How Did The Civil War Affect Democracy

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The civil war was a pivotal point in forming today’s government because its effects on democracy were as revolutionary as the war itself. The purpose of the Civil war was simply to redefine freedom and create a country of free people, free labor, and free land. Additionally, the war was crucial not only because of the noble purpose it had, but also because it was successful at achieving it. The end of the civil war brought great reforms to the US by abolishing slavery and preserving Lincoln’s ideals within the framework of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. Although the principle of spreading equal civil and political rights regardless of race depicted a significant progress in the government, it was easily distorted by concentrated wealth, violence, and racism. Furthermore, the exclusion of women was a major flaw in the democracy of that time. It was not until 1920 …show more content…

The Great Depression was an ironic period of self-inflicted pain where people were starving because there was “too much food”. Thus, Franklin Roosevelt initiated the New Deal, which was a bold reform to end the Great Depression without bloodshed or revolution. Like Dr. Suri said, “Franklin Roosevelt was a doctor trying to cure the US not by one definite cure but by trying various different remedies”. The New Deal constructed new reforms that offered opportunities even for blacks in an attempt to reshape America, however its record was marred by segregation and racial discrimination. Moreover, those reforms dictated the necessity of the federal government’s involvement in more aspects of our economic life, therefore expanding its authority. Fortunately, the New Deal did succeed in generating economic relief through installing new job opportunities in different sectors, but it gave the president too much power, hence pulling us away from true