Changes in society from American Revolution to modern times
Uploaded by thonker on Dec 14, 1999
Changes in society from the American Revolution to modern times have been caused by both public opinion and law.
Public opinion changed law as such as in the first reading about the Salem Witchcraft trials. After the trial new laws were made regarding how spectral evidence would not be admitted as evidence towards the conviction of a witch, since it is heresay. Also, states never again executed people for being convicted of witchcraft. Since Americans did not desire to be part of the Great Britain empire anymore, they gained their independence and established similar, yet different laws and a constitution. In the second reading, people supported the case of Quok Walker in his suing for freedom, which gave him his freedom through the ruling of the court.
Public opinion does have an effect on law, but law also has an effect on the public’s opinion. Laws made people change their opinion about issues such as witchcraft. Since there were laws against being a witch, the people thought that witches were therefore bad and used the laws to their advantage to point fingers at those of whom they were jealous, or wanted vengeance upon. As another example, contributed to the case of Quok Walker resulted in polarization of the people about the issue of slavery.
Although American society has evolved considerably over the past few centuries, there are still refinements needed. Our current congress, I believe, takes too long to make simple decisions. When they do, they make too general statements about it, as so to satisfy people because the people wanted a law about something, so the congress gave them one (not necessarily making any real change.) There is a problem in society today regarding the relationship of the family. It used to be that a couple would get married and have a few kids and live somewhat happily ever after. In modern times, couples get married, have kids, get divorced (shattering the children’s lives), and the kids no longer have the trustworthy and close relationship with their parents. Education is one other area which needs "refining." In past decades and centuries, school teachers were allowed to punish the children physically for misbehavior in the classroom. Since the whole child abuse bandwagon was boarded, corporal punishment has been abolished. Since then behavior and respect towards teachers has been on the decline in public schools. Also, in education, there have been standardized...