Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Woodrow Wilson Fights for Peace

1. Wilson's 14th point said that a League of Nations would address problems between countries before they led to war.

2. The treaty affected Germany as it said that Germany would have no rights of negotiation.

3. By giving Germany no rights of negotiation, the United States was only angering Germany and was not doing anything constructive.

4. Lodge had objected to the tr34ty b3c4us3 it delayed Isolationism and could limit Congress's right to declare war.

5. He wouldn't compromise with the Republicans, and he was overcome by a serious illness.

6. Nationalism and the harassing of Germany could create fascism, therefore many Germans would come to support Hitler.

7. The French premier who was anti-German and part of the Big Four.

8. The British prime minister who was part of the Big four and used the slogan "Make Germany Pay".

9. Russia had dropped out of the war early, and was avoided by European Powers because it was controlled by a communist dynasty.

Friday, December 11, 2009

WWI - The War at Home

1. War Industries Board- The War Industries Board helped companies to increase productivity and profits.

2. Railroad Administration- The Railroad Administration controlled railroad industries and was related to the War Industries Board.

3. Fuel Administration- The Fuel Administration helped fuel producing companies to increase productivity and profits.

4. National War Labor Board- The National War Labor Board helped to improve working conditions, but the downside for the laborers was that they were forced to work or join the military

5. Food Administration- The Food Administration encouraged people to use food more efficiently, which helped farmers to increase sales.

6. Committee on Public Information- The Committee on Public Information was a propaganda agency. The CoPI was successful in disseminating the war.

7. Espionage and Sedition Acts- The Espionage and Sedition Acts limited free speech and the a break in these limitations would result in harsh punishment. Everyone was supportive of the war at the time, which caused the acts to remain uncontested.

Bernard M. Baruch was the head of the War Industries Board, making him a significant historical figure. His actions were the precendent of other agencies and laws such as the Railroad Administration, Food Administration, Fuel Administration, the National War Labor Board, and most likely a few others.
George Creel was the leader of the Committee on Public Information, which made him a significant historical figure, as the CoPI was helpful in promoting the Espionage and Sedition Acts. Because of him, America became militaristic and more imperialistic.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

The U.S. enters World War I

1. The United States raised an army by means of the Selective Service Act, which forced all men who were qualified to enlist to enlist. Out of these men, not all of them were chosen, as they were chosen randomly. Black men and women were also allowed to volunteer.

2. The U.S. had played a role in keeping Germany out of Paris and turning the war around. Although the army was inexperienced, they were quite successful in doing so, helping them to win the war.

3. The estimated economic costs of the war was $338 billion.

4. There was an estimated 22 million deaths, with 11 million of those being civilians. There was approximately 20 million more injured and about 10 million refugees.

5. Armistice is when warring countries agree to stop fighting.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

World War I Begins

1. The four main causes of World War I were Militarism, the Alliance System, Imperialism, and Nationalism. Increased militarism was a cause as the major powers of Europe had built up great armies and had increased their stockpile in Europe. The race to gain overseas colonies known as Imperialism led to the heated competition and tension among European countries. Ethnic groups had banded together and became more nationalistic, each demanding their own independent nation, and this was known as Nationalism. Lastly, the Alliance System had been a large increaser of the war because if it weren't for alliances, the war would've only been between Austria-Hungary and Serbia, but because of the alliance system coutries such as Italy, Germany, the Ottoman Empire, Great Britain, France, and Russia joined in on the fighting to give aid to their allies.

2. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife was a became a spark for World War I because Austria-Hungary thought it was absolute blasphemy to assassinate a king and, thinking that Serbia was way out of control, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.

3. In the first few months of fighting, a few significant things had happened. One of those things was the enactment of the Schleiffen Plan, which was meant to stall Russia and go through Belgium and France. Austria-Hungrary and Germany planned for a quick war, but it did not end that way.

4. The United States's policy of isolationism kept them out of the war for a significant amount of time. The United States felt that they had no reason to join the war as they had nothing to fight for, so they decided not to join, as they would only lose lives and money.

5. Socialists opposed the US involvement in the war because they had thought it was the result of capitalism. Pacifists and parents were just opposed to all forms of war because of the death of relatives.

6. Germany responded to the British naval blockade of Germany's ports by sinking every ship in certain areas of the Pacific to gain some naval control. The US had responded to the blockade by protesting, negotiating, and soon after going to war.

7. Germany had attacked America which had forced them to go to war, as Germans had killed US passengers and persuading Mexico to go to war with the US.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

America as a World Power

1. Roosevelt played the role of calming mediator between the two imperialist powers. With the help of Roosevelt, a fair deal was made betweeb Russia and Japan, resulting in peace.

2. America bought the project from the French for $40 million. The route allowed quick passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific through South America. America still had to deal with the Colombian government, who owned this land. The Colombian government denied access to the US, and the US organized a revolution, and then the canal was allowed to be built by the government of Panama.

3. The Roosevelt Corollary said that not only European powers should interfere with Latin America, but that America should therefore be the one to interfere.

4. Dollar Diplemency enforced the view that the US should hold influence over Latin American countries by giving America access to Nicaraguan banks and railroad systems in exchange for a loan to get them out of debt. This had angered the Nicaraguans, and the Roosevelt Corollary had sent in 2,000 marines to back Adolfo Diaz, the president of Nicaragua.

5. Wilson's philosophy of missionary diplomacy was a reason that Woodrow Wilson decided to invade Mexico, but there were also other reasons. He felt that he couldn't invade for only moral issues, so he waited for a legitimate reason to invade. Mexico had soon after arrested some US sailors, which is when Wilson decided to give imperialistic actions some thought. He decided later to invade Mexico, and the invasion began.

6. America had achieved multiple foreign policy goals around this time, and one of these was that the US achieved its responsibility to intervene with other powers. Roosevelt had showed this by the peace talks he had made to Russia and Japan. Another goal the US reached was that they were able to act as a world power, which they showed by adopting the ideas of a Roosevelt Corollary and mission diplomacy. A third goal America achieved was that the US was able to expand their power dramatically.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Imperialism's Bitter Fruit

1. a) After the Spanish were forced out of the Philippines, fighting broke out between the American and Filipinos. This had started when an American soldier fired on a Filipino patrol that had refused to halt, 2 days before the Senate vote on the Treaty of Paris. For months, tension had been building up, and within hours of the shooting, fighting had spread to much of the area around Manila. The Filipinos had believed they were fighting for their independence, but they were not.

b) This was a different kind of warfare to American forces. Instead of confronting an organized army, U.S. soldiers had faced a quick-striking guerrilla movement. Both sides tortured and executed prisoners and committed other atrocities. The U.S. forced imprisoned almost the entire population of the island of Samara after guerrillas had wiped out an American garrison. American soldiers had also killed Filipino prisoners at random whenever an American soldier was killed.

2. African-Americans were strong critics of the war against Filipino nationalists as two regiments of black volunteers were among the U.S. troops who fought in the conflict. Black officers were appointed to command the volunteers. At home, African-American leaders were at the forefront of the backlash against the war. Black soldiers were discriminated against during this war just as they had been in Cuba. Roughly 500 African-Americans living in the Philippines were killed during the fighting.

3. a) Scholars of this time warned that imperialism would increase war and conflict around the world.

b) Mark Twainm, America's most famous living writer at the time, used his biting irony and wit to ridicule the stance of the imperialists. He was among the most effective critics of imperialism.

4. Congress had made Puerto Rico a territory in 1917 and had granted its people U.S. citizenship. Under a formula crafted by the US State Department, Cuba was to receive independence only after accepting a number of limitations. Both of these were positive effects of American occupation in Puerto Rico and Cuba.

5. a) The Platt Amendment had given the United States the right to oversee the Cuban economy.

b) The United States was also given the right to exercise veto power over Cuban foreign policy.

c) The United States could intervene whenever necessary "for the protection of life, property, and individual liberty".

d) Last, the United States was also allowed to build a naval base on the southeastern tip of the island at Guantanamo Bay.

I don't think that America was justified in making these demands because the US is saying that they are giving Cuba their independence, but with all these limitations, I wouldn't even consider it independence.

6. Personally, I think that the United States was becoming imperialist, as they were continuing to gain power and extend their boundaries. The US had expanded overseas in the 1890s and beyond, acquiring Cuba, the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico. This provided US leaders with the opportunity they had been looking for to increase that power. The US had claimed to be bringing freedom and civilization to the islands, but they were rarely considering the interests and hopes of the inhabitants.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Imperialism: The Origins of a Global Power

1. American plantation owners and U.S. Marines had toppled Hawaii's Queen in 1893 because most of the American plantation owners who dominated most of Hawaii's economy had favored bringing the island officially under U.S. control, so they orchestrated a coup with the help of U.S. Marines, toppling Queen Liliuo'kalani in January, 1893. Hawaii was considered to be a valuable prize because the island's rich soil was ideal for growing profitable tropical crops such as sugar, pineapples, and coffee. Hawaii was a crucial stopping point for American ships en route to East Asia. President Cleveland's reaction to this treaty and the event with the queen of Hawaii did not please American plantation owners in Hawaii, as he believed that annexation would corrupt traditional American values of freedom and equality, therefore he withdrew the treaty which allowed the United States to annex Hawaii. I agree with Cleveland quote on Page 1, as he is basically saying that the U.S. must make any repairs necessary when an action is made that puts a friendly country's independence and sovereignty in danger. I agree with him because a treaty was made that allowed the U.S. to annex Hawaii, which would danger Hawaii's independence and sovereignty, and since Hawaii was friendly to the U.S., it was a mistake.

2. In the nineteenth century, there were many changes that transformed America. These changes include immigration, urban growth, manufacturing, new inventions, and an increase in trade as well as many other changes. Immigration was a huge deal in the 1800's, as immigrants were very helpful. Immigrants had helped to propel the economy by labor, signaling a change in American life and American values, but they were not values that the US wanted. Urban growth had been spurred by immigrants, as one-third of Americans had become city dwellers by the late 1800's. This change had cause many problems, such as overburdened transportation systems, inadequate sanitation, rising crime, substandard housing, and politicol corruption. Manufacturing had also become a huge thing that contributed to the transformation of America in the 1800's. Manufacturing had overtaken agriculture as the main source of agricultural wealth, and many immigrants had worked in manufacturing plants in urban areas. Another transformer of America was new inventions in the 19th century, including electricity, chemicals, and new machinery. These inventions made it possible for new industries in the US. The new machinery made rapid inroads in the countryside because farmers relied on railroads to receive supplies and ship their crops to market. Farm machinery also started to replace human and animal labor in the fields. Lastly, trade was another change that had transformed the United States in the 19th century. International trade gained importance in the US economy near the end of the century. During this time the advances in transportation and machine-assisted farming had been a beneficial factor for the US. Big businesses gained political power as small farmers were increasingly sidelined.

3. The economic depression which started in 1893 had deepened the divisions in American society, as city dwellers worried about insecurity, laborers worried about losing their jobs, plant owners had worried about losing profits, and the income of farmers had slumped more than before the depression. I think that farmers suffered the most during the depression, as a slump in income had started in 1888, and the depression of 1893 had just worsened the slump.

4. The values that many Americans had attached to the frontier included resourcefulness, bravery, pragmatism, ingenuity, individualism, egalitarianism, and patriotism. Many Americans feared that the closing of the frontier would harm American's national character because the identity they had attached to the frontier seemed to be in jeopardy.

5. Some businessmen and politicians believed that overseas expansion would fuel economic growth. They saw that there could be an outlet overseas for the surplus of American products. American leaders had feared that if the US didn't follow suit, that competing powers would prevent the US from accessing the Chinese market.

6. Expansionists urged that acquiring a few strategic ports to service American ships and to open doors to foreign markets was sufficient, while imperialists wanted the United States to build a sizeable overseas empire in which the United States would conquer and rule over strategic foreign territories and nations, which would enable the United States to secure export markets, raw materials, and cheap labor.

7. Social Darwinism had lent support to imperialism as Social Darwinists had claimed that the "success" of western Europeans was a result of their being more suited to positions of power than other races and cultures, which reflected from Darwin's theory of "survival of the fittest". Scientific racism had also lent support to imperialism with social Darwinism as they affirmed the view that the US and a handful of European nations were destined by nature to dominate the world. America's leaders accepted the conclusions of scientific racism, and most of Americans seldom questioned its basic principles. Social Darwinism and scientific racism have been used since the late 1800's and are still widely used today.

8. Many Protestant churches suggested that he role of Americans in the world should be to "lift up" the "downtrodden" of other nations.

9. The United States had become more involved in Latin American nations in the 19th century because military leaders had hoped that the US could stabilize any quarrelsome nations so American commerce and influence could travel safely across the seas. The US had become involved in Samoa by a treaty in 1878 which promised American assistance in case of foreign interference in Samoa, a group of tiny Pacific islands, in return for free access to Samoa's harbor. As Germany and Britain worked to take over parts of Samoa, the US sent weapons and warships. In the end, portions of Samoa became an American territory. Then, in 1897, the US government tried to restrict Japanese immigration in Hawaii. Japan sent a message telling the US not to, and, knowing those Japanese immigrants would gain power on the islands and begin to demand rights not too far in the future, President McKinley put forward a resolution to annex Hawaii. Along with these 2 interventions, the US also intervened in a revolution in Chile in 1891 and in the Brazilian revolution in 1894. From 1893 to 1895, the US also negotiated with many different groups in Nicaragua.

10. The US was concerned about British involvement in Venezuela because Britain was bullying Venezuela, which shared a border with the British colony of Guiana. American was concerned that if Britain was to carve up Latin America for colonies like they had recently done in Africa, that it would prevent the US from expanding its own commercial ties to Latin America. U.S. Secretary of State, Richard Olney, had invoked in response that "Today the Unites States is practically sovereign on this continent, and its fiat is law....".

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Spanish-American War (1898)

Causes: How did each of the following help to cause the outbreak of the Spanish-American War?

1. American business owners- they had been sympathetic towards Cuba due to their ideas of rebellion, which caused Spain to become angry with America

2. José Martí- helped to cause the outbreak of the Spanish-American War by organizing Cuban resistance against Spain, and by deliberately destroying American property (mostly sugar mills and plantations)

3. Valeriano Weyler- went to Cuba to restore order, and had set up concentration camps where about 300,000 Cubans were held so they could no longer aid rebels, and many ended up dying from hunger and disease

4. Yellow journalism- by exaggerating the news in newpapers, yellow journalism had lured and enraged readers, had tightened hostility between the countries

5. De Lôme letter- a private letter which a Cuban rebel had leaked to the newspapers. This letter had criticized President McKinley, calling him weak and "a bidder for the admiration of the crowd". Although the Spanish government had apologized, Americans were still angry over the insult to their president

6. U.S.S. Maine- the USS Maine was a boat that was sent to Cuba to bring home American citizens in danger from the fighting and to protect American property. On Feb 15, 1898 the ship blew up in the harbor of Havana, and no one had know why it blew up, so they blamed it on the Spaniards, giving the US government a reason to declare war against the unprepared Spanish army.

Effects: What happened to each of the following territories as a result of the Spanish-American War?

7. Cuba- Cuba was freed by Spain in the Treaty of Paris (1898)

8. Puerto Rico- Puerto Rico was turned over to the Americans in the Treaty of Paris (1898)

9. Guam- Guam, too had been turned over to the Americans as a result of the Spanish-American War

10. Philippine Islands- The Philippine Islands had been sold by Spain to the United States for $20 million

U.S. Imperialism Begins

1. Name at least five factors that fueled American Imperialism.

Factors that fueled American Imperialism included the desire for military strength, the thirst for new markets, and the belief in cultural superiority

2. Choose two of the above five factors and describe them in your own words.

American leaders advised that the United States build up its own military strength. From the urging of Alfred T. Mahan and others, the United States built nine steel-hulled cruisers between 1883 and 1890 in order to keep up with the advances of enemy countries, making the US the 3rd largest naval force.
Advances in technology made it possible for factories and farms to produce far more products than needed for society, so imperialists had viewed foreign trade the solution to over-production.

3. What was known as “Seward’s Folly” and why?

"Seward's Folly" is what some people had called Alaska. Seward had arranged for the US to buy Alaska for $7.2m (from the Russians). Alaska was mainly called "Seward's Folly" by radical republicans who were hostile towards the President, and towards Seward as Johnson's political ally. The people who called Alaska "Seward's Folly" were probably surprised when America found Alaska to be rich in timber, minerals, and oil.

4. What plantation-based product accounted for three-quarters of Hawaii’s wealth in the mid-19th century and who controlled this product?

In the mid-19th century, sugar plantations had accounted for 3/4 of Hawaii's wealth, and these plantations were American-owned.

5. Using as much detail as possible, outline the sequence of events that led to America gaining possession of Hawaii? In other words, why was the United States interested in these Pacific islands?

White planters had profited from close ties with the US, and in 1875, the US agreed to import sugar duty-free, increasing the sugar production in Hawaii 9X. As a result of the McKinley Tariff of 1890, which caused the importation of sugar to no longer be duty-free, Hawaii faced competition in the American market. So they would no longer have to pay the duty, American planters in Hawaii had called for the US to annex the islands. In 1887, US military and economic leaders, understanding the value of the islands, pressured Hawaii to allow them to set up a base at Pearl Harbor. The base became a refueling station for American ships.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Child Labor Reform Photographs

Objective Assessment


As you view each photograph take note about what you see. (note people, background, objects) Pretend you were describing the image to someone who could not see it. Try to avoid making judgments.

Where are these children? List any clues relating to their surroundings. Describe any tools or objects you see. Describe their clothing. What do their clothes reveal about their work?


Subjective Assessment


What questions do you have about each of these photographs?
Based on your observations, list three things you might infer about the lives of these children. (Be sure to consider Hine's notes about the photographs when considering this.)

Photograph A- In this photograph, there is a young girl about 51 inches tall working in the Whitnel Cotton Mill, most likely at the age of 12. She appears to be terror-stricken by the expression on her face, which makes me think she doesn't like her job, and maybe because since it looks like she isn't working, she is frightened that she might get caught taking a short break for the first time in her working career. She is also wearing unquestionably formal and ill-fitting clothing, which shows she not only is forced to work hard, but she is forced to wear vexatious clothing, which might make her dislike her job even more.

Photograph B- In this photograph, there are 5 girls around the age of 16, who look to be narcoleptic and woebegone due to their droopy expressions and hunched-over bodies. As tired as they look, I assume that they have just done some hard, scrupulous work. Because there is close to nothing that appears around them, it makes me wonder what kind of work they have been doing and why they look so depressed.

Photograph C- In this photograph, there is an extremely young girl, standing in the cotton mill. She is without shoes, and is wearing very ruggedy clothing. Hine says that the manager said she just walked in and started working, but because she seems to have grown accustomed to the facility, I assume that she was forced to work there and the overseer is just making that up to avoid looking bad.

Photograph D- In this photograph, there is a young child (male) on the street trying to sell newspapers to the people who walk by him. He looks to be very sad and he is wearing old, nasty clothing. The people currently walking by him don't seem to take even the quickest glance at him, causing him not to sell many papers.

Photograph E- In this photograph, there are about 20 boys working in a coal factory, who look slumped over and depressed due to their hard and tedious work. They have the urge to keep working as hard as they can because they are being watched and if they don't do what they are supposed to do they will be kicked into obedience. The dense dust in the air causing very serious and unhealthy working conditions, which makes their work seem even harder to complete.

Photograph F- In this photograph, there are about 8 teenage boys working in an Indiana Glass Works at the time of 9 pm. Some of the boys seem to be hard at work while others are fooling around, not doing their work. While this makes them seem unprofessional, it is most likely the only time they can slack off as it is late and they probably are not being watched. The boys all seem to be tired and depressed, which shows that their jobs must be long and monotonous. And because of their very raggedy clothing, they must not be getting much money for the hard work they are doing.

Photograph G- In this photograph, there are about 40-50 people oyster shucking, ranging from the ages of 5-45. All the people seem to be hard at work, while the youngest of the children look tired, as they can't do such long, hard work at such a young age. When I see this picture, It makes me sad because when I think about 5 year olds being forced to oyster shuck, I think that society was horrible back then and I would definitely not wanna live during that time period.

Photograph H- In this photograph, there are about 10 people going to work the night shift in a mill, who are expected to work from 6pm to 6am the next morning. Everyone in the photograph seems to not want to be there, as I'm sure they would much rather be home getting ready to go to sleep. It must be very cold, because if you look closely, you can see that almost everyone is wearing rather heavy clothing. The cold working conditions most likely makes their jobs a lot harder and makes them even more tired at the end of work.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Sections 17-4, -5

1. How did William Howard Taft get selected to run for president?


William Howard Taft was selected by Roosevelt to run against William Jennings Bryan in the election of 1912. At the time, Taft was Roosevelt's Secretary of War, and Roosevelt handpicked him to run in the election.


2. How did Teddy Roosevelt come to oppose Taft for the presidency in 1912?


Taft sought to consolidate rather than to expand Roosevelt's reforms, which caused Roosevelt to oppose him for the presidency of 1912.


3. What events helped Woodrow Wilson win the election in 1912?


The split of the Republican party was the main event which helped Wilson win the election, but he always won as he related to the public opinion, as he supported small businesses and free-market competition, and he was against all monopolies, as many citizens were.


4. What legislation did Wilson use to attack trusts and monopolies?

Wilson, during his presidency, had used Congress to create 2 antitrust acts: The Clayton Antitrust Act and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The Clayton Antittrust Act was passed in 1914, which prohibited corporations rom acquiring the stock of another if doing so would create a monopoly; if a company violated the law, its officers could be proseute. This act was used by Wilson mainly to attack trusts and monopolies, which was his main goal during his time in office. The Federal Trade Commission was also created in 1914, which gave an agency the power to investigate possible violations of regulatory statutes, to require periodic reports from corporations, and to put an end to a number of unfair business practices. This act was very successful as it led to almost 400 cease-and-desist orders to companies engaged in illegal activity.

5. What was the Nineteenth Amendment?

The Nineteenth Amendment, winning final ratification in August 1920, granted women the right to vote. This was significant as for 72 years women had been trying very hard to gain this right, and it was finally granted to them. This made women feel more equal and important.

6. How did America's entry into World War I affect the reform movement?

America's entry in World War I affected the reform movement greatly, as the women were very helpful. During the war, patriotic American women who headed committees, knitted socks for soldiers, and sold liberty bonds had been rewarded by being granted the right to vote. Thanks to America's involvement in WWI, women were granted the right to vote due to their help in the war.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

TR's Square Deal

1. How did Roosevelt create the modern presidency?

Roosevelt's strong leadership skills and bold publicity campaigns were the main things that were helpful in creating the modern presidency, as he became a model to future presidents. Roosevelt, unlike previous presidents, used his personality and popularity to advance his programs.

2. How did Roosevelt's intervention in a coal strike set a precedent for federal arbitration?

In 1902, 140 thousand coal miners went on a strike. Roosevelt thought it necessary to intervene, and with that thought, he called both sides to a meeting to deal with the strike, and an agreement came to be, where the miners received a 10% pay increase and a shorter workday of 9 hours. This action of Roosevelt set a precedent for federal arbitration as it soon became that the federal government was expected to intervene when a strike began to threaten the public welfare.

3. What did Roosevelt do to the trusts and railroads?

During his presidency, Roosevelt affected both trusts and railroads significantly. In 1902, he ordered the Justice Department to sure the Northern Securities Company, which had established a monopoly over railroads. Roosevelt had sought to curb the actions of those that hurt the public interest. Then in 1903, Roosevelt had helped to create the Elkins Act which made it illegal for railroad officials to give, and shippers to receive, rebates for using particular railroads. In 1906, he had to compromise with conservative senators who opposed the Hepburn Act, which strictly limited the distribution of free railroad passes, but its passage boosted the government's power to regulate the railroads.

4. What did legislation pass during Roosevelt's presidency that protected citizens?

Both the Meat Inspection Act and The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 protected citizens. The Meat Inspection Act protected citizens, as it gave the federal government the duty to inspect meat factories to insure quality meat every so often, which woul help to prevent citizens from getting sick from rancid meat. The Pure Food and Drug Act protected citizens, because it halted the sale of contaminate foods and medicines and called for the truth in labeling, which prevented people from getting sick or dying from food or medicines containing fatal ingredients.

5. What did Roosevelt do to protect the environment?

Advised by John Muir, Roosevelt set aside 148 million acres of land of forest reserves, and he also set aside 1.5 million acres of water-power sites and another 80 million acres of land that US Geological Survey would explore for mineral and water resources. He also established more than 50 wildlife sanctuaries and several national parks. He did all of this becayse he believed that America's resources were endless. All of this was very helpful in preserving and protecting the environment.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Urbanization

1. What is Urbanization?

Urbanization is the growth of cities, which at this time, mostly took place in the regions of the Northeast and Midwest.

2. For what reasons did a number of Americans move from the country to the cities?

Many rural people moved to cities to find whatever work they could. Around 200,000 African Americans moved from the country to the cities between 1890 and 1910 in an effort to escape racial violence, economic hardship, and political oppression.

3. What were the housing problems that many poor city dwellers faced?

Many poor city dwellers were faced with atrocious living conditions. They had the choice to either buy a house on the outskirts of town where they would be faced with transportation problems, or they could rent cramped rooms in a boardinghouse in the central city. These rooms were EXTREMELY cramped, having sometimes 3 families in a house meant for 1 family.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Immigration

1. Describe the causes of the immigration of Southern and Eastern Europeans, Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese to America in the late 19th century and early 20th century.

Millions of immigrants entered the US seeking a better life. They were hoping to escape conditions such as famine, land shortages, or religious or political persecution. Southern and Eastern Europeans emigrated from Europe to the US for many reasons. These reasons include an escape from religious persecution, and escape from the rising population which interfered with the amount of available jobs, and escape from reform and revolt in Europe, and they also immigrated because jobs in US were said to be plentiful and Europeans sought independent lives. The main reason Chinese came to America in the mid-1800s was due to the discovery of gold. Many Chinese turned to farming, mining, and domestic services. Last but not least, Japanese had also come to America in the late 1800s-early 1900s because of the United States's annexation of Hawaii in 1898.

2. Describe the journey immigrants endured and their experiences at United States immigration stations.

Immigrants were forced to endure a difficult journey to make it to America and to be admitted into the states. First of all, many immigrants hoping to settle in America were crammed onto steamships for 1-3 weeks with close to no room or fresh air. Because of this, disease spread quickly. Then, once making it to America, they were to be inspected at immigration stations before being allowed into the states. These inspections were long and some people didn't pass. The test in a summary included a physical examination by a doctor to be checked for disease, and, if passed, they would be reported to a government inspector who checked documents and asked questions to determine whether they met the legal requirements for entering the US. An estimated 17 million immigrants passed through these stations and into the US.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Labor Unions & Big Business

The Knights of Labor


a. Identification- a group that's motto was "An injury to one is the concern of all"; open to all workers, regardless of race, gender, or degree of skill; supported an 8 hour workday and advocated "equal pay for equal work"; saw strikes as a last resort and instead advocated arbitration

b. Significance- One of the first groups to allow ALL typed of people; reached around 700,000 members (one of the most"populated" groups of the time)

The Haymarket Riot

a. Identification- 3,000 people gathered at Haymarket Square in Chicago to protest police brutality; around 10 o'clock, someone threw a bomb, killing 7 police officers, causing police to kill several workers

b. Significance- after this incident, the public began turning against the labor movement; the bomb-thrower was never determined

The American Federation of Labor

a. Identification- a group that focused on collective bargaining, or negotiation between representatives of labor and management, to reach written agreements on wages, hours, and working conditions; used strikes as a major tactic; successful strikes led to higher wages and shorter workweeks

b. Significance- between 1890 and 1915, the average weekly wages in unionized industries rose from $17.50 to $24, and the average workweek fell from almost 54.5 hours to just under 49 hours

Samuel Gompers

a. Identification- Gompers had led the Cigar Makers' International Union to join with other craft unions in 1886.

b. Significance- This led to a bigger and stonger union, helping them in the longrun

The Homestead Strike

a. Identification- a strike called by steelworkers on June 29, 1892 after the company president announced his plans to cut wages

b. Significance- The strike lasted until November, showing that the steelworkers had put up a good fight, but they eventually gave in to the company

The Pullman Strike

a. Identification- In the Spring of 1894, this strike was called due to an extreme wage cut and many people being laid off

b. Significance- Many of the strikers were fired and never given the opportunity to get railroad jobs again, showing that they were not quite successful with their strike

Eugene V. Debs

a. Identification- Debs attempted to form an industrial union that would include ALL laborers- skilled and unskilled- in a specific industry.

b. Significance- This union, the American Railway Union, won a strike for higher wages in 1894, and consisted of 150,000 members, showing some potential in the power of the Union

The Industrial Workers of the World

a. Identification- a group of radical unionists and socialists organized this group; this group included miners, lumberers, and cannery and dock workers

b. Significance- won a major victory in 1912, but, otherwise, were not too successful




Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Big Biz and Labor

Andrew Carnegie- he was one of the first industrial moguls to make a fortune by himself. He also was very into supported charities, making himself a model to many others, and making himself one of the most generous men of his time.

Social Darwinism- an economic and social philosophy-supposedly based on the biologist Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection-holding that a system of unrestrained competition will ensure th survival of the fittest

John D. Rockefeller- established the Standard Oil Company; he used a trust to gain total control of the oil industry in America

Sherman Antitrust Act- this act made it illegal to form a trust that interfered with free trade between states or with other countries; this act was formed in 1890

Samuel Gompers- this man had led the Cigar Makers' International Union to join with other craft unions in 1886

American Federation of Labor (AFL)- focused on collective bargaining, or negotiation between representatives of labor and management, to reach written agreements on wages, hours, and working conditions; used strikes as a major tactic; their successful strikes rose pay from $17.50 to $24 and they hours worked went from 54 hours to around 49 hours a week.

Eugene V. Debs- attempted to form the American Railway Union. Most members were unskilled and semiskilled laborers, but skilled engineers and firemen joined too. This union won a strike for higher wages in 1894.

Industrial Workers of the World- this group, a group of radical unionists and socialists in Chicago, formed in 1905. It included miners, lumberers, and cannery and dock workers. This group, unlike the ARU, welcomed African Americans, but there were never more than 100,000 members. In 1912, their only major strike victory took place.

Mary Harris Jones- the most prominent organizer in the women's labor movement; she supported the Great Strike of 1877 and later organized for the United Mine Workers of America. In 1903, she led with 80 million children on a march to the home of persident Theodore Roosevelt to expose the cruelties of child labor.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Railroad Development

The federal government gave land and made loans to the railroad companies. Why was the government so eager to promote the growth of railroads?

Because they knew that the railroads were important for settling in the West and for developing the country, the government made huge land grants and loans to the railroad companies. And although they led to widespread abuses that spurred citizens to demand federal regulation of the industry, they caused the standard time and time zones to be set and influenced the growth of towns and communities.

Expansion of Industry

What were the three major factors that contributed to the immense technological boom that took place in the United States after the Civil War? Explain how two of these factors helped to bring about this technological boom.

Three major factors that contributed to the immense technological boom that took place in the United States after the Civil War were a wealth of natural resources, government support for business, and a growing urban population. A wealth of natural resources helped to bring about this technological boom because Edwin Drake figured out that a steam engine could be used to drill for oil in Pennsylvania, which was a great discovery because oil was a very expensive and profitable product. Also, a growing urban population helped to bring out the technological boom because it provided both cheap labor and markets for new products.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Westward Expansion Questions

1. What are some of the main reasons that the federal government's policy of assimilation failed?

Think About:
Native Americans' way of life
Cultural differences
Attitude of whites toward Native Americans
Government promises


The main reason the government's policy of assimilation failed was because they were trying to get the Native Americans to give up their beliefs and way of life and become part of the white culture, but that idea was not liked by the Native Americans and they didn't want to become
"Americanized". Another reason assimilation failed was because the Native Americans had received no money from the lands sold from the Dawes Act.

2. How successful were government efforts to promote settlement of the Great Plains? Give examples to support your answer.

Think about:
The growth in population on the Great Plains
The role of railroads in the economy
The Homestead Act


Government efforts were quite successful for promoting settlement on the Great Plains. Because cattle ranching became a profitable investment, many cattle ranchers settled on the Great Plains, which caused more and more people to invest in cattle ranching, having more people settle there.