us history essay examples

us history essay examples

Analyzing Key Events in U.S. History Through Essay Examples

1. Introduction to the Importance of Studying U.S. History

The basic unit of human civilization is the society, and the structure of the society conforms itself into a political entity. The essential function of such an entity is for governance that then defines the economic aspects, culture, and ideals of the society. The history of a society accounts for the way in which it has progressed towards its political and functional phase. Thus, historical studies form a critical constituent of political science studies, since knowledge of the past is critical to any understanding of the current wisdom and rationality of the society. Especially in the early stages of civilization, the advancement of a society significantly influences that of another since, through redundancy in study, efforts are usually not duplicated and/or individual progress is employed for collective benefits. Society also progresses via learning, and it is through this that the evolution of the greater society either uplifts or imprisons the individual. The quest for freedom is never-ending, since freedom involves the enduring struggle for individualism, self-confidence, and spiritual growth. History is a form of system that makes it possible for the next generation to learn from the preceding one and therefore is again the basic unit of human civilization that brings it out of darkness toward the light.

The history of a nation can be viewed as a set of chronologically arranged events, each event being the consequence of the condition created earlier in the timeline. A social system of governance necessarily pushes towards changes, and hence it is of importance that society learns from the past events to avert any future mishaps. Thus, the importance of drawing lessons from history is of great significance since history tells us how to deal with and perhaps even predict future occurrences. Parents who have lived through a particular era can guide their children out of the pratfalls that they themselves stumbled into in order to navigate through life’s hazards with relative safety. In a similar vein, students of a particular country ought to learn the significant events that have happened in the past in order to understand its heritage and infer insight into its future stability. Only a sound historical knowledge can serve as a safeguard for the stability of a nation, if not the world.

2. The Revolutionary War: Examining Its Impact Through Historical Essays

It is known that women often fought alongside their husbands and children as volunteers during the time of the Revolutionary War. About 1,000 women were finally recognized by the legislatures of their states, and they received 200 free acres of western lands for their deeds. There was also a case where a major was ready to leave town since he was leaving his wife at home. She climbed into the baggage compartment of his carriage and refused to leave. She said, “For the wounded and dying, I do not care who they are. They deserve my husband, and I can help him.” The major’s wife was respected as the most notable and became a heroine in the United States during the war. From the East Coast to the land where only the horses’ hooves make noise and the soldiers are wearing Carrie heels, Martha Washington’s services are enormous. She not only washed and cooked for the soldiers in the camps but also contracted measles with their soldiers. While serving as the Marines, the British left her on the blacklist. The women of the Northern and Southern colonies were called by Dr. Franklin, “daughters of the American Revolution, how much we owe you!” We have so many documents that we can acknowledge that women played an important role in the Revolutionary War.

Sample Essay 2

There were many important events that led to the adoption of the Articles of Confederation. These events were shaped by debates, discussions, and compromises at the Continental Congress in 1774-1781. The division of opinions among the states was most apparent when disputes erupted over representation in Congress and the division of western lands. Over time, Congress worked through these disputes, forming a national government that represented most states fairly and one that could effectively wage war and resolve conflicts. Ambitious plans like the Grand Committee and the Articles of Confederation proved too weak to address the nation’s needs.

Sample Essay 1

Two essays on Continental Congress disagreements and the importance of women in the Revolutionary War.

3. Civil Rights Movement: Essays as Tools for Understanding the Struggle for Equality

The African American Civil Rights Movement was a mass struggle made up of acts of civil disobedience, nonviolent protest, and resistance to legal challenges brought to promote the cause of equal opportunity and resist powers that sustained the regime of Jim Crow, the laws that defended racial segregation. It is through this occurrence in North American history that we have most vividly witnessed the effects of the universe that guided African American aspirations and resistance: the fight of the people for a more prosperous and just future. Changes in the country’s cultural affiliations forced the government of the time to reform in 1964 the Immigration Act, which abolished discriminatory quotas.

The African Americans and all their compatriots were not willing to live in oppression because of their skin color. This made them request their rights like any other American, and it acquired a bitter fruit whose final flavoring was the struggle for equality by the African Americans, a key event in the social history of the United States. The fight for rights whose fruits we can already taste, but whose branches are not so leafy in the expectations of the claimants in fully achieving those social objectives. Ultimately, the rights they now enjoy and the social recognition that gave rise to an equal exchange of position on the social chessboard existed through real struggle with great human sacrifices.

4. The Great Depression: Analyzing Economic Essays from the Era

The nation was abuzz, some people predicting the second half of the 1960s would be a “Golden Age” for the nation. Hoover himself, often accused of being dull and unimaginative, was seen as doing a good job with the economy and a re-election victory was clearly within his reach. In June of 1929, however, the economy once again turned downward, sowing doubt in many minds whether the prosperous twenties would be followed by another of America’s periodic depressions. As the nation plunged into the Great Depression, faith in and reverence of the free-market declined and people began to look to the federal government for relief from seemingly endless hard times. The stock market crash marked the beginning of a decade of massive and unprecedented economic problems.

The Great Depression that followed the 1929 stock market crash affected people of all backgrounds and raised many of the issues dealt with by the Hoover administration. Herbert Hoover took office in March of 1929 amid generally favorable economic circumstances. These auspicious beginnings were shattered only months later as the Great Crash of 1929 triggered the worst depression in American history. As the years of depression lapsed and problems grew larger and more urgent, Hoover increasingly turned to the United States Congress for help in coping with these problems.

5. Conclusion: Reflections on the Significance of Historical Essays in Understanding U.S. History

Historical essays can introduce students to primary literature that may be used as evidence in support of historical events. For the teacher, they are a convenient means to integrate history, reading and writing – across the curriculum. Finally and perhaps most important, historical essays can bring clarity to an event and stimulate debate or discussion as to the quality and consequences. By developing central arguments and accumulating evidence in support of these points, students can themselves become engaged participants in discussions about past events. By examining events in the context of the time and through comparative analysis, students may better understand the reasons for different viewpoints and objectives for particular historical events.

The examples in this essay emphasize that events considered important in U.S. history are connected and can be evaluated as part of a pattern through historical essays. As each of these essay examples demonstrate, turning points in U.S. history can be analyzed from various perspectives and qualities associated with certain events can be evaluated over time. If the goals of the historian are properly formulated, creating a historical essay can be an enjoyable, as well as a stimulating assignment and a thought-provoking exploration. The discipline of history has much to offer students as they endeavor to understand an ever complex world. Becoming familiar with key events through well-crafted essays is a superb approach to learning about the past.