Compare the prejudice in the Reconstruction Period

Compare the prejudice in the Reconstruction Period with the prejudice you may see today. Historically, America has been a melting pot. However, that so-called melting pot, presents many problems. In the history of the U.S., there has been a struggle to keep the country “white”, by denying the existence of the rest of the races. During the Civil War, the restoration of the seceded states into the Union became an important issue. To President Lincoln, it was key to restore the condition of the union and regain the partially conquered states into the reformed United States. After the war, come the reconstruction, and the integration of the former slaves into the society. This proved to be a sensible subject in the government as President Andrew Jackson, Lincoln’s successor was not in favor of the Black suffrage, given his position as a former slave owner. In that way, the prejudice against the former slaves was still too high not only in the Southern states, but in the north as well. However, due to popular turmoil, the president allowed a few African-Americans who held proprieties, to vote on the state level, but not in federal elections. Jackson’s policies were alike to those Lincoln had, the main difference was that Lincoln was in the middle of a war, while Jackson was not. Despite that 150 years have passed, the prejudice continues. It does not matter that a Black president have won two subsequent elections, many Americans still regard African-American as inferior and are afraid of losing the privileges they consider they have only by being white.

This is a problem in itself since it reflects that the status of race in the U.S. continues to be a sore thumb in the country’s internal affairs.
Which profession would you rather have had? Thinking romantically, being a cowboy would have been an excellent career choice. However, the truth is that Cowboys earned little money and were subject to many hardships. Among the possible jobs, none of them would offer enough stability to live a healthy life. For instance, gold prospectors often died in the mines, or at the hands of other prospectors. Often they misspent their money on prostitutes or alcohol and died because of them. Miners suffered the same destiny, and even worst, when they did not find gold or precious metals, they were subject to malnutrition and starvation. In the same way, railroad workers were mostly immigrant workers from Europe, subject to poor conditions; low wages, nutrition and prejudice for being immigrants. However, the best of the worst would be being a cowboy, at least they have fresh air, and the endless prairie to look on.