Explain The Challenges That Americans Faced At The Turn Of The 20th Century

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The turn of the 19th century to the 20th century was a time for great success. The Industrial Revolution produced jobs for many and created a time of prosperity. Although with that success came great challenges that could be difficult to overcome if America did not make the correct political, social, and economical decisions. Some of these great challenges included foreign affairs, immigration and racial relations, economics, and politics. These challenges could either break or make America and all of them had a very dramatic effect on life today. Foreign affairs were one of the greatest challenges that America faced at the turn of the 20th century. During the Gilded Age, the foreign policies were extremely isolationist. America wanted to be a friend to all and an enemy to none. The founding fathers of the country wanted to be involved in as little war as possible. People like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and John Adams, all wanted to be neutral and not intervene in other countries foreign affairs. In 1896, the imperialists of America got their chance to shine when William McKinley became president. The imperialists wanted to expand U.S. trade into other countries in hopes of soon acquiring the countries as colonies. …show more content…

Millions of immigrants came to America in search for a better life for themselves or their families. A lot of immigrants would come here and work for almost nothing; which would leave them in poverty. Since immigrants would be living with little to no money, life was extremely rough. The crime rate would go up, disease would spread easily, and the population went off the charts. The relationship between races was horrible. Immigrants, especially Irish, were looked down upon and brutally harassed. Irish-Catholics were put on the same level as African-Americans; they received no respect and life was much more