingenuity, and pride in the America that had no "borders". However, this in many ways false sense of unlimited freedom had its negatives, as many people were still unable to claim the land that the Homestead Act promised them, which introduced another form of labor bondage, as well as racial issues that occurred when multiple racial and ethnic groups tried to take advantage of the promise of new freedoms and land in the American West. Not to mention the Native Americans, who opposed the new westerners and led to more problems in the "Americanization" of the western frontier.
Also I don't know why there was the name of a girl from my high school in that other comment so... sorry :)
The theme that caught my attention the most was the extreme diversity of the Western Frontier during this time period. As a result of the massive influx of people who were seeking a better life on the newly settled land, many religions and ethnicities came into contact. While nearly all minorities/immigrants were considered to be 'second class citizens' they were still forced to do the labor that produced the wealth for those 'above' them while receiving little or no benefits. This social and economic hierarchy was something that not only dominated the landscape, but characterized the time period in the West.
The main theme that stood out to me this week was the poor treatment of Indians and the Chinese. I think this general theme, exemplified by tangible laws and movements such as the Chinese Exclusion Act and citizinization emphasize the attitudes of imperialism and white-supremacy that were commonplace in 19th century America. The lecture this week raised the question of how social shifts towards equality occurred in a political arena dominated by the split-labor theory and by white laborers pressing for exclusionary laws? Additionally, the discussion of exploitative capitalism made me wonder what actions the government took later in US history to reign in exploitative owners?
The theme that stood out to me from the lectures this week was the topic of diversity in the west. There were so many different people from all walks of life coming to the West for a variety of different reasons. The Homestead Act of 1862 allowed any ordinary American to take advantage of the unsettled land with a little bit of hard work and dedication. The Mormons, facing religious persecution, were able to find a new home and even create a state once they were settled. Chinese laborers came across the Pacific to find work, only to be greeted with unfair treatment and harsh laws. The Exoduster Movement allowed blacks to escape the racial violence of the gulf states, in a hope to settle newly. There were still Indians in the West, fighting for their land and their beliefs. Simply the mass amount of ethnicity, beliefs, religions, and races colliding in this area at the time is colossal. It makes me wonder how open the people settling the region would be of others’ beliefs and cultural values, depending on their own background and experiences.
A theme that was interesting to me was the immense diversity of the American West. People from all different backgrounds, whether that be religious (Catholic, Mormon, Buddhist) or racial (White, Chinese, Mexican) migrated west in hope of a better life. The great mix of people in this new territory, however, often led to tension. The Chinese laborers were mistreated and underpaid. As a result of the split-labor theory, they took jobs away from white laborers who developed growing frustration. The Native Americans were stripped of their rich and diverse culture and instead were expected to "citizenize". In this process, they lost not only their land but also cultural pride. The budding exploitative capitalist system allowed the rich and powerful to take advantage of those who had originally sought the American West with dreams of improving their quality of life.
The theme that was extremely prevalent this week was the theme of a diverse West. Since there was an abundance of land, there was an abundance of opportunity which enticed people from all over. With everyone vying for the same work or land, it put the groups in a competitive state. My question has to do with the Chinese Exclusionary Act. How did the whites manage to get this passed?
The theme that stood out to me most was how different people can look at the same time period in history, the same facts, yet interpret them in different ways. I agree with Hertz who argues that our political system is within a liberal consensus, but after learning about how Indians were treated it would be wrong not to feel that our history is also based off conflict.
The theme that stood out to me was the diversity of the west and our treatment of the different ethnic groups. Even though these groups played vital roles in the development of the west, we still disregarded their cultures and constantly discriminated against them. For example, the Chinese, who were instrumental to the construction of the intercontinental railroad and also worked in mines, faced harsh treatment despite promises of equality by recruiters. Why would we discriminate against ethnic groups who played major roles in society, considering the fact that America is a land of immigrants?
The theme that stood out to me was that of Manifest Destiny. I was familiar with this idea and the enthusiasm that Americans felt, but I found that the negative repercussions of this expansion had often been brushed over in my past history classes. I have always valued many of the characteristics upon which this country was founded, however in the readings from Reading the American Past, Chief Joseph and Pun Chi seemed to embody those characteristics more than any American speaker I have seen quoted in this class thus far. I was left questioning how such severe mistreatment of immigrant groups and dishonesty from the government went unchecked in a country that claims to not tolerate injustice.
Something that stood out to me was a question from the reading that Dr. Dickerson mentioned in his lecture: "Were the problems confronting the United States at the turn of the twentieth century destined to play out under western skies?" Based on what was discussed in the lectures this week it appears that one could argue yes. This week our class focused on the theme of western diversity. People of different races, national origins, and religions converged upon the west in search of opportunity. This diversity of people brought along its own set of diverse problems that were complex in nature. Clashes occurred between U.S. and immigrant workers, particularly the Chinese, because immigrant workers would work for less money and often serve as strikebreakers. This caused the U.S. workers of the west to rally politicians to pass the Chinese Exclusion Act. Consequently, one can see how the issues of immigration in the U.S. as well as the rights of workers, both major problems facing America at the turn of the century, played out in the west due at least in part to diversity.
The theme that stood out the most to me in this week's reading was the incredible ethnic diversity in the west. From eastern American settlers looking for opportunity through the Homestead Act of 1862, to Indians being "citizenized", to the Chinese immigrant laborers, the diversity in the west truly makes it the newfound frontier. The Homestead Act attracted many eastern settlers looking for possibility and starting a life. The Indians were treated unfairly, in my opinion, and were forced to be part of a culture unlike their own, when they already knew how to live and already had a culture of their own. The US came in and completely ruined that for them. The land is not owned, and the Indians were there first, so why is it fair for us to completely take over their land solely because we have more weaponry and manpower than they do? I'm also curious about what happened to people after the 5 years that the Homestead Act allowed. If they were unable to fulfill the requirements to keep their land, where did they go? Did settlers move back into the east?
The theme I found to be most significant in this week's lectures and readings was the significance of technology and bureaucracy in the development of big business and corporations. As technology advanced and goods were able to be produced in large quantities at a faster rate, businesses grew and our modern American corporate structure began to develop. Bureaucracies allowed business owners to delegate management and allowed large corporations with many employees to become prevalent and prosperous. The larger these bureaucracies got, however, the greater the risk of monopolies became. A question that comes to mind is at what point has a corporation extended its bureaucratic control of industry too much?
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ReplyDeleteThe theme that stood out to me was the transformative power that mining and railroad companies had in the West. These companies where able to create towns such as Virginia City, Nevada, in what would have otherwise been sparsely populated range land. The labor demands of mines and railroads brought people from all around the world to the American West. The immigrants that these companies brought in forever changed the demographics of states in the American West. I was left wondering how the labor strife in the west and workers organizations in the west would impact the factory workers in the Gilded Age and their efforts to organize.
ReplyDeleteThe theme that I found to be most prevalent was the speed of Western expansion and development. The rapid industrialization spurred by the Homestead Act and the discovery of gold and hard-rock mining did not allow for systematic growth of a society. As a result of this chaos and lack of organization, it became easier for Native Americans to be removed from their land, other minority groups to be subjugated, and a system of exploitative capitalism to develop in the industrializing West during this time period.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most defining themes in the westward expansion is the idea and spirit of Manifest Destiny; not only were people now able to move, but the spirit and enthusiasm spread out through the west. The thought of being on the frontier and claiming land for yourself and being self sufficient was an idea that many people grew excited about; this increased sense of spirit, ingenuity, and pride in the America that had no "borders". However, this in many ways false sense of unlimited freedom had its negatives, as many people were still unable to claim the land that the Homestead Act promised them, which introduced another form of labor bondage, as well as racial issues that occurred when multiple racial and ethnic groups tried to take advantage of the promise of new freedoms and land in the American West. Not to mention the Native Americans, who opposed the new westerners and led to more problems in the "Americanization" of the western frontier.
ReplyDeleteAlso I don't know why there was the name of a girl from my high school in that other comment so... sorry :)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe theme that caught my attention the most was the extreme diversity of the Western Frontier during this time period. As a result of the massive influx of people who were seeking a better life on the newly settled land, many religions and ethnicities came into contact. While nearly all minorities/immigrants were considered to be 'second class citizens' they were still forced to do the labor that produced the wealth for those 'above' them while receiving little or no benefits. This social and economic hierarchy was something that not only dominated the landscape, but characterized the time period in the West.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThe main theme that stood out to me this week was the poor treatment of Indians and the Chinese. I think this general theme, exemplified by tangible laws and movements such as the Chinese Exclusion Act and citizinization emphasize the attitudes of imperialism and white-supremacy that were commonplace in 19th century America. The lecture this week raised the question of how social shifts towards equality occurred in a political arena dominated by the split-labor theory and by white laborers pressing for exclusionary laws? Additionally, the discussion of exploitative capitalism made me wonder what actions the government took later in US history to reign in exploitative owners?
The theme that stood out to me from the lectures this week was the topic of diversity in the west. There were so many different people from all walks of life coming to the West for a variety of different reasons. The Homestead Act of 1862 allowed any ordinary American to take advantage of the unsettled land with a little bit of hard work and dedication. The Mormons, facing religious persecution, were able to find a new home and even create a state once they were settled. Chinese laborers came across the Pacific to find work, only to be greeted with unfair treatment and harsh laws. The Exoduster Movement allowed blacks to escape the racial violence of the gulf states, in a hope to settle newly. There were still Indians in the West, fighting for their land and their beliefs. Simply the mass amount of ethnicity, beliefs, religions, and races colliding in this area at the time is colossal. It makes me wonder how open the people settling the region would be of others’ beliefs and cultural values, depending on their own background and experiences.
ReplyDeleteA theme that was interesting to me was the immense diversity of the American West. People from all different backgrounds, whether that be religious (Catholic, Mormon, Buddhist) or racial (White, Chinese, Mexican) migrated west in hope of a better life. The great mix of people in this new territory, however, often led to tension. The Chinese laborers were mistreated and underpaid. As a result of the split-labor theory, they took jobs away from white laborers who developed growing frustration. The Native Americans were stripped of their rich and diverse culture and instead were expected to "citizenize". In this process, they lost not only their land but also cultural pride. The budding exploitative capitalist system allowed the rich and powerful to take advantage of those who had originally sought the American West with dreams of improving their quality of life.
ReplyDeleteThe theme that was extremely prevalent this week was the theme of a diverse West. Since there was an abundance of land, there was an abundance of opportunity which enticed people from all over. With everyone vying for the same work or land, it put the groups in a competitive state. My question has to do with the Chinese Exclusionary Act. How did the whites manage to get this passed?
ReplyDeleteThe theme that stood out to me most was how different people can look at the same time period in history, the same facts, yet interpret them in different ways. I agree with Hertz who argues that our political system is within a liberal consensus, but after learning about how Indians were treated it would be wrong not to feel that our history is also based off conflict.
ReplyDeleteThe theme that stood out to me was the diversity of the west and our treatment of the different ethnic groups. Even though these groups played vital roles in the development of the west, we still disregarded their cultures and constantly discriminated against them. For example, the Chinese, who were instrumental to the construction of the intercontinental railroad and also worked in mines, faced harsh treatment despite promises of equality by recruiters. Why would we discriminate against ethnic groups who played major roles in society, considering the fact that America is a land of immigrants?
ReplyDeleteThe theme that stood out to me was that of Manifest Destiny. I was familiar with this idea and the enthusiasm that Americans felt, but I found that the negative repercussions of this expansion had often been brushed over in my past history classes. I have always valued many of the characteristics upon which this country was founded, however in the readings from Reading the American Past, Chief Joseph and Pun Chi seemed to embody those characteristics more than any American speaker I have seen quoted in this class thus far. I was left questioning how such severe mistreatment of immigrant groups and dishonesty from the government went unchecked in a country that claims to not tolerate injustice.
ReplyDeleteSomething that stood out to me was a question from the reading that Dr. Dickerson mentioned in his lecture: "Were the problems confronting the United States at the turn of the twentieth century destined to play out under western skies?" Based on what was discussed in the lectures this week it appears that one could argue yes. This week our class focused on the theme of western diversity. People of different races, national origins, and religions converged upon the west in search of opportunity. This diversity of people brought along its own set of diverse problems that were complex in nature. Clashes occurred between U.S. and immigrant workers, particularly the Chinese, because immigrant workers would work for less money and often serve as strikebreakers. This caused the U.S. workers of the west to rally politicians to pass the Chinese Exclusion Act. Consequently, one can see how the issues of immigration in the U.S. as well as the rights of workers, both major problems facing America at the turn of the century, played out in the west due at least in part to diversity.
ReplyDeleteThe theme that stood out the most to me in this week's reading was the incredible ethnic diversity in the west. From eastern American settlers looking for opportunity through the Homestead Act of 1862, to Indians being "citizenized", to the Chinese immigrant laborers, the diversity in the west truly makes it the newfound frontier. The Homestead Act attracted many eastern settlers looking for possibility and starting a life. The Indians were treated unfairly, in my opinion, and were forced to be part of a culture unlike their own, when they already knew how to live and already had a culture of their own. The US came in and completely ruined that for them. The land is not owned, and the Indians were there first, so why is it fair for us to completely take over their land solely because we have more weaponry and manpower than they do? I'm also curious about what happened to people after the 5 years that the Homestead Act allowed. If they were unable to fulfill the requirements to keep their land, where did they go? Did settlers move back into the east?
ReplyDeleteThe theme I found to be most significant in this week's lectures and readings was the significance of technology and bureaucracy in the development of big business and corporations. As technology advanced and goods were able to be produced in large quantities at a faster rate, businesses grew and our modern American corporate structure began to develop. Bureaucracies allowed business owners to delegate management and allowed large corporations with many employees to become prevalent and prosperous. The larger these bureaucracies got, however, the greater the risk of monopolies became. A question that comes to mind is at what point has a corporation extended its bureaucratic control of industry too much?
ReplyDelete