Historical Context and Americans

Primary Source Analysis One of the key ideas of this document was to reveal to Americans the Klu Klux Klan's perception on white supremacy and also why they considered themselves to be the greatest race in the world. In particular, Evans employs patriotism in some manner to proclaim to Americans that one important element of being American, is to understand that they are superior to other people.

In addition, Evans attempts to justify the actions and ideas of the group by linking them to "the mass of the old-stock Americans" who cannot be linked to the "intellectually mongrelized Liberals." In addition, Evans delineates the aspect of Americanism, which he ties to his notion of anti-aliens. He asserts that the immigrants are the ones that should be considered a threat against Americanism. He considered aliens to be a threat because he thought that they blatantly lacked the qualities that made Americans great and exceptional.

In addition, the document clearly points out the intentions and plans for the days coming as he concludes by saying "We have merely awakened to the fact that we must fight for our own. We are going to fight -- and win!..."[footnoteRef:1] This went on to generate the underground battle forged by the KKK and the numerous deaths of black people that fell on to their hands. [1: Evans, Hiram Wesley. "The Klan's fight for Americanism." The North American Review 223, no.

830 (1926): 33-63.] Author The author, Hiram Wesley Evans, born in 1881 in the town of Ashland located in the state of Alabama. His family relocated to Texas where Evans went to Vanderbilt University to study dentistry. However, he left the establishment devoid of attaining a college degree, however, in the year 1900, he went on to set himself up as a dentist.

Two decades later, in 1920, Evans linked himself with the Ku Klux Klan and a year later, he went on to be the leader of Klansmen that abducted Alex Johnson, who was a black bellhop working at the Adolphus Hotel and the group marked KKK on his head using acid. Two years later, subsequent to his entry in the KKK, Evans grew to become the group's Imperial Wizard. This indicates some of the author's facts regarding his life that indicate his bias on the context of the text being discussed.

Owing to his leadership skills, the Ku Klux Klan significantly and quickly grew with members of the group being elected to political power positions in different states such as Indiana, Oklahoma and Texas. Three years later, the KKK had about four million members. Evans eventually resigned from the position of Imperial Wizard in the year 1939.[footnoteRef:2] [2: Simkin, J.

"Hiram Wesley Evans." Spartacus Educational, 2016.] Historical Context In terms of historical context, the Ku Klux Klan developed by Evans in the 1920s period was a force to be reckoned with socially, politically, and culturally. This group challenged any basic radical classification. Without a doubt, the KKK had a major influence on the American society at the time with respect to racial boundaries.

The essay as outlined by the author delineates the main issues of the time as a skirmish and tussle between the great population of Americans of the deep-rooted pioneer group and the intelligently Liberals deemed mongrels. For Evans, the aspects of Americanism fused with Protestantism are what eventually revealed themselves as the American civil religion at the time. As pointed out in the document by Evans, the trilogy of the Klan was that one ought to have been white, protestant and a patriot to the United States.

This, therefore, at the time, fashioned the perceptions of America towards the black people, being deemed inferior and incapable of being part of the greatest race in the world. In particular, the document produced by Evans is set at a vital time in the development of racial outlooks and perceptions in America. This was owing to the aspect of World War I and the flimflam that encircled it at the time. The significance of the document cannot be taken lightly as it generated colossal controversy all across the United States.

In particular, it pointed out precisely the feelings of some Americans and also went on to be of great aid as it instigated key problems and issues between the Klu Klux Klan and other groups of people in America. Understanding of History This particular document significantly contributes to our understanding of history. The KKK's prominence in history goes down to the deaths linked to the group in the course of the civil rights epoch.

The group waged a serious underground battle against Republican leaders in the Reconstruction Era that fought for and advocated for the economic equality of all black people in America. A key element that we can learn today from the events of the past is that allowing.