APUSH Unit 6 Test

(make these questions/answers into flashcards)

  1. Explain the influence of Jane Addams and the settlement house workers.


Jane Addams and settlement house workers helped urban poor, African Americans, and immigrants by advocating for services that supported their assimilation into American society. They taught English and helped people develop practical skills like job interview techniques.


  1. Explain the influence of congressional legislation on immigration. 


While immigration naturally increased, it declined due to laws that placed limits on it. The Chinese Exclusion Act was one example, and by the 1920s, immigration dropped significantly due to quota systems.


  1. How did new transportation change agriculture in the U.S. (In North & South & West)?


New transportation, especially railroads, changed agriculture in the U.S. by connecting different regions and making transportation cheaper. Railroads helped integrate the North, South, and West, leading to the growth of new businesses and cities.



  1. What were the effects of westward expansion on the Native Americans? What was the Dawes Act?


Westward expansion had severe effects on Native Americans, often leading to conflicts with settlers and the military. Battles such as Wounded Knee, the Ghost Dance Movement, and Little Bighorn reflected these tensions. There was little effort to coexist with Native Americans. Instead, policies like the Dawes Act were created to assimilate them into American culture by encouraging them to learn English, attend Western schools, and adopt American customs.



  1. How did the theory of laissez-faire economics lead to the growth of industry? What were negative effects?


Laissez-faire economics, which promoted little to no government intervention in business, helped industries grow rapidly. Businessmen like Rockefeller and Carnegie benefited from this system, which supported capitalism and industrial expansion. However, it also led to negative effects, such as increasing the gap between the rich and the poor. Many workers suffered from low wages, long hours, dangerous conditions, and a lack of rights.



  1. Who were the Populists and what were their goals?


The Populist Party emerged as a political group that fought for farmers' rights. They wanted the government to regulate railroad industries and stop unfair business practices that hurt small farmers. The Populists also pushed for economic changes, including switching from the gold standard to silver-backed currency to help the average American.



  1. What did WEB Dubois advocate for?

W.E.B. Du Bois advocated for the advancement of Black rights, believing that African Americans should pursue higher education to achieve equality.



  1. What was Carnegie’s impact on philanthropy?


Andrew Carnegie had a major impact on philanthropy, encouraging the wealthy to give back to society. He built libraries, schools, concert halls, and colleges. His book, the Gospel of Wealth, promoted the idea that the rich should use their money to benefit others.


  1. Explain the role of monopolies during the Gilded Age.


During the Gilded Age, monopolies grew due to laissez-faire policies, allowing big businesses to eliminate competition. This created an economic system that favored large corporations while harming smaller businesses and workers. Eventually, the government had to step in to regulate monopolies.



  1. Explain the differences between immigrants in the 1840’s & 50’s to those in the 80’s & 90’s.


Immigrants in the 1840s and 1850s mainly came from Northern Europe, including Britain, Ireland, Germany, and China, and often worked on farms. By the 1880s and 1890s, immigration shifted to people from Southern and Eastern Europe, such as Italians, Russians, and Hungarians, who often settled in cities.


  1. Who were the Nativists?


Nativists were an anti-immigrant political group that wanted to ban immigration and prevent new immigrants from entering the country.


  1. What did Ida B Wells advocate for?


Ida B. Wells was a muckraker and activist during the Progressive Era who fought against lynching in the South. She worked to raise awareness about its brutality and injustice.



  1. Explain the impact of the organization of labor unions.


Labor unions played an important role in protecting workers' rights. They used negotiation strategies like collective bargaining to demand better wages and working conditions. However, big businesses often opposed labor unions.



  1. What did Ida Tarbell advocate for?


Ida Tarbell was a muckraking journalist who exposed corruption in Standard Oil, the company owned by John D. Rockefeller. Her investigative work helped bring attention to unfair business practices and led to Teddy Roosevelt taking action against monopolies.


(use the following information as well to help form flashcards):

Westward Expansion: Effects on Native Americans & Agriculture

  • Westward Expansion & Native Americans:

    • Conflicts arose as settlers moved westward.

    • Battles such as Wounded Knee and Little Bighorn reflected these tensions.

    • The Dawes Act (1887) aimed to assimilate Native Americans by dividing tribal lands into individual plots.

  • Agriculture & New Transportation:

    • Mechanization of Agriculture: The mechanical reaper & combine harvester increased crop production.

    • Economic Challenges for Farmers: Overproduction led to falling crop prices, and high railroad shipping rates hurt farmers.

    • Railroads & Westward Migration: The Pacific Railroad Acts provided government land grants, enabling the construction of transcontinental railroads, making westward migration easier.

  • Populist Movement:

    • The National Grange Movement (1868) advocated for farmers, leading to Granger Laws that regulated railroad rates.

    • The Interstate Commerce Act (1886) required fair railroad rates, leading to the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC).

    • The Populist Party emerged, advocating for railroad regulation, unlimited silver coinage, and economic reforms to help small farmers.

Impact of Laissez-Faire Economics & Industrialization

  • Laissez-Faire Policies:

    • Minimal government intervention allowed businesses to grow unchecked.

    • Led to monopolies (e.g., Rockefeller’s Standard Oil) and economic inequality.

  • Monopolies in the Gilded Age:

    • John D. Rockefeller used horizontal integration to dominate the oil industry.

    • Andrew Carnegie used vertical integration to control steel production.

  • Negative Effects of Industrialization:

    • Low wages, long hours, poor working conditions, and exploitation of labor.

    • Labor Unions formed to protect workers, using strikes and collective bargaining.

    • Major Strikes:

      • Great Railroad Strike of 1877 – Wage cuts led to nationwide strikes, with over 100 deaths.

      • Pullman Strike (1894) – Federal troops intervened after a nationwide strike over wage cuts.

Philanthropy & Reform

  • Andrew Carnegie & the Gospel of Wealth:

    • Carnegie believed the wealthy should give back to society.

    • Donated $350 million to build libraries, universities, and cultural institutions.

  • Settlement Houses & Jane Addams:

    • Hull House (1889) provided English lessons, job training, and social support to immigrants.

  • Ida Tarbell:

    • Investigative journalist who exposed Standard Oil’s corruption, leading to antitrust actions.

  • Ida B. Wells:

    • Advocated against lynching and raised awareness of racial violence.

Immigration & Nativist Reactions

  • Changing Immigration Trends:

    • 1840s–1850s: Immigrants came from Britain, Ireland, Germany, and China, often working on farms.

    • 1880s–1890s: Immigration shifted to Southern & Eastern Europe (Italians, Russians, Hungarians), settling in cities.

  • Nativism & Anti-Immigrant Policies:

    • Nativists opposed immigration, fearing economic and cultural changes.

    • Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) – First U.S. law restricting immigration based on nationality.

  • W.E.B. Du Bois:

    • Advocated for higher education and political activism to achieve racial equality.