Question 1

By 1900, in both the North and South:

Accepted Answer

The role of black soldiers in ensuring Union victory in the Civil War was largely forgotten by 1900, as history textbooks in both the North and South focused more on reconciliation between the North and South than on emphasizing the contributions of African Americans. Option A is incorrect because history textbooks did not emphasize the merits of Reconstruction. Option C is also incorrect because history textbooks did not portray African-Americans as happy in slavery - this viewpoint had largely been rejected by the turn of the 20th century. Option D is incorrect because by 1900, African-Americans had largely lost the political and economic gains made in Reconstruction due to the rise of Jim Crow laws and other forms of institutionalized racism.

Question 2

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882:

Accepted Answer

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was the first time race was used to exclude an entire group of people from entering the United States. It prohibited Chinese laborers from immigrating to the U.S. and prevented some Chinese immigrants already in the U.S. from becoming U.S. citizens. The Act was a clear expression of anti-Chinese sentiment in the U.S. and it lasted for over 60 years.

Question 3

Which of the following does NOT describe an effect of U.S. Chinese exclusion policies of the late nineteenth century?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Chinese exclusion policies of the late nineteenth century actually decreased Chinese immigration to the country, so there was not a dramatic increase in Eastern cities. The other three choices describe effects of the policies. The U.S. Chinese exclusion policies of the late nineteenth century were intended to restrict Chinese immigration to the United States. As a result, there was not a dramatic increase in Chinese immigration to eastern cities during this time period. The other answer choices are all effects of Chinese exclusion policies.

Question 4

How did the Civil War come to be remembered by the 1890s as the white North and South moved toward reconciliation?

Accepted Answer

By the 1890s, the white North and South had largely reconciled, and in doing so, they downplayed the role of African Americans in the Civil War. The dominant narrative became one of a tragic family quarrel among white Americans, in which blacks played no significant part. This was part of a larger trend in which white Americans sought to erase the memory of the Civil War as a struggle for black freedom and to justify the implementation of segregation and Jim Crow laws.

Question 5

The "Kansas Exodus" meant all of the following EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

The "Kansas Exodus" referred to the migration of African-Americans to Kansas in search of political equality, access to education, and economic opportunity. It was not necessarily about escaping racial violence in the South. While 40,000 to 60,000 African-Americans did migrate to Kansas, many eventually returned to the South. The "Kansas Exodus" did not result in the majority of black migrants returning to the South. Instead, many stayed in Kansas and other parts of the West seeking political equality, education, and economic opportunity.

Question 6

"New immigrants":

Accepted Answer

"New immigrants" referred to those who arrived in the United States from the late 19th century to the early 20th century, mainly from Southern and Eastern Europe, including the Russian and Austro-Hungarian empires. Option A is incorrect because Chinese and Japanese immigrants were already present in the U.S. in significant numbers before the "new immigrant" wave. Option C is incorrect because "new immigrants" faced intense discrimination and prejudice from nativists, who often accused them of being lazy and unwilling to assimilate. Option D is incorrect because the Immigration Restriction League was formed to restrict immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe, not Mexican immigrants.

Question 7

Plessy v. Ferguson:

Accepted Answer

Plessy v. Ferguson was a Supreme Court case that ruled racial segregation was constitutional as long as the separate facilities were equal, a decision known as "separate but equal." This decision propped up Jim Crow laws throughout the South and had numerous negative consequences for African Americans.

Question 8

The American Federation of Labor's founder Samuel Gompers used the idea of "freedom of contract" to:

Accepted Answer

Samuel Gompers used the concept of "freedom of contract" to argue that workers should have the right to organize unions and negotiate contracts with their employers. He believed that judges should not interfere with these contracts, which were mutually beneficial agreements between workers and businesses. Therefore, option A is the correct answer. Option B is incorrect as Gompers did not argue for the right of workers to form political parties. Option C is incorrect as Gompers believed in non-violent methods of negotiation between unions and corporations. Option D is also incorrect as Gompers did not justify the exclusion of women and minorities from the American Federation of Labor.

Question 9

How did black women challenge the racial ideology of the Jim Crow South?

Accepted Answer

Black women challenged the racial ideology of the Jim Crow South by insisting on the equal respectability of black women by working for "racial uplift." They formed women's clubs and organizations focused on improving education, health, and social conditions for black women and their families. They stressed the importance of education and self-improvement and pushed back against negative stereotypes of black women.

Question 10

An all-encompassing system of white domination in the South was achieved through:

Accepted Answer

Segregating businesses and services to serve whites before blacks was a key aspect of the system of white domination in the South. This created a hierarchy where whites were always prioritized over blacks in all aspects of life, from eating at restaurants to using public transportation. The other options, barring blacks from railroad cars and mass migration to northern cities, were also tools of oppression, but did not contribute as directly to an all-encompassing system of white domination.

Question 11

On what grounds did Justice David J. Brewer dissent from the majority opinion in the case of Fong Yue Ting (1893) that authorized the federal government to expel Chinese aliens without due process of law?

Accepted Answer

Justice David J. Brewer dissented from the majority opinion in the case of Fong Yue Ting on the grounds that he was worried that a similar rationale could be used in the future to subvert the rights to due process of other people, not just the Chinese. He argued that this precedent would essentially give the federal government unchecked power to expel any group of aliens without regard for their constitutional rights.

Question 12

Apart from the racial identity of victims, what typically triggered the lynch violence of southern white mobs?

Accepted Answer

The victim's alleged sexual conduct, particularly if it involved an accusation of raping a white woman or having a consensual relationship with a white woman, was often the trigger for lynch violence by white southern mobs. This was based on a fear of interracial relationships and a desire to maintain white supremacy.

Question 13

In his Atlanta speech of 1895, Booker T. Washington:

Accepted Answer

In his Atlanta speech of 1895, Booker T. Washington encouraged blacks to adjust to segregation as a temporary measure until they could prove their economic value and gain more respect from white society. He focused on vocational education as a means for African Americans to gain economic independence and prove their worth to society.

Question 14

The Immigration Restriction League:

Accepted Answer

The Immigration Restriction League wanted to bar immigrants who were illiterate, as they believed that those who were unable to read or write in English would be unable to assimilate into American society.

Question 15

The New South as promoted by Henry Grady:

Accepted Answer

Henry Grady's promotion of the New South focused on the region's need for industrialization and economic diversification. He saw industry as the key to breaking the South's reliance on agriculture and creating new opportunities for growth and prosperity.

Question 16

Why did the South fail to attract significant economic development in the wake of Reconstruction?

Accepted Answer

While the South did attract some investors looking for cheap labor and low taxes, they tended to be more interested in exploiting the region's resources rather than investing in long-term economic development. This led to a cycle of boom and bust in extractive industries like timber and mining, but little sustained growth in manufacturing or other industries that could support a more diverse and stable economy. Additionally, the legacy of slavery and racism in the South made many investors wary of making long-term commitments to the region, particularly as civil rights protests and violence continued in the 1960s and beyond.

Question 17

By the end of the nineteenth century, African-American men in the South:

Accepted Answer

By the end of the nineteenth century, African-American men in the South faced significant disenfranchisement and were largely forced out of political roles, leading to a shift where female African-American activists began to take more prominent roles in leadership and civil rights movements.

Question 18

Which statement about the disenfranchisement of blacks in the South is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court struck down the grandfather clause as unconstitutional in the 1915 case of Guinn v. United States.

Question 19

The Supreme Court decision United States v. Wong Kim Ark ruled that:

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court decision in United States v. Wong Kim Ark stated that the Fourteenth Amendment's Citizenship Clause applied to all born in the United States, regardless of their parents' citizenship or immigration status. This included Wong Kim Ark, who was born in San Francisco to Chinese parents. This ruling established birthright citizenship as the law of the land and was a significant victory for the Chinese American community.

Question 20

What explains the appeal of the Lost Cause mythology for Southern whites in the late nineteenth century?

Accepted Answer

The Lost Cause mythology allowed southern whites to cope with their defeat in the Civil War while preserving the concept of white supremacy. It portrayed the Confederacy as a heroic struggle against Northern aggression, while downplaying the role of slavery and racism as central elements of the Confederate cause. This made it possible for whites in the South to maintain a sense of superiority and cultural identity even after their political power had been taken away.

Quiz 17: Freedoms Boundaries, at Home and Abroad, 1890-1900