Roosevelt and Wilson in social and economic reforms

Roosevelt and Wilson shared were similar in their approach to social and economic reforms. During their reign, Roosevelt persevered to preserve open spaces and parks through the National Park Service while Wilson utilized his reign to put in various educational reforms. Additionally, both presidents can be commended for their economic reforms as well. Roosevelt’s social reforms under the National Park Service became the axe that divided various large syndicates such as railroads and oil. Similarly, Wilson’s area of concentration was business and education. He established the Federal Trade Commission to encourage transparency in business. He also banned child labor and put into place maximum hours for railroad workers.
However, Roosevelt and Wilson differed in their opinions on Foreign Policy. Roosevelt wanted to take America to the heights of being a superpower through reforms and legislations, thus taking on realism. Wilson, on the other hand, was an idealist and wanted to preserve the isolation of America and avoid conflicts and trysts with other nations. Although both presidents wanted to save America from war, Roosevelt’s approach was more logical due his experience in the army CITATION Rob151 p “, par. 1-3” l 1033 (Robinson, par. 1-3).
Write at least one paragraph defending or criticizing imperialism.
The word ‘Imperialism’ may have be advertised as a tool for expansion and development, but is, in reality, a front for authoritarian control over smaller, underdeveloped nations.

Countries that resisted the advance of more powerful ones were often subjected to genocide and cultural, linguistic and traditional change, with newer forms of all forced upon them. They lost control over their resources and wealth and were often categorized as slaves subjected to second class treatment in their own. Not only that, they had to face discrimination in almost all spheres of life, especially employment, and basic human rights.
Was the U.S. a “neutral” party prior to its declaration of war? Could the U.S. have remained neutral in the face of world events, and if so, what would it have had to do to remain neutral?
Yes, before World War I, public opinion and President Wilson himself advocated peace, and thus focused on keeping the military small and resisted war. However, the neutrality would have continued if not for Wilson helping the Allies by helping them monetarily, and trading with them. Losing even a share of trade with European countries would have brought dire circumstances for US economy. Had trade with the Allies been discontinued or remained discreet, the attack on the Lusitania, the US trade ship, would have been avoided. Thus, the major catalyst for the US joining World War I would have been evaded.
Choose an individual whose work is representative of either the Lost Generation or the Harlem Renaissance. Give us a brief biography and description of their work concerning its significance to the times and its lasting significance. How has their work stood up to the test of time?
Of all the works that have represented the Harlem Renaissance, there have been none so great as Jacob Lawrence and his representations of the movement. He was a first-hand witness of the Great Migration, the Depression, the Jazz Age and the Harlem Renaissance, and of the consequent changes that life for African American went through after. His work was simple and represented the change in the pace of life from rural to urban. He documented how people acclimatized themselves with daily life in Harlem, thus recording the spirit of the community itself. Today, however, his work is representative of and memorable for not only the vibrancy of the place, but also for depicting the crippling poverty and hardships that people lived in.
9. Choose one of the New Deal programs discussed in this chapter. Was this measure effective in fighting the Depression? Why? What were positive and negative effects? Were those effects long lasting? Is the program/legislation still in effect today?
One of the most affected sectors of the population during the depression were the aged people, who could not work, and were thus forced into destitution. The Social Security Act of 1935 established a system of social insurance, managed by the federal government and tasked with providing money to the old through taxed collected by employees on the payroll of companies. The act may have saved numerous elderlies from starvation, but was only a quick solution. It did not create employment for the new generation, but simply entailed paying a sum to the older one to replace them with members of the new generation. The SSA is one of the acts to have survived the test of time in the administrative US. The Act has been reformed to include more sects, women, and to cover more benefits. Discussions about the act gradually started to include how to provide more benefits.
10. Describe the process by which the US moved from neutrality in 1939 to undeclared war with Germany in 1941. Something to consider in your discussion: Would the U.S. have entered World War II even if the Japanese had not attacked Pearl Harbor? Why was public opinion overwhelmingly against entering the war before this event?
The primary catalyst for the US entering the Second World War was Japan’s unannounced attack on the US naval base, Pearl Harbor, on Dec. 7, 1941.Public opinion, however, was clearly against the United States joining the war since the country was still recuperating from the effects of the First World War and the Great Depression. If the attack on Pearl Harbor had never happened, US probably would not have have participated in the European conflict. However, since their goals regarding Asia were different, and Japanese dominance over countries was increasing faster than expected, it would have been involved in the East Asian conflict with the Japanese either way.
11. What are your thoughts about the Korean War and the title that many have given it as “The Forgotten War”?
In some opinions, the Korean War may have been one of the greatest mistakes made by the US administration. Not only was it belittled by President Truman as ‘not a war’, but was also extremely disadvantageous to both the parties fighting. The people’s reluctance to participate was also justified. The wounds of the Second World War had yet to heal, and people were exhausted with the war. The soldiers themselves did not understand what historical, political or strategic influence the war held. It was, in the words of Omar Bradley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the ‘wrong war, in the wrong place, at the wrong time, with the wrong enemy’CITATION Hyn13 p “, par. 1-4” l 1033 (Hynes , par. 1-4)12. Discuss the rise of suburbs about changes in postwar economic, social and racial life. To what extent was the migration to the suburbs a flight from the city vs. a flight to a vision of a new way of life? Do you live in a segregated community?
The Great Depression and the Second World War have altered the American perspective on the economy. While one acclimatized them with living with the bare minimum, an increase in wages during the other made them more aware of the comforts available post-it. One of the first things that they did was seek out better housing outside the cities. That, coupled with cheap loans, facilitated the rise of the suburbs. They represented a new way of life since the communities were meant to be bedroom communities meant only for living, with work still being conducted in the city. The government itself encouraged it, and developed roads and transportation to support the migration CITATION Lesnd p 1-2 l 1033 (Lesh 1-2). Although segregation and discrimination against African-Americans were rampant, especially in terms of jobs and land, it has fallen to a low percentage today, especially in my community.
13. What were the political, social, and military outcomes of the Tet offensive? What key issues shaped the 1968 campaign? What strategy did Nixon use to win?
The Tet Offensive helped the US and South Korea to repress the rebellion in the South Korean population, for US to tone down its support of the Saigon regime. The operation was only mildly successful from a militant view, as it could only hold back the Communist attack, and North Vietnam still achieved a tactical victory. Thus began the US’s withdrawal from the region. Additionally, the coverage of the war shocked people, and further caused people to lose faith in the government, protesting against sending more soldiers into the war, and petitioning to bring back ones who had already left CITATION His09 p “, par. 1” l 1033 (History Staff, par. 1)14. Choose one rock group or individual singer and demonstrate how they reflected and influenced this era.
Though Nixon often made an appearance in popular culture due to his infamous term as president, one of his statements, about him not being a crook, made an appearance in the song ‘son of orange county’ by Franz Kappa. Kappa, in an interview, felt like he spoke for thousands of people when he expressed his discontent at Nixon’s apparent paranoia towards his enemies. He reflected on and mirrored people’s disapproval at being spied on by a secret police without the existence of a proper authority, or the fact that their president did not trust his subjects CITATION Masnd p “, par. 9-11” l 1033 (Mastropolo, par. 9-11).
15. Describe the components of Reaganomics. Did Reagan achieve his economic goals? What were the short and long-term consequences of his policy? Can you relate the economic situation in the early 80s to today? Why or why not?
Reaganomics had four main components—tax cuts, new expenditure priorities, regulatory reforms, restraint on the money. Reagan’s legacy due to his economic goals is a mixed one: on one hand, he educated people of the term ‘productivity’, created jobs, lowered inflation and reduced economic regulation; on the other, his reign resulted in more government spending at higher levels, bigger trade deficits and expanded social regulation CITATION Wei97 p “, par. 4-9” l 1033 (Weidenbaum, par. 4-9). His reign, however, cannot be related to the reign of today, because the American economy has undergone various changes since. One of the major catalysts for this change is the recent recession, coupled with the fact that the economy is largely global. Additionally, the needs, wants, and consumption patterns of the people have changed. All these require for newer reforms, and yet innovative governance.
16. What lies in America’s future? What kinds of cultural, economic, and foreign dilemmas do you think American politicians might face? Do you think better choices and decisions can be made by studying what happened in the past, or are all situations unique?
One of the biggest challenges that America faces today is the need to recover from the recent economic recession. Creating jobs for all may not be easy for all, but steps can be taken to curb the gap between the poor and the rich. Additionally, there is a crying need to understand the needs of the diverse population. Also existing are subliminal issues such as racism, immigrant problems and health and education. Where the past can be used as a teacher, its word should not be set in stone. No governance has been perfect till now. However, lessons can be learned from the steps taken. Modifying them to fit the needs of the present population will be a better choice for all.
Works Cited
BIBLIOGRAPHY History Staff. Tet Offensive. 2009. 7 June 2015. Web.
Hynes, Patricia H. The Korean War: Forgotten, Unknown and Unfinished. 12 July 2013. 7 June 2015. Web.
Lesh, Bruce. Post-War Suburbanization: Homogenization or the American Dream? Historical Analysis. Baltimore: Franklin High School, n.d. Print .
Mastropolo, Frank. Anti-Richard Nixon Songs: How Rock Helped Topple A President. n.d . 7 June 2015. Web.
Robinson, Nick. “Compare and Contrast Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson.” 2015 . 7 June 2015 <Web. >.
Weidenbaum, Murray. Reaganomics – Its Remarkable Results. 18 December 1997. 7 June 2015. Web.