American History 1820–1920: Key Events That Shaped the U.S.

Introduction

The following paper examines five positive and five negative events that influenced the history of the United States between 1820 and 1920.

Positive Events in American History, 1820–1920

The following events are among the most significant positive developments that shaped the United States during this period.

Industrialization and the Gold Rush

One of the most important processes that influenced the development of the United States is industrialization, which took place after the end of the Civil War. The United States had to undergo an accelerated process of modernization largely because the country had been divided between two different economic models: one based on agricultural processes and another on industrial practices. It was therefore extremely important that unity be created between the two parts of the country. This industrialization process, spanning from the 1860s to the 1920s, was essential because the North was able to advance its technology in terms of industrial power, while the South was able to break away from its traditional agricultural means of existence. The results were immediate — in less than 50 years, the United States became the largest industrial nation in the world (Katers, 2006). This was made possible in part by the concentration of resources along the East Coast. The development also allowed immigrants to populate the United States at a larger and faster pace, which in turn positively affected the demographic structure of the country as a whole.

El Dorado was another important aspect of American history during this era. It represented, for the population and especially for immigrants, a set of dreams and values that would eventually foster the creation of an American culture. The term refers to the Gold Rush that began in the mid-19th century, which influenced the development of the West Coast of the United States. At the same time, it motivated the development of the region as a whole, from multiple perspectives including demographics and infrastructure. It is rather difficult to determine whether the myth of El Dorado was in fact reality or simply popular folklore. What can be said with certainty, however, is that it positively influenced the way California and the West Coast would eventually be perceived within the broader American economy in the decades that followed.

Negative Events in American History, 1820–1920

Another positive development for the foreign policy of the United States was the creation of the Fourteen Points presented by President Woodrow Wilson in the early years of the 20th century. More precisely, President Wilson's plan for improving the situation of the international community following the First World War provided a new and constructive perspective on how peace could be attained and maintained. Despite these efforts to promote a new approach to peace — and despite the lobbying at Congress to adopt the constituent act of the League of Nations — Wilson ultimately failed to make the United States a member of the first global international organization, the very one that the United States had helped build. Even so, it is important that the United States declared from the beginning of the 20th century its commitment to being a promoter of peace, equality, freedom, and human rights.

The following events are among the most significant negative developments that affected the United States during this period.

One of the negative aspects that affected American history is the Monroe Doctrine of 1823. This doctrine had a lasting effect on the foreign policy of the United States in its relations with neighboring countries. It stressed that the United States had the capacity and the right to defend both the foreign policy and internal affairs of its neighboring countries from European interference, if the interests of the United States so required. The initial motivation behind the doctrine was positive in the sense that the United States offered its support in case of foreign or domestic disturbance affecting neighboring states. However, due to the volatility of international politics, the United States was soon perceived as interventionist in the internal affairs of those countries. Cases arose — in Mexico and Cuba, for example — in which the United States intervened and supported various political factions. This approach generated negative feelings toward the United States, as seen notably in the case of Mexico. At the same time, such an approach created tensions between the United States and European countries that had their own interests in Latin America at that time.

The beginning of the First World War in Europe greatly affected the foreign policy of the United States. The strong commitments between the United States and its European allies — particularly Great Britain — demanded that the U.S. support the war effort against Germany throughout the 1914–1918 global conflict. Furthermore, as a result of the First World War, the Great Depression severely affected the United States at the end of the 1920s. Despite the fact that the United States had entered the war as a prosperous nation, after the war ended the European continent was financially devastated and no longer a viable trading partner. Under these conditions, the commercial relationship between Europe and the U.S. became far less advantageous for the American economy. This resulted in a significant decrease in transactions and a decline in trade. Unable to regroup quickly and pivot to different trading areas and partners, the U.S. contributed in part to the conditions that led to the Great Depression of the late 1930s.

Conclusion

The Dred Scott decision of 1857 was a crucial piece of legislation that denied the Black population the right to American citizenship. The legal case both defined the limits of the U.S. Congress — which could not override the authority of individual states on the issue of slavery — and certified that Black people, regardless of their origin or status, could never benefit from American citizenship. This decision is significant because it represented a further step toward open conflict between the North and the South.

The assassination of President Lincoln was yet another crucial moment in U.S. history during this period. His contribution to resolving the issue of slavery and establishing the unity of the country was immense in the aftermath of the Civil War. His assassination, however, led to massive disarray at the level of public opinion and on the political stage, and it halted the reformation efforts he had initiated. It would take years before the path that Lincoln had established would be followed again.

Jenkins, Philip. A History of the United States. New York: Palgrave, 1997.

Katers, N. "Industrialization of America 1860–1900." Associated Content. 2006.