Discuss how America dealt with the issues of urbanization and/or played a role in the global
community from 1865-1920.
During the time period between 1865 to 1920, America was quickly expanding and modernizing.
While people viewed this as a good thing for the country, many problems came with it. For
example, Native Americans still occupied land to the west. Policymakers tried avoiding
hostilities with the Native American tribes by creating western reserves for them. In these
reserves, they were given shelter, food, and taught how to farm and raise cattle. However, this
meant that all of the remaining land would be open for railroad building, mining, and farming.
Problems arose when there was an instant decrease in buffalo. Federal officials were encouraging
white hunters to kill buffalo for sport or to be sold to tanneries in the East. More than 10 million
buffalo were killed. The way of life of the Plain Indians was ruined after this slaughter. They
resisted being moved into the reserves and continued to live in their regular land. Natives began
attacking stagecoach stations, ranches, travelers, and military units. General William Tecumseh
Sherman later declared that all Native Americans not on reservations were hostile and should be
killed. This led to constant attacks between natives and whites. In 1874, for example, white
buffalo hunters were attacked by Kiowa, Comanche, and southern Cheyenne tribes. Sheridan, a
union army veteran, responded by destroying their tipis, food, and animals.
Another issue during this time period was the economy. The economy was going through a cycle
with periods of expansion alternating with periods of contraction. Eventually however, the
economy collapsed. In 1893, a major depression began. It started when the Reading Railroad
declared bankruptcy. Industrial plants began closing down and more than fifteen thousand
businesses were forced to close down. After railroad building slowed down, industries that
supplied the railroads began to suffer. Banks with investments in railroads and steel companies
began to suffer as well and collapsed. This depression produced widespread suffering and lasted
until June 1897.
The United States then started dealing with issues out of their own country. By 1905, it was very
evident there was a dramatic change in America’s role in world affairs after America’s
intervention in the Philippines, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, eastern Samoa, and the Canal Zone. The
United States played this new role with their modern navy. Roosevelt was so proud he
dispatched sixteen battleships ,in 1907, painted white to signal a peaceful intent. The new
American “role” created a division between “civilized” nations and “barbarous” ones. To settle
disputes among the “civilized” nations, the Permanent Court of Arbitration was created in the
netherlands. This consisted of about fifty members and its purpose was to peacefully resolve
international conflicts. This allowed England and the United States to settle some disputes and
their relationship improved steadily. England reduced naval forces in the Caribbean signaling it
accepted American dominance and now depended on the U.S. to protect british holdings.