U.S. Labor Before the End of Reconstruction

Labor Before the End of Reconstruction
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U.S. Labor Before the End of Reconstruction
Part 1
Image Analysis #1
This image represents a period when cotton dominated U.S. economic activities and even became one of the country's major economic activities. Cotton dominated this period because the United States possessed a combination of labor, land, and readily available credit. Notably, the dominance of cotton also coincided with the country's rise in industrialization. The increase in industrialization provided numerous opportunities for economic development, with cotton at its center. Another prominent theme portrayed in the photo is the involvement of women in the industry. Overall, the image succeeds in illustrating the radical shifts that marked the post-reconstruction era.
Image Analysis #2
This image represents the outcomes of the Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act. These acts overturned the Missouri Compromise provisions, which had failed to address conflict over the issue of slavery. Subsequently, the first map displays the admission of California into the union, the requirements for the governments of Utah and New Mexico, the formation of a new boundary in Texas, and the abolition of the slave trade in Washington. The second map captures the events immediately before the Civil War. Specifically, the map shows the confederacy states that had withdrawn from Congress, including Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Overall, these two maps capture the geographical effects of political shifts that marked the period leading up to the Civil War.
Text Analysis
This text captures events setting the stage for the American Gilded age and shows the impacts of the Depression of 1873 to 1879. First, this period was defined by radical economic growth and shifting income gaps. The period also featured extreme materialism that also produced blatant corruption. These characteristics are credited with producing critical texts such as the ones identified in this textual analysis. Some of the themes that emerged from this text included the reality of economic inequalities and the need for inclusion and economic emancipation for all races. Minority groups in the country were slowly coming alive to the fact that social mobility and economic inclusion were the new frontiers of the struggle between the dominant and minority groups in the nation Evidence of this line of thought is in the text's reference to poverty as the basis for all ills characterizing U.S. society at the time.
Part 2
The period between 1800 and 1877, which falls within the American Gilded age, is one that was defined by rapid and radical change across all aspects of society. This period marked a time when the United States was slowly adjusting to the changes caused by the outcomes of the Civil war. The country was also undergoing numerous social and economic shifts due to forces such as industrialization. For instance, industrialization created demand for labor which in turn made the U.S. attractive to immigrants. Notably, issues of race were still major problems for...