military and foreign policy issues. The war became a standard for
comparison in future situations that might involve U.S. troops abroad. The
American culture and tradition for unquestioning support of the government
ended and the perception of what constituted patriotism and loyalty changed
dramatically. However, none of these changes led to a major economic
downturn, precipitated a war, or denied the civil rights of Americans as
did the events following World War I.
The two finalists in the competition are from bracket II, the “Civil
War”, and from bracket III, “World War I”. Despite the significant
implications of World War I and the fact that the Civil War occurred over
one hundred years ago, the Civil War remains as the most important event in
American history. Unlike the Civil War, World War I was not fought on U.S.
soil, the fate of the Union was not in jeopardy, and the political,
economic, and social implications were not nearly as significant or long
lasting as those of the Civil War.
From a political perspective, an examination of World War I reveals two
major results. First, after the failure to negotiate a post war treaty
acceptable to the U. S. Congress followed by the United States’ refusal to
participate in the League of Nations, the U.S. entered a period of
isolationism. Affairs in Europe remained unsettled. The lack of
involvement by the United States in the settlement of the postwar issues
contributed to the causes of World War II. Also, the failure of Wilson’s
political theory of idealism would result in a return to the laissez-faire
political philosophy of the late 1800’s and the reversal of many of the
positive achievements of the Progressive Era. The political results of the
Civil War, however, were more significant. The preservation of the Union,
the most significant political result of the Civil War, was also one of
the most significant events in the history of the United States. Had the
Southern states been allowed to succeed from the Un , the history of the
United States, as we know it today, would not exist. In addition, the
emergence of the Republicans as the dominant party for nearly the next one
hundred years had a major influence on the economic and social philosophy
of the country. It was not until Roosevelt and the New Deal that the
laissez-faire policies of the Republicans would be repudiated.
World War I had a significant impact on the economy. During the
mobilization period, the conversion to a wartime economy resulted in
increased employment. However, at the end of the war, the failure of the
government to regulate the demobilization period resulted in high
unemployment and inflation. This combined with the fact that labor lost
many concessions won during the Progressive Era, such as the rights of
labor unions to strike, resulted in worse conditions for workers than in
the prewar era. At the same time, credit became readily available and
economic speculation was rampant. The cumulative effect of these
conditions would lead to an unequal distribution of wealth and set the
stage for the Great Depression. The economic implications of the Civil War
and postwar period, however, contributed to a radical change in the overall
economic structure of the United States. The Southern economy, based on
slavery and agriculture, was destroyed by the Civil War. The eliminatio f
slavery, combined with improvements in technology to meet wartime demands,
changed the United States’ economy from what had previously been agrarian
based to an industrial, mercantile economy. Coinciding with this economic
shift, the North would gain dominance over the South as the economic center
of the nation. For years after the Civil War, the South would struggle to
rebuild its economy and begin the slow process of industrialization.
Finally, from a social perspective, the effect of World War I was
marked by discrimination towards blacks and immigrants. Americans became
distrustful of foreigners as a result of propaganda campaigns designed to
gain support for the war. Blacks, who relocated to the North to fill jobs
of enlisted men, were blamed for the problems of unemployment during the
demobilization period. Many Americans who were innocent of any wrong doing
were accused of being anti-American or Communist sympathizers. The civil
rights of many of these people were often violated. The social
implications of the Civil War, however, are the most important in the
history of the United States. The war provided the foundation for the
Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments, which guaranteed civil
rights to all Americans. While blacks would continue to be discriminated
against, the end of slavery and passage of the amendments was the first
recognition of equality for all Americans.
In conclusion, each of the sixteen events discussed has had a
significant impact on American history. Each event has played a role in
shaping the political, economic, and social structure of the United States.
Not only were these events significant to the time period in which they
occured, but they also had a lasting effect on the future of the country.