History tutorial

From These Beginnings

Institution:

Date:

Question One: Henry Ford

a. What techniques did Henry Ford incorporate to turn his small automobile company into the giant Ford Motor Company?

To commence with, Henry was a personality that loved machines their functioning. This reason supports the fact that he had passion in this field a lot since childhood. Through the experience that he had gained in machinery maintenance and management in Edison Illuminating, he was able to quit his engineering job and establish the small automotive enterprise. The small company would later turn out to be a gigantic corporation that was dealing in the production of automobiles due to the financial support he did offer through the competitions he participated in and won (p 56). The funds that he pumped into the company enabled it to move forward in its operations in a very smooth manner and; therefore, decision-making proved to be an easy task.

Another important note that was observed in his manner of ameliorating this business is the freedom that he granted to the employees; he considered himself as one of them and; thus he was after making the company develop and not make himself famous. Definitely this was the noticeable difference as compared to most of the companies that we observe that come down tumbling; he was a good team player at the same time an opportunity identifier. Though many observed cars as a luxury for the well-off in society, he saw them as a need that was to be satisfied by the public as a whole (p 61). Therefore, he produced them in bulk but released them to the market at low and affordable prices.

Apart from bulky productions, he advocated that more gas stations and accessible transport systems; roads. The two are associated with the operation of these automobiles that he was producing in his company and; hence they provided a platform for his brand. He focused on providing opportunities for all especially his employees who were well-paid and in return they gave out their best since their wages would enable them own the same cars that they made.

b. Like many other industrialists, Ford opposed government intervention to ease the ravages of the Great Depression. In their view, what were the causes of and solutions for the economic downturn?

The government’s intervention to ease the ravages of the Great Depression was subjected to opposition by Ford. It was caused by the unequal distribution of wealth owned in the United States and Europe, as well. This phenomenon commenced in 1920(p 73). It was noted that money was unevenly distributed among the rich and the middle class. The supply of commodities in the market was thus high but whoever could access them at favourable prices were the well-off in that era. Money was flowing in a manner that created a greater rift between the middle class and the wealth. Therefore, this invited an imbalance in the stock market such that the workers in the agricultural and automobile industry were producing more goods than the consumption of the market. In banks, circulation of money was limited. This was to the reason Henry Ford shut down his factories and laid off his workers.

The First New Deal was the solution to this problem and it was fully implemented by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He ensured that banking transactions, exchange rates were entrusted in the hands of the president. In dealing with the issue of unemployment that had rocked the United States, he advocated the recruitment of young men for $30 per month in form of military (p 89).

The agriculture sector was subject to control by the act enacted that required prices to be raised to create demand for farm produce. These measures all aimed at beating the economic downturn that was being experienced at that time.

Question two: Eleanor Roosevelt

a. As a governor’s wife and First Lady, Roosevelt was known as a “new woman.” With regard to her personal life, politics, gender and race, how did she demonstrate ambivalence about being a “new woman”?

Eleanor Roosevelt trusted his husband and listened to him more during his political life. Her entry to the White House was considered as to appropriate since her portrayal was a great one. Contrary to her predecessors, she had know-how about the social life and conditions of a First Lady in the White House (p 98). As a ‘new woman’ she overrode what the former First Ladies never avoided and considered inappropriate by giving lectures and airing out her opinion in public. In this way, she attracted more political foes that she brushed off her shoulder easily since she was a great intellect with integrity and sincerity in addressing each matter that was presented to her. She had withstood her husband’s infidelity and concentrated on seeking for social justice.

b. Eleanor Roosevelt’s popularity as First Lady grew steadily. Discuss the unusual relationship between Eleanor and Franklin with regard to the presidency during depression and war.

When Eleanor went into marriage, she encountered a mother in law who wanted her to assume the duties of woman who should be dependent on her husband. This trait did not suit Eleanor so she persisted with her activism. On realizing that her husband had an affair with his secretary, Lucy Mercer, she was not at peace though her husband promised not to see her mistress again. Her efforts were more directed towards activism in politics and reforms.

During their stay in White House, Eleanor pushed for the rights of the common person. He made sure that these people accessed the President, his husband. This way the problems would be easily solved and handled; she believed. Their relationship was strained because she was not at all times on his side. She received criticism for publicly supporting the fair implementation of employment practices. Though, her husband did not come out in public to object her position (p 100). There came a time she rallied behind those supporting the inclusion of women in the war industries. Her husband, at this time, publicly opposed her. This opposition did not bar her from assisting him politically, as well as, carrying out the roles of being her wife. She took the role of being an ambassador for his husband to other states.

Question three: Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

a. Two schools of thought on achieving advancement for black people dominated late-19th and early 20th century America. Compare and contrast the philosophies and practices of Booker T Washington and William EB Du Bois.

W.E.B. Dubois and Booker T. Washington served as leaders in Latin America and more specifically in fighting for the rights of the Black Community. They did have differing perspectives when it came to the duties of the African Americans, segregation, and education in the American society.

Gaining skills in the commerce industry would help the African Americans to gain their deserved respect in the American Society. This philosophy belonged to Booker Washington. On the other hand, Du Bois main focus was on the empowerment of the Black Community by the use of education (p108). Through this he believed they would gain economic control and; therefore, they would be recognized and respected fully in society. Revolting would earn the black community freedom as the whites; W.E.B. Du Bois point of view whereas Booker Washington advocated that evolution through trade skills in addressing their civil rights.

Therefore, in our observation we note that Du Bois believed in the spirit of taking action and not postponing since the black community had already able doctors, engineers, businessmen and many more professionals who would fight for their rights. Booker Washington’s advocacy harboured the slogan of ‘wait and acquire’ that allowed the continued discrimination of the Black-Americans.

b. Legal decisions and nonviolent resistance proved successful during the 1950s in promoting black civil rights. Identify and discuss some of the watershed events of that decade.

This fight for civil rights occurred in the 1950s whereby in 1955 a group of African American Women called for a boycott of city buses in response to the arrest Rosa Parks (p121). She had refused to give a seat to a white man when they were on the bus. Further action was taken by the black community when Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. led the believers in the boycott.

The boycott was encouraged by the Supreme Court’s verdict on the issue of segregation; it was supposed to be terminated. This occurrence transpired in 1960. It further intensified when the white population rallied behind their African counterparts in urging the Congress to permit desegregation laws and voting rights to the Black in 1963. The Congress gave in and enacted the Civil Rights Act in 1964(p 138). These events led successfully from one to another till the Black Africans went political.

c. By the 1960s, King’s nonviolent resistance was challenged by younger African Americans who believed his methods outmoded. Why did these militant individuals reject King? Does King’s philosophy still have merit in the early 21st century?

In the 1990s more groups came up that opposed the mode of King’s execution of the Black Community’s liberation and recognition. They did this in lines of religion and questioned the use of nonviolence in demanding their rights (p 156). These groups were the radical ones that experienced dissatisfaction and decided to part ways and face it the violent way. In today’s advocacy for nonviolence when demanding for the rights of the oppressed, many groups encourage the peaceful way. Therefore, King’s mode is still in use.

Question Four: Richard Nixon

a. What were Richard Nixon’s techniques in the political life?

He was one of the ruthless and unscrupulous campaigners in the early history of the American politics, therefore acted as the proponent of this kind of behaviour in the political arena (p 190). He used dubious means in pinning down his opponents. At one time he advocated that Voorhis was being backed up by the PAC- CIO PAC (p 168). It was trough this means that he was endorsed by the by the Congress. It also happened in their national debate where he screwed Voorhis though he did not use the appropriate evidence; he had already destroyed Voorhis’ reputation. He used these means to climb up the political ladder and succeeded.

a. Were these means a success and are they being applied in the 21st century?

It is true that he was successful, though he was negatively known. Currently, some of the third world countries do employ these methods. It still indicates that the rift between the wealth and the middle class is widening. The middle class are living in tolerance