Marin Engstrom

June 21, 2018

History 153

Professor Thomson

Digital Portfolio Reflection

Throughout history, our government has experimented in all aspects. Using trial and error

to find solutions to our problems, seeing what will work and what will not. There are many

things that have not worked, and some that have very well. Those that have done our country

good have stuck and are still remembered and used today. A theme I have found in some

examples of these solutions are the laws and ethics that back them. Total war has saved our

country from defeat, the Social Security Act has financially stabilized many in need, and the

Civil Rights Act of 1964 took equality a step further. As a historian in the 20th century United

States, I can recognize these examples and many more as a guide of what is necessary for the

betterment of society.

Total war was necessary for the victory of World War 1 and the ethics behind the

necessity is what made people cooperative. If the U.S. needed a total war effort now, the same

cooperation is what would be expected, as it is what we need to do. Total war is when a country

relies on the whole nation for the war instead of just the military. World War 1 was considered a

total war. In an article in the Encyclopedia, titled The Impact of Total War, the necessity of total

war is explained:

Victory in World War 1 depended on supplying armies with huge quantities of industrial

products. A country needed modern weapons, the ships, railroads, and trucks to

transport them; the fuel to run them; and the grease to lubricate them. It
needed enough boots, uniforms, and helmets for its soldiers. The people who built

these products, as well as the scientists and engineers who developed new

weapons and the writers and filmmakers who waged psychological

warfare, were as important to the war effort as the soldiers in the armies.

(Encyclopedia 1).

These are jobs that require people that are not in the military, especially considering the number

of these resources that were needed. Along with the resources and services, World War 1 had

economic costs that greatly exceeded any previous wars, so raising revenue was essential as well.

Every American was encouraged to help in any way they could. World War 1 was a major

victory for the United States, and without total war effort, the victory very may not have been

possible. This is an example of a trial used by the U.S. that we may look back on if we are

looking for a solution to a similar problem such as another war. Americans used their ethics to

realize it was right to volunteer to help and leave behind other important priorities for the

betterment of society, and I am confident that if it was necessary today, we would see similar

results.

The Social Security Act of 1935 was designed to provide for many groups of citizens in

need including benefits for retired workers, victims of accidents in the workplace, unemployment

insurance, aid for dependent mothers and children, the blind, and the physically handicapped.

Before this act, everyone was working paycheck to paycheck with usually not much to spare.

Specifically the elderly, who were trying to save from each paycheck in order to have enough

money to stop working, which was very hard to accomplish. According to the notes for The New

Deal, it is stated “The current generation of workers would pay into a fund while the retirees

would take in a monthly stipend. Upon reaching the age of 65, individuals would start receiving
payments based upon the amount contributed over the years.” (The New Deal 31). Basically, if

you pay the Social Security taxes that are required, you will be given that money back when it is

needed. The results of this were just what the U.S. needed. According to an article titled In the

Beginning by Frank Bane, “It has cushioned the risks of life and living in our industrial age for

millions and millions of our fellow citizens. It has shored up the floor of our economic structure,

and it has contributed enormously toward tempering the impact of depressions and converting

them into relatively mild recessions.” (Bane 3). The Social Security Act is one of the most

successful acts in America that we still use today. Taxes are required by law, however this

example shows the ethics as well because of the contribution to society. Paying these taxes better

our society. The success of this act has carried it through generations, being modified

occasionally. I know that if I do my share in paying these taxes, one day I will receive the

benefits of it and I will be grateful.

After the Civil War, slavery was abolished and everyone was allowed to vote regardless

of race. However, in many states they found loop holes such as literacy tests to keep their votes

out. Also, certain forms of segregation were kept legal such as those of the Ku Klux Klan.

Something needed to be done. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 proposed to end segregation in

public places and banned employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or

national origin. According to Civil Rights Act of 1964 published by Stanford University, “When

the bill finally passed the Senate, Martin Luther King hailed it as one that would ‘bring practical

relief to the Negro in the South, and will give the Negro in the North a psychological boost that

he sorely needs’” (Stanford University 5). And that is exactly what it did. This was a big deal as

colored people had been fighting for equality for a very long time, and this was a huge step

closer. Regarding this act, John F. Kennedy stated that the United States “will not be fully free
until all of its citizens are free.” And that is a message that has stuck. Of course this was a law,

with major ethics behind it. It is ethical to be kind to everyone regardless of race, sex, religion,

etc. It is important to know where our countries most important values stem from, and this is the

perfect example of that. It is our legal and ethical duty to treat everyone equally for the

betterment of society.

Overall, our country has been through hell and back to form us into the amazing and free

country that we are today. The solutions we have found have shaped society and helped it to

grow. However, this is not to say we will not face new challenges that will need solutions. By

learning about these events, we could shape similar, modified solutions for other things that may

happen in the future. Law and ethics are a common theme found in these examples, but there are

many more important factors that influence decisions such as these. The bettering of society has,

and will always continue, thanks to our history.

 Annotated Bibliography

Bane, Frank. “Social Security.” Social Security History, Social Security Administration,

www.ssa.gov/history/bane2.html.

This article shares the positive results of the Social Security Act and is reliable because it uses

.gov

“Civil Rights Act of 1964.” King Encyclopedia | The Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and

Education Institute, 2 July 1964, kinginstitute.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/civil-

rights- act-1964.

This article shares everything from the forming, to the passing, and the results of the civil rights

act. It is reliable because it is from Stanford University.

“The Impact of Total War.” Gale Library of Daily Life: Slavery in America,

Encyclopedia.com, 2018, www.encyclopedia.com/history/educational-

magazines/impact-total-war.

This article shares the effects that total war had on world war 1 and information about what

specifically was needed and why. This is reliable because it is an encyclopedia.