APUSH U4

Civil War:

  1. Financing the War:

    • The Union financed the Civil War through a combination of taxes, loans, and the issuance of bonds.

    • The U.S. Treasury created a national paper currency (greenbacks), and the government also instituted income taxes to fund the war effort.

  2. Lincoln’s Inaugural Addresses:

    • First Inaugural Address (1861): Lincoln emphasized preserving the Union, stating that secession was illegal and that war would be avoided unless the South started it. He appealed to the Southern states, urging them to return to the Union peacefully.

    • Second Inaugural Address (1865): Focused on healing the nation after the war, with an emphasis on reconciliation and unity. Lincoln called for "malice toward none" and "charity for all" as the war was nearing its end.

  3. Gettysburg Address (1863):

    • Delivered by Lincoln at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, this address framed the Civil War as a fight for the survival of democracy and liberty.

    • Lincoln emphasized the importance of the Union, freedom, and the principle that "all men are created equal."

Reconstruction:

  1. Reconstruction Amendments:

    • 13th Amendment (1865): Abolished slavery in the United States.

    • 14th Amendment (1868): Granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S., including formerly enslaved people.

    • 15th Amendment (1870): Prohibited the denial of the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

  2. Radical Republicans:

    • A faction within the Republican Party that advocated for the immediate and complete abolition of slavery, and later for the full civil rights and political participation of African Americans.

    • Led by figures like Thaddeus Stevens and Charles Sumner, they pushed for aggressive Reconstruction policies.

  3. Freedmen’s Bureau:

    • A government agency established to help formerly enslaved people by providing food, housing, education, and medical care. It also worked to secure legal rights and assist in employment.

  4. Ku Klux Klan (KKK):

    • A white supremacist group that emerged during Reconstruction, seeking to maintain white dominance through violence and intimidation against African Americans and their allies.

  5. Enforcement Acts (1870-1871):

    • Laws passed to protect African Americans' rights to vote, hold office, and receive equal protection under the law.

    • They were aimed at curbing KKK violence and other forms of racial intimidation.

Gilded Age:

  1. Political Machines:

    • Corrupt political organizations that controlled city governments, often using patronage and bribery to maintain power.

    • The most notorious political machine was Tammany Hall in New York City, led by Boss Tweed.

  2. Monopolies (e.g., Standard Oil, US Steel):

    • Large corporations that dominated entire industries and stifled competition. Notable examples include John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil and Andrew Carnegie’s US Steel.

    • These monopolies often engaged in unethical practices, leading to the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few individuals.

  3. Government Efforts to Curb the Power of Monopolies & Trusts:

    • The Sherman Antitrust Act (1890) was one of the first federal efforts to break up monopolies, although it was not effectively enforced until later.

    • The Clayton Antitrust Act (1914) would later strengthen these efforts.

  4. Andrew Carnegie’s Gospel of Wealth:

    • A philosophy put forth by industrialist Andrew Carnegie that stated the wealthy had a moral obligation to use their wealth for the betterment of society, including funding public libraries and education.

  5. Plessy v. Ferguson (1896):

    • A Supreme Court decision that upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the doctrine of “separate but equal.”

    • This decision legalized segregation and reinforced racial discrimination, particularly in the South.

  6. Social Darwinism:

    • A theory that applied the concept of survival of the fittest to society, suggesting that the wealthy and powerful were naturally superior and that poverty was the result of personal failure.

  7. Unions (AFL, etc.) and Their Strategies to Combat Big Business:

    • Labor unions like the American Federation of Labor (AFL) advocated for better working conditions, higher wages, and shorter working hours.

    • Their strategies included strikes, boycotts, and collective bargaining.

Populism & the West:

  1. People's (Populist) Party:

    • A political movement that emerged in the 1890s, representing farmers and laborers who felt they were being exploited by big businesses, railroads, and banks.

    • The Populist Party advocated for bimetallism (using both gold and silver to back currency), direct election of senators, and government regulation of railroads.

  2. “Cross of Gold” Speech:

    • Delivered by William Jennings Bryan at the 1896 Democratic National Convention, this speech criticized the gold standard and advocated for bimetallism to increase the money supply and help farmers.

  3. Indian Wars:

    • A series of conflicts between Native American tribes and the U.S. government, including notable battles like the Battle of Little Bighorn.

    • These wars were part of the U.S. government’s efforts to displace Native Americans from their lands and confine them to reservations.

  4. Reservation System:

    • A policy that forced Native Americans onto specific lands, known as reservations, often in areas far from their traditional homelands.

    • The system led to the destruction of Native cultures and livelihoods.

  5. Chinese Exclusion Act (1882):

    • A federal law that banned Chinese immigration to the United States and prohibited Chinese immigrants from becoming U.S. citizens.

    • It was the first significant law in U.S. history to restrict immigration based on race or ethnicity.

  6. US v. Wong Kim Ark (1898):

    • A landmark Supreme Court case that affirmed the citizenship of children born in the U.S. to Chinese immigrants, reinforcing the principle of birthright citizenship.

Progressive Era:

  1. Who Were the Progressives?:

    • The Progressives were a diverse group of reformers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including urban middle-class professionals, social activists, and politicians.

    • They were concentrated in cities and were largely from the urban middle class. Their goal was to address the problems caused by industrialization, urbanization, and political corruption.

  2. Conservation Efforts:

    • Progressive leaders like Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir promoted the conservation of natural resources, leading to the establishment of national parks and forests.

    • The National Park Service was created in 1916 to oversee national parks and monuments.

  3. Muckrakers:

    • Investigative journalists who exposed corruption, social injustices, and abuses of power.

    • Notable muckrakers included Upton Sinclair and Jacob Riis, who helped bring attention to societal issues.

  4. Jacob Riis’ How the Other Half Lives:

    • A groundbreaking work of photojournalism that exposed the squalid living conditions of the urban poor in New York City.

    • It played a key role in inspiring urban reform and improved living conditions for the poor.

  5. Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle:

    • A novel that exposed the unsanitary and unsafe conditions in the meatpacking industry, leading to public outrage and the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act.

  6. Margaret Sanger & Birth Control:

    • A prominent advocate for birth control and women's reproductive rights. She founded the American Birth Control League (later Planned Parenthood) and campaigned for the legalization of birth control methods and education.