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John Higham's essay "The Reorientation of American Culture in the 1890s" discusses the 1890s and how it was a series of turning points and crises for American society. Higham utilizes the idea of turning points and crises to discuss the 1890s rather than the idea of the 1890s as a watershed moment, often propagated by scholars of earlier decades, because each decade experienced social changes. The title of the essay suggest that the culture of the 1890s was reoriented or took a new direction. The American people, under various circumstances, reinvented their culture to represent the needs of American society. American society in the 1890s was affected by an economic crisis, industrial strife and political unrest. Although these economic and …show more content…
political issues affected the daily life of many Americans, Higham looks to discuss the changes in society and culture of the 1890s. “The New Woman” or the middle-class woman of the 1890s, reoriented and reinvented herself as a response to the break with the Victorian past. American culture in the 1890s reoriented itself to conform to the struggles and worries that people at this time faced, and broke with past Victorian values. Victorian culture began in Britain under Queen Victoria and made its way to America as the culture middle-class and upper-class Americans aspired to during the 1800s. Higham suggests that Americans did not want to look to what Europe was doing or find any similarities between Europe and the United States. Now that the Victorian values were being left behind, Americans attempted to recreate their own culture and take a different direction. Americans took the direction opposite of what Victorian culture believed was proper; they wanted liberty and to free themselves past restraints. Europe seemed interested in militarism and patriotism before America, but America pioneered the interest in nature that spread to Europe later. These events suggests that Europe and America were generally headed in the same direction of breaking with the Victorian past and forging a new culture. Britain and America faced off during the Olympic games of 1896, but Americans came out as victors in most sports. Athleticism spread to Europe, but America’s passion and skill for athletic sports was superior. Europeans took a liking to American music and dance styles during the 1890s. These examples show a turning point, where America was the leader in developing culture and influenced Europe in many ways. The modern university was solidified in the 1890s and this helped establish a new brand of youth culture in American society. The youth culture that developed in the universities of the 1890s is similar to the youth culture still present there today; where college students experience life outside the home at the university, but do not have all the responsibilities of an adult. Universities were places where young adults could garner life experiences while attaining an education. The life of a young adult at college was marked by spontaneity, freedom and vital energy, according to a study by G. Stanley Hall published in 1904. The modern university in the 1890s afforded its students the liberty to establish a culture that exhibited these characteristics. The establishment of the modern university was a turning point for the youth of American society. The modern university brings us to discuss the culture of "The New Man" and athleticism.
Where in the past Dartmouth College seemed isolated, by the 1890s they used their location to establish ties with the ruggedness of nature, and thus becoming a popular place for young men to study. The ruggedness of nature appealed to "The New Man" who wanted to be rugged and virile themselves. Being a cultured gentleman was a thing of the Victorian past, the 1890s called for "The New Man" to be athletic and virile. Competitive athletics such as football began to make its way throughout the United States in the 1890s and allowed for the development of an American passion for team sports. Athleticism began at the university and spread to all levels and groups in society. Theodore Roosevelt suggested that Americans shed the Victorian ideal of living a cloistered life and embrace the outdoor life. Victorian values embraced the sheltered life of a gentleman and a lady where they did not engage in any strenuous outdoor activities, but Roosevelt and others sought to promote the outdoor life. Along with an appreciation for athleticism and a preference for masculinity, came an increase in militarism and jingoism. Militarism can be related to the new culture that arose 1890s because “The New Man” was a virile and masculine man, ready to join the military to fight for his county. The 1890s saw a rise in U.S. patriotism which was evident in flag ceremonies, the use of the Pledge of Allegiance and the spread of patriotic
societies. Along with the interest in athleticism and patriotism, came a love for physical activity, bicycling and nature. This shows that Americans developed an appreciation for health and fitness for the first time and became concerned with protecting the natural environment. By the 1890s, Americans strayed away from the culture of industrialization that dominated society and focused on their natural environment. The industrial revolution had reoriented the way people lived, worked and interacted with one another and the society of the 1890s sought ways to change the ills caused by rapid industrialization. Naturalists took an interest in protecting American wilderness and nature writing became popular. The monotony of life during the Industrial Age led the American people to take an interest in nature and the environment. "The New Woman" of the 1890s shed the Victorian values of the past and embraced the new athleticism with sports such as tennis, golf and bicycling. Athleticism went hand in hand with the masculinity that was prominent throughout American society. The 1890s left behind the "feminine principle of refinement and delicacy" and reasserting "the masculine principle of virility and instinctive action." "The New Woman" of the 1890s was masculine, leaving behind the image of the delicate Victorian woman. During the 1890s, the women's suffrage movement became "a great nationwide middle-class force." "The New Woman" rallied for the right to vote and became part of a larger group to accomplish this feat. The idea that women came together to rally for a cause was a turning point for women, as they were no longer represented by their father when young or husband when married. “The New Woman” was a middle-class phenomenon because the women of the working class were not restricted by Victorian values and women of the highest class enjoyed more power in society. Working-class women developed their own culture during the Industrial Age; for the most part they worked outside their homes, and were unburdened by the Victorian values of gentility and propriety. Women of the higher classes traditionally had more power in society than their middle-class and lower-class counterparts. “The New Woman” was new in many different ways; athleticism, politics and a relationship with nature all became part of the culture of “The New Woman”. However, “The New Woman” did not apply to all levels of society, it applied to white middle-class women. The experience of African-American women and others would have been starkly different than the experiences of the white middle-class women. John Higham explains the many ways the 1890s was an important decade in the history of American culture. The 1890s were a series of turning points and crises that affected American society and influenced the creation of a new American culture. The Victorian Industrial Age culture was soon replaced with a culture that emphasized the university, athleticism, militarism and patriotism. Gender roles were greatly affected by the end of the Victorian Age and the beginning of this new American age. America was no longer only influenced by Europe, but in turn influenced Europe in many aspects of their culture and society. This also shows that America in the 1890s was becoming a powerful nation militaristically, politically and socially. The 1890s marked the beginning of the development of modern American culture.
In Daily Life in the United States, 1920-1939: Decades of Promise and Pain, author David E. Kyvig, creates historical account of the Great Depression, and the events leading up to it. Kyvig’s goal in writing this book was to show how Americans had to change their daily life in order to cope with the changing times. Kyvig utilizes historical evidence and inferences from these events and developments to strengthen his point. The book is organized chronologically, recounting events and their effects on American culture. Each chapter of the book tackles a various point in American history between 1920 and1939 and events are used to comment on American life at the time. While Kyvig does not exactly have a “thesis” per se, his main point is to examine American life under a microscope, seeing how people either reacted, or were forced to react due to a wide range of specific events or developments in history, be it Prohibition, the KKK, or women’s suffrage.
America as a Divided Society in the 1920s America was born from immigrants and during the 1920's it was called a. melting pot due to the increase in social, political and economic. differences from all these new races. During the 1920's, America went. through a number of test cases to determine to what extent America was. divided.
The Effects of American Reform Movements in the 1900s Living in the United States of America is all about opportunity. The opportunity to get a good job, make money, and lead a life of good quality; in other words, the opportunity to live, live, and live the Pursuit of Happiness. However, the opportunity for many people was not around throughout the 1800s. Certain groups of people did not hold the basic rights that were guaranteed by the Constitution. In fact, most of the people that had opportunity were the wealthy white men, and few other people ever had any chance to lead a good life.
In history, it seems inarguably true that when a nation advanced in power and wealth, changes will soon followed. These changes affected the political, economic and social system of that nation, and often came as an advantage for wealthy individuals, while detrimental to others less fortunate. An example of this notion can be seen in American History. After the Civil War and the Reconstruction Era, America quickly surpassed Great Britain in industrial production thus became the leading nation in industrialization. However, great things do not come without a cost; the rapid technological expansion in the US would initiate the crisis of the 1890s. The crisis of the 1890s was the shift from the rural and agrarian society to a modern urban and industrial society.
Technology played an important role in the daily lives of Americans in the 1920s. Many inventions and new developments occurred during this time. A large number of items that are used today were invented by individuals and teams in research laboratories. This technology brought many conveniences such as electrical power and indoor plumbing into the home. Radios gave people access to the news and provided entertainment. Mass culture was also born and the automobile became the largest consumer product of the decade. By 1929, one in five Americans had an automobile on the road. America experienced a decade of economic growth due to the impact of technology in the 1920s.
The United States, possibly more than any other country, was not very welcoming during the early 1900s. Foreigners, who were uneducated about America’s customs, were unable to find jobs or prevent swindlers from causing their already insufficient wealth to subside. Because of this, Jurgis and his family’s economic and social lives changed drastically. For insta...
In the late 1800's, American society began to burst with cultural activity. After the Civil War and the Reconstruction, Americans were eager to return to their normal lifestyles. The period that followed, however, was quite different from what the country was used to. During the war, many pushed hard for a rise in industry, leading to an explosive industrial revolution far beyond what people had expected. America's business and economy had boomed, and, as the new century approached, many had a new outlook on life. They were eager to escape the dull regiments of both the past Victorian era and the new urban lifestyle. This was easy for the upper and middle classes, both of which were growing due to the rapid increase in industry. It was great news for entrepreneurs and business people of the time, because there was money to be made in this desire for amusement. Of course, this was not the whole story of the new Gilded Age, but it was definitely an era of growing leisure time and the business that came along with it.
Traxel, David. 1898: The Birth of the American Century. New York: A.A. Knopf, 1998. Print.
The United States was only a country for about 15 years before the basic way of life for people in the country changed drastically. We developed politically and economically, expanded westward and divided along sectional borders. However, these are not the only characteristics that define this time. 1790-1860 was a period of rapid industrialization, market revolution and changing social order. This was largely due to advanced methods of transportation, mechanization and the changes in women’s roles.
As World War Two came to a close, a new American culture was developing all across the United States. Families were moving away from crowded cities into spacious suburban towns to help create a better life for them during and after the baby boom of the post-war era. Teenagers were starting to become independent by listing to their own music and not wearing the same style of clothing as their parents. Aside from the progress of society that was made during this time period, many people still did not discuss controversial issues such as divorce and sexual relations between young people. While many historians regard the 1950s as a time of true conservatism at its finest, it could really be considered a time of true progression in the American way of life.
Events that occurred in the 1920s altered society greatly, becoming an important part of modern day reality. The way society thinks in the 1920s is quite similar to modern society, illustrated through the ideology of the “American Dream”. During the 1920s, people aspired to grow to their fullest through achieving a high social status, and wealth. Likewise, in modern society, people continue to carry this idea as they aspire to have a good job; earn money; and obtain a high social status. This idea of opportunity of prosperity and success has continued on into the modern society, having a great impact. These impacts are also visible through the lessons carried on from events that occurred in the 1920s. Many mistakes were made in this era which are
Our nation came a long with our new creativeness, our fearfulness, and our new militaristic ways. Although all of the generations since the 1900’s ended up playing a roll in the way America is sculpted, the 90’s were the final push into the new century. The final push that was made as a nation was defiantly beneficial for America and the rest of the world also. Today has been impacted dramatically from the changes in culture from the 1990’s and is still feeling the effects of all three most significant points of this era.
During the years between 1920 and 1960, America saw change in many aspects of life. The United States was a part of two major wars and a crash of the banking system that crippled the economy greater than ever seen in this country’s history. Also the country had new insecurities to tackle such as immigration and poor treatment of workers. These events led to the change of America lives socially, economically, and politically. The people of America changed their ideas of what the country’s place in the world should be. The issues challenging America led the country to change from isolation to war, depression to prosperity, and social change. The threats to American way of life, foreign and domestic, were the changing forces to the country in the twenties to the sixties.
The period prefacing 1870 was that during which the American civil was experienced. The Civil War over the course of the 1860s would witness the nation torn apart. The Civil War was the first experience of mass death, and is considered by many the first modern war in relation to the scale of destruction. In fact, in just 1 hour of a Civil War battle more casualties were realized than in the entirety of both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The Civil War resulted in a substantial shift within the confines of society, altering the role of gender, religion, culture, economy, and family (Lecture Notes, 1/16). Clearly, 1870 was a turning decade for the United States, and thus its citizens and their conception of the “American identity,” especially after the Civil War.
In one historical moment from Pamela Grundy's book Learning to Win: Sports, Education, and Social Change in Twentieth-Century North Carolina, she writes about men's college athletics between 1880 and 1901. Grundy states that "metaphors of competition gained new prominence, particularly among the members of the state's expanding middle class, which was coming to dominate public affairs" (Grundy, 12). Male college students living in North Carolina began to excel in organized athletics during this time period. "The contests on the field seemed to mirror the competitive conditions prevailing in the society at large, and the discipline, self-assertion and reasoned strategy that sports were credited with teaching meshed neatly with the qualifies required for business and political success" (Grungy, 13). People who supported athletics wholeheartedly believed it taught good values such as discipline and good character, while there were some who opposed this saying that sports were a distraction for students and thus a hindrance to their educational goals. White college men perceived athletics as a way to show their superiority and justify their presence in business as well as politics. They believed athletic sports were essential in their "vision o...