Question 1

Describe the concept of Social Darwinism and how it came to influence American society. Who were its main supporters? Who were its main opponents? How did it influence the development of Big Business?

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Question 2

Immigrants often saw America as a land of opportunity. What was the reality of the opportunity for most immigrants? Did an immigrant's ethnic background ¾ German, Irish, Chinese, Slavic, French-Canadian ¾ have an effect on his or her place in America, particularly in the work force? Explain.

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Question 3

Why did the South lag behind the North in industrial development? What was the New South Creed, and how did the South start to catch up in manufacturing? How did shifts in the southern economy affect blacks and poor rural whites?

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Question 4

Who argued that "The law of survival of the fittest was not made by man, and it cannot be abrogated by man. We can only, by interfering with it, produce the survival of the unfittest."?

Accepted Answer

William Graham Sumner is known for his advocacy of Social Darwinism, which includes the idea that social systems naturally evolve for the better by allowing the 'fittest' to succeed over the 'unfittest'. This quote reflects his belief in the inevitability and desirability of this process.

Question 5

Why did railroads lead the way in the creation of big businesses? Who were some of the most important railroad entrepreneurs? What effect did the expansion of railroads after the Civil War have on the United States?

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Question 6

Explore how advertising and marketing changed the late 1800s. Who were the major innovators in these areas, and what methods did they use? How successful were they in convincing Americans to try new products?

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Question 7

Horatio Alger influenced American society by

Accepted Answer

Horatio Alger's novels, such as "Ragged Dick," were popular in the late 19th century and portrayed the idea that anyone, regardless of their social or economic background, could achieve success through hard work and determination, popularizing the "rags to riches" concept in American society.

Question 8

Which the immigrants in the West bore the brunt of labor hostility in the 1870s and 1880s?

Accepted Answer

Chinese immigrants were the ones who bore the brunt of labor hostility in the 1870s and 1880s. They were brought over to work on the transcontinental railroad and were seen as a threat to American workers who feared losing their jobs to cheaper Chinese labor. This led to violent attacks against Chinese immigrants, particularly in California.

Question 9

According to the Interstate Commerce Commission, about how many railroad workers were killed or injured on the job in 1889?

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Question 10

Compare and contrast the strategies, membership, leadership, and philosophies of the National Labor Union, the Knights of Labor, and the American Federation of Labor. How successful was each organization in attaining its goals?

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Question 11

"Yellow dog" contracts were contracts

Accepted Answer

"Yellow dog" contracts were agreements that employers required workers to sign promising not to join a union or take part in a strike. If an employee refused to sign the agreement, they would not be hired. This was used to prevent workers from organizing and demanding better pay and working conditions.

Question 12

What was the result of the Haymarket Square bombing in 1886?

Accepted Answer

The Haymarket Square bombing resulted in intensified animosity toward labor unions. The event was used as justification for a government crackdown on labor activism, with many union leaders arrested and imprisoned. The incident also led to a decline in public support for unions, which were regarded as breeding grounds for radicalism and violence.

Question 13

Mary Harris Jones

Accepted Answer

Mary Harris Jones, also known as "Mother Jones," was a prominent labor and community organizer who fought for workers' rights, particularly the rights of coal miners and their families. As a leader of the United Mine Workers of America, she emphasized the need to fight for better wages, safer working conditions, and other benefits that would improve the lives of workers and their families.

Question 14

Discuss the factors that drew more women into the work force during the second half of the nineteenth century. What kinds of women were likely to work outside their homes? What kind of work was available to them?

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Question 15

What did Karl Marx argue?

Accepted Answer

Karl Marx argued that capitalists would eventually bring about their own destruction by driving impoverished workers to revolt. He believed that the inherent flaws in capitalism, such as exploitation and inequality, would lead to the downfall of the system and the emergence of a socialist society. Marx envisioned a classless society in which the means of production were collectively owned and controlled by the workers.

Question 16

Which of the following was not one of the principles advocated by Terence V. Powderly and the Knights of Labor?

Accepted Answer

The Knights of Labor under Powderly advocated for many principles including immigration restrictions, temperance, the admission of blacks into local assemblies, and the promotion of producer and consumer cooperatives. However, they were not advocates for widespread and aggressive use of strikes. Instead, they believed in using strikes sparingly and only as a last resort.

Question 17

How effective was the Sherman Anti-Trust Act as a weapon against "big business"? Was "Big Business" the only kind of "combination" the act was used against in the late nineteenth century?

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Question 18

Analyze the rise in Big Business in the Gilded Age. Why was there a trend towards bigger businesses after the Civil War? How did the rise in Big Business affect business activities, including labor, and the economy? Why was the Big Business's rise so significant to the development of the American economy?

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Question 19

Describe the traditional "working-class culture" of skilled craftsmen in the first half of the nineteenth century. How did industrialization affect the working conditions and status of these craftsmen? What did they do in response to industrialization?

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Question 20

What innovations in technology and business drove increases in industrial production after 1865?

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Quiz 18: The Rise of Industrial America, 1865-1900