Significant Social Changes In The United States Between 1776-1870

“100 years ago, movies were black-and-white, silent, and 16 frames a second. So 100 years from now, what are they going to be?”- Peter Jackson. As we can apprehend from this quote, our world can drastically change in just a hundred years. Our politics, economy, and society can even change dramatically in just a century. From the time between 1776 and 1870, the United States developed into a country expanding across North America from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean. Our economy, politics, and society was changing and developing through that hundred year period time difference. Our government emerged and developed, the United States’ economic power increased, and life of African American slowly started to change. Between 1776 and 1870 the United States’ experienced numerous political changes. For instance, one significant political change during this period was the emergence of a strong central government. In 1776, the United States was composed of 13 colonies ruled by the British. There was neither a constitution nor a real central government. However, by the end of 1870, the United States had gained independence from

For instance, one important social change that took place was the change of life for African Americans. In 1776, African Americans were enslaved workers with no rights who worked long and hard often on a plantation. They were harshly punished and in numerous cases they were sold and separated from their family. Many whites didn’t considered enslaved African Americans citizens but rather “possessions”. However, by 1870, African Americans gained citizenship and the right to vote. Slavery was now abolished in all states. They gained the right to own land, go to school and gain an education, and had the choice of where to work. The lives of African Americans finally began to change in the United States of