A Nation of Diversity and Its Pursuits to Happiness

I cant say much about other nations as I have never been outside the United States border but I
can say I appreciate the experiences and the cultural diversity the US brings. Throughout the history of
the United states I learned it was a long road to how diverse we are today, and from recent events we are
still learning as a nation to be more accepting of these differences. Such as gay rights and recently
President Obama's address on immigration. From the early nomads, Indians, Spanish, English settlers the
slaves and those who followed, our nation was being built on a diverse platform. And with that we
struggled to be accepting of one another and the rights we all believe we diserved. Today I am able to
walk through the lunch room at work and greet my Hispanic, Bosnian, African American, Asian, gay and
many other colleagues to engage in interesting stories and conversations, taste exotic foods and
participate in new customs. The most interesting and influential topic in US history to me is the
perseverance of our ancestors and still those today fighting for equal rights.
The document that I believe starts this
documented trail to equality is The Declaration
of Independance. Adopted by the Second
Continental Congress on July 4th, 1776 our
ancestors implied this equality for us all. In the
words that start this guiding document to the
United States, human people, mankind,
and all men, yells equality to me. Although it
was meant literally by "men" and more so white
men back then. Interpretation and the basic
wants of equality and freedom was wanted by
all. So in the words, "all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their creator with
certain unalienable rights, that among these are
life liberty and pursuit of happiness (Congress,
Fig. 1. The American Dream, Digital Image
1776)." Many I believe took this as their right.
The old, the immigrant, woman, man, white, black, yellow, or red. We fought for this. We took the
Independance Britain gave us at first from neglect and when they started to enforce taxes and punish for
noncompliance we ran with our Independance we had tasted before and got the freedom back and our
voice in government.
We fought in the revolutionary war for equal rights from Britain. With failing to address the rest
of those whom were not liberated from inequality we only bought time before it would arise again in the
Civil war.
The Revolutionary War failed to account for slaves, women, and Native Americans to name a
few. Years following the Civil War pitted the South against the North. The South felt what the colonies
had felt in the Revolutionary War. In 1860 to 1861 the differences between the South and North broke
when the southern slave states succeeded from the union to form The Confederate States of America
under the Presidency of Jonathan Davis (Davidson, p 403). They felt President Lincoln and the Northern
states, more industrialized and more powerful were impeding on their rights. They felt salves were
property and the North was slowly and surely stealing this property from them. So they thought. Most of
the North shied away from this issue at first. Lincoln knew this was an issue before in 1858 when he
accepted his nomination for senator for Illinois stating, I believe this government cannot endure,

permanently half slave and half free (Lincoln, 1858) but would lose. Lincoln would become president in
1860 and soon the war would start with the secession of the southern states. Lincoln now would have to
address the slavery issue. The Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 freed the slaves and gave them their
rights(Davidson, p 420). But this to was not everything the nation needed to account for when it comes to
mankinds civil rights. Although freed, black people remained segregated and treated poorly especially in
the southern states of the union who originally were the slave states. Even after the conclusion of the Civil
War.
Years would follow after the conclusion of the Civil War. The nation would endure the fight for
the West, World Wars I and II, and the boom and bust cycles. Ethnic segregation, more African American
than others would remain of issue. Women not gaining respect and equal pay in the workforce. Native
Americans having their lands taken and then being asked to leave their reservations and customs behind
to join society. Immigrants were unable to vote because of residency requirements or literacy tests. Years
and history would pass until these groups would join in larger forces again at home in the Civil Rights
Movement. African Americans would start by protesting peacefully, some of the well known would be
Rosa Parks not giving her seat to a white man, the sit-ins starting at a diner, the freedom riders as well as
African Americans applying to all white schools and the March on Washington lead by Martin Luther
King Jr. Gay rights, womens rights, Mexican and Native American groups would gather as well. We
were making headway.
According to the text, Brown vs. Board of Education Topeka in 1954 would eliminate segregation
in schools (Davidson, p 825). African Americans would still need escorts and protection following this
for a time. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 abolished segregation in public places (p 818). The Voting
Rights Act of 1965 eliminated literacy tests and other restrictions for voters (p 818). In 1967 Women,
African Americans, Hispanics and minorities alike would be covered by federal affirmative action
programs (p 853). In 1974 the American Psychiatric Association no longer considered gay as being a
mental disorder (p 852). However being gay was more accepted on the dont ask dont tell guidance.
Currently we are still fighting over gay rights to marriage, immigration reform as well as racial
differences in recent shootings and court rulings. The United States has a history of these issues from the
Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and the
Civil Rights Movement and I believe
through learning about these events and
countless others that we have failed in
some aspects to thoroughly address
equality, freedom and a pursuit of
happiness. Although trending in the right
direction I believe these events and
outcomes could have had even better
endings. I am influenced and believe each
individual their skin color, moral decisions,
religion, and their customs makes them no
less deserving of equality than I. I am
thankful for our diverse Nation and what
Fig. 2. Equality & Diversity, photograph
our ancestors have fought for, benefiting us
here and now, but I still think we have
more learning and history to accomplish.

Works Cited
Davidson, James West. Experience History: Interpreting America's past. New York: McGraw-Hill
Higher Education, 2011. Print.
Figure 1: The America Dream. Digital image. Circa Chairs. N.p., 6 Apr. 2011. Web. 03 Dec. 2014.
Figure 2: Equality and Diversity. 2008. Website, Birmingham. Women & Theater. Web. 03 Dec. 2014.