Chapter 17
Throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s, most Americans blamed monopolies for all of the following problems except a. the rapid decline in the standard of living b. the artificially high prices c. the highly unstable economy d. the wasteful practices of the wealthy e. the creation of an imbalance of wealth
a. the rapid decline in the standard of living
The idea that a rich person should be merely a trustee of wealth and should seek to use those funds for the good of the community is known as a. socialism b. progressivism c. Social Darwinism d. Taylorism e. the Gospel of Wealth
e. the Gospel of Wealth
As a result of the industrialization of the late 1800s, American workers experienced a a. rise in their standard of living b. vast improvement in working conditions c. narrowing of the gap between rich and poor d. decrease in competition for jobs e. move toward a safer work environment
a. rise in their standard of living
The first major labor union that organized on a national scale was a. the Knights of Labor b. the National Labor Union c. the American Federation of Labor d. the American Railway Union e. the Congress of Industrial Organizations
a. the Knights of Labor
The greatest significance for the worker of Frederick Taylor's scientific management was a. the need for fewer skilled workers, which led to greater employer control b. increased wages for all workers from 1870 to 1900 c. forming workers into teams to make products d. government support of unions to improve worker safety e. longer hours but more fulfilling work in the factory
a. the need for fewer skilled workers, which led to greater employer control
By the end of the 1800s, the use of pools, trusts, and holding companies by big business resulted in a. a concentration of economic power in the hands of a few b. a slowing in the growth rate of the economy c. a more even distribution of wealth d. an increase in costs of production e. a safer work environment
a. a concentration of economic power in the hands of a few
Despite the common belief in "rags to riches," the power and wealth of most industrial tycoons were based on all of the following dubious practices except a. abusing the public offices to which they were elected b. ruthless maneuvering and corrupt dealing c. tapping wealthy family connections d. bribing government officials and political parties e. often using methods of vertical integration
a. abusing the public offices to which they were elected
The railroad strike of 1877 indicated that a. business was becoming national rather than local in scope b. strikes tended to remain local issues, because most businesses were small and owner-operated c. management's policy of welfare capitalism was an effective means of strike prevention d. the conglomerate was replacing the corporation as the most common form of business organization e. the American Federation of Labor could succeed with collective bargaining
a. business was becoming national rather than local in scope
The Duryea brothers invented the a. first gasoline-driven motor vehicle b. first oil well c. typewriter d. record player e. electric generator
a. first gasoline-driven motor vehicle
The outcome of the Pullman strike of 1894 indicated that the federal government would a. intervene on the side of management rather than labor b. be a fair mediator of disputes between management and labor c. intervene on the side of labor rather than management d. not intervene in disputes between management and labor e. create an agency to deal with labor-management disputes
a. intervene on the side of management rather than labor
Which of the following is an example of the influence of corporate power on politics in the decades following the Civil War? a. the use of state and federal troops to protect company property during strikes b. the repeal of the Contract Labor Law to promote immigrant workers c. establishing an eight-hour day for government employees d. low tariffs to protect American jobs e. passage of stringent child-labor laws to keep children out of factories
a. the use of state and federal troops to protect company property during strikes
"The Gospel of Wealth," as advanced by Andrew Carnegie, promoted the concept that people with wealth should a. use their resources to help society b. give aid directly to the poor c. devote time to the public welfare d. donate the bulk of their wealth to religious institutions e. subsidize the construction of Protestant churches
a. use their resources to help society
By 1900, the percent of women who were wage earners was a. 10 b. 20 c. 30 d. 40 e. 50
b. 20
The political concept that a "single tax" on land would destroy monopolies, distribute wealth more equally, and eliminate poverty was authored by a. Daniel De Leon b. Henry George c. Edward Bellamy d. Russell Conwell e. Herbert Spencer
b. Henry George
The Haymarket Square Riot of 1886 was a. the outcome of a nationwide strike by the Knights of Labor against the railroads b. an indication to many members of the public that labor was riddled with radicals c. an isolated incident that did not affect most people's opinion of unions d. the result of President Cleveland sending in federal troops to break up a strike e. the cause of increased popularity for the Knights of Labor
b. an indication to many members of the public that labor was riddled with radicals
The purpose of the Bessemer-Kelly process was to a. increase the percentage of gold extracted from the poorer ores b. burn the impurities out of iron by blowing air through it c. increase the speed on assembly lines d. refine oil for use as a lubricant e. create plastics from petroleum by-products
b. burn the impurities out of iron by blowing air through it
Railroads contributed to the economic growth of the United States in all of the following ways except a. by providing mass transportation b. by encouraging diversified control of the transportation industries c. by increasing access to distant sources of raw materials d. by providing access to previously inaccessible markets e. by promoting investment in construction businesses
b. by encouraging diversified control of the transportation industries
A holding company is a form of consolidation in which a a. small group of trustees control the stock of a number of corporations b. central corporate body formally purchases the stocks of various corporations c. number of companies share markets through informal arrangements d. large company is formed by the merger of corporations in unrelated industries e. governmental agency regulates large corporations
b. central corporate body formally purchases the stocks of various corporations
The main reason business leaders looked to establish monopolies in their industries was to a. have sufficient wealth and power to bribe government officials b. eliminate excessive competition, which made markets unstable c. promote competition and free-enterprise capitalism d. gain wealth that could later be used to help the poor e. prove that the principles of Social Darwinism were true
b. eliminate excessive competition, which made markets unstable
Russell H. Conwell's lecture "Acres of Diamonds" advanced the idea that a. millionaires had a social responsibility to share their wealth b. great wealth was available to any industrious worker c. most wealthy men had inherited their money d. Darwin's theory about natural selection was a farce e. Christianity demanded compassion for the poor
b. great wealth was available to any industrious worker
In late-nineteenth-century America, unions had difficulty prospering because a. workers saw no reason to organize because their wages were rising b. middle-class values heralded individualism and private property, and unions were seen as a threat to these c. immigrant laborers belonged to unions in their home countries, and would not join American unions d. Union tactics and strikes were too radical for most workers e. the federal government established an eight-hour day for public projects and employees
b. middle-class values heralded individualism and private property, and unions were seen as a threat to these
In the late 1800s, the "new" immigrants to eastern cities tended to come from a. northern and western Europe b. southern and eastern Europe c. Central and Latin America d. China and Southeast Asia e. South America and Asia
b. southern and eastern Europe
The American Federation of Labor (AFL) advocated a. child labor laws b. strikes c. social chaos d. the abolition of capitalism e. prohibition of alcohol
b. strikes
The shipping of iron ore was made easier by a. the strict regulation of foreign trade b. the invention of the steam engine c. the use of paddle riverboats on the Great Lakes d. the protectionist policies of the Knights of Labor e. the nationalization of the railway system
b. the invention of the steam engine
Labor made few real gains during the last decades of the 1800s because of all the following circumstances except a. labor did not succeed in organizing a significant number of workers b. the unions were comprised of primarily unskilled workers c. the American workforce was too mobile d. tensions existed among different ethnic and racial groups e. several key strikes did not go well for workers
b. the unions were comprised of primarily unskilled workers
The new method of management called "Taylorism" led directly to all of the following techniques except a. the assembly line b. vertical integration c. scientific management d. mass production e. subdivision of labor
b. vertical integration
Although 38 state legislatures passed child labor laws in the late 1800s, these laws generally proved ineffective because the majority of children a. were employed in interstate commerce and thus protected by federal law b. were employed in agriculture, which was usually exempt from the laws c. were employed in factories and mines d. lived in states without any child labor laws e. already were protected by labor unions
b. were employed in agriculture, which was usually exempt from the laws
The steel industry of the late 1800s prospered in all of the following states except a. Pennsylvania b. Michigan c. Arkansas d. Alabama e. Ohio
c. Arkansas
The Knights of Labor was a. a fraternal organization that sought short-term benefits for labor, such as shorter working hours and pay increases b. highly selective in its membership and refused admission to women and blacks c. by definition open to anyone who "toiled" d. an extremely powerful labor union whose membership reached over 1 million by 1920 e. a union that emphasized traditional values and collective bargaining
c. by definition open to anyone who "toiled"
The Homestead strike of 1892 was significant to the future of American labor because it a. was a successful strike by the United Mine Workers and caused a vast increase in its membership b. influenced Congress to pass a bill on labor's right to collective bargaining c. crippled the power of the steel workers to unionize d. was the last successful case of management's use of violence to break a strike e. showed that a cooperative strike could succeed
c. crippled the power of the steel workers to unionize
Andrew Carnegie rose "from rags to riches" by a. concentrating on only one aspect of his industry b. diversifying his investments among many industries c. cutting costs and prices for his products d. using political pull to get government subsidies e. refusing to hire any union laborers
c. cutting costs and prices for his products
The "Erie War" of 1868 involved a form of corruption in which businessmen a. bribed federal government officials to override antitrust legislation b. bribed railroad officials to obtain reduced freight rates c. gave payoffs to members of the state legislature in return for their support of favorable legislation d. used violence against labor unions to break strikes e. created a monopoly for shipping companies on the Great Lakes
c. gave payoffs to members of the state legislature in return for their support of favorable legislation
In Edward Bellamy's novel Looking Backward, "nationalism" is defined as a. devotion to one's country b. excessive, narrow, and militant patriotism c. government control and distribution of economic resources d. a rigid, one-party political system e. military control of foreign lands
c. government control and distribution of economic resources
The initial development of the steel industry was most significantly aided by the a. development of city skyscrapers b. emergence of the petroleum industry c. invention of Bessemer and open-hearth processes d. rapid expansion of the railroads e. significant increase in defense spending
c. invention of Bessemer and open-hearth processes
During the last half of the 1800s, the dramatic industrial growth of the United States was caused by all of the following factors except a. an abundance of raw materials b. new steel production techniques c. low tariffs on imports d. a large labor force e. an expanding domestic market
c. low tariffs on imports
Women became a greater part of the industrial labor force in post-Civil War America because a. opportunities opened up that were previously unavailable b. working conditions in factories improved so owners believed it to be safe for females c. many working-class families needed more than one income to survive d. they could compete against low-paid immigrant labor better than men e. the Victorian ideal of the "cult of domesticity" was declining
c. many working-class families needed more than one income to survive
The Reform Darwinism of men like Lester Frank Ward argued that a. men can reach their highest potential only if society allows them to develop without interference b. Christian values require people to provide services to the less fortunate c. men can control their future by using government to wipe out poverty by adjusting the environment to their needs d. species change gradually over long periods of time by the survival of the fittest members of each species e. workers would prosper in a workplace where labor was subdivided
c. men can control their future by using government to wipe out poverty by adjusting the environment to their needs
The philosophy of Social Darwinism promoted the idea that a. societies become extinct when leaders become dictators b. left to itself, society would decay c. only the fittest individuals survived in a free marketplace d. the natural course of social evolution dictated the need for government intervention e. wealthy industrialists needed to make charitable donations
c. only the fittest individuals survived in a free marketplace
All of the following contributed to the growth of industry in late nineteenth-century America except a. technological innovation such as the Bessemer furnace b. a growing number of laborers fueled by immigration c. the growth in canal mileage to transport raw materials and finished goods d. government policies that supported commerce and industry e. the discovery and exploitation of natural resources
c. the growth in canal mileage to transport raw materials and finished goods
After the Civil War, the emergence of the modern corporation was aided by all of the following developments except a. the legal concept of limited liability b. the selling of stock to the public c. the success of pool arrangements among various companies d. the rise of the middle manager e. new managerial techniques
c. the success of pool arrangements among various companies
The steel industry emerged in a. New York City b. the Appalachian Mountains c. western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio d. the Chesapeake Bay region e. western Maryland and eastern Virginia
c. western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio
The lesson from the novels of Horatio Alger is best summarized by the statement A)"Little women are little no longer." a. "The wealthy are trustees for their poorer brethren." b. "The public be damned." c. "Woman was created to be a man's companion." d. "Rags to riches."
d. "Rags to riches."
As an alternative to Social Darwinism, Henry George's 1879 book Progress and Poverty proposed a. fraternal cooperation to replace competition b. the creation of a socialist utopia c. a new social order based upon a workers' army d. a tax on land that would distribute wealth more equitably e. a violent revolution against capitalism
d. a tax on land that would distribute wealth more equitably
The combining of a number of firms engaged in the same business, such as the merging of many different petroleum drilling companies into one company, is an example of a. diversification b. amortization c. vertical integration d. horizontal integration e. Taylorism
d. horizontal integration
In the 1870s, efforts by the labor unions to gain bargaining power were unsuccessful primarily because a. labor unions were not willing to use active forms of resistance such as strikes b. most unions tended to organize by industry instead of crafts and thus reduced their total membership c. many of the union leaders accepted payoffs from management d. many Americans feared the tactics of the unions and considered them too radical e. the Socialist party was favored by most workers
d. many Americans feared the tactics of the unions and considered them too radical
In the late 1800s, the American laborers faced all of the following hardships except a. working long hours b. having little job security c. having no workmen's compensation d. paying high taxes on their wages e. facing dangerous working conditions
d. paying high taxes on their wages
Henry George believed that the great inequality between rich and poor during the Industrial Revolution was a result of a. the survival of the fittest, which gave wealth to those who deserved it b. the "Gospel of Wealth," where God determined who was rich and poor c. the idea of the self-made man who had the opportunity to get ahead and become wealthy d. rising land values that made owners wealthy at the expense of society e. man's own plan for how society should be shaped
d. rising land values that made owners wealthy at the expense of society
In its efforts to help workers, the American Federation of Labor sought a. the acceptance of women into the labor force b. unions organized by industry, with unskilled workers included c. national legislation regarding collective bargaining d. short-term gains such as pay increases, the eight-hour day, and improved working conditions e. the gradual evolution of cooperative socialism
d. short-term gains such as pay increases, the eight-hour day, and improved working conditions
Social Darwinism is the a. biological theory that species change gradually over long periods of time because only those members who can adapt to nature survive b. sociological theory that humans can survive best by cooperating with one another to help all survive c. reform movement that holds that Christian values require people to provide needed services to the less fortunate d. sociological theory that humans can progress only if left free to compete with one another, with the finest surviving and the unfit perishing e. economic philosophy of capitalism controlled by governmental regulation
d. sociological theory that humans can progress only if left free to compete with one another, with the finest surviving and the unfit perishing
After the Civil War, the growth of railroads was aided by a. horizontal integration b. a lack of monopolies in the industry c. strong government regulation of the industry d. subsidies from local, state, and federal governments e. group ownership between workers and owners
d. subsidies from local, state, and federal governments
The Pullman strike of 1894 broke new ground in labor-management relations because a. workers used violence and destroyed company property b. armed Pinkerton detectives were used to keep strikers from entering the factory c. the Illinois governor authorized the use of National Guard troops to stop the strike d. the federal government became involved by sending troops, and issuing an injunction e. police were killed in a riot in Haymarket Square
d. the federal government became involved by sending troops, and issuing an injunction
The philosophy of Social Darwinism appealed to some American businessmen because it justified their belief that a. the law of competition was detrimental to economic law b. government assistance to big business was justified c. labor unions were important partners in a profitable business d. their business tactics were legitimate e. the "invisible hand" would provide prosperity for all
d. their business tactics were legitimate
The American public opposed the large corporations and their misuse of power on the grounds that they were a. slowing industrial expansion b. advancing opportunity only to the immigrant c. failing to emphasize individualism d. threatening Republican society e. encouraging too much competition
d. threatening Republican society
Herbert Spencer argued that society as a whole, and business in particular, benefited when the weak were eliminated and the strongest and fittest were left to prosper. This theory is called a. the Gospel of Wealth b. the "sink or swim" theory c. evolution d. scientific management e. Social Darwinism
e. Social Darwinism
John D. Rockefeller and other captains of industry engaged in the attempt to create monopolies through all of the following methods except a. pools b. consolidation c. trusts d. holding companies e. conglomerates
e. conglomerates
Over the course of the late nineteenth century, immigration to the United States a. came mainly from Mexico, Canada, and Asia b. shifted from southern and eastern Europe to northern Europe c. included more Chinese as restrictions on immigration from that country ended d. slowed as conditions for workers in American factories deteriorated e. increasingly came from southern and eastern Europe
e. increasingly came from southern and eastern Europe
Andrew Carnegie became the major supplier of a. oil by using vertical integration to gain control of that industry b. coal by using horizontal integration to monopolize coal mines c. meatpacking by controlling railroads that serviced Chicago d. sewing machines by holding the patent for a mechanical sewing machine e. steel by using vertical integration to control all aspects of its manufacture
e. steel by using vertical integration to control all aspects of its manufacture
The increased employment of women and children in industry was due to a. rising numbers of women and children in the country b. the passage of federal legislation that permitted the practice c. the increased size of the average American family d. an increase in women's rights e. the decreasing need for skilled labor in the factories
e. the decreasing need for skilled labor in the factories
