Period 5a (1844-1877)
Manifest Destiny was the 1800s belief that the United States was meant to expand across North America—from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.
People believed this expansion was:
Justified (they thought it was their duty or right)
Inevitable (it was going to happen no matter what)
Beneficial (they believed they were spreading democracy and progress)
List and explain the three "Reconstruction Amendments"
13th, 14th, & 15th (Free, Citizens, Vote)
List one invention or innovation that occurred in (1865-1898).
Light bulb — developed by Thomas Edison, which made electric lighting practical for homes and cities.
Phonograph — also invented by Thomas Edison, allowing sound to be recorded and played back.
Typewriter — improved during this period, making office work and communication faster and more efficient.
Bessemer steel process — advanced steel production, helping build railroads, bridges, and skyscrapers.
Telephone — invented by Alexander Graham Bell, allowing long-distance voice communication.
Which was more successful? Sherman Anti-Trust Act or Clayton Anti-Trust Act?
Clayton!
Provide 3 examples of American Imperialism.
What was the Know-Nothing Party?
Nativist political party, especially anti-Catholic immigrants from Ireland and Germany.
The party got the nickname “Know-Nothing” because members were secretive and would say they “knew nothing” when asked about their activities.
It briefly became a major political force in the mid-1850s but declined quickly due to internal divisions, especially over slavery.
Who is Stephen Douglas?
Senator from Illinois that supported Popular Sovereignty
Economic instability inspired agrarian activists to create the _________ , which called for a stronger governmental role in regulating the American economic system
People’s (Populist) Party
Provide one example of a Progressive Era muckraker.
Upton Sinclair — wrote The Jungle, exposing unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry.
Ida Tarbell — investigated and exposed unfair business practices of Standard Oil.
Lincoln Steffens — wrote about corruption in city governments in The Shame of the Cities.
Jacob Riis — documented poor living conditions in urban slums in How the Other Half Lives.
Why did the United States enter the Spanish-American War? (also, where was it fought?)
Cuban independence movement: The U.S. supported Cuba’s fight to break free from Spanish rule.
Yellow journalism: Sensational newspaper reporting exaggerated Spanish brutality and built public support for intervention.
The sinking of the USS Maine: The explosion in Havana Harbor was blamed on Spain and increased calls for war.
Economic and strategic interests: The U.S. wanted to protect its investments in Cuba and expand its influence overseas.
Where it was fought:
Primarily in Cuba and the Philippines
List two westward migration routes between 1844 and 1877, and explain WHY people went.
Oregon Trail – Settlers traveled west for fertile farmland and new opportunities. Many wanted free or cheap land to start farms and build better lives.
California Trail – People used this route mainly during the California Gold Rush. They hoped to find gold and become rich quickly.
Mormon Trail – Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traveled west to escape religious persecution and settle in a place where they could practice their beliefs freely.
Explain Bleeding Kansas was and what caused it.
A period of violent conflict (1854–1859) in the Kansas Territory over whether it would enter the Union as a free or slave state.
What caused it:
The Kansas-Nebraska Act allowed settlers in Kansas to decide on slavery through popular sovereignty.
Pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers rushed into Kansas to influence the vote.
What was the Dawes Severalty Act of 1887?
The Dawes Severalty Act of 1887 was a law that divided Native American reservation land into individual plots to encourage Native Americans to adopt farming and assimilate into American society. Surplus land was then sold to white settlers.
What political reforms were introduced during the Progressive Era to increase direct participation of citizens in government?
Some Progressive Era policies included the initiative, referendum, and recall, which allowed citizens to propose laws, approve or reject laws, and remove elected officials from office directly.
Why did the United States enter WWI?
Harriet Beecher Stowe’s major bestseller Uncle Tom’s Cabin brought many in the North in opposition to slavery, because she personalized it and made people feel it was wrong.
What was the Compromise of 1850? (MUST LIST ALL COMPONENTS!)
The Compromise of 1850 was a series of laws passed to ease tensions between free and slave states as the U.S. expanded westward.
- California was admitted as a free state.
- New Mexico and Utah territories were created and allowed to decide on slavery through popular sovereignty (voters would choose).
- The slave trade (but not slavery itself) was banned in Washington, D.C.
- A stronger Fugitive Slave Law was passed, requiring citizens to help capture and return escaped enslaved people.
Explain the strategy of “predatory pricing” in horizontal integration.
Predatory pricing is a strategy used in horizontal integration where a company temporarily lowers its prices below cost to drive competitors out of business.
Things such as:
Immigration from Europe reached its peak in the years before World War I. What were some legislative reactions to this?
Provide an example that shows U.S. interest in expanding trade leading to economic, diplomatic, and cultural initiatives that created more ties with Asia. (1844-1877)
- Treaty of Kanagawa: Gunboat diplomacy: Commodore Matthew Perry sailed into Edo Bay with steamships and cannon and forced Japanese to allow Americans to trade with them
-Secretary of State William Seward’s expansionism is trying to create support network for American trade, by buying places for bases and recoiling stations in Pacific and Caribbean (purchase of Alaska)
-Seward also got the Burlingame Treaty with China in 1868, guaranteeing rights of American missionaries in China, and setting guidelines for Chinese immigration to U.S.
How did Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation change the purpose of the Civil War and affect the Confederacy?
Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation shifted the war’s goal from only preserving the Union to also ending slavery. It made it harder for the Confederacy to gain support from European countries and encouraged many enslaved African Americans to flee plantations and join the Union Army, weakening the Confederate war effort.
Explain "Plessy V Ferguson" and the approaches both Booker T Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois took towards achieving equality.
Plessy v. Ferguson legalized segregation, while Washington promoted gradual economic advancement and Du Bois pushed for immediate equality and activism.
What controversies arose on the U.S. homefront during World War I regarding civil liberties, and what evidence supports this?
Controversies arose over limits on free speech and individual rights during wartime. Evidence includes the Espionage Act and Sedition Act, which made it illegal to interfere with the war effort or criticize the government, and the Supreme Court case Schenck v. United States, which upheld restrictions on speech and introduced the “clear and present danger” standard.
List three of Wilson's Fourteen Points:
League of Nations — A general association of nations should be formed to help prevent future wars through cooperation and collective security.
Reduction of armaments — Countries should reduce the size of their militaries.