Stories About American History That You May Have Not Known Yet

The United States is one of the most powerful nations in world history. But before it came into the status that it has now, it was shaped by many stories – some of which you may have heard already, while there are others that might unknown to you yet. Here are 2 of them.

The Anaconda Plan

When we hear the word “Anaconda” what comes to mind is a gigantic snake that we’ve probably seen in movies. But in American history, it is a word that achieved a much larger recognition. It was a strategy proposed by General Winfield Scott. One of the strategies used by the confederacy to defeat the Anaconda plan was to prolong the battle until the resources of The Union got depleted.

This is a brilliant strategy in itself because it could lead the enemy into submission without the cost of too many human lives. From an observer's viewpoint, it is a much more humanitarian way of dealing with the battle. This strategy was attrition. They tried their best to win the war by not losing it.

Another confederate strategy was by evading the blockade which was planned by General Scott, by moving through the Pacific coast where there was no blockade, the confederacy made a substantial growth for their army. This is one way of enhancing their plan which was to prolong the war.

Because of this move, the north was able to raise three regiments in Texas, which eventually forced the south to fall back into the First Colorado Regiment. This proves that evading the blockade was a smart choice because it receded the attack of The Union due to the fact that they were outnumbered. This was also about the north’s emphasis that they want to end slavery, which was one of the reasons why the south’s rebellion ensued.

Another notable move by the confederacy was their acts of engaging only on small skirmishes and little flash-points of actions that could confuse The Union. By doing this, they could drag the war further into a longer duration. Because they are well aware that the enemy does not have the resources that they do. This can be attested by the fact that the north has nearly ten times the firepower compared to the south. This gives a much greater advantage to the confederacy in their plans to crush the Anaconda plan.

The Rebellion Of Tupac Amaru II

Tupac Amaru ll was a valiant warrior and influential leader as he is established in history as one of the most important figures in the history of Peru. Though his actions were truly revolutionary, they resulted in a failure, due to the economic and sociopolitical changes that happened the Spanish ruled over many lands including the one where Amaru resides. One notable aspect of such change is the “alcabala” taxation rules. Because it undoubtedly led to a much stronger economy on the part of the Spanish, it also produced a ripple effect on the communities and social groups within South America.

Consequently, it allowed the Spanish the strengthen their power, even more, making it harder for Amaru and his people to resist the tyranny and oppression that are taking place. A stronger economy means better finances, which led to the establishment of better administrative powers, and not to mention, higher bribery payments for those who want to betray a valiant leader including Tupac Amaru II. In every community or social group, it can be highly observed that even the noblest and influential leader can be defeated when the constituents are corrupted by the allure of money.

Another major factor that contributed to the failure of Amaru is the modernization of Spain in the field of mining. Because such an undertaking is one of the most important aspects that leads to the industrialization of any country, it further enhanced the capabilities of Spain as a kingdom and a conqueror.

When mining is efficiently done for a nation, it can further boost the economy and can lead to better innovations in technology. Even if such innovations were too crude then, they can still lead to better weapons, a stronger army, and much more powerful war-waging capabilities. This is another huge factor that eventually led to the defeat and capture of Tupac Amaru II.

The Importance of Structural Functionalism

By putting the above-mentioned stories into perspective, we can't help but talk about Structural functionalism. Because it is viewed as a complex system comprised of parts that work together in promoting stability and solidarity, it plays a very crucial role in the understanding of man as a social being. Its relevance to the study of race and culture is very significant because it is very similar to other fields such as biology and other similar fields of science.

When race is looked upon closely, it can be immediately seen that structural functionalism has high attribution towards it. This is because, in order for a race to thrive within the world to where it belongs, the people that comprise it must work together as a network of organisms.

They must collaborate and pool their resources together to form the structures that they need in living harmoniously with each other, as well as in getting along with the other races near them. Furthermore, it can also be a means of shaping the guidelines that can help shape the moral values of a certain social unit.

The concept of race can in fact make civilization more stable because when a group of people can establish their cultural identity in a certain area, they can be more valiant in promoting the values that they stand for. In effect, they can build a better society and eventually, evolve into a better nation.

A citizen of the United States should have no doubts of accepting the fact that structural functionalism is one of the best ways to emphasize the significance of the American way of life. Whenever social dysfunctions become evident in any group within the country, one should reflect on what structural functionalism is teaching the people all along. If everyone would just work together, the way biological organisms do in their most basic form, society would surely be transformed into a better version of itself.