Assignment:  Discuss how the government’s role in regulated business changed after the Civil War through World War II.

Notes:

Assignment 2: c
Due Week 6 and worth 120 points

The United States went through dramatic economic change during and after the Civil War, as industrialization spread rapidly and changed society. This transformation and some of the apparent abuses that developed (monopolistic practices, work conditions, low wages, arbitrary and oppressive expectations) led to an increased role of the government in regulating businesses and society. This role was heightened as government was viewed as the arbiter between business and organized labor. One can explore these developments from 1865 on through to World War II. Examine the statement below and drawing from provided sources, present a paper with specific examples and arguments to demonstrate the validity of your position.

Statement—in which you can take a pro or con position:

From the start of Progressive era of the late 1800s through the New Deal period in the 1930s, increasing government interventions and regulations of business tended to help the overall economy and the common workers. (Or you can argue that such interventions and regulations hurt the overall economy and the common workers.) Use specific examples from different decades—and be sure one of your examples is from the 1930s.

After giving general consideration to your readings so far and any general research, select one of the positions above as your position—your thesis. (Sometimes after doing more thorough research, you might choose the reverse position. This happens with critical thinking and inquiry. Your final paper might end up taking a different position than you originally envisioned.) Organize your paper as follows, handling these issues:

The position you choose or something close to it—will be the thesis statement in your opening paragraph.
To support your position, use four (4) specific examples from different decades between 1865 and 1940. However, one (1) of your four (4) examples must be from the 1930s.
Explain why the opposing view is weak in comparison to yours.
Consider your life today: In what way does the history you have shown shape or impact issues in your workplace or desired profession?

Length: The paper should be 500-to-750 words in length.

Research and References: You must use a MINIMUM of three sources; the Schultz textbook must be one of them. Your other two sources should be drawn from the list provided below. This is guided research, not open-ended Googling. You can consult the sources list by looking at the assignment instructions in your Blackboard shell.