Final US History I Study Guide

What were some goals of the Progressive Era?

Goals of the Progressive Era included diverse topics such as women’s suffrage, tackling corruption in the government and in business, improving the living conditions of the urban poor, making workplaces safer and more sanitary, and making work more efficient

Who were muckrakers? What problems did they expose?

Muckrakers were journalists who exposed problems in society (corruption, poverty, racism, workplace abuses) through their writings and photographs

Who wrote the book The Jungle? What problem did it tackle?

The Jungle was written by a muckraker called Upton Sinclair. It showed the horrific and unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry

Why was it difficult for Progressives to pass a federal law prohibiting child labor?

Though Progressives were able to pass laws prohibiting child labor on a state level, a federal law banning child labor did not come about until well after the Progressive Era since big business was very influential in politics and would block any efforts to pass such laws

How did the economic role of women increase during the Progressive Era?

During the Progressive Era, many women started to work outside the home in larger numbers than before. Most worked in unskilled jobs like in manufacturing or domestic service. As more women started to work, they began to get more involved in reforms like the labor movement and suffrage

What strategies did suffragists employ in order to win the right to vote?

Suffragists had three main strategies to win the right to vote: convince state legislatures to pass suffrage laws; sue for suffrage under the Fourteenth Amendment (which states that anyone born in the US is a citizen and has all the privileges of being a citizen); and push for a Constitutional amendment protecting the right to vote on a federal level

How did Theodore Roosevelt feel about trusts/monopolies?

Roosevelt felt that many trusts and monopolies were unethical and bad for fair business and for consumers.

How did Roosevelt handle the Coal Miners’ Strike of 1902?

Roosevelt sided with the workers and told the mining company that if it did not sit down to negotiate with the workers, the federal government would take over the mines. Therefore, he helped negotiate an end to the strike

What did the Pure Food and Drug Act accomplish?

The Pure Food and Drug Act regulated food for contamination and required accurate labels and advertising on foods and medicine

Why did the NAACP form? What was its goal?

The NAACP was formed by scholar W.E.B. Du Bois and other African-American leaders who were disappointed that Roosevelt was not passing laws protecting the rights of African-Americans. The NAACP pushed for expanded civil rights and racial equality in American society

Who was Gifford Pinchot? What was his stance on conservation?

Gifford Pinchot was the head of the U.S. Forest Service under Roosevelt. He believed in a multi-use land program in which some land could be set aside for development, and other land conserved for public recreation or preserved in order to protect the wilderness. He was fired during Taft’s presidency, angering Progressives

What political party did Woodrow Wilson represent in the 1912 election?

Woodrow Wilson represented the Democratic Party

What led to the defeat of William Howard Taft in the 1912 election?

Taft was defeated because he was unable to unite the Progressive and the conservative wings of his Republican Party. As a result, during the election, the Republican vote was split between Taft (conservative) and Roosevelt (Progressive). This opened the door for Democratic Woodrow Wilson to become president

What was the significance of the Clayton Antitrust Act?

The Clayton Antitrust Act had stricter anti-monopoly measures. It also states that unions are legal because they are not monopolies. It paved the way for labor activists to organize freely and protected their right to protest

What was the Sixteenth Amendment? Why was it passed?

The Sixteenth Amendment established a federal income tax, or a tax taken out of citizens’ paychecks to fund services. It was established to set up a stream of money for the government to replace the money that had come from tariffs after Wilson lowered them

What was wrong with banking in the early 1900s? How did the Federal Reserve Act fix this?

In the early 1900s, there was no central authority regulating the banks of the US. As a result, banks often did not have enough money to provide people with credit or enable them to take out loans. The Federal Reserve Act set up a commission that regulated banks in the United States and set aside a reserve of money that banks could access to help with credit and loans

How did World War I contribute to the passage of the 19th Amendment?

During the war, women became very active in the war effort. They worked in factories, organized charity drives, served as nurses or telephone operators, etc. As a result, they proved to skeptics that women were capable and had a role in public life

What was Theodore Roosevelt’s Square Deal? How did it broaden the role of the federal government?

The Square Deal refers to the reforms made as part of Roosevelt’s domestic policy. He expanded the role of the government in the economy by regulating business practices. This included dissolving many monopolies and passing laws like the Hepburn Act of 1906 that cracked down on bribery and corruption. He also increased the role of the government in matters of health and safety. The Meat Inspection Act regulated the conditions and the sanitation in the meat industry, while the Pure Food and Drug Act determined the safety of food and required truthful labels. Roosevelt also set aside millions of acres of federal land for public recreation or for the preservation of wilderness.

For African Amercans, discuss challenges faced by its members during the Progressive Era and what steps activists from each group took to address those challenges

African-Americans were disappointed that the reforms of the Progressive Era did not reach them. Theodore Roosevelt backed away from passing laws protecting civil rights, and Woodrow Wilson made things even worse by refusing to pass federal antilynching laws and by appointing many pro-segregation politicians to his Cabinet. Realizing that the federal government would not help them, African-American activists formed groups like the NAACP, which advocated for civil rights and racial equality through education, journalism, and the courts

For Industrial Workers, discuss challenges faced by its members during the Progressive Era and what steps activists from each group took to address those challenges

Industrial workers labored in unsafe and unsanitary conditions.Tragedies like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire inspired many groups to rise up and demand better working conditions. Workers continued to unionize and strike throughout the Progressive Era. Some laws were passed (like the Meat Inspection Act) that helped improve conditions. States also began to pass laws against child labor

For Women, discuss challenges faced by its members during the Progressive Era and what steps activists from each group took to address those challenges

Women were expected to stay in the domestic sphere and did not have the right to vote or even get a formal education in most places. However, as more women entered the workforce, calls for reform grew. More women became educated as women-only colleges like Smith, Vassar, Wellesley and Mount Holyoke formed. Women also started pushing for a federal amendment protecting their right to vote. Suffragists like Alice Paul adopted the bold methods of European suffragists, and combined with the increased role of women in public life during World War I, were able to pass the 19th Amendment in 1920

Why was steel such a significant material during the Gilded Age?

The new lightweight form of steel developed at this time contributed to the construction of skyscrapers and bridges, changing the look of American cities

What is capitalism? How did capitalism contribute to the growth of industry?

Capitalism is an economic system in which people can own private businesses and invest money to make a profit. During the Gilded Age, many entrepreneurs invested money in new technology and businesses, leading to industrial growth

Why did many farmers move to the cities during the Gilded Age?

The mechanization of farming, the result of new technology, meant that machines could do the work previously done by humans. As a result, farmers who lost their land or jobs moved to the city to find careers

What steps did the US government take to encourage industrial growth?

The US government issued protective tariffs, which raise the price of imported goods. This encouraged people to buy domestic products since they were cheaper.

What were some effects of the Transcontinental Railroad?

The Transcontinental Railroad made it easier for people to move West and for industry to expand Westward as well

What was the Interstate Commerce Commission? Why was it formed?

The Interstate Commerce Commission was a government agency devoted to regulating railroads. It required railroad companies to submit their financial statements in order to provide transparency

What is a robber baron? What is a captain of industry?

Both of these terms refer to a big business owner. A robber baron is a critical term, referring to the fact that these leaders would often put small companies out of business, pay low wages, and discourage unions. A captain of industry is a more positive term, as defenders would say that these leaders were philanthropists and helped the US economy by investing in technology

What is the difference between vertical and horizontal integration?

In vertical integration, a company owns everything that is involved in the MAKING of its product. So a steel company would own the mines from which the iron ore came, the smelting furnaces where the steel is made, the trucks that transport the steel, etc. In horizontal integration, a company buys out competitors and consolidates them into the company, forming a monopoly.

What were conditions like for industrial workers during the Gilded Age?

Factory workers worked long hours in dirty and cramped conditions. There were a lot of health hazards in the factories, from unsafe equipment to pollution, and no safety regulations or laws that protected the rights of workers. Even children worked in factories (again, no laws against child labor)

Who were some famous labor leaders during the Gilded Age, and what are they known for?

Samuel Gompers was the head of the American Federation of Labor (AFL). Terence V. Powderly was in charge of the Knights of Labor. Eugene V. Debs led the Pullman Strike

What were the Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor? What were the differences between them?

The Knights of Labor and the AFL were both large labor unions that accepted many smaller unions within them. The Knights of Labor was concerned with changing the social and economic structure of the US to make things better for workers in the long-term. The AFL was more concerned with immediate issues, like raising wages and making factories safer

What was the Haymarket Riot? What long-term effects did it have on the labor movement?

The Haymarket Riot in Chicago was a clash between workers protesting in favor of an eight-hour work day and the police. It started when an unknown person detonated a bomb in the middle of a rally that had up to that moment been peaceful, killing a police officer. In the chaos that followed, police officers and protesters were both killed. Four labor leaders were executed for their supposed role in the riot, and it led to employers becoming even more distrustful of unions

How did the federal government feel about unions and strikes? What actions did it take against them?

The federal government was distrustful of unions and did not treat people in unions very well. They often assisted employers in hiring private law enforcement to break up strikes.

What were some reasons why many immigrants moved to America during the Gilded Age?

Many immigrants came from countries facing war and/or poverty. They came to the US seeking economic opportunities and religious freedom

What were the differences between pre- and post-Civil War immigration?

Pre-Civil War immigration tended to be Protestants from Northern or Western Europe, and skilled workers who settled in farms. After the Civil War, immigrants came from Southern and Eastern Europe, tended to be Catholic or Jewish, and were unskilled laborers who settled in cities. On the West Coast, there was a rise in East Asian immigration as well

How did most immigrants travel to America?

Most immigrants traveled to America by steamship, staying in the dirty and crowded lower desks called steerage

Where did the new immigrants of the Gilded Age tend to settle and work?

They tended to settle and work in cities

What was nativism? Why were nativists prejudiced against the new immigrants?

Nativists were people who believed that white native-born Americans were superior to new arrivals and to nonwhite people. Nativists were prejudiced against new immigrants due to their religion (most were Catholic or Jewish), their poverty and over job competition

What is Americanization/the “melting pot”?

Americanization is the idea that immigrants should abandon their old traditions and melt into an “American” identity. Schools and settlement houses (or organizations providing support services for immigrants that were often run by non-immigrants) were used to “Americanize” immigrants

What were some unethical practices of Big Business in the Gilded Age? How did the government try to stop them?

Some unethical practices included forming monopolies, in which one company dominated the market by buying out competitors, and in the case of railroads, taking lands from farmers and hiking up the prices for farmers to ship goods. The government passed laws against this behavior, like establishing the Interstate Commerce Commission (which regulated railroad companies and required financial transparency from them) and the Sherman Antitrust Act, which made monopolies illegal. These laws did have some success, but the Sherman Antitrust Act was not enforced often since wealthy companies could bribe politicians.

What was life like for immigrants during the Gilded Age? What accomplishments and challenges did they face?

Immigrants faced both triumphs and challenges. On the one hand, many immigrants worked long hours in factories with dangerous conditions, for little wages. They also faced discrimination from nativists, who were prejudiced against immigrants for a variety of reasons: job competition, economic status and religious differences (most of the new immigrants were Catholic or Jewish). Asian immigrants faced racial discrimination. Chinese immigrants even saw the loss of their rights through the Chinese Exclusion Act. On the other hand, immigrants had feelings of hope in the United States. Many found religious freedom. They found jobs to support their families, and formed charity organizations to assist fellow immigrants. They also kept their traditions alive in ethnic neighborhoods in major US cities, preserving them for future generations

Summarize the main points of Lincoln’s Reconstruction Plan, Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan, and Congress’s Reconstruction Plan

Lincoln- States must ratify the Thirteenth Amendment, 10% of voters must pledge allegiance to the Union in order for state to be readmitted, Freedmen’s Bureau Johnson- States must ratify the Thirteenth Amendment, did not need to protect civil rights of former enslaved people Congress- Majority of state’s voters must pledge allegiance to the Union, states must ratify the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendment, Freedmen’s Bureau, have to protect civil rights

Why did Reconstruction end?

Reconstruction ended when most Northern voters got tired of it and started to focus on national concerns and the economy

What is meant by “pardon”? Why did Lincoln feel this was important in Reconstruction?

Pardon means to forgive. Lincoln felt it was important to forgive former Confederates in order to help the country heal and avoid future tension

What is a Carpetbagger?

A Carpetbagger was a Northerner who moved South to help out with Reconstruction

What is sharecropping? Why was it similar to slavery?

A sharecropper was a farmer who grows crops chosen by the landowner and has to give the landowner a portion of the crops grown. This system was used to keep African-Americans in a state similar to slavery and keep them in a perpetual cycle of poverty and debt

What is a tenant farmer?

A tenant farmer rents land from a landowner and can choose what crops to plant

What is infrastructure? What happened to the South’s infrastructure during the Civil War?

Infrastructure refers to the internal conditions of a place; for example, bridges, roads, etc. The South’s infrastructure was in ruins after the war and needed to be rebuilt

What was Lincoln’s Ten-Percent Plan? What did it call for?

Lincoln’s Ten-Percent Plan called for ten percent of a Confederate state’s voters to pledge allegiance to the Union in order for the state to be readmitted. It allowed for pro-Union governments to operate even if they did not give African-Americans the right to vote. Radical Republicans opposed it because it did not give African-Americans full citizenship rights

What did most Southern states have to do to regain entry to the Union?

Under Congress’s plans, Southern states had to grant civil rights to African-Americans (through the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, for example)

What is meant by redemption/Redeemers at the end of Reconstruction?

Redemption refers to Southern Democrats winning back government offices at the end of Reconstruction

What was the Ku Klux Klan? What was the relation of the Enforcement Acts to this group?

The Ku Klux Klan was a white supremacist terrorist group that arose to stop the rights gained by African-Americans during Reconstruction. They particularly targeted African-American voters by using violence to intimidate them from going to polls. The government passed the Enforcement Acts, which made it a crime to interfere with a citizen’s right to vote, in order to stop the KKK. While this helped for a bit, the KKK would come back into power at various times in US history.

What were the reasons behind American imperialism?

Expanding military power, new markets and resources, and racism.

What influence did Admiral Alfred T. Does Mahan have on American imperialism?

He said that Americans should focus on building naval powers and building naval bases in other countries.

What were some reasons why the US wanted to annex Hawaii?

America had economically imperialized Hawaii. The sugar growers wanted to bypass the large taxes the US had placed on them by becoming a part of America.

What is yellow journalism? What does it have to do with the Spanish American War?

Yellow Journalism is dramatizing events to lure in more readers. America had gotten pulled into the Spanish American War because the public believed that Spain blew up the USS Maine and were treating Cubans more horribly than they actually were.

How did the explosion of the USS Maine bring America closer to war?

America believed that Spain was at fault for it.

What lands did the US acquire as a result of the Spanish American War?

The Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam were official territories. Cuba was still under American control.

Why was the Philippine-American War fought? What did Emilio Aquinaldo have to do with it?

America had promised the Philippines independence, but then tried to force their “superior” style of government on the Philippines through occupation and force. Emilio Aquinaldo led the Philippine revolution.

What is the Platt Amendment?

A section of Cuba’s constitution which states that America is a protectorate and is allowed intense access to their affairs, especially those economic in nature

What is the Open Door Policy? Why did the US pursue this?

The Open Door Policy allowed European countries to share China’s markets and resources without any country monopolizing it.

What is the Boxer Rebellion?

Chinese resistance against imperialist powers.

Why were some people against imperialism?

Anti-imperialists had different and sometimes conflicting reasons for their opposition, but all agreed that it was wrong for the United States to rule other people without their consent.

What was Theo R’s role in the Russo-Japan War?

He negotiated its end.

How did Roosevelt gain control of Panama in order to build the canal?

He organized a rebellion against Colombia, then bullied Panama into making it once they were free.

What were some challenges in building the Canal? What are the current day effects?

Workers weren’t used to the extreme climate and diseases like malaria and yellow fever. Today, the canal is still used as a major shipping port.

What was the Roosevelt Corollary? What did it let America do?

The Roosevelt Corollary expanded on the Monroe Doctrine, and allowed America to keep Europeans out of Latin and South America. It followed his “big stick” policy.