Is Class a Bigger Dividing Line than Race in the U.S. History?

Is Class a Bigger Dividing Line than Race in the U.S. History?
Student’s Name
Institution
Course Number and Name
Instructor’s Name
Date
Is Class a Bigger Dividing Line than Race in the U.S. History?
During its formative years, the United States was fraught with myriad challenges, some looking insurmountable. The challenges slowed down several critical processes, including development and democratization. In addition, others split the country down the middle, which aggravated an already volatile situation. Two fundamental factors that played a significant role in dividing the nation were race and class. However, class played a more significant role in dividing the nation than race, and its far-reaching ramifications are still extant to date.
During the 19th century, the United States experienced profound economic changes that swept across the country. The changes inevitably led to the formation of distinct classes, especially in areas with rapid industrialization. The classes were sharply divided as a result of the unequal distribution of the wealth realized and the issue of slavery. Regarding slavery, some classes were viciously opposed to the practice, while others fought tooth and nail to have it preserved. In sum, different classes espoused distinct ideals and also pursued interests that varied from each other.
In the north, for instance, a class of people arose known as the northern merchant elite. They restricted their business to cities and smaller port towns along the coast and mainly obtained their wealth from trade. However, as noted earlier, unequal distribution of the benefits of economic growth was prevalent (Clarke & Hewitt, 2007, p.331). This created a wide rift between the elite merchants and the smaller ones, which, in turn, saw the emergence of different economic classes. The elite, who continued to enjoy social and political prominence, forged close relations with each other. Their principal aim was to protect and expand their economic interests. One fundamental strategy this class used to advance their economic advantage was entering into marriage alliances among themselves. This led to the development of distinct neighborhoods defined by income (Clarke & Hewitt, 2007, p.399). For example, the marriage alliances among the elite resulted in exclusive neighborhoods, further distancing them from the other classes. In addition, the elite also formed companies, especially in the north, that allowed them to acquire large tracts of land at the expense of other classes (Clarke & Hewitt, 2007, p.638). The sharp division among the different classes manifested in diverse dimensions and with distinct consequences. For instance, the elite viewed people from the lower classes with disdain because the latter engaged in disorderly public disorder. Therefore, they sought to dictate society's moral standards, a move that the lower classes vehemently rejected, occasioni...