Big Business & Industry
What innovation allowed for faster, cheaper steel production by removing impurities from molten iron?
The Bessemer Process forced air into molten iron to purify it, lowering production costs.
What type of condition—such as famine or persecution—causes people to flee their home country?
A push factor—something that forces people to emigrate, like violence or poverty.
What tragic event led to major changes in labor laws and building safety regulations?
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, where locked exits trapped workers during a fire.
What book shocked readers by exposing unsafe and unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry?
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair described contaminated food and abusive labor conditions.
What kind of education did Booker T. Washington believe would help African Americans advance?
Practical and vocational training to gain economic independence and social respect.
What technological advances made it possible to build taller buildings in crowded urban areas during the Gilded Age?
Steel framing and elevators allowed cities to expand vertically with skyscrapers.
What is the distinction between a push factor and a pull factor in immigration?
A push factor drives someone to leave; a pull factor attracts them to a new place.
What made the Triangle Shirtwaist fire particularly deadly for workers inside the building?
Exits were locked, fire escapes were inadequate, and flammable materials fueled the blaze.
How did Theodore Roosevelt respond after reading The Jungle?
He ordered a federal investigation and supported new laws to regulate food safety.
What was W.E.B. Du Bois’s alternative to Washington’s gradualist approach?
Du Bois urged immediate political and civil rights through activism and leadership.
How did Rockefeller eliminate most of his oil industry competitors during the 1870s?
He created trusts that merged companies and centralized control under Standard Oil.
What were typical living conditions in tenement housing during the late 1800s?
Overcrowded, poorly lit, unsanitary, and often unsafe multi-family dwellings.
How did the Knights of Labor differ from the AFL in terms of who they included?
The Knights included all types of workers, while the AFL focused on skilled, white male workers.
What 1906 law required government inspections and cleanliness in meatpacking facilities?
The Meat Inspection Act established federal standards for meat safety and sanitation.
What forms of resistance or danger did women face while fighting for reform?
Women were arrested, harassed, and ostracized for protesting and demanding change.
What was Andrew Carnegie’s method for maximizing efficiency and cutting costs in the steel industry?
He used vertical integration—controlling raw materials, production, and distribution.
Why did Jacob Riis’s photography have such an impact on social reform?
His flash photos exposed the dark, harsh realities of tenement life to the public.
How were the labor strategies of the Knights of Labor different from the AFL’s?
The Knights sought broad reforms, while the AFL focused on wages and hours for skilled workers.
How did political machines maintain control over city governments in the Gilded Age?
They provided jobs and services in exchange for votes, especially from immigrants.
How did women contribute to Progressive reform beyond the suffrage movement?
They fought for labor laws, child welfare, education, temperance, and public health.
Why did deflation in the late 19th century hurt small business owners more than large corporations?
Falling prices reduced profits for small producers who couldn't compete with large-scale operations.
Why were tenement residents more likely to become sick than people in wealthier housing?
Poor ventilation, contaminated water, and cramped conditions spread illness quickly.
Why were female factory workers more vulnerable to unsafe or unfair conditions?
They were often paid less and given more dangerous tasks with fewer legal protections.
Why did many immigrants rely on political machines for help during the late 1800s?
Machines gave them food, jobs, and housing in return for political loyalty.
What was a major negative consequence of the rapid spread of railroads in the 1800s?
Railroads caused pollution, deforestation, and environmental damage despite economic benefits.