HOW THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY HAS ADDRESSED ISSUES OVERTIME
Dylan Goodman and Lucy Belknap
As American history has progressed, the entertainment industry (Broadway and Hollywood/popular culture) has gradually transitioned from focusing primarily on entertaining their audience to addressing and educating people about various social issues - stereotypes, discrimination, political ideas, class differences, etc. - in order to highlight the faults of society and help bring about change.
-AMERICAN HISTORY-
1607 - 1754
Colonial North America
When the Spanish, French, Dutch, and British came to colonize the New World they all had different economic, political, and cultural goals that they would use to develop and shape their colonies and their interactions with the American Indians. Conflicts often started due to the competition for resources and land between the Europeans and American Indians. This includes the Pueblo Revolt, Pequot War, and King Philip's War. Early British colonies developed along the Atlantic coast with different qualities by region. New England colonies were settled by the Puritans who lived in small towns and wanted to purify the church of England. The middle colonies were made of cash crops, less social structures, and more religious tolerance. The southern colonies were living a plantation-based economy. Due to this economy, the African slave trade grew extensively throughout the 18th century. This trade of goods, slaves, and cash crops was known as the Triangular Trade or Atlantic Slave Trade. England often used its colonies to obtain raw materials for its own manufacturing purposes and wealth creation. This started the resentment of the colonies. From Bacon’s Rebellion in 1767 to the Great Awakening the colonists started to carve out their own American Identity.
1754 - 1800
Revolution to Early Republic
After the British alongside the colonists won the French and Indian War, England faced massive debt. This resulted in the taxation of the colonists without representation. This created tension with England and led to events like the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party. Colonial leaders called for resistance to imperial rule and demanded that their rights be given and respected. Things like the continental congress started to arise which tested out the ideas of democracy and a new government. The ideas of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine (Common Sense) came and pushed America to break from England. The Declaration of Independence was created and America fought the American Revolution. After the Revolution, the Articles of Confederation united the newly formed state; however, the government was super weak (seen in Shay’s Rebellion) and there were debates about the constitution. George Washington and John Adams presidencies held debates between federalists and anti-federalists who debated on how they should manage the economy, foreign affairs, and more. Federalists (Alexander Hamilton) wanted a strong central government while the anti-federalists (Thomas Jefferson) wanted more power to individual states. In regards to foreign affairs, George Washington warned against getting involved. Migration trends and competitions fueled ethnic tensions and sparker nativist sentiments. The US relationship with Indian groups continued to evolve, usually in regards to conflict over land.
1800 - 1848
Jackson - Antebellum Era
During this time period, the United States continued to develop its democratic ideals, which caused a large amount of debate about the role of the federal government and lead to the formation of various political parties. The Supreme Court, under John Marshall, established that federal laws went over state laws. Marbury v. Madison established judicial review, which faces the courts the power to check the power of the legislature and the executive branches of the government. American also developed a national culture after the War of 1812, in which various religious and social reform groups emerged. This included the Women's temperance movement (no alcohol) and the abolition movement. The women’s rights movement’s reached an all-time high at the Seneca Falls convention. America underwent an economic and technological revolution in which the cotton gin, steam engine, factories, and the expansion of railroads and canals emerged. America became more industrialized and the daily life of Americans changed. Expanding westward after the Louisiana Purchase, the US wanted to expand its borders through Manifest Destiny. The Monroe Doctrine and military actions against American Indian tribes demonstrated the desire for increased control in North America. New states joined the US and the debate over slavery raged on. Henry Clay created the Missouri Compromise to appease the North and South and tried to resolve some tensions.
1848 - 1864
Manifest Destiny, Civil War, and Reconstruction
During this time period, the US continued to grow and expand, having to face the issue of slavery each time it did. Supporters of slavery and abolitionists worked hard to keep the balance of power between slave and free states equal, working out complex but temporary solutions such as the Compromise of 1850 to maintain it. Tensions were extremely high between the North and South, with each side establishing completely different societies and ways of life and looking down on the other side with disdain and disgust. These tensions peaked when the South decided to secede from the Union, marking the beginning of a five-year-long Civil War. By the end of the war, the South was in ruins, since most of the fighting had occurred there and it was much less financially prepared for a war than the quickly growing North. This led to a complete reinvention of Southern society, with newly freed slaves taking advantage of their freedom by buying farmland and becoming more politically involved. However, though the Freedmen’s Bureau tried to guarantee these freedoms for African Americans, southerners did everything in their power to keep these former slaves at the same level in society that they had been at as slaves, and there was still plenty of remaining tension between whites and blacks after Reconstruction ended. Meanwhile, the North only continued to grow, with the Civil War helping to jump-start the growth and expansion of the economy, especially in urban areas. Cities continued to grow as more people became unskilled laborers working in factories.
1865 - 1898
Gilded Age and Industrial America and the Last West
Large scale industrialization and new remarks in technology gave way to capitalism and the era of new big businesses. Businessmen like Carnegie, Vanderbilt, Morgan, Rockefeller and more gained large fortunes through new financial methods and ways of business like vertical/horizontal integration and honest graft. Due to the rise of these big businesses, many working groups like farmers (National Labor Union/Populists) and unions (AFL, NLU) demanded stronger governmental protections to regulate the economy and working rights. They had numerous strikes were they called for different wages and working hours that would sometimes get violent. Migration also increased during this time in and outside of the US. Cities became popular areas where economic growth attracted immigrants from Asia and Europe and African Americans inside the US. Ethnic groups fought for control of the Western frontier as cultural tensions continued nationwide. Mark Twain deemed this time period as “The Gilded Age” in which cultural movements and businesses expanded. Social Darwinism and The Gospel of Wealth attempted to justify a wealthy elite class and normal inevitable and urged these people to give back because of their enormous wealth. Debates also intensified over citizens’ rights in relation to gender and race. Plessy v. Ferguson marked a setback for African Americans and led to racial segregation and ended progress following the Civil War. African American reformers and Women’s rights activists continued to strive for political and social equality in the face of violence and discrimination.
1890 - 1945
US Joins the World Stage
In the 1920s, America continued its transition to an industrial economy from an agricultural economy. During this time urban areas grew and employment opportunities were on the rise, until the collapse in 1929. Progressives across the country responded to political and economic uncertainty and called for greater government action in regards to social and political issues (suffrage, temperance, political corruption, economic inequality). There were also new forms of media and culture, like Jazz and new debates about science, religion, gender, race, and immigration. Major changes in migration occur, as Americans and immigrants from Asia and Europe moved into urban areas. Nativists campaigns started and convinced the government to start passing quotas and restrictions on immigration. The “Great Migration” also occurred when African Americans left racial violence and segregation in the South and moved to the North for better economic opportunities. When the Great Depression struck (Black Tuesday) FDR promoted his “New Deal” plan to assist the poor, provide employment, revitalize the weak economy and restore faith in the government. Through his New Deal, he helped define modern American liberalism and left a legacy on reform. During this time period, America fought in three major wars. The Spanish-American War (increased overseas territory), WW1 (1917), and then after their short-lived period of isolationism they entered WW2. During these periods of time, people's natural rights were often limited to protect the outcome of the war for the US.
1945 - 1980
Cold War and Affluent America
During this period of time, the US positioned itself as a global leader involved in many foreign interactions and affairs. The Cold War, a struggle between the US and USSR, defined this period. The US had a fear of the expansion of communism and because of this, they got involved in the Korean and Vietnam wars. In the beginning, there was major American support for an anti-communism and containment foreign policy; however as the Vietnam War dragged on mass antiwar protests broke out in the US. Debates over the war in southeast Asia and the use of nuclear weapons were all talked about. Civil rights activists energized a new nationwide movement for racial progress which involved MLK’s ideas of nonviolent protests and direct action. The landmark case of Brown v Board of Education was an achievement for civil rights activists but progress was slow and resistance was high. Inspired by the civil rights movement, other social movements advocated their causes. Debates raged over issues like sexuality, gender, the environment, economic equality and more. In the 1960s, LBJ’s Great Society program attempted to use the power of the federal government to eliminate poverty, end racial discrimination and promote social justice. Conservatives who feared a cultural and moral decline sought to limit the role of the federal government. In the 1970s the public grew increasingly distrustful of the government's ability to solve problems because of the Watergate Scandal, Vietnam, and Nixon’s resignation.
1980 - Now
Present
This time period has been a very important one in terms of foreign policy, marking the end of the Cold War and the increase of American involvement in the conflict in the Middle East. The Cold War ended in 1991 with the fall of the Soviet Union, and conflict with Saddam Hussein in Iraq began in 1990 with George H. W. Bush’s successful execution of Operation Desert Storm. Additionally, the US attacked Taliban bases in Afghanistan in 2001 and invaded Iraq in 2003, and now it has had on-and-off involvement with the civil war in Syria. Trade was also expanded on an international level with the establishment of NAFTA and the World Trade Organization in 1994. Essentially, the US’s involvement with and influence over the rest of the world has only increased. Throughout this time period, pop culture and media have become increasingly influential with the spread of social media and the development of new technology. The most important issues in entertainment and culture have grappled with the representation of all different groups (races, genders, etc.) and how to handle current political issues. The entertainment industry has historically leaned very liberal, and these opinions have become increasingly important as the opinions of celebrities who use their platforms to spread their beliefs are so easily posted and shared with millions.
BROADWAY
Broadway shows are one of the most popular and exciting tourist attractions in New York City. Thousands of shows have streamed throughout the theaters in Times Square and around the city. In these theaters, actors and actresses put their hearts and souls into performing for crowds and communicating a message or theme about life during a certain time period. The mix of songs, dances, scenes, and more helps to communicate a message or issue about a certain period of time.
HOLLYWOOD
Along with being an area of Los Angeles that’s home to America’s biggest film studios, Hollywood is a blanket term referring to the US film and television industry. It is the most successful film industry in the world, producing around 700 films annually and grossing about $10 billion a year. The movies it produces have been some of the most commercially successful in the world, growing extremely popular even in other countries. Because of this, it has gained a ton of influence over American pop culture and media.