IV. The Late IV. The Late Nineteenth Century and Nineteenth Century and

ImmigrationImmigration

1. The United States economy 1. The United States economy significantly expanded after the Civil War.significantly expanded after the Civil War.

► TrueTrue► Westward expansion meant Westward expansion meant

more natural resources, more natural resources, expanded interests in expanded interests in agriculture, ranching and agriculture, ranching and mining, and completion of a mining, and completion of a transcontinental railroad.transcontinental railroad.

► Captains of industry, such as Captains of industry, such as Andrew Carnegie and John D. Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller pioneered new Rockefeller pioneered new forms of business forms of business organizations.organizations.

► The rise of heavy industry led The rise of heavy industry led to vast urbanization, a to vast urbanization, a changing landscape and a host changing landscape and a host of environmental concerns.of environmental concerns.

2. The powers of the federal government 2. The powers of the federal government significantly expanded after the Civil War.significantly expanded after the Civil War.

► FalseFalse► As the Industrial Revolution As the Industrial Revolution

took off after the Civil War, took off after the Civil War, laissez faire capitalism was laissez faire capitalism was the dominant rule of the day. the dominant rule of the day. The ideas of Karl Marx and The ideas of Karl Marx and the principles of socialism the principles of socialism had some appeal in Europe, had some appeal in Europe, but not in the United States.but not in the United States.

► There were no income taxes There were no income taxes and very few government and very few government regulations.regulations.

► There was also no There was also no government protection for government protection for consumers, factory workers consumers, factory workers or farmers.or farmers.

3. In the late nineteenth century, labor unions 3. In the late nineteenth century, labor unions significantly grew in size and won most of the significantly grew in size and won most of the

confrontations they experienced with management.confrontations they experienced with management.

► FalseFalse► It is true that unions such as the It is true that unions such as the

Knights of Labor and the Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor American Federation of Labor attracted millions of members.attracted millions of members.

► It is also true that at places like It is also true that at places like Homestead, Pennsylvania and at Homestead, Pennsylvania and at the Pullman Palace Car the Pullman Palace Car Company, there were violent Company, there were violent confrontations.confrontations.

► However, most of these strikes However, most of these strikes ended in failure. This was ended in failure. This was primarily due to the role played primarily due to the role played by government, which tended to by government, which tended to favor the side of management.favor the side of management.

4. After 1880, most immigrants 4. After 1880, most immigrants came from Ireland, England, came from Ireland, England,

Germany and other nations located Germany and other nations located in western Europe.in western Europe.► FalseFalse

► After 1880, immigration from After 1880, immigration from northern and western Europe northern and western Europe tapered off as the conditions tapered off as the conditions in those nations improved.in those nations improved.

► However, the number of However, the number of immigrants coming from immigrants coming from Italy, Poland, Greece, Russia Italy, Poland, Greece, Russia and other nations in and other nations in southern and eastern Europe southern and eastern Europe dramatically increased. Most dramatically increased. Most passed through Ellis Island in passed through Ellis Island in New York City or Angel Island New York City or Angel Island in San Francisco.in San Francisco.

► Most immigrants were Most immigrants were exploited as a source of exploited as a source of cheap labor and as votes for cheap labor and as votes for machine bosses like Boss machine bosses like Boss Tweed in New York’s Tweed in New York’s Tammany Hall,Tammany Hall,

5. Most immigrants either 5. Most immigrants either moved into crowded slums in moved into crowded slums in eastern cities or settled on eastern cities or settled on

farms on the northern prairies.farms on the northern prairies.► TrueTrue► After the Civil War, After the Civil War,

immigrants especially from immigrants especially from Germany and Scandinavia, Germany and Scandinavia, settled on farms in settled on farms in Minnesota, Iowa and the Minnesota, Iowa and the northern plains.northern plains.

► The vast majority from The vast majority from southern and eastern southern and eastern Europe settled into the Europe settled into the slums of eastern cities.slums of eastern cities.

► Their experience included Their experience included factory jobs with low pay, factory jobs with low pay, crowded conditions in crowded conditions in tenement apartments and tenement apartments and machine politicians that machine politicians that wanted their vote but wanted their vote but provided very little in the provided very little in the form of good government.form of good government.

6. The nation’s first restrictions on 6. The nation’s first restrictions on immigration were targeted on the immigration were targeted on the

Chinese.Chinese.► TrueTrue► Chinese immigrants had come Chinese immigrants had come

over in large number to look over in large number to look for gold, help build the for gold, help build the railroads and establish small railroads and establish small businesses.businesses.

► For the most part, they were For the most part, they were successful, but their success successful, but their success stirred up the rise of stirred up the rise of prejudice and nativism. In prejudice and nativism. In addition, they did not addition, they did not assimilate as well as other assimilate as well as other immigrant groups.immigrant groups.

► Therefore, in 1882, the Therefore, in 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act became Chinese Exclusion Act became the nation’s first major the nation’s first major restriction on immigration restriction on immigration into the United State.into the United State.

7. In the late nineteenth century, 7. In the late nineteenth century, American cities tended to be dirty, American cities tended to be dirty,

crowded and governed by politically crowded and governed by politically corrupt leaders.corrupt leaders.

► TrueTrue► Thanks to the Industrial Thanks to the Industrial

Revolution, urbanization Revolution, urbanization had taken place at a very had taken place at a very rapid pace.rapid pace.

► As a result, there were few As a result, there were few (if any) zoning laws or (if any) zoning laws or building codes. There was building codes. There was also not enough in the way also not enough in the way of proper sanitation, of proper sanitation, schools, parks or schools, parks or playgrounds.playgrounds.

► Many cities were also Many cities were also governed by machine governed by machine politicians who were more politicians who were more concerned with staying in concerned with staying in power and lining their power and lining their pockets than addressing pockets than addressing the problems of their the problems of their crowded cities.crowded cities.

8. The government’s policy towards Native Americans 8. The government’s policy towards Native Americans was consistently designed to encourage them to was consistently designed to encourage them to assimilate into the great American “melting pot.”assimilate into the great American “melting pot.”

► FalseFalse► Assimilation did become a goal in the Assimilation did become a goal in the

late 19late 19thth century with the passage of century with the passage of the Dawes Act.the Dawes Act.

► This act was designed to divide This act was designed to divide reservation lands amongst individual reservation lands amongst individual Indian families and to encourage Indian families and to encourage them to farm. Leftover land was them to farm. Leftover land was given to white homesteaders.given to white homesteaders.

► However, the reservation system has However, the reservation system has survived to the present. Despite survived to the present. Despite their isolation and poverty, they are their isolation and poverty, they are the best means for insuring the the best means for insuring the survival of tribal cultures.survival of tribal cultures.

9. The late 1800’s was a period when economic 9. The late 1800’s was a period when economic wealth was increasingly controlled by a handful wealth was increasingly controlled by a handful

of powerful and wealthy men.of powerful and wealthy men.► TrueTrue► Men like Andrew Carnegie, Men like Andrew Carnegie,

John D. Rockefeller, John D. Rockefeller, Cornelius Vanderbilt and Cornelius Vanderbilt and J.P. Morgan built vast J.P. Morgan built vast fortunes from steel, oil, fortunes from steel, oil, railroads and finance.railroads and finance.

► They found ways to reduce They found ways to reduce business competition by business competition by creating trusts, holding creating trusts, holding companies and other forms companies and other forms of monopolies. They also of monopolies. They also used a form of “Evolution” used a form of “Evolution” called Social Darwinism to called Social Darwinism to defend their vast wealth.defend their vast wealth.

► As a result, the Gilded Age As a result, the Gilded Age (a term coined by Mark (a term coined by Mark Twain) was a period when Twain) was a period when the “rich got richer and the the “rich got richer and the poor got poorer.”poor got poorer.”

10. The late 1800’s was a period of lasting 10. The late 1800’s was a period of lasting change, progress and reform.change, progress and reform.

► FalseFalse► For the most part, the only For the most part, the only

progress was economic and progress was economic and technological and there was technological and there was very little reformvery little reform

► Towards the end of the Towards the end of the century, farmers and century, farmers and factory workers banded factory workers banded together to form the together to form the Populist Movement. At Populist Movement. At their apex in 1896, they ran their apex in 1896, they ran William Jennings Bryan in a William Jennings Bryan in a failed effort to win the failed effort to win the presidency.presidency.

► This movement pushed for This movement pushed for government reforms to government reforms to improve factory conditions, improve factory conditions, regulate railroads and regulate railroads and circulate more currency. circulate more currency. However, little was However, little was achieved until the outset of achieved until the outset of the 20the 20thth century. century.