105 Introduction to Primary Sources for Chapter 16-20

Americans faced massive social, economic, and political change in the years after the Civil War.  African Americans agitated for full civil rights, workers demanded better working conditions, industrialists fought against any worker or government interventions, society questioned growing immigration numbers, many Americans headed west in hopes of economic opportunities, and Native Americans fought to hold on to their tribal lands and culture.  The primary sources in this section explore the mindsets of Americans as they grappled with a changing nation.