Significant Developments in American History From the Colonial Period Through the Reconstruction Era

¶ … American history from the colonial period through the Reconstruction era. Clearly, thorough such an extensive period, numerous significant events occurred that could alter history and culture. However, four events stand out because of their great influence on our history, our culture, and the very fabric of our lives today. These events all made history, but they all influenced people of the time, and often influenced the world, too.

The first, and perhaps most important event during this period was the American Revolution, which secured America's freedom. This event clearly set history, because it not only ensured our break from Great Britain to create our own unique democracy, it set the stage for all the other events to follow. The American Revolution showed that a young, vibrant people could take their destiny into their own hands, and indicated that the dictator type of monarchy was outmoded. The American Revolution helped the French create their own revolution, but more, it created a new and very different government "for the people, by the people." While that government has certainly altered throughout the years, the basic foundation is still there, and is still ruled predominately by the people, who enjoy freedoms that many in the world still do not. If the American Revolution had not occurred, then the American people might still be living under the rule of Great Britain, or we may have faced war with another imperialistic country bent on taking over the great promise that the country provides. Thus, our lives could be very different, and we probably would not enjoy the freedoms and advancements that we know today. We might still be a part of Europe, and we might still have constraints we cannot imagine.

The second important and memorable event was the Louisiana Purchase that led to the great Westward Expansion, led by Lewis & Clark's expedition. Thomas Jefferson understood the potential of the vast lands that lay to the west of the American colonies, and understood we must obtain them to ensure our continued freedom and development. The Westward Expansion that occurred after the Louisiana Purchase gave the country more stability, more natural resources, and more land to develop and populate. Without the Westward Expansion, much of the American continent might still belong to Mexico, Russia, or Canada, and the country would be unable to grow, develop, and prosper. The agricultural lands of the Midwest are extremely important to our modern economy, just as they were to the early economy. They also helped create modernization and the industrial revolution, by necessitating mass transport and machinery to harvest and process the vast crops of the area. America would be very different if most of her residents were still in the Eastern half of the country, and the rest of the country belonged to someone else. We would not have had enough room to grow, to change, and to affect the world's economy with our agriculture and natural resources found in the West.

The third event that was important and catastrophic was the Civil War. This event split the nation in two and is still contentious today. However, the Civil War eventually ended slavery, and was the catalyst for bringing the country back together after the South succeeded from the North. It was a terrible legacy, killing hundreds of thousands on both sides, and it showed completely new generations of Americans how horrible war could be. However, it also showed how strong the country was, because the country survived a bitter Civil War, and still managed to prosper and grow, affecting the world economy as well as the national economy. The Civil War showed how other countries, such as Great Britain, were dependent on our crops such as cotton, and began to show our influence on the world. The country would be far different had the outcome been different, and the economy of the country probably would not have grown nearly as quickly, because the South was an agrarian society, while the North was more industrialized. If the South had won, American might not have made the technological advances we did in the latter half of the 20th century, and if the war had not happened at all, the South may never have modernized, and it may have taken much longer to free the slaves.