U.S. History: Industrial Revolution

Rows of housing in the cities were known as....

tenements

How might one differentiate between a robber baron and a "Captain of Industry?"

---A "Captain of Industry" was a leader of industry in their respective field, often benefitting the economy as a whole by their actions - and giving back to society ---On the the other hand, a robber baron was someone who would focus only on their personal gain, and society would suffer from their actions as a result - especially the workers on whose backs the powerful industrialists' fortunes were made

Why was the Interstate Commerce Act, for the most part, ineffective?

---Interstate Commerce Act = banned rebates and pools and required the railroads to publish their rates openly (so as not to cheat customers), and also forbade unfair discrimination against shippers and banned charging more for a short haul than for a long one. ---It had no one to regulate the rules ---It satisfied public demand for laws without the enforcement necessary to uphold them ---It mainly benefited the railroad owners themselves ---The act did not win against corporate wealth Railroad owners were very powerful and hard to control

How did inventions and developments in the late 19th century change the way people worked?

---Inventions in the 19th century allowed work to become more free and efficient. For example, the railroad industry and electricity allowed businesses and factories to have locations in new areas. New inventions and electricity also made work much easier, upping production value. ---The telephone and typewriter created new jobs for women, increasing the number of women in the work force.

The robber barons of the 1800s were...

---J.P Morgan- an American financier and banker who merged two companies to form General Electric and was instrumental in the creation of the United States Steel corporation; leading financier of progressive era ---Andrew Carnegie- Led the expansion of the American Steel industry by building the Carnegie Steel Company ---Andrew W. Mellon- One of the wealthiest people in America and was Secretary of Treasury for 10 years. He provided capital for Pittsburgh based corporations to expand in such fields as aluminum, steel, and oil. ---John D. Rockefeller - He was a co-founder of the Standard Oil Company, which dominated the oil industry and was the first great U.S. business trust.

Why did people, particularly farmers, demand regulation of the railroads in the late 19th century?

---Railroad owners could build rails through farmers fields and would buy the land for less than it was worth even when the farmer didn't want to sell it ---They charged farmers whatever they wanted to ship their goods ---The railroad companies were very wealthy, powerful, and corrupt ---They would get land from the government and sell it or build rails wherever they wanted

What measures were put in place to help those new to America acclimate to the American way of life?

---Social gospel movement- designed to tie people salvation to good deeds, encouraged people to become involved in social reform movements ---settlement houses- help immigrants and poor adjust to life in the city. provide educational, cultural and social services that government did not

What proved to be an industry that propelled the wealth of Andrew Carnegie?

---Steel Industry ---biggest buyer--> railroads

What impact did railroads have on the growth of America?

---They allowed connection to rural areas and decreased travel time to distant places ---It also allowed for the spread of ideas, goods, and books to spread faster from coast to coast ---After the Civil War the country was divided so with the completion of the railroad it symbolized the country's unification ---Could ship and receive imports and exports more efficiently; companies could ship material much quicker and for less money

What is one (or a couple) of the reasons labor unions emerged?

---Unions emerged because work conditions were poor and low wages. ---Work Hours

Andrew Carnegie gained control of a large percentage of the steel industry by...

---horizontal integration→ company buys other companies that produce similar product ---vertical integration→ company buys companies that produce materials it needs to make and distribute their products

Why might workers "organize" in order to improve life in their workplace(s)?

---unions protected workers and made it easier for them to come together to discuss and protest workplace issues ---fight unfair conditions (long hours, poor conditions, low wages)

Why was there so much difficulty within cities during the Industrial Age?

-There were many difficulties within cities due to the city's growth outpacing the government's ability to send clean water and filter out sewage. -They were also growing so quickly and population increased.

How might one generally characterize the impact of the industrial revolution on the U.S.?

-there were positives and negatives Pros: Innovation in technology, advancements in transportation and communication, and there was a demand for more workers. Cons: Poor working conditions, crowded living conditions, and pollution to the environment.

What constitutes a monopoly?

A monopoly is a situation in which a single company or group owns most of if not nearly all market for a particular good or service. Characterized by the absence of competition in said market, resulting in high prices. One company controls the market including pricing, wages, and costs.

Who were some industrialists who amassed fortunes during the Industrial Revolution?

Andrew Carnegie, J.P. Morgan, Andrew W. Mellon, John D. Rockefeller.

Cause and Effect: Homestead Act

Cause: Government's intent to have people settle west Effect: populating the frontier

Cause and Effect: Higher Standard of Living

Cause: Growth in the nation's economy Effect: While the standard of living increased for most people, the cities could not keep up with the conditions of living, therefore it decreased. Increase in jobs contributed to the wealth of the nation and technological improvement raised the standard of living. The negatives it caused were unhealthy working conditions, air and water pollution, child labor, and an increase in tension between social classes.

Cause and Effect: Development of new sources of power

Cause: Harnessing of electricity and other inventions and innovations prompted it. Effect: changed the nature of business in America, ran machines, was convenient and inexpensive, and promoted growth to the west

Cause and Effect: Discrimination of immigrants

Cause: Many immigrants moved to the US and many feared the immigrants were ruining American society which led to feelings of nativism Effects: was brought about by nativists believing that they should be taken care of before any immigrants got special treatment by the government. There were quite a few racist ideas involved as well.

Cause and Effect: Unrestricted immigration

Cause: No governmental regulation/Restriction on immigration (also many people rushed to the U.S. for opportunity) Effect: a massive influx of new immigrants into the country, leading eventually to overpopulation in the cities

Cause and Effect: Formation of Labor Unions

Cause: Overpopulation, formation of factories with excess workers led to Very bad working conditions Effect: led to regulations for working conditions, hours, and higher wages.

Cause and Effect: Westward Expansion

Cause: The completion of the transcontinental railroad and the passage of the homestead act Effect: populated territories that would eventually become states

Cause and Effect: Exorbitant railroad rates

Cause: The increase in industries such steel allowed railroads to expand and connect the entire nation. The growing size of the nation and the corporation gave the railroad companies a sense of importance and power, which led them to create exorbitant railroad rates Effect: The Interstate Commerce Act

Cause and Effect: Progressive Movement

Cause: With the goals of protecting social welfare, promoting moral improvement, creating economic reform, and fostering industrial efficiency, the movement came to be. Effect: consisted of rules and regulations for workers, as well as women's rights. It aimed to fix the issues that came about during the big industrial growth. (The progressive amendments 16th, 17th, 18th, & 19th)

Cause and Effect: Long Work Hours

Cause: Without regulation in place, workers were forced to work Effect: Stressed and tired workers, increased productivity -this might have caused the formation of unions

Cause and Effect: Urbanization

Cause: creation of factories and more job opportunities caused many immigrants and Americans to move to major cities Effect: This caused overpopulated cities, poor living conditions, because of sweatshops new workers rights were eventually made as well as different unions.

Cause and Effect: The need for regulation

Cause: monopolies, unfair railroad rules, unfair business practices prompted Effect: interstate commerce act of 1887, which required that railroad rates be "reasonable and just," but did not empower the government to fix specific rates.

Cause and Effect: Immigration of people

Cause: people were enticed by the promise of a fresh start with new job opportunities Effect: Overpopulation in cities and increased crime rate, poor sanitation, dense housing, disease

Cause and Effect: Linking of towns, cities, and settlements

Cause: the railroads Effects: this might have caused urbanization, it also made the transferring of materials for factories easily reached, towns that were not connected to the rest of the country before now had a means for travel and for expanding their own small towns

What legislation(s) discouraged immigration to America in the late 1800s?

Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, Gentleman's Agreement (1907) ---The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882: One of the most significant restrictions on immigration, prohibiting all immigration of Chinese laborers. ---The Gentleman's agreement was an informal agreement between the United States and the empire of Japan where the US would not impose restriction on Japanese immigration to the US and Japan would no longer allow further emigration to the US.

What "peoples" were instrumental in linking east with west?

Chinese immigrants

How was control of the oil industry accomplished?

Control of the oil industry was accomplished by undercutting smaller oil companies and their oil prices, only taking a short-term loss in profit. This would result in competitors being driven out of the business as they could no longer make a profit.

Cause and Effect: Growth of Railroads

Effect: once isolated cities and towns were no longer isolated. It also made it easier to transport resources.

What process is employed by a manufacturer who attempts to control "front end" costs?

Front end costs are money paid or costs at the start of a project before on site building. The process is called vertical integration, which means the company buys out suppliers, cutting out the middle man and saving money in the long run.

From what regions did most immigrants depart when choosing America as their home?

Immigrants came from all over the world to America, but the majority of them came from European and Asian countries.

Where did most of those new to America choose to "plant their roots?"

Most immigrated to the cities

What legislation was spurred by Upton Sinclair's expose'?

The Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, later renamed the Food and Drug Administration in 1930.

What energy most freed manufacturers from restrictions on where factories could be built?

The invention of controlled electricity allowed manufacturers to build their factories anywhere they wanted as they were not restricted by where they could acquire power.

How did railroads help unify the United States?

The railroads connected small towns and cities, and people began to settle west which reduced isolation.

How did the growth of the steel industry influence the development of other industries?

They allowed for production of ship plates, railroads, urban infrastructures, office buildings, factories, railroads, bridges,farm equipment, canned goods, and skyscrapers. This led to rapid change and innovation and increased production speed. The railroads were built quickly, large buildings and factories were erected from the ground, and the standard of living for workers increased. So it is fair to say that the growth of the steel industry had a significant impact on other industries.

define robber baron

a term applied to businessmen in the early 19th century who engaged in unethical and monopolistic practices, wielded widespread political influence, and amassed enormous wealth.

The goal of the Interstate Commerce Act was to...

establish the federal government's right to supervise railroad activities and to create a five-member Interstate Commerce Commission to do so. (also to lower excessive railroad rates)

Who would be most closely associated with the "grange?"

farmers

Advancements in the manufacture of farm equipment caused a drop in the need for farm labor, so...

more people moved to the north/cities to find jobs in factories and industrial areas

How did native born Americans feel about new immigrants and the way government should work?

nativists wanted to restrict immigration and believed that America should take care of people who live on American soil over the immigrants (immigrants were often blamed for the ills of society)