Chapter 17 questions

Explain how changes in the politics, economics, social factors and spread of violence affected the situation of blacks in the New South.

Discriminatory politics, economic inequality, rampant racism, and extreme violence towards black people in the New South caused many blacks to move West

How did employers use state and federal forces to protect their own economic interests and what were the results?

Employers would call state or federal troops to end stikes and restore order. Strike leaders could be jailed which would quickly bring an end to the strike.

How did religion and the idea of the Lost Cause give support to a new understanding of the Civil War?

The Lost Cause was a romanticized version of slavery, the Old South, and the Confederacy. Christianity played a central role as Southerners used it to claim they were representatives of Christian virtue, whereas Northerners were the forces of evil. In some cases, the death of the Confederacy was even equated to the death of Christ.

Who were the Redeemers and how did they change society and politics in the New South.

The Redeemers were a coalition of merchants, planters, and business entrepreneurs who dominated Southern politics after reconstruction. The goal of the Redeemers was to undo as much of reconstruction as they could. Redeemers slashed taxes on land or property, and public facilities like hospitals and asylums closed. Schools were hit the hardest, black schools the most.

What economic and political issues gave rise to the Populist Party and what changes did the party advocate?

Farmers were locked into debt due to decreasing prices, high shipping costs, and excessive interest rates from banks. The Farmers' Alliance was a cooperative group that fought the federal government for better conditions and financing. The Alliance evolved into the Populist Party who advocated for all producing classes and fighting big banks and corporations. The goal was to change political corruption and economic inequality.

What rights did Chinese immigrants and Chinese Americans gain in these years, and what limitations did they experience? How did their experiences set the stage for other restrictions on immigration?

In 1882, all Chinese immigrants were excluded from entering the country. Those already living in the U.S. faced discrimination, violence, and segregation. Though Chinese immigrants did gain access to education, children were in segregated schools. However, the 14th amendment did allow the children of Chinese immigrants to become citizens if they were born on Chinese soil. These factors made assimilation difficult for Chinese-Americans and caused them to be isolated from the mainstream. Similar exclusion acts that followed barred not just racial groups but those seen as unfit for society.

Compare the arguments for and against U.S. imperialism. Be sure to consider the views of Josiah Strong and Emilio Aguinaldo. (p 674-675 for reference)

People were opposed to American imperialism because of the poor treatment of other races. Emilio Aguinaldo, a Filipino leader, knew that other races, such as the Filipinos, were not inferior and demanded respect of their independence as the U.S. had also once been in rebellion from tyranny. Those for imperialism believed that they must civilize other peoples and that the end goal of imperialism was to admit the new territories as states. Josiah Strong, for example, believed that it was necessary for America to compete with other global powers and once all the world's territory had been occupied, the Anglo-Saxon race would compete for superiority.

Compare and contrast the goals, strategies, and membership of the American Federation of Labor and the Kinghts of Labor.

The AFL limited their goals from utopian dreams to more realistic goals like negotiating for higher wages with employers. The Knights of Labor had been advocating for broad reform and economic independence. The AFL also avoided direct confrontations with large corporations. The Knights of Labor held big strikes like the Homestead and Pullman strikes. AFL membership was exclusive as it only was open to skilled workers and centered on small competitive businesses. The Knights of Labor was open to both skilled and unskilled workers which made them more diverse and often dealt with large factory industries.

What ideas and interests motivated the United States to create an empire in the late nineteenth century?

The United States throughout the nineteenth century was emerging as a world power. With that status came territorial conquest and expansion, which had been done across North America. Economic benefits like trade and foreign goods were alluring to the public. Some people believed it was right to spread culture and influence to the "inferior races." When the West was considered completely settled, the United States needed a new outlet for the growing cities.