History 2 Exam 1

Study Material

The Gilded Age took place in ___

1877-93

What was the gilded age?

The most corrupt Era in American history.

during the gilded age were there an equal amount of dens and repubs?

yes there were an equal amount

What did republicans believed in?

They believed in economic Prosperity, high tariff (mainly on foreign goods,) promote mortality.

5 groups of supporters within the republican party

union civil war guys, black folk with political power (Lincoln fans,) business men, professionals, and protosins (christens.)

What did the democrats believe in?

Low tarrifs to bring down the prices of goods. White folk should be running the country. Limited federal govermenet power.

5 groups of supporters within the democratic party

Southern Whites, Blue collar laborers, immigrants- poor workers, roman Catholics.

3rd parties

Parties that formed over problems that were being neglected. EX: Grangers- Farmers who felt ignored and wanted to promote their wellbeing.

What was corrupted during this era?

Literally everything, schools, government, business, etc.

Machine:

Small group of men who ran each political party (reps/dems.) Sort of like the illuminati.

Straight ticket vote:

Allowed voters to only vote for an entire political party instead of verity.

Spoils System:

Rewarding your supporters with government jobs

During the Gilded age, who was always in congress/presidency?

Republicans! Why? Because of how the civil war went. Since they had so much credibility gained, (freeing slaves and what not / Lincoln’s influence) they were often politically favored.

Due to this, they were the wealthier party which meant that they could carry out more campaigns and widen their influence.

Since they were on such a roll they had the upper hand which was momentum.

What was the civil service reform?

The civil service reform gave protection over workers who didn’t comply with the spoils system/political corruption.

Who prompted the civil service reform?

James Garfield, the 20th president of the United States, unpopular guy but was the first to advocate/talk about corruption. Then got shot and died by infection.

Who ACTUALLY started to fight back against corruption?

It was Chestor Authur. AKA, the 23rd president! Ironically, he was corrupted by bribery. But he straightened up and became a decent guy.

So then how did chestor do it?

By signing the peloton act of 1883.

What was the peloton act of 1883?

It began the process of banning the spoil system.

Immigration:

The process of moving to a new country permanently. Making the united states more diverse.

Urbanization

Moving into cities for better job opportunities.

How did the middle class react to these waves of immigration?

Thought the immigrants were weird.

Where did these immigrants come from?

Southern/Eastern Europe.

Why did they move?

1. To escape economic hardship

2. Escape political and religious persecution - freedom

3. Good business

4. The American image!

How did they get processed?

1. Scanned, registered, checked background.

2. Must be healthy, and not a criminal.

Where did they stay?

Most settled in neighborhoods of their own to maintain their culture.

Birds of Passage

Immigrants who went back and forth between countries to visit family.

However… These new stock immigrants were never considered_____.

Americans.

So which immigrants were?

The byproducts (kids) of the new stock immigrants. Due to schooling and being a hundred percent immersed with American culture.

When and why was there backlash against these immigrants?

1. 1880’s!

2. Some people thought that they were taking jobs

3. New stock immigrants made it hard to form worker ’ unions

4. Some thought that they were bringing the country down. This idea stemmed from William Ripley’s “The Races of Europe” book. (Racist propaganda.)

Because of these complaints, Congress made it far more difficult for immigrants to move into the U.S., and they did it by…

1. Implementing the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. No more Chinese!

2. Immigration Act of 1917, which says “immigrants must be desirable.”

3. Natural Orders of 1924 = A quota system. Only this amount of people from XY and Z can be here.

Downside of Urbanization

1. Population BOOM

2. Terrible housing

3. Really unsanitary, horse feces everywhere, disease spread.

Urban Political Machine (AKA DA BOSS):

Wielded power from behind the scenes. A small group of men led by a boss who exploited the city.

How did these bosses stay in power?

1. Exploited poor people - would “help” the poor in return they expect that they vote for them.

2. Some legitimate business men, often profited from them.

3. Illegitimate business men, same as above.

What did the middle class think about them?

HATEDDDD THEM!!!!

What was the relationship between Big Business and Labor Unions? And when were they figuring things out?

1. Early 1887-1984.

2. They were figuring things out, not perfect whatsoever.

3. It was a double sided sword since big companies contributed to outstanding economic growth to the US, however during this time period Labor Workers were not happy.

What’s a monopoly?

One company that dominates an industry and crushes competition. And at the time they were completely legal!!!!

The people who ran these companies were called…

Robber Barrens!

These Robber Barrens thought that they were doing good because…

1. Brought stability and order to the economy, because the economy would go through a boom bust cycle. EX: We’re rich!!! Aw, but now we’re poor… On repeat.

2. Social Dwarfism = only the strongest companies should survive.

3. Last Rational = Gospel of Wealth made up by Andrew Carneige “It’s okay that i’m loaded because im giving back to the economy!”

Why are monopolies bad?

According to historians they…

1. Stifle innovation. Any other product would just get crushed.

2. Eliminates choice.

3. Drives up prices! Because of no competition.

4. Hurts customer service since they have no other resort “we don’t care lol".”

Lyod’s Wealth Against Common Wealth book

It “awoken” the middle class, made them realize that monopolies were bad. Which made congress finally listen to them after complaints became overhwhelming.

Interstate commerce commission:

Government prevents railroad companies to become monopolies.

Sherman Anti-Trust Act 1890

It said it out-lawed all monopolies. But it did not work. Why? Because:

1. It never defined what a monopoly was.

2. Presidents did not enforce this law. Until ____ came in.

Development of Labor Unions

1. Mass productions: Factories with assembly lines made it easier for workers to get replaced since it required no skill.

2. Terrible working conditions: There were no safety laws.

3. Business hostility: Business men were aggressive towards their workers, since they were expandable they viewed them as statistics.

4. Because of these conditions, workers became greatly upset so they began to unite labor unions with their own representatives.

Who was the flop union?

The Knights of Labor!

Why were they such a flop?

Since they were the country’s first labor union, they made a lot of mistakes.

1. They let ANYONE join it. Seriously, 700k were in on it.

2. Their leader, Terrence Powderly's attitude was not strong enough.

3. In the end, he lost control of his union.

4. Buisness-men took a stand agaisnt them. COME BACK TO THIS LATER ONCE SENDING EMAIL.

Who was the BETTER union?

It was the American Federation of Labor !!!!!!! (AFL)

How were they so successful?

1. Samuel Gompers was a LEADER.

2. Gompers only accepted SKILLED workers. Why? Because he wanted disciplined and mature workers.

3. Initiation fees. If the AFL were to get things done, they needed the funds to do so.

4. They only went on strike as a last resort.

5. Only focused on improving workers’ conditions and worked with EVERYONE!

6. By 1970, 2.7 million workers were in it!

Populism took place in the _____.

1980’s!

During this time republicans were the ______.

Dominant party for the next 35 years!

What made the 1890’s considered the hard times?

1. HORRIBLE economic depression, the worst the country has ever seen.

2. Unemployment rate 25 percent.

3. Occurred before social welfare (government assistance.) So people were just starving and suffering.

4. Lasted for FIVEEEE years!

Farmer’s Woe (Hard times PT2)

1. half of Americans were farmers during the 1890’s.

2. Terrible droughts.

3. Screwed over by monopolistic companies.

4. Low prices = cant make ANY money.

5. Share cropping = wealthy land owners trapping people into debt by loaning them their land and and having them pay them with their crops. Basically turned poor black and white folks into economic slaves.

Labor Unrest (PT3)

1. 100’s of unions go on strike.

2. The Pool-man strike of 1890: rich dude had a company make railroad parts. Workers went on strike which causes a chain reaction with other railroad workers. Which ended the country in a halt. Cleaveland, the president at the time was like they’re violating with the law! Since they were messing with the mail, so he sent an army after them.

3. Coxies Army: Rich guy from ohio bothered by the countries poverty, marched unemployed people to DC to get them jobs with public projects/get a law passed. Ended up with most of them arrested.

Populism:

A social movement when lots of people organize something that they don’t like. (women rights black rights.)

An example of this is the Farmers Alliance: a powerful American agrarian movement during the 1870s and 1880s that sought to improve the economic standing of farmers through cooperative businesses and political reform.

Populist

A new political party made to mainly fight back against big businessmen. Allied themselves with the democrats.

Populist wanted…

1. Free silver = more money in circulation (inflation) to recover from economic depression since products and wages went down in pricing and it was unlivable.

2. Graduated income tax: the more money you make, the more tax you owe.

3. Wanted the government to operate railroads.

4. 8 hour work days only

5. laws on immigration

1896 Election Democrats (Important)

Populist and Democrats ran William Jennings Bryan.

Their Message? That Free silver is good! Balances out the economy! Williams speech “Cross of Gold Speech” says that the poor were crucified by the rich.

Their audience? The POOOOOOOR!

William had no resources and had to use his own equipment to carry out his campaign

Meanwhile with the republicans…

1. Mckinely was like lol no free silver is terrible it’ll ruin our economy

2. His audience was the middle class

3. Since republicans were hella rich at this point mckinely ran a front porch campaign and just had his supporters delivered to him

Who won the 1896 election?

Mckinley!

Consequences of the election

1. Began political dominance for the republicans for at least 35 years

2. Most americans agreed with mckinely since they did not want to do anything too drastic

3. led to the decline of the populists, they all absorbed into democrats, their ideas still lived on though.

4. Economic decline was no more! Ironically they found gold and money began to go back up.

Progressivism 1890-1909

People organizing to change something taht they dont like, typically a middle class social movement to fix the corruptness in society with urbans buisness etc.

Orgins: Progressivsm stemmed from all issues in society, it also stemmed from the middle class wanting their power back.

Ingredients inside a progresive

1. Efficiency! Progressives believed in a efficient society.

2. Professionalism! Belief that experts should run the country

3. Social Justice! Believed that the government should run it. Food and drug act being form is an example.

4. Moral Reform! Teach the unfortunate morals by using persuasion instead of laws.

5. Publicity! Expose problems before fixing them, lots of investigative journalists.

Problems with progressives

1. They believed that the government could fix all problems

2. can be arrogant and condescending

Progressivism in action

Started small and bubbled up. They hated urban political machines so they fought them. How?

1. Good Government Clubs (Goo’s Goo’s) tried to promote honest government.

2. Settlement houses! Jane Adams invented the idea and taught the poor with knowledge and jobs.

3. 17th Amendment! Let the people to choose their senators, not the state legislators.

Who were progressives?

Both democrats and republicans!

Who took over presidency after McKinley got shot and killed?

Teddy Roosevelt! 1901-1909. Was a republican.

How did Roosevelt Administration make progressives happy?

1. Fought monopolies! Actually defined the Sherman Anti Trust Act and enforced it. Example: Northern Securities Case - sued a railroad company to break down into 3 parts.

2. Conservatism! Treat government resources orderly.

3. Government should be neutral in labor strikes. Fair play.

Southern Progressives

Southern whites weaponized progresivism and turned black americans into 2nd class citizens by inventing Jim Crow laws that segregated and isolated black americans.

Plessy V. Feurgonson

Agrued against jim crow laws - judge ruled jim crow to be consitutional

How did black leaders respond to this? And did they succeed?

1. Educate black folks to prove themselves to the white community

2. Protest demand equality

However neither work because of racism. And they remained 2nd class citizens until the 1960’s.

Isolationism:

The belief that the united states should be isolated form the rest of the world and it’s problems

Expansionism:

Expanding the US, believes that overtaking more shows how powerful the US is.

Did Americans abandon the idea of isolationism?

YES!

Why?

1. Morality! God wants them to take over asia and latin america to teach the less of their ways

2. Frontier Thesis! Fredrick Jackson declares that the U.S needs a loser zone.

3. Economic Motivation! Provide new markets, makes things easier to protect them from overseas bullies.

4. National Security! Alfred Mahan believed that in order to make the US stronger and better you needed a powerful navy.

5. Naval Bases! To provide more expansion to provide them.

Spanish American War 1819-1917

1. Spain VS United States! Lasted for three months.

2. Cubans wanted to revolt against the Spanish. Which americans sympathized with, why?

3. Beleived that the cubans were the good guys

4. And for economic reasons… There were alot of american property in cuba and they did not want the spainards to ruin it all.

Orgin story

William Mckinley (before rosevelt) felt for the cubans but did not want to g ot owar. Instead he added pressure to the spanish by sending a battle ship called the MAIN to cuba.

In the middle of feburary the MAIN blew up. It was accidental but the US was convinced that the spanish had done it.

When did the war start?

1898

Did we win?

Yes! Because the spainards were really bad and teddy rosevelt led the ruff riders.

What happened with the Phillipine’s?

• President William McKinley ordered Commodore George Dewey to sail to Manila Bay.

• The goal was to strike Spanish military assets anywhere in the world, not just in Cuba.

• Destroying the Spanish ships in the Pacific kept them from threatening U.S. coasts or sailing to the Atlantic. [1]

Why did the U.S decide to keep the Phillipines

1. American Morality

2. Other countries will get to them

What happened after the war?

1. The spanish surrendered and signed the treaty of Paris of 1898

What did the Treaty say?

1. Spanish will let us keep the Island

2. The U.S gets Guam and Putero Rico (to get naval bases.)

3. We get the phillipnes for 20 million

Why was it difficult for Mckinley to ratify this treaty?

Because of the Anti-Imperialist Leauge

What did the Anti-Imperialist Leauge believe in?

1. it was a betrayal of everything that the U.S stood for, we were stealing their islands

2. We needed to solve our own issues first

3. Racist agruments

Did the treaty of paris get ratified in the end?

yes

What were some burdens of over seas expansion?

1. Philippines insurrection (violent revolt): Led by aguinaldo, it lasted for 3 years and it was a brutal war. US won and ruled over them for the next 40 years.

How was cuba’s wings clipped?

1. Teller Admendment! Cuba will be promised it’s freedom with strings attached. How?

2. by the platt amendment, which meant that no one is allowed to be with Cuba and that we could interfere whenever we wanted.

3. Cuba also was not allowed to borrow any of money.

4. We get to keep a naval base in cuba for forever!!!!! Guantamala Bay!

5. Ultimatley cubans would continue to fight amongst themselves every few years since their goverment was newly formed. Which was expensive to monitor over.

Woodrow Wilson and American Entry to WW1 happened when?

1913-17

Who was Woodrow Wilson?

1. A progressive

2. Did many things that made his fellow progressives very happy

3. Got the US involved with WW1

4. Was in office from 1913-1921

1908 Election and William Howard Taft’s Administration

1. Taft was rosevelts right hand man

2. He SUCKED

3. Was republican

4. Good at literally everything else

1912 Election, who were the 3 canidates?

William Taft (again) stood for the republicans

Teddy Rosevelt: Created the Bull-Moose party. Slogan “New nationalism” = rules for monopolies

Widrow Wilson: Represented for the democrats, slogan “new freedom” = destroy the monopolies.

Who won?

Wilson, because the republican vote was split between rosevelt and taft.

Who was Wilson part 2

1. Wicked smart, a proffesor

2. Wilson was a dreamer, dreamt of a perfect world

3. Was a loner and a racist. Not very charming

4. Again, was a progressive

Wilson Domestic Policy

1. Underwood Tariff: reduced tax pay on imported goods. Made foriegn buisness easier to do + monopolies got damage from it.

2. Federal Reserve Act: Created by the federal reserve board (FED) and they control the nations money supply.

3. Clayton Act: Fixed the Sherman anti-trust law, defined ethat law making it legit.

4. Made the FDC: board that prevents monopolies.

5. The federal farm loan act: Made it easier for farmers to recieve loans

How did the 1916 Election turn out

Charles Evan Hughes ran against Wilson and lost

1. Wilson was popular

2. and promised to keep the U.S out of WW1

When did WW1 start?

1914, during the summer.

Who was in the war?

Allies: France, Brittan, Russia.

Central Powers: Germany and Austria.

Central Powers

Austria and Germany

Allies

France, Britan, Russia.

Wilson’s opinion of the war

Wilson REALLY wanted the Allies to win.

Why did Wilson want them to win?

1. Liked the British

2. Economic Reasons! American trade with the allies skyrocketed! cant sell to Germans because of brits naval bloackade

3. National Secuirty! Feared that the germans will bully the U.S.