Betsy Rivera Period 5 12-15-10 1850 If we were to write down everything that throughout life had made us become who we are now, we would make a long list discussing different events that happened to us in different years. The United States history in such a matter is similar to that. Many years had to pass in order to make America what it is today. Since the beginning of American history many people and events had made each year differ from one another. When you are talking about the United States History and discuss about the year 1787 an important that occurred this year was the signing of The Constitution.
Or if we mention the tragic event of the twin towers we remember that it happened in September 11, 2001. But what do you recall from the year 1850? Just like any other year in 1850 several events happened that helped shape the United States. In literature perhaps one of the famous book “The Scarlett Letter” was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. If it wasn’t for the Compromise of 1850 slavery may had taken a twist, imaginably maybe slavery would had taken part here in California or in other states in which slavery was abolished.Other than events in 1850 some great achievements were developed by Levi Strauss, jeans. In June 6, 1850 Levis Strauss made his first blue jeans.
Levis Strauss His invention started a worldwide phenomenon, Lewis Strauss & Co. This famous jean company was significant during the 1850’s because it brought new fashion trend jeans which helped farmers during the famous Gold Rush and was also the first jean company in the United States. Later in the years Levis Strauss jeans improved and later he added the famous indigo color and the jeans arouse popularity.Even up to now Levis are still very popular, all because of Levis invention in jeans in 1850.
Not only were jeans such as important phenomenon in 1850 but in literature Nathaniel Hawthorne novel “The Scarlett Letter” was a hit. When the book was published in March 16, 1850 the publisher didn’t imagine that it would sell, but he was wrong. “The Scarlett Letter” was an instant best-book seller, within the first ten days it had sold over 2,500 volumes. The Scarlet Letter was also one of the first mass-produced books in America.The book was written several years after the Second Great Awakening itself talks about a man’s relationship to himself but as well as to God. Hawthorne novel is set in a deeply religious time, therefore the novels language contains deeply religious undertones. Literary critics admired Hawthorne great piece of literature but religious leaders took it as an offense to Christianity and taught Nathaniel didn’t understand the real concept of Christianity.
Adultery was a sensitive subject to call upon during this period of time but “The Scarlett Letter” started a universal theme about the topic of adultery.Religion wasn’t the only controversy in the 1850’, so was slavery. The Compromise of 1850 tried to deal with the problem; it was a series of five bills that were intended to stave off sectional strife.
The Compromise made California enter the Union as a free state; it also allowed popular sovereignty in Utah and New Mexico to decide whether or not they wanted to be a free state or a slave state. Any federal official who did not arrest a runaway slave liable had to pay a fine under The Fugitive Slave Act.Abolitionist efforts increased against slavery because the Slave Acts were the most controversial bill of the Compromise. The Fugitive Slave Act also brought an increase to the use of the Underground Railroad because slaves would try to escape their master. Just like any other year in 1850 a long sequence of events occurred there were also people who influenced the United States History. The most popular person of the time was Levis Strauss, that with his invention he started the whole jean revolution. Nowadays we all wear jeans and it was all because of his invention in 1850.
One of the great pieces of literature was “The Scarlett Letter” which brought a whole new theme to literature and inspired other authors to take writing to a different level. Just like the novels importance the Compromise of 1850 was also a great event in the year 1850. It was a time in which slaves tried to free them and escape, but the compromise determined whether where they lived would become a free or slave state. The United states history wouldn’t be complete without marvelous events, some of which occurred in 1850.
