US History - American West 1865-1900

US History

AMERICAN WEST 1865-1900

1. Completed in 1869 the _________________ was a technological and engineering success that changed the American West and the economy of the United States. It connected national markets and helped in the settlement and transformation of the west into a productive agricultural region.

2. This land mark legislation was a huge pull factor for immigrants and Americans. The ________________________ allowed Americans to claim a ¼ section or 160 acres if they could show improvements in 5 years.

3. This technological achievement first saw extended use during the Civil War and spread along with the railroads connecting the two coasts and western communities. The _____________________ was the predecessor to the telephone.

4. The last recorded “Indian Uprising” in the U.S. occurred in 1890 in South Dakota between the 7th Cavalry and a small band of Sioux. The conflict resulted in the deaths of 146 men women and children and became known as the __________________________.

5. The ____________ legislation resulted in the opening of Indian Territory or Oklahoma to white settlement. It stipulated that communally held tribal lands would be broken up into allotments. Each tribal family head would receive 160 to 40 acres. The excess land would be open to homesteaders.

6. In 1893 Frederick Jackson Turner presented his _______________________ which stated that American’s unique political and social values were largely a product of the frontier experience.

7. The federal government provided railroad companies with ___________________ to encourage them to build rail lines across the west.

8. This invention allowed for the access to water anywhere in the west and helped boost the settlement process.

9. The __________________________ stated that the Black Hills and a good portion of the Dakotas, Montana and Nebraska to the Sioux.

10. The ____________________________ in the summer of 1876 was a great victory for the combined Sioux nation and resulted in the destruction of the 7th cavalry, focusing the U.S. attention on the “Indian Problem”

11. The ___________________________ Act of 1871 essentially removed sovereignty from Native American nations and made American Indians dependent on the federal government.

12. About 40,000 African Americans known as ______________________ travelled west in the hopes of establishing an African American state.

13. The mining boom and railroad boom saw a large increase in Chinese immigration into the west. This influx led to resentment by European workers over job competition and ultimately the ___________________.

14. The Dawes act attempted to forcefully assimilate Native Americans by dissolving tribal sovereignty and territories but it also resulted in the _______________________ which impacted thousands of Indian children.

CAPITAL & LABOR/ PROGRESSIVES 1870-1900

1. The ___________________________ was established by Samuel Gompers initially for skilled workers and grew into one of the most influential labor unions in the U.S.

2. Around 1900 African Americans began moving to northern cities such as Chicago and New York to escape rabid racism and take jobs in industry. This _______________________ resulted in the establishment of cultural movements such as the Harlem Renaissance.

3. The late 19th century was characterized by massive immigration from Europe. One of the causes of this explosion was immigrants sending letters home to their families in Europe, which caused the phenomena of ___________________.

4. During the Gilded Age many Americans felt threatened by increased numbers of immigrants particularly from Eastern Europe. This fear resulted in the rise of ______________ the belief that American born citizens were superior to new immigrants.

5. The growing immigrant population of northern cities created overcrowded living conditions in slum areas. Most immigrants lived in dilapidated multistoried apartment buildings or ____________________.

6. Evolutionary theory’s “Survival of the Fittest” was adapted by industrialists and politicians to rationalize disparities in wealth and power. This twisting of scientific theory was better known as ____________________.

7. The Gilded Age saw the beginnings of the modern corporation and the unrestricted growth of industry. This lack of government regulation resulted in the creation of monopolies, such as Standard Oil and Carnegie Steel large corporations that controlled the market known as _______________.

8. Political machines such as Tammany Hall that used the promise of immigrant community votes to gain political and financial favors from politicians practiced _____________________.

9. The period from 1870-1900 which saw incredible leaps forward technologically, acquisition of enormous wealth by a few and squalid living conditions for the working poor was termed by Samuel Clemens as the _________________.

10. Predominant economic philosophy of the day that allowed corporations to grow into trusts was _________________________ or the idea that government should not regulate business.

11. One of the factors that contributed to rapid industrial growth during this period was new technologies such as the harnessing of electricity and the lightbulb created by __________________ at ___________________ Research Laboratory.

12. Another major technology was the telephone created by ____________________.

13. A major concern of some reformers was the influence of trusts and corporations on government. The most sensational case of political and corporate corruption centered on the construction of the first rail roads the _______________________ scandal confirmed some Americans worst fears.

14. Some viewed the heads of industry as Robber Barons or Industrial statesmen depending, however wealthy titans of industry such as ____________________, standard Oil, _____________________, U.S. Steel,________________________ Banking,_____________________,

Rail roads were also known for their philanthropy.

15. Andrew Carnegie introduced a new process of steel production known as the _________________________ which created a superior quality of steel.

16. Carnegie defended his acquisition of wealth and provided an explanation for how the tremendously wealthy ultimately benefit society in his book _________________________.

17. The Idea of the American Dream was mythologized in a series of popular books entitled the _____________________, which emphasized the importance of hard work in achieving upward mobility and success.

18. Some of the benefits of the second industrial revolution were an increase in jobs, improved standard of living and a growing ______________________.

19. The Gilded Age saw an increase in organized labor and strikes for better pay, safer working conditions and a forty hour work week. On occasion these protests turned violent such as the ____________________ Chicago, 1882, the ______________________Pittsburgh 1892 and the ___________________,1894.

20. In reaction to the disparities of the Gilded Age many reformers and social activists attempted to change conditions by exposing corruption in politics, business and society. These Journalists and authors were popularly referred to as ___________________.

21. The unprecedented growth of industry during the Gilded Age was achieved by some corporations using a growth strategy by which they controlled the raw materials, production and distribution of a product. This strategy is known as ____________________________________

22. Upton Sinclair attempted to expose the corruption of big business, specifically the meat packing industry, in his influential book ____________________.

23. A reformer Governor from Wisconsin _____________________________ succeeded in getting several political reforms passed such as the recall, referendum and direct primary.

24. To combat the squalid conditions of the inner cities many reformers felt that education and social services were needed. In an effort to provide many volunteers such as Jane Adams opened “Settlement Houses”. One of the most famous was_______________________.

AMERICAN EMPIRE/ America’s Rise to Power

1. Nations around the world were influenced by the book “The Importance of Sea Power”which was written by ___________________. His thesis emphasized the necessity of industrialized nations to invest in a modern navy so that they could protect trade routes and new territories.

2. Following Alfred Thayer Mahan’s advice, Teddy Roosevelt as president adopted a foreign policy that depended heavily on the navy to influence nations to negotiate favorable treaties with the United States. The most famous example of _____________________________ was the taking of the Panama Canal Zone.

3. During the latter half of the 19th century and the early 20th many imperialistic nations rationalized their colonial activities by claiming that they were spreading the benefits of civilization to savage peoples. This “responsibility” was popularly referred as _________________________.

4. This extraordinary engineering feat helped the U.S. become the major power in the Caribbean and the Pacific. The __________________________________ was Roosevelt’s proudest achievement.

5. American industrialist had been attracted to the potential of Chinese markets and resources for much of the 19th century. Unfortunately China had been divided into spheres of influence among the European powers. The U.S. was finally able to establish a trade relationship with China by stating in the ______________________ that all nations should respect Chinese sovereignty and allow open trade relations.

6. With the acquisition of the Canal Zone, U.S. investment in Latin America Skyrocketed and the U.S. saw a necessity to protect its investments. This led to a strengthening of the Monroe Doctrine with the ___________________________________ which essentially made the U.S. the policeman for the Western hemisphere.

7. President McKinley resisted calls for military intervention in Cuba against Spain but this position became increasingly unpopular as sensational reports of Spanish atrocities were printed in the newspapers daily. These exaggerated reports were a product of ___________________________ and created popular support for a war with Spain.

8. Teddy Roosevelt was catapulted to fame as a war hero because he had served as the commander of the ___________________________.

9. In February of 1898 the U.S. dispatched a gunship to Cuba to observe the civil war and protect Americans. The destruction of this ship the _____________________ was blamed on Spain and became a major reason for the U.S. declaration of war.

10. Roosevelt’s “Gunboat Diplomacy” and implied use of military might to achieve favorable treaties and outcomes was sometimes referred to as _________________________.

WWI AND AFTERMATH / The Great War

1. American foreign policy at the outbreak of WWI was one of ______________________.

2. __________________________ believed the war was a war to save and spread Democracy.

3. __________________________ was sunk by a German U-boat and became a rallying cry for American entrance into the war.

4.The ___________________________ which urged Mexico to join the Central powers and attack the U.S. was the final event that led the U.S. to enter the war.

5. The __________________________ forced Russia to leave the war and led to creation of the Soviet Union and increased fear of socialism in the U.S.

6.Wilson enacted the ____________________________________ which many believe violated the 1st amendment of the constitution by limiting free speech.

7.Wilson urged the allies to be lenient with Germany, nevertheless the allies insisted that the Germans pay _____________________. This laid the foundation for the rise of fascism 20 years later.

8. The trigger event for WWI was the Assassination of ________________________in the summer of 1914.

9. Wilson conceived of a world without war through the creation of a collective security organization called the _______________________. Although an American plan it was not approved by congress and the U.S. never joined due to isolationists fears.

10. The First World War resulted in the creation of new nations out of the defeated Austrian and Ottoman empires. Many of these new nations were placed under the ___________________, where they were under the guidance of Allied nations.

11. Wilson instituted the __________________________ which required men between 21 and 35 to register for military service.

12. Some rights were restricted during the war including the 1st amendment. The Supreme Court ruled in _____________________________ that a “clear and present danger” existed that justified this action.

13. General ____________________________________ was placed in command of the American Expeditionary Force.

14. Technological advances such as __________________would help break the stalemate of trench warfare.

15. African Americans volunteered in great numbers in the hopes of achieving equality at home through their service. One such group was known as the ____________________________ who became the most decorated unit of the war.

THE NEW ERA 1920'S

1. The 1920's were a time of prosperity and high employment this led to increased purchasing power for Americans and ____________________________.

2. The 1920's led to increased freedoms of women best illustrated by the passage of the ________________________ which gave women the right to vote.

3. Although this decade was a time of increased freedoms and leisure activities some freedoms were restricted such as the right to consume alcoholic beverages. The _______________________ prohibited the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages.

4. The First World War and Bolshevik revolution led to increased xenophobia and in particular fear of socialism the __________________ resulted in a crack down on labor unions and socialist organizations.

5. The 20's saw the rise of the automobile and as a result the U.S. saw a need for improved infrastructure. The building of ______________________ was the U.S. first federal highway.

6. Increased job opportunities in northern cities led many African Americans northward to cities such as Detroit, Chicago and New York. This Great Migration resulted in the spread of ______________________ across the nation, a music which would become synonymous with the 1920's.

7. The Great Migration also resulted in the rise of African American enclaves in northern cities. One such enclave was in New York the ________________ became the center for African American art, music and writing during the 1920's.

8. The Radio and advertising led to the establishment of American ______________________________, which includes professional sports, music, movies and magazines.

9. Young women during the twenties that adopted modern dress and hairstyles and shed traditional norms for a modern sensibility were referred to as _____________________.

10. The Temperance movement was successful in banning the legal sale of alcohol, however it created a demand on the black market which resulted in the spread of illegal clubs and bars reffered to as ________________________.

The Great Depression (1929-1939)

1. The Great Depression began unexpectedly after a decade of unprecedented economic growth in the United States. Working men and their families suddenly found themselves without jobs and homes. Often homeless communities or ____________________arose on the outskirts of towns constructed of ramshackle materials.

2. President ______________________ had only been in office a few months when the Depression began. He responded by asking industry leaders to continue production and wages at 1929 levels, however the economic crisis continued to deepen.

3. Labor strikes and protests grew during the first few years of the Depression, one of the most dramatic protests led by WWI veterans, the _______________________________resulted in an overreaction from the Federal government and probably cost Hoover the election of 1933.

4. ____________________ was sworn in as President in 1933. He moved quickly and within his first 100 days as president passed many new pieces of legislation to combat the economic crisis.

5. The umbrella program that these new programs and offices fell under was popularly referred to as _____________________________.

6. The ___________________________ was one such program primarily charged with improving communities and municipalities by constructing public buildings and parks, Fair Park in Dallas is a prime example.

7. One principle piece of legislation was designed to increase confidence in the banking system by protecting the savings of depositors. The _________________ is still a functioning financial safety system today.

8. The decade of the thirties was also a period of environmental crisis. Overgrazing, lack of crop rotation and extended drought resulted in millions of acres of farm land destroyed and a new region in the American West referred to as the ________________________.

9. Roosevelt used the Depression and Federal programs to create jobs but also invest in the nation’s infrastructure. Probably the best example of this joining of goals was the ___________________________ which helped to bring electricity to much of the Appalachian region.

10. Roosevelt was a great communicator and used the popularity of the radio to stay connected with the American people during the dark years of the Depression. His weekly___________________________ helped provide Americans with hope and confidence.

11. The NRA and AAA were deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court and in response FDR suggested a Judicial Reorganization Bill which called for the addition of 6 more judges to the court. This was often criticized as ___________________.