The Gilded Age:

Question 1

Capital vs. Labor:
- Haymarket Riot

Answer 1

During the Gilded Age, a period of rapid economic growth and industrialization, there was a significant power imbalance between capital and labor. Capital, representing the owners and investors in businesses, held more sway than labor, which included the workers and employees. This led to labor unrest, strikes, and the rise of unions as workers sought to improve their conditions and wages.

The Haymarket Riot (1886) was a significant event in the Gilded Age, highlighting the intense conflict between labor and capital. It occurred during a period of rapid industrialization and urbanization, leading to growing tensions between workers and factory owners. The riot stemmed from a labor protest for an eight-hour workday, culminating in a bombing that escalated the conflict and had lasting consequences for the labor movement.

Question 2

Reconstruction and Segregation:

Answer 2

Reconstruction (1865-1877) was a period following the Civil War focused on reintegrating the South into the Union and addressing the rights of formerly enslaved people. The Gilded Age (roughly 1870s-1900s) followed Reconstruction, a period of rapid industrialization, urbanization, and economic growth, but also characterized by significant social inequalities and corruption. During both eras, the South experienced a complex interplay of progress, setbacks, and the continued struggle for racial equality.

Question 3

13th Ammendment:

Answer 3

The 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified in 1865, abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, with the exception of punishment for a crime after due conviction. This amendment was a key part of the Reconstruction Amendments, aiming to address the legacy of slavery and ensure freedom for formerly enslaved people.

Question 4

Plessy vs. Furgason:

Answer 4

In Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of state-sponsored racial segregation, establishing the “separate but equal” doctrine. The case arose from Louisiana’s Separate Car Act, which mandated that railroads provide separate accommodations for white and black passengers. Homer Plessy, a black man, challenged the law by refusing to move from a white-only railway car and was arrested. The Supreme Court, in a 7-1 vote, upheld the Louisiana law, paving the way for widespread segregation in the South under Jim Crow laws. The Supreme Court ruled that the “separate but equal” doctrine did not violate the Thirteenth or Fourteenth Amendments.

Question 5

Disenfrachisment Methods:

Answer 5

During the Gilded Age, disenfranchisement of African Americans in the South took many forms, primarily aimed at preventing them from voting and participating in the political process. These methods included poll taxes, literacy tests, grandfather clauses, all-white primaries, gerrymandering, and outright voter fraud and intimidation.

Question 6

Jim Crow Laws:

Answer 6

Jim Crow laws were state and local statutes enacted in the Southern and some border states of the United States, beginning in the late 1800s and lasting until the mid-1960s. These laws enforced racial segregation and discrimination, impacting virtually every aspect of African American life, from education and housing to public transportation and leisure. The laws were named after a minstrel show character, “Jim Crow,” and aimed to create a system of racial apartheid by legally segregating black and white communities.