America is known as a "melting pot" because it has so much racial and ethnic diversity, yet for the most part, these various ethnic groups live and work cooperatively. Throughout history, the United States of America has passed laws to encourage a diverse nation, and to try and ensure equal opportunities for its citizens. That is the cause for which America has been united. America is a place where it is 'okay' for individuals to express their personal beliefs and ideas. The government, in many cases, is the leading figure in helping minorities and the ones discriminated against in America. A major turning point for blacks and other disfavored races in America were the 15th and 19th amendments. The 15th amendment stated that all people born in the US would be granted citizenship with no restrictions, and the 19th amendment gave these same people the right to vote. These two pieces of legislation had a large impact because they ensured that minorities would be represented in government and be involved in changes for a better government. In 1904, Roosevelt added a corollary to the Monroe Doctrine; this stated that the United States had the right to use military force in Central and South America to protects its economic interests from France. This was supported by the American people, and gave American citizens a sense of identity. The Washington Naval Conference was another example that demonstrated the power of the US government. It proved that America was capable of defending itself and that nobody could provoke the US without consequence.
Due to an already established, primarily white American identity, it was initially hard for many citizens to accept the great amount of integration that America was going through. The Klu Klux Klan was a huge white supremacist organization that did not tolerate any races or religions that were not their own. This included most minority groups such as Blacks and Jewish people, as well as other religious groups like Catholics.