What was the headright system

England found itself territorially and financially falling behind its rival Spain in the early seventeenth century. The reason, they believed, was due to the Spanish conquest and colonization of Mexico and Central America in the New World. Spain was reaping the benefits of a seemingly unlimited supply of gold, silver, and other metals from these colonies. England began to charter explorations for permanent settlements in America in the 1580s, but its first permanent colony, Jamestown, was not established by the Virginia Company until 1607.

How would the Virginia Company attract more people to come to the New World? The headright system was their answer.

Summary of the Headright System

What exactly was the headright system? A headright was a land grant given to settlers, usually 50 acres, as an incentive to move to the colonies in America.

Those who could afford to pay for their passage- who were considered “Head of Household”- from Europe were granted a headright, as were those who were already settled into the colony and paid for the transport of those who couldn’t afford it. They could be granted two headrights for doing so. Any other men, such as family members, servants, or laborers, who the Head of Household could afford to charter with them, would grant them additional acreage per person they brought.

People whose passage was paid for by existing colonists usually migrated as indentured servants; in return for their passage, they would work for planters for periods ranging from four to seven years.

Purpose of the Headright System

The purpose of the system was to attract new settlers, particularly in Jamestown. It aimed to fill the region's labor needs, as its economy was built on tobacco farming, which required lots of land and labor.

Headright System History

The Virginia Company created the headright system in 1618. In 1624, the Virginia Company was dissolved, and the area was made into the royal colony of Virginia, but notably, the King maintained the use of the headright system.

The headright system became widely used across the other colonies, primarily in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Maryland.

The following is an excerpt from the instructions from the Virginia Company to the incoming Governor of the Colony in 1618, detailing the use of the Headright System.

“And that for all such Planters as were brought thither at the Companies Charge to inhabit there before the coming away [...] after the time of their Service to the Company on the common Land agreed shall be expired there be set out One hundred Acres of Land for each of their person Adventurers to be held by them their heirs and Assigns forever paying for every fifty Acres the yearly free Rent of one Shilling to the said treasurer and Company [...] the share be of one hundred Acres the share upon the first division and of as many more upon A Second Division when the land of the first division shall be Sufficiently peopled And for Every person which they shall transport thither within seven years after Midsummer Day One thousand six hundred and Eighteen.”1

Headright System Significance

How did this system affect the colonies? The table below details the significant impacts of the headright system.

Factor	Impact
Population	The headright system led to the rapid expansion of the population of the English colonies. It encouraged families to travel together to the New World, as each person was a “head” that could be granted land in the territory. It allowed men who would not have customarily owned land in England the opportunity to not only own land but to make a profit and live off of its cultivation.
Social division	The system allowed wealthier Englishmen the chance to pay for the passage of those who could not afford it, allowing them to accumulate headrights and large portions of land in Virginia. This created a clear division between the wealthy and less wealthy members of society.
Indentured servitude	This grew as a direct result of the headright system as many people could not afford to make the journey themselves, so instead pledged their labor to someone who was wealthy enough to pay for their passage.
Chattel Slavery	Wealthy farmers could be granted a headright for enslaved people they bought to work their land, ever-expanding their properties and creating large farms known as plantations. In the 1670s, around 400 slaves were used as headrights in Virginia. Slaves could be used for headrights in Virginia until 1699 when it was decided that only paying for the passage of free people warranted a headright. Fig. 4 Enslaved persons market
Relations with Indigenous Peoples	The use of the headright system increased conflict with Indigenous tribes in proximity to many of the English colonies. As headrights were received, English claims began to creep and take over Indigenous lands. Clashes sometimes turned violent, such as the war between settlers in Jamestown/Virginia and the Powhatan Confederacy in 1622 and 1646.
Other nations	Other nations who were colonizing North America copied the headright system to encourage migration to the continent. For example, the Dutch created the Patroonship to encourage wealthy Dutch people to move to New Netherland (present-day New York). This system offered land grants that patroons (individuals) could generally administer how they saw fit. When the English took over the colony in 1664, the English upheld the land rights of the patroons under the headright system, even though the patroonship allowed women to inherit property.

The use of the headright system ended in Virginia in 1779 but continued in other colonies.

England created the royal colony of Georgia in 1732 as a territorial buffer between the other English colonies and Spanish-controlled Florida. The headright system was introduced in Georgia in 1783 after the American Revolution and was used until 1804.

How did the Georgian headright system work?

• 200 acres was given to soldiers who had fought in the Revolution and to heads of households.

• 50 extra acres were given for every additional household member, counting slaves.

• The goal was also to attract settlers and defend the colony. Landholders were expected to serve as militiamen against the Spanish.

• Initially, women were prohibited from inheriting land owned by their husbands, but this was soon changed to attract more people.

• Eventually, there was not enough land to continue the system, hence its end.

Headright system - Key Takeaways

• The Virginia Company established the headright system in 1618 to encourage Englishmen to settle in Jamestown, mainly to tackle the labor shortage.

• A headright was usually 50 acres and was given to those who could pay for their passage to the New World. Alternatively, existing settlers could pay for others’ passage and receive headrights. Those who traveled this way usually became indentured servants.

• The system successfully expanded the population of Virginia and was used in other colonies to do the same.

• The practice directly impacted the relationship between English settlers and Indigenous Peoples as it led to rapid population growth, and headrights soon encroached on Indigenous lands.

• The Headright system also influenced the importation of enslaved Africans to the colonies, as farmers and plantation owners could count them as headrights and gain more land.

1. Susan Myra Kingsbury, ed., "The Thomas Jefferson Papers Series 8. Virginia Records Manuscripts. 1606–1737." Records of the Virginia Company, 1606–1626, 3:98–109.

Page 2

The 13th Amendment freed enslaved people within America. The 14th Amendment made African Americans citizens. It wasn't until the 15th Amendment that African Americans received the right to vote. African Americans had to fight for this right and when they finally received it, white Southerners found ways to take it away again. Let's take a closer look at the fight for the 15th Amendment!

15th Amendment Summary

Nothing happens in a vacuum, let's explore the context for this amendment. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were all passed during the Reconstruction Era. This was the period after the Civil War when the South was to be reconstructed. It lasted from the end of the Civil War until the Great Compromise of 1877.

The 13th Amendment abolished slavery and the 14th defined citizenship and naturalization for immigrants. This was a period of unrest because the Southern states did not like that African Americans were gaining rights. The South would not accept these rights unless they were forced to. The political party in power, the radical republicans, passed the Reconstruction Act of 1867.

This act divided the South into five sections each with a military general in charge. The soldiers would protect the newly established rights of African Americans and enforce other laws and plans established by Congress.

15th Amendment Date

Voting was considered a political right, not a natural right therefore it was up to the state to determine who had the right to vote. The 15th Amendment was passed by Congress in 1869. It would be added to the conditions for Southern states to rejoin the Union. The generals stationed in the different sections would make sure that all eligible voters were registered including African Americans.

15th Amendment Ratified

The 15th Amendment was passed in 1869 but would not be ratified until 1870. This means that Congress passed the article in 1869 but could not get the majority of the House of Representatives to pass it until 1870. The majority means that it has to be two-thirds.

15th Amendment Simplified

• Politicians had three reasons for giving voting rights to African Americans
  • It was the right thing to do
  • It prevented Confederates from gaining power
  • They would vote for Republicans

This amendment was pushed and passed by the radical republican party. They had three reasons for wanting African American male suffrage. It was the right thing to do, it would prevent Confederate politicians from gaining power, and they would vote for Republicans.

Keeping former Confederates out of Congress was very important for reconstruction. The radical republicans wanted to control reconstruction and could not do so if Confederates were in power. Part of the radical republican plan for reconstruction was the enfranchisement of African Americans through rights, education, and government programs.

The 15th Amendment gave voting rights to any man who is an American citizen. It also placed the responsibility of upholding and protecting these rights onto Congress. This included African Americans and people who immigrated to America. There was a large number of Chinese immigrants who came to America looking for work. They often worked in the North on railroads.

Voter Suppression

The 15th Amendment left room for voter suppression. Congress did not want the "unworthy poor" to be able to vote or immigrants. A way of keeping them from voting was allowing for poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses. Let's take a closer look at each of these techniques.

Literacy Tests

When someone went to the poll, they would have to read a section of the Constitution. If they could not read it, then they had to explain it to whoever was administering the test. The administrator would determine whether or not the person could vote. In the South, this was used to prevent African Americans from voting.

Most African Americans were formerly enslaved. It was illegal for an enslaved person to learn to read so many African Americans were illiterate. They could not read, and the Constitution had never been explained to them. The administrators were white men. When an African American passed the test, the administrator lied and said that they didn't.

Poll Taxes

It cost one dollar to vote. This might seem like a small amount of money today but for an impoverished person in the 19th century, this was a great deal of money. Many African Americans worked as sharecroppers and had to buy food and supplies on credit. They truly could not afford the one dollar that it cost to vote.

Grandfather Clauses

Politicians did not want to prevent white men from voting and many poor white men were illiterate. If someone's father or grandfather could vote before 1867 then he could vote without passing the literacy test or paying the fee. Black people were only able to vote after 1870 so this clause only applied to white men.

Fear Tactics

African Americans who could pass the literacy test and afford the one dollar then had to deal with white mobs. These mobs patrolled voting booths and would fight and sometimes kill black men who were voting. This turned into a lawsuit that went all the way to the Supreme Court in the US vs Cruikshank case. The Supreme Court decided that Congress could not intervene as long as politicians were not preventing Black voters. If private individuals or groups did then it was not a federal matter.

The Voting Rights Act of 1865 made poll taxes, literacy tests, and other forms of voter suppression illegal. During the following decades, more voting rights acts were passed to further protect American voters.

The 15th Amendment did not include women or Native Americans. White and black women supported the 15th Amendment believing that everyone would get the right to vote. Though that was not the case. Even though some of the largest African American suffrage leaders were also active in women's suffrage, like Franklin Douglass, the African American male suffrage movement wanted to remain separate from the women's cause.

This created a divide within the women's suffrage movement where some women stayed and advocated for black male voting rights while others separated and focused on women's voting rights. Often white women would insult African Americans because they were able to vote when the white women could not. Women would not be able to vote until 1920.

Native Americans were not considered citizens therefore they could not vote. They would not be given the right to vote until 1924. Even then it was left to the state to decide if the indigenous person could vote. It would not be until 1948 that indigenous people could vote in every state. They still had to pass literacy tests and pay poll taxes.

Significance of the 15th Amendment

The 15th Amendment signified a time of change. Even though African American voting would be suppressed in the South for the following 70 or so years, African Americans were gaining rights. Political power is an important contribution to change. As African Americans gained political power, they were able to change America.

15th Amendment - Key takeaways

• The 15th Amendment was passed in 1869 and gave African American men the right to vote.
• Each former Confederate state had to ratify the 15th Amendment before it could rejoin the Union.
• Even though the 15th Amendment gave African American men the right to vote, Southern Democrats found ways to suppress their votes.
• Literacy tests, poll taxes, grandfather clauses, and fear tactics were used to prevent African Americans from voting.
• The 15th Amendment excluded women of all races and Native Americans.

The 15th Amendment gave all American men the right to vote including African American men and immigrants who became citizens.

The 15th Amendment gave all American men the right to vote including African American men and immigrants who became citizens.

The 15th Amendment was passed by Congress in 1869 and ratified in 1870.

The 15th Amendment was passed by Congress in 1869 and ratified in 1870.

The 15th Amendment gave all American men the right to vote including African American men and immigrants who became citizens.

Question

What did the 15ht Amendment do?

Answer

Gave voting rights to all American male citizens 

Question

Which of these groups did the 15th Amendment not extend to?

Answer

Question

Which act enforced the reconstruction amendments?

Answer

Reconstruction Act of 1867

Question

What year was the 15th Amendment ratified?

Answer

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How many votes were needed to ratify the 15th Amendment?

Answer

Question

Republicans wanted African Americans to vote to keep ___ out of office?

Answer

Question

What did the second section of the 15th Amendment do?

Answer

Gave Congress the power to enforce the amendment 

Question

Which of the following was not a form of voter suppresion?

Answer

Question

Which act outlawed voter suppression in the form of literacy tests, poll taxes, and grandfather clauses?

Answer

Question

When were women able to vote?

Answer

Page 3

Martin Luther, a Catholic monk, wrote a document referred to as 95 Theses, that changed Western Christian religion forever. What made a devout monk openly criticize the Church? What was written in the 95 Theses that made it so important? Let's look at the 95 Theses and Martin Luther!

95 Theses Definition

On October 31, 1417, in Wittenberg, Germany Martin Luther hung his 95 Theses on the door outside of his church. The first two theses were the issues that Luther had with the Catholic Church and the rest were the arguments that he could have with people about these issues.

Martin Luther and the 95 Theses

Martin Luther intended to be a lawyer until he was stuck in a deadly storm. Luther swore an oath to God that if he lived then he would become a monk. True to his word, Luther became a monk and then completed his doctoral program. Eventually, he had his very own church in Wittenberg, Germany.

95 Theses Summary

Over in Rome in 1515, Pope Leo X wanted to renovate St. Peter's Basilica. The Pope permitted the sale of indulgences to raise money for this construction project. Indulgences challenged Luther's view of Christianity. If a priest sold an indulgence, then the person who received it paid for forgiveness. The forgiveness of their sins did not come from God but the priest.

Luther believed that forgiveness and salvation could only come from God. A person could also buy indulgences on behalf of other people. One could even buy an indulgence for a dead person to shorten their stay in Purgatory. This practice was illegal in Germany but one day Luther's congregation told him that they would no longer need confessionals because their sins had been forgiven through indulgences.

95 Theses Date

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther went outside of his church and hammered his 95 Theses to the Church wall. This sounds dramatic but historians think it probably wasn't. Luther's theses took off and were soon translated to different languages. It even made its way to Pope Leo X!

The Catholic Church

The Catholic Church was the only Christian church in existence at this time, there were no Baptists, Presbyterians, or Protestants. The Church (meaning the Catholic Church) also provided the only welfare programs. They fed the hungry, gave shelter to the poor, and provided medical care. The only education available was through the Catholic Church. Faith was not the only reason people attended church. At church, they could show off their status and socialize.

The pope was extremely powerful. The Catholic Church owned one-third of the land in Europe. The pope also had power over kings. This is because kings were thought to be appointed by God and the pope was a direct link to God. The pope would advise kings and could heavily influence wars and other political struggles.

When going forward, remember how important and powerful the Catholic Church was. This will offer context to the Protestant Reformation.

95 Theses Summary

The first two theses are about indulgences and why they are immoral. The first thesis refers to God as the only being who can grant forgiveness from sins. Luther was very dedicated to the belief that God could grant forgiveness to anyone who prayed for it.

The second thesis was directly calling out the Catholic Church. Luther reminds the reader that the church does not have the authority to forgive sins so when they sell indulgences, they are selling something they do not have. If God is the only one who can forgive sins and the indulgences weren't bought from God, then they are fake.

1. When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ``Repent'' (Mt 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.
2. This word cannot be understood as referring to the sacrament of penance, that is, confession and satisfaction, as administered by the clergy.

The rest of the theses are providing evidence of Luther's first two claims. These are written as arguing points. Luther opens the door that if anyone found fought in any of his points then they could write him and they would debate. The point of the theses was not to destroy the Catholic church but to reform it. The 95 Theses were translated from Latin to German and were read by people all over the country!

Luther wrote the theses in a conversational tone. While it was written in Latin, this would not be for the clergy alone. This would also be for the Catholics who, in Luther's eyes, wasted their money on indulgences. Luther proposed a reform of the Catholic Church. He was not trying to strike out and create a new form of Christianity.

Martin Luther no longer believed that priests could forgive people of their sins on behalf of God. He had a completely radical idea that people could confess in prayer on their own and God would forgive them. Luther also believed that the bible should be translated into German so that everyone could read it. At this point, it was written in Latin and only the clergy could read it.

The Gutenberg Printing Press and the Protestant Reformation

Martin Luther was not the first educated person to go up against the Catholic Church but he is the first to start a reformation. What made him different? In 1440, Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press. This made information spread quicker than it had previously. While historians are still researching the effect of the printing press on the Protestant Reformation, most agree that the Reformation would not have happened without it.

95 Theses Effect on Europe

Luther was excommunicated from the church while the 95 Theses sparked the Protestant Reformation. This was also a political reform. It eventually took away the majority of the pope's power removing his role as a political leader and leaving him as a spiritual leader. The nobility began to break from the Catholic Church because they could then dissolve the church's landholdings and keep the profits. Nobles who were monks could leave the Catholics and get married then produce heirs.

Through the Protestant Reformation people were able to get a German translation of the bible. Anyone who was literate could read the bible for themselves. No longer did they have to rely so heavily on the priests. This created different denominations of Christianity that did not follow the same rules as the Catholic Church or each other's. This also sparked the German Peasant Revolt which was the largest peasant revolt at that time.

95 Theses - Key takeaways

• The 95 Theses was originally a response to the sale of Indulgences
• The Catholic Church was a social, political, and spiritual world power
• The 95 Theses sparked the Protestant Reformation which eventually drastically diminished the power of the Catholic Church

The 95 Theses was a document posted by Martin Luther. It was written so the Catholic Church would reform.

The 95 Theses was posted on October 31st, 1517 in Wittenberg, Germany.

Martin Luther wrote the 95 Theses so that the Catholic Church would reform and stop selling indulgences. 

Martin Luther wrote the 95 Theses.

The first two theses were against the sale of indulgences the rest of the theses backed up that claim. 

Question

Answer

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When were the 95 Theses written? 

Answer

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Where was the 95 Theses posted?

Answer

Question

When someone is removed from the Catholic church because of their actions it is called ________.

Answer

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What were tokens that could be purchased by anyone that meant the buyer's sins had been forgiven?

Answer

Question

Why did Pope Leo X allow Catholics to start back selling indulgences?

Answer

To Fund the restoration of St. Peter's Basilica

Question

What was the first thesis about?

Answer

Only God can forgive people of their sins

Question

What was the second thesis about?

Answer

The Catholic Church did not have the authority to forgive people of their sins

Question

What were the third through ninety-nine theses about?

Answer

They were points that backed up the first two theses. 

Question

What invention helped the spread of the Protestant Reformation?

Answer

The Gutenberg Printing Press

Question

What reformation was sparked by the Ninety-Five Theses?

Answer

Question

True/False

Nobles broke from the Catholic Church then dissolved the Church's holdings so that they could keep the revenue.

Answer

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True/False 

Before the Protestant Reformation, there were plenty of denominations of Christians.

Answer

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Which book did Luther translate into German that greatly influenced the Protestant Reformation?

Answer

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Who did Martin Luther think that people needed to forgive their sins?

Page 4

It is difficult to say what America's experience in the 21st century will be because we are only two decades in. What we can do is look at what Americans have accomplished. The presidents, social awareness, significant events, and achievements can tell much about present-day America. Let's take a closer look at 21st-century America so far!

21st Century America Summary

The 21st century began with the election of 2000, and America has seen three more presidencies since. There were natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina and the Covid Pandemic. Major human rights events have occurred, like the legalization of same-sex marriage and the progress brought on by the Black Lives Matter Movement. The 21st century has been very eventful; let's examine these events!

1992 Presidential Election

Before we jump into the 21st Century, let's look at the election of 1992. This election had three primary candidates. Up for re-election from the Republican party was George H. W. Bush. Bush had many accomplishments during his previous term, but an economic downfall caused his support to waiver. The Democrat party offered Bill Clinton. Clinton was a "New Democrat" and represented change. A third-party candidate, Ross Perot, also ran. Though he didn't win, Perot took votes away from the Republican candidate. Bill Clinton won the 1992 election. This signaled that America was ready for a change going into the 21st century!

21st Century American Presidents

America has seen four presidents since 2000, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and the current president (at the time of writing this article!) Joe Biden. Bush and Trump were Republicans, while Obama and Biden were Democrats.

George W. Bush (2000-2008)

The stakes for America are never small. If our country does not lead the cause of freedom, it will not be led."

-George W. Bush 4

George W. Bush became president in 2000. His presidency was thrust into action on September 11, 2001. Terrorists hijacked four planes and crashed two into the World Trade Center's Twin Towers, one into the Pentagon, and the last crashed into a Pennsylvania field because the passengers gained control over it. This tragic event is referred to as 9-11 by Americans who still remember the loss of life, from the passengers to the people within the buildings to the first responders.

The War on Terror

Bush launched the Patriot Act, which allowed the government to monitor civilians' phones and emails to find terrorists. The Department of Homeland Security was established, and the War on Terror began. Bush's War on Terror involved the United States and Great Britain, Russia, France, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The president sent the military into Afghanistan to capture Osama Bin Laden, the leader of the Taliban that claimed responsibility for 9-11.

It is highly debated if the Taliban was responsible for 9-11. While they claimed responsibility, they often did so for any terrorist event, even if they weren't responsible. Their goal was to spread terror, claiming different events made the organization seem larger and scarier than it was.

In 2003, Bush claimed to suspect Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. American soldiers would go on to invade and occupy Iraq through Operation Iraqi Freedom for twenty years and never find proof of weapons of mass destruction. The War on Terror initially had the support of the American people, but after several years without results, Americans' faith wavered. They questioned if the cost of human lives was even worth it.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. Katrina was a category 5 hurricane that killed more than 1,300 people and caused 13 billion dollars worth of damages. Critics believed that Bush's response to Katrina was weak. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) didn't do enough, and what it did do was too late.

I want future generations to know that we are a people who see our differences as a great gift, that we’re a people who value the dignity and worth of every citizen -- man and woman, young and old, black and white, Latino, Asian, immigrant, Native American, gay, straight, Americans with mental illness or physical disability. Everybody matters." 3

-Barack Obama

Barack Obama was the first African American to become president, but he inherited an unofficial war from the Bush Administration. Obama allowed troops to remain in Afghanistan and Iraq but wouldn't let America become involved with the Syrian Civil War. Critics argued that Obama was too weak regarding foreign affairs in the Middle East. Obama also allowed drone strikes in the Middle East to kill Isis, a new terrorist organization threat. These strikes killed Isis targets but also innocent civilians.

America was also in the worst economic remission since the Great Depression at the start of the Obama administration. Obama passed the Recovery Act and the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). The Recovery Act created infrastructure projects to put Americans back to work, while Obamacare created affordable insurance. Obama tried to increase the minimum wage nationwide but was struck down by Congress. This did encourage many states to raise the minimum wage.

Donald Trump (2016-2020)

Donald Trump was elected into office promising to "Make America Great Again." One of his campaign promises was to build a wall that would keep immigrants from Mexico out of America and that the Mexican government would pay for it. By the end of his campaign, only a few miles, the wall had been put up in places with no previous defenses. The Mexican government didn't pay for it.

I think we’re gonna be very good with the coronavirus. I think that at some point that’s going to, sort of, just disappear—I hope" 1

-Donald Trump

In 2020, the Coronavirus spread throughout America, causing America to enter a global pandemic. Critics of Trump believed that he did not do enough to slow the spread of the virus. Trump believed that "it (the coronavirus) miraculously goes away." After the vaccine was released in December 2020, critics believed that Trump didn't properly encourage Americans to get vaccinated.

Trump was the third American president impeached by the House of Representatives and the first president to be impeached twice. A conservative majority Senate acquitted him during both impeachment trials, so Trump was not removed from office. Trump's first impeachment occurred because he attempted to bribe Ukraine to find damaging information on his political opponent, Joe Biden. The second article of impeachment came from the House of Representatives due to Trump's connections with the rioters' actions during the January 6th insurrection at the US Captial.

Joe Biden (2020 -)

Joe Biden is the current President of the United States and was Barack Obama's vice president. In 2020 America's unemployment rate had risen to 6.3, but Biden reduced it to 3.9. Unemployment has not seen a reduction this drastic since 1969. Biden issued a Covid Relief plan that spent 1.9 trillion dollars to give American adults 1,400 dollars. Biden re-entered the Paris Climate Accord, which Trump had left. The Climate Accord was an agreement between multiple countries to control climate change.

But . . . within the growing catastrophe, I believe there’s an incredible opportunity . . . . We have the ability to invest in ourselves and build an equitable clean-energy future and in the process create millions of good-paying jobs [while we] create an environment that raises the standard of living around the world. 2

-Joe Biden

Joe Biden's presidency is continuing, and we won't know the full scale of it until it has ended.

American Culture in the 21st Century

America has shifted its values in the 21st Century. Activist groups that support human rights and represent marginalized communities are a part of this. Third-wave feminism was popular in the 2000s but shifted to the fourth wave in the mid-2010s. The fourth wave is categorized by its use of social media in the information age.

Civil Rights Activists have formed groups like Black Lives Matter, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, and the Me Too movement to raise awareness for marginalized groups. The Black Lives Matter movement raises awareness about police brutality against African Americans. The Me Too movement empowers victims of sexual assault to come forward and seek justice. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement raises awareness about the high numbers of missing and murdered Native American women.

Major Events in 21st-Century America

There were many significant events in America during the 21st Century; let's take a moment to highlight two of these: Hurricane Katrina and the Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage.

Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina touchdown in the Southern United States in August 2005; though it affected multiple states, the most damage was done in Louisiana. The American government was informed that a category five hurricane would strike. Government officials had six days to evacuate and prepare Louisiana for the hurricane's touchdown. The government's handling of Katrina was a failure.

Evacuation of New Orleans, the state capital, only began 24 hours before touchdown, even though the government knew it would take 72 hours to evacuate the city fully. Refugees were told that the Super Dome Stadium was safe to bunker down. The stadium did not have enough food or water, and the people left there had to wait five days after the storm to get supplies.

The immediate support of victims of Katrina was a failure because of the government's slow response. It was not declared national significance until 36 hours after the hurricane ended. At least 1,833 people died, and 80% of New Orleans was flooded.

Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage

In 2015, the Supreme Court found denying same-sex couples marriage rights was unconstitutional in the Obergefell Vs Hodges case. All states had to recognize the rights of same-sex married couples, which were to be the same as the rights of heterosexual couples.

This landmark decision was because marriage was defined as between a man and a woman in defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) of 1996. Homosexual couples were denied over 1,000 benefits that come from marriage.

American Achievements in the 21st Century

America has made many achievements in the 21st century. In 2004 Mark Zuckerberg launched the social media platform Facebook, which would revolutionize online communication. In 2007, Steve Jobs released the first iPhone. The 21st Century has introduced new technologies at a fast pace.

America in the 21st Century

America has had many accomplishments and setbacks in the 21st century. It is difficult to say what the 21st century will mean on the greater scale of history because we are only two decades into it. We can say that this century has already been quite eventful and will most likely continue to do so.

21st Century America - Key takeaways

• America has had four presidents in the 21st century:
  • George W. Bush
  • Barack Obama
  • Donald Trump
  • Joe Biden
• Activist groups continue to spread awareness
• Hurricane Katrina devastated Louisiana in 2005
• Same-sex marriage was legalized in 2015

A 21st century American is someone who is living in America in the 21st century.

America will survive the 21st century. We have already seen many social changes in America in the first twenty years of the 21st century but cannot predict the outcome of these changes. 

America is still a post-slavery country meaning that slavery still affects America today. This is evident in the wage discrepancy, employment discrepancy, and white supremacy that still exist today.

The significant problems in 21st century America include but are not limited to human rights and climate control. 

The 21st century American dream is to achieve a comfortable life through hard work. 

Question

Who won over 50% of the popular vote? 

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Question

Which candidate ran an independent political campaign?

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Question

What became the primary campaign issue on the minds of the voters?

Answer

The economy (in recession)

Question

Which candidate pushed for election reform and transparency? 

Answer

Question

In 1992, America had recently been successful in which of the following?

Answer

Question

The winner of the electoral vote also won the popular vote.

Answer

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The election contained the strongest third-party results since the election of 1912.

Answer

Question

George H.W. Bush ran for re-election against Democrat Ross Perot and a third-party reformer - Bill Clinton

Answer

Question

What is an economic recession?

Answer

A significant decline in economic activity lasting months or years. 

Question

The 1992 election featured 

Answer

a focus on the ongoing Cold War

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Bill Clinton was a self-proclaimed..

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What was the result of the 1992 election?

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Bill Clinton took office with a new, moderate approach.

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How can we characterize the role of a third party in American politics as a result of this election?

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A third party was shown to be unable to gain double-digit popular support

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Whose "no new taxes"  impacted his candidacy?

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In which state did media scrutiny and legal challenges result in a recount of votes?

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What job did Bush hold in 2000?

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What job did Gore hold in 2000?

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Who was the U.S. President that Gore served under as Vice-President?

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Which third-party candidate received the third-highest amount of popular votes in the 2000 Election?

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What is minimum number of electoral votes needed in order to win in the Electoral College?

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Which of the following statements is true?

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George W. Bush was the son of a U.S. President and brother of the Governor of Maine.

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Which of the following statements is false?

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Al Gore won the electoral vote but lost the popular vote

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The recount of ballots in Florida was impacted by the decision of which institution?

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The 2000 election was the first instance of a presidential candidate winning the electoral vote but losing the popular vote.

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Political polls leading up to the election predicted a strong win by Al Gore.

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America watched the 2000 election and followed issues including which of the following?

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Who was the 2008 Democratic nominee?

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Who was the 2008 Republican nominee?

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What war was going on during the 2008 campaign?

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John McCain's record on reform issues and taking unpopular stances earned him what characterization?

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During the election, Barack Obama and John McCain were both....

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Obama's election in 2008 was controversial because he won the popular vote but not the electoral vote.

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Which factors greatly impacted the 2008 election?

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How could we characterize McCain's military service?

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U.S. Air Force pilot who narrowly evaded capture by enemy forces

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Which campaign challenged the state of the economy and handling by the current administration?

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In the 2008 election, which demographic was won by Obama?

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Obama was a Senator from which state?

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McCain was a Senator from which state?

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Obama's election victory was seen by many as a victory for race relations in America.

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Mitt Romney faced primary challengers who were more _____

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Who was the Democratic nominee in the 2012 election?

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Who was the Republican nominee in the 2012 election?

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Who was the incumbent in the 2012 Presidential election?

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What political position had Mitt Romney held before the 2012 election?

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Who won the 2012 presidential election?

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What controversial response did Barack Obama to the Great Recession?

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What did Mitt Romney controversially say was true about 47% of Americans?

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They don't pay taxes and are dependent on the government

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What Obama program was unpopular with conservatives and Romney tried to differentiate from his program as Masschusetts state governor?

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What did Mitt Romney manage that gave him public exposure before he entered politics?

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Which US president launched the Patriot Act and created the Department of Homeland Security?

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