The Rise of American Life in the 1920s Essay Example for Free

The Rise of American Life in the 1920s Essay Daily Life in the United States 1920-1940 was written by David E. Kyvig in 2002 and revised again in 2004. This historical novel documents the transformation America went through during the 1920’s – 40’s. Kyvig addresses numerous events that contributed to the rise and fall of America. The book was written to inform citizens and non-citizens of the industrial, economic, and cultural changes that took place in America. Kyvig establishes stepping stones to America and pieced the book together with contents that range from â€Å"Life’s Basics† to â€Å"Conflict, Crime, to Catastrophe† in the states. Kyvig supports his topics with specific events such as the birth of the automobile, the welcoming of women into the political world, and the mass numbers of immigration that flourished the country. He goes in depth on how automobiles changed Americas take on life inside and out of factories and states that, â€Å"In 1920 barely one household in three possessed a car, though this represented a dramatic increase from one in thirteen at the outset of World War I. Automobile ownership tripled during the 1920s, and by decade’s end four families in five owned one† (Kyvig p. 7). He recognizes and promotes the welcoming of women into the political world to surge democracy and better the economy as stated in the text, â€Å"The establishment of national prohibition and woman suffrage at the very outset of the 1920s created a strong sense that the new decade marked a fresh beginning for American society† (Kyvig p. 6). He also speaks of the multitudes of immigrants that flo urished the country and characterized the states to be a â€Å"Melting Pot† of cultures. All of these components helped to create the American Dream that each and every citizen strives to attain. Kyvig does a spectacular job in educating his audience in events like these and many more throughout the book. In the first chapter of the book, titled â€Å"The Circumstances of Life in 1920†, Kyvig writes about the transition from an agricultural world to a more industrialized world. The leap from farms to the city was a very harsh adjustment for many Americans because it transformed a way of living. The South was suffering agriculturally in result of the booming city life and factory work that people sought to obtain in the North. The desertion of farm life was unfortunate as stated in the book, â€Å"Overall growth of the rural as well as urban population during the 1920s concealed the abandonment of farm life by many families. Nevertheless, farm households as a percentage of the nation’s total fell from 28 to 22 percent over the course of the decade† (Kyvig p. 16). The abolishment of slavery did not help the farms either. The slaves knew the in’s and out’s when it came to running a farm. Many freed slaves, who remained in the South, fell back to tenants, rented pieces of land used for housing and farming. A primary source was used in this chapter to show what a tenant looks like. The one in the book is titled Tenant farmer’s cabin located in Harmony, Georgia found in National Archives. The picture illustrates a shack like house that an African American family is living in. The picture shows them all smiling and enjoying a relaxing day without work on the front porch. Kyvig was very specific in each photo he chose to incorporate into the book as primary sources for his readers. They all match the text perfectly. Each chapter contains some kind of statistic or number representing a populous or price. The first chapter uses numbers to influence the reader. For example, â€Å"Half the nation’s farms were located in the South—but the region contained two-thirds of the country’s 2. 5 million tenant farms† (Kyvig p. 14). Kyvig found this statistic and many others in the U. S. Bureau of Census, Historical Statistics of the United States Colonial Times to 1957. This is a great example of how Kyvig used primary sources and legitimized his writing by doing so. The book’s message is also relayed in many informative texts, articles, and websites both past and present. A website titled â€Å"Henry Ford Changes the World, 1908† is very informative and generates the same thesis and idea that Kyvig wrote in his book. Quoting the website, â€Å"The Model T made its debut in 1908 with a purchase price of $825. 0. Over ten thousand were sold in its first year, establishing a new record. Four years later the price dropped to $575. 00 and sales soared. By 1914, Ford could claim a 48% share of the automobile market† (Sorensen). Quoting the book, â€Å"An unprecedented ten thousand of Ford’s new car, the twenty-horsepower Model T, sold in the next year at $825. To reach the mass audience he sought, Ford quickly began seeking ways to reduce the Model T’s price† (Kyvig p. 29). These two quotes are almost exactly the same. They reveal the same information just in a different style. Daily Life in the United States 1920-1940 is one of many books to discuss America’s rise and fall. There are hundreds of books written about this noteworthy era America lived through, all written with the same statistics and names. Each text contrasts from one another through the writer and their personal preferences. For example, if the writer was a woman it can be speculated that she would mainly write about women’s suffrage and how women impacted the 1920s to 40s. David E. Kyvig did an exceptional job in covering as many topics as he could. However, certain topics were covered in far more detail than other related topics. For example, I felt that the Ku Klux Klan was mentioned far more than the U. S. military. This bothered me because the military represents our country as a whole. Men and women that are putting their lives on the line for the country should be recognized just as much as groups that believe in certain ideals that are not practiced throughout the rest of the nation. In Kyvig’s defense, I believe he was writing less about war and more about what culturally defined the 1920s-40s. Kyvig positions his writings to favor a middle and lower class audience. These classes defined this era and Kyvig angled his opinions to suit their beliefs and lifestyles over the upper class of this era. Immigrants populated most of the country and most immigrants were hard-working middle and lower class citizens, who worked in factories and sales. Kyvig goes into great detail on how America revolved around the middle and lower classes. The country’s survival revolves around these classes in many ways. For example, the automobile, the telephone, movie theatres, the radio, etc. were all marketed in the 1920s-40s to the middle and lower classes so they could obtain a richer lifestyle within their own lifestyles. Inventor’s successes were dependent on these classes to invest in their products and in return the inventors would capitalize and improve their work for the middle and lower classes. More convenient and useful products with lower prices resulted in this chain of supply-and-demand. The book contains many pictures and a large index on pages 315 to 330. Pictures occupied a great part of the book, 53 to be exact. Along with an index and pictures, pages 301 to 304 contain notes that acknowledge the sources Kyvig used. Kyvig also included a â€Å"For Further Reading† section on pages 305 to 313. This section was written to cite his work and also recommend other texts to readers, like this one, about information during Americas 1920s-40s. Daily Life in the United States 1920-1940 had parts that I felt were worth reading and parts that were not worth reading. It is hard to say the book is not worth reading because I was very interested in the automobile and how it affected Americans. I am from Dearborn, Michigan and drive by Henry Ford’s estate almost every day. His impact on America was remarkable and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this section of the book. Overall, David E. Kyvig captured three of Americas most influential decades. I appreciate him as a writer and felt privileged to read his book.

Byzantine Empire :: essays research papers

After the Western Empire ‘fell’ in 476 CE, a new empire rose in its place. The new empire, the Byzantine Empire, was based on the cultures and traditions of the Western Empire, but also contained many distinctive features. The two empires were very similar since they existed in the same area and carried some of the same cultral roots. But the Byzantie Empire came into existence after the Roman Empire divided into two sections and the Western Roman Empire collapsed. One reason for the decline of the Western Roman Empire was that the move of the capital city to Constantinople in 330 C.E. Emperor Constantine moved the capital to a better location for trade and defense purposes. As the Byzantine Empire grew and prospered, it carried on traditions, culture and the way of life of the Western Roman Empire.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In both the Byzantine and Western Roman Empire’s the complex and well thought out systems of government contributed to the success of the empires. Since the Roman system of government was devoloped 400 years before the Byzantine government, Byzantine officals borrowed some of the Roman Laws. These Roman laws were called the Justinian Code, which was a legal system that helped the Byzantine Empire survive for many years. This code, created by emperor Justinian, consisted of four main parts. The Code,5000 working laws, the Digest, explains why they exist, the Institues, text book for lawyers, and the Novellae, room for new laws. Another part of the government that both the Byzantine and thr Western Roman Empire had in common was a civil service. Augustus first established a civil service in the Roman Empire in 27 C.E. It was a system that pays workers who are skilled at their jobs to work for the government. This idea was carried to the Byzantine Empire where a bureacury, exactly like a civil service, was set up. Another major part of both empires was their strong and loyal army. The army was used for defending the vast empires as well as expanding it by conquering new teritories.

Ethnographic: Teen Pregnancy

Teen pregnancy is when an adolescent male and female from the pubescent age to twenty years old, which are involved In sexual activity that results in the female becoming pregnant. Whether the pregnancy Is continued or terminated, the child Is keep with parents or given up for adoption and whether or not the parties Involved where married. Interviewer Targets: Teen Mothers Teen Fathers Open-Ended Questions: 1) At what age did you partake in sexual activities? And at what age did you get pregnant? 2) Why did you choose not to abstain? 3) What role did your self-esteem play in your decision to have sex? How did your social relationships with friends, family, and the opposite sex play in the determining fact of your choice to have sex? 5) Did your parents/guardians discuss sex, sexual activities, prevention and SST with you? Did those conversations have an effect on your decision to continue or to stop all sexual acuity? 6) In your relationship, who was the person concerned about preven tion and protection? 7) How did teen pregnancy affect your life? 8) Considering everything, what do you think are the disadvantages to having a baby now instead of waiting until you were older? How did being a teen parent impact your life goals before the pregnancy? 10) What are some steps you will take in the future to help your child prevent teen pregnancy? 1 1) How did your social relationships change? 12) How has the opinions and assumptions of others effect you? Ethnographic Style: The ethnographic style completed on this paper is done through theory and method. The theory Is addressing the concern of the specific social problem of teen pregnancy In the modern society versus the same problem In the united States past generations.The method Includes different research tools, open-ended question Interviews and participant observation, research design of community studies and data presentation the use of select quotes, fieldwork and statistical research found. Teen Pregnancy of â €Å"Epidemic Proportion† Teen pregnancy is an adolescent male and female, from the pubescent to twenty years old, who are involved in sexual activity that result in the female becoming pregnant. Whether the pregnancy is continued or terminated, the child is kept with parents or given up for adoption and whether or not the parties involved where married.The assumption that teen pregnancy is 100% preventable, adolescences re participating in sexual activity at younger ages than in past generations, and that the underline reason teens are choosing to participate in sexual activity is not addressed. These assumptions only initiate the need for purpose of this social problem to be address by understand the underline reason teen pregnancy is occurring, researching methods that will better prevent teen pregnancy and to better understand the reasons and the affects of teen pregnancy for both sexes. The assumption and purpose of this paper will be presented through the ethnographic st yle.The ethnographic style completed on this paper is done through theory and method. The theory is addressing the concern of the specific social problem of teen pregnancy in the modern society versus the same problem in the United States past generations. The method includes different research tools, open-ended question interviews and participant observation, research design of community studies and The ethnographic style is broken down through the assumption, purpose, target interviewees, open-ended question responses that were collected and the data research of statistical research documented and collected by past researchers.

Abortion Is Safe And Legal - 1781 Words

â€Å"God, just run down the street and get an abortion like pulling a rotten tooth?† The other friend cried, â€Å"It’s just not a baby yet. It’s her choice. And she sure isn’t going to choose to have a baby right now. Since when did you get so prolife?† â€Å"I’m not pro-life! I just happen to not like the whole idea of abortion.† â€Å"Wake up. It’s the twenty-first century and abortion is safe and legal† (Schwarz 3). And that is exactly it. These two ladies fretting over whether or not their pregnant friend should choose to abort or not is a perfect example of one of the most controversial issues today. Similar to one of the friends, most US citizens are not sided pro-life or pro-choice on this topic. Some pro-lifers agree with some pro-choice views, and vice versa; therefore, concluding there are not just two viewpoints on abortion. Today, in the United States, abortion is the most frequently performed medical proced ure on women (Napolitano 38). Some abortion methods include suction aspiration, and dilation and extraction which involve removing the fetus from the mother. Roe v Wade was a court case that passed the llegalization of aboritons in 1973 (Martin). The moral ethics behind abortion methods vary depending on what side of the pro-life pro-choice scale is supported. Planned Parenthood is a government funded program that gives health care and information to low income women (Planned Parenthood). It also provides services for abortions, largely disagreeable amongst the masses. As longShow MoreRelatedAbortion : Should It Be Legal?1484 Words   |  6 PagesNovember 2, 2015 Abortion, Should it be legal? Although some say abortion should be illegal and parents should not be allowed to choose abortion because it is unsafe, immoral, and against Christian beliefs to allow it. Abortion should be legal, it is safe and most people believe that abortion should be up to the parents because even though arguers say it is against their Christian beliefs, it is a moral decision that does not violate human rights, the overall abortion procedure is safe , and abortionRead MoreAbortion Is Morally Permissible?1675 Words   |  7 PagesAbortion is defined as â€Å"The deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks of pregnancy.† (Oxford Dictionary). Nearly three out of ten women in the U.S. have an abortion by the time they are 45-years-old (Planned Parenthood). Abortion is morally permissible because an abortion prevents a woman and the potential child’s suffering. Abortion is moral because it is a fundamental right of competent ad ults to make their own decisions on the course of theirRead MoreAbortion, â€Å"The Deliberate Termination Of A Human Pregnancy,1379 Words   |  6 PagesAbortion, â€Å"the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks of a pregnancy†. Abortion may be one of the most personal decision one has to make; however, it is widely talked about. While, there are two sides to this agreement. The first, being that a fetus is a human; therefore, abortion is murder. On the other hand, it is the women’s body, so what she wants to do is her choice. However, no matter what your personal opinion is, nobody should have a sayRead MoreAbortion Is A Way For Women1726 Words   |  7 PagesKellsey Lodahl Abortion is Ethical Abortion is a way for women, or couples, to make the best decision they can for themselves and the unborn child if they are not ready to bring a child into the world. Allowing termination as a legal and ethical option lets women know they still have a choice when their world is turned upside down. The choice to abort a pregnancy allows women to remain in control of their bodies and makes women one step closer to becoming equal to men. I argue that it is ethicallyRead MoreShould Abortion Be Legal?1625 Words   |  7 Pagesnegative opinions on abortions, legal abortion is a necessity women should have access to because women who do not have access to an abortion can experience more stress than if she was able to have one and many women need to have abortions for unwanted pregnancies or due to concern for the mother’s and/or baby s health. In 1972, the Roe v. Wade supreme court case legalize abortion nationwide, but since then states have passed laws to restrict the availabili ty of abortions. In some states they nowRead MoreShould Abortion Be Legal? Essay1427 Words   |  6 Pagesquestion should abortion be legal is a resounding no. There are always alternatives to abortion, despite whether people acknowledge them or not. This is the case, especially, in instances such as a rape or a cephalopelvic disproportion; the cases where people say there is ambiguity in the morality of abortion. Although this is not the most popular answer among citizens, abortion just has no real reason to be legal. Although there will be much opposition to the claim, when abortion is legal, it allowsRead MoreWomen s Reproductive Rights Essay1199 Words   |  5 Pagesstart a family or any other reason, shouldn’t have to. All women deserve true information and the access to safe and legal abortions. The case of Roe v. Wade is basically what started the political side of things. In 1969 a divorced Norma McCorvey was seeking abortion for an unwanted pregnancy. At this time, it was illegal in Texas so there was nowhere she could go. It was also only legal in a small number of states only if the woman’s health was in danger. She wanted to do this by any means soRead MoreEssay on Abortion: A Womans Right to Choose1174 Words   |  5 Pagesthe life of a child without allowing it to even be born has been one of the most controversial topics for centuries. Abortion is the term used to identify the act of intentionally interrupting pregnancy and not allowing the embryo (first stage of development) or fetus (eight weeks and on) to continue its normal process. Each woman has different reasons to decide to commit abortion and is either willing to put an end to their child’s life or permit it to live, even if it is unwanted. If it’s rightRead MoreA Woman s Right For Abo rtion Essay1280 Words   |  6 PagesPosition Paper: A Woman’s Right to Abortion For centuries, a woman’s right to abortion has been argued. Individuals with pro-life and anti-abortion beliefs think abortion is murder. While others feel it to be a women’s moral right, a personal privacy right that has been implied in the United States Constitution. 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