Unit 6: AP US History (1865-1898)

The Gilded Age

  • Coined by Mark Twain, reflects a period of superficial prosperity masking deeper societal issues.
  • Government Subsidies: Fueled westward expansion, particularly for railroads.
  • Monopolies: Emergence of monopolies aimed to concentrate wealth and power.
  • Overseas Expansion: Businesses began looking beyond North America for markets, particularly in Asia.
  • Social Darwinism: Wealthy individuals used this ideology, suggesting the rich deserved their wealth while the poor needed to work harder.
  • Conspicuous Consumption: Wealthy individuals displayed their wealth through extravagant purchases, highlighting the gap between rich and poor.

Workforce Expansion

  • Increased movement of farmers to cities for job opportunities.
  • By 1920, more people lived in cities than on farms, leading to lower wages and rise of child labor.
  • Labor Unions: Formed to fight for better working conditions and wages. Two key unions:
    • Knights of Labor: Included both skilled and unskilled workers but collapsed post-Haymarket Square riot.
    • American Federation of Labor (AFL): Led by Samuel Gompers, focused on skilled workers and was more successful.

The New South

  • Ideological push for industrialization of the South, but traditional practices like sharecropping persisted.

Environmental Movements

  • Tensions arose between corporate interests and conservationists, leading to early environmental organizations such as the Sierra Club.
  • Farmers formed groups like the Grange to combat the negative impacts of mechanized farming and railroad monopolies.
  • Populist Party: Emerged advocating for increased government control of key economic factors. Key figure: William Jennings Bryan (ran in 1896).
  • Omaha Platform: Included demands for election of senators, implementation of income tax, and regulation of railroads.

Urbanization

  • New Immigrants: Originated from Southern and Eastern Europe, faced discrimination from groups like the American Protective Association (APA).
  • Immigrants settled in ethnic enclaves (e.g., Little Italy, Chinatowns), which fostered cultural preservation amid economic hardships.
  • Settlement Houses: Such as the Hull House (founded by Jane Addams), aimed to assist immigrants and women adjusting to urban life.
  • Political Machines: Organizations like Tammany Hall provided services in exchange for votes.

Transcontinental Railroad and Westward Expansion

  • Driven by economic opportunity and government support (e.g., Homestead Act).
  • Led to conflicts with Native Americans, often resulting in violence and treaties being broken.
  • Key events include Custer's Last Stand and Battle of Wounded Knee, marking significant military engagements with Native resistance.
  • Native Americans faced relocation onto reservations, pushing for assimilation through policies like the Dawes Act.

Gilded Age Politics

  • Focused heavily on economic issues, primarily tariffs (with Republicans supporting higher tariffs and Democrats favoring lower ones).
  • The Gold vs. Silver debate highlighted differing economic strategies, epitomized by Bryan's advocacy of the 16 to 1 silver ratio.
  • Government Corruption spurred calls for reform and the adoption of direct democracy principles, including initiatives and referendums, which gained momentum in the Progressive Era.
  • Interstate Commerce Act: Aimed to regulate railroads, though initially ineffectively.

Racism and Nativism

  • Increased nativism exemplified by Plessy v. Ferguson (upheld segregation) and the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882), prohibiting Chinese immigration.

Intellectual Movements

  • Gospel of Wealth: Promoted by Andrew Carnegie, urging the rich to use their wealth for societal good.
  • Social Darwinism: Popularized by Herbert Spencer, rationalized economic disparities as natural.
  • Social Gospel Movement: Aimed at improving conditions for the urban poor and influenced future progressive reforms.
  • Key figures challenging societal norms include Booker T. Washington (vocational training for Black Americans), Ida B. Wells (anti-lynching efforts), and Elizabeth Cady Stanton (women's suffrage advocate).

Key Takeaways

  • Understand the rise of monopolies and how social Darwinism justified wealth inequality.
  • Identify reasons for urban migration and characteristics of new immigrant communities.
  • Comprehend the New South concept and its discrepancy with the actual socio-economic landscape.
  • Recognize key labor movements and the significance of the Populist Party’s platforms.
  • Analyze the impacts of westward expansion on Native Americans and significant military conflicts.
  • Recognize the implications of landmark cases like Plessy v. Ferguson in the context of rising nativism.