The Importance Of National Parks

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America could be regarded as the new Roman empire, which was realized by the Union winning the Civil War. An empire is the collection of states or countries under a centralized authority; the goals of an empire is to expand its reign by assimilating lands and cultures. While Rome conquered large parts of Europe and had an emperor, America took control of the land from coast to coast and had established a Federal Government. Like all expanding cultures in world history, the needs of the people are the responsibility of the government. In the 1800’s America had trouble fulfilling that obligation. Finding a way to create a sense of nationalism, a unifying ideal all citizens can identify with, was now something politicians had to figure out. The …show more content…

The majestic and powerful landscapes of the wilderness was a symbol of the country’s strength and beauty. Writers and artists, such as George Catlin, depicting the natural wonders gave citizens something to admire and established Americana apart from European art. Despite the good attributes national parks have, their creation pushed Native Americans out of their homelands. Natives never assimilated into American society. The Federal Government’s duty to tend to the needs of the Native American people was an obligation, morally and through treaties, although often failed to meet those needs. It could be because the native peoples were not considered citizens, rather stayed within their own sovereign tribes. Immigrants, on the other hand, became absorbed as part of the larger mosaic of American culture. There for could demand the attention of the government to their needs, especially in the inhumane urban …show more content…

Roosevelt once said “In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way”. Turning America from a country to a rising empire was certainly no accident. Building an identity, establishing patriotism was a well thought out, methodical plan. After the Civil War everyone desperately needed something to bring everyone together, instead of Union and Confederates, winner and loser. Combining the two halves into a singular title of American was a necessity. Triumphs over the great wilderness, including the natives residing in it, was something accomplished by Americans not just north or south. This gave something positive for the whole nation and the now conquered lands were to be admired by all. In the urban landscape it was necessary to show new Americans that the centralized authority, aka Federal Government, was going to provide. As unethical as it was to not have provided adequate living in the first place, it was perfect timing to show care just after the conditions were exposed to the public. This proved to the immigrants that the government will make changes and improvements for them, something they didn’t receive in their homelands. America follows closely in the footsteps of the once great Roman empire by expanding, assimilating and improving. These two events were just another step towards this

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