AS Gilded Age Quiz Study Guide
Industrial Revolution
-A series of improvements in industrial technology that transformed the process of manufacturing goods -A period of rapid growth in the use of machines in manufacturing and production -Created jobs in the Eastern Factories
Muckrakers
-Among the first people to articulate progressive ideas was a group of crusading journalists who investigated social conditions and political corruption -President Teddy Roosevelt nicknamed these writers "muckrakers" -These journalists were obsessed with scandal and corruption -Widely circulated, cheap newspapers and magazines helped spread the muckraker's ideas -Some concentrated on exposing the unfair practices of large corporations, others targeted government and social problems
Gilded Age
-During the Gilded Age, the US became a land of oppurunity -Millions of "new immigrants" swarmed to the US from Eastern and Southern Europe -Urbanization stimulated and modernized cities, but led to terrible conditions
Anti-Union Practices
-Employers generally viewed unions as conspiracies that interfered with property rights. :) business leaders typically opposed industrial unions, which united all workers in a particular industry -Companies utilized several techniques to stop workers from forming these unions causing them to fall :) they required workers to take oaths or sign contracts to promise not to join a union and also hired detectives to identify union organizers :) companies used "lockouts" to break unions. they locked workers out of the property and refused to pay them :) if the union called a strike, employers would hire replacements, or strikebreakers -Workers who tried to organize a union or strike were then fired or placed on a "blacklist" or a list of "troublemakers" so that no company would hire them :) this presented threats to these citizens' futures and finances so more and more people refused to join them
Gospel of Wealth
-In 1889 was written by Andrew Carnegie -Justication for big buisness -Wealth no longer looked upon as bad: viewed as a sign of God's approval -Christian duty to accumulate wealth -Employed themes from Social Darwinism :) survival of the fittest -Distance between rich and poor was a measure of civilizations reponsibility to reinvest wealth into the larger society
John D. Rockefeller
-Industrialization led to a demand for oil -Rockefeller used ruthless tactics to buy out competing companies -Standard oil: lowered costs, improved quality -By 1879, Standard Oil sold 90% of oil in the US -Rockefeller took advantage of his workers and used his fortune to influence the national government -But... he gave away $500 million to charities, created the Rockefeller Foundation, and founded the University of Chicago -Horizontal Integration and monopoly
Unions
-Labor strikes by workers/working class -The rights they fought for the most was: pay more, made sure no child had to work (push for child labor laws), long workdays -Common tactic —> strikes, stop production -Andrew Carnegie did not pay his employees very much and did not allow unions in his factories -Was supported by the Democratic bloc -Trade unions: represented workers whose skills they needed -Industrial unions: united workers in a particular industry -Unions also suffered from the perception that they were un-American :) in the 1800s, the ideas Karl Marx, called Marxism, became very influential in Europe. Marx argued that the basic force shaping capitalist society was the class struggle between workers and owners. He believed that workers would eventually revolt, seize control of the factories, and overthrow the government -Although workers attempted on many occasions to create large industrial unions, they rarely succeeded. In many cases the confrontations with owners in the government lead to violence and bloodshed.
Anti-immigrant sentiments
-Nativism is an extreme dislike of immigrants by native-born people :) focused mainly on Asians, Jews, and eastern Europeans -The Irish were among the immigrants who suffered most from the anti-Catholic feeling (The American Protective Association was an anti-catholic organization) -In the 1870s the Workingman's Party of California formed to fight Chinese immigration :) the party won seats in California's legislature and pushed to cut off Chinese immigration -In 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act: the law barred Chinese immigration for 10 years and prevented the Chinese already in the country from becoming citizens (wasn't repealed until 1943) -1894: some wealthy Bostonians started the immigration restriction league and wanted to impose a literacy test on all new Americans, this was passed by congress but not by president Cleveland, they tried to pass it for several times over the next few years but failed -Second Wave of Immigrants: wanted to preserve White, protestant culture :) caused the rise of the KKK post WW1 :) immigration act of 1924: national origins quota- provided immigration visas to 2% of the total number of people of each nationality in the US as of the 1980 national census, and completely excluded immigrants from Asia -The result of 1 million immigrants coming to the US in 1913: lower wages for unskilled labor, tensions :) later caused the 1940s Bracero Program: Licensed migrant workers allowed to enter the US during Harvest and then go back to Mexico :) operation wetback (1954): Detained and returned over 1 million legal residents
Andrew Carnegie
-Poor immigrant then became a business leader -Converted mills to Bessemer process: made the highest quality steel at the lowest price -Vertical integration of the steel industry: own business it depends on to run -Bought mines, quarries and oil refineries -Owns all businesses it depends on to run (every business that goes into making steel) -Did not pay his employees very much and did not allow unions in his factories -But he was a philanthropist who gave money to New York City libraries, colleges and performing arts institutions
What roles did steel, railroads, and innovations in communications and energy play in the new industrial order?
An abundance of raw materials was one reason for the nation's industrial success. Considering many of these resources were located in the American West, railroads were crucial. Railroads took settlers and miners to the region and carried resources back to factories in the East. There was tremendous growth in oil, coal, steel—just about everything associated with industrialization. The telephone, invented in 1876, revolutionized business and personal communication. Thomas Edison having invented the lightbulb in 1879, in ways big and small, people's lives were changed. The invention of the light bulb allowed us to work at night, increasing quality and productivity. Also, an Edison Company (now known as GE) began to transform American society in 1882 when it started supplying electric power to NYC.
Laissez fare Capitalism
An economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately owned and operated for a profit with minimal or no government interference IDEOLOGY OF THE INDUSTRIAL AGE -Individuals should compete freely in the market place -No room for government in the market (competition drove the market) -What controls the market? The invisible hand: Adam Smith
Corporations
An organization owned by many people but treated by a law as though it were a person. It can own property, pay taxes, make contracts, and sue and be sued. The people who own the corporation are called stockholders because they own shares of ownership called stock.
Where do people like Carnegie, Rockefeller, and Vanderbilt fit into these images?
Born in 1837, John D. Rockefeller became one of the richest men in the world as the founder of the Standard Oil Company. In 2019 dollars, Rockefeller's net worth is said to eclipse $400 billion — nearly three times the estimated net worth of Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com and the wealthiest individual in the world. Standard Oil dominated the oil industry, controlling roughly 90% of the refineries and pipelines in the United States by the early part of the 1880s. While he has faced some criticism historically for how he accumulated his wealth, Rockefeller's charitable efforts paint him as a philanthropic captain of industry. Over the course of his life, his donations to charitable causes exceeded $500 million (unadjusted for inflation). Andrew Carnegie built his fortune by investing in the steel industry and became the owner of Carnegie Steel Company, which by 1889 was the largest steel company in the world. Despite some criticism of how some workers at Carnegie Steel were treated, Carnegie himself was extremely active in terms of philanthropy. In his efforts to contribute to society, he established the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the New York Public Library, and a college that would become part of Carnegie Mellon University. He also wrote "The Gospel of Wealth," an article that argued that the wealthy have a responsibility to contribute to the greater good of society. But on the other hand, Vanderbilt is a robber baron. Throughout his career, he built up his money through buying out other companies that were unfair agreements, and never earned it entirely by himself. He got the idea to buy out other companies and cut out the middle man from other industrialists that lived before him. This was also true because he was greedy and never had used his money for many generous things throughout his lifetime.
Monopoly
Complete control of a product or business by one person or group OR when one company controls the market
Ellis Island / Angel Island
Ellis Island: -Ports of entry were throughout the US, but 70% of immigrants went through Ellis Island -During 62 years of operation, 355 babies were born here -The single busiest day in Ellis Island history came on April 17th, 1907, when 11,747 immigrants were processed for admission into the US -Step 1: leave home, arrive at the port of departure, travel (most traveled in steerage) -Step 2: arrival at Ellis Island, :) able to view the statue of liberty :) waiting for the ferry to Ellis Island :) arrival on the ground floor baggage claim -Step 3: climb the stairs to the Great Hall for medical and legal exams -Step 4: legal inspection :) by 1921, immigrants had to pass a literacy test and show a visible passport -Last Step: stairs of separation :) at the bottom of the stairs was a post office, a ticketing office for the railways, an office to exchange money and social workers to help the immigrants that needed assistance Angel Island: -In January 1910 California opened a barracks on Angel Island for Asian immigrants -Most were young men in their teens or twenties, who nervously awaited the results of their immigration hearings (the wait could last for months)
Why does the United States experience a period of rapid industrial and technological growth after 1860?
Following the turmoil of the Civil War and Reconstruction, the United States began its transformation from a rural nation to an industrial, urban nation linked together by railroads. New inventions and scientific discoveries fundamentally altered how Americans lived and worked. New factories employed thousands of workers; cities grew dramatically in size, and tens of millions of new immigrants flooded into the country. Millions of Americans left their farms to work in mines and factories. Factories began to replace smaller workshops as complex machinery began to substitute for simpler hand tools. Industrialization was made possible by increases in productivity, capital investment and re-investment, business expansion, and the rise of corporations.
Haymarket Riot/ Homestead Steel Strike/Pullman Strike (didnt finish look at textbook notes)
Haymarket Riot: -Chicago -Workers from McCormick Harvesting Machine Co struck for a demand for an 8-hour workday -Knights of Labor didn't support their actions -The police came, 4 strikers killed, several wounded -Next day, rally in Haymarket Square- anarchists spoke up against police, treatment of workers -Thousands protest the killings, police break up meetings, someone threw a bomb, 7 police officers die, police spray crowd with bullets Homestead Strike: -Pay cut, steel (Carnegie Pullman Strike: -1894 -Railroad Strike -Pitted companies against each other
Vertical integration/ horizontal integration
Horizontal integration: -Combining similar companies into a large corporation :) standard oil (by 1880 controlled 90% of the nation's refineries) Vertical integration: -Control of every step in production process by one company :) was more common: swift meat company, united fruit company, ford motor company
How did businesses increase their profits in the late 19th century?
In the late 19th century, the profit motive attracted many capable and ambitious people into business. Entrepreneurs- people who risk their capital to organize and run businesses- were attracted to the prospect of making money in manufacturing and transpotation. An equally important source of private capital was Europe, especially Great Britain. Foregin investors saw great opportunities for profit in the US.
What was working life like for industrial laborers in the late 1800s?
Life for workers in industrial America was difficult. Many workers had to perform dull, repetitive tasks in working conditions that were often unhealthy and dangerous. Workers breathed in lint, dust, and toxic fumes. Heavy machines lacking safety devices caused many injuries. Despite the difficult working conditions, industrialization led to a dramatic rise in the standard of living. The average worker's wage rose by 50% between 1860 and 1890. Nonetheless, the uneven division of income between the wealthy and the working-class caused resentment amongst workers. In 1900 the average industrial worker made $.22 per hour and work 59 hours per week which isn't nearly as much as they deserve
How did political machines influence and shape the urban landscape?
Political machines influenced those living in urban land to vote for them because one vote could offer you your needs. In exchange, you would receive jobs, housing, food, heat, and police protection. This was a very convincing tactic and well thought out on the side of the politicians, it is a win-win for both the citizens and the politicians. This must-have caused many to desire to live in a city, drawing in more and more people as time went out and people found out about these machines.
Robber Barons/Captains of Industry
Rabber Barons: -Carries a negative connotation -Robber barons typically employed ethically questionable methods to eliminate their competition and develop a monopoly in their industry -Often had little empathy for workers Captains of Industry: -Often philanthropists -They made their wealth — and used it — in a way that would benefit society, such as providing more jobs or increasing productivity -Rockefeller's charitable efforts paint him as a philanthropic captain of industry -Despite some criticism of how some workers at Carnegie Steel were treated, Carnegie himself was extremely active in terms of philanthropy as well
How did organizations such as the Knights of Labor, American Federation of Labor strengthen American workers?
The knights of labor oppose strikes preferring to use boycotts to pressure employers. The knights of labor also supported arbitration, the process in which a third-party helps workers and employers reach an agreement. Unlike many organizations, the Knights of Labor welcomed women and African-Americans as members. The AFL from its beginning focused on promoting the interests of skilled workers, they attempted to steer away from controversy and stay focused on "pure and simple unionism". The leader was willing to use strikes but preferred to negotiate and tried to convince companies to recognize unions and agree to collective bargaining. Second it pushed for clothes shops, meaning that companies could hire union members. They became the biggest union in the country, but, most AFL members were white men cause the union discriminated against African-Americans and only a few would admit women. The IWW wanted to organize all workers according to industry without making distinctions between skilled and unskilled workers. In 1912 the IWW led a successful strike of textile workers in Lawrence Massachusetts. During the strike the children of Strikerz percent out of town - in case things became violent. The companies reverse the wage cut after 10 weeks. The IWW never gained a large membership but it's radical philosophy and controversial strikes lead many to condemn the organization as subversive.
How did the living conditions of the upper, middle, and lower classes in the late 1800s compare?
The living conditions of housing were different for each class. High Societies established fashionable districts in the heart of the city. They could choose to construct homes in the style of a feudal castle, an English manor house, a French chateau, a Tuscon villa, or a Persian pavilion. Middle-class citizens moved away from the central city to be able to afford larger homes. Some took advantage of the new commuter rail lines to move to "street-car suburbs". The working-class citizens could hope to afford a home. Most spent their lives living in crowded tenements, or apartment buildings. Also, high-class women managed a number of servants to end up spending on a great deal of social activities. Most middle-class families had at least one live-in servant. While the working-class families could not at all afford a servant.
How would one describe a Robber Baron? Captain of Industry?
The wealthy elite of the late 19th century consisted of industrialists who amassed their fortunes as so-called robber barons and captains of industry. Both can be defined as business tycoons, but there was a significant difference in the way they made their fortunes. The term "robber baron" dates back to the Middle Ages and carries a negative connotation. Robber barons typically employed ethically questionable methods to eliminate their competition and develop a monopoly in their industry. Often, they had little empathy for workers. Captains of industry, however, were often philanthropists. They made their wealth — and used it — in a way that would benefit society, such as providing more jobs or increasing productivity.
Bosses / Political Machines
Urban Political Machines: -The late 1800s, many cities were run by political machines -Loose networks of party precincts captains, led by boss, controlled activities of a political party in the city -Offered services to voters and businesses in exchange for political or financial support -How the political machines worked: :) political machines work to control city policies -> run by powerful "boss" who has influence with or over city officials -> machines hand out jobs, contracts, and favors to city residents -> residents vote for candidates supported by political machines -> machines maintain power over city governments Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall: -Willian tweed ("Boss Tweed") one of the most powerful political bosses -Became head of Tammany Hall, NYC's most powerful democratic machine -Swindled NY out of a fortune in the 1860s and 1870s -"Tweed ring" defrauded NYC of millions of dollars until it was exposed by cartoonist Thomas Nast -All of the Tammany Ring was convicted and sent to prison :) tweed escaped to Spain :) later recognized, thanks to Nast's cartoon :) extracted to the US and reimprisoned
How did technology impact American cities?
Urbanization and technological creativity led to many engineering advances such as bridges and canals, elevators and skyscrapers, trolley lines and subways. The invention of electricity brought illumination to homes and businesses and created an unprecedented, thriving nightlife. But while the middle and upper classes enjoyed the allure of city life, little changed for the poor. Most still faced horrific living conditions, high crime rates and a pitiable existence. Many escaped their drudgery by watching a vaudeville show or a spectator sport such as boxing, baseball or football, all of which enjoyed a surge during the Gilded Age. So technology was still able to bring these people entertainment, while it isn't amazing, it is better than nothing. Cities had so much to offer too- bright lights, running water, modern plumbing, attractions such as museums, libraries, and theaters.
