From: Michele Willmunder
Date: 3/23/00
Time: 1:09:28 AM
Remote Name: 155.247.229.235
Week 9- In what ways was the United States a land of opportunity by the 1830s? In what ways was it not? Explain. For European visitors at the time of the 1830s, the disappearance of inherited social ranks and privileged groups struck as a radical feature in America. “Self-made men” could now rise to positions of power and influence. The United States was starting to become a land of equal opportunity, but this was only held true for white males. If life was becoming more equal for them, then there was no reason for complaints by anyone else. Furthermore, there was still a gap between rich and poor, and it was increasing. Another way in which the United States was becoming more equal was due to the rise in the proportion of public officials who were now being elected instead of appointed. The people now had a say in who they wanted as their judges and legislative and executive officeholders. By 1828, the presidential electors were chosen by popular vote rather than state legislators. A way in which the U.S. was not seen as a land of equal opportunity was because there was an expansion of low-paying labor that was putting workers under the precedence of the employers. At this time the United States still had quite a way to go to be seen as a land of “equal opportunity” for all of its citizens.