Essays

American History: Final Exam

Disclaimer: Please remember, I provide these essays to you as an outline for your own. Plagiarism, using one's work as your own, can have severe consequences. There are many tools integrated into teaching software that can detect plagiarism. It's also as easy as plugging in one sentence into Google to find this essay. I want these to be available to all those that may need an outline or inspiration for their own assignments, however, I know some have used my work and have been caught. Please, don't just copy and paste my work and earn yourself a zero on the essay or fail your class. Thank you for reading and I truly hope that these essays will help. Good luck! If you ever need a peer reviewer for your essay, message me!

For reference, the specific class was "People of the US from 1865" (HIST 018). In accordance with the assignment instructions, there are no citations for this essay.

"Answer the following final exam question in a 1000-2000 word essay:

How have American ideals and institutions withstood the challenges of the post World War II years?

[A]pproach this assignment as if it were an essay test, not a formal paper. It is intended to be a test of what you know, not a test of what you can look up. Therefore we shouldn't have any issues of plagiarism, since everything is supposed to be coming from your own head. You shouldn't have any citations because you shouldn't have to look anything up. This is a test of what you know. That being said, you are still responsible for not cheating or plagiarizing anything."

If you'd like some more information on the topic/purpose of this essay, leave a comment!

Grade: 95%

Following the second world war, there was a fundamental change in American priorities. In order to withstand the challenges of this time, the American people made a choice to prolong and ensure their security rather than retain their freedoms. In this vein, the American people altered the United States government to reflect this change in their ideals.

Leading up to the United States' involvement in World War II, the nation faced lingering challenges from the Great Depression. President Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced his "New Deal" to combat the Depression and coinciding sentiments. However, it did not save the United States. In truth, it produced a stagnate economy which was initiated by uncertainty and regulations enforced by the federal government. This in effect prolonged the Great Depression. With these factors combined to lower morale and increase unemployment throughout the nation. Worthy of note is the idea that FDR could have risen to power as a dictator, transitioning the American democracy into a totalitarian regime, in order to amend the nation's economic struggles. However, FDR believed in the United States' representational government and so did not go down that path.

As the war ramped up in Europe and Asia, Americans were reminded of their sacrifice during the first world war and blamed other world powers for their current plights. Like many presidents of his time, FDR believed in the power of the people and majority opinion. Following the American people's request, FDR and the nation remained neutral and "isolated" from the second world war. (Although, he did negotiate with European allies to transport supplies to their soldiers.) While the isolationist stance did not last long, due to the attack on Pearl Harbor, the American people were able to garner change, or at least a unified stance, within the United States government. Furthermore, FDR and his administration used polls to gauge public opinion on the second world war itself. Throughout the course of the war, there were polls asking for the citizen's opinions on the Jewish people's culpability in their treatment overseas. There were also polls asking if the United States should allow immigrants from Europe (including Jewish refugees and German children). Aligning with the sentiment of the majority opinion, FDR likely considered this information while making decisions concerning immigration and isolationism.

In the decades following World War II grew the rise in hysteria concerning the Soviet Union and communism in the United States. The Cold War saw two fundamentally opposed ideologies clash on a major scale. Although likely embellished by conspiratorial statesmen of the time, there were real threats within the United States which sought to undermine the government. However, the exaggerated expansion of Soviet and communist influence and spies in the average lives of the American people contributed to hysteria. In accordance with these rising fears, federal institutions were established to quell them. These organizations included the Department of Defense, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the National Security Council. Each sought to survey the current enemy and prolong the security of the American people and the nation itself.

Although civil rights themselves pertain to rights and freedoms, one could argue that the Civil Rights Movement following the second world war saw the American people fight not only those rights, but the security of those rights for generations to come. Filled with prolific and memorable actions and people throughout the movement, such as Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., sit-ins, and peaceful protests, the Civil Rights Movement observed Americans band together to see through positive political change. Additionally, there was a push for the movement due to the American people's desire to distance themselves from shared (racist) views with the Nazi regime of World War II Germany. Although presidents of the time seemed to focus more intently on foreign affairs due to the Cold War, especially President John F. Kennedy, the wake of the movement commanded attention. Arguably as a result of the American people's movement, especially coupled with the popular ideology of majority opinion in the presidencies of the time, monumental legislation passed. Under President Dwight D Eisenhower's administration, the federal government and schools across the nation were desegregated. Although met with some resistance in southern states, Eisenhower issued the army to assist with the integration of schools. Additionally, the Civil Rights Act of 1957 and 1960 were passed during Eisenhower's presidency. The late John F. Kennedy's successor, President Lyndon B. Johnson, cared deeply about civil rights and helped to pass two of the most consequential civil rights laws: the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. These pieces of legislation finally banned public segregation, established the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to decrease job discrimination, and protected voting rights (including women's voting rights). Each great step forward can, arguably, be traced to the American people's interest in securing civil rights for themselves and for the future generations.

In the time leading up to and throughout the decades following the second world war, the national interest of the American people altered. In an effort to support their shift in ideals, the American people sought to change the federal government that represented them. Prior to United States' involvement in World War II, the American people were able to express their distrust for the world and secured their albeit temporary safety through isolationism. Immediately following the second world war came the hysteria of the Cold War. With these fears on full display, the American people were once again able to secure themselves peace of mind through the establishment of several intelligence agencies. Finally, though a bit contradictory, the American people were able to secure civil rights and voting rights through the Civil Rights Movement. All of these instances were the culmination of the American ideals of the time. This likely includes the ideals of the presidents and administrations of the time who either held those same sentiments or believed in the notion of the majority opinion. In any case, and in many ways, the people of post-World War II America were successful in changing at the very least aspects and legislation within the national government to reflect their new ideals.