United States History

Running head: UNITED STATES HISTORY
United States History
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1UNITED STATES HISTORY
In this essay the purpose is to find out the ways of being called a true American and the
changed perceptions from the year 1865. The rights of American people have gone through a
change in last 100 or more years. The changes in the American society 1865 onwards are very
fascinating and rights of Americans had changed during the years. The socio-economic
conditions of the country have gone through a wide change as well. These issues will be
highlighted in the discussion.1
From the year 1865, the Progressive Era began for United States. The reconstruction of
the country could only be designed when bondage from Europeans and slavery. Then on the
rights of common Americans have changed. United States have become the most powerful
global force in the world and shape of the country has gone through many major and minor
changes. United States became a powerful and united nation when Southern states got defeated
in Civil War. Thus the means of slavery came to be abolished from the country forever. The
rights of African American people were set up that was not admitted previously. Thus people
coming from the African contingents were also considered as Americans. This surely is a big
victory for the progressive power that wanted to bring the positive change within the country.
The former slaves were also granted freedom and they got the citizenship of USA. These people
became second class citizens of the country. It has to be mentioned that a flood of people came
in from Europe with a desire to settle in USA. Thus this change has been welcomed by almost
everyone. This Gilded Age or Reconstruction Era was the beginning of the progressive era.
The immigration factor has been quite interesting in this scenario as the question
remains about the identity of slaves who came from African nations. The political and economic
1 Americanyawp.com. "Frederick Douglass On Remembering The Civil War, 1877 | The American Yawp Reader".
Americanyawp.Com, Last modified 2019. https://www.americanyawp.com/reader/reconstruction/frederick-
douglass-on-remembering-the-civil-war-1877/