Modern American History Exam Study Guide

Monopoly

A company or group of companies that has complete control over a particular field of business.

Pool

Companies in an industry agree to fix prices and divide business

Trust

Group of corporations in an industry combined under one corporation

Laissez-Faire

Some people thought that the government should not interfere with business, “Hands Off.”

Vertical Integration

A business strategy where a company gains control over different stages of its supply chain, either by acquiring or merging with suppliers

Horizontal Integration

A company expands by acquiring or merging with other companies that are its direct competitors or operate at the same level of the supply chain

What were the governments rules or regulations during the Gilded Age?

(Go to Work, Have Some Weekend)

No government rules or regulation of business

No taxes

No wage laws

No hours limits

No safety precautions

No worker compensations

What is a Captain of Industry?

A successful business leader or owner of a large company who contributes positively to society through economic growth, job creation, and philanthropy

What is a Robber Baron?

A historical term for a wealthy, powerful 19th-century American industrialist who amassed great fortunes through ruthless and often unethical business practices

How did this new business structure allow large companies to bring in mass amounts of wealth?

New business setups like trusts and holding companies helped big companies control entire industries. Leaders like robber barons used smart tactic, like buying competitors, cutting costs, and influencing government, to eliminate rivals and increase profits. This allowed companies to grow very large and make huge amounts of money quickly.

What was the goal of the Progressive Movement?

To stabilize and reinstate a new government into America and fix the idea of a Capitalist government

Muckrakers

Crusading writers who exposed greed, corruption, and dishonesty

Give an example of a Muckraker:

Jacob Riss - He wrote “How the Other Half Lives”, and described the poverty and living conditions of working class in NYC.

Who were the Progressive Presidents?

• Roosevelt

• Taft

• Wilson

Roosevelt

He wins the election in 1904, and he has a stronger commitment to Progressive reform.

Square Deal

The Square Deal was Theodore Roosevelt's domestic program, which reflected his three major goals: conservation of natural resources, corporate law, and consumer protection.

Trust Busting

The Government action to break up large corporations, or "trusts," and dismantle monopolies to promote free competition and protect consumers

Acts and Reforms

Theodore Roosevelt's presidency (1901–1909) was defined by his "Square Deal" domestic agenda, which focused on the "three C's": conservation, control of corporations, and consumer protection.

Taft

Wins the election in 1908, and passes the 16th and 17th amendments.

16th Amendment

To create a national income tax

17th Amendment

Allows the direct election of senators

Wilson

Wins the election in 1913, and commited to protecting consumer rights and getting rid of monopolies.

FTC

Lobbied for the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914 and helped create the Federal Reserve System

Federal Reserve

The central bank of the United States

Greater Freedom to the Consumers

Woodrow Wilson brought greater freedom to consumers by enacting reforms to increase competition, lower prices, and stabilize the banking system.

18th Amendment

Prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages

19th Amendment

Grants women the right to vote by prohibiting the denial of voting rights based on sex

What were the goals of the Women in the Progressive Era?

They were attempting to gain equal rights as males and gain suffrage (the right to vote).

US initial response to the War starting in Europe

The US wanted to remain neutral and continue trading to help their allies (France and Great Britain) in the war.

Sinking of the Lusitania

The sinking of a British Ocean Liner that contained passengers (128 Americans), and goods for trading.

Zimmerman Telegram

A secret diplomatic communication issued from the German Foreign Office on January 17, 1917, that proposed a military contract between the German Empire and Mexico if the United States entered World War I against Germany.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

The idea that submarines could be used to sink trading ships, and other ships in general, in a war.

How did the US helped shift the war?

The US brought “fresh legs”, meaning they had fresh soldiers to help their allies defeat Germany and other countries while other militaries were tired out or defeated.

Selective Service Act

A series of laws and legislation that created the U.S. Selective Service System, establishing the framework for mandatory registration for military service by young men and for the possibility of a conscription-based draft

Wilson’s 14 points-purpose

To establish a framework for achieving a lasting, just peace after World War I by addressing the war's underlying causes and fostering international cooperation

League of Nations-purpose

To promote international cooperation and achieve lasting international peace and security by preventing wars through collective security, disarmament, and the arbitration of international disputes,

Treaty of Versailles-All parts/impact on Germany

• Germany had to pay war reparations

• Germany had to give back territory

• Germany had to demilitarize

• Germany had to sign the War Guilt Clause

Article X

Committed member nations to "respect and preserve as against external aggression the territorial integrity and existing political independence of all Members".

Senate vote-what happened

The US did not end up joining the League of Nations even though the president was in favor of it.

Result of American foreign policy

Following the war, U.S. foreign policy moved sharply towards isolationism, evidenced by its refusal to join the League of Nations and a renewed focus on domestic issues.

The Rise of technology included things like:

• The Radio

• Cinema (The first ever motion picture movie)

• Ford’s Model T

Consumerism

an economic and cultural theory where increased consumer spending is seen as beneficial to the economy, fostering a societal belief

There was an increase of buying on:

Credit and Installment Plans

What were some of the changes in women, and what were these “new” women called?

Flappers

Characteristics:

• New ideal style of fashion

• Confident personalities opposed to a “Housewife” like mindset

• Going to bars without the permission of men

• Feeling more free and equal

The Great Migration

The Great Migration, sometimes known as the Great Northward Migration or the Black Migration, was the movement of five million African Americans out of the rural Southern United States to the urban Northeast, Midwest, and West between 1910 and 1970

The Harlem Renaissance

A cultural, social, and artistic movement centered in Harlem, New York, that celebrated African American heritage, creating a new Black identity and culture in literature, music, art, and performance.