Westward Expansion and the Impact on Natives
What 1862 law provided federal land grants and funding to railroad companies to build a transcontinental railroad, connecting the eastern U.S. to the Pacific Coast?
The Pacific Railway Act
What federal law, passed in 1862, encouraged westward expansion by granting 160 acres of public land to settlers willing to farm and develop it for at least five years?
The Homestead Act
What are three greatest technological developments that changed life and society in the 1800s?
Development / expansion of the railroad
The telegraph
Large scale manufacturing / interchangable parts
The bessemer process
Workers formed ___________ and used ______________ in an attempt to offset the power gap between themselves and the wealthy business owners.
labor unions, collective bargaining
Corporations would increase their power by building these two things.
Monopolies and Trusts
Other than the railroad and homesteading, what was another key development that drove Westward migration in the 1800s?
Gold and Silver rushes - men moved west in hopes of striking it rich
Religious and Social Freedom – Mormons moved west to escape religious persecution,
African Americans (Exodusters) sought refuge from discrimination in the post-Reconstruction South.
A post-civil war farming system where tenants worked landowners' fields for a share of the harvested crops
Sharecropping
French for hands off, this economic philosophy argued that government involvement would hinder growth of the economy
Laissez-Faire Economics
Name a labor union from the Gilded Age.
Knights of Labor (1869), American Federation of Labor (AFL), National Labor Union (NLU)
These activists published books, articles, and photography exhibits to expose corruption, corporate greed, and social injustices in government, industry, and urban life, sparking public outrage and leading to major reforms.
Progressive journalists / muckrakers
What religious movement, popular among Native American tribes in the late 19th century, sought to restore their lands, bring back buffalo herds, and remove white settlers?
The Ghost Dance Movement
What were 2 problems farmers faced at the end of the Civil War and the beginning of the Gilded Age?
Mechanization of farming resulted in a drop in prices that made it impossible for small farmers to turn a profit.
Larger farms were consolidating (buying out) smaller farms, making it even more difficult for smaller farms to compete.
Monopolies allowed railroads to charge unreasonable shipping prices.
Debt and high interest rates
Climate challenges– droughts and soil depletion
Explain the difference between social darwinism and the gospel of wealth.
Social Darwinism argued that survival of the fittest justified wealth inequality, while Gospel of Wealth promoted philanthropy, urging the rich to use their fortune to benefit society and uplift the poor.
What were three things that labor unions advocated / fought against?
Long hours, poor pay, unsafe working conditions, and child labor
Led by 'bosses', these corrupt political organizations controlled the political climate in urban environments by rewarding political favors and loyalty for sought after government positions and social services.
Political machines / patronage system
What 1890 event marked the last major confrontation between the U.S. Army and Native Americans, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Lakota Sioux?
The Wounded Knee Massacre
This group of agrarian organizations that worked to increase the political and economic power of farmers, opposed corrupt business practices and monopolies, supported relief for debtors, and provided education to rural communities
The Grange Movement
Explain the difference between horizontal and vertical integration
In horizontal integration, businesses buy out their competitors focusing on taking over one step of the production process
In vertical integration, businesses buy out their competitors focusing on taking over a portion of every step of the supply chain
What were two challenges labor unions faced that made them less effective?
Unfair reputations for being corrupt or violent, unfairly being blamed for violent incidents like the Haymarket riot, poor leadership, government generally siding with business / shutting down strikes
This political party / movement advocated for the rights of the common man by advocating for a stronger federal government role in the economy, workers having greater control over the factors of production, a graduated income tax, and a more free and fair ballot system
The Populist Party
What was a piece of legislation that took rights and freedoms away from Native Americans? What did it do?
Dawes Act (1887) – This law divided tribal land into individual plots, with surplus sold to white settlers. It led to massive Native American land loss.
Indian Appropriations Act (1871) – This law ended tribal sovereignty and stopped treaty-making. Congress took control of Native affairs.
Throwback to Unit V– What was the goal or vision for "The New South"?
The South would become more industrialized like the North.
Name three Gilded Age captains of industry and identify the industry they were in.
Andrew Carnegie – Steel Industry (Carnegie Steel Company)
John D. Rockefeller – Oil Industry (Standard Oil Company)
Cornelius Vanderbilt – Railroads and Shipping (New York Central Railroad)
J.P. Morgan – Banking and Finance (J.P. Morgan & Co., U.S. Steel)
Settlement home designed as a welfare agency for needy families; provided social and educational opportunities for working class people and immigrants
Jane Addams' Hull House
The first major government effort to control big business and protect consumers this law made it illegal for businesses to create monopolies or unfairly limit competition
Sherman Antitrust Act