US History_Primary Sources paper
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Sources
Henry George, Progress and Poverty, Selections, 1879
The Tournament of Today – A Set-To Between Labor and Monopoly, 1883
The Tournament of Today – A Set-To Between Labor and Monopoly
Andrew Carnegie on “The Triumph of America, ” 1885
Jacob Riis, “How the Other Half Lives, ” 1890
Henry Grady on the New South, 1886
The Omaha Platform of the People’s Party, 1892
Primary source paper #2
Write a 2- or 3-page analysis to answer the question below. Use the sources listed below as your evidence and remember to make a particular argument rather than just summarizing the information. Use direct quotes from the sources to support your argument. Do not look for the “right” answer (or even a single answer) — just go where the evidence leads you and make your case with it. You will be graded primarily on your logic and how well you support your conclusions.
Please use standard academic formatting — double-spaced, Times New Roman font, 12 pt., 1- inch margins, etc.
QUESTION Based only on these primary sources (not the textbook chapters, not outside reading or research), was the post-Reconstruction period in the United States (1877 through early 1900s) an age of optimism, an age of pessimism, or some of both? What evidence supports your view? What evidence might someone use to argue for a different position?
USE THESE PRIMARY SOURCES Henty George. Progress and Poverty. Selections. 1879 The Tournament of Today — A Set-To Between Labor and Monopoly. 1883 Andrew Carnegie on -The Triumph of America.” 1885 Jacob Riis, “How the Other Half Lives,” 1890 Heno• Grady on the New South. 1886 The Omaha PlatjOrm of the Peoples Party. 1892
The post-Reconstruction period in the United States was a time of both optimism and pessimism. While some Americans were optimistic about the country’s industrial growth and technological advancements, others were pessimistic about the growing economic inequality and political corruption. The primary sources provide evidence of both views.
Henry George’s “Progress and Poverty” reflects the pessimistic view of the post-Reconstruction period. George argued that while economic growth was occurring, the gap between the rich and the poor was widening. He believed that private property and land speculation were the main causes of poverty and inequality. He wrote, “Material progress does not alleviate poverty; it only increases the numbers who suffer from it.” George’s perspective reflects the pessimistic view that the post-Reconstruction period was a time of increasing poverty and inequality.
The “Tournament of Today” provides evidence of the growing frustration among workers with the economic and political system. The piece argues that the American labor force was being oppressed by a small group of wealthy individuals who controlled the country’s industries. The author wrote, “We see the capitalistic interests of the country fast concentrating into the hands of a few great capitalists, who are seeking to crush out all competition and make the workingmen their serfs.” The tone of the piece is pessimistic, reflecting a belief that the economic and political system was rigged against the common worker.
On the other hand, Andrew Carnegie’s “The Triumph of America” reflects the optimistic view of the post-Reconstruction period. Carnegie believed that America was experiencing unprecedented growth and prosperity due to its industrial advancements. He wrote, “The growth of the United States in population, wealth, and power is without parallel in history.” Carnegie’s view reflects the optimistic belief that the post-Reconstruction period was a time of great progress and success.
Jacob Riis’s “How the Other Half Lives” provides evidence of the pessimistic view of the post-Reconstruction period. Riis’s work exposed the poverty and squalor that many Americans were living in. He wrote, “This is New York in the 19th century… men and women and children herd together in rooms, some of which are scarce larger than a good-sized trunk.” Riis’s perspective reflects the pessimistic view that the post-Reconstruction period was a time of great inequality and suffering.
Henry Grady’s “New South” speech reflects the optimistic view of the post-Reconstruction period. Grady argued that the South was undergoing a transformation and becoming more industrialized. He wrote, “The new South presents a perfect democracy… a land where poverty is unknown.” Grady’s perspective reflects the optimistic view that the post-Reconstruction period was a time of progress and growth.
Finally, the Omaha Platform of the People’s Party provides evidence of the pessimistic view of the post-Reconstruction period. The platform called for a radical restructuring of the economic and political system to address growing inequality and corruption. It stated, “We seek to restore the government of the Republic to the hands of ‘the plain people’ with which class it originated.” The platform reflects the pessimistic view that the post-Reconstruction period was a time of political and economic corruption.
In conclusion, the post-Reconstruction period in the United States was a time of both optimism and pessimism. While some Americans were optimistic about the country’s industrial growth and technological advancements, others were pessimistic about the growing economic inequality and political corruption. The primary sources provide evidence of both views. The optimistic view is reflected in Andrew Carnegie’s “The Triumph of America” and Henry Grady’s “New South” speech, while the pessimistic view is reflected in Henry George’s “Progress and Poverty,” the “Tournament of Today,” Jacob Riis’s “How the Other Half Lives,” and the Omaha Platform of the People’s Party.
