Semester 1 U.S. History Study Guide

A comprehensive practice study guide covering Reconstruction, immigration, industrialization, the Progressive Era, World War I, and the Great Depression based on lecture notes.

What was the Ten Percent Plan?

A plan for Confederate states to rejoin the Union once $10\%$ of voters swore an oath of allegiance and recognized the freedom of formerly enslaved people; Lincoln intended to shorten the war and reunite the country peacefully.

When, where, and by whom was President Lincoln assassinated?

Lincoln was assassinated on April 15, 1865, at Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C. by John Wilks Boothe.

How did Southern legislatures break Reconstruction rules in government?

They passed "Black Codes" which restricted African Americans' rights and forced them into labor.

What were the Black Codes?

Laws designed to restrict the rights and freedoms of African Americans.

Why did Andrew Johnson's Reconstruction plan frustrate Congress?

It was too lenient on the South, offered pardons to most white Southerners, quickly readmitted states, and allowed former Confederate leaders to establish new governments.

What was the significance of the Civil Rights Act of 1866?

It granted citizenship to anyone born in the U.S. and outlined rights for all male citizens, including those formerly enslaved.

Why was Andrew Johnson impeached by Congress?

For violating the Tenure of Office Act.

What was the main purpose of the Freedman's Bureau?

To help newly freed African Americans adjust to freedom.

Identify and summarize the Reconstruction Amendments.

13th Amendment: abolished slavery; 14th Amendment: granted citizenship to anyone born in the U.S. and equal legal protection; 15th Amendment: prohibited denying citizens the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

How did African American men participate in Reconstruction governments?

In 1866, they joined the U.S. Army; served as constitutional delegates; approximately $700$ served in Southern State Legislatures; and $16$ served as U.S. Congressmen from the South.

Summarize the Memphis Massacre of 1866.

A mob aided by local police attacked schools and churches, killing $46$ people (mostly Union veterans) and injuring $70$. Hundreds of buildings were destroyed.

Which hate group was formed in 1866 by former Confederate soldiers in Tennessee?

The Ku Klux Klan.

Describe the sharecropping system.

A system of farming where the farmer gives a portion of the crop to the landowner as rent, with agreements bound by contracts.

What were Jim Crow Laws?

Laws that limited freedoms of African Americans, established legal segregation, and nullified many Reconstruction gains.

What was the Supreme Court ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)?

The court ruled that "separate but equal" facilities did not violate the Constitution, upholding the legality of racial segregation.

In what ways did states deny African Americans the right to vote?

Poll taxes, Literacy tests, and Grandfather clauses (which exempted voters prior to 1867 and their descendants from taxes and tests).

What were important pull factors for immigrants during the 1800s?

Jobs in growing industries, religious tolerance, fleeing famine (Irish), fleeing political upheaval (Germans, 1848), land, peace, stability, and resources.

Compare the immigrant experiences at Ellis Island and Angel Island.

At Ellis Island, immigrants had exams and were questioned but detained only briefly; at Angel Island, they faced exams and questioning but were detained for weeks or months.

What are enclave neighborhoods?

Districts where a distinct group lives or works together within a larger community, helping immigrants adjust to America.

Describe living conditions in New York City tenement housing during the early 1900s.

They were often crowded, lacked natural light and ventilation, and had no indoor plumbing.

Briefly describe the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) and the Immigration Act of 1917.

The Chinese Exclusion Act banned most Chinese workers from entering the U.S.; the Immigration Act of 1917 required immigrants to be able to read and write.

Describe the Emergency Quota Act of 1921 and the Johnson-Reed Immigration Act of 1924.

The Emergency Quota Act placed limits on immigration from each country; the Johnson-Reed Act prohibited most immigration from China and created quotas.

Why did Chinese immigrants come to the U.S. in the 1850s?

The California Gold Rush, railroad construction, jobs in West Coast cities, and the ability to send money home.

How was the railroad system both helpful and harmful to farmers?

It was helpful by opening new markets and providing transportation; it was harmful because small farms were charged higher rates and unfair business practices kept prices high.

What is the definition of Populism?

Any political movement claiming to represent the "common people."

Describe the corporation business model.

A form of business organization with a legal identity separate from its owners, allowing limited liability where owners are not personally responsible; ownership is determined by stock sales.

How did Andrew Carnegie keep his product costs lower than competitors?

He owned raw material companies and the means to distribute materials and products.

What was the policy of Laissez-Faire?

A "hands off" government approach that often led to laws and regulations benefiting companies instead of employees.

What was the Telegraph (1844) and its impact?

Invented by Samuel Morse, it allowed instant communication over long distances using a code (clicks and beeps), leading to the invention of the telephone.

How did Henry Ford affect the automobile industry?

He revolutionized the assembly line, allowing cars to be built faster and making them more affordable.

What were the effects of mass production on American workers?

It allowed more products to be made faster at lower prices, but required less skilled employees.

Describe typical Gilded Age factory conditions.

Long hours, repetitive tasks, no safety features on machines, and no laws protecting employees.

What were the life circumstances for child workers?

No schooling, no friends, long hours, and demanding physical labor.

What were the demands of early labor unions and how were they achieved?

Unions demanded a shorter work day, full pay, and safer workplaces; they used collective bargaining and strategic work stoppages known as "strikes."

Why did manufacturers resist higher wages and safer workplaces?

Both higher wages and investments in workplace safety would reduce their profits.

How were cities segregated during their growth?

By race, class, and culture; new transportation allowed wealthy families to move away from city centers while poor families lived in crowded urban areas.

Describe life for the working poor in the inner city.

Faced extremely low wages (due to surplus labor), high rent for unsafe housing (slums), crime, and exposure to disease in dense populations.

What services did settlement houses like Hull House (Jane Addams, 1889) provide?

They served as social centers offering classes (cooking, English, government), health care, child care, early school, and art/recreational activities.

Define the progressive reform measures: Recall, Referendum, and Initiative.

Recall: election to remove and replace an official; Referendum: popular vote to approve or reject a state law; Initiative: process where voters propose new laws or changes.

What was a Muckraker?

A journalist in the early 1900s who investigated and exposed corruption, unfair business practices, poor working conditions, and social problems.

Who was Ida B. Wells?

An African American rights crusader and writer who campaigned against lynching and wrote books such as "The Red Record."

Identify three main issues women advocated for during the 19th century.

The Temperance movement (against alcohol), higher education for women, and Abolition (the fight to end slavery).

What were W.E.B. DuBois' views on civil rights?

He believed accommodation reinforced segregation and that African Americans must take action; he advocated for "The Talented Tenth" to lead the NAACP.

What was Progressivism and who were some of its leaders?

A political movement in the early 1900s promoting social, economical, and political reforms; leaders included William Jennings Bryan and Theodore Roosevelt.

What was the result of Theodore Roosevelt's conservation philosophy?

The Newlands Reclamation Act of $1902$, which placed approximately $230,000,000$ acres of land under public protection.

Compare arguments for and against U.S. Imperialism.

Supporters saw a divine plan to spread democracy, Christianity, and prosperity; critics called it unjust, undemocratic, and similar to European imperialism.

What did the U.S. gain from the Spanish-American War victory in 1898?

Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, marking the emergence of the U.S. as a world power.

Identify the WWI alliances.

Triple Alliance: German, Austria-Hungry, Ital ay; Triple Entente (Allies): England, France, Russia.

What sparked WWI and why did European countries join so quickly?

The assassination of Archduke Ferdinand sparked the war; countries joined quickly because of existing alliances.

What were the two main reasons the U.S. entered WWI?

The sinking of the Lusitania (1915) which killed $128$ Americans, and the decoding of the Zimmerman Telegram (Jan. 1918) where Germany sought an alliance with Mex. against the U.S.

List the modern weapons used during WWI.

Machine guns, artillery, submarines, aircraft, and poison gas.

Define stalemate.

A contest in which no progress can be made and neither side can win.

What were the main responsibilities of the League of Nations?

President Wilson proposed it within his $14$ Points to prevent future wars and improve the world.

How did the Treaty of Versailles (1919) punish Germany?

Germany was forced to pay huge reparations, accept blame for the war, and dismantle its armed forces.

Summarize the 18th Amendment (1919) and the 21st Amendment (1933).

The 18th Amendment (Prohibition) banned the making, trading, and transportation of alcohol; the 21st Amendment repealed the 18th, making alcohol legal again.

What were the unintended consequences of Prohibition?

The rise of organized crime (bootleggers and speakeasies) and police corruption.

Which 1920s technologies led to social change?

Mass production (Model T), radio, and moving pictures.

Describe the characteristics of "flappers."

Women who wore shorter dresses, short haircuts, drove automobiles, and pushed for new freedoms.

What were the main push factors of the Great Migration?

Lack of economic opportunity, Jim Crow laws, racism, and discrimination in the South.

How did consumers and businesses weaken the economy in the late 1920s?

Overuse of credit, stock market speculation, overproduction (producing more than people could buy), and bank failures.

What problems led to the Dust Bowl in the 1930s?

Drought (affecting $80\%$ of the nation), poor farming practices (failing to rotate crops), and high winds that created dust storms.

What were the consequences of the 1929 stock market crash?

Panic leads to bank and business failures; unemployment skyrocketed; foreclosures and evictions followed.

How did Roosevelt's New Deal aim to help end the Depression?

Through programs for Relief (ending unemployment), Recovery (helping farmers), and Reform (curbing big business abuses); utilized a "Brain Trust" and created the FDIC and SEC.

What were the main programs of Roosevelt's 2nd New Deal?

The Social Security Act (retirement help), Works Progress Administration (putting Americans back to work), and the National Labor Act (giving workers rights like forming unions).

Why was there conservative opposition to the New Deal?

Critics felt it did not match Laissez-faire capitalism; the Supreme Court overturned some programs, and Congress often blocked others.