Native Americans
What was the goal of Native American Boarding Schools around the start of the 20th Century?
To assimilate them into American culture by making them like white people.
How did the Homestead Act impact westward expansion?
It greatly increased it since it gave up to 160 acres for very little money as long as you farmed the land for 5 years.
Why did the U.S. government encourage hunting the buffalo to near extinction?
To end the Native American way of life so more land would be available to settlers.
What was the importance of the Interstate Commerce Act?
It was the first regulatory agency over a business. It tried to eliminate unfair business practices by railroads and that rates must be fair and reasonable. However the law would be ineffective at first.
What was the importance of railroads to westward expansion?
It increased travel to the west as travel times went down drastically, also increased trade.
What was the significance of the Battle of Little Bighorn?
Custer and the U.S. army were defeated, which increased the push to put all Native Americans on reservations.
Why did farmers and populists both support bimetallism?
They wanted money to gold and silver not just gold to decrease the value of money raising prices for farmers crops and helping them pay off their debts.
How did railroad monopolies create problems for farmers?
Without regulation the railroads overcharged for the right to use the railroad or bypassed rural farms entirely.
What was the goal of the Dawes Act, and how did it try to accomplish that?
To assimilate the Native American tribes. Gave land to individuals to farm and after 25 years it would give Native Americans citizenship.
Why would many people be opposed to the Sherman Silver Purchase which called for the govt. to purchase silver to increase the money supply?
Workers in the east worried about inflation (prices going up) as were bankers who worried about their loans not being worth as much.
Farmers on the Great Plains grew more corn and wheat than ever before, why would this cause problems?
Prices went down and farmers fell into debt as they purchased steel plows, land on credit and didn't have the money to pay up.
Name three things that the populist party called for? How did William Jennings Bryan kill the populist party?
8 hour work days, govt. ownership of railroads free unlimited coinage of silver, income tax, government stores surplus farm goods.
He ran for president in 1896 as a democrat while basically adopting all of the Populist Party's policies effectively killing the party.