History Essays
Analysis of Karl Marx and Communism
Analysis of Karl Marx and Communism Karl Heinrich Marx was born on May 5, 1818, in the city of Trier in Prussia, now, Germany. He was one of seven children of Jewish Parents. His father was fairly liberal, taking part in demonstrations for a constitution for Prussia and reading such authors as Voltaire and Kant, known for their social commentary. His mother, Henrietta, was originally from Holland and never became a German at heart, not even learning to speak the language properl...
U.S. vs. Japan in WWII
U.S. vs. Japan in WWII On August 6, 1945 the atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The Enola Gay, piloted by Colonel Tibbetts, was chosen to make the mission. The mission was recorded as successful by Capt. William S. Parson at 9:20 A.M. This was an extremely controversial military strategy in the United States. Was the United States justified in the dropping of the atomic bomb? Yes, they were justified formany reasons. The primary reason was, that it...
John Fitzgerald Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy 35th president of the United States, the youngest person ever to be elected president. He was also the first Roman Catholic president and the first president to be born in the 20th century. Kennedy was assassinated before he completed his third year as president. Therefore his achievements were limited. Nevertheless, his influence was worldwide, and his handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis may have prevented war. Young people especia...
The Causes of World War I
The Causes of World War I The First World War had many causes; the historians probably have not yet discovered and discussed all of them so there might be more causes than what we know now. The spark of the Great War was the assassination of the Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, and his wife by a Serbian nationalist on the morning of June 28, 1914, while traveling in a motorcade through Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Arch...
Analysis of the Holocaust
Analysis of the Holocaust Of all the examples of injustice against humanity in history, the Jewish Holocaust has to be one of the most prominent. In the period of 1933 to 1945, the Nazis waged a vicious war against Jews and other "lesser races". This war came to a head with the "Final Solution" in 1938. One of the end results of the Final Solution was the horrible concentration and death camps of Germany, Poland, and other parts of Nazi-controlled Europe. In the aftermath of th...
18th Century European Enlightenment
18th Century European Enlightenment The Enlightenment is a name given by historians to an intellectual movement that was predominant in the Western world during the 18th century. Strongly influenced by the rise of modern science and by the aftermath of the long religious conflict that followed the Reformation, the thinkers of the Enlightenment (called philosophes in France) were committed to secular views based on reason or human understanding only, which they hoped would pro...
The European Renaissance
The European Renaissance The Renaissance was a period of European history, considered by modern scholars as that between 1300 and 1600. Many dramatic changes happend during the Renaissance. The Renaissance was a period of new inventions and beliefs. The Renaissance was drastically different from the Middle Ages. During the Middle Ages the church held most of the power and it's economy was agriculturaly based. Exploration and learning was almost put to a st...
U.S. Foreign Policy, late 1800s
U.S. Foreign Policy, late 1800s This nation, from its inception had a lust for real estate. From the original chants of "manifest destiny" to the calls for the annexation of Indian territories our nation has been driven to acquire land. In this country's youth land was needed for economic expansion. However, by the end of the 19th century the entire continental United States was in our possession and the citizenry of this country turned their eyes out to sea. the United Stat...
Early 19th Century America
Early 19th Century America On March fourth, 1801, Thomas Jefferson was elected President of the United States of America. Thomas Jefferson was a Republican. Republicans strongly supported farmers, and they wanted an agrarian nation. An agrarian nation means some changes had to be made in the country. The country needed strong trade with other countries, and they also needed more land to farm on. This led to the Louisiana Purchase. The French owned a huge amount ...
Presidency of Andrew Jackson
Presidency of Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson and his policies strengthened the new American nationalism. Through his actions during his presidency, he changed the nation into a more nationalistic country. Jackson was a man of the people, and he strongly felt that the common man was the power behind government. There were many different aspects that mirrored Jackson and American nationalism. Many factors, including his personality, his policies, his actions, and the way he mi...
Salem Witch Trials
Salem Witch Trials Superstition and witchcraft resulted in many being hanged or in prison. In the seventeenth century, a belief in witches and witchcraft was almost universal. In Salem Massachusetts where the witch trials take place many people who are suspicious is accused of witchcraft and hanged. Arthur Miller wrote a play called The Crucible. It is based on the Salem witch trials. The Salem witch trials change many peoples lives and even led to death for some. The power...
Economic View of Slavery
Economic View of Slavery Slavery was caused by economic factors of the english settlers in the late 17th century. Colonists continually tried to allure laborers to the colony. The headright system was to give the indentured servant, a method of becoming independent after a number of years of service. Slavery was caused by economic reasons. Colonists chiefly relied on Indentured Servitude, inorder to facilitate their need for labor. The decreasing population combined with a n...
Effects of the American Frontier
Effects of the American Frontier The North American frontier contributed greatly to today's American culture. For nearly 150 years before independence, the Appalachian mountain range had been the American frontier, separating civilization from wilderness. When North America gained independence and became the United States, however, people began to move more freely across the frontiers, into the unknown. The land belonged to them now, and they were free to explore it however ...
The Presidency of Andrew Jackson
The Presidency of Andrew Jackson Like any hall of fame, its inductees are the best in whatever they do, from baseball or football to something like being President. If you are a member of any hall of fame (including the one for the Presidents), it means that you have done something special or have a certain quality about yourself that makes you worthy to be in a hall of fame. My nominee for the Presidents hall of Fame is our seventh President of the United States, Andrew Jac...
The Great Depression
The Great Depression Though most Americans are aware of the Great Depression of 1929, which may well be "the most serious problem facing our free enterprise economic system", few know of the many Americans who lost their homes, life savings and jobs. This paper briefly states the causes of the depression and summarizes the vast problems Americans faced during the eleven years of its span. This paper primarily focuses on what life was like for farmers during the time of the D...
The Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine The Truman Doctrine was the impetus for the change in United States foreign policy, from isolationist to internationalists; thus we were drawn into two wars of containment and into world affairs. The Truman Doctrine led to a major change in U.S. foreign policy from its inception - aid to Turkey and Greece - to its indirect influence in Korea and Vietnam. The aftermath of World War II inspired the U.S. to issue a proclamation that would stem Communist infl...
Handling the Great Depression
Handling the Great Depression Hoover and Roosevelt had very different ideas on how the Depression should be handled. This was almost entirely a result of two integral differences in their schemas; Hoover was a Republican, and had basically worked his way through life, while Roosevelt was not only a Democrat, he had basically been born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth. As one can easily see, in many ways these two are complete opposites; in fact, if one looks at...
History of Labor in America
History of Labor in America The Industrial Revolution was dawning in the United States. At Lowell, Massachusetts, the construction of a big cotton mill began in 1821. It was the first of several that would be built there in the next 10 years. The machinery to spin and weave cotton into cloth would be driven by water power. All that the factory owners needed was a dependable supply of labor to tend the machines. As most jobs in cotton factories required neither great s...
Effects of the Great Depression
Effects of the Great Depression The introduction of the discussion will focus on the origins of the Great Depression and the escalating events that led to it. This will provide adequate foundations to bring up questions and attempt to answer them in an objective fashion as to why and how the Depression affected different industrialized countries in different ways. The core of the debate will consist of detailed comparable analyses of the consequences of the Depressio...
The Immigration Experience
The Immigration Experience They are our grandparents, our relatives, our friends. They are the immigrants. They came from all over the world for many reasons, such as, religious persecution and racial tension, but the largest reason for coming to America was for freedom. The freedom to live where we want, to own property, to take part in the government and most importantly, the freedom to be treated like a human being. Coming over was extremely difficult. For some,...
Civil War - Monitor vs. Merrimack
Civil War - Monitor vs. Merrimack The battle on March 9, 1862, between the USS Monitor and the CSS Merrimack, officially the CSS Virginia, is one of the most revolutionary naval battles in world history. Up until that point, all battles had been waged between wooden ships. This was the first battle in maritime history that two ironclad ships waged war. The USS Merrimack was a Union frigate throughout most of its existence, up until the Union Navy abandoned the Norf...
Why the North Won the Civil War
Why the North Won the Civil War "In all history, no nation of mere agriculturists ever made successful war against a nation of mechanics. . . .You are bound to fail" -Union officer William Tecumseh Sherman to a Southern friend. The American antebellum South, though steeped in pride and raised in military tradition, was to be no match for the burgeoning superiority of the rapidly developing North in the coming Civil War. The lack of emphasis on manufacturing and commercial in...
General Sherman and the Civil War
General Sherman and the Civil War William Tecumseh Sherman was born on May 8, 1820 in Lancaster, Ohio. He was educated at the U.S. Military Academy and later went on to become a Union General in the U.S. civil war. Sherman resigned from the army in 1853 and became a partner in a banking firm in San Francisco. He became the president of the Military College in Louisiana(now Louisiana state University) from 1859-1861. Sherman offered his services at the outbreak of the Civil ...
History of the Black U.S. Soldier
History of the Black U.S. Soldier Throughout American history, Afro-Americans have had to decide whether they belonged in the United States or if they should go elsewhere. Slavery no doubtfully had a great impact upon their decisions. However, despite their troubles African Americans have made a grand contribution and a great impact on our armed forces since the Revolutionary War. The Afro-American has fought against its country's wars, and they have also fought the war wit...
Economics in Colonial America
Economics in Colonial America During the 1500's to 1800's, the strength and stature of a country depended upon its political power, which can be traced to how self-sufficient it was. Striving to be self-sufficient was what nations sought after; dependency was not a characteristic of a powerful nation. Raw materials were the most required item to strengthen the central government, and deter interactions, such as trade with other nations. The first country to introduce mercan...