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