Flashcards in Cumulative final Deck (13):
1
Why was the late 19th Century given the name the Gilded Age?
It was corrupt as fuck.
Looked golden on the outside but underneath the glitz and glam there were many deep seeded social and political issues
2
Describe American society in the late 19th century and explain why it was called the Gilded age not the golded
Time of development in industry, so most Americans then worked in the industry (beginning of labor disputes)
Robber barons
Questions were raised as to what exactly the government's role in the industry was and if it should regulate
The growth of cities/urbanization led to tenements (total slums)
3
Divisions between rich and poor
There were those who were building estates like the Biltmore and then there were immigrants living in slums and being discriminated against due to the rise of nativism
Brought about popularity in Socialism so the poor wouldn't be so poor and the rich wouldn't be so rich
Social Darwinism vs Gospel of Wealth vs socialism
4
Divisions in Politics
Those in favor of the spoils system (hire your friends) and those opposed
Political machines
Republican party was split into two factions: the stalwarts (did not want to reform the spoils system) and the half-breeds (did want to reform)
Splits in the Repub party led to a Democratic victory in 1912- leads to the more progressive democratic party
5
Development of the labor movement
Growing industry led to hard labor, and the people wanted to be heard
Labor unions
-American Federation of labor (skilled workers, believed in capitalism, most conservative and believed in "bread and butter" reforms like wages, hours and conditions)
-Knights of Labor ("one big brotherhood" no lawyers, bankers, saloon keepers, gamblers. Working class should band together, wanted factory ownership and worker owned cooperatives but in the mean time still wanted "bread and Butter")
6
How did the progressives attempt to fix the problems of the gilded age?
legslation
* Successes *
Codes for safety and sanitation in housing
compulsory school attendance laws, improved training for teachers, vocational school, kindergartens and PTAs, nurses in schools
medical clinics or the poor
minimum working age laws
protective legeslation for women
Prohibiton
1915 almost complete outlaw of prostitution
direct primaries
womans suffrege
income tax
direct election of senators
7
Describe the progressive movement and explain how it sought to address society's ills?
Progressives consisted of the urban, wealthy middle class and wanted to address the issues of the Gilded Age through a balance between capital and labor, reforming and regulating society, government and business, and find a balance between big government and small government
8
Do you think the progressive movement was successful? Why or why not?
Yes
brought about imperative legislation that has permanently and positively shaped our society
9
Why did the U.S. become involved in Vietnam?
domino effect, control communism
JFK increased involvement and Created the Green Berets as a “counterinsurgency” force to fight guerrilla warfare in the Third World
American escalation was met with NVA and VC escalation and increased aid from China and the Soviet Union
November 2, 1963: Ngo Dinh Diem was assassinated during a coup
November 22, 1963: JFK assassinated, LBJ becomes president
Gulf of Tonkin Incident, August 1964: US ship was attack and supposedly attacked again two days late, automatic ramp up of US involvement in vietnam by LBJ
Tonkin Gulf Resolution: No official declaration of war in Vietnam
Declared that the prez can do whatever he wants to prevent/ fuck with Vietnam
wrote the prez a "blank check"
10
Which specific U.S. Cold War policy or policies were applied to the conflict in Vietnam?
containment
domino effect
11
Why did the people of South Vietnam rebel against Diem?
no agricultural reform, didnt allow local leadership, allied with the vietnamese elite
12
Why was the Vietnam conflict controversial in the United States (consider reasons against involvement, the type of
warfare, mistakes made, etc.)? What were the results?
many believed it was a pointless war
killing mass amounts of innocent men women and children throught bombing, toxic gas and execution
(Cambodia, Mai Lai massacre)
extremely expensive
young American lives
nasty media coverage
unwinnable (Tet offensive)
the more violence the US created, the more people were willing to support the Vietcong
psychological havoc
13