American society
In general, American society has traditionally had a divided attitude towards its history. A substantial number of people are remarkably future-oriented; they see the outcomes of historical events as a burden that should be overcome. At the same time, similar to the majority of people all over the world, Americans perceive history as a source of national cohesiveness and their personal and collective identity. However, history may be regarded as the collection of facts and events in the past that was chosen by modern communities to remember. It is not a group of fixed interpretations, and people’s understanding of historical development is constantly changing. Each generation tries to rewrite history in favor of its own needs, and a substantial number of scholars frequently cannot find agreement concerning basic historical questions. However, in recent years, the scope of scientific research has crucially expanded. New subfields of history, such as cultural history, family history, and social history, started to attract the scholars’ particular attention alongside traditional diplomatic and political history.
The Civil War and the period of Reconstruction
The Civil War and the period of Reconstruction monumentally altered American society and the vector of its development. Social changes and the establishment of freedom for all citizens have a substantial impact on modern society up to the present. According to Foner, “no idea is more fundamental to Americans’ sense of themselves as individuals and as a nation than freedom” (20). Freedom, or liberty, gained in the past is currently the central term in the country’s political and social languages. Freedom may be found in the list of mankind’s inalienable rights established by the Declaration of Independence (Foner 20). The Civil War in the United States resulted in the birth of freedom, World War II led to Four Freedoms, and the Cold War aimed to defend the Free World (Foner 20). Americans expressed their love of freedom by escaping from slavery and continue to demonstrate it in their everyday activities.
The outcomes of the Civil War and Reconstruction
The outcomes of the Civil War and Reconstruction substantively influenced all American citizens, especially women. With the abolition of slavery, the majority of black families got the chance to reunite. In general, the family became “central to the postemancipation black community” (Foner 567). African-American women, who had been responsible for hard field labor, preferred “to devote more time to their families than had been possible under slavery” (Foner 567). At the same time, the wives of former white slaveholders faced physical labor for the first time in their lives. Both tendencies may be observed in modern American society. In the present day, women have an opportunity to build a career and be equal to men in a professional setting. The family system is currently changing as “marriage and consensual unions are losing their normative force” (Blossfeld 2). However, a prevalent number of women still consider families and choose flexible jobs to spend time with their relatives at home.
Definition of liberty
During the period of Reconstruction, black leaders had a clear and distinct definition of liberty. According to them, freedom was “placing us where we could reap the fruit of our labor, and take care of ourselves,” and this statement describes the current understanding of liberty as well (Foner 565). Regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, modern Americans may be regarded as self-confident and ambitious. They frequently have high expectations and expect appropriate compensation for their work, skills, and competence. They are not afraid of new challenges, however, they want to spend their lives in a meaningful way that implies the balance between labor, family, and leisure.
Works Cited
Blossfeld, Hans-Peter. The New Role of Women: Family Formation in Modern Societies. Routledge, 2019.
Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty! An American History. Seagull Volume 2: From 1865. 5th ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2017.