APUSH Unit 6

What was the primary role of railroads in the growth of industrial capitalism?

The primary role of railroads was creating a truly national market for goods, connecting different regions of the country and facilitating mass production and consumption.

Describe the partnership between the government and railroad corporations. What incentives did the government provide?

The partnership involved the federal government providing land grants, loans, and subsidies to private railroad corporations to encourage the massive expansion of the railway network.

Name the four transcontinental railroads.

The four transcontinental railroads mentioned are: Nebraska to California, New Orleans to Los Angeles, Kansas City to Los Angeles, and Minnesota to Washington.

What were the consequences of the Panic of 1893 on the railroad industry?

The Panic of 1893 led to about a quarter of all railroads filing for bankruptcy, allowing bankers to gain control over these companies.

How did the control of railroads become centralized by 1900?

By 1900, two-thirds of all railroad companies were controlled by only seven entities through mergers and acquisitions.

What was the Bessemer process and why was it significant?

The Bessemer process was a technological advancement that involved blasting air through molten iron to produce large quantities of high-quality steel more efficiently and cheaply.

Explain vertical integration and who famously used it.

Vertical integration is when one company controls every stage of the manufacturing process. Andrew Carnegie famously used this in the steel industry.

Explain horizontal integration and who famously used it.

Horizontal integration involves a company making strategic business decisions to force competitors to sell their businesses to them. John D. Rockefeller famously used this in the oil industry.

By the 1880s, what percentage of the oil industry did Standard Oil control?

By the 1880s, Standard Oil controlled about 90% of the oil industry.

What is laissez-faire capitalism? Whose writings supported this idea?

Laissez-faire capitalism is an economic system where the government is very hands-off with respect to business, rooted in the writings of Adam Smith.

Why did the American economic situation challenge Adam Smith's theories?

Smith's theories were built on competition, but monopolies in America eliminated much of that competition.

Explain Social Darwinism as applied to economics.

Social Darwinism argued that wealth was concentrated in the hands of the 'fittest,' and this was necessary for societal progress.

What was the central argument of Andrew Carnegie's Gospel of Wealth?

Carnegie argued that those with wealth had a duty to invest it back into society through philanthropic works.

What was the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890? Why was it initially ineffective?

The Sherman Antitrust Act made monopolizing illegal but was ineffective due to vague wording, leading to few convictions.

How did industrial growth impact the standard of living and class divisions?

Industrial growth raised the standard of living for most but sharply divided the classes into a wealthy elite and a large laboring class.

Describe the characteristics of the new 'white-collar' worker.

White-collar workers typically performed non-manual labor in jobs like sales and management, distinguishing them from factory laborers.

What were some of the difficult conditions faced by the laboring class?

The laboring class faced low wages, long working hours, and dangerous work environments.

Why was the influx of immigrants a challenge for early labor unions?

Employers could replace striking workers with desperate immigrants willing to work for less, weakening union bargaining power.

What tactics did labor unions use to achieve their goals?

Unions used strikes to demand better wages and safer working conditions.

Describe the key events and outcomes of the Great Railroad Strike of 1877.

Workers struck in 11 states against wage cuts, shutting down railroads, leading to violence and federal intervention.

Describe the key events and outcomes of the Pullman Strike.

Workers stopped work on Pullman cars, leading to federal intervention and the jailing of union leaders.

What were the goals and membership of the Knights of Labor? Why did their influence decline?

They aimed to abolish child labor and destroy monopolies, but their influence declined after the Haymarket Square Riot.

What was the American Federation of Labor (AFL)? Who led it and what were its goals?

The AFL was an association of craft unions led by Samuel Gompers, aiming for higher wages and better working conditions.

When did labor unions begin to see more real success?

Real successes for labor unions came during the Progressive Era.

Approximately how much did the US population grow in the second half of the 19th century, and how many immigrants arrived?

The US population tripled, partly due to 16 million immigrants arriving.

Name three European countries that many immigrants came from during this period.

Many immigrants came from Ireland, Scandinavia, and Germany.

What were some of the reasons for European emigration to America?

Reasons included poverty, overcrowding, joblessness, and fleeing religious persecution.

Why did labor unions often oppose immigration?

They opposed immigrants because they feared being undercut by cheap labor.

What was nativism? Name an example of a nativist organization.

Nativism is advocacy for native-born inhabitants over immigrants, exemplified by the American Protective Association.

How did Social Darwinists view immigrants? Which immigrant group faced significant prejudice?

They viewed some groups as racially inferior, with Irish immigrants facing significant prejudice.

What was the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and why was it significant?

It barred Chinese immigration and was significant as the first U.S. immigration law targeting a race.

What motivated Americans to push westward after the Civil War?

The hope of self-sufficiency and independence motivated westward expansion.

What happened to the cattle industry in the Great Plains in the 1880s? Why?

Cattle drives ended due to overgrazing and fences limiting grazing land.

What did the Homestead Act of 1862 offer? What was the requirement to obtain land?

It offered 160 acres of free land to those who settled and lived on it for five years.

When was the frontier officially declared 'settled' by the U.S. Census Bureau?

It was declared settled in 1890.

What was the significance of Frederick Jackson Turner's 'The Significance of the Frontier in American History'?

Turner argued the closing of the frontier threatened to create class struggles.

What was the reservation system?

The reservation system assigned Indian nations to tracts of land called reservations with strict boundaries.

What was the outcome of the Indian Appropriation Act of 1871?

It ended federal recognition of Indian nations' sovereignty.

What was the Ghost Dance movement?

The Ghost Dance was a resistance movement where Indians believed the dance would bring back ancestors to drive out whites.

What event is generally considered the end of Indian resistance? What happened there?

The Wounded Knee Massacre, where over 200 unarmed Indians were killed by the U.S. Army.

What was the goal of the assimilationist movement towards Native Americans?

The goal was to end Indian culture and assimilate them to American values.

What was the Dawes Act of 1887? What did it aim to do?

The Dawes Act aimed to assimilate Native Americans by dividing tribal lands into individual ownership.

How did agriculture in the West change during this period? What type of crops did farmers focus on?

Agriculture shifted to single cash crops like wheat for national and international markets.

How did new farming methods impact smaller farmers?

New farming methods using expensive machinery put smaller farmers out of business.

What economic hardships did farmers face?

Farmers faced high prices on manufactured goods and high railroad shipping rates.

What was the National Grange movement? What were its goals?

The National Grange started as a social organization for farmers and became political, defending them against trusts.

What was the Interstate Commerce Act of 1886? What did it regulate?

The Interstate Commerce Act required railroad rates to be 'reasonable and just' and established the ICC to oversee regulation.

What percentage of Americans lived in cities by the end of this period?

Almost 40% of Americans lived in cities by this period's end.

What were tenements?

Tenements were overcrowded and poorly ventilated housing for poor laborers and immigrants.

What was suburbanization and who primarily moved to the suburbs? Why was this possible?

Suburbanization was the movement of middle and upper classes to houses outside cities, made possible by cheap land and transportation.

What were political machines? Name a famous example.

Political machines were corrupt organizations that dominated urban politics; a famous example is Tammany Hall.

How did political machines gain and maintain power?

They met the needs of businesses and immigrants in exchange for votes.

Name three forms of popular entertainment that emerged in urban areas.

Popular entertainment included newspapers, vaudeville shows, and spectator sports.

What were settlement houses? Name a famous one and its founder. What services did they provide?

Settlement houses provided social services, with Hull House by Jane Addams teaching English and early childhood education.

What was the primary goal of the women's suffrage movement? Name two key leaders and the organization they formed in 1890.

The primary goal was women's suffrage, led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, who formed NAWSA.

What was the goal of the temperance movement? Name two key organizations involved.

The goal was alcohol abstinence, led by the WCTU and the Anti-Saloon League.

Who was Carry Nation and what methods did she use?

Carry Nation was a temperance advocate known for direct actions, including destroying liquor casks.

What was the Social Gospel movement? What did its proponents advocate for?

The Social Gospel was a reform movement advocating for applying Christian principles to societal wrongs.

How did literature shift after the Civil War? Name a key author and a work.

Literature shifted to realism; Mark Twain's 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' depicted societal issues.

What artistic style did painters like James McNeill Whistler adopt?

They adopted realism in art.

Name an architect who explored innovations during urbanization and describe his style.

Frank Lloyd Wright pioneered natural style architecture using lines from the environment.

What was Henry Grady's vision for a 'New South'?

Henry Grady envisioned a 'New South' based on economic diversity and industrial growth.

In what industry did some Southern cities surpass New England?

Southern cities surpassed New England in textile manufacturing.

What characterized most of the South's economy despite some industrial growth? What was sharecropping often compared to?

Most of the South remained agricultural and racially segregated, with sharecropping compared to servitude.

What happened in the South after the end of Reconstruction in 1877?

White supremacy ideology led to a racially segregated society after federal troops withdrew.

What was the significance of the Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)? What legal doctrine did it establish?

Plessy v. Ferguson upheld 'separate but equal' facilities, establishing legal segregation.

What were Jim Crow laws? Name some examples.

Jim Crow laws enforced racial segregation in public facilities like bathrooms and transportation.

How did Ida B. Wells resist racial inequity?

Ida B. Wells opposed lynching through her writings and activism.

What was Henry Turner's proposal for black people?

Henry Turner's International Migration Society aimed to facilitate black migration to Africa.

What was Booker T. Washington's approach to improving the lives of black people? What did he emphasize?

Washington advocated for economic self-sufficiency through education and vocational training.

Describe the general nature of politics during the Gilded Age.

Politics was largely corrupt and hands-off regarding business and limited government.

What were the two major political parties and what were their general bases of support?

Republicans were supported by blacks and businessmen, while Democrats were supported by immigrants and machines.

What was patronage in politics?

Patronage awarded government jobs to supporters and party loyalists.

What were the three main issues that parties fought about during this period?

The issues were civil service reform, money supply, and tariffs.

What led to the passage of the Pendleton Act of 1881? What did it aim to do?

The assassination of President Garfield led to the Pendleton Act, aiming to correct patronage with competitive examinations.

What did farmers and entrepreneurs want regarding the money supply? Why?

They wanted an expanded money supply to lower interest rates and help pay debts.

What did bankers and investors want regarding the money supply? Why?

They wanted to keep the gold standard to maintain money value against inflation.

Why were tariffs a point of contention? Who benefited and who was hurt by them?

Tariffs protected American industry but hurt farmers and consumers by increasing prices.

When was the Populist Party formed? What were they addressing?

The Populist Party was formed in 1892 to address economic power concentration and farmers' issues.

Name three political reforms sought by the Populist Party in the Omaha Platform.

They sought the direct election of senators, initiatives, and referendums.

Name three economic reforms sought by the Populist Party in the Omaha Platform.

They sought unlimited silver coinage, a graduated income tax, and an eight-hour workday.

What happened in the election of 1896 regarding the Populist Party and the Democratic Party? Who won the presidency?

The Democratic Party adopted some Populist tenets, but Republican William McKinley won the presidency.

What event after McKinley took office briefly satisfied both proponents of the gold standard and silver coinage?

The discovery of gold in Alaska increased the money supply, pleasing both sides.