Paper Example :Reform Movement and the Impact upon the American History

The history of America is marked by several reform movements that championed various causes favored by Americans. Those reform movements were witnessed from colonization to 1877, which advocated for various courses such as pacifism, women's rights, prison reforms, and abolishment. The reform movements yielded significant outcomes in the well-being of today's America. The paper is premised on the significant impacts of reform movements in American history.

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The reform movements in America between colonization and 1877 were characterized by the predominant craves for the purification of individuals and society at large. Those reform movements focused on a variety of issues such as the abolition of slavery, temperance, the abolition of a capital offense, and the amelioration of American prison conditions to be conceived as rehabilitation centers and not punishment centers. Humane and just treatment of African Americans and pacifism was among the reforms that marked the antebellum era. Agitation for women's rights of suffrage and property ownership reform movements were equally witnessed. The amelioration of labor conditions, which was a wholesome encompassing of safe and humane working conditions, limits to working hours, higher wages, and the rights to form unions also stood up among the reform movements in America.

Moreover, reformists agitated for the inclusivity of the welfare of minority groups such as the destitute, mentally-ill, orphans, and the blind as they championed the establishment of a public institution of care for them. Lastly, health reforms, vegetarianism, and tobacco use abolishment were equally fronted by various reformists. It is significant to point out that these social, economic, and political reforms fronted by the reforms’ movements from colonization to 1877; not all of them were actualized during that period. For instance, abolishing slavery and granting women's right to suffrage among others formed the best reforms during the antebellum era.

However, some of the reform movements provided a foundation for their future enactments. Those reform movements translated to the current state of today’s society in the United States. Today's society in the United States continues to realize more progress due to early reform movements. Factory workers enjoy improved working conditions; individuals facing homelessness are being supported by the state, and workers' income continues to escalate indiscriminately. Also, women have the right to vote; election reforms such as referendum and recall to foster democracy has been constituted. The prison reform movements witnessed in the antebellum period led to the reforms of prisons to correctional facilities where incarcerated individuals got rehabilitated and not punished as earlier on. Health reform movements paved the way for the enactment of Medicare and Medicaid in the year 1965, which implemented comprehensive reforms in today's health care system of the United States by improving the quality of health and its accessibility and affordability. Reform movements for minority groups’ welfare provided a basis for the establishment of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Besides, today's minority society of the United States enjoys other social welfare schemes such as food stamps, Medicaid, and disability payments.

In summary, reform movements which coupled the colonization and 1877 period had significant impacts on American history. Today's society in the United States continues to be shaped by some of those reform movements. Today's health care system, the justice system, in particular, the correctional facilities and social welfare of the Americans have been greatly influenced by various America's historical reforms movements.