Difference between revisions of "What is the History of Mass Protests in the United States"

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(Later Developments)
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==Later Developments==
 
==Later Developments==
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The main difference between protests in the 18th century and those in the early 19th century was many protests were more likely to be less violent as the First Amendment came into effect. After the establishment of the United States, protests often shifted to different issues that reflected the politics of the time. However, race became perhaps the most consistent and long-term issue in the history of the United States, as race riots and protests have continued to occur. Protests often turned violent, such as the Hard Scrabble and Snow Town riots in 1824 and 1831, when mostly working-class whites destroyed homes occupied by African Americans. The first riot in 1824 was sparked by a black man refusing to get off a side walk when approaching white men came near him. In 1836 and 1839, the Cherokee natives were peacefully protesting their forced removal from the southeastern United States to what is Oklahoma. Nevertheless, they were still removed and their long march and death along the way became known as the Trail of Tears.
  
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While the Trail of Tears and protests during the forced removal of Native Americans failed to lead to any political change, one of the most successful peaceful protests that created political and social change was the Women's Suffrage Movement that spanned from the 1840s to 1920. The main achievement was the establishment of the 19th Amendment in the Constitution. However, the early years of the movements sprang from the anti-slavery movement, including the eventual acceptance of women to join the American Anti-Slavery Society which occurred for the first time in 1839. Women became active in peaceful national protests against slavery. One of the first political parties to form that advocated not only an end to slavery but also suffrage for all was the Liberty Party, which formed in the 1840s but ultimately failed. Its prominent members, however, went on to help found the Republican Party in the 1850s and put Abraham Lincoln as President.
  
 
==Modern Period Protests==
 
==Modern Period Protests==

Revision as of 07:30, 10 June 2020

Mass protests have long been part of American culture, even before there was a United States. When the United States formed, it was recognized that the First Amendment protect citizens rights to protest. In many cases, these mass movements based on organized and sometimes not so organized protests have led to major social and political change. This is not always the case but these movements have been both a positive and sometimes destructive part of US history.

Early Mass Protests

The largest protests in US history have all occurred since 2016; however, early in US history mass protests were vital to social and political change. Class discontent has often been a main reason for mass movements and protests. Culpeper's Rebellion was one of the first large-scale, at least based on the population at the time, movements in Carolina Colony in 1677. This was led by John Culpeper in a protest movement and armed rebellion against the British authorities over the issue of taxes in the Navigation Act. At the time, the British had begun to create a series of duties on cotton and other exports from their American colonies, such as tobacco exports. The movement was ultimately suppressed but for a time the rebellion and protests worked in getting the British to exempt taxes, which was the main reason why the rebellion started. John Culpeper even successfully defended himself while he was on trial. John Culpeper was able to lead the movement and this helped him to become a prominent citizen in what is today North Carolina, where ultimately his descendants continued to even be influential in North Carolina politics long after the establishment of the United States. The Knowles Riot of 1747 were a major disturbance in Boston occurred after Admiral Charles Knowles attempted to impress poor Bostonians into naval service, leading to protests and armed rioting. This represented one of the largest class-based protests and riots, as it was mostly working class and poor affected, on the issue of civil rights, that is what rights do individuals have in refusing military service. While this was put down, it did lead to more cautious approaches by the British in recruiting colonists for their armed forces. The theme of taxes continued to be a strong one in North America and what ultimately sparked the Revolutionary War. The Stamp Act in 1765 proved very unpopular in the Colonies, which raised taxes and required printed paper be produced in Britain. A series of increased protests occurred in the Colonies after this tax was imposed. Among different acts, the Townshend Acts, which led to a series of taxes, created tensions that ultimately led to the Boston Tea Party in 1773 and subsequent American Revolution. The main disputes centered on whether Parliament had the right to tax in the Colonies rather than local representatives. The Sons of Liberty, an initially secret organization, led by Samuel Adams, opposed to taxation without representation, helped lead a series of movements that led to coordinated anti-tax protests and disturbances, including the Boston Tea Party. It is arguable that the events leading to the American Revolution, led by the Sons of Liberty and other related groups, could be considered the first coordinate acts of disobedience and protests across what became the United States.

Later Developments

The main difference between protests in the 18th century and those in the early 19th century was many protests were more likely to be less violent as the First Amendment came into effect. After the establishment of the United States, protests often shifted to different issues that reflected the politics of the time. However, race became perhaps the most consistent and long-term issue in the history of the United States, as race riots and protests have continued to occur. Protests often turned violent, such as the Hard Scrabble and Snow Town riots in 1824 and 1831, when mostly working-class whites destroyed homes occupied by African Americans. The first riot in 1824 was sparked by a black man refusing to get off a side walk when approaching white men came near him. In 1836 and 1839, the Cherokee natives were peacefully protesting their forced removal from the southeastern United States to what is Oklahoma. Nevertheless, they were still removed and their long march and death along the way became known as the Trail of Tears.

While the Trail of Tears and protests during the forced removal of Native Americans failed to lead to any political change, one of the most successful peaceful protests that created political and social change was the Women's Suffrage Movement that spanned from the 1840s to 1920. The main achievement was the establishment of the 19th Amendment in the Constitution. However, the early years of the movements sprang from the anti-slavery movement, including the eventual acceptance of women to join the American Anti-Slavery Society which occurred for the first time in 1839. Women became active in peaceful national protests against slavery. One of the first political parties to form that advocated not only an end to slavery but also suffrage for all was the Liberty Party, which formed in the 1840s but ultimately failed. Its prominent members, however, went on to help found the Republican Party in the 1850s and put Abraham Lincoln as President.

Modern Period Protests

Summary

References