APUSH Summer Assignment: Gilded Age to Populism & Reconstruction

Flashcards covering Industrialization, the Labor Movement, Old West, Populism, and key Reconstruction-era legal decisions based on the lecture notes.

What was the Bessemer Process?

The first inexpensive industrial method for mass-producing steel.

How do vertical integration and horizontal integration differ?

Vertical integration is a business strategy where a company owns or controls multiple consecutive stages of its supply chain. Horizontal integration is a business strategy where a company acquires or merges with competitors at the same stage of the supply chain.

What is a trust as defined in the context of Gilded Age business?

A massive business group that handed over stocks to a single group of 'trustees'.

What is the definition and French translation of Laissez-Faire?

A philosophy advocating for minimal government interference in business and the free market, translated in French as 'Let it happen'.

What were Robber Barons?

Wealthy 19th-century American industrialists who amassed immense fortunes through monopolistic practices, ruthless competition, and the exploitation of labor.

Which major industries did Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan, and Cornelius Vanderbilt dominate?

Carnegie dominated Steel; Rockefeller dominated Oil; Morgan dominated Banking; Vanderbilt dominated Railroad Sectors.

What was the core concept of Carnegie's 'Gospel of Wealth'?

The rich are obligated to set an example for the poor of how the rich should act, giving their money to the future prosperity of America with purpose rather than thoughtlessly.

What issues did the Knights of Labor focus on, and what was the catalyst of their demise?

They focused on making the workplace more inclusive and improving labor conditions. The catalyst of their demise was that their members had little political power and were made up of smaller groups of people.

How did Terence V. Powderly and Samuel Gompers differ as union leaders?

Powderly led the Knights of Labor without discrimination to abolish child labor, trusts, and monopolies. Gompers created the American Federation of Labor with the most skilled workers (which discriminated) to work within the status quo and focus on higher wages.

What key events occurred during the Haymarket Square Riot?

Police tried to shut down a meeting following a mass shooting; a bomb was tossed, killing 7 cops and hurting 5 civilians; 8 men were arrested and put on trial, leading to 4 executions.

Who was the manager of the Homestead steel plant, and how did he handle the Homestead Strike?

Henry Clay Frick managed the plant. He fired the striking workers, hired agents and militia men from the PA Governor to protect the steel plant, and brought in new workers.

What role did Eugene V. Debs play in the Pullman strike, and how did President Cleveland handle it?

Debs, president of the union, instructed workers to stop operating trains carrying Pullman cars. Cleveland ended the strike abruptly through a gun battle that killed many workers, cut off wages, and jailed Debs.

What happened at Little Bighorn, and why was it called a massacre by the press?

Troops attacked a three-tribe encampment but were overwhelmed after dividing their forces, resulting in the death of 268 troops. The press called it a massacre to sway public opinion by painting it as Native American aggression.

What were the provisions of the Homestead Act and the Morrill Act of 1862?

The Homestead Act gave western settlers 160 acres of land. The Morrill Act of 1862 gave federal public lands to states so they could sell the land to fund colleges focused on agriculture and engineering.

How did land speculators corruptly secure land intended for settlers under the Homestead Act?

Speculators paid poor men to file a claim, pay the fee, and sign the land over to the speculator. These men then found witnesses to testify that their wives and children were living on the land.

According to Frederick Jackson Turner, what did the 'frontier' represent, and what did he fear would happen when it closed?

The frontier represented independence, individualism, and acted as a social leveler. Turner feared America would follow European patterns of class division and social conflict once the frontier closed.

How did the organization known as The Grange evolve into Farmer Alliances?

Beginning as individual state chapters throughout the midwest, state chapters of The Grange joined together to form Farmer Alliances spanning several states to pressure local and state governments to control big businesses and railroads.

Who were key figures in the Populist movement identified in the notes?

William Jennings Bryan (Democratic and Populist presidential candidate), Thomas E. Watson (Southern Populist), James B. Weaver (Populist presidential candidate in 1892), and Marion Butler (NC Senator who led the party).

In the Wizard of Oz Populist allegory, what did Dorothy, the Tin-Man, the Winged Monkeys, and the Emerald City represent?

Dorothy represented the Average Person; the Tin-Man represented Eastern workers after the 1893 depression; the Winged Monkeys represented the Plains Indians; the Emerald City represented Washington D.C.

What was the main issue in the presidential election of 1896 between Bryan and McKinley?

The main issue was the economic currency and money supply, with Democrats/Populists wanting the 'free silver' movement and Republicans favoring the gold standard.

How did Mark Hanna shape future presidential campaigns during the 1896 election?

As campaign manager for McKinley, Mark Hanna showed that industries and corporations could work together with nominees to help them gain votes.

What was the Supreme Court's ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson regarding 'separate but equal'?

7 Justices ruled that equal separate facilities did not violate the Constitution, while 1 Justice argued that the law was unconstitutional.

Why was the Civil Rights Act of 1875 declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court?

The court ruled that Congress overstepped its powers under the 13th and 14th Amendments.

Which Supreme Court case overturned Plessy v. Ferguson?

Brown v. Board of Education.

According to the provided notes, how were the arguments of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois characterized?

Washington is characterized as radical, arguing equality should be obtained through education, civil rights, and political action. DuBois is characterized as conservative, arguing African-Americans should prove themselves through economic independence, ignore discrimination, and perfect skills.