Who Makes a Difference
The course of the history of the United States was changed many times due to the efforts of different activists. Many of them had a significant and lasting effect on the development of the country. However, the achievements of four political figures deserve to be emphasized. These politicians are Dennis Banks, Clyde Bellecourt, Harry Dexter White, and Franklin Roosevelt. The main goal of this paper is to demonstrate how their actions, decisions, and leadership changed the course of the history of the United States.
Dennis Banks and Clyde Bellecourt were the founders of the American Indian Movement (AIM). They called upon people to rise against the authorities that unfairly treated Native Americans (McFadden). Such protests attracted national attention to various social and economic problems. Banks and Bellecourt’s actions resulted in the improvement of the quality of life of American Indians. Such changes related to employment, education, and housing. Due to the active work of the AIM, millions of Native Americans still receive significant federal support. Also, different Indian protest movements participated in the march on Washington. This march was aimed at advocating for the civil and economic rights of different minorities (“March on Washington”). It was one of the greatest political events in the history of the United States. Subsequently, this march led to the adoption of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) was established in 1944 in Bretton Woods. This fund collects data and performs analyses in order to improve the economies of its members (“Creation of the Bretton”). The purpose of the IMF is to enhance international cooperation, the stability of exchange rates, and the development of the global economy. Harry Dexter White who was the chief international economist at the Treasury Department and John Maynard Keynes, a British economist, designed a new international monetary system that was used for almost 30 years. Nowadays, every country that joins this fund obtains quota that depends on its position in the world economy. The United States kept the price of gold and had to maintain its convertibility. However, this system ceased to exist due to the changes in the U.S. policies.
Roosevelt’s recession took place at the end of the 1930s. The recovery from the Great Depression as a result of Roosevelt’s second term (“Recession of 1937-38”). The policies of his administration promoted the development of the national economy. However, in 1937, production and profits significantly decreased. Also, unemployment rates reached an ominous point. The Social Security act was established in 1937. This act resulted in the improvement of the socio-economic situation in 1937-1938.
At the end of the Second World War, the leaders of the great powers, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, President Franklin Roosevelt, and Soviet General Secretary Joseph Stalin, met at the Yalta Conference. They discussed issues relating to the war and made decisions on the spheres of influence (“The Yalta Conference, 1945”). Also, the leaders agreed on conditions under which the USSR declared war on Japan. It was the most important for the United States accomplishment of this conference.
In conclusion, these people proved that everybody could be involved in the development of a country. They devoted their lives to the implementation of political strategies. Their legacy is widespread social justice, democracy, and prosperity. The impact they had on the course of history is impossible to overestimate.
Works Cited
“Creation of the Bretton Woods System.”Federal Reserve History. 2017, Web.
“March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.”Martin Luther King, Jr., Web.
McFadden, Robert. “Dennis Banks, American Indian Civil Rights Leader, Dies at 80.”The New York Times. 2017, Web.
“Recession of 1937-38.” Federal Reserve History. 2017, Web.
“The Yalta Conference, 1945.”Office of the Historian, Web.