The year 1908 was not that much different from other years, Rasenberger would have his readers believe. In his acclaimed novel, America 1908, Rasenberger takes what seems like ordinary events upon first glance, into an intertwined narrative that encompasses the most memorable changes to America throughout that year. He teaches us that more than any other year in the 20th-century, 1908 set up what would be America’s destiny.
Acknowledging the formidable challenges of prominent racism and the need for labor reforms, he makes the case for a changing nation as confident and powerful as its president in 1908, Theodore Roosevelt. In the three-page account of Theodore Roosevelt 's presidency he metaphorically describes his leadership as a point-to-point hike through Rock Creek Park, over, under, through obstacles, but never around them. Roosevelt forages the White House making the world seem ready for American innovation, exploration and colonization. He focuses on the imperialistic aspect of Roosevelt and the new wave of politics he brought. One of the most symbolic moments of American patriotism in the novel was shown as Roosevelt dispatched his "Great White Fleet" on a "Friendship Cruise" around the world, showing off newly found American strength. In the two-page dedication to the fleet he makes it known the importance of 1908 and Roosevelt in the progression of America as a world leader. However, Rasenberger shows, a different reality was hiding behind the red, white and blue American ships as they continued their navigation around the world. Wealth was obscenely concentrated in the Country. He makes it a point to comment on the increasing gap between the rich and poor, noting that 2% of the population owned around 60% of the wealth. He also notes that around 35,000 Americans died on the job each year, that with a population about a third of today 's, greatly due to the increased technologies whose origins began in 1908. Rasenburger could not write a novel about the advancement filled year without mentioning the private capitalist, J.P. Morgan, who almost single-handedly yanked Wall Street back from the brink of collapse. The panic might have deepened if not for the intervention of the financer, who pledged large sums of his own money, and convinced other New York bankers to do the same, to save the banking system. The novel then goes to address the American technological achievements whose impacts remained unmatched. …show more content…
The growth of technology spurred a new mood for the country. Although spread out and mainly on the East Coast, the result is an “engaging work of popular history”. The year 1908 was filled with radical changes in the technology that changed the way of American life dramatically. The automobile, which was introduced by Henry Ford, known as the Model T, was barreling toward transit domination even in a time of financial clout swells. The first affordable automobile was a piece of technology viewed by Rasenberger as “unsurpassed in its impact on American society until the atomic bomb” thereby setting the country on the road that would lead to oil shocks, drive-in movie theaters, and even rock 'n ' roll. Not only did the novel focus on Henry Ford’s invention changing the face of the United States, but also on the Wright brothers and their invention of the airplane. Their dauntless proof to the world of the capability to break scientific boundaries with what they called their machine. The Wright Brothers publicly demonstrated (tragedy aside) that flight was not only possible, but there to stay, proving the viability of air travel across the nation. Rasenberger not failing to describe their (the Wright Brother’s) long, laborious, and endlessly dangerous efforts to change the technological realm as it was known. He eloquently describes America on the move by air, sea (the global voyage of the Great White Fleet), and land (the New York to Paris automobile race). Americans finally began to feel themselves becoming global citizens. Although these advancements would unknowingly contribute so much to the society and culture of Americans in the 21st century, there were no less significant changes occurring in society at large. That same year, 1908, the Anarchist Selig Silverstein exploded a bomb in New York City which brought to life the concern for the rising thoughts anarchism and socialism. Throughout the South, African Americans were
Acknowledging the formidable challenges of prominent racism and the need for labor reforms, he makes the case for a changing nation as confident and powerful as its president in 1908, Theodore Roosevelt. In the three-page account of Theodore Roosevelt 's presidency he metaphorically describes his leadership as a point-to-point hike through Rock Creek Park, over, under, through obstacles, but never around them. Roosevelt forages the White House making the world seem ready for American innovation, exploration and colonization. He focuses on the imperialistic aspect of Roosevelt and the new wave of politics he brought. One of the most symbolic moments of American patriotism in the novel was shown as Roosevelt dispatched his "Great White Fleet" on a "Friendship Cruise" around the world, showing off newly found American strength. In the two-page dedication to the fleet he makes it known the importance of 1908 and Roosevelt in the progression of America as a world leader. However, Rasenberger shows, a different reality was hiding behind the red, white and blue American ships as they continued their navigation around the world. Wealth was obscenely concentrated in the Country. He makes it a point to comment on the increasing gap between the rich and poor, noting that 2% of the population owned around 60% of the wealth. He also notes that around 35,000 Americans died on the job each year, that with a population about a third of today 's, greatly due to the increased technologies whose origins began in 1908. Rasenburger could not write a novel about the advancement filled year without mentioning the private capitalist, J.P. Morgan, who almost single-handedly yanked Wall Street back from the brink of collapse. The panic might have deepened if not for the intervention of the financer, who pledged large sums of his own money, and convinced other New York bankers to do the same, to save the banking system. The novel then goes to address the American technological achievements whose impacts remained unmatched. …show more content…
The growth of technology spurred a new mood for the country. Although spread out and mainly on the East Coast, the result is an “engaging work of popular history”. The year 1908 was filled with radical changes in the technology that changed the way of American life dramatically. The automobile, which was introduced by Henry Ford, known as the Model T, was barreling toward transit domination even in a time of financial clout swells. The first affordable automobile was a piece of technology viewed by Rasenberger as “unsurpassed in its impact on American society until the atomic bomb” thereby setting the country on the road that would lead to oil shocks, drive-in movie theaters, and even rock 'n ' roll. Not only did the novel focus on Henry Ford’s invention changing the face of the United States, but also on the Wright brothers and their invention of the airplane. Their dauntless proof to the world of the capability to break scientific boundaries with what they called their machine. The Wright Brothers publicly demonstrated (tragedy aside) that flight was not only possible, but there to stay, proving the viability of air travel across the nation. Rasenberger not failing to describe their (the Wright Brother’s) long, laborious, and endlessly dangerous efforts to change the technological realm as it was known. He eloquently describes America on the move by air, sea (the global voyage of the Great White Fleet), and land (the New York to Paris automobile race). Americans finally began to feel themselves becoming global citizens. Although these advancements would unknowingly contribute so much to the society and culture of Americans in the 21st century, there were no less significant changes occurring in society at large. That same year, 1908, the Anarchist Selig Silverstein exploded a bomb in New York City which brought to life the concern for the rising thoughts anarchism and socialism. Throughout the South, African Americans were