AMSTWO Quiz

Transcontinental Railroad

Transcontinental Railroad

A railroad line that spanned the continent.

Assembly Line

A manufacturing method in which a product is put together as it moves along a belt.

Free Enterprise

The system in which private owned businesses compete freely.

Urbanization

The rapid growth of city populations.M

Muckraker

Individuals who played a role in exposing government corruption, also known as crusading journalists.

Trustbuster

A person working to destroy monopolies and trusts.

Henry Ford

An American manufacturer who made the automobile available to millions.

John D. Rockefeller

A brilliant entrepreneur who came from humble beginnings. In 1882, he ended competition in the oil industry by forming the Standard Oil Trust.

Andrew Carnegie

A poor Scottish immigrant who worked his way up in the railroad business and then entered the steel industry. His companies owned iron mines, steel mills, railroads, and shipping lines. He combined his businesses into one company known as the Carnegie Steel Company.

Theodore Roosevelt

• the youngest President to take office in 1901 at the age of 42 after Pres. McKinley was shot and assassinated

• won a reputation as a trustbuster and launched suits against trusts

• became the first Pres. to side w/ strikers

• supported reforms to protect consumers

• ran for President in 1904 and promised Americans a Square Deal which helped him win

• created a new party, the Progressive Party, and became their nominee when running in the presidential election of 1912

• took action to protect the nation's wilderness area

Railroads made travel to the West easier. This allowed people to come discover new places to settle in and new resources for the economy in the West of which people were excited about.

How did railroads change the West?

As giant industries grew, close relationships between owners and their workers ended and work became harder. This brought bad working conditions into the workplace such as working long hours in hazardous jobs for low pay. This motivated workers to form labor unions which sought safer working conditions, higher wages, and shorter hours.

How did big business change the workplace and give rise to labor unions?

The rapid growth of cities attracted more people because of the excitement of city life; the new technology; and more new job opportunities. However, more people caused more problems such as tightly packed neighborhoods where fire was a constant threat and slum streets which were littered with garbage and waste.

What were some causes and effects of the rapid growth of cities?

Citizens grew tired of the corruption and urged the government to limit the power of huge trusts and monopolies. Presidents signed acts to regulate big businesses such as the railroad industry and to prohibit businesses from trying to monopolize and destroy competition. Reforms were instituted to put more power in the hands of voters in government elections.

What are some ways that reformers tried to end government corruption and limit the influence of big business?

Theodore Roosevelt was not against big business but he saw a difference between "good trusts" and "bad trusts." He believed that "good trusts" were efficient and fair and "bad trusts" took advantage of workers and cheated the public by eliminating competition.

What was Theodore Roosevelt's attitude toward big business?