The rise of Industry
What does Gilded mean?
it means covered thinly with gold. Also it was a period when economic growth masked underlying problems.
How were most businesses organized before the Civil War, and how did corporations help businesses grow larger?
Before the Civil War, most businesses were small, family-owned, and local. Corporations pooled ownership through shares and limited investors’ losses, making it easier for businesses to grow.
Name two unsafe or unfair conditions workers faced during the Gilded Age?
Workers faced conditions such as unsafe workplaces, long hours, low wages, child labor, and no unemployment insurance.
Give one difference between “old immigration” and “new immigration.”?
“Old immigrants” mostly came from Northern and Western Europe, while “new immigrants” mostly came from Southern and Eastern Europe. New immigrants often settled in cities and faced more prejudice.
What was a political machine, and how did it try to gain voter loyalty?
A political machine controlled city politics to help its candidates win and to make government work to its advantage. It sought voter loyalty by offering services to poor residents and immigrants.
How did population growth and immigration help support industrialization?
A larger population provided for more workers and also increased demand for goods. The immigrants from China and Europe were added to the workforce.
What is a monopoly, and how could it affect consumers and small businesses?
A monopoly is when one company controls an entire product or industry and can set prices. Monopolies could hurt consumers with high prices and drive small businesses out of business.
What is a labor union, and what did the Knights of Labor seek for workers?
A labor union is an organized group of workers that protects and advances workers’ rights. The Knights of Labor fought for better working conditions and an eight-hour workday.
What challenges did many immigrants face during their journey to the United States?
Many immigrants traveled in crowded, dirty steerage, where diseases spread. The journey lasted one to three weeks, and many people could bring only what they could carry.
How could political machines use services such as food, jobs, or rent money to influence voters?
A machine might provide food, jobs, rent money, or help becoming a citizen in exchange for support at the polls. These services helped the machine gain loyal voters.
How did railroads help factories produce and transport more goods?
Protective tariffs made imported goods more expensive and helping protect American industry. Laissez-faire policies meant businesses operated with little government interference.
Name one change Cornelius Vanderbilt made to the railroad industry?
Vanderbilt replaced iron tracks with steel, standardized track sizes, or helped make trains safer.
What were a lockout and a blacklist, and how did employers use them?
A lockout was when owners prevented employees from entering work. A blacklist identified workers considered troublemakers and could be shared among employers to make it difficult for them to find jobs.
How did Ellis Island and Angel Island differ in whom they processed and how immigrants were treated?
Ellis Island processed European immigrants in New York, while Angel Island processed Asian immigrants on the West Coast. Angel Island was harsher, and many immigrants were kept in poor conditions for weeks or months.
Who was Boss Tweed, and what was Tammany Hall?
Boss Tweed led a political machine in New York City. Tammany Hall was the Democratic headquarters and political machine associated with his rule.
What is free enterprise, and how did entrepreneurs contribute to it?
Free enterprise is an economic system in which individuals own most businesses. Entrepreneurs took risks to start businesses and helped fuel economic growth.
How did John D. Rockefeller build Standard Oil into a powerful company?
Rockefeller built Standard Oil by lowering prices, buying out competitors, and forcing other companies out of business. Standard Oil eventually controlled most of the U.S. oil market.
What were a lockout and a blacklist, and how did employers use them?
The AFL sought a shorter workweek and higher wages. It was most successful at organizing skilled workers.
What was an ethnic enclave, and why did immigrants form these neighborhoods?
An ethnic enclave was a neighborhood formed by immigrants from the same country. It helped people retain their language and culture.
How did construction contracts and bribery allow politicians and businesses to profit from taxpayer money?
Politicians and businesses could use bribes and inflated construction contracts to direct public money to themselves or their allies. Taxpayers paid for the contracts while those involved profited.
Name two natural resources that helped fuel industrialization?
timber, coal
more: iron or copper.
What were the purposes of the Interstate Commerce Commission and the Sherman Antitrust Act?
The Interstate Commerce Commission was established to oversee the railroad industry. The Sherman Antitrust Act outlawed trusts that interfered with interstate commerce or trade.
Why was it difficult for unions to organize unskilled workers, and who were “scabs”?
Unskilled workers were difficult to organize because many people were willing to take their jobs during a strike. “Scabs” were strikebreakers, including some immigrants willing to work for lower pay.
What factors encouraged urbanization, and how did mass transit help city residents?
Jobs and new opportunities encouraged people to move to cities. Mass transit, such as streetcars and subways, carried many people inexpensively around urban areas.
What was the spoils system, and how could it lead to corruption or inefficient government?
The spoils system awarded government jobs to loyal party members, even if they were unqualified. This could lead to corruption and inefficient government.