Copy of Unit 6 Study Guide (1865-1898)

Overview of AP US History Exam

• The exam tests depth of knowledge, not just factual recall.

• Understanding connections to broader historical themes is crucial.

The Industrialization of America

• Transcontinental Railroad: Linked the U.S. from Atlantic to Pacific by rail and telegraph; accelerated frontier development and closure (See: Promontory Point).

• Cornelius Vanderbilt: Business tycoon who made a fortune in the steamboat business, invested in consolidating smaller rail lines under the New York Central Railroad.

  • New York Central Railroad: Founded by Vanderbilt, standardized gauges and connected major eastern and midwestern cities.

Rise of Big Business

• Large-scale industrialization led to capitalism and big business, with figures like Vanderbilt, Carnegie, and Rockefeller amassing vast fortunes.

• Aggressive financial strategies led to economic downturns and panics.

• Migration Trends: Increased migration to and within the U.S.; cities saw growth from ethnic groups.

• Gilded Age Movements: Intellectual movements include Social Darwinism justifying elite classes and the Gospel of Wealth urging philanthropy.

• Civil Rights Debates: Intensified, with Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) being a significant setback for African Americans.

Railroad Development

• Union Pacific Railroad: Built from Omaha westward, part of the Transcontinental Railroad.

• Central Pacific Railroad: Led by Leland Stanford, built through Sierra Nevada; mainly constructed by Chinese laborers.

• Leland Stanford: Wealthy merchant and governor, overseer of Central Pacific’s construction.

• Promontory Point: Location where Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads met on May 10, 1869, completing the Transcontinental Railroad.

• Robber Barons: Investors inflating company stocks leading to bankruptcies, coupled with dishonest practices.

Innovation and Industry

• Alexander Graham Bell: Inventor of the telephone and founder of AT&T.

• Bessemer Process: Revolutionized steel production, increasing availability for industrial use.

• Andrew Carnegie: Titan of industry focused on innovation and cost management, advocated for philanthropy in "The Gospel of Wealth."

  • Carnegie Steel Company: Supplied over half of the world’s steel at its peak.

  • Vertical Integration: Control over every production aspect favored by Carnegie.

  • J.P. Morgan: Investment banker who created U.S. Steel; played a notable role in economic recovery during the Panic of 1893.

• John D. Rockefeller: Richest American, monopolized oil industry through Standard Oil Company; later engaged in philanthropy.

  • Horizontal Integration: Merging of competing firms in the same industry, used by Rockefeller.

  • Trust: Combination of multiple companies under a single board.

Economic Crises

• Panic of 1893: Economic depression caused by railroad failures and speculation, leading to low gold supply.

  • Interlocking Directorates: Practice linking companies at the management level, raising corruption concerns.

Labor Dynamics

• Great Railroad Strike of 1877: Major nationwide strike; ruthlessly suppressed by federal troops, leading to further organizing efforts.

• Scabs: Strikebreakers crossing picket lines.

• Locking Out and Blacklisting: Owner strategies to deter labor organizing efforts.

Labor Organizations

• National Labor Union: Attempted national organization for workers; faced decline due to various pressures.

• Knights of Labor: Broad industrial union advocating for worker reform; declined post-Haymarket Riot.

• American Federation of Labor (AFL): Skilled craft union focusing on economic issues instead of broad social reforms.

Key Strikes and Government Response

• Homestead Strike (1892): Violent clash at Carnegie Steel, resulting in more setbacks for unionization.

• Pullman Strike: Response to wage cuts; President Cleveland intervened, leading to the establishment of Labor Day.

• In re Debs (1895): Supreme Court ruling favoring injunctions against strikes supporting interstate commerce.

Western Expansion and Impact

• Turner’s “Frontier Thesis”: Proposed that America’s character was shaped by its frontier; highlighted the end of unsettled land in 1890.

• Homestead Act of 1862: Incentivized westward migration with land grants.

• National Grange and Populist Party: Addressed farmer concerns against railroads.

Cultural Impact on American Indians

• Battle of Wounded Knee: December 1890 massacre, high point of American military conflict with Native Americans.

• Dawes Severalty Act: Policy aimed at assimilating Native Americans by distributing land.

Jim Crow Era and Civil Rights

• Plessy v. Ferguson: Established "separate but equal"; underpinning for Jim Crow laws.

• Booker T. Washington: Advocated for vocational education of African Americans, contrasting with W. E. B. Du Bois.

Urbanization and Anti-Immigrant Sentiments

• Chinese Exclusion Act (1882): Restricted Chinese immigration due to racial prejudices.

• Political Machines: Corruption in urban politics, exemplified by Tammany Hall.

  • Boss Tweed: Leader of Tammany Hall, notorious for political corruption and patronage.

Reform Movements in the Gilded Age

• Social Gospel Movement: Advocated for social justice and improved living conditions for the poor.

• Settlement House Movement: Social reform through education and living arrangements for immigrants.

• Temperance Movement: Sought prohibition as a means to combat social issues; led to the creation of the Prohibition movement.

Key Individuals and Innovations

• Frances Willard: Advocated for prohibition and women’s suffrage through the WCTU.

• Social Darwinism: Used to justify wealth distribution; large influence on economic practices.

• Cultural Changes: Women’s suffrage leaders like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony played pivotal roles.