Question 1

Dramatic social changes in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century resulted in a society in flux, where the social order could not be taken for granted, and where clashes between racial/ethnic groups intensified.

Accepted Answer

Dramatic social changes during this time period such as industrialization, urbanization, immigration, and women's suffrage led to a society in a state of flux and increased tensions between different racial and ethnic groups.

Question 2

Some have described the violence and oppression of the Jim Crow era directed against African Americans as a time that was "worse than slavery."

Accepted Answer

While slavery was a horrific and dehumanizing practice, the violence and oppression directed against African Americans during the Jim Crow era included lynchings, segregation, and systemic discrimination that created ongoing disadvantage and trauma for Black communities. Many would argue that the Jim Crow era represented a continuation of the dehumanization and mistreatment of African Americans that began in slavery.

Question 3

While slavery can be viewed as an example of racial dictatorship, the ten years known as the Reconstruction era can be viewed as the beginning of a racial democracy, where the actions of the federal government supported the full civil and political rights of blacks.

Accepted Answer

During Reconstruction, the federal government passed laws and amendments aimed at granting full civil and political rights to black Americans, such as the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution, and the Civil Rights Act of 1866. While Reconstruction was not completely successful in achieving racial equality, it represented a significant step towards establishing a more democratic society in which black Americans could participate as equal citizens.

Question 4

In the mid-to-late 1800s, the United States experienced an immigration explosion that had dramatic consequences for the nation.

Accepted Answer

This is true. From the 1840s to the 1920s, the United States experienced a massive wave of immigration, with millions of people coming from Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world. This had significant social, economic, and political impacts on the country.

Question 5

No other European ethnic group faced the discrimination that the Catholic Irish faced in the United States; help wanted ads discouraged Irish men and women from applying, by stating "No Irish need apply," even for menial jobs. In the South, work considered too dangerous for slaves was considered ideal for Irish laborers.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. The Catholic Irish faced significant discrimination in the United States, including in employment opportunities where "No Irish need apply" ads were common, even for low-paying jobs. In the South, Irish laborers were often employed in dangerous jobs that were considered too risky for slave labor.

Question 6

Anti-Semitic feelings among non-Jewish students grew on college campuses and soon admissions quotas became commonplace, particularly in professional schools of law and medicine, thus restricting Jewish access to some of the most prestigious occupations in American society.

Accepted Answer

This statement accurately describes the historical experience of Jewish students in the United States.

Question 7

The Indian Citizenship Act, which granted U.S. citizenship to all Indians, was the result of Indian demands that they be fully included in the U.S. as citizens.

Accepted Answer

The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, also known as the Snyder Act, unilaterally granted U.S. citizenship to all Native Americans born in the United States. It was not primarily the result of demands from Native Americans for citizenship, but rather a decision made by the U.S. government, influenced by various factors including the service of Native Americans in World War I.

Question 8

Most labor unions of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were racially integrated, adhering to the belief that a united labor force was a more powerful challenge to capitalism.

Accepted Answer

Most labor unions during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were racially segregated, often excluding non-white workers from membership, as they did not adhere to the belief that a united labor force across racial lines was necessary or desirable for challenging capitalism.

Question 9

Passing can be understood as resistance to the racial hierarchy and, simultaneously, acquiescence to it.

Accepted Answer

Passing involves individuals from marginalized racial groups, such as African Americans, pretending to be from a more socially acceptable or dominant racial group, such as white, in order to gain privileges and benefits that they would not have if their true racial identity were revealed. By passing, individuals are challenging the limitations that the racial hierarchy imposes on them while also perpetuating and reinforcing the system by submitting to its rules. Therefore, passing can be understood as a form of both resistance and acquiescence to the racial hierarchy.

Question 10

Why is assimilation the preferred model for race/ethnic relations according to functionalists?

Accepted Answer

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Question 11

What is meant by the notion that the United States is a melting pot? Provide a sociological critique of that understanding of American assimilation.

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Question 12

To what extent has the United States favored the assimilation of racial/ethnic minorities? Provide examples of when assimilation has not been an option for particular racial/ethnic groups. What are some factors that influence the ability of a group to assimilate into the dominant culture? What are some factors that inhibit a group's chances of assimilating into the dominant culture?

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Question 13

Provide evidence that this period in history-the late nineteenth and early twentieth century-was a racial dictatorship. Conversely, provide evidence that this period could be described as the beginning of a racial democracy.

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Question 14

In detail, describe at least three attempts at the forced assimilation of Native Americans during the late 1800s and early 1900s by the U.S. government. How successful have these efforts been?

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Question 15

Describe similarities and differences between the racism and discrimination directed at African Americans and Native Americans versus that directed at European immigrants, particularly Irish and Jewish immigrants.

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Question 16

Use Hubert M. Blalock's power-threat hypothesis to explain the preponderance of lynching and race riots during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Accepted Answer

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Question 17

Describe the changing racial ideologies associated with the shift from slavery to Jim Crow and thus how racial discrimination against African Americans changed.

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Question 18

Explain why a service occupation like that of sleeping car porter was such an important job for African American men.

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Question 19

Define passing. Explain the costs and benefits of passing for African Americans during the Jim Crow era.

Accepted Answer

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Quiz 5: Race Relations in the 19th and 20th Centuries