Reconstruction, Westward Expansion, and the Rise of Big Business: Key Concepts and Legislation

What were the issues facing the nation following the Civil War?

The nation faced issues such as political division, economic instability, and social challenges related to the integration of freed slaves into society.

What is the difference between Presidential Reconstruction and Congressional/Radical Reconstruction?

Presidential Reconstruction, led by Abraham Lincoln and later Andrew Johnson, aimed for a lenient approach to reintegrate Southern states. In contrast, Congressional/Radical Reconstruction sought to impose stricter terms and protect the rights of freedmen.

What was the Lincoln Ten Percent Plan?

The Lincoln Ten Percent Plan allowed a Southern state to be readmitted into the Union once 10% of its voters swore an oath of allegiance to the Union.

What was the significance of the Freedmen's Bureau?

The Freedmen's Bureau was established to assist freed slaves and poor whites in the South by providing food, housing, education, and medical care.

What were the Freedmen Amendments?

The Freedmen Amendments refer to the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, which abolished slavery, granted citizenship rights, and ensured voting rights for African American men, respectively.

What were Jim Crow Laws?

Jim Crow Laws were state and local laws that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States after the Reconstruction era.

What is sharecropping?

Sharecropping is an agricultural system where landowners allow tenants to farm their land in exchange for a share of the crops produced.

What was the impact of the Ku Klux Klan during Reconstruction?

The Ku Klux Klan emerged as a white supremacist group that used violence and intimidation to suppress African American civil rights and maintain white dominance.

What was the significance of the Plessy v. Ferguson case?

The Plessy v. Ferguson case established the 'separate but equal' doctrine, which upheld racial segregation laws for public facilities.

What were scalawags and carpetbaggers?

Scalawags were Southern whites who supported Reconstruction and the Republican Party, while carpetbaggers were Northern transplants who moved to the South during Reconstruction, often perceived as opportunists.

What were literacy tests and poll taxes?

Literacy tests and poll taxes were tools used to disenfranchise African American voters and poor whites by imposing requirements that were often difficult to meet.

What were the causes of westward expansion?

Causes of westward expansion included the search for land, economic opportunities, and the belief in Manifest Destiny.

What was the Homestead Act?

The Homestead Act of 1862 granted 160 acres of public land to settlers for a small fee, provided they improved the land by building a dwelling and cultivating crops.

What was the Dawes Act?

The Dawes Act aimed to assimilate Native Americans by allotting them individual plots of land and promoting farming, undermining tribal land holdings.

What was the significance of the Transcontinental Railroad?

The Transcontinental Railroad connected the East and West coasts of the United States, facilitating trade, travel, and westward expansion.

What were the key industries that emerged in the West?

Key industries included farming, ranching, and mining, which significantly contributed to the economic development of the region.

What is bimetallism?

Bimetallism is a monetary policy that advocates using both gold and silver as the basis for currency, aimed at increasing the money supply and aiding farmers.

What was the Populist Movement?

The Populist Movement was a political movement in the late 19th century that sought to represent the interests of farmers and laborers against the elite.

What was the Gospel of Wealth?

The Gospel of Wealth is the idea that wealthy individuals have a moral obligation to distribute their wealth for the benefit of society.

What is the purpose of labor unions?

Labor unions aim to protect workers' rights, improve working conditions, and negotiate better wages through collective bargaining.

Who was Samuel Gompers?

Samuel Gompers was a labor leader who founded the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and advocated for the rights of workers.

What are some strategies used by labor unions?

Labor unions use strategies such as strikes, collective bargaining, and organizing to advocate for workers' rights and interests.

What were the impacts of strikes on the labor movement?

Strikes can lead to significant changes in labor laws and conditions, but they can also result in backlash and repression against labor movements.