By the 1840s, that promise was turning into reality as America pushed west. After the Civil War, industrial expansion, driven by ingenuity and optimism, was in full swing.
Explanation:
Even the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which reduced the city to rubble, didn't stop its growth. The fire did, however, affect Chicago's small black population. Burned-out blacks were pushed into less populated areas on the South Side of the city as racial lines were more tightly drawn. Despite new limitations, blacks continued to progress, participating in politics, and building social associations and community institutions to meet their needs.
