US history Test Cordell Module 10 & 11
Samuel J. Tilden
governor of New York and candidate for president in 1876; he won the popular vote over Rutherford B. Hayes but lost the disputed electoral vote
Farmers' Alliances
groups of farmers, or those in sympathy with farming issues, who sent lecturers from town to town to educate people about agricultural and rural issues
Tenant Farming
-a system in which farm workers supply their own tools and rent farmland for cash
According to farmers and other supporters of free silver, explain how bimetallism help the economy?
According to farmers and other supporters of free silver, bimetallism helped the economy by putting more money into circulation, allowing people to have more money. Also, it caused products to be sold at higher prices, allowing people who sold goods to make more of a profit for selling their goods.
Explain why African Americans migrate west from southern states in the late 1870s?
African Americans migrated West from southern states in the late 1870s because they wanted to escape segregation laws and violent attacks from groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, and the Homestead Act gave African Americans the chance to own their own land and start new lives in the West, where their freedoms would not be restricted.
Describe the economic conditions of the south after the civil war
After the Civil War, the South's economy was in shambles. Property values in the South plummeted, the people who invested in Confederate bonds had little hope of recovering their money, many small farms were ruined/in disrepair because their owners had been killed, plantations were unattended because their workforce (slaves) were gone, and southerners in every economic class were poorer than they were at the start of the war.
Hiram Revels
American clergyman, educator, and politician; he became the first African American in the U.S. Senate
Oliver Hudson Kelly
American government agent who founded the Patrons of Husbandry, or Grange, in 1867
Henry Grady
American journalist; he promoted the idea of the New South after the Civil War, encouraging the expansion of industry in that region
William Jennings Bryan
American lawyer and Populist politician, he favored the free coinage of silver, an economic policy expected to help farmers. He was a Democratic candidate for president in 1896. He later led the prosecution in the Scopes Trial.
How did Atlanta become the leading industrial center in the south?
Atlanta became the leading industrial center in the south because Grady's efforts to promote the New South were somewhat successful, which led to Atlanta becoming the South's major industrial center.
Explain how the government policies encourage settlement of the West?
Government policies encouraged settlement of the West due to the passing of the Homestead Act, which offered 160 acres of land free to any citizen or intended citizen who was head of the household because the states (minus the southern states) were eager to populate the western states and territories.
How did Henry Grady plan to promote the New South?
Henry Grady planned to promote the New South by believing in separation of the races, claiming that black southerners were given fair chances to succeed economically (empty talk), and suggesting that racial tensions in the South had been resolved to entice northerners to invest in southern businesses.
Explain how mining lead to the establishment of new towns in the West?
Mining lead to the establishment of new towns in the West because whenever gold was found somewhere, people would swarm into the region. Towns would be built so that people could be close to the mines so that they could make money by mining.
Comstock Lode
Nevada gold and silver mine discovered by Henry Comstock in 1859
What were some similarities in the goals of scalawags and carpetbaggers?
One similarity in the goals of scalawags and carpetbaggers was that they both wanted the South to be rebuilt/to help rebuild the South. Another similarity in the goals of scalawags and carpetbaggers was that they wanted to improve the economy and make a profit.
Explain how the railroads help open the West?
Railroads helped open the West by causing tracks to be lain eastward from Sacramento and westward from Omaha, eventually reaching Utah. This led to the railroads to the East and West coast being forever linked.
Explain why settlers overcome the challenges of living on the Great Plains?
Settlers overcame the challenges of living on the Great Plains by using the technique of dry farming (made it possible to raise certain crops with very little water), plowing the land deeply and repeatedly (allowed rain to be absorbed into the soil, reaching the roots of the plants), and planting special varieties of wheat that needed less water than other types.
Why did southern planters want to restore the plantation system?
Southern planters wanted to restore the plantation system because they wanted to make a profit and they wanted to resume widespread cotton production.
Explain why Morrill Act significant?
The Morrill Acts were significant because they financed agricultural education by giving federal land to the states to help finance agricultural colleges. The Morrill Act of 1862 was significant because it was the first time the federal government provided assistance for higher education. The Morrill Act of 1890 withheld money from states that did not admit nonwhite students, which encouraged states to found colleges for African Americans and Native Americans.
Explain how did the Supreme Court undermine support for Reconstruction in the 1870s?
The Supreme Court undermined support for Reconstruction in the 1870s by increasing taxes of all kinds (drained resources and slowed the region's recovery), which hit large landowners (former members of the planter class) the hardest, and the new taxes further angered the rich, who were already angry about the increased involvement of Republicans, the non-wealthy, and African Americans in state government.
Who were the "carpetbaggers"?
The carpetbaggers were northerners who moved to the South after the Civil War. They were given this name by southern Democrats. The name "carpetbagger" referred to the belief that northerners arrived with so few belongings that everything could fit into a carpetbag (a small piece of luggage made of carpeting. This implied that the northerners that arrived in the South were low class people who didn't bring anything to southern society. In actuality, however, most carpetbaggers were well educated members of the middle class.
Explain why the cattle industry became a big business in the late 800s?
The cattle industry became a big business in the late 1800s because the herds of buffalo disappeared, causing cattle to flourish on the plains, longhorns were brought by the Spanish to Mexico and adjusted well to life on the plains, cowboys were introduced to America and were influenced by Mexican vaqueros, and there was a growing demand for beef.
Explain how the cowboy culture reflect the ethnic diversity of the United States?
The cowboy culture reflected the ethnic diversity of the United States because cowboys learned things such as how to round up, rope, brand, and care for longhorns from their Mexican neighbors. Also, the cowboy way of life stemmed from Spanish ranchers in Mexico, called vaqueros.
Explain how the decline in cotton demand actually benefitted the south.
The decline in cotton demand actually benefitted the South because their agricultural problems lead to attempts to diversify the region's economy. Textile mills were built, the industry of tobacco-product manufacturing took hold, and diversification helped raise the average wage in the South.
Describe difficulties did miners face?
The difficulties that miners faced were that placer mining, such as panning, were tedious ways to make money by mining, hydraulic mining required expensive equipment to extract gold from below the surface, hard-rock mining was hard and dangerous work, tunnels collapsed and caused many deaths, as well as miners to be trapped for days, and heat in mines could cause deadly explosions.
Describe the economic problems confronted American farmers in the 890s?
The economic problems that confronted American farmers in the 1890s were elaborate machinery was expensive (farmers often had to borrow money to buy it), farmers needed to raise more crops to make ends meet when wheat prices fell, farmers mortgaged their land to buy more property (as farms grew bigger, so did farmers' debts), bonanza farms couldn't compete with smaller farms (more flexible in the crops they grew; bonanza farms slowly folded into bankruptcy), farmers felt pressure from the rising cost in shipping grains (railroads charged western farmers a higher fee than eastern farmers; railroads sometimes charged more for short hauls than they did for long hauls), and many farmers found themselves in a cycle of overproduction (growing as much grain as they could grow on as much land as they could get; resulted in further debt).
Describe the factors limited the planters' success in restoring the plantation system?
The factors that limited the planters' success in restoring the plantation system were they did not have complete control over their laborers due to the abolition of slavery, they may not be able to make a profit because they now had to pay laborers, the high death toll of the Civil War reduced the number of able-bodied workers, and many African American women and children refused to work in the fields after they were freed.
Explain how the invention of barbed wire change the western frontier?
The invention of barbed wire changed the western frontier because it allowed farmers to protect their fields, allowed ranchers to enclose their grazing lands, range wars broke out between cattle ranchers and sheep ranchers for control of the grasslands because sheep cropped the grass so close that cattle could no longer graze, ranchers strung barbed wire across public lands/other people's property/public roads (blocking them), it set off a wave of fence cutting (Texas legislature made fence cutting a felony), dry summers and harsh winters wiped out whole herds, ranchers downsized the amount of cattle they had, and the days of long cattle drive ended, causing the era of the wide open West to end.
Identify the issues that caused the panic of 1893?
The issues that caused the Panic of 1893 were many railroads went bankrupt, the government's gold supply ran thin (partly due to obligation to purchase silver under the Sherman Silver Purchase Act), and people panicked and traded their paper money for gold.
Why was the metal that backed paper currency such an important issue in the 1896 Presidential campaign?
The metal that backed paper currency was such an important issue in the 1896 Presidential campaign because people saw paper money as worthless if it could not be turned in for gold or silver.
Describe the obstacles faced by African-Americans during reconstruction.
The obstacles faced by African-Americans during reconstruction were that they were cautious about testing the limits of their freedom, they faced many difficult decisions now that they were free, not many of them were educated, many anti segregation laws were not enforced, cities only offered segregation, poor housing, and low-paying jobs, land reform proposals were rejected, former slaves had to sign labor contracts with planters, sharecroppers eventually had no money left, and black farmers were once again tied to the land that they worked on.
Explain how did the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment change the relationship between federal and state power?
The passage of the Fourteenth Amendment changed the relationship between federal and state power because it made the Bill of Rights applicable to the states/state governments. Prior to this, the Bill of Rights only applied to the federal government.
Describe political, social, and economic factors helped bring about the end of Reconstruction?
The political factors that helped bring about the end of Reconstruction were the Ku Klux Klan, the Amnesty Act (returned the right to vote and hold public office - revoked by the Fourteenth Amendment - to about 150,000 former Confederates), allowing the Freedman's Bureau to expire (southern Democrats now had an opportunity to shift the balance of political power in their favor), the Specie Resumption Act (promised to put the country back on the gold standard), the Court issuing a series of decisions that undermined both the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, redemption (Democrats return to power in the South), the Election of 1876 (Rutherford B. Hayes elected despite not winning the popular vote), the Compromise of 1877 (acceptance of this compromise meant the end of Reconstruction in the South), and the Democrats achieving their goal of home rule in the South (the ability to run state governments without federal intervention). The social factors that helped bring about the end of Reconstruction were the many scandals that hurt the Republican party (ex. the Crédit Mobilier, a construction company working for the Union Pacific Railroad, had skimmed off large profits from the railroad's government contract and the railroad had hired a Republican member of Congress to distribute - at little or no cost - company stock to key members of Congress who had been influential in granting the contract; labeled as bribery), the unity of the Republican Party being shattered (by scandals), and Northern support for Reconstruction fading. The economic factors that helped bring about the end of Reconstruction were that African Americans who owned their own land or worked in occupations other than agriculture were subject to attacks and destruction of property (by the KKK), the Whiskey Ring (collectors accepted bribes from whiskey distillers who wanted to avoid paying taxes on their product; defrauded the government of millions of dollars), the Panic of 1873, and the currency dispute.
Explain how various groups of Americans reacted to the end of slavery and the expansion of civil rights after the Civil War?
The scalawags reacted to the end of slavery and the expansion of civil rights after the Civil War by thinking that the end of slavery would ultimately benefit the South, and therefore supported the Republicans during Reconstruction. The rest of the white southerners reacted to the end of slavery and the expansion of civil rights after the Civil War by refusing to accept blacks' new status and resisting the idea of equal rights. The carpetbaggers reacted to the end of slavery and the expansion of civil rights after the Civil War by helping the freed slaves make a profit. The freed slaves reacted to the end of slavery and the expansion of civil rights after the Civil War by taking advantage of their increased rights, economic opportunities, opportunities for education, and their opportunities for representation in positions of power (i.e. government).
Who were the "scalawags"?
The scalawags were white southerners who switched from the Democratic party to the Republican party. They were also given this name by southern Democrats. They believed scalawags were traitors to their southern heritage. Most southern Democrats believed that a scalawag was worse than a carpetbagger because they were traitors to their own people.
Explain the significance of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to freed slaves.
The significance of the Fourteenth Amendment to freed slaves was it allowed them to have citizenship, privileges and benefits, immunities and procedures (legal procedures), due process, and equal protection (in law). The significance of the Fifteenth Amendment to freed slaves was it allowed them to vote in elections for the first time (gave them voting rights).
What was meant by the term "New South"?
The term "New South" means the result of the southern industry making huge strides forward and the South being on its way to a stronger economy.
Homestead Act
a U.S. law enacted in 1862 that provided 160 acres in the West to any citizen or intended citizen who was head of household and would cultivate the land for five years; a law whose passage led to record numbers of U.S. settlers claiming private property which previously had been reserved by treaty and by tradition for Native American nomadic dwelling and use; the same law strengthened in 1889 to encourage individuals to exercise their private property rights and develop homesteads out of the vast government lands
Longhorn
a breed of sturdy, long-horned cattle brought by the Spanish to Mexico and suited to the dry conditions of the Southwest
Soddy
a home built of blocks of turf
Populism
a late 19th century political movement demanding that people have a greater voice in government and seeking to advance the interests of farmers and laborers
Gold Standard
a monetary system in which the basic unit of currency is defined in terms of a set amount of gold
Carpetbagger
a northerner who moved to the South after the Civil War
Ku Klux Klan (KKK)
a secret organization that used terrorist tactics in an attempt to restore white supremacy in southern states after the Civil War
Compromise of 1877
a series of congressional measures under which the Democrats agreed to accept the Republican candidate Rutherford B. Hayes as president, even though he had lost the popular vote. The measures included the withdrawal of federal troops from southern states, federal money for improving southern infrastructure, and the appointment of a conservative southern cabinet member
Panic of 1873
a series of financial failures that triggered a five-year depression in the United States
Home Rule
a state's powers of governing its citizens without federal government involvement
Sharecropping
a system in which landowners give farm workers land, seed, and tools in return for a part of the crops they raise
Scalawag
a white southerner who joined the Republican Party after the Civil War
Exoduster
an African American who migrated from the South to Kansas in the post-Reconstruction years
Bonanza Farm
an enormous farm on which a single crop is grown
Morrill Acts
laws enacted in 1862 and 1890 to help create agricultural colleges by giving federal land to states
Hydraulic Mining
method of mining that uses water under high pressure to blast away gravel and dirt to expose the mineral underneath
Hard-Rock Mining
mining that requires cutting deep shafts in solid rock to extract the ore
Rutherford B. Hayes
nineteenth president of the United States; he was a Civil War general and hero and, in the disputed presidential election of 1876, he was chosen as president by a special electoral committee
Placer Mining
searching for gold by using pans or other devices to wash gold nuggets out of loose rocks
Grange
the Patrons of Husbandry - a social and educational organization through which farmers attempted to combat the power of the railroads in the late 19th century
Chisholm Trail
the major cattle route from San Antonio, Texas, through Oklahoma to Kansas
Long Drive
the moving of cattle over trails to a shipping center
Redemption
the southern Democrats' term for their return to power in the South in the 1870s
Bimetallism
the use of both gold and silver as a basis for a national monetary system
William McKinley
twenty-fifth president of the United States; he enacted protective tariffs in the McKinley Tariff Act of 1890 and acquired Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines during his administration. He was later assassinated.