US History 1 - Final Study Guide (Short Answer + Essay)

Rapid growth of cities

• Because of the increase in factory jobs, many people moved to the cities

• Many soldiers returned home which boosted the population, jobs, and production

• The rapid growth caused a lack of housing, which resulted in overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, polluted water, easy dispersion of disease, increased crime rate, and fires

Railroads help US

• They were essential in rebuilding and re-stabilizing the country after the Civil War

• They aided the economy because they created jobs

  • Goods could be shipped faster so more people were needed to help grow and harvest goods

  • Railroads needed iron, coal, and timber, along with manual labor to make them

• They helped spread ideas, people, and information faster and more efficiently

Robber Baron – Captain of Industry

• Robber barons → wealthy men who only used their money to benefit themselves. They capitalized industries, underpaid their workers, and raised the prices of goods

• Captains of industry → people who gained wealth but used it for good. They donated money and paid their workers fairly, along with advocating for workers rights

How did Lincoln Deal with Dissent

• Lincoln responded forcefully with dissent

  • He sent troops to Maryland when a crowd attacked a union Regiment

• He suspended Habeas Corpus (authorities must bring a person to court to determine why he is being jailed)

Worsening conditions for workers in factors

• Working conditions were dangerous and many workers would get hurt often

  • Long work days

  • In-equal pay

  • Child labor

• To protest this, workers started forming unions to get better wages and working conditions

  • the first union was the knights of labor, which wanted 8 hour work days, equal pay for equal work, for the government to regulate trusts, and to end child labor

Was the reconstruction after the US Civil War more of a success or a failure?

Successes

• African Americans were elected into political officers

• Republican took control of state governments in the south

• 13th amendment → Slavery was outlawed

• 14th amendment →Granted citizenship to everyone

• 15th amendment →African American men could vote

Failures

• Black codes (discriminatory laws) were passed

• Violence and intimidation were used against Black people by groups like the KKK

• Lynching Black people became common

• The federal government wasn’t able to sustain reconstruction