Turning Points in American History Two Turning Essay

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Turning Points in American History

Two Turning Points and Current Impact on Cultural, Social, Economic and Political Life

Two historical turning points are the Social Security Act and the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Social Security Act, passed in 1935, was intended to provide a "safety net" for people who could not support themselves (Schultz, 2010, p. 399). This "social welfare" was a significant departure from the federal government's prior tendency to let citizens fend for themselves financially. The strength of the Social Security Act's impact on our history is at least partially proven by the fact that it expanded significantly and endures to this day. The Social Security Act currently influences several facets of American life: society and culture, in that the responsibility of the federal government for the welfare of its citizens is now a commonly accepted idea; economy, in that Social Security is now a far-reaching and expensive program affecting the lives of citizens of every age; politics, in that a candidate's views on Social Security -- whether to cut or preserve programs -- can greatly affects his/her chances of being elected because Social Security is "politically popular" (Schultz, 2010, p. 486).

The 19th Amendment, passed in 1920, gave women "national suffrage" (Schultz, 2010, p. 60). The impact of finally allowing roughly half the U.S. population to vote federally and in every state/local election was dramatic and still highly influences America: socially and culturally, in that women are rightfully considered equal; economically, in that women not only comprise a large portion of the working force but influence working conditions through their vote; politically, because "the women's vote" in general is a highly prized portion of the voting public and because many women are consciously organized to exert their political influence. The "The League of Women Voters," for example, is currently dedicated to the protection and defense of voters, reformation of the influences of money and lobbying in politics, defense of the environment and holding the government fiscally accountable (League of Women Voters, 2011).

Why Women Earned Early Suffrage in the Frontier States of the West

Wyoming was the first and granted suffrage when it was still a territory in 1869, followed by Colorado in 1893, Utah and Idaho in 1896, Washington in 1910, California in 1911, and Kansas, Oregon and Arizona in 1912 (National Endowment for the Humanities, n.d.). There may be several reasons: the western frontier states had far fewer women and wanted to attract "marriageable women" to settle in those states; women in the western states made greater impacts on the economic and political life of those states and were necessarily given greater power than were their counterparts in the East and South; some key male legislators considered it unjust to deny women the right to vote, possibly through the influence of women in their lives and also in reaction to the fact that black men were allowed to vote while white women were not; some political leaders with an agenda believed that granting suffrage to women would give them a greater number of votes for their political agendas (A&E Television Networks. LLC, 2013).

Two Pieces of Legislation in the Roosevelt -- Taft -- Wilson Progressive Era Years.

The Pure Food and Drug Act was passed in 1906 and gave the federal government the responsibility, right and power to safeguard the health of American consumers (Schultz, 2010, pp. 59-60). The Act: prohibited diseased, rotting and "bad" food from foreign and interstate commerce; outlawed the use of spoiled vegetable and animal products, outlawed the use of food substitutes that would add harmful products or reduce quality; outlawed false/misleading statements on drug labels; set standards purity and quality standards that drugs and to meet; imposed punishments including seizure of offending substances, and jail/fines imposed on violators (Theodore Roosevelt Association, n.d.). Its impact is felt this day, if only by establishing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which establishes and enforces public health and safety standards for foods, drugs, medical devices, devices that emit radiation, vaccines, cosmetics, veterinary substances and tobacco products (U.

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S. Food and Drug Administration, 2013).

The Federal Reserve Act was passed in 1913 to set up a banking system overseen by federal authorities (Schultz, 2010, p. 44). By 1913, America suffered financial panics, bank runs and depressions; consequently, many citizens and leaders called for banking and other financial reforms (Federal Reserve, n.d.). The Federal Reserve Act established the Federal Reserve System, with decentralized central banking in a system that simultaneously protected private banking and public interests (Federal Reserve, n.d.). Today, America's economy is highly impacted by the Federal Reserve System, which sets, implements, supervises and regulates the U.S. monetary policy, both nationally and internationally (Federal Reserve, 2011).

The Spanish American War and the American Empire

Prior to the War, the United States tended to remain neutral about conflicts on the world stage (Schultz, 2010, p. 49). However, revolutionary struggles in Cuba and surrounding islands for liberation from Spain in the late 19th Century threatened significant American interests in the Cuban sugar cane industry (Library of Congress - Hispanic Division, n.d.). Spain's inability to control revolutionary groups, plus Spain's policy of Reconcentration forcing Cuba's population into centralized locations and declaring martial law over Cuba, plus the explosion on the U.S.S. Maine while docked in Cuba all led to the U.S. blockade of Cuba and the declaration of war against Spain on April 25, 1898 (Library of Congress - Hispanic Division, n.d.). U.S. victories and Spain's defeats led to the Treat of Paris, signed on December 10, 1898. With this treaty, Cuba was independent, and the United States gained considerable land, including Puerto Rico and Guam by secession from Spain and the Philippine Islands by purchase from Spain (Library of Congress - Hispanic Division, n.d.). Due to its involvement and success in this war, the United States began a period of empire building in which it intervened in many armed conflicts and exerted its influence across the globe. From the Treaty of Paris and onward, empire building was not merely a right or a duty; rather, it was "a new Manifest Destiny" (O'Toole, 1984, p. 91).

Federal Involvement in the Economy after the Boom/Bust of the Roaring Twenties

The booms and busts of the Roaring Twenties, followed by the Great Depression, illustrated the need for greater control by the federal government over private and public economic interests, along with federal stimulation of the economy to provide employment and income for America's citizens. Hoover represented the old way of thinking in which private interests were allowed to operate freely as the "near-aristocracy" of wealthy businessmen made decisions that affected everyone else (Rauchway, 2008, p. 15) and federal relief for citizens was opposed in fear of "socialism and collectivism" (Rauchway, 2008, p. 32). The effects of allowing private interests to make self-serving decisions and to continue with a poorly structured banking system were devastating, with the U.S. economy reaching its worst level in history by 1932 (Rauchway, 2008, p. 1). Hoover's administration attempted some relief through the Federal Home Loan Bank Act and the Emergency Relief Construction Act to prevent home foreclosures, encourage construction and stimulate the economy through funding for public works (Rauchway, 2008, p. 137). However, Roosevelt's administration acted decisively to end a crisis that seemed to make the entire world "grind to a halt" (Rauchway, 2008, p. 1) by offering a "new deal" that passed "social insurance" for the aged, unemployed and disabled, pushed for unionization and the rights it would eventually obtain for workers, provided deposit insurance to safeguard banked monies and increased the power and organization of the Federal Reserve System. This was all done to balance the interests of liberty with the need for organization and authority to protect the public interests (Rauchway, 2008, pp. 1-2).

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