...Though he never attained the highest office of his adopted country, few of America’s founders influenced its political system more than Alexander Hamilton. He was a member of the Continental Congress, an author of the Federalist Papers, a champion of the Constitution and the first secretary of the Treasury. Hamilton raised up and made a difference in the American Revolution War. He became allies with some of the top men that we know today without a second thought. But there’s so much more to Hamilton’s legacy then we give him credit for. Born on an island in the Caribbean to a poor family and eventually orphaned, Hamilton led a rough childhood. Hamilton's birth date is disputed, but it is often listed as January 11, 1755. Due to his family being poor, his education was only brief. His mother had previously been married to a Danish proprietor on St. Croix at a very young which ended in divorce — where the court then prohibited her remarriage. The marriage to James Hamilton was acceptable socially on Nevis, but nowhere else. The union resulted in the birth of two...
Words: 764 - Pages: 4
...In his piece titled “The Greatness of George Washington”, Gordon S. Wood is trying to show the reader that George Washington was great not because of his intellect or his military genius, but because of his virtuous character. When you look closely at George Washington’s life, it is evident that he was not a prominent scholar, especially when compared to some other Founding Fathers. Although he was brilliant at running his plantation, Washington never went to college, and, as Jefferson said, his “‘colloquial talents were not above mediocrity” (Oates 135). For these reasons, it is hard to imagine Washington “expressing his views on Plato in the Jefferson and John Adams did” (Oates 135). Also, even though his role as general during the Revolutionary...
Words: 974 - Pages: 4
...George washington in his response aims to shine the light on how if actions related to shays rebellion aren't stopped at once it will become a snowball effect and lead to America's turmoil. He believes that if some farmers feel this compassionate about how the government is being ran something must be wrong and needs change. During the time period of Shays’s rebellion George Washington was already in retirement, but he had a reputation from before of being a military leader in the American revolution. Henry knox a friend from the war wrote him to ask for his advice knowing and trusting his ideals. Washington was a well respected man and his opinion was important to other members in power whom were still in the public's eye. Although, Washington wanted to retire and live the rest of his life out of the public’s eye shays’s rebellion was the reason he decide to come out of retirement and work to create a...
Words: 760 - Pages: 4
...Most Americans nowadays like to think that they have the American Revolution pretty well figured out. Conventional wisdom starts the saga in 1763 when Britain, saddled with debt at the close of the Seven Years' War, levied new taxes that prompted her American colonists to resist, and then to reject, imperial rule. Having declared independence and defeated the British, American patriots then drafted the constitution that remains the law of the land to this day. With George Washington's inauguration as president in 1789, the story has a happy ending and the curtain comes down. This time-honored script renders the road from colonies to nation clear, smooth, and straight, with familiar landmarks along the way, from Boston's Massacre and Tea Party through Lexington and Concord, then on to Bunker Hill and Yorktown before reaching its destination: Philadelphia in 1787, where the Founders invented a government worthy of America's greatness. Those Founders are equally familiar. Washington and Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and James Madison, Sam and John Adams, Patrick Henry and Alexander Hamilton: in the popular mind this band of worthies, more marble monuments than mere mortals, guides America towards its grand destiny with a sure and steady hand. "[F]or the vast majority of contemporary Americans," writes historian Joseph Ellis, the birth of this nation is shrouded by "a golden haze or halo."(1) So easy, so tame, so much "a land of foregone conclusions" does America's Revolution...
Words: 6252 - Pages: 26
...45th President of the United States of America, and he represented the first African American to ever win this office. To many the election was a fulfillment of Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream for social and political equality for African Americans. Still others, including the newly elected President, reached back to Lincoln. President Obama would also, invoke the founding fathers, giving credit to the social experiment that democracy is and thus hinting to the efforts of Washington and others. The days that followed the Obama election would be filled with symbolism leading to the concert on the steps of the Lincoln memorial, and the day of service, called by the President, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. the day before inauguration. The election of President Obama seemed to have brought full circle the experiment of democracy. The dreams of the founding fathers were present, the echo of Lincoln’s consequential Presidency were present, and certainly the dreams and speeches of Dr. King were front and center in this cultural moment. Yet the cultural moment represented so much more than a continuum of ideas and dreams of significant men. This moment was one of the first major societal changes in a generation. Perhaps not Ironically, the election of Barak Obama had ripple effects upon social change in the United States and what came full circle on November 4, 2008 for the African American and minority communities would begin to happen for yet another oppressed minority...
Words: 8168 - Pages: 33
...explaining the importance of the American Revolution. He starts off by stating that during the 1780’s everyone thought that it was only natural that America verge away from British rule. They all figured that it would be a gradual change; not a full blown revolution. Throughout the chapter, Ellis puts great emphasis on the many things that could have gone wrong during the revolution. He points all these negative events and set backs that he felt could easily have brought the developing America down to show just how great of an accomplishment the revolution was. The Founding Fathers were not completely oblivious to the severity of breaking away from Great Britain. Tom Pain states that, “it is only common sense that an island can not rule a continent (pg.3).” Many assumed that it was only natural that the thirteen colonies govern themselves. They figured that it would be a peaceful break such as the gaining of independence for Ghana or Canada. It was not until later on that the colonies realized that Britain would not easily hand over the land. What I find interesting is that only the Founding Fathers seemed to realize the great events taking place during their time. John Adams even instructed his wife to file and keep all of his records. It is as if he knew that hundreds of years from then, we the future Americans would look back at his notes and recognize his greatness. This makes me wonder why they were so sure of themselves. The Americans were at a disadvantage during the...
Words: 4380 - Pages: 18
...Fareed Zakaria Post American World Book Review Few would disagree that the previous U.S. administration of George W. Bush Jr. plunged America’s international reputation to an all-time low. Even as the country staggers to recover international goodwill under President Barack Obama, a homegrown credit crisis, captured most strikingly in the collapse of several iconic institutions of American industry like Citigroup and General Motors, has brought the U.S. economy to a standstill. Few would doubt that America will eventually recover from both crises. Be that as it may, the unipolar moment, centered on the preeminence of American power, purse, and presence may well and truly be over, or so we are often told. What powers will take the place of the U.S and how will these new players and forces be configured? This is the question that Fareed Zakaria attempts to answer in his latest tome, The Post-American World. The continued viability of American global dominance has been the subject of great intellectual debate over the past decade or so. Fareed however, is not interested – at least not explicitly – in contributing to the debate on whether America is still the sole superpower, nor is he keen on using that debate as a point of entry. Indeed, as he makes poignantly clear in the first sentence of the book, his interest is in “the rise of the rest,” and it is only in the final third of the book (circa p.182 onwards) that Fareed ponders “how America will fare in the new world.” The...
Words: 1285 - Pages: 6
... The American and French Revolutions: Compared and Contrasted The history of the human race always has been, and most likely will always be, that of evolution and revolution. – Lewis F. Korns, Thoughts A revolution occurs when one government is overthrown and replaced with another (Yahoo). The American and French revolutions can be both compared and contrasted in their origins and outcomes. Both revolutions began due to the common peoples’ need to obtain independence and liberty from an oppressive government (2). The American Revolution was triggered by the American colonists’ need for financial independence from the overpowering nation of Great Britain, while the French revolution was a struggle to gain social equality among the masses. Although the American and French Revolutions were fought over some of the same ideas, the American Revolution is considered more "conservative" than the French is (2). The intent of the American revolutionaries was not to initiate a revolution, but rather to gain their freedom from a "long train of abuses" (Jensen). In contrast, the French were trying to cause a true revolution because they were not just fighting for freedom but rather to over throw and remove the monarchy (3). The American revolutionaries had no choice but to defend their liberties and the tactics used by the Americans were not as directly aggressive as those used by the French. The American and French Revolution...
Words: 2424 - Pages: 10
...University of Phoenix Material Influences on the Constitution Table Write one or two paragraphs in each section. Include citations for your sources. |Documents |Summary |What was its influence on the Constitution? | |Magna Carta |The Magna Carta was signed between the Barons of Medieval England and King John. The |The Magna Carta established the right of due process and provided a basis of higher law that could not | | |Great Charter was signed at Runnymeade near the Windsor Castle and was an attempt by |be altered by executive mandate or legislative acts ("Magna Carta: Cornerstone Of The U.s. | | |the Barons to prohibit the King from abusing his power over the people ("Magna |Constitution", n.d.). | | |Carta", 2000-2012).. | | | |The Magna Carta consists of 63 clauses, many of the clauses address the English legal |Magna Carta: Cornerstone of the U.S. Constitution. (n.d.). Retrieved from | | |system. It states that every man shall...
Words: 1851 - Pages: 8
...North Vietnamese Communist leadership's ability to reassess and adapt during the Vietnam War was reflected in how well they combined guerilla and conventional operations to achieve their strategic goal of unifying Vietnam under communist rule. Throughout the conflict, the Viet Cong (VC) were employed to conduct guerilla operations while North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and VC "main force" units were used to transition to conventional operations. Guerilla operations enabled Hanoi to inflict a steady flow of casualties on US forces which increased anti-war sentiment in America. NVA and VC main force conventional operations reinforced the US Army's conventional approach to the fight which caused the Americans to alienate the people of South Vietnam. By alienating the South Vietnamese people, the Americans enhanced the VC's ability to conduct guerilla operations and control rural population centers which weakened the credibility of the Government of South Vietnam (GVN). The combined effects of guerilla and conventional operations supported the North Vietnamese strategy of a protracted conflict that was sure to weaken the resolve of the United States and eventually defeat the GVN. The relationship between conventional and guerilla operations was a key element of the Vietnamese communists’ “Dau Tranh” strategy to fight and win the Vietnam War. A brief description of the Dua Tranh (meaning struggle) strategy is appropriate since it was the basis for North Vietnam’s success. The strategy consisted...
Words: 2534 - Pages: 11
... B. Dual Federalism and Laissez-Faire Capitalism (1865–1937) 1. The Fourteenth Amendment and State Discretion 2. Judicial Protection of Business 3. National Authority Prevails C. Toward National Citizenship III. Federalism Today A. Interdependency and Intergovernmental Relations B. Government Revenues and Intergovernmental Relations 1. Fiscal Federalism 2. Categorical and Block Grants C. Devolution 1. The Republican Revolution 2. Devolution, Judicial Style IV. The Public’s Influence: Setting the Boundaries of Federal-State Power Chapter Summary The foremost characteristic of the American political system is its division of authority between a national government and the states. The first U.S. government, established by the Articles of Confederation, was essentially a loose alliance of states. In establishing the basis for a more powerful national...
Words: 3398 - Pages: 14
...To Baghdad 1917 to 2003 – Why is knowledge of the British Empire particularly relevant to the study of US relations and American Imperialism especially in the last twenty years? Emy Ibrahim Washington D.C. Public Policy Seminar-Research Paper April 17th, 2007 Our armies do not come into your cities and lands as conquerors or enemies, but as liberators. ... It is [not] the wish of [our] government to impose upon you alien institutions. ... [It is our wish] that you should prosper even as in the past, when your lands were fertile, when your ancestors gave to the world literature, science, and art, and when Baghdad city was one of the wonders of the world. ... It is [our] hope that the aspirations of your philosophers and writers shall be realized and that once again the people of Baghdad shall flourish, enjoying their wealth and substance under institutions which are in consonance with their sacred laws and their racial ideals.[1] The government of Iraq, and the future of your country, will soon belong to you. ... We will end a brutal regime ... so that Iraqis can live in security. We will respect your great religious traditions, whose principles of equality and compassion are essential to Iraq's future. We will help you build a peaceful and representative government that protects the rights of all citizens. And then our military forces will leave. Iraq will go forward as a unified, independent, and sovereign nation that has regained a respected place in the world. You...
Words: 8099 - Pages: 33
...their beliefs, to seek life in the colonies. During the Pre-Revolutionary Age, Christianity affected all aspects of an individual’s life. Christianity was the basis of decision making in politics and society. Governments often ruled over their subjects, with the notion that they had approval from God and would therefore be granted his mercy for slaughtering innocent individuals, whether it was through crusades or witch hunts. At the time of the seventeenth century, kings and queens final decisions ruled which branch of Christianity to follow; with the constant upheaval in rulers, and exile towards Protestants during the Catholic era and Calvinists during the Church of England era, radical religious ideals began to form resulting in a revolution. During this time period, certain individuals went against what the government and church said were true of God, and formed their own opinions of what God truly wanted. These radical actions, which went against the church and government, resulted in the earliest ideas of separation of state, anti-slavery, and gender equality. Anne Hutchinson, the Germantown...
Words: 6255 - Pages: 26
...OUTLINE OF U.S. HISTORY OUTLINE OF OUTLINE OF U.S. HISTORY C O N T E N T S CHAPTER 1 Early America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 CHAPTER 2 The Colonial Period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 CHAPTER 3 The Road to Independence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 CHAPTER 4 The Formation of a National Government . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 CHAPTER 5 Westward Expansion and Regional Differences . . . . . . . 110 CHAPTER 6 Sectional Conflict . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 CHAPTER 7 The Civil War and Reconstruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 CHAPTER 8 Growth and Transformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 CHAPTER 9 Discontent and Reform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 CHAPTER 10 War, Prosperity, and Depression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 CHAPTER 11 The New Deal and World War I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212 CHAPTER 12 Postwar America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256 CHAPTER 13 Decades of Change: 1960-1980 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274 CHAPTER 14 The New Conservatism and a New World Order . . . . . . 304 CHAPTER 15 Bridge to the 21st Century . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320 PICTURE PROFILES Becoming a Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....
Words: 104976 - Pages: 420
...article I will try to show how some people within our field are attempting to meet such queries by reconceptualizing the Cold War as part of contemporary international history. My emphasis will be on issues connecting the Cold War – defined as a political conflict between two power blocs – and some areas of investigation that in my opinion hold much promise for reformulating our views of that conflict, blithely summed up as ideology, technology, and the Third World. I have called this lecture “Three (Possible) Paradigms” not just to avoid making too presumptuous an impression on the audience but also to indicate that my use of the term “paradigm” is slightly different from the one most people have taken over from Thomas Kuhn’s work on scientific revolutions. In the history of science, a paradigm has come to mean a comprehensive explanation, a kind of scientific “level” that sustains existing theory until overtaken by a new and different paradigm. In the history of human societies, I would venture, the term paradigm must take on a slightly different meaning, closer, in fact, to how the term was generally used before Kuhn’s work in the early s. For our purpose, I want to look at paradigms as patterns of interpretation, which may possibly exist side by side,...
Words: 8015 - Pages: 33
