Unit 1 Review Sheet: The Gilded Age & Progressive Era (1870-1920)

Practice flashcards covering economic growth, urbanization, immigration, big business, labor unions, and Progressive Era reforms from 1870 to 1920.

What three factors drove economic growth during the Gilded Age?

Labor, resources, and capital.

In what year was the Transcontinental Railroad completed?

1869

How did cities address overcrowding during the period of rapid urbanization?

Cities built subways, streetcars, and elevated railways, and people moved to suburbs.

How many immigrants arrived in the United States between 1870 and 1920, and where did many come from?

More than 25 million immigrants arrived; many came from Southern/Eastern Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

What did nativists believe regarding immigrants?

Nativists believed immigrants lowered wages and increased competition for jobs.

What was the primary goal of the Americanization Movement?

To teach English, civics, and citizenship skills to immigrants.

What is the difference between horizontal integration and vertical integration?

Horizontal integration means buying competitors, while vertical integration means controlling all stages of production.

How did trusts function for big businesses?

Trusts allowed companies to coordinate prices and wages like monopolies.

How were Robber Barons and Captains of Industry viewed differently?

Robber Barons were criticized for gaining wealth through unethical practices, whereas Captains of Industry were praised for economic growth and philanthropy.

How did John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie achieve dominance in their industries?

Rockefeller controlled Standard Oil using vertical and horizontal integration; Carnegie dominated steel through the Bessemer Process and vertical integration.

What was Tammany Hall, and who was its leader?

Tammany Hall was the best-known example of a political machine that traded services/jobs for votes; it was led by Boss Tweed.

How did the membership focus of the Knights of Labor differ from that of the American Federation of Labor (AFL)?

The Knights of Labor accepted both skilled and unskilled workers, while the AFL focused primarily on skilled workers.

What idea did Social Darwinism argue regarding society?

Social Darwinism argued that society progressed through "survival of the fittest."

What organizations did farmers establish to fight railroad abuses and debt?

Farmers formed the Grange, Farmers' Alliance, and eventually the Populist Party.

What were the four political process reforms introduced by Progressives to expand democracy?

1. Direct Primaries allowed citizens to choose party nominees. 2. Initiative allowed citizens to propose laws directly. 3. Referendum allowed citizens to approve or reject laws. 4. Recall allowed voters to remove public officials from office.

Who were muckrakers, and what did Ida Tarbell and Upton Sinclair expose?

Muckrakers were journalists who exposed corruption and social problems. Ida Tarbell exposed Standard Oil, and Upton Sinclair's The Jungle exposed unsafe food production.

What legislation passed in 1890 targeted monopolies and trusts?

Sherman Antitrust Act (1890)

Why was Theodore Roosevelt called the "Trust Buster," and how did he handle the Coal Strike of 1902?

He was known as the "Trust Buster" for using anti-trust laws against monopolies, and he handled the Coal Strike of 1902 by acting as a mediator between labor and business.

What was the distinction between Temperance and Prohibition?

Temperance sought to reduce alcohol consumption, while Prohibition sought to ban alcohol entirely.

What changes were made by the 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th Amendments?

16th Amendment: federal income tax; 17th Amendment: direct election of U.S. Senators; 18th Amendment: prohibited manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol; 19th Amendment: granted women the right to vote.

What did the Tenement House Act of 1901 require?

It required safer and healthier housing conditions.

What doctrine did the Supreme Court decision in Plessy v. Ferguson uphold?

It upheld "separate but equal."

How did Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Ida B. Wells differ in their civil rights efforts?

Booker T. Washington emphasized economic advancement and vocational education; W.E.B. Du Bois advocated direct action and helped found the NAACP; Ida B. Wells exposed lynching and pushed for anti-lynching legislation.

What did the Eugenics movement promote during the Progressive Era?

Eugenics was supported by some Progressives and promoted selective reproduction, leading many states to pass eugenics laws.