The United States in the aftermath of 1860-1870’s American Civil War
In order to reconstruct the United States in the aftermath of 1860-1870’s American Civil War, an analysis that would take a holistic approach addressing the root causes of the war ought to have been scrutinized. Following the events preceding the war several factors can be seen to have staked a claim in stimulating the same.
Among them include efforts fronted by the Northern states to make a Union (United States), and concerted efforts geared towards ending slavery typified by the southern states otherwise ‘confederacy’ that was threatening secession.
Basically, the core of the war has a bearing on the slavery which built a rift between the two factions (the Northern Union and the Southern Confederacy). Thus, in order to reconstruct the United States then abolishment of slavery in the entire states would have been a rational way to commence from (Foner 53).
In order to implement the reconstruction process, both the Democrats and the Republicans in the congress ought to have pulled strings towards one direction. Vitally, the Southern whites ought to have been given civic education demonizing slavery as an ‘evil’ practice. This would have ensured an end to slavery that threatened to tear apart the US.
In the aftermath of American Civil War, the US had remained divided momentarily into two factions following the declaration of Emancipation Proclamation issued by the then president, Lincoln. As such, segregation within social, economic and governmental institutions was popular.
To this end, the institutions that needed change in the wake of reconstruction included churches which were segregated along different ideologies regarding slavery, industrialization had to trickle down the South to discourage slavery, judicial system needed change and, republican form of government had to be implemented to the southern states (Jones 45).
The Western states
The Western states depicted a war-torn region contested by both the Union forces and the Southern Confederacy. The economic activities of these states are skewed towards cotton farming. As such, as a farmer ready to settle in this area upon visiting a departmental store I would purchase farm inputs since agriculture forms the backbone of this economy.
However, since this region is unstable politically then the main challenge in transporting these items by road would be interference by wars that happen occasionally between the antagonistic groups. To conclude the transaction, the payment through a cheque would be the safest mode, and given a chance I would purchase an arm for defensive purposes (Jone 13).
Nativism
Plainly put, nativism means an opposing stand taken by the inhabitants against immigrants whom are believed to be the reason for diluted cultural values. Basically, nativism is common in many countries owing to different nationalism, religion and cultural identities.
In the ancient America, the aftermath of nativism which resulted in warfare and forced assimilation led to the extinction of Indians by the European immigrants. Basically, nativism in America was typified by anti-European, anti-Catholic, anti-German and anti-Chinese movements.
In recent history, nativism still had a role to play in preserving or modifying natives’ cultural values. That was mostly evident along religious lines. For instant, in the early 21st century, the president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, was opposed to Hijab wearing by French female but Muslim students in class.
Also, some cultural values of Africans are still intact hitherto long after European colonization. This includes polygamy among others (Deloria and Salisbury 23)
Works Cited
Deloria, Philip and Salisbury Neal. A companion to American Indian history. Logan: Utah State UP, 2004. Print.
Foner, Eric. Politics and Ideology in the Age of the Civil War. Boston: Allyn, 1980. Print.
Jones, Howard. Abraham Lincoln and a New Birth of Freedom: The Union and Slavery in the Diplomacy of the Civil War. Denver: MacMurray, 1999. Print.