U.S. Reconstruction, Gilded Age Politics & Industrialization

What was the primary goal of Reconstruction after the Civil War?

To reunify the United States and rebuild the devastated South.

What major social change occurred in the South during Reconstruction?

Slavery ended, and millions of freed African Americans needed land, rights, and protection.

What was the conflict between Lincoln's Ten Percent Plan and Congress's Fifty Percent Plan?

Lincoln's plan was lenient, requiring only 10% of voters to pledge loyalty, while Congress's plan was stricter, requiring 50%.

What was the impact of Andrew Johnson's approach to Reconstruction?

His lenient policies allowed former Confederate leaders to regain power and pass Black Codes that restricted African American rights.

What amendments were passed by Congress during Reconstruction?

The 14th and 15th Amendments, which aimed to provide citizenship and voting rights to African Americans.

What were Jim Crow laws?

Laws that enforced racial segregation and disenfranchised Black citizens in the South after Reconstruction.

What economic system trapped many African Americans in poverty after Reconstruction?

Sharecropping.

What characterized the Gilded Age in the United States?

Rapid industrial growth, political corruption, and weak presidential leadership.

What was the spoils system during the Gilded Age?

A practice where winning political parties filled government jobs with loyal supporters, often unqualified.

What event led to the Compromise of 1877?

The disputed 1876 presidential election.

What was the significance of the Pendleton Act?

It began the transition from the spoils system to a merit-based civil service system.

What was the impact of railroads on industrialization during the Gilded Age?

Railroads expanded significantly, facilitating faster transportation of raw materials and products, boosting profits.

Who were some notable 'robber barons' of the Gilded Age?

Andrew Carnegie (steel), John D. Rockefeller (oil), and J.P. Morgan (banking).

What were the working conditions like for laborers during the Gilded Age?

Long hours, low pay, unsafe factories, and overcrowded housing.

What was the role of unions during the Gilded Age?

Unions attempted to improve working conditions through strikes, but owners often replaced striking workers with 'scabs' and used police to break strikes.

What demographic shift occurred in immigration patterns during the Gilded Age?

A new wave of immigrants arrived from central, southern, and eastern Europe, contrasting with the earlier wave from western Europe.

What factors pushed immigrants to leave their home countries during the Gilded Age?

Poor economic conditions, religious persecution, and political oppression.

What was Ellis Island's role in the immigration process?

It served as a processing center where immigrants underwent customs, quarantine, and registration.

How did immigrants typically settle in the U.S. during the Gilded Age?

Many settled in northeastern cities or moved west, often recruited directly into factories.

What was the significance of ethnic neighborhoods for immigrants?

They provided a sense of community with language newspapers, churches, and mutual aid societies, which slowed assimilation.

How did children of immigrants adapt to American culture?

They gradually adopted American language and culture through public schools.

What was the relationship between government policies and big business during the Gilded Age?

Government policies favored big business, keeping tariffs high and avoiding regulations.

What was the impact of technological innovations during the Gilded Age?

Innovations like electricity and the telephone improved communication and business operations.

What were the economic consequences of the Gilded Age's industrialization?

It led to higher prices, inflation, and a new class of ultra-rich individuals while deepening inequality.

What was the role of marketing during the Gilded Age?

Modern marketing emerged, exemplified by Sears's illustrated catalog, which helped businesses reach consumers.

What movement arose in response to the influx of immigrants during the Gilded Age?

Nativism, a movement opposing immigration due to fears of job competition, religious differences, and crime.

Which group of immigrants faced significant discrimination on the West Coast?

Chinese immigrants, targeted by discriminatory laws.

What was the National Origins Act?

A law that established national quotas to restrict immigration.

How did Gilded Age immigration affect class divisions in America?

Most poor Americans were new-wave immigrants or their descendants, while the middle and upper classes were mainly from old-wave backgrounds, reinforcing class divisions.

What cultural impact did Gilded Age immigration have on American society?

New arrivals reshaped American society, but their presence also provoked a strong nativist backlash.

What was the impact of western migration during the Gilded Age on Plains Indian culture?

It led to the destruction of Plains Indian culture, which relied on communal land ownership and buffalo.

How did Plains tribes view land ownership?

They viewed land as communally owned, leading to conflicts when settlers encroached on their territories.

What strategies did U.S. forces use against Native American tribes during conflicts?

They resorted to surprise night raids on villages and labeled those who resisted as 'hostiles.'

What was the Dawes Severalty Act?

A law aimed at assimilating Native Americans by breaking up reservations into private plots and offering citizenship.

What hardships did farmers face during the late Gilded Age?

Environmental challenges, high-interest loans, exploitative railroad rates, and economic depressions led to widespread debt and foreclosures.

What was the Grange?

A social network for farmers that evolved into the politically active Farmers' Alliance.

What was the main goal of the Populist Party?

To unite struggling workers and advocate for reforms like lower tariffs, government regulation of railroads, and bimetallism.

Who was William Jennings Bryan?

A prominent supporter of the Populist Party who campaigned on the silver issue in the 1896 election.

What was the outcome of the 1896 election?

William McKinley won, effectively ending the bimetallism movement despite Bryan's popular support.

What were some demands of the Populist Party that were later adopted?

Direct election of senators, the eight-hour workday, and a graduated income tax.

How did the expansion of railroads contribute to western migration?

Railroads made it easier for miners, ranchers, and farmers to settle new lands.

What was the Homestead Act?

A law that granted 160 acres to individuals who lived on and improved the land for a year.

What role did cowboys play in the ranching industry during the Gilded Age?

Cowboys drove cattle herds to railroads, contributing to the cattle industry despite myths of lawlessness.

What led to the decline of the open range for ranchers?

The fencing off of land by ranchers and the dominance of large corporations.

What was the significance of the phrase 'Wealth belongs to him that creates it'?

It was the motto of the Populist Party, emphasizing the belief that wealth should be tied to labor and production.

What was the impact of corporate control on small-scale farming during the Gilded Age?

Small-scale farming eventually gave way to corporate control, limiting opportunities for ordinary individuals.

What was the cultural significance of the buffalo to Plains Indians?

Buffalo were essential for food, clothing, tools, fuel, and shelter, forming the basis of their culture.

What was the response of Native Americans to the encroachment of settlers?

They resisted through warfare, viewing their actions as legitimate defense of their land.

How did the U.S. government respond to Native American resistance?

The government sent soldiers to protect settlers and suppress Native American uprisings.

What was the significance of Chief Joseph's surrender speech?

His speech, 'I will fight no more forever,' sparked sympathy for Native Americans and calls for reform.

What was the role of Helen Hunt Jackson's book 'A Century of Dishonor'?

It highlighted the injustices faced by Native Americans and called for reform.