American Violence through History

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Dear Student,
The solution below is better viewed as an attachment in word format that I have included below. I only centered on issues that are repeated across US history in the periods you have stated & came up with the results below. As you asked, I have provided web-resources for you as access for more details. I sensed that you are limited by time hence, the concise answer. The themes are easily expandable as can be judged from the links I provided as they are quite detailed. Print the word attachment and use it as your guide. Good Luck!

OTA 105878

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An Insight on Themes of Violence in US History

Historian Philip Gould in his 2003 book 'Barbaric Traffic' explored the dark side of Capitalism, distinguishing between good and bad, excessively oppressive profiteering from the time of the height of British domination during the Empire days to the days of the colonies and the building of American commerce. Jon Butler expands these commercial details in his 2001 book 'Becoming America', a panoramic look at America as British colonies after 1680 where he explores the corporate and trade ideals that created a profit-driven, materialistic, politically conscious, multi-religious & hungry for power populace were the need for self-governance & a new way of life lead to the bloody civil war. Emma Anderson 2007 work, 'The Betrayal of Faith' explores the collision of faith of the Native Americans & the European settlers through the story of Pastedechouan where settlers & natives tried to protect & impose their beliefs on each other affecting all social relations where there is and the resulting clashes, violent at times because of their differences.

There are varied reasons for the violence that mars American History from the time of the Colonies to the very recent wars & clashes that America took on in the name of the Nation and its people. War is usually a large scale and violent conflict but it's elements: battles, violence, political conflicts and humanitarian struggles are very tribal at heart. War happens when policies are broken, when diplomats have failed and there is no other way to resolve a problem aside from confrontation. Today wars go beyond the borders of any nation when it cannot be resolved in International negotiation tables. America has seen its fair share of internal strife and humanitarian struggles as well as political & social conflicts resulting to violence and clashes in it's making as a nation. Wars optimistically are aimed at achieving a sense of justice and peace, the morality claim of many peoples and nations who engage in it.

While psychologists and specialist social scientists will argue his point, Woodrow Wilson described the root of war as, "... industrial and commercial rivalry..." in his 1913 speech in St. Louis, Missouri. Major General Smedley Butler, one of the highest ranking and most decorated Military leaders the U.S. has ever had declared in 1935,

" I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism."

Indeed, many historical economists and politicians see the violence throughout American history as a ...