The Hope America Provides For All

America is the most immigrated country in the world, taking in over a million immigrants each year. The history of the United States and the monumental figures that fill the government shoes have formed hope for the future. People like Abe Lincoln for example and his hopeful speeches in some dark times in our country, like the Gettysburg Address and the Emancipation Proclamation. The Civil War was a huge hope provider with the North seeing what was wrong in our country and fighting for it. The South was in the wrong in wanting to keep slavery but the North fought for abolishing it. We have things in place like the Bill of Rights and the Constitution to protect and preserve our rights. America is the epitome of a country that provides hope, and will continue to provide hope in the future.

Immigrants are the perfect explanation to how America provides hope. People pour into America in such significant numbers that they come here for a reason. All of these people see a future here in America that lures them here to seek a better life. They come from struggles like tyrannical governments and scarce food supplies to seek better education and job opportunities here in the United States. A german immigrant stated, “he can already read pretty well, and I hope he’ll take a shine to learning so he won’t have to do any heavy work.” (Immigrants). America provides hope by giving those who come here a better life, education, and opportunity to be successful.

Ellis Island was a major immigration entry point from 1892 to 1954 in the United States. This is a significant hope provider because people funneled into America through that one point. Ellis Island provides hope because it was a place where people came into America to start a new life. Once those people reached Ellis Island they were starting a whole new life. It may have been a struggle to get there and a struggle from where they came from but those struggles were overcame to start a new life for their family. “Ellis Island was the major U.S. point of entry for immigrants coming to America across the Atlantic Ocean.” (Benson). Ellis Island provided hope for tons of people in America and set a final gate for people coming into America to cross.

The Civil War was one of the most monumental wars in the World. The North wanted to abolish slavery and the South wanted to keep it. Their differences of opinions caused a war between the split halves of America. This war was very significant for America because slavery was wrong and inhumane and the North noticed that and fought and won. America noticed what was wrong and and against our common moral values and fixed it for the better of the people. The North noticed and said, “would recognize slavery as an evil that should be discouraged and eventually abolished.” (Stauffer). When slaves were in distress and in pain, the North noticed that and provided hope for those people who had no hope before.

America had many monumental figures that changed the United States for the better. Abe Lincoln for example was one of America’s greatest figures. The Emancipation Proclamation given by President Lincoln was during one of America’s toughest times. Lincoln gave this speech in hopes to strive towards ending slavery and the Civil War. This was significant in ending one of America’s biggest nationwide issue and creating peace between the two sides. Lincoln provided hope for everyone in the United States as well as the former slaves who now gained some freedom. “the proclamation marked an important step in his eventual support of complete emancipation.” (Phelps). This huge issue in the United States was able to be resolved with Lincoln’s character and leadership. Lincoln is the epitome of an American leader who created hope for all.

Along with the Emancipation Proclamation was the Gettysburg Address. Like the Emancipation Proclamation, the Gettysburg Address was presented by Abe Lincoln. The Gettysburg Address was given after a bloody battle during the Civil War. After many deaths President Lincoln made this speech to provide hope to America. This was so important to the morale of Americans. They felt empowered after feeling defeated with this war Americans vs Americans. America was struggling with all these deaths and lost lives of Americans but Lincoln by giving the Gettysburg Address ended all of this and provided hope to Americans by stopping them from killing each other. “Lincoln’s brief Gettysburg address became a cornerstone of American expression of the nation’s ideals, mission, and patriotism.” (Simon). Lincoln throughout his speeches defined America, and created a role model for people for years to follow.

Many people argue that America needs Anti-Immigration laws. People think that because we have traumatic events in our country like Pearl Harbor and 9/11 that those groups of people need to be banned from coming to America. These people believe that, “Such laws usually contain provisions that have the effect of discouraging or prohibiting certain classes of persons from immigrating.” (Anti-Immigration). Just because a few individuals harm America doesn’t mean that we should ban the whole group of the ethnicity from coming to the United States. This reason is why we have thorough background checks and red flags. People get checked for years to see their background and stuff before they come here. America was built by immigrants, including the nationwide most known building, the white house, so why try to ban who built the country we now know today.

America is the world’s symbol of hope. People from all over the globe wait years to come to America. This all started back at Ellis Island where these people started to funnel into America for the opportunities provided. These opportunities and freedoms came from these significant role models and leaders America had like Abe Lincoln. Throughout his work like the Gettysburg Address and the Emancipation Proclamation he provided hope in some of America’s hardest times like the Civil War. The Civil War was hard for America mainly because it was fought in this country and Americans were killing Americans. However this struggle was overcome and the slaves were freed. America overcomes and adapts to fit the needs of the people in and coming to America and that is the ideal hope provider.

America was built by immigrants as was the nation’s capital of Washington D.C and the White House. There are always jobs available for anyone in or coming into the country. With new inventions people were able to travel, expand, and have new opportunities. Also the Homestead Act helped anyone who expanded westward to get free land and start a new life. Westward expansion and Industrialization provided hope for immigrants which helped them attain the American Dream.

Jobs were always available in the United States for immigrants. Irish were escaping potato famine and came here and got jobs, although they weren’t the easiest jobs the irish were still able to escape the potato famine and work here in America (Hanagan). Chinese immigrants fled to the United States for the market in the West and opportunities working on the railroad (‘Immigration, History and Effects of.’ ). Immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe also came to America for the job opportunities during Industrialization even doing back breaking work because they believe America provides more hope than where they came from as they escaped problems from their previous countries (“Industrialization.”). Hope was provided to immigrants with the job opportunities available for everyone.

With more and more new inventions it began to get easier to travel and be successful helping immigrants when they come into America. Transportation inventions like the steam engine that helped power transportation systems helped goods get around the country faster and with less work rather than using horse and wagon (“Industrial Revolution.”). The Telegraph gets invented which helps messages to be sent to other people quicker and more efficiently helping people communicate for better job opportunities (“Industrial Revolution Timeline.”). The Spinning Jenny helps de seed cotton faster and helped machinery to expand and cotton to be produced at a faster rate (‘Key Inventions…’). The new inventions in America helped create a more efficient work rate and created better transportation and job opportunities.

The Homestead Act helped anyone who expanded westward to get free land and start a new life here in America. The Homestead Act helped people with financial trouble to move out west and get land for free where they don’t need money (“Homestead Act of 1862.”). The Homestead Act also helped people working in hard laboring jobs to move out west and work off of your own land for yourself (Grow). If an immigrant had nothing they could still move out west and claim land where they can start a whole new life (“Homestead Act of 1862 Westward expansion.”). The homestead act helped immigrants who had nothing or were working hard jobs move out west and live off their land for free (“Homestead Act of 1862.”). The Homestead Act helped immigrants who had nothing or were working hard jobs move out west and live off their land for free.

Some may argue that America doesn’t provide hope for all. The opposition might say that the jobs provided by America are laboring and hard to do. I disagree with the opposition because these immigrants are escaping famine and are starving to come here where they get food and have opportunities to get money instead of starving (“Industrialization.”).Also some might argue that the new inventions didn’t help anyone in America. The opposition is incorrect because transportation allowed people to go all over the country and sell their goods to anyone and the telegraph helped people to communicate easier which helped businesses (“US Immigration…”). Also the opposition argues that the homestead act didn’t help anyone because they had to work off the land. They had to work off the land and got to keep their own crops which is better than being poor and having nothing, you’re getting free land as long as you just move out there and claim the land (‘Homestead Act of 1862.’). With job opportunities, new inventions helping people to advance in their business and transportation advancing, and free land for anyone who moves out west, there’s no disputing the hope immigrants in America have.

Any immigrant moving into America have limitless hope and opportunities. The job opportunity whether it’s laboring or not helps people to earn money. Transportation and technology advances helping both individuals and businesses grow and prosper. Anyone in time of struggle could move out west for a new life. Anyone leaving their country for whatever reason can come to America for a new life with the hope America offers.

From the homestead act to the immigration in today’s society, hope is always provided. The monumental figures like Abe Lincoln helped form this great hopeful nation for all.

Works Cited

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