Honors History Writing#1

And Then Came Modern America

The Civil War changed history; not just because of the bloody battles, but also because of the way it contributed to Modern America, and the way America is today.

Though slavery is over, racism looms in life not only in the South, but all over the nation as well. At the end of the Civil War with slavery abolished, the South fumed with the loss of their old fashioned America. With their Confederacy in shambles, the South turned to ulterior methods such as the KKK, the White League, and the Red Shirts to intimidate and prove that white is the supreme race. From cross “lightings” to lynching and riots, the KKK and other paramilitary groups instilled fear in other races.

Modern America is thought to be a place with all equal rights and a fair life with no intimidation from hardcore groups. After the civil war ended, three amendments were put on paper­—the thirteenth (abolishment of slavery), fourteenth (definition of citizenship) and fifteenth (freedom to vote) amendments—to help create “equality for all”.

Then came the Civil Rights Acts in 1964 and 1968. The laws that have been passed in our history have made it so that our modern America could become equal for everyone. Though it took a long time, through the struggle, we have made it pretty far. During the Civil War, blacks did not have any rights at all. They had nothing. Now there are no segregated schools, interracial marriages, mixed classes, biracial babies, and neighbors of every race.

In American history there has not been a good track record of equal rights between different races. Technically everyone had legal rights, but some still looked down on others. Equality is a high goal that America has yet to fully reach.

Even though equality came 150 years ago at the end of the Civil War, it is still a struggle. We can go days or years pretending everything is perfect, and everyone is equally treated, but that isn’t the truth. There’s a place in many people’s hearts where the Civil War is still raging. Not only southerners, but also many people nationwide, still think degradingly due to race and color of skin. Modern society has changed old ways and made opportunities for people equal, but we are still not quite there yet.

Everyone is always entitled to his or her own opinion, but with that right, equality is pushed into the distance. Though, if the Civil War didn’t happen, there would be a huge group of people directly affected with that.

With Barack Obama as our first black president, we have reached a milestone we would have never dreamed of 150 years ago, let alone only 50.

There is still violence and stereotypical remarks coming from both the South and the North. Newer generations are less thick-skinned, and may lash out to hurtful things instead of just walking away. In Dying for Dixie, a woman says, “Kids today, they’re weaker and wiser.” Which shows that they are more affected by words, but smarter as well.

For the Civil War being the beginning of modern America—of course it is! So many changes went on in these last 150 years to turn this country into a loving, almost completely racism-less place to live, laugh and love with family, and neighbors of all different races.

American history, especially the Civil War, will always play a huge role in the new generations of modern America as time goes on. As racism slowly goes away, and equality is fully here, our nation, once torn in two, will be united as one, for the complete United States of America.