US History Midterm Exam 2023 Flashcards
What was Reconstruction?
The period immediately following the Civil War during which the United States worked to rebuild itself politically, economically, and physically.
How did different political leaders want to approach Reconstruction?
- President Lincoln:
Provide new protections and rights for newly freed Black Americans; and Outlinea process for readmission that required 10% of eligible voters in a seceded state to swear an “oath of allegiance” to the union. - Radical Republicans: Create new agencies, legislation, and amendments to support the free Black population; and Disenfranchise former southern leaders who supported secession, including former government officials, military officers, and large plantation owners.
- President Johnson: Pardoning southern officials to encourage the reestablishment of southern repressive governments; and Refuse to sign new legislation that would support and protect the rights of newly freed enslaved Black Americans
What positive changes were occurred for Black Americans during Reconstruction?
- Creation of new constitutional rights; 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments.
- Creation of new agencies to support freed slaves; Freedmen’s Bureau.
- Opportunities to serve in political office.
What negative changes were occurred for Black Americans during Reconstruction?
- Formation of white supremacist groups.
- Ongoing racial violence and racial massacres.
- Restrictive labor systems to replace enslavement.
- Adoption of new legal measures to restrict Black freedom- limit constitutional rights and privileges
What did the 13th Amendment state?
Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime, shall exist within the United States.
What did the 14th Amendment state?
Provided American citizenship to formerly enslaved people and equal protection for all citizens while preventing any state from taking away an individual’s freedom without cause.
What did the 15th Amendment state?
Prohibited the federal government and states from denying individuals the right to vote based on their race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
Who was Hiram Revels?
First Black Congressman in the United States; US Senator from Mississippi.
What was the Freedmen’s Bureau?
Federal government organization formed to provide services to newly freed Black slaves; such as: job training, education, and more.
What was sharecropping?
Labor system adopted by southern plantation owners to repress newly freed slaves; often resulted in extensive debt for the laborers.
What is the Ku Klux Klan?
One of several white supremacist organizations that formed after the Civil War. Carried out acts of extreme violence to intimidate and repress the free Black population.
Why did southern governments adopt Jim Crow Laws?
To limit Black freedom after the end of legal enslavement.
What are some common examples of Jim Crow Laws adopted after the Civil War?
- Restrictions targeting Black voters (poll taxes, literacy tests, the “Grandfather Clause”)
- Segregation of public and private facilities
When did Reconstruction end?
Following a compromise made to settle the Election of 1876; neither Hayes or Tilden had the election votes to win due to extreme issues on election due in the South; Hayes had to agree to remove troops from the South.
How did new innovations impact American life after the Civil War?
- Many new innovations made life easier for Americans.
- Major construction projects (railroads, skyscrapers, bridges)
- Created new jobs for women (typewriter, telephone)
- Improved communication (telephone, transatlantic telegraph)
- Electric light allowed for longer working hours (with less fire risk)
How did industrialization impact the American economy?
- The United States had one of largest economies the world by the start of the 20th century.
- Increased numbers of Americans worked in manufacturing/ factory work.
- Industrial growth resulted in some of the wealthiest people in American history.
- Created large inequalities between the few wealthy and many poor.
Who was John D. Rockefeller?
Richest man in US history. Started Standard Oil Co. in Cleveland Oil. Controlled 90% of the US oil supply at the peak of his power.
What was the Gilded Age?
Period of economic growth that occurred after the Civil War. Resulted in extreme wealth for a few Americans, but also extreme poverty for most urban Americans.
How did living conditions change in the Northeast during the Gilded Age?
- Most Americans were forced to live in cramped tenements.
- Towns were very overcrowded and unsanitary; diseases spread rapidly.
What is a tenement?
Overcrowded apartments where many workers lived in urban communities. These apartments often house a dozen poplin a single room, and lacked electricity, running water, and indoor bathrooms.
How did working conditions change in the Northeast during the Gilded Age?
- Workers increasingly worked in factors.
- Workers faced long working hours (12 hours/day; 6 days/week)
- Workers were paid VERY little ($1/day or less)
- Workers faced dangerously and deadly conditions.
- Small children worked to help support their poor families.
How did laborers attempt to bring attention to their poor working conditions during the Gilded Age?
- Workers began organizing and joining labor unions.
- Labor unions used a variety of tactics to challenge their employers to improve conditions (ex. boycotts, sabotage, strikes, collective bargaining)
What was the American Federation of Labor (AFL)?
Largest skilled labor union of the Gilded Age. Headed by Samuel Gompers, who promoted using less aggressive tactics to improve working conditions and contracts for laborers.
What was the Homestead Strike?
Strike that occurred at Carnegie Steel’s plant in Homestead, Pennsylvania. Henry Clay Frick hired a private militia to break up the strike; the conflict between workers and the militia resulted in several deaths.
Why did many settlers want to move West after the Civil War?
- The East (especially South) was facing physical destruction after the war; the West offered new opportunities for those who needed them.
- Freed slaves could escape southern violence and repression; also job opportunities as cowboys.
- Affordable land.
What is Manifest Destiny?
The belief held by many Americans that it was America’s God-given right and responsibility to settle the West, spreading democracy and Christianity across the continent.
What factors made it easier for settlers to move West after the American Civil War?
- The completion of the transcontinental railroad and railroad expansion.
- The Homestead Act granted 160 acres of land, FOR FREE, to any head of household willing to farm the land; only had to pay a small paperwork fee– The Homestead Act made land ownership a possibility for people not allowed or able to own land in other parts of the country: Civil War widows, freed slaves, new immigrants.
Why did conflict frequently break out between western settlers and Native populations?
- Land disputes.
- Broken treaties
- Discovery of gold or other valuable resources.
- Cultural misunderstandings and disrespect (ex. killing of the buffalo)
How did the federal government approach conflicts with Native populations?
- The federal government often sent military forces to remove Natives from the land; often resulting in violent/deadly outcomes.
- The federal government agreed to unfair treaties with the Native population.
- The federal government developed programs to remove Natives from their land (ex. Dawes Act, creation of reservations)
What was the Ghost Dance Movement?
*Cultural movement developed among the Native populations in the Dakota Territory. Natives believed if they performed in a cultural ceremony, they’d be protected from the white man’s bullets.
* Contributed to the start of the Wounded Knee Massacre.
What was the Wounded Knee Massacre (aka. Battle of Wounded Knee)?
Violent attack against Natives living in Dakota carried out after US officials mistook a Native Ghost Dance ceremony for a warrior dance. Over 300 Natives were killed; Plains Natives struggled to recover after this violent attack.
What was the Dawes Act?
- Federal government legislation created in an attempt to civilize and assimilate” the Native population.
- The federal government redistributed all Native lands, allowing individual Native “families” a small plot to build a home on and live.
- Natives lost 13 million acres of land altogether.
What is assimilation?
- Government effort to “Americanize” Native populations, erasing their “uncivilized” ways of life and culture.
- Became the central goal of the government’s Native American policy after the Civil War.
Why did farmers alliances, such as the Grange, form after the Civil War?
- Farmers united to help one another overcome their many challenges (since the government isn’t helping much).
- These organizations provided services like: shared farm tools, offered agricultural education, and held social events (like square dances).
- Led to the creation of the Populist Party.
What ideas were supported by members of the Populist Party?
- Promote the interests of poor farmers.
- Graduated income tax.
- “Secret ballot” for voting
- 8-hour work day limit
- Bimetallism.
What is bimetallism?
- Printing more money; Backing that money in US government vaults, not only with gold, but with silver as well to limit the impact of inflation.
- Supported by Populists and American poor; Opposed by wealthy proponents of the “Gold Standard”
Who was William Jennings Bryan?
Most successful Populist Party politician; represented the interests of many poor Americans- including western farmers in the Election of 1896.
How did the US population change near the start of the 20th Century?
- The overall population increased significantly.
- Many new immigrants began to arrive in America.
- More people lived in large, urban communities.
How did changes in population impact American cities?
As cities grew rapidly, they faced a significant decline in living conditions: increase in crime, high poverty rates, unsanitary conditions, overcrowding.
What caused the significant increase in immigration that occurred during the late 19th century?
Push and Pull Factors.
What are “pull” factors of immigration?
Qualities or opportunities that
attract someone to a new place. Ex: religious freedom, political freedom, peace, economic or job opportunities.
What are “push” factors of immigration?
Conditions within an individual’s home country, that prompt someone to leave. Ex: Religious persecution, political repression, war, starvation, limited economic opportunities.
What was Ellis Island?
*Immigration processing station located in New York City, where many European immigrants entered the US during the late 19th and early 20th century.
*While the process of entering the US was easiest for wealthy European immigrants, 98% of immigrants that arrived at Ellis Island were admitted.
What was Angel Island?
*Immigration processing station located in San Francisco, where many Asian immigrants entered the US during the late 19th and early 20th century.
*Practices at Angel Island were more strict due to anti-Asian attitudes, leading far fewer immigrants to be admitted to the US through Angel Island than Ellis Island.
How did increased immigration impact American culture near the turn of 20th century?
*The United States was considered a “melting pot” of diverse cultures, languages, foods, religions, and traditions, all shaping what it meant to be American
* However, many immigrants settled in cultural neighborhoods by choice (ex. German Village) or by law (ex. Chinatown).
What is nativism?
Belief held by individuals who had resided in the US for many decades that “native-born” Americans were superior to new immigrants.
How did nativist beliefs impact some new immigrants near the turn of the 20th century?
- Many struggled to find work or housing because of their immigrant background.
- Racial violence and segregation laws targeted some new immigrants.
- Some immigrant groups saw their immigration to the US more restricted compared with groups from other countries.
What was the Chinese Exclusion Act?
- Federal government policy adopted near the turn of the century that limited Chinese immigration to the US and the ability of Chinese Americans already residing in America to gain citizenship.
- Example of nativism.
How did the poor conditions of Gilded Age cities contribute to destructive disasters near the turn of the century?
- Cities were rapidly built, primarily out of wood, allowing fires to spread faster
- Sharp population increases led many buildings to be built close together- also contributing to rapid spread of fire.
- Greed led business leaders to make unsafe decisions that put their workers or local community members in danger.
What was the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire?
- One of the most deadly workplace disasters in US history.
- After a fire was accidentally started in a NYC business, it spread quickly due to the large amounts of fabric in the business.
- Many workers were unable to escape because the business owners locked the doors to prevent workers from taking breaks.
- Nearly 150 workers died in the fire, mostly poor immigrant women, leading to the adoption of new regulations for fire safety in public and private buildings.
