Gilded Age & Progressive Era: Key Concepts & Major Figures in U.S. History

What allowed the U.S. to be catapulted into the 2nd Industrial Revolution?

Natural resources, large workforce, improved transportation, capitalism, innovation

Natural resources?

oil, water, timber, iron

Large Workforce?

1. open immigration

2. larger families

3. medical advances

improved transportation?

Irish and Chinese built railroads.

Capitalism?

Is an economy controlled by private owners.

gov't doesnt get involved unless to protect natural right

"invisible Hand" -> supply and demand

regulated the economy

Entrepreneurship

individuals invests own money to open a business

"rags to riches"

Old immigration?

Northern and Western Europe (german, irish)

reasons:

- potato famine in ireland

- revolutions in Germany

New immigration?

Southern and Eastern European countries and Asia

reasons:

- greater economic opportunities

- political freedom

-reiligious freedom

Melting Pot Theory

a MIX of different immigrant groups

Salad Bowl Theory

pluralism - multiple groups can coexist

What is the Gilded Age?

A period characterized by rapid industrial growth, rise of big business, and a huge gap between rich and poor.

What is Big Business?

Powerful corporations with little government regulation, often forming monopolies and trusts.

What is a corporation?

A business owned by many people.

What is a trust?

A monopoly that is a single supplier of a good or service.

What is vertical integration?

When one business buys other businesses involved in the creation of their product.

What is horizontal integration?

When one business buys other businesses that make the same product. -> monopoly

Who was J.P. Morgan?

- A financier known for helping the country during the Panic of 1907.

- born into wealth

- financed Thomas Edison

- $ to schools and museums

- uses vertical integration

- influential in politics

- interlocking directorate (spies)

Who was Andrew Carnegie?

- steel

- rags to riches

- Bessemer Process - durable cheap steel

- The Gospel of Wealth

- Homestead Strike - turns violent -> pinkertons

What was the Homestead Strike?

A violent strike in 1892 against wage cuts at a steel company.

What is nativism?

The belief that people born in the U.S. are superior to immigrants.

What was the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882?

A law that barred Chinese immigrants from owning property, becoming citizens, and working certain jobs.

What was the "Gentlemen's Agreement?"

An arrangement in which U.S. would not impose restriction on Japanese immigrants if Japan would not allow further emigration. U.S. would repeal the anti Japanese segregation laws in San Fran

Emergency Quota Act of 1921

- only 3% of immigrants were allowed into the U.S

- favored immigrants from Northern and Western Europe

Who was John D. Rockerfeller?

- standard oil

- modest life

- horizontal integration (refineries)

- terrible pay , hours, and conditions

- "rule or ruin"

- founded university of Chicago

- $ education and research

Who was Cornelius Vanderbuilt?

- poor family

- buys out railroads

- use horizontal integration

- puts $ into Vanderbilt University

Sherman Antitrust Act (1890)

Prevent monopolies, has loopholes

Interstate Commerce Commission (1887)

1st federal regulatory agency

Company Towns - Wage Salary

Knights of Labor

- industrial (common)

- union - unskilled

- "Bread & Butter" and Board Social Changes

AFL

- Trade (skilled) Union

- closed shops

- "Bread & Butter"

What methods did labor unions use?

- "power by number"

- collective bargaining ~ negotiations

- arbitration ~ 3rd party that is neutral

- strike

Fears of Unions Marxism

- capitalist society = struggle btw workers and owners

- workers would revolt, take control of factories, and overthrow the government

What did the Progressive Era aim to fix?

Government corruption, big business power, poor working conditions, and social problems.

What was the Populist Party?

A political party that represented mainly farmers and sought reforms like free coinage of silver.

Who was Upton Sinclair?

An author whose book 'The Jungle' focused on contaminated food products.

What did the 18th Amendment do?

Prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcohol.

What was the goal of women's suffrage?

To secure the right to vote for women.

What did Theodore Roosevelt do as President?

Broke up monopolies and promoted consumer protection.

What was the Square Deal?

Roosevelt's policy focused on consumer protection, corporation regulation, and conservation. American people deserve a fair treatment

What did the Clayton Antitrust Act do?

Strengthened previous antitrust laws and protected unions from being prosecuted.

What was the significance of the Interstate Commerce Commission?

It was the first federal regulatory agency established to oversee railroad rates.

What was the role of muckrakers?

Journalists who exposed social issues and corruption in society.

What was the impact of the 19th Amendment?

Granted women the right to vote.

What was the significance of the 17th Amendment?

Allowed for the direct election of U.S. Senators.

Who was Eugene Debs?

- International Workers of the World

- Socialist

How did politics get in the way of reform?

1. Local corruption: NYC

- Boss Tweed ~ Tammany Hall

2. Federal Corruption

- Grant ~ scandals w/ cabinet

3. Stalemate in D.C.

- HOR : Dems

- Senate: Reps

4. Spoils System

- "its not what you know, its who you know"

Election of '80

Republican ticket

- Garfield ~ President (against spoils system)

- Arthur ~ V.P. (supports spoils)

Mudslinging Election of '84

- Grover Cleveland ~ Dems

- James G Blaine ~ Reps

- Blaine (seen as liar associated w/ Grants' Scandals)

- Cleveland (illegitimate child)

Seneca Falls Convention (1848)

- start of womens rights movement

- Elizabeth Cody Stanton + Lucretia Matt

- Susan B. Anthony inspired it

- Deceleration of Sentiments

Temperance Movement

- domestic abuse was going up

- spent money on alcohol

- 18th amendment -> repeated by 21st later

- limit drinking (selling, creating, transporting)

Cult of Domesticity

stresses the ideal women

caregiver, barefoot, pregnant, kitchen

1910s

CATT started Nawsa

- work w/ gov't

- meet w/ politicians conservative

Alice Paul

- protest

- hungry strikes

- radical (force feed)

1920 (19th Amendment)

- took over jobs over men during WWI

- women get the night to vote

- took 72 years

Roosevelt vs Trusts

- trust buster

- Northern Securities

- Railroad monopoly

Gets S.C. to rule that J.P. Morgan is illegal by using the Sherman Antitrust Act

Bureau of Corporations

the gov't would investigate businesses

if they had violations

- he would fine and give businesses a chance to fix it

allows U.S. steel to be around

1902 Coal Strike

1. Coal workers go on strike (Bread & Butter issue)

2. T.R. offers arbitration to the company

3. Company says np

4. Threatens army to run the mines

5. Owners agree and get workers demand

Conservation

- preserving natural resources

- 230 Mil acres of forest/parks

- Sierra Club ~ environmental organization

Jacob Riis

"how the other half lives"

exposed conditions of tenements

led to tenement house act

Lincoln Steffens

"Shame of the cities" book

targets urban corruption across america

Ida Tarbell

"The History of the Standard Oil Company"

exposed monopoly loopholes

clayton antitrust act

Ida B. Wells

"Memphis Free Speech"

Founded NAACP

fought against lynching

John Spargo

"Bitter Cry of the Children"

wanted education for kids

better medical care/ nutrition

William Jennings Bryan

"Cross of Gold"

wanted to use bimedalism

fought for farmers

ran for president 3x

What happened with U.S. Steel?

T.R. liked steel because it stimulated the economy

Taft takes it apart because he thinks its bad for the consumers and will hurt the economy