Industrialization, Immigration, Progressive Era Study Guide

"Reformers sought to contain the power of the trusts, prtect the rights of workers and consumers, and make life more secure for everyone. This group wanted to tame and regulate capitalism but did not wat to eliminate it. The ultimate goal was to improve the working conditions of the masses but not give them political control." This passage about a reform movement describes which political ideology?

progressivism

Consider the following changes that occurred in the United States in the late 19th century: *improvements in agricultural production; *increases in immigration from Europe; *advancements in networks of railroad and streetcar lines. These changes led to the

rapid growth of urban areas.

Political economist Henry George wrote Progress and Poverty in 1879. "The wealthy class is becoming more wealthy, but the poorer class is becoming more dependent. The gulf between the employed and the employer is growing wider; social contrasts are becoming sharper; as liveried [horse-drawn] carriages appear; so do barefoot children." Which facotr led to the economic division described by Henry George?

rapid industrialization

The industrialization of the United States during the late nineteenth centure was a result of

the development of transportation and communication systems.

The railroad building boom during the nineteenth century contributed to

the rapid industrialization of the United States.

The verb gild means to apply a thin coating of gold on the surface of another less valuable material to make it appear more attractive and valuable. The late 19th century United States is often referred to as "The Gilded Age" because of the

underlying poverty and corruption that were present despite the appearance of great wealth and prosperity.

In America during the Gilded Age, robber barons were people who mainly

used aggressive business practices to dominate industries.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many immigrants who came the United States did not speak English as their native language. One way this resulted in the exchange of cultural practices was that

words from other languages entered into the mainstream vocabulary.

Which of the following statements accuraely reflects the reason for the growth of the labor unions in the late 1800s?

American workers wanted better working conditions and higher wages.

In the early 1900s, what argument did corporations use in response to federal regulation of monopolistic practices?

Big businesses are more efficient than smaller businesses.

In 1888 Ohio Senator John Sherman introduced an antitrust bill in Congress. The following excerpt is from a speech he delivered on the floor of the Senate. "The popular mind is agitated with problems that may disturb social order...none is more threatening than...the concentration of capital into vast combinations...Congress alone can deal with them and if we are unwilling or unable there will soon be a trust for every product and a master to fix the price for every necessity of life." What is Sherman's analysis of the impact of the trusts on the capitalist economy?

He suggested that the government was needed to balance the power of concentrated wealth.

What did the American Federation of Labor try to achieve in the late 1800's?

Higher wages and better working conditions

In the 1880s, Samuel Gompers helped found the American Federation of Labor, which focused on the interests of skilled workers. Which statement describes an early success of the American Federation of Labor?

It forced business owners to improve working conditions.

This summary describes immigration trends between 1870 and 1916. "More than 25 million people migrated to the United States between 1870 and 1916. Immigration, along with natural increase, caused the US population to grow dramatically, rising from about 40 million to about 100 million during this time period." Why was the population boom at the turn of the twentieth century important to American industrialization?

It provided a larger labor force and consumer market.

This excerpt is from legistlation passed by the US Congress in 1890. "Every person who shall monopolize, or attempt to monopolize, or combine, or conspire with any other person or persons, to monopolize any part of the trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor..." What is the historical significance of this legislation?

It was the first law that attempted to prohibit one company from controlling an entire industry.

Number of People Living in American Cities 1870-- 9.9 million 1920-- 54.3 million What was the most likely cause of the change shown in the table?

Many immigrants came to the United States during this time period.

During the Industrial Revolution, how did the economic hardships of immigrants influence social reform?

Settlement houses were established to provide services to the poor.

Which of the following reform movements helped lead to the passage of the constitutional amendment that instituted national Prohibition?

The temperance movement

Which of the following first made automobile ownership possible for millions of people in the United States?

The use of the assembly line.

Why was the formation of labor unions an effect of US industrialization in the late 1800s?

Unions organized industrial workers to protest unsafe working conditions and long workdays.

What stimulated the growth of labor unions in the United States during the Industrial Revolution?

Workers were subjected to low pay and poor working conditions.

What did women's suffrage and Prohibition have in common?

both were state laws in many parts of the country before becoming constitutional amendments

"I looked about the narrow streets of squeezed-in stores and houses, ragged clothes, dirty bedding hanging out of the windows, ashcans and garbage cans piled up on the sidewalks. A sadness pressed down upon my heart--the first doubt of America." --Anzia Yezierska, Hungry Hearts, 1920 After reading the above quotation, you should conclude that the author was describing

inner-city areas.

A person's choice to migrate is often described in terms of "push" factors and "pull" factors. Which of the following was a pull factor for Irish immigrants coming to the United States between 1780 and 1850?

job opportunities