Most Significant Groups in US History

[Jake V]

SUMMARY POST
I haven't decided on the order yet, but these are the top ten groups for my inpaper, and why i chose them:
Framers of the Constitution: Like em or not, they wrote the document that is the center of all American legal debate and is ostensibly the backbone of all national law.
Slaves: We fought a Civil War because of a secession that was largely due to debates over slavery, and its hard to dispute the importance of the Civil War.
Scientists: I thought i got shafted with this group until tonight, but in my posts on the a-Bomb and the Internet I inadvertently convinced myself.
European explorers: The first point Zoe made all the way back on page 1 is both obvious and valid. Without them, our country just woudln't exist as we know it.
Reconstructionists: They ****'d up, and their failure shaped the way daily life in the South and race relations in the entire country evolved over the next century.
The Supreme Court: Not only do their decisions have an enormous impact on American law, the very nature of the court (nine unelected officials serve life terms and can overturn any judicial or legislative action?!) causes the issues they debate to become very controversial.
Economists: You know the Great Depression? That was kind of important.
Native Americans: Going back to another point from the very first page, without their help, we all would have died before we got the chance to kill them all.
Military: The nation was born in the Revolution, reshaped in the Civil War, transformed into a superpower after the World Wars.
Nullifiers: very early step on the road to secession.
I'm done. ill check back in whie to see if i have any questions to answer, but in the event that i dont, im out.

[Alex T.]

Amanda,
After Fillmore more and Fremont lost the election the party died out. as far as i know there are no Party members around today, and if they are they are probely not to popular

[williama]

Background Info on Nullification Crisis


The Nullification Crisis during the Jacksonian Era was the first viewable time where the question of states being able to see federal law as void, or null from themselves as a strong issue was rising. During, Andrew Jackson’s two terms the issue of South Carolina issues with the newly enacted protective tariffs. The first tariff was the Tariff of 1828, aslso known as the Tariff of Abominations. This tariff discouraged imports of goods into the U.S.; imports in which the South had depended on. Instead, in an attempt to rebuild the Northern economy in the post- War of 1812 years, this tariff was suppose to help the northerners sell their manufactured goods, and with the expensive imports of Europeaan goods, the South was just the greatest consumer to market these goods too. Although, South Carolina’s industry in rice was declining due to this tariff, since Great Britain and other market outlets in Europe refused to buy their rice and goods, if they were not willing to buy their imported goods. Thus, business relations between the South and the outside world had come to a close, and in many ways so has South Carolina’s economy, while the North economy has begun to flourish, as well as they are protected from the tariff.


2nd informational post

Nullifiers are significant because they stirred secession of the South from the US, and ultimately caused the breakout of the Civil War. Stirs of secession first bubbled up, when The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions of 1798 /99 were published for other state government eyes by state governments. But, the Nullification Crisis under the Jackson Adminstration truly laid the ground for secession. The nullifiers are significant, because they brought sectionalism to a whole new level, when the nullification crisis was present, and furthermore caused the America Civil War. The nullification was just a small simulation to what the Civil War would be like; in a way South Carolina had tried secede from the union by not following a nation- wide administered, and therefore enforced law. Also, indirectly the nullifiers contributed to the emancipation of slaves after the civil war had been won by the Union Army. If the nullification crisis had triggered the Civil War and mid- way President Abraham Lincoln had changed his mind about the Union Army fighting the war to preserve the U.S. union to fighting for the Emancipation of Slavery that is so eloquently elaborated in Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Jackson gave a toast at a Democratic Party banquet with the intention of Calhoun hearing it, "Our Federal Union-it must be preserved." John Calhoun responded, "The Union-next to our liberty most dear."

[Alex T.]

carolinah
well the three posts i made explained who they were, a racist yet popular political party. they were supported by white, protestant, middle/working-class citizens that lived in cities. they wanted express their dislike or hatred for the people that were coming in and taking their jobs, crowding thier cities and causing crime.

[timjon]

"For my next post my little children, i will teach how the world would have been different had these pitch parties never existed....thats all for today"

Thum (Solomon)- I am extremely anxious for this next post, I am curious as to why Barn Burners are so influential. I know they've changed the outcomes of elections, but what else is there? Please enlighten me.

[Emma B]

ok...stop your searching. seriously. i know everyone says their groups are important but mine actually is. MUCKRAKERS. so they "rake up muck" in society, hense the name, coined by Teddy Roosevelt himself in 1907, and cause uproar until society is cured of it's problems. In case you needed some influential people and/or facts to write your out-paper on...

Muckraker Magazines:
-Comsmopolitan
-The Independent
-Collier's Weekly
-McClure's

Early Muckrakers
-Samuel Sidney McClure, founder of McClure's Magazine (published the first muckraker articles)
-Lincoln Steffens, The Shame
of the Cities (investigating government and political corruption)
-Ida Tarbell, History of the Standard Oil Company
-Ray Stannard Baker, Following the Color Line (race issues)
-Jacob Riis, How the Other Half lives (exposed slum conditions)
-John Spargo, Bitter Cry of Children (child labor)
-Upton Sinclair, The Jungle (U.S. meat-packing industry)

(more names and facts to come...)

[Amaka O.]

Williama-
What are the names of some of these nullifiers during the Civil War and what was their action, if any after the Civil War?

[williama]

To Tali

I have a hard time believeing that the emancipation of slavery might not have been possible without the help of feminists. Can you elaborate. Is it because feminists weremostly white, is that why they had more pull to help struggling abolitionists?

[Rina C.]

timjon said:

Basically, the beginning of the railroads was the beginning of real time. The workers on the Union Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific railroad raced with each other to build the most of the railroad before they connected with the "Golden Spkie". Time also really began with the railroads because railroads were the beginning of time zones. People began to pay attention to time. It was also important to get to the trian on time, so you wouldn't miss the train.

So Rina other than the recognition of time did railroad workers really contribute anything else extremely significant? there is always the obvious (Railroads) but do they really deserve to be considered one of the most important groups in history.

Good question Tim. As you said, railroad workers obviously built railroads, which became essential to American life. During World War I, supplies were sent to the army by train.
Railroad workers also played an important role in the creation of America's labor movement. As you probably know, when the railroad workers unionized, only white workers were allowed. So the Chinese continued to work while the white workers were on strike. Other labor unions used this as an example, and eventually they realized that for a strike to be successful, every worker needs to be inclulded in the strike. So railroad workers, besides creating railroads, also shaped the labor movement in America.
I hope that answered your question... if not let me know

[Amaka O.]

Emma-
I agree that muckrakers are signifiant to history because of how they attacked immorality in America, raised awarness and led to significant movements and changes that made America progress and develop.

[Grace F.]

manigirl18 said:

imyourbestbeth said:

gracef said:

Temperance Societies have always been a large influence throughout history. Organizations such as the Anti-Saloon League, The Lincoln-Lee Legion, and the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) not only promoted moderation, and eventually prohibition of alcohol, but also turned their attention to other moral issues such as gambling, recreational drugs and tobacco, labor, prostitution, public health, sanitation, and internal peace. Women such as Mary Hunt, Carrie Nation, Neal S. Dow, and Lucy Webb Hayes were temperance’s strongest promoters, deriving strongly from their stance against domestic violence, which was strongly tied to alcoholism. When the 18th Amendment was ratified and prohibition was put into effect things really did start to change. People started going back to work and being productive, men stopped beating their wives, and crime decreased. However, while petty crime decreased, prohibition fueled the emergence of organized crime and increased smuggling. Thus, the Mob, under Al “Scarface” Capone, was born. Temperance societies are the most significant group in American history because they taught us to take good things in moderation, and abstain from all things harmful. Their influences have reached all levels of society, from the most humble homes to Congress, and have brought about one of the most feared and influential institutions itself: the Mob.

Hey Grace,
Im just wondering what makes the Temperance society good if it bought out the mob? Prohibition was the real start of smuggling, and that is still a major issue today? Smuggling=Bad..so what is the good?
THANX

Ymani -
I'll remind everyone again that significance has nothing to do with being positive or good in any way. Significance is being important and consequential, which temperance was. The smuggling and organized crime that resulted from temperance and prohibition were very bad, but nontheless they were very significant and, as you said, are still major issues today.

[coby]

Emma,
You claim that muckrakers expose the truth about curropt situations leading the situations to become cleansed of their corruption. When has a muckraker's comments led to the solution of anything? I think they are very minor in American History because they were not well respected and stood no chance against corporate giants that they often battled.

[williama]

The most important of these nullifiers is Andrew Jackson’s vice president, John C. Calhoun and he wrote a pamphlet, South Carolina Exposition and Protest in 1828 under an alias, choosing to conceal his name, since he was a vice president, which spoke out about the unconstituionality of the tariffs.

Calhoun was not the only leader that supported South Carolina during the nullification crisis, other leaders were Senator Robert Y. Hayne, who defended nullification, during the famous Webster-Hayne debate; South Carolina Governor James Jr. Hamilton sets up a session in South Carolina‘s legislature to bring up the issue of nullification after the 1832 presidential elections; Senator Preston, and Robert Barnwell Rhett, dubbed as the “Father of Secession.”

Some contemporary nullifiers are the official of the Arkansas state government, like Governor Orval Faubus who tried to nullify the law of desegregation of schools nation- wide, after the rulings of Brown v. Board of Education. The Arkansas state legislature tried to reverse this law, by coming up with its own law of segregation. Though, the federal government still kept on continuing with the desegregation of schools in the south, the school board of education in Little Rock filed a suit to United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. The schools were segregated, until United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit the reversed the District Court decision, and the decision of this case Cooper v. Aaron, P.1)(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooper_v._Aaron) “held that the states were bound by the Court's decisions, and could not choose to ignore them.”

[williama]

To Amaka


The most important of these nullifiers is Andrew Jackson’s vice president, John C. Calhoun and he wrote a pamphlet, South Carolina Exposition and Protest in 1828 under an alias, choosing to conceal his name, since he was a vice president, which spoke out about the unconstituionality of the tariffs.

Calhoun was not the only leader that supported South Carolina during the nullification crisis, other leaders were Senator Robert Y. Hayne, who defended nullification, during the famous Webster-Hayne debate; South Carolina Governor James Jr. Hamilton sets up a session in South Carolina‘s legislature to bring up the issue of nullification after the 1832 presidential elections; Senator Preston, and Robert Barnwell Rhett, dubbed as the “Father of Secession.”

Some contemporary nullifiers are the official of the Arkansas state government, like Governor Orval Faubus who tried to nullify the law of desegregation of schools nation- wide, after the rulings of Brown v. Board of Education. The Arkansas state legislature tried to reverse this law, by coming up with its own law of segregation. Though, the federal government still kept on continuing with the desegregation of schools in the south, the school board of education in Little Rock filed a suit to United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. The schools were segregated, until United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit the reversed the District Court decision, and the decision of this case Cooper v. Aaron, P.1)(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooper_v._Aaron) “held that the states were bound by the Court's decisions, and could not choose to ignore them.”

[coby]

Settlers-(coby)
The settlers were the most important American group because they were the first to come to America. The settlers journeyed from England to Mass. and Virginia to set up new lives while still under the rule of their King. The settlers started the first colonies and created patterns that still exist today. The north and south were divided between settlers just as the country was divided in the Civil and in today's elections. The first settlers were from England, some came seeking religious freedom while others came seeking financial opportunity. The settlers who sought religious freedom journeyed to Massachusetts. These settlers came in families and soon set up communities containing things like schools, town halls and churches. Also, these settlers wanted to all live happily together and created minimum wages to ensure everyone could live comfortably. The New England settlers wanted religious freedom and under the king they felt they were trapped which is why they came to New England to start new lives.
The southern settlers were much different from the New England ones in that they sought affluence. On a ship departing from England to Virginia or anywhere in the Chesapeake region you would probably find few families, the majority of the passengers were single white men, a few women (single women), slaves and indentured servants. There would be no communities, the goal of the game was to get rich and everything was fair game including exploitation of human labor.

[Melissa F.]

gracef said:

manigirl18 said:

imyourbestbeth said:

Hey Grace,
Im just wondering what makes the Temperance society good if it bought out the mob? Prohibition was the real start of smuggling, and that is still a major issue today? Smuggling=Bad..so what is the good?
THANX

Ymani -
I'll remind everyone again that significance has nothing to do with being positive or good in any way. Significance is being important and consequential, which temperance was. The smuggling and organized crime that resulted from temperance and prohibition were very bad, but nontheless they were very significant and, as you said, are still major issues today.

Word.

[brianw]

Emma,
I definitely agree that Muckrakers were one of the most important groups in American history, despite being small in membership they were still able to have huge effects on America. It could even be said that Muckrakers laid the groundwork for all modern protest.

[Amaka O.]

William A.-
Thanks

[williama]

- Emma B

Do you think that the muckrakers are significant and deserve respect, due to their pseudo friendship with Teddy Roosevelt, and that Roosevelt under his presidency made reforms in the food industry, due to a muckraker non-fiction book, The Jungle?

[Sophia Y]

Informational Post # 3:
The Freemasons have had such a profound affect on the United States. Many figures, both in and out of politics have been Freemasons, spreading their influence throughout the nation.
Basie, William "Count" - Orchestra leader/composer
Bellamy, Francis J. - The Baptist Minister who created America's Pledge of Allegiance
Berlin, Irving - Entertainer and songwriter who wrote more than 1,500 songs including "Alexander's Ragtime Band" (1911) and several musical comedies like Annie Get Your Gun (1946)
Bradley, Omar N. - American general. Played a major part in the Allied victory in World War II.
Cushing, William - Supreme Court Justice
DuBois, W.E.B. - Educator/Scholar and co-founder of the NAACP
Jackson, Andrew- President of the United States

These are just some of the important influential members of the Freemason party, there are far too many to be placed in this post. Seriously, the sheer number of members and longevity of the Freemasons make them the most important and influential group in American history. Without them we are not the same people and America is not the same country.