Contrary to popular belief in America, the framers of the constitution did not establish a democratic system of government. The utmost that can be said is the framers established a government of, by, and for white males who owned a fairly substantial amount of property. Blacks and Indians were excluded from participation, as well as all women. It was not until the reforms of the Jacksonian Era, during the 1820’s and 1830’s that the states removed property qualifications for voting and holding public office. In 1870, the fifteenth amendment barred the state and federal governments from denying a person the right to vote based on race, while the Nineteenth amendment prohibited women from being denied the right to vote. This is because in
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In early April 1898, Congress passed four resolutions that declared Cuba was and should be independent from Spain. Furthermore, Congress demanded, not requested that Spain withdraw instantaneously from Cuba, even going as far as to authorize the president to use lethal military force. In 1898, utilizing yellow press, America was able to start a war with the very weak Spanish at the time. Secretary of state John Hay called the Spanish-American war “a splendid little war”, merely because it only lasted four months and resulted in American imperial expansion and fewer than 400 deaths. In late December 1898, Spain and the US signed the Treaty of Paris, forcing Spain to agree to Cuba 's independence, as well as gave the U.S. control over Cuba 's Guantanamo Bay. Not only did the U.S obtain Guantanamo Bay, Spain gave up Puerto Rico and Guam and sold the Philippines to the U.S. for $20 million. The Spanish-American war of 1898 truly showed that America was not to be taken lightly anymore. Before the American victory in World War I, America was a second-rate country and was not taken seriously by the other actual
In early April 1898, Congress passed four resolutions that declared Cuba was and should be independent from Spain. Furthermore, Congress demanded, not requested that Spain withdraw instantaneously from Cuba, even going as far as to authorize the president to use lethal military force. In 1898, utilizing yellow press, America was able to start a war with the very weak Spanish at the time. Secretary of state John Hay called the Spanish-American war “a splendid little war”, merely because it only lasted four months and resulted in American imperial expansion and fewer than 400 deaths. In late December 1898, Spain and the US signed the Treaty of Paris, forcing Spain to agree to Cuba 's independence, as well as gave the U.S. control over Cuba 's Guantanamo Bay. Not only did the U.S obtain Guantanamo Bay, Spain gave up Puerto Rico and Guam and sold the Philippines to the U.S. for $20 million. The Spanish-American war of 1898 truly showed that America was not to be taken lightly anymore. Before the American victory in World War I, America was a second-rate country and was not taken seriously by the other actual