History of the United States (1865–1918)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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The history of the United States (1865–1918) covers Reconstruction, the Gilded Age and the rise of industrialization in the United States. This period of rapid economic growth and soaring prosperity in North and West (but not the South) saw the U.S. become the world's dominant economic, industrial and agricultural power, although it exercised less international influence than Britain. The average annual income (after inflation) of nonfarm workers grew by 75% from 1865 to 1900, then grew another 33% by 1918.
With a decisive victory in 1865 over Southern secessionists in the Civil War, the United States became a united and powerful nation, with a more powerful national government. Reconstruction brought the end of slavery and citizenship for the ex-slaves, but their political power was later rolled back and they became second class citizens under a "Jim Crow" system of segregation. Politically the nation in the Third Party System and Fourth Party System was mostly dominated by Republicans (expect for two Democratic presidents). After 1900 the Progressive Era brought political and social reforms and modernational of many areas of government and society, such as new roles for education and a higher status for women.
In an unprecedented wave of European immigration, 27.5 million new arrivals between 1865 and 1918 provided the labor base for the expansion of industry and agriculture and provided the population base for most of fast-growing urban America.
By the late nineteenth century, the United States had become a leading global industrial power, building on new technologies (such as the telegraph and steel), an expanding railroad network, and abundant natural resources such as coal, timber, oil and farmland, to usher in the Second Industrial Revolution.
There were two important wars. The US easily defeated Spain in 1898, which unexpectedly brought a small empire, of which Puerto Rico and (and some smaller islands) became permanent possessions (as did Alaska, added by purchase in 1867, and Hawaii).
The United States late (1917) entry in World War I on the side of the Allied Powers led to a decisive Allied victory thanks to American financial, industrial and military strength.
