Most Significant Events In The 1950's
Most Significant Events 1950s to Today
April 24, 2011
HIS 135
Introduction:
The history of the United States plays a huge role in how the nation, as well as the world, is today. Politics, social, and economic factors led our country to where it is now. The following paragraphs will explain how each of these factors has helped shape the world by covering the most important events from each decade beginning in 1950 and continuing until 2000. The topics covered will include the Civil Rights Movement, the Space Race, Vietnam War, recession (including the gap between wealthy and poor), and the country’s economic comeback. I will conclude this paper with how I believe the United States will change over the following decade.
The 1950s – The …show more content…
Millions of armed forces, billions of dollars in war funding, and loss of over 50,000 American lives made Vietnam the deadliest and most expensive war the United States had ever endured. This war was so important because of the divide it created among people of the United States. Some accepted the war, while other protested it whole-heartedly. College students were the most adamant against the war because of the draft, and student unrest quickly ensued. The draft forced young men to join the Selective Service before they turned eighteen, and kept them on the list for two years, unless they planned to attend college. Many people did not believe the United States should be involved in the war with Southeast Asia, much less giving up resources needed at home. The Vietnam War also changed how people viewed each other, especially in regards to soldiers returning home who had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. These soldiers did not receive a warm welcome, and many with mental and physical disorders caused by the war were ignored or spoken poorly of by others (Adams, 2011). After the Vietnam War, the United States fell into a recession that carried on throughout the 1970s into the 1980s. Massive government spending for the war effort, funds sent overseas not returning, and strain on the nation’s industrial market forced the economy to plummet, promoted inflation, and wore down …show more content…
(2007). Heroes of the Civil Rights Movement. Retrieved from http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bhmheroes1.html
Davidson, et al. (2005). Nation of nations: A concise narrative of the American republic (4th ed.).Upper Saddle River, N.J. McGraw-Hill.
1960s
Antill, P. (2001). The space race. Retrieved from http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/concepts_spacerace.html
Suter, J. (1994). United States history (2nd ed.). Paramus, N.J. Globe Fearon.
1970s
HistoryCentral.com. (n.d.). Vietnam War and the American eceonomy. Retrieved from http://www.historycentral.com/sixty/Economics/Vietnam.html
1980s
Dreier, P. (2004). Reagan’s legacy: Homelessness in America. Retrieved from http://www.nhi.org/online/issues/135/reagan.html
April 24, 2011
HIS 135
Introduction:
The history of the United States plays a huge role in how the nation, as well as the world, is today. Politics, social, and economic factors led our country to where it is now. The following paragraphs will explain how each of these factors has helped shape the world by covering the most important events from each decade beginning in 1950 and continuing until 2000. The topics covered will include the Civil Rights Movement, the Space Race, Vietnam War, recession (including the gap between wealthy and poor), and the country’s economic comeback. I will conclude this paper with how I believe the United States will change over the following decade.
The 1950s – The …show more content…
Millions of armed forces, billions of dollars in war funding, and loss of over 50,000 American lives made Vietnam the deadliest and most expensive war the United States had ever endured. This war was so important because of the divide it created among people of the United States. Some accepted the war, while other protested it whole-heartedly. College students were the most adamant against the war because of the draft, and student unrest quickly ensued. The draft forced young men to join the Selective Service before they turned eighteen, and kept them on the list for two years, unless they planned to attend college. Many people did not believe the United States should be involved in the war with Southeast Asia, much less giving up resources needed at home. The Vietnam War also changed how people viewed each other, especially in regards to soldiers returning home who had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. These soldiers did not receive a warm welcome, and many with mental and physical disorders caused by the war were ignored or spoken poorly of by others (Adams, 2011). After the Vietnam War, the United States fell into a recession that carried on throughout the 1970s into the 1980s. Massive government spending for the war effort, funds sent overseas not returning, and strain on the nation’s industrial market forced the economy to plummet, promoted inflation, and wore down …show more content…
(2007). Heroes of the Civil Rights Movement. Retrieved from http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bhmheroes1.html
Davidson, et al. (2005). Nation of nations: A concise narrative of the American republic (4th ed.).Upper Saddle River, N.J. McGraw-Hill.
1960s
Antill, P. (2001). The space race. Retrieved from http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/concepts_spacerace.html
Suter, J. (1994). United States history (2nd ed.). Paramus, N.J. Globe Fearon.
1970s
HistoryCentral.com. (n.d.). Vietnam War and the American eceonomy. Retrieved from http://www.historycentral.com/sixty/Economics/Vietnam.html
1980s
Dreier, P. (2004). Reagan’s legacy: Homelessness in America. Retrieved from http://www.nhi.org/online/issues/135/reagan.html