Progress Is Our Most Important Product" How America Suffered Labor Pains and Gave Birth to Industrial Gain

An Integrated, Interdisciplinary, Thematic Unit Exploring the History, Geography, Economics, Literature, Poetry, and Art of the United States from 1865-1900 The students should see that the changing experiences of Americans between 1865 and 1900 helped to shape the emerging American identity. This indomitable spirit reconstructed the South, expanded west and industrialized the rest. This unit is important because it enables the students to understand that progress comes with a price. The price can be economic, environmental, or social. The American spirit proved to be resilient once again as it faced the challenges of progress and poverty as the nation rapidly industrialized. The loss of innocence during this era helps to prepare Americans for their global and domestic responsibilities of the next century.