Contemporary History essays

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Essay on Consumerism

Consumerism is a Western society ideology in which there exists a social and economic structure where customers are encouraged to purchase goods and services regardless of their need for them. Manipulative marketing was used by companies to sell goods to customers who had increasing wages and therefore more disposable income. This essay will discuss the role of consumers in marketing, define what consumerism is as well as the changes to consumerism over history, how the role of consumers has evolved...
3 Pages 1320 Words

Effects of Consumerism in the 1950s Essay

The growth and spread of consumerism was a mass culture ideology that was accepted by many due to the promises it gave and how it reshaped the economy. Consumerism has been implemented into American society since the 1920’s when Herbert Hoover was in office. Consumerism in the 1950s was a cultural ideology that, in addition to social changes, brought us our convenient economy and our modern ideas about American life. From the end of the Great Depression to the end...
4 Pages 1870 Words

Essay on Marriage in the 1950s Compared to Today

A typical child in the post-World War 2 period was more likely to be born into a more traditional or nuclear family setting consisting of two parents who were married. It was unlikely that their mother worked outside the family home and their father, who was considered the head of the household, would have worked to provide an income for the whole family. Around this time, due to increased wealth and a rise in living standards, more people than ever...
2 Pages 752 Words

Essay on Marriage in the 1950s

The 1950s were an inauspicious time for women. It was an era that birthed the ideology of living the post-war suburban dream, in which a woman’s place was to serve and obey their husband, often suppressing their needs and desires to marry, bear children, and run a household. Women’s social standing at the time was that they were submissive and inferior beings to men. The play The Season in Sarsaparilla written by Patrick White explores the theme of living the...
2 Pages 1047 Words

Essay on Materialism and Consumerism in the 1920s

Money doesn't buy happiness. Throughout history, this concept has been heard time and time again and has been proven to be true. People can continuously purchase material items, but in the end, those items can never satisfy a person's innate need for love and connection. As people buy such objects, they are making a poor attempt at filling a missing void in their lives. In the 1920s, this idea began to lose its significance as society became swept up in...
3 Pages 1242 Words

Causes of Late 19th Century Imperialism

As the role of the United States grew globally in the late 19th century into the early 20th century, many motivating factors caused this growth. Americans looked to other lands and saw hope in potential territory gains and economic prosperity, but the main reason was two-sided in assisting other nations for humanitarian and Social Darwinist purposes. Americans' worth of freedom and democracy were trailblazing when a new government was established in 1776. Since then, many other nations looked up to...
1 Page 381 Words

Essay on Racism in Alabama in the 1930s

The Depression that swept through America in the 1930s greatly affected everyone’s life. One-quarter of the citizens lost their jobs and were looking for work. The fight to find food and a place to live created an increase in tensions among all citizens. Often women became the breadwinners of the family, since their employers could pay them less than men. This scarcity of jobs meant that the men had an even harder time finding them. Many Puerto Ricans and Mexicans...
1 Page 1016 Words

Immigration in the Early 20th Century: Essay

Imagine having to leave one country for another with different people but more opportunity. What would that be like for a person? This is what crossed early immigrants’ minds on their journey to America, along with what they were aspiring to do within our country. That could’ve included better employment options, escaping economic and political unrest, buying more land, and a more stable life. Many immigrants, however, probably didn’t think about the impact they would have on American cities, as...
2 Pages 976 Words

Essay about Pop Culture in 1980s

The 1980s was the most influential decade in the history of the United States because it changed the course of the U.S. through drugs, culture, and terrorism. To set the scene for the 1980s, the Vietnam War had ended 5 years before 1980, resulting in an American loss. Anti-Communist sentiments were at a high, and the Cold War was at one of its many peaks before the collapse of the Soviet Union, the 80s were probably the most intense period...
2 Pages 995 Words

Essay on Divorce Rates in 1950s

The concept of family has been a topic of considerable discussion for social scientists. In particular, they have analyzed the changes and continuity that are happening within family structures. Family is defined as a group of people related by blood, marriage, or adoption (Richardson,1993). From a sociological aspect, changes in the family are a result of post-industrialization which has led to traditional changes in social life (Gillies,2003). This essay aims to outline the key changes in the family since the...
5 Pages 2137 Words

Pop Culture Music 1960's Protest Music Essay

Music has more influence over large groups of people than any other cultural product. With the power to unify, bridge, build, or protest, music can connect large groups of people to transform values, patterns, and habits. With the ability to provide an incredibly comprehensive framework to package and present a viewpoint or an idea, music serves to open up conversations and spur reflection and action relating to the issues of the day. In times of social and political conflict, a...
6 Pages 2913 Words

Nelson Mandela Change the World Essay

Segregation is defined as the enforced separation of different racial groups in a country, community, or establishment. It is an act of racism. This was a legally growing problem in the late 19th century and lasted until the late 20th century against people of color in many states in the USA and colored people of colonized countries around the world. Being a worldwide spread problem, segregation had many different forms, with two of the most widely known being Jim Crow...
6 Pages 2663 Words

Nelson Mandela and Apartheid Essay

Leaders are those who direct their people, but effective leaders are those who hold the capacity to outgrow and transcend personal capabilities to transform the face of society. Invictus concerns itself with the aftermath of an inhumane Apartheid and the role of an influential leader Mandela who demurs against surrendering to fate while uniting a furcated nation. In comparison, Malouf’s Homeric adaption of the Iliad as imagination through his novel Ransom explores the personal struggles of the leaders, Priam and...
2 Pages 986 Words

Anti-Apartheid Movement: Nelson Mandela Essay

In South Africa, a system known as apartheid which discriminates against people based on race was part of the government which was controlled by whites. Nelson Mandela was one of the strongest forces to go up against the government to end apartheid. He symbolized all black South Africans who wanted to end their segregation and discrimination. His wife, Winnie Madikizela, better known as Winnie Mandela, symbolized the same. Winnie was raised in an environment that nourished her and molded her...
3 Pages 1321 Words

Nelson Mandela and Civil Disobedience Essay

The end of World War Two and the establishment of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights intended to end global injustices and put forth a positive influence on human liberty and dignity; however, the South African policies of apartheid outlined in motion undignified and increasingly oppressive, racially segregated laws – polarising South Africa from the rest of the globe. This essay will discuss the effectiveness of the mobilization of both non-violent and violent anti-apartheid campaigns that challenged the white...
2 Pages 992 Words

Essay on 1960s Counterculture Fashion

When you ask a person, what comes to mind when they think back to the 1960’s, the most common answers are; Hippies, Drugs, The Beatles, and the ‘weird’ vibrant clothes. Among other things, fashion seems to be what sticks in people’s heads. Many icons from that era were known mainly for their style, such as Jackie Kennedy, Twiggy, and Audrey Hepburn. The ’60s was a time of change, politically and culturally. There was a wave of liberal thinking and the...
5 Pages 2523 Words

Essay on Counter Culture Civil Rights Movement

The 1960’s: The counterculture strikes back. Our first reading summarises the 1960’s, an epoch marked by a momentous transition. Denoted as one of the most tumultuous and divisive decades, it is defined by the historical actions of the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, political assassinations, anti-war marches, and the emergence of the “generational gap.”[ 1] Challenging Hollywood’s traditions of conservatism, it was here in the late 1960s that “exploitation” films became a substantial market. Transitioning the taboo subjects of...
1 Page 488 Words

Essay on 1950s Black Fashion

With the end of the Second World War in 1945, came the revival of romanticism and haute couture within the world of fashion. After a period of rationing everything from food to fabrics and styles such as the ‘Utility Dress’ being the trend during the war, the revival of romanticism was greatly welcomed by many. Although the previous era focused on loose silhouettes and boxy fittings, fitted clothing, and the hourglass figure made a strong comeback. Designers such as Christian...
3 Pages 1508 Words

1920's Gypsy Fashion Essay

The fashion for men and women in the 1920s was one of the most influential, creative, and unique times. At first, fashion was dedicated to aristocrats and the affluent, but things changed when the middle class became a part of it. Fabrics and materials were becoming affordable and people were creating new garments in the comfort of their own homes. Many different styles were flowing through the streets because some people were craving change, while others didn’t want it at...
1 Page 408 Words

Essay on Sexism in the 1930s

In the novella Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck focuses on key social problems in the 1930s depression through the migrant workers The writer uses the characterization of Curley's wife and Crooks to represent the sexism between men and women as well as racism between white people and colored people. Steinbeck uses Crooks to embody racism in the 1930s. A whole chapter is dedicated to Crooks, in chapter 4, to emphasize the fact that black men were always isolated and discriminated...
3 Pages 1180 Words

Essay on Women's Rights in the 1930s

A few days ago, I visited the V&A museum. What impressed me is this Evening's trouser suit and blouse by Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel (1883-1971). The trousers are made of net with sequins and the blouse is made from silk chiffon with lace and mother-of-pearl. It is worth mentioning that this object is worn and given by Mrs. Diana Vreeland who was a noted columnist and editor in the field of fashion. She worked for Harper's Bazaar and Vogue. In 1964,...
1 Page 566 Words

Essay on How Did MTV Affect American Culture in the 1980s

MTV was 1st launched on a weekday, August 1, 1981, with the phrase, “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll”, and therefore The 1st music video vie on MTV was “Video Killed and since terribly starting, MTV was designed as a platform for music videos. Before MTV, what the radio stations were taking part in nearly utterly settled that music was well-liked. MTV is additionally attributable with serving to create the Second British Invasion by including music videos from British artists...
2 Pages 686 Words

Importance of Education in the 21st Century: Essay

In the 21st century, education is becoming a necessity for everyone ever than before. In short, no one could survive in the future without proper education. As it develops the main foundation of an individual, it is extremely important to educate kids from their childhood. If we look closely at life, what we are doing every day is educating ourselves with something new. It could be the development of some set of skills or gaining knowledge about a specific subject...
2 Pages 720 Words

Slavery in the 1800s and in Modern Society: Essay

Both today's society and the society of the 1800s have different types of restrictions and freedom. Today, there are more rules than before. Slaves in the 1800s didn't have much freedom. They were forced into hard labor, families were split, mothers and babies were forced to leave their arms, and slaves were forced to work in the sugar fields of the Caribbean. In the modern day, slaves became free through manumission. Manumission is leaving slavery. In the 1800s, as shown...
2 Pages 875 Words

Essay about Women’s Employment in the 20th Century

It has always been implied that men have participated more in the economics of labor. However, the engaging role of women in labor has been disregarded due to the ideals of both gender distinctions. The following essay will identify the changing gender norms in economic production in the 20th century. This time of era recognized women as capable to be involved in the workforce. It will offer segments on the economic transformation women impacted, allowing others to oversee them in...
3 Pages 1296 Words

Essay about the GPT-3 Artificial Intelligence Model as a Great Discovery of the 21st Century

Can a machine replace the position of an editor? In part, it does seem to be possible thanks to GPT-3 technology, which is nothing more than an artificial intelligence (AI) model whose main utility is the generation of texts from a seed text. “Although a priori it can be a threat to humans, GPT-3 is usually used more as an inspiration tool to generate a base and for the editor or content creator to improve it”, comments José Gabriel García...
1 Page 571 Words

Essay on 21st-Century Theatre and What Has Shaped It

Imagine yourself sitting in a fairly dark and crowded room. There are hundreds of seats occupied by people around you. A stage lies in front of you, filled with actors, lights, music, and different sound effects to set the mood of the play. A combination of these accommodations has let viewers grasp the performance actors have been portraying. However, it hasn’t always been easy to enjoy these theatrical performances. Times have changed since ancient Athenian theater, however, that’s not to...
2 Pages 840 Words

Two Americas in the 1950s and 1960s: Critical Essay

Two Americas: one of economic opportunity, prosperity, and equality, and the other of the ugliness of discrimination and poverty. This was the ever-present theme in the atmosphere of the 1950s and 60s. Three weeks before his assassination, Martin Luther King prominently and correctly claimed that America has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened, the promises of justice and freedom have not been met, and white society is more concerned about tranquility and the status...
5 Pages 2276 Words

1920s DBQ Essay

After I read F. L. Allen’s Only Yesterday Frederick Lewis Allen’s Only Yesterday is the first book that I have read about history. I really learned a lot of historical events from the author during the decade of the 1920s. Frederick Lewis Allen was an editor of Harper’s Magazine, and he was also an American historian of the first half of the twentieth century. In particular, he wrote about recent and popular history. Allen’s most famous book is the popular...
2 Pages 1094 Words

A Great 21st Century Leader: Informative Essay

To break things down first, we need to understand what the word leader means and know where it came from. According to Jia Lin, leadership is a matter of intelligence, trustworthiness, humaneness, courage, and discipline. Reliance on intelligence alone results in rebelliousness. Exercise of humaneness alone results in weakness. Fixation of trust results in folly. Helplessness on the power of courage results in inhumanity. Extreme discipline and disapproving rules result in cruelty. When one has all five virtues together, each...
1 Page 422 Words

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