Voice of Democracy

Yorktown, Virginia, the Revolutionary War came to an end as American Troops surrounded General Cornwallis and his British troops forcing them to surrender. If it weren’t for this moment in history, we would not be free and independant. When people take chances to make a positive impact, it gives me hope for our future. We have already seen people take charge and make improvements for women’s rights, more diversity, more job opportunities, stronger education system, better technology, and so on. History has its ups and downs, but it seems like something good almost always comes out of the bad.

An example of something good coming out of the bad is how citizens united together after 9/11. Some say they have not seen Americans come together like that since World War II. Good things are happening in the world every day, but we forget that when we hear tragic things in the news like the Las Vegas shooting. Here is a reminder of the positive changes in American history and how these events give us hope for the future.

Rosa Parks, December 1st, 1955 was demanded to get up from her seat on the bus, so the white people could sit and she could stand. She refused. She was unfortunately arrested, but because she took a risk and stayed seated, she would later have an impact on everyone. Three days after, a boycott was held by Martin Luther King Jr. for all African Americans to not take any buses. Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr.’s actions helped pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964, ending all segregation laws. If the civil rights movement had not happened, America would be split in half and there would be a lot of tension and hate. The Civil Rights Act gives us hope that we can look past people who believe one race is superior to another and we can continue to make improvements in equality.

There has also been an improvement in equality for women. In 1917, Loretta Perfectus Walsh was the first women to enlist in the U.S Navy. Before her, women were only allowed to be nurses in the military. This was a major step for women’s rights and three years after, in 1920, women were allowed to vote. America was close last year to having its first female president and I think we will break the glass ceiling in the near future. Women’s rights are going to continue to grow and young girls can have hope in the future that the gender pay gap will be non-existent.

There has been big steps for education and the economy. The number of people going to college has increased a large amount. In the 1980’s the number of women attending college was equal to men. In 2016, 69.7% percent of the high school graduates were enrolled in college. The more people who are educated, the more people who can work and receive a job. The more jobs we have, the better the economy. There has also been a boost in technology. The new technology comes with new jobs also helping our economy. This gives me hope that our education system is only going to get better and we will continue to develop more advanced technology.

A red, white, and blue flag shows America’s pride. America is a great country and will continue to grow. The past looks good and the future looks even brighter. Based on important events in history, I believe millennials have a great deal of hope for the future and I can not wait to see what will change in fifty years.