apush period 4 chapter 9

Political machine

A political machine is a political organization in which a person or small group with authority that has enough votes or is popular enough to have control over political administration or any type of government in a city, county, or state. They were political entities controlled by a boss that wielded enormous influence over the government of urban cities. They usually were very corrupt, controlled tax rates, gave tax breaks to their allies and controlled prices and business, etc, stole millions from taxpayers using fraud and overinflation, did minor philanthropy to boost their public image, and gave money to support businesses, immigrants, and the poor in return for their votes.

What problems plagued urban areas in the Industrial Northeast?

By the 1830s Northern factories were producing a wide range of goods - everything from farm implements to clocks and shoes. Industrial development meant that large numbers of people who hda once earned their living as independent farmers and artisans became dependent on wages earned in a factory. There were problems of low pay, long hours, and unsafe working conditions. Improvement for workers was limited even after organized labor because of periodic depressions, employers and courts that were hostile to unions, and an abundant supply of cheap immigrant labor. Furthermore, as the North's urban population gew, there was overcrowding. This led to slums expanding, crowded housing, poor sanitation, and infectious disease. Large working class neighborhoods started to have high rates of crime. The African Aemricans who lived in the North constituted only 1 percent of northerners, but 50 percent of all free African Americans. Still, this did not mean economic or political equality, since strong racial prejudices kept them from voting and holding jobs in most skilled professions and crafts. Denied membership in union, African Aermicans were often hired as strikebreakers - and often dismissed after the strike ended. Still, even with all the problems, new opportunities in cities offered by the Industrial Revolution continued to attract both native-born Amreicans from farms and immigrants from Europe.

Commonwealth v Hunt

Case heard by the Massachusetts Supreme Court. In March 1842, Chief Justice Lemuel Shaw ruled that labor combinations were legal provided that they were organized for a legal purpose and used legal means to achieve their goals. It was the first judgment in the US that recognized that the conspiracy law is inapplicable to unions and that strikes for a closed shop are legal. It also decided that unions are not responsible for the illegal acts of their members. Basically it said that unions were unconstitutional and strikes were a legitimate and powerful weapon. Until then, workers' attempts to establish closed shops had been subject to prosecution. Prior to this, the legality of labor combinations in America was uncertain too.

Compare and contrast the Irish and Germans as immigrants arriving in America during the 1840s.

Half of all immigrants, nearly 2 million, were Irish during this time period whereas 1 million were German. The Irish farmers were mostly tenant farmers who were pushed out of their homeland by potato crop failures and extreme famine in the 1840s. Germans fled to the United States in the late 1840s to 1850s due to economic hardships and the failure of the democratic revolutions. When the Irish arrived, they had low interest in farming and little money and skills. They were faced with strong discrimination as they were Roman Catholic. Having to compete with African Americans for employment as there were scarce opportunities, they congregated for mutual support in the northern cities such as New York or Boston (where they first arrived). Many Irish entered local politics and joined the Democratic party, which had long traditions for support for workers as well as anti-British traditions. While their progress was quite difficult, it was steady. The Germans, however, had considerable skills as both farmers and artisans. AS they moved Westward looking for cheap and fertile farmland, they prospered and established homesteads throughout the old Northwest. Their political influence was initially quite limited, but as they engaged more in public life, many supported public education and opposed slavery.

Peculiar Institution

It was a euphemism for slavery and the economic ramifications of it in the American South. In the south, wealth was measured in terms of land and slaves. Slaves were treated as property, as they were being bought and sold. However, few white people were sensitive about the treatment of other humans, so they referred to slavery as "that peculiar institution". The term aimed to explain away the contradiction of legalized slavery in a country whose Declaration of Independence states that "all men are created equal". Apologists for slavery would muster historical and religious arguments to support their calims that slavery was good for both slave and master.

Know Nothing Party

It was a political party active in the 1850s to keep power out of the hands of immigrants and Roman Catholics. The know-nothing party had its origins in the anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic movement in the 1840s. Members in the 1850s would literally say "I know nothing" when asked about politics. Political nativism first emerged in the form of local "American" parties protesting immigrant influence; the Know Nothing Party was an example of this.

King Cotton

It was a term used by Southern authors and orators before the Civil War to indicate the economic dominance of the Southern cotton industry, and that the North needed the South's cotton. In a speech to the Senate in 1858, James Hammond declared, "You daren't make war against cotton! ...Cotton is king!". Cotton was the dominant cash crop of the South and supplied it to the North. Any government decisions affecting the cotton industry would be kind of like going against a king hence its name.

By 1850, the vast majority of natives were living west of the Mississippi. Why? Cite 3 reasons.

Many different groups of natives were the original settlers of the West; however, ever since the arrival of Columbus they have either been cajoled, pushed, or simply driven westward as white settlers encroached on their homeland. For these reasons, by 1850, the majority of natives were living west of the Mississippi River. In addition to this, many natives lived on the west as life on the east was not appealing. Those who lived there had either been killed by disease, died in battles, reluctantly emigrated, or been forced to leave their land by treaty or military action. Living west of the Mississippi River on The Great Plains provided the natives temporary relief from conflict with white settlers. Their life on The Great Plains was also revolutionized when horses were brought over by the Spanish. Horses allowed natives to live a nomadic way of life and they could also more easily move away from advancing settlers or resist/oppose the settler's encroachment by force.

Why did women on the western frontier have a short lifespan? Identify 3 reasons.

Many women on the western frontier had a short lifespan. The first reason is that they were extremely isolated as they lived miles away from the nearest neighbor. The next reason is that they undertook endless work. This includes being a doctor, seamstress, cook, teacher, as well as chief assistant in the field to their famer-husbands. The third and final reason as to why they had a short lifespan was the extreme rigors of childbirth in that time period and location.

Despite terrible working conditions, why was improvement in the workplace difficult to change?

Not only were working conditions terrible, but there were many improvements in the workplace that were difficult to change. There were no laws that protected the workers so rebelling would not end well. State laws would outlaw union laws causing an obstacle for union success in the working community. Economic depressions due to high unemployment was another reason why the workplace became tough to change.

Identify 2 push factors for immigrants fleeing Europe. Identify 2 pull factors that attracted many to America.

One push factor was the persecution of one's religion that led immigrants to flee Europe. Another push factor was the economic downturn that caused Europe's economy to dwindle. As for pull factors, America provided new opportunities for immigrants such as jobs and settling down to have a family, especially with the western expension. Secondly, religious freedom was a significant pull factor as many immigrants desired to have it, and believed they could live safely in American while practicing their religion.

How did slaves attempt to rebel? What effect did this have on the rest of the nation, including the South?

Slaves found many ways to rebel such as: work slowdowns, sabotage, and escaping. Many major slave rebellions arose and frightened the nation. However, because of these numerous rebellions, many African Americans were impacted and felt hope. Southern states became wary of this and strictended their slave codes in order to stop the rebellions. Slave-holders throughout the nation grew more defensive of slavery and increased the arguments of whether slavery was justified even further.

How did African-Americans fare in the Northeast when compared to the South? How did racism continue to hinder their quest for political and economic equality?

The African Americans who lived in the North in 1860 constituted only 1 percent of northerners, but 50 percent of all free African Americans. This freedom meant that they could maintain a family and in some instances own land. Still, this did not mean economic or political equality, since strong racial prejudices kept them from voting and holding jobs in most skilled professions and crafts. Immigrants displaced them from occupations and jobs that they had held since the time of the Revolution. Denied membership in union, African Americans were often hired as strikebreakers - and often dismissed after the strike ended. In the South, slavery was permitted. Wealth in the South was measured in terms of land and slaves. The latter were treated as a form of property, subject to being bought and sold. The cotton boom was largely responsible for a fourfold increase in the number of slaves, from 1 million in 1800 to nearly 4 million in 1860. In parts of the Deep South, opposed to the North, slaves made up as much as 75 percent of the total popul;ation. Slaves were employed doing whatever their owners demanded of them. Condition of slavery varied from one plantaion to the next. Despite the hard circumstances, enslaved African Americans maintained a strong sense of family and of religious faith, By 1860, there about 250,000 African Americans in the South were not slaves. Most of the free southern blacks lived in cities where they could own property .By state law, they are still not equal with whites, were not permitted to vote, and were barred from entering certain occupations. They were constantly in danger of being kidnapped by slave traders, and they had to show legal papers proving their free status.

Cotton gin

The Cotton gin was a machine used to separate cotton fibers from cotton seeds in an easier and more efficient manner. This machinery was invented by Eli Whitney, a well known American inventor, around 1793. The effect that this invention had on slavery was definitely significant, for the cotton gin increased the need for slaves. More slaves were needed to pick the cotton in order to feed the cotton gin and produce a massive amount of cotton. It benefitted the economy in the South due to their desires of more slavery, but increased tension between them and the North.

What inventions allowed the farmers in the Northwest to become more efficient? How did cities like Buffalo and Cincinnati become integral parts of the industrial economy?

The Northwest became closely tied to the other northern states by military campaigns by federal troops that drove American Indians from the land as well as the building of canals and railroads that established a common market between the Great Lake and the East Coast. By the invention of the steel plow by John Deere and the mechanical reaper by Cyrus McCormick, a farm family was more efficient and could plant more acres. Needing to supplement its labor only with a few hired workers at harvest time. Part of the crop was used to feed cattle and hogs and also to supply distillers and brewers with grain for making whiskey and beer. Farmers shipped grain quickly to cities to avoid spoilage. At key transportation points, small villages and towns grew into thriving cities after 1820 such as Buffalo and Cincinnati. The cities served as transfer points, processing farm products for shipment to the East, and distributing manufactured goods from the East to their region.

How did some southerners attempt to justify the institution of slavery? Identify 2 ways.

The first way that southerns attempted to justify the institution of slavery was by claiming that the slaves were in "good hands" and were "taken care of." They attempted to say that the northern slaves were not treated properly and that slaves in the south were given a suitable life. Many paintings and drawings from southern artists captured slaves singing and smiling while working in the fields. Many poor southerns justified and defended slavery as they dreamed of owning a slave one day; the only group of people they were superior to on the social scale were slaves.

How did class impact the social structure of white society in the South? How did race impact the relationship between slaves and poor whites?

There was a distinct hierarchy in the white society in the South. Aristocratic planters lived comfortably and the top of society while poor farmers and mountain people struggled to make ends meet and the very bottom. The planter aristocracy was small but they owned at least 100 slaves and 1,000 acres of land. They were able to maintain its power by dominating state legislatures of the South and enacting laws that would favor their own and the economic interests of large landowners. Three-fourths of the white population in the South were poor and owned no slaves, yet they believed that they were superior on the social scale to slaves. Therefore, they defended slavery and believed that they too could own a slaves one day.

Mountain People

They were men hired by eastern companies to trap animals for fur in the Rocky Mountains and other regions of the US. Later became trailblazers, guides, and pathfinders for settlers crossing to the west coast which represented a fresh start and new opportunities. The trapping and hunting that they did caused severe environmental damage as it brought the beaver and the buffalo to the near brink of extinction.

How did urban centers in the South compare to urban centers in the North?

Urban centers in the North were bound together by transportation routes and speedy economic growth from commercial farming and industrial innovation. They grew into thriving centers after the 1820s. It was the most populous section in the country as the result of increased immigration and a high birth rate; its urban population quickly grew between 1800 to 1850. Many opportunities in northern cities offered by the Industrial Revolution attracted native American farmers and immigrants from Europe. In the South, agriculture was the foundation of its economy, yet factories in this region only produced 15 percent of the nation's manufactured goods. Its chief economic activity was the production and sale of cotton. Wealth in the South was measured in terms of slaves and land. The cotton boom was mainly responsible for the 4x increase in the number of slaves from 1800 to 1860, and in some parts of the south, slaves made up 75 percent of the population. Heavy capital investment in slaves in the South resulted in the South having a lot less capital than the North to undertake industrialization. In addition to this, there was a distinct hierarchy in the South.

Why was the "west" an attractive destination? What did it promise?

While the location of the "west" constantly changed, the concept of the western frontier was an attractive destination with many promises. It represented the possibility of a fresh start for those who were willing to take that venture. It also beckoned as a place promising greater freedom for all ethnic groups. This included American Indians, African Americans. European Americans, and eventually Asian Americans. In fact, the very same forces that brought the original colonists to the Americas fueled their descendants and new immigrants to move westward.

How did white settlers on the western frontier impact the environment? Identify 3 ways.

White settlers on the western frontier created a lot of Environmental Damage. These settlers had little to no knowledge or understanding of the delicate nature of both land and wildlife. Because of this, when they moved into an area, settlers would clear entire forests. They would also exhaust the soil after only two generations with their extremely poor farming methods. Finally, many trappers and hunters brought the beaver and the buffalo to the near brink of extinction in that area.

Tammany Hall

a New York political organization created in 1789. This society was the center for Democratic-Republicans and spread its control over the immigrant community as well. The main goal for this organization was to aid the poor and immigrants. Controlling New York City and the politics that the city held were also major factors that the members of Tammany Hall sought to achieve. By the 1880s, the Irish had control of this party organization.

Nat Turner

an African slave that led a slave rebellion in August, 1832. This major slave uprising during this time period was part of many that brought fear and terror throughout the South. These revolts were quickly and violently suppressed, but they still had a long lasting impact. They provided African Americans with hope and drove many southern states to heavily enforce and tighten strict slave codes. These Revolts polarized the country by making slavehorders much more defensive about slaver and those who opposed slavery much more critical of it. His rebellion resulted in the deaths of several white males and females. Sadly, Turner was captured by the Virginia militia and hung.

Nativists

native-born Americans who were scared by the sudden influx of immigrants as they were scared that the immigrants would take their jobs and weaken the culture of the majority. They were Protestants who did not trust the Roman Catholicism practiced by the Irish and many Germans. Their main goal was to restrict immigration into the United States and maintain the American way of life. The opposition to immigrants in the 1840s led to lots of rioting in big cities and the organization of a secret antiforegin society, the Supreme Order of the Star Spangled Banner. This antiforeign feeling eventually faded as sectionalism emerged and the divide between the North and South increased. However, nativism would periodically return whenever enough native-born citizens felt threatened by a sudden increase in immigration.