American History: The Beginning: 1900-1914

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The Beginning: 1900-1914
The 20th century started out well. The economy was thriving, and people were pretty happy. But, working conditions were not very good, and women and blacks were still not being treated equally to white males. This caused some turmoil during this time period. Also during this time things started moving politically.
America was flourishing economically during this time. They were making more steel than anywhere else in the world. They were also making more textiles than anywhere else as well. The United States was producing one third of the world’s railroad tracks. This was also America’s most inventive time period. Many different and life changing inventions were created during this time. The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell, and the light bulb by Thomas Edison. The first airplane took to the skies; it was an invention made by the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur. The automobile, which was another famous invention, was created by Karl Benz. At first only the wealthy could afford automobiles, but thanks to Henry Ford they soon became available to the average American. He was able to make the production of automobiles cheaper and therefore cars were also cheaper. This lower of costs allowed everyday people to own automobiles, not just the wealthy. Even with this increase of wealth in America there were still many Americas who had very little. These people worked in coal mines, steel mill and factories. This was extremely laborious and difficult work, and it offered very low wages. Of these impoverished Americas working these strenuous jobs, two million were just little children. Times were rough, but soon work hours were lowered. There were also higher wages. Because of this increase is mo...

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...did feel that blacks and whites were not equal. W. E.B. Du Bois on the other hand wanted blacks to have full political and social equality. Also during this time many Americans were eager for a war against Spain, including Roosevelt, but President William McKinley was reluctant. Eventually America did fight Spain and won easily. Then McKinley was murder out of the blue and the energetic Theodore Roosevelt became President. He was the first to see America as a world power. Roosevelt was a man of action and was mostly responsible for the creation of the Panama Canal. It really was an expression of Roosevelt and America at the time.
The beginning of the century was just that, a beginning. Things were changing and people more and more were unhappy to just leave things the way they were. They wanted to change the country for the better and wasted no time in doing so.

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