Texas Economy & Industry
What helped Texas change from a farming economy to an industrial economy in the late 1800s?
Expansion of railroads and the discovery of oil
What was tenant farming?
Farmers rented land instead of owning it
What natural disaster hit Texas in 1900?
The Galveston Hurricane
What was the goal of Progressive reforms?
To fix problems caused by rapid industrial growth
Why did many Mexicans move to Texas during the Mexican Revolution?
To escape violence and instability
Why was beef cheap in Texas but expensive in other parts of the U.S.?
Texas had too much cattle, while other regions had higher demand
What was sharecropping?
Farmers paid landowners with a share of their crops
How did the Galveston Hurricane change Texas business?
Houston became the leading port city
Which reform helped make local government more accountable?
Commission form of government
Who was Porfirio Díaz?
A Mexican leader whose dictatorship led to revolution
What discovery helped Texas become a major oil-producing state?
Oil at Spindletop
Why did tenant farming and sharecropping become common?
Many farmers did not have money to buy land
Why did businesses move away from Galveston after 1900?
The hurricane destroyed much of the city
Why did Progressives want government reform?
To reduce corruption and improve efficiency
What was LULAC?
An organization that worked to protect Hispanic civil rights
How did railroads help Texas businesses grow?
They allowed goods like oil and cattle to be shipped to other markets
Who benefited the most from tenant farming systems?
Landowners
How did disasters sometimes lead to progress in Texas?
Cities rebuilt with better planning and infrastructure
Which group supported reforms to protect workers and consumers?
Progressives
Why was LULAC important in Texas history?
It fought discrimination against Mexican Americans
Why did Houston become more important after 1900?
It gained business and shipping importance after the Galveston hurricane
What was a major problem with sharecropping?
Farmers often stayed in debt
Which city benefited most from Galveston’s decline?
Houston
What was one way Progressives tried to limit the power of big businesses?
Government regulation
Which group benefited most from LULAC’s work?
Hispanic Americans